Speakers

Submit a Proposal

Have you made a significant impact in relation to Collaborative Response? Do you have a resource or sample you would like to share with other schools? What have you learned in your Collaborative Response journey and what advice could you give others?

We would love for you to share your journey! Each recording approved and received will receive one FREE registration for the 2023 Collaborative Response Retreat Pre-Recorded Session Library ($99 value)

Deadline for Proposals: February 11, 2023

Submit a Proposal


Jigsaw Learning Team


Kurtis Hewson - Lead Learner / Co-Founder, Jigsaw Learning

Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning former administrator and teacher, as well as teaching faculty at the post-secondary level. He is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning, a co-author of the text Envisioning a Collaborative Response Model, and currently works with districts and schools nationally and internationally establishing Collaborative Response frameworks and interacting with thousands of educators annually.


Lorna Hewson - Lead Learner / Co-Founder, Jigsaw Learning

Lorna Hewson is an award-winning educator with leadership experience at the classroom, school, district and provincial levels. Lorna’s experiences have included learning support and inclusion, effective assessment and grading, pyramid of interventions development, curriculum implementation, coaching and mentoring teachers and inclusive practices at the classroom, school and district level. She is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning, a co-author of the text Envisioning a Collaborative Response Model, and currently works with districts and schools nationally and internationally establishing Collaborative Response frameworks and interacting with thousands of educators annually.


Amber Hester - Partner Associate, Jigsaw Learning

Amber is a Partner Associate with Jigsaw Learning. She supports collaborative response through her work with school and system leaders in the area of revisiting their foundation statements, team building and strategic planning. Amber has over 20 years experience in education and has held a variety of leadership positions in her career including: principal, coordinator and assistant superintendent roles in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Jennifer Ferguson - Digital Learning Liaison, Jigsaw Learning

Jennifer Ferguson readily engages in opportunities to build her capacity as a leader and as a result her journey has led her into a unique role as Digital Learning Liaison with Jigsaw Learning. While currently focused on enhancing collaborative structures and processes by aligning digital supports, her background in education is vast. Jennifer’s years as a K-12 classroom teacher, learning coach, and district coordinator have afforded her a wide array of experiences including but not limited to strategic planning, engaging as a member of Curriculum Working Groups, and leading professional learning endeavours.

Cheryl Gascoyne - Learning Associate, Jigsaw Learning

Cheryl Gascoyne has supported schools in coaching at the classroom level, facilitating district professional learning series, supporting leadership in schools, and providing resource support and implementation. She has had the opportunity to work in Pre-K settings through to high school and she is also experienced in teaching our First Nation, Metis and Inuit students. Cheryl has provided support and direction to new teachers and experienced teachers alike from universal classroom practice to designing specialized interventions for individual or small groups of students.

Lana Nogue - Learning Associate, Jigsaw Learning

Lana Nogue has extensive experience in system planning and supporting schools and districts in strategically designing areas of focus and planning forward. Lana is integral to supporting schools and districts in implementing their Collaborative Response practices as well as designing and supporting levels of teams that align across schools and systems to support the needs of all students. Lana supports inclusive education teams with experience as a classroom specialist, school and district leader. She supports leaders at all levels and works at a district/systemic level to build capacity and support the goals of our various partners and strategic endeavors.

Nancy Roy Halun - Associée à l'apprentissage, Jigsaw Learning

Nancy est associée à l’apprentissage avec l’équipe de Jigsaw Learning. Au cours des vingt-trois années de sa carrière en éducation, elle a œuvré à titre de directrice d’école, de conseillère pédagogique en éducation inclusive ainsi qu’en climat scolaire positif, en tant qu’enseignante et comme orthopédagogue. Nancy possède un baccalauréat en orthopédagogie de l’Université du Québec à Hull et une maîtrise en éducation avec concentration en gestion efficace de l’enseignement et des écoles à la Téluq.

Marilyn Schmitke - Learning Associate, Jigsaw Learning

Marilyn Schmitke was a strong proponent of Collaborative Response in the Edmonton Public Schools for over a decade. Marilyn has extensive experience in implementing and growing Collaborative Response practices in a number of schools. She provides support to leaders in the development of their skills in strategic planning, instructional leadership, designing collaborative practices and effectively navigating change and growth for staff teams.

Collette Sylvestre - Learning Associate, Jigsaw Learning

Collette is the most recent addition to Jigsaw's Learning Associate team joining in January, 2021. Collette specializes in supporting inclusive learning environments with a focus on Universal Design. She is passionate about utilizing technology in synchronous, asynchronous and blended learning environments to maximize student success and streamline teacher workload. She works with school leaders and teachers in developing the framework and capacity to support Collaborative Response. Collette has worked in rural, urban and International School settings and is Level C, International Baccalaureate® certified. She has a broad range of experience from preschool to grade 12 as a teacher, leadership team member, reading intervention specialist and learning strategist. She has written, published and lead an online professional development series for the child and youth support staff for the Women's Crisis Centres in North Eastern Alberta with a focus on trauma informed care, as well as an instructor with the educational assistant program for Portage College.

School and District Partners