LEAD LITERACY COACH

I have the honor of being the First Nation School Board’s Lead Literacy Coach. I was born and raised on Treaty 6 Territory in central Alberta, the traditional territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Salteau, Nakota Sioux, and Métis people. I am the great-great-granddaughter of European settlers with Dutch, English, and Irish roots. Before moving to the Yukon, I worked as a teacher and speech-language pathologist in Edmonton, Alberta.

In the Fall of 2022, I joined the First Nation School Board (FNSB) and had the privilege of working with Melissa Flynn, FNSB’s Executive Director, to envision how the school board could support learners in becoming confident readers and writers. Guided by the knowledge and wisdom of students, families, and Yukon First Nations communities, the FNSB’s literacy plan, which aligns with the science of reading, was implemented in the 2023-24 school year. It has been an honour to walk alongside FNSB schools and Yukon First Nations throughout this journey. It truly feels like a gift to learn from each community.

I am passionate about using research and evidence-based instruction to meet the needs of learners. I believe humility, compassion, and curiosity are at the heart of this work and i am grateful for the opportunity to serve others in this way.

In addition to this work, I enjoy being outside – hiking and skiing – and spending time with friends and family.

LITERACY COACH

Hello, I’m Angela Gale and I have been in the Yukon for 30 years! I have lived in several communities (Mayo, Watson Lake, Haines Junction), and now reside in Whitehorse. Along with my husband, we raised our three children in Yukon communities. I’m originally from a large family and grew up in Newfoundland.

I started my teaching career in Haines Junction and have worked at Elijah Smith Elementary School and Takhini Elementary. I have loved the busy pace of a primary classroom, engaging students with outdoor learning and cultural experiences, and now look forward to my new role as a literacy coach.

I’m excited and look forward to continuing working with teachers and students. My literacy practice has always been structured with direct, explicit teaching and I’m grateful that this practice is being implemented into our schools, giving students the skills they need to see themselves as readers! I will be supporting Takhini Elementary, Ross River School and Chief Zzeh Gittlit School in Old Crow.

My other passions are being outdoors, hiking, biking, paddling, and skiing with family and friends.

LITERACY COACH

My name is Kayla Abrams and I am excited to be a part of the First Nation School Board’s Literacy Team! I’m passionate about helping students learn to read and am incredibly honoured to be supporting the implementation of research and evidence-based approaches to reading through FNSB’s Literacy plan!

I made the move to the North ‘for a year’ – over 15 years ago! I love spending time outdoors– camping, biking and hiking – and I am grateful to call the picturesque Yukon my home. During my time North, I’ve had the privilege of visiting, learning from, and supporting many communities across the Yukon and Northwest Territories in speech, language, and literacy in my role as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist.

I look forward to the opportunity of spending more time in the communities of the Yukon in my role as Literacy Coach. I am excited to build relationships with our FNSB schools – especially the schools I will be directly supporting: Grey Mountain Primary, Nelnah Bessie John, St. Elias Community and Kluane Lake schools – and to helping support students on their literacy journey!

I feel very honoured to be a part of this wonderful team!

LITERACY COACH

I am honored to be a Literacy Coach with the First Nation School Board. I just recently moved to the Yukon with my partner, two children, and dog Spruce, looking for adventure and a life in the mountains.

I spent the first few years of my life in Malawi, Africa, and moved to Canada in 1985 to begin school in Regina. I grew up in a bilingual family, speaking Dutch with my mother and English with my father. My schooling was in French Immersion, and in University I took Spanish classes. With this multilingual background, a love for languages came naturally.

In my early 20’s, my partner and I moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta, where we grew roots for almost 20 years. I have an Education Degree from the University of Alberta with a minor in English as a Second Language (ESL), and I’ve been teaching the primary grades for the last ten years. Several years ago, I was introduced to the Structured Literacy approach of teaching kids how to read, and took a deep dive into the science behind how we acquire language. I was fascinated with this approach, and saw very quickly the positive impact it was having with my students and their ability to process language, and ultimately read!

In my spare time, I love to x-country ski, hike, paddleboard, forage, and explore with my family and friends. I enjoy being creative, and over the years have dabbled in jewelry making, ceramics, and watercolor art. I grew up playing the violin, and have recently started learning how to fiddle!

LITERACY COACH

Bonjour! My name is Sofie and I am Acadian from New Brunswick. I grew up speaking both French and English and sometimes both at the same time.  I love learning new languages and know a little bit of a lot of languages and am eager to learn more.  I drove here from NB in 1999 for a one year adventure and never left.  Since then, I met my husband, Dave and have one son, Gabe.  

I have worked in Education for the past 25 years, as a classroom teacher, school counsellor, vice principal, learning assistance teacher, curriculum consultant and literacy coach. These various roles have given me a broad perspective on education.   

I am thrilled to be FNSB’s Intermediate Literacy Coach as I enjoy change and challenge.   I appreciate FNSB’s clear literacy plan that gives students access to effective literacy practices. I want to contribute by helping teachers in implementing new programs and gaining better understanding of structured literacy. I look forward to providing ongoing support to our hard working educators.  

When not working, you can find me watching my son play volleyball or basketball, riding my mountain bike, picking berries, reading, knitting and spending time outside with family and friends.