Katherine Vladicka

I have had the privilege of teaching with FMPSD for the last 16 years.  I have taught math and science at Ecole McTavish since we opened in 2011.  Currently, I mainly teacher grade 11 and 12 math and biology.  Before that, I taught high school math at Westwood High School.  I have also tutored math to students in grade 7 to 12 since I started teaching.  In addition to teaching at McTavish, I am also the teacher sponsor for our school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA).  I am also very involved with the Alberta Teachers’ Association Local in Fort McMurray.  I represent Fort McMurray teachers on various committees, including the Teacher Welfare committee, the Negotiating subcommittee, Diversity, Equity and Human Rights committee, and the Women in Teachership committee.

I have a Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences and Anthropology from the University of Alberta, and for several years before becoming a teacher I worked in research labs at the UofA.   I worked on aquatic ecology projects in the mountain parks, studying the effect of mercury on aquatic ecosystems.  I also worked in the Limnology lab on campus and at the Meanook Biological Research station in Athabasca.  I try to bring these experiences into the classroom and I believe they make me a better science teacher.  I went back to school and earned my Bachelor of Education degree, specializing in secondary science and math.  During my teaching career here in Fort McMurray I have been awarded FMPSD's "Doing What's Best for Kids" award, APEGA’s (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta) award of Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and the Breakthrough Junior Challenge Teacher Mentor award.

Outside of school, I love spending time with my chosen family and friends.  I also volunteer with and am on the board of Pride YM, an organization I believe strongly in.  My other passions include scuba diving, traveling the world, hiking, camping and kayaking.  I have always loved nature and exploring the world and its cultures.  

I believe all children can learn math and science, even when they don't think they can, they just need to give themselves and me a chance.  I believe every kid is unique with their own passions, skills and strengths.  What I love about teaching is seeing students grow and start to discover those things.  I love their enthusiasm for the world, for discovering new things and contributing in some way to their future.  My students make me smile and laugh every day and I truly feel honoured to be able to teach them and share in their journey.