Our Work is as Diverse as the People We Support.
Our Work is as Diverse as the People We Support.
Inclusion SK (formerly the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living) provides support in a variety of ways to individuals, parents, siblings, other family members, friends and community based organizations. We work collaboratively with the government and community based organizations to ensure that citizens of Saskatchewan who have intellectual disabilities are valued, supported and included members of society and have opportunities and choices in all aspects of life.
The areas we provide support include:
Inclusion SK (formerly the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living) provides support in a variety of ways to individuals, parents, siblings, other family members, friends and community based organizations. We work collaboratively with the government and community based organizations to ensure that citizens of Saskatchewan who have intellectual disabilities are valued, supported and included members of society and have opportunities and choices in all aspects of life.
The areas we provide support include:
2026 Inclusive Education Awards Call for Nominees
In partnership with Inclusion Canada, Inclusion Saskatchewan is pleased to accept provincial nominations for the 2026 National Inclusive Education Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding contributions of those who support students with intellectual disabilities through their own application of the core values of inclusive education.
What is Inclusive Education?
All people with intellectual disabilities are fully included with their peers in regular education, with appropriate supports from early childhood to post-secondary and life-long learning.
This is reflected when students with intellectual disabilities:
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attend school in a regular classroom with peers their own age, at the school within their own neighborhood or community;
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are able to take part in the same classes, activities, and extra-curricular opportunities that their classmates have access to;
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receive the specialized supports they need within the classroom, allowing them to benefit from social learning opportunities while participating fully and meaningfully with their peers;
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are supported in reaching their highest potential, both in academics and in social and emotional skills.
What are the Inclusive Education Awards?
They are awarded in collaboration with Inclusion Canada, and recognize people, schools, and groups who demonstrate innovation, student-centered approaches, and dedication to the core values of inclusive education. We recognize that an inclusive education may look different for each student and each school. We align with Inclusive Education Canada’s framework of the goals and benefits of inclusive education when considering nominees.​
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This year, we will be awarding three candidates:
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Inclusive School of the Year: Awarded to one school that fosters a community of inclusion among all staff and students.
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Inclusive Teacher of the Year: Awarded to one teacher who strives to include every student through the framework of inclusive education.
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The Dr. John Dolan Spirit of Inclusion Award: Awarded to a person or group that thinks outside of the box and promotes inclusion in education. Nominees are not limited to people in any specific roles, and may include educational assistants, team coaches, resource teachers, administrators, community members, and early childhood educators amongst others. If you’re unsure if someone may be eligible, please nominate them.
What is the nomination process?
We welcome nominations from anyone, regardless of their role within education or their relationship to the nominee. Nominations are often submitted by parents, older students, colleagues, and community members. To submit a nomination, you will need to complete all of the following steps:
1. Complete the nomination form found at the link below. You will need to include the following information when you complete the nomination form:
• Your own name, contact information, and relationship to the nominee;
• The nominee’s name(s), contact information, and professional title (if applicable). If submitting for a group of people (eg. a student group or for School of the Year), you will include only one name as the contact person;
• The name of the school & division of the person or group you’re nominating;
• A few examples of how the person or group demonstrates the values of inclusive education.
• For School of the Year nominees, you will also need contact information for 2 additional references (at least one person between the nominator and the 2 references must be a parent).
2. Optional: Submit up to 3 endorsements to demonstrate the work of your nominee. We encourage you to include photo or video submissions, letters of recommendation, contact information for people to provide verbal references. These may be completed by colleagues, parents, students, or other community members, and should illustrate the ways that your nominee exemplifies the values of inclusive education. Please submit these by email to Brittanya@inclusionsk.com, including the name of your nominee within the email so that we can attach it to your online form submission.
All submissions must be received no later than January 18th, 2026.
How are nominees and winners recognized?
Winners will be invited to receive their awards at our annual banquet on June 6th in Saskatoon. They will also receive recognition across our social media platforms, and will be presented with a plaque and certificate. All nominees and winners will be celebrated though letters of congratulations.
Are you ready to nominate someone who has positively influenced inclusive education in your community?
Please click the link below to complete the online nomination. The form cannot be saved, so please ensure you are able to complete it in one sitting, or email Brittanya@inclusionsk.com to make other arrangements. Thank you, and we look forward to reading your submissions!
2025 Inclusive Education Award Recipients
Christy Harrick
2025 Inclusive Teacher of the Year
Christy Harrick serves as the Student Support Teacher for Esterhazy High School in Good Spirit School Division. Her work goes far beyond job description. Christy doesn’t just talk about inclusion - she lives it, she leads it, and she inspires others to do the same. Christy can often be founding co-teaching the classroom teachers throughout the school, ensuring each of them have the skills and support they need to be able to teach diverse learners within one classroom. She makes sure no student is left behind, and that every learner is met with dignity and care. Christy runs a breakfast program entirely with community donations, ensuring no student starts their day hungry. She leads the canteen program with job-skills training for students with disabilities, tailored to their dreams and goals—like getting a popcorn machine just so one student could work towards their goal of getting a job at a movie theatre. She is also the driving force behind several inclusive extracurriculars, like the mentoring program with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and a new inclusive softball initiative in partnership with the Blue Jays Care Foundation. Her dedication to teaching has already earned national recognition - including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal - but perhaps the most powerful legacy she’s building is right in her school community: a place where inclusive education is not a set of strategies, but a whole environment. An environment where every student is given a chance to succeed. An environment where every teacher is supported. An environment where equity is not the goal, but the standard.
Buena Vista School
2025 Inclusive School of the Year
Buena Vista School of Saskatoon Public School Division is a shining example of what it means to create an environment where every student can thrive, no matter their background or abilities. Buena Vista School has developed an innovative nature-based learning program that integrates sensory and experiential learning. This approach makes the core curriculum more accessible and engaging, particularly for neurodivergent students. By embracing the outdoors, the school creates a learning environment that is both inclusive and dynamic. What truly sets Buena Vista apart is the staff's commitment. Many members of the team self-identify as neurodivergent, using their shared experiences to connect with students and foster important conversations about disabilities, equity, and inclusion. The school’s partnership with the Carter House Family Treatment Centre ensures that children from outside Saskatoon have access to trauma-informed, inclusive education while their families receive treatment in the city.
Northwest School Division
2025 Dr. John Dolan Spirit of Inclusion Award
Northwest School Division operates 22 schools across 15 communities in the western edge of Saskatchewan, covering from Marsden to Meadow Lake. Within the last few years, the entire division has desegregated all of their schools, meaning that students with disabilities are learning alongside peers their own age in regular classrooms where all students are welcomed and supported. At all grade levels, teachers may be found teaching regular, modified, and functionally integrated curriculums within one single classroom, ensuring that kids can stay with friends their own age and still learn in the ways that they need. Through partnership with Parents Advocating for Children with Exceptionalities, the division has an Inclusion Advocate on staff so that all students and families can be supported with a student-first approach. The division’s approach to coordination of student supports is incredibly innovative, ensuring that all student support teachers are working with one another across the division, often pairing them together for mentoring relationships and handling complex navigations with a think tank collaborative approach. Just last year, Northwest changed their ICAN games day from being an extracurricular sports opportunity just for students with disabilities to being truly inclusive, so all students can now join in on the action.
