Submitted
Jennifer Roberts was recently appointed District Principal of Technology & Transformative Learning by the School District 5 (SD5) Board of Education.
According to Board chair, Frank Lento, the District has been upgrading the technology infrastructure of all schools in order to better serve students, and to provide teachers with the necessary tools to deliver the newly redesigned curriculum that the government is rolling out over the next couple of years.
“While the redesigned curriculum ensures students still learn the basics, the purpose of the redesign is to ensure that students are able to utilize their knowledge in a way that makes sense for the 21st century. With this growing focus, it’s vital that our educators have the proper training and support to maximize student learning,” explained Lento. “The District developed the District Principal of Technology & Transformative Learning position to ensure educators are well supported now and in the future as technology changes.”
Born in Edmonton, AB, Roberts received her Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta. With twenty-one years of teaching experience, eighteen of which were in public education, Roberts has taught a variety of programs including special education, alternate education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She has also taught adult basic education and worked as a Young Parent Education Program (YPEP) instructor for the College of the Rockies (COTR).
Lento says Roberts’ diverse educational experience is vital to the role of supporting other educators. “There’s a big difference in how you approach teaching youth and teaching adults. Jennifer will be able to draw on her experience doing both as she helps our educators translate technology into a meaningful learning tool for students.”
Roberts was assigned this position on a temporary basis over the summer. She is thrilled to be given the opportunity to continue her work on a permanent basis. “I enjoy working collaboratively with others and am excited to be working with such a talented –and varied—group of teachers, support staff and administrators,” said Roberts.
Roberts is married with one son. She is the membership director for the Kimberley Rotary Club, and she and her husband own a corporate team building and entertainment company in Alberta called the Drum Café. Roberts also enjoys mountain biking, hockey, skiing and scuba diving.
For more information on the newly redesigned curriculum, please visit http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/transforming_curriculum.php.