This year’s winners of the Catholic Education Service Award have been announced.
At their regular meeting on Monday, April 6 the Prince Albert Roman Catholic School Division selected the winners of the award, which is presented to two present or former staff members each year for their service to Catholic Education. This year’s honorees are Louise Kirzinger, a student support teacher at St. Anne and Principal Mark Phaneuf of St. Mary. They are recognized for their service to their Parrish, school community and staff.
“There two very are well deserving recipients and we look forward to highlighting that in the near future. Generally we always make our presentations to them at our churches and the Parrish that they present to and obviously we can’t do that so we are just going to highlight them on our website for the meantime and then we will definitely make sure they receive a plaque and recognition within their parishes as we proceed through this COVID timeline it will be just shifted. We generally do this during Catholic Education Week but we won’t be able to do that until further notice,” director of education Lorel Trumier explained.
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 were nominated thanks to their significant contributions to Catholic education, and their faith community.
“The Board is confident that you will agree that these faithful and dedicated individuals have positively impacted our Catholic Educational Community, our school division and all the schools they have worked in,” they wrote.
Kirzinger teaches at Ecole St. Anne School as a Student Support Services Teacher. She belongs to the St. Joseph Parish and continues to be highly involved in many forms of ministries. Upon receiving the news, Louise shared her favorite motto that she has lived by in her professional role,
“Love is patient, love is kind and there’s a reason why patience comes first.” Kirzinger said in a release by the division.
She is known to always have an answer when children ask her about Jesus. Service has always been important to her.
Phaneuf is currently Principal at Ecole St. Mary High School and has been a long serving member of the Sacred Heart Cathedral and Knights of Columbus.
“I am truly humbled and equally grateful to be one of this year’s recipients of the Prince Albert Catholic Service Award. I look fondly on my involvement in our schools, parishes and greater Catholic community and feel blessed to be able to serve in the various capacities which I have,” Phaneuf said in the release.
“Our Catholic faith is a communal journey, and I have been blessed to have shared my experiences with so many wonderful people and families over the years, and look forward to continue to do so. Although I am being recognized for my contributions, I can honestly state I feel I have personally received far more through my interactions with the school and parish communities, than I have shared. I cherish the stewardship with which I have been entrusted and am grateful to call both Prince Albert Catholic Schools and the Sacred Heart Cathedral home.”
The Board of Education thanked everyone for the submissions received.
