About the Award

​The Bernardine Yackman Memorial Award is awarded to an Active or Retired Trustee of an OPSBA Member Board for dedication, commitment and an outstanding contribution to education with special recognition for Northern Ontario service. The late Bernardine Yackman was a trustee on the Sudbury Board of Education and, for many years, an active Director of the Northern Ontario School Trustees’ Association. First awarded in 1985, the award recognizes dedication, commitment and an outstanding contribution to education in Ontario by an active or retired school trustee. Service to or on behalf of education in Northern Ontario, at the board, regional or provincial level will receive special recognition from the judging committee, the OPSBA Northern Regional Directors.

Terms of Award
  • The award is presented annually at OPSBA’s Fall Northern Regional Meeting, with recognition to be given at the following year’s AGM.
  • The recipient of the award must be an active or retired trustee of a member board of the Association.
  • The award will be presented on the basis of recognition of dedication, commitment and outstanding contribution to education in Ontario. Service to or on behalf of Public Education in the Districts of Northern Ontario at board, regional an provincial levels will receive special recognition.
  • Trustees currently serving on the OPSBA Board of Directors will be ineligible for nomination while a Member of the Board.
  • All nominations must be received no later than June 7, 2024.
Nomination Information Checklist

To create a complete submission package outlining the candidate’s accomplishments, please ensure they meet the award criteria and include the following information.

Criteria

Dedication, commitment and an outstanding contribution to education with special recognition for Northern Ontario service. Trustees are ineligible for nomination while serving as a member of the OPSBA Board of Directors.

Nominations submissions deadline: June 7, 2024
Judging Committee: OPSBA Northern Regional Directors.

Information Summary (Maximum Two Pages)

An information summary in point form of Record of Service, as a complete profile of the candidate.
Aspects of career, community service, and personal accomplishments may be included here.

Supporting Nominators List (Maximum One Page)

A separate list of Supporting Nominators.
Three or more references required from Supporting Nominators, outlining the outstanding contribution to education that this trustee has made.
Nominators are encouraged to get board support for the candidate.

Trustee Accomplishments List (Maximum Two Pages)

A detailed account of the nominee’s accomplishments as a public school trustee.
List and briefly describe all accomplishments that specifically relate to:

  • Outstanding contribution to education in the Province of Ontario, and
  • Service to public education at board, regional and provincial levels in Northern Ontario.

Supplementary Information (Maximum Three Pages)

Any additional information which illustrates the influence of the candidate in the field of education. Media clippings, etc. may be included. Audio visual information is inadmissible.

Recipients

Jay Aspin, Near North District School Board
Raymond Roy, Rainy River District School Board

Wanda McQueen, ​Algoma District School Board

Lori Lukinuk, Lakehead District School Board

​Howard Archibald, District School Board Ontario North East

Trudy Tuchenhagen, Lakehead District School Board

William (Bill) Hall, Algoma District School Board

Armand Giguere, Caramat District School Area Board

Eunice Saari, Near North District School Board

Bill Mokomela, Lakehead District School Board

Gord McBride, Rainy River District School Board

Alan McLean, Algoma District School Board

Bill Dawes, Keewatin-Patricia District School Board

Doreen Dewar, Rainbow District School Board

Wayne Pickard, Algoma District School Board

Lynn Peterson, Lakehead District School Board

Frances Sewards, the former Sault Ste. Marie Board of Education

Lyn McLeod, Lakehead District School Board

Vicki Kett, Sudbury Board of Education
Juergen Leukert, Timiskaming Board of Education

Ernie Checkeris, Sudbury Board of Education

Paula Dunning, Central Algoma Board of Education
Dorothy Wright, Timiskaming Board of Education

Allan Jones, Nipigon Red-Rock Board of Education

Bert Johnson, Upsala District School Board

Basil Merchant, Kapuskasing Board of Education

Jack Switzer, Atikokan Board of Education

Edna Kidd, Kenora Board of Education
Marilyn Rowe, Muskoka Board of Education

Dora Taylor Logan, West Parry Sound Board of Education

Kay Forsyth, Kapuskasing Board of Education

Mary Anne Misner, Dryden Board of Education

David Doney, Nipissing Board of Education

Harold Crowder, Sault Ste. Marie Board of Education