Recipient of the Prime Minster's Teaching Excellence Certificate of Achievement 2019

"Kim has proven that she is a great classroom teacher, but she is also dedicated to ensuring that the whole child is being cared for, emotionally, physically, socially and academically."  — Principal

One of the first teachers in her school to remove her desk and create a flexible learning space, Kim Lussier likewise sparks creativity and imagination in her students. Choosing their seats so they can pair up or work in small groups, even children who have trouble sitting still find a place in her class.

Teaching approach

Kim fosters students' self-direction and self-efficacy by teaching the skills they need for independent work. She promotes healthy and supportive relationships in the classroom and strives to motivate her students to reach their goals regardless of their learning differences or abilities.

In the classroom

• Provides hands-on learning activities so students can capture field trip experiences: students create digital slideshow with images and reflections on the trip to view at home with their parents; children get a taste for digital learning and sign up for the school's Grade 6 Cyber Arts Program.
• Emphasizes experiential learning and soft skills: students built models together as teams and made predictions about what the structures could support; the exercise taught valuable teamwork skills, reinforced fundamental math principles and linked to a social studies unit on building design.
• Offers support and training to children—and their parents and caregivers—on accessing the digital tools she uses: for example, she provides instruction sheets and YouTube clips on how to access Google Classroom; parents can consult her after school about using electronic devices.
• Assigns activities to be done at home that spark student engagement and curiosity: for example, they bring home their "I wonder…" journal each month to record information about a topic of interest they have found through reading, talking to family members or using the Internet.

Outstanding achievements

• Worked with the school council to develop a digital education strategy and fundraising plans: thanks to these efforts, all classrooms now have daily access to iPads and Chromebooks.
• Leads the school's Ontario EcoSchools Program, organizing educational campaigns and a team of students to participate in waste sorting and reduction activities, energy conservation activities and mandatory audits; school maintains platinum status with the program.
• Acts as Digital Lead Learner Mentor for the school board; in this role, she leads workshop for fellow teachers on tools such as GSuite and Google Classroom, and shares her projects at board conferences to encourage other teachers to use digital tools in their classrooms.