When the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS) decided to give their prestigious teaching award to the head of the Science Department at Trafalgar School in Montreal, Christianne Loupelle’s colleagues and students swarmed to congratulate her. When a few short weeks later the Prime Minister’s Teaching Awards Office notified the school that she had received a regional certificate for Teaching Excellence, her colleagues and students almost burst with pride.

Excellence in Teaching Girls
The leading advocate for girls’ schools across North America and beyond, the NCGS presents their annual H. William Christ Educator prize to someone who has “demonstrated commitment to extraordinary teaching, program design, and/or curricular innovation in a member school. The recipient will reflect creative excellence, cutting edge programming, entrepreneurial teaching, and collaborative design in his/her teaching.”

When they announced the award, the NCGS singled out Ms. Loupelle’s work with researchers in the Faculty of Education at McGill University in introducing inquiry-based learning projects to Grade 7 and 8 students at Trafalgar. One of her classes helped to raise awareness for the subject of their inquiry — Canada’s Missing and Murdered indigenous Women and Girls — through an exhibition that featured life-sized paper dresses lovingly designed by the students.

Inspirational Teaching
The Prime Minister’s Awards committee also mentioned this exemplary project when they chose to give a regional award for Teaching Excellence in STEM to this Trafalgar teacher. Established three years ago, this award recognizes, “inspirational science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) teachers at the elementary or secondary school level who keep students engaged in STEM learning and who help develop the culture of innovation that Canada needs today, and in the future.”

A former student wrote a nomination letter about Ms. Loupelle’s interactive approach to teaching, ability to adapt to different students’ needs, and obvious enthusiasm for the subjects she taught, helping to foster a love for science.

Collaboration is Key
One of three Prime Minster’s award winners in the school’s history (the first winner has retired, the second is still teaching in the Social Sciences department), Ms. Loupelle maintains that Trafalgar’s culture of collaboration and experimentation forged her approach to teaching. Shortly after receiving both awards this year she wrote, “When you work in an environment that is as rewarding as it is engaging with colleagues that are continuously willing to collaborate and challenge you to be better, magic can happen.”

To find out more about how Trafalgar teachers collaborate to create inspiring and personalized learning experiences for every girl in Grades 7 to 11, visit our Open House on October 3 from 5;00 p.m. to 7;00 p.m., or call the Admissions Office to schedule an appointment.