Sheri Thomasen

Compassionate, creative and inclusive teacher with valuable experience in department leadership, professional development, and ELL administration. Dedicated to creating welcoming spaces and unique experiences for International and ELL learners at Riverside Secondary. Flexible and interpersonal with experience in conflict resolution and team building. Accomplished teacher with an extensive background in a variety of educational environments from K-12 and adult education.

Education Leadership

• Appointed English Department Head -Sept. 2021. Created a department that respects dialogue, inclusivity, and pedagogical creativity through active listening, resource sharing, and colleague support. Managed department budget and finances.
• Appointed ELL Coordinator-Sept. 2024. Managed the assessment, placement, and integration of new and returning ELL students to Riverside. Updated and created AIPs in addition to consulting with classroom teachers to ensure student success, both emotionally and academically. Maintained parent communication, liaised with support workers, and taught Beginner ELL students. Future goals are to support teachers with strategies to advance English language acquisition and create an environment where students feel included and respected.
• Curated an equitable "bookroom" for Riverside English teachers including literature from diverse perspectives and experiences. Worked with Wendy Yu and Karla Allan to bring marginalized voices into the English classrooms. Future goals is to support other English teachers in the District to utilize resources that reflect the diverse population of SD43.
• Collaborated in the early development of SOGI policy for SD43. Future goal is to create an inclusive, safe space for students and staff of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Guidelines are to support educators and administrators in this process.
• Currently organizing and creating Mic'd Up- a showcase of District secondary student public speaking performances. The goal is to start a legacy of SD43 talent.
• Mentored seven successful student teachers in pedagogy by creating opportunities to implement theory, into practice, implement backward design, model inclusive practices, and encourage backward design.
• Built connections within staff through collaboration activities at school ProD. The focus was on de-colonizing the classroom, inquiry, and social-emotional learning. Future goals are to build more teacher cross-curricular collaboration, inclusive practices, and student-centred assessment.
• Fostered relationships with teachers and students from Donghcheng Middle School in China in July 2016. Travelled with six SD43 teachers to China to share Canadian pedagogical practices with their faculty.

Curriculum Assessment and Creation

• Evaluator for Focused Education Resources -2020-present. Successfully collaborated with a partner to evaluate six YA novels for appropriateness and usage in BC classrooms.
• Implemented 1:1 digital learning from its creation at Riverside Secondary.
• Supporting students and emerging teachers in utilizing technology for learning in a digital school. Students graduate with a strong understanding of using tech for learning in addition to recognizing their digital footprint and responsibilities.
• Created accelerated options for extending students in English honours program.
• Collaborated with District administration to develop proficiency scale report card comments for English 9.

Inclusive Education

• SOGI lead 2018-present. Successfully advocated for the implementation of a gender neutral washroom in 2018. Goal is to provide more support for teachers looking to include SOGI representation in class materials.
• SOGI club sponsor teacher. Club has been a consistent place for LGBTQ+ students and allies to meet, advocate, and feel welcome for 9 years. Goal is to connect more LGBTQ+ students in the school.
• Initiated and facilitated a student anti-racism club for two years. Our mission was to hear and empower marginalized students through advocacy and dialogue.
• Co-initiated and facilitated an anti-racism teacher group, sharing resources, articles and ideas on a weekly basis.

Indigenous Education

• Collaborated with administration to develop the new English First Peoples graduation requirement. Goal is to build a culture of reconciliation using authentic voices and experiential learning.
• Lead department in growing our Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being pedagogy through mentorship, resource sharing, and discussion.

Career Education

• Created the Career Life Connections (CLC) class while respecting the curriculum and school goals simultaneously. Transition between grades provided mentorship opportunities for seniors for younger grades to be inspired in their own career goals.

IIRP (International Insititute of Restorative Practice) Certificate in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice for Education

Jill Della Vedova- Vice Principal of Riverside Secondary

JDellaVedova@sd43.bc.ca

Jon Bruneau- Former Principal of Riverside Secondary

JBruneau@sd43.bc.ca

Susan Henderson- Learning Commons Teacher Librarian

SHenderson@sd43.bc.ca

Sharon McKay- Principal of Parkland Elementary

ShMckay@sd43.bc.ca