SWATCA 2025 - South Western Alberta Teachers' Convention: Full Schedule

Welcome to SWATCA 2024 on SCHED!

Here you will find the list of all the great sessions, speaker information, exhibitors and more! Check back here often for information on draws, prize winners, session updates and more!!

IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Please ensure that you are completing session evaluations - this helps our SWATCA planning team immensely in preparing for future events! You can evaluate all sessions in the session itself at the bottom of the SCHED. Thank you!

Prize Winners
Goosechase:
Kelsey Schwark and Bryce Wirzba
Katie Walker

Host Draw:
Kara Tarnava

Feedback Draw:
Carla Ferrari
Mark Bergheim

10:30am MST

Using Senior Citizens to Teach Junior High Health

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST

TH143

Come and find out how I used a free resource in my community to teach the Jr. High Health Curriculum. If I can do do it, you can as well!

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Kevin Sheen

Kevin Sheen has been teaching for 32 years. From working as a supply teaching with Edmonton Public Schools, to working out in East Central Alberta (where you can see a dog leave home for 3 days), he has found himself settled at Matthew Halton High School, for the past 26 years. He... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST
TH143 DON'T DELETE

CALM (TQS 3), Gr 7-9 | Health & Wellness (TQS 3), Gr 7-9

2:30pm MST

Nuture Relationships and Transform Your Classroom Community

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:30pm - 4:00pm MST

TH204

Are your students dysregulated or anxious? What about you? If you’re overwhelmed by how to support your classroom community, this session is for you! Learn the evidence behind why relationships are foundational to wellness, student learning, and cultivating a positive classroom environment. Through facilitated discussion and sharing, we will explore strategies that help nurture relationships, support regulation, and build resiliency for you and your students. Let's get inspired to make a change!

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Nisa Alook-Lambrecht

Lyndsey, Courtnay, and Nisa are Health Promotion Facilitators with the Healthy Schools team who partner with school authorities to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and positive mental health in schools. They help to plan effective and coordinated strategies that improve... Read More →

Courtnay Epp

Courtnay Epp is a Health Promotion Facilitator on the Healthy Schools Team with Alberta Health Services (AHS). She has been with AHS for over 10 years and is passionate about improving student health through evidence-informed actions in school-based settings. Courtnay has a keen... Read More →

Lyndsey Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:30pm - 4:00pm MST
TH204

Health & Wellness (TQS 3), K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | CALM (TQS 3), K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Leadership (LQS 1-9), K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:30am MST

Sexual Health Education: How to Answer Student Questions

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST

AH116

Learn how to use a Question Box effectively during sexual education/ human sexuality class. Understand the 4 main types of questions students ask, and how to answer them.

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Nicole Inglis

Health Promotion Facilitator, Alberta Health Services: Teaching Sexual Health

Nicole Inglis (she/her) has taught everything from grade 1 PE to Bio 30 and has taught in both public and Catholic Schools. She has an MEd in Adult Education and works on the Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion team at Alberta Health Services. Nicole lives in Calgary with her... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST
AH116

CALM (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Health & Wellness (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Physical Education (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:30am MST

A Brief Intro of Sandplay for Schools

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST

TH341

An introduction to using Sandplay as a counselling intervention in school settings.

SESSION HOST: Kara Tarnava

Speakers

Stephanie McLennan

Steph McLennan has a BA/BEd in Fine Arts Education from the University of Lethbridge and a Masters of Applied Psych. She is now in her 6th year as a Teacher-Counsellor. Steph has completed Sandplay CAST training Modules 1-4 with a cohort in Calgary and continues to get Sandplay supervision... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST
TH341

Health & Wellness (TQS 3), K-Gr3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | CALM (TQS 3), K-Gr3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:30am MST

Teach Nutrition: Integrating Nutrition Education Into Your Busy Classroom

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST

AH175

Wondering how to incorporate nutrition education into your already packed curriculum? Look no further! In this session, we will introduce you to our free, curriculum linked, evidenced based resources.

SESSION HOST: Lenore Tarcon

Speakers

Mary Block

Registered Dietitian, Teach Nutrition

Mary is a Registered Dietitian at Teach Nutrition by Dairy Farmers of Canada. She is a firm believer that nutrition education can and should be fun. She loves that her work helps set the stage for a positive relationship with food from a young age through curiosity and exploratio... Read More →

Jaclyn Chute

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST
AH175

Health & Wellness (TQS 3), K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | CALM (TQS 3), K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:30am MST

Digitally Thriving: Discovering Intentional Ways to Disconnect and Reconnect for Promoting Well-Being!

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST

L1170

Creating and maintaining a balanced and meaningful relationship with technology and the digital landscape.

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Sydnie Erlendson

The Digital Wellness Team consists of a Digital Wellness Teacher and a Digital Wellness Family Support Worker. These individuals provide generative dialogue opportunities, collaborative teaching, and small group interventions.

Cason Machacek

Friday February 21, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm MST
L1170

Health & Wellness (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | CALM (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3), Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

12:30pm MST

Teaching Alberta's New Human Sexuality Curriculum for Grades 4, 5, and 6

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST

AH116

Join the Teaching Sexual Health team for lesson plans, diagrams, videos, and all the resources you need to have fun teaching grade 4-6 sex ed!

SESSION HOST: Megan Schmidt

Speakers

Nicole Inglis

Health Promotion Facilitator, Alberta Health Services: Teaching Sexual Health

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST
AH116

CALM (TQS 3), Gr 4-6 | Health & Wellness (TQS 3), Gr 4-6 | Physical Education (TQS 3), Gr 4-6

12:30pm MST

Everyone Belongs in Nature: Ecojustice in Outdoor Education

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST

AH176

Nature is wellness that belongs to each and every one of us - both student AND educator! Join CPAWS Southern Alberta to learn how to make your outdoor and environmental education lessons more accessible and beneficial for your entire school community!

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Jaclyn Angotti

Education Director, CPAWS Southern Alberta

Jaclyn has 15 years of experience leading science and environmental education programs throughout Alberta. She has a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Alberta and a Master of Education from the University of Calgary. Her passion for connecting others with nature is integral... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST
AH176

Environmental & Outdoor Education (TQS 3) Health & Wellness (TQS 3) CALM (TQS 3)

12:30pm MST

Stop Vaping Before It Starts: What Teachers Need to Know

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST

L1050

AHS health professionals will discuss vaping use amongst youth. Best practices for e-cigarette use and vaping related school-based initiatives will be explored. Effective strategies to help students will also be looked at.

This session needs a host! To host, complete the form linked here and include your name and the session title in the form.

Speakers

Courtnay Epp

Chloe Trautman

Friday February 21, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm MST
L1050

Health & Wellness (TQS 3), Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | CALM (TQS 3), Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12