PRINCE ALBERT — Catholic Education Week is from May 25 to June 1, and the Prince Albert Catholic School Division board celebrated the occasion by announcing the 2024-2025 Catholic Education Service Award winners.
Current substitute teacher Collette Matheson was among two honourees selected. She was present at the Catholic School Division board of education meeting on Monday to receive the award from chair Suzanne Stubbs.
Matheson began her teaching career in Saskatoon. In 1987, she joined her husband Fred Matheson in Prince Albert and started her journey with the Prince Albert Catholic School Division. Over the years, she taught students from Grade 1 to Grade 12, with most of her career dedicated to Middle Years French Immersion at École Holy Cross School.
Matheson was honoured to join the list of past inductees for the award. "It is very humbling,” she said. “It's been an honour to be recognised. I looked at the past recipients, and they are such amazing people and so dedicated to Catholic education, so I feel very honoured to be in that group.”
Matheson has been teaching for 41 years, 38 of which have been with the Prince Albert Catholic School Division. She said the middle years students were great to teach.
"They're not quite sure who they are going to be, so it was great to be a witness to all of that and to have that faith background to get them through it (and) to be supportive,” Matheson said. “I tried to be as compassionate as possible with them, and you try to help as many as you can.”
Initially, Matheson worked as a high school teacher before teaching Grade 1 for a period. She left on maternity leave and started teaching middle years when she came back.
“I stayed there and I just loved them,” she said. “I love the energy of the group. I love that they were at a point in their life where they're really trying to figure things out.”
She said the little things, as a junior high French Immersion teacher, warmed her heart.
“I was watching from up top at the school, and one kid just looked around to see if anybody was watching,” she remembered. “He was by himself, and he just went into cartwheel, just to get that joy out.
"The energy was amazing, and yes, there were struggles and stuff, but I love the energy that they bring to it,” she added. “They're so hard on themselves sometimes, and they just turn out to be great adults. I've always been in awe of the students, I love the little moments.”
Matheson said having a Catholic faith-based education was important because it allowed her to be her whole self. She began her career in the public system in Saskatoon.
"I ended up with the Catholic, and I didn't have to hide any part of my personality. Or my spiritual self,” she said. “Any of those parts could permeate into whatever it was teaching, and then I could always rely on that, too.
“When we went through some tough times with students, whether they be losses or divorce or whatever it may have been, it was nice to have that faith base. You have that prayer, or you could offer them hope in that way. I like that faith foundation for that reason.”
The students remain the most important part to Matheson.
"I love my students. I think that was the highlight of my career,” she said.
Matheson retired seven years ago but kept getting contracts because she is a French immersion teacher, and there was always a need.
“I've been back in the classroom for the last seven years, and I'm finally just subbing this year, so it's kind of nice,” she said. “I love the little moments with the students. I've had an amazing group of kids, and I've had some wonderful staff beside me that were very focused on doing the best they could for the kids.”
Matheson was one of two people to win Catholic Education Service Awards this year. The other was Vel Thompson is a 37-year employee of the school division who worked as an administrative assistant and is currently employed at the Education Centre. Thompson declined the chance to be interviewed about receiving the award.
The board of education established the Catholic Education Service Award in 1998 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to Catholic education in Prince Albert. Both recipients have been nominated due to their significant contributions to Catholic Education and their faith community.
The board of education congratulated both award winners.
"Our board is truly grateful to this year's recipients of the Prince Albert Catholic Service Awards,” Stubbs said in a press release.
“We are proud that Colette and Val call our school division and Catholic education community home. Their involvement in our schools, parishes, and greater Catholic community is exemplary, and we are blessed to have these individuals working with our staff and students." The Prince Albert Catholic Division invites everyone to join in celebrating World Catholic Education Week as they strive to provide a supportive atmosphere that makes Catholic schools nurturing environment for students to thrive academically, spiritually and socially.
The Board of Education thanked everyone for the submissions received.
