Educational Leadership Awards Presented At LEADS ASC

Gordon Burns is a student in the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP). Gord is a remarkably resilient, committed and hardworking student who has immense potential to be a teacher of distinction in Saskatchewan. 

Students like Gord don’t come along everyday.  In Gord’s first year, his home community of James Smith First Nation experienced a devastating tragedy which directly impacted many members of the First Nation, including Gord’s family. Despite this tragedy, Gord never missed a day of school and remained committed to his studies. Indeed, in four years of education, Gord has never missed a single day and has managed to maintain a GPA of 84%. He recently received a rating of “Outstanding” on his Internship Placement Profile which places him on track to graduate with Great Distinction. 

As a student teacher, Gord constructed many innovative instructional experiences for students. One of Gord’s greatest strengths is his ability to naturally incorporate Indigenous content into lessons in a way that normalizes Indigenous perspectives rather than ‘othering’ them. For example, when constructing an experiment for grade 5 students on reversible and irreversible chemical changes, Gord used bannock to demonstrate an irreversible change. When conducting a lesson on mapping, he subtly included a reference to the treaty areas of the province. It is these consistent and subtle content additions that help students to understand that Indigenous content is not always about colourful regalia or heavy residential school related topics. Indigenous content is a foundational component to the Canadian experience, and it should be included in ways that help students to internalize it as a normalized aspect of education. Gord understands this innately and models it everyday. 

Another interesting aspect of Gord’s teaching is the incorporation of physical fitness. Gord values fitness and develops activities and games that teach his students that fitness is fun! He makes sure that students know that being physical isn’t restricted to the context of a P.E. class. During one class, Gord used a game that most students were familiar with, BINGO, to teach about different stretches and isometric movements that can be performed anywhere without any special equipment. Gord’s enthusiasm is contagious and as students left for the day, they were still practicing some of the moves they had just learned. 

Gord is a hardworking, caring and knowledgeable pre-service teacher. He has demonstrated remarkable resilience and perseverance, and without a doubt he will make a lasting impact on young students. Gord is a very deserving recipient of the Exceptional Student Award.

Ashley Lafontaine is a student in the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP). Ashley is an incredible person who demonstrates dedication and a consistent joyous ambition towards the teaching profession. Ashley leads and supports others respectfully, loyally and conscientiously. 

Ashley has earned great distinction in each of the four years she was in the Bachelor of Education program and has been on the Dean’s Honor Roll. She has received recognition for her academic excellence through USASK and their Undergraduate Scholarships for the past three years.

Ashley is extremely proud of her Metis identity and increasingly aware of how important it is to be able to culturally assert her identity for the purpose of teaching and mentoring youth, and to prepare for anti·racist and anti-oppressive learning, both of which she planned and delivered well in her student teaching and extended practicum. Ashley demonstrates commitment and an honorable conscientiousness towards mentoring and dedicating time to help all youth prosper and feel a greater sense of belonging. 

Ashley contributes beyond our SUNTEP and USASK community through meaningful volunteer work. One of the most impactful ways she has given back is through her work in an inner-city community. She volunteers with the Riversdale Community Fridge, an initiative entirely run by volunteers and community donations where the most vulnerable can have access to food without judgement. 

During Ashley’s journey in teacher education, and ultimately her student teaching, she dedicated her planning specifically for her students and built positive relationships with her students in both the English and French streams. She was able to implement the Michif language into her planning and delivery and witnessed positive learning amongst her students. She met each of her students at their level of learning and all students demonstrated joy for their teacher, often calling her for support and encouragement. One could easily see the sparkle in her students’ eyes, but also in her eyes, making it obvious she receives great joy in teaching and in working with youth. 

Ashley consistently demonstrates more than commitment to Indigenous teacher education and education overall. She leads with grace, persistence, integrity, respect and the utmost professionalism. She is known among her cohort, within our program and on campus, as a conscientious and passionate learner. She completed an outstanding extended practicum at George Vanier School where she created life-long relationships with her colleagues and with her students. Her well-planned lessons and unit plans presented her middle-years students with experiences of important learning outcomes consciously planned to ensure they could understand equity and inequality. Ashley’s committment to pulling Indigenous educational outcomes from the Saskatchewan curriculum while bringing in her own perspectives based on her cultural identity as a Metis woman is impressive. 

Ashley’s exceptional contributions to education, culture and community make her a truly deserving recipient of the Exceptional Student Award.

Kevin C. Garinger has served as Director of Education and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon School Division since May 26, 2014. In this role, he provides executive leadership to one of Saskatchewan’s largest rural school divisions, supporting 42 schools and approximately 6,667 students, with the central administrative office located in Humboldt. His tenure has been marked by steady, values-driven leadership and a clear commitment to strengthening public education through collaboration, accountability, and care for students and staff.

With more than three decades of experience in public education across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, Mr. Garinger has served with distinction as a teacher, principal, associate superintendent, and director of education. Prior to returning to Saskatchewan, he spent seven years as Associate Superintendent with Palliser Regional Schools in Alberta, where he led assessment, learning services, literacy, professional development, and human resources. His leadership contributed directly to division-wide accountability outcomes that resulted in Palliser being recognized as the top-performing school division in Alberta for four consecutive years. During his tenure with Horizon School Division, his leadership has twice been recognized through provincial honours, including the Premier’s Award of Innovation and Excellence in Education (2021) and the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Education (2025).

Mr. Garinger is widely respected for his advocacy of building a cohesive “school system” rather than a “system of schools,” emphasizing shared responsibility, collective efficacy, and systemic collaboration. For nearly 12 years, he has guided Horizon School Division’s work around three foundational goals: ensuring safe and caring learning environments, strengthening literacy and numeracy outcomes, and supporting successful student transitions, including high school completion and readiness for life beyond the classroom. These priorities reflect his deep belief that student success is both an academic and a human endeavor.

Beyond his division, Mr. Garinger has made significant contributions at the provincial, national, and international levels. He has served as President of the League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents (LEADS), represented the sector on key provincial advisory committees, and provided leadership on provincial priorities related to operational efficiency and mathematics instruction. He is an active member of multiple leadership organizations, including CASSA and the AASA Governing Board, and is a founding member of the Canadian School Mental Health Leadership Network. His work has also supported the development of national mental health resources in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Mr. Garinger’s commitment to service extends well beyond education. He is a long-standing community leader in Humboldt and Saskatchewan, including his role as President of the Humboldt Broncos during the 2018 tragedy, where his leadership was characterized by compassion, steadiness, and integrity during an unprecedented time. His extensive volunteerism in sport, culture, and community organizations has been recognized through numerous honours, including Citizen of the Year, provincial and national officiating awards, and the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence accepted on behalf of the Humboldt Broncos organization.

Born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and raised in northern Saskatchewan, Mr. Garinger now resides in Humboldt with deep ties to the community he serves. He is the father of three adult sons and a proud grandfather of two, with a third soon to join the family. His career reflects a lifelong dedication to public service, educational excellence, and the well-being of students, communities, and the profession he so capably leads.

Darrell Paproski is recognized for his exceptional years of service and enduring contributions to the LEADS organization. His commitment to educational leadership and advocacy for students in Saskatchewan has left a lasting impact on both the organization and the broader education community.

Mr. Paproski was an active member of LEADS from 2003 to 2022. He served on the LEADS Executive from 2013 to 2018 and held the role of President from 2017 to 2018. Throughout these years, he demonstrated principled leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for students—particularly those with intensive needs.

One of the defining aspects of Mr. Paproski’s LEADS involvement was the strong collegial relationships he fostered. He worked closely with educational leaders from across the province, building partnerships grounded in trust, professional respect, and a shared purpose of strengthening Saskatchewan’s education system.

He played a key role, alongside George Falk, in re-establishing the South Saskatchewan Superintendents of Student Services group following amalgamation and later participated in the North Saskatchewan group. These networks provided essential opportunities for superintendents to connect, share expertise, and collaboratively address complex educational challenges.

As a member of the Executive, Mr. Paproski contributed to thoughtful and often challenging dialogue on current issues, including discussions with public representatives such as the Honorable Russ Merasti. He also participated in rigorous Executive and government committee conversations regarding the potential for further amalgamation, always bringing a balanced and student-focused perspective.

Beyond governance, Mr. Paproski actively supported the culture and community of LEADS. He fondly recalls the early LEADS golf tournaments at Elk Ridge, as well as the team building and networking opportunities created through LEADS curling events held prior to the Annual Spring Conference.

During his presidency, Mr. Paproski represented LEADS at SSBA and SASBO conventions, as well as at CASSA conferences and annual meetings. In these roles, he articulated the value of collaboration between organizations and shared how LEADS was addressing emerging challenges in education. These opportunities were a source of pride and helped strengthen relationships across the provincial education landscape.

Mr. Paproski was also frequently asked to facilitate professional development sessions at LEADS events. He considered this an honor and consistently highlighted the depth of knowledge, experience, and generosity of learning shared by LEADS members. His involvement in planning and participating in Superintendents’ Council Conferences (SCCs) and Annual Spring Conferences helped ensure meaningful blended learning opportunities, module work, and engagement with educational leaders from beyond Saskatchewan.

SCC orientation days held particular significance. From his earliest days as a LEADS member, Mr. Paproski experienced strong support from the membership, and he made it a priority to extend that same welcome to new members. His presence and mentorship on these days helped build connections that often developed into lasting professional relationships across and beyond school divisions.

A unique and deeply valued contribution associated with Mr. Paproski’s LEADS involvement was the SCC Children’s Program. For 18 years, the program was facilitated by his wife, Jan, with support from their daughters, Jenessa and Tenesha. Designed for the children of LEADS members while parents attended sessions, the program became a hallmark of warmth, care, and community. Over the years, 797 children participated, ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers. Participants were offered a wide variety of crafts and activities—over 400 in total—carefully designed to accommodate diverse interests and ability levels.

Many children attended year after year, forming lasting friendships and eagerly reuniting each summer. In later years, the program welcomed grandchildren of LEADS members, further underscoring its multigenerational impact. The enduring memories shared by children and families alike served as a powerful reminder of the ultimate purpose of LEADS’ work: serving children and students.

Through his leadership, service, and the spirit of community he helped foster, Darrell Paproski exemplifies the values of LEADS. His contributions have strengthened professional relationships, advanced educational dialogue, and enriched the organization in ways that will be felt for years to come. This Merit Award recognizes not only his years of dedication, but also the meaningful legacy he leaves behind.