LITERACY LEAD COACH

My name is Kayla Abrams, and I am excited to be a part of the First Nation School Board’s Literacy Team!

I’m passionate about helping Learners to read, and am incredibly honoured to be supporting the implementation of research and evidence-based approaches to reading through FNSB’s Literacy plan!

I made the move to the North “for a year” – over 15 years ago!

I love spending time outdoors – camping, biking and hiking – and I am grateful to call the picturesque Yukon my home.

During my time in the North, I’ve had the privilege of visiting, learning from, and supporting many communities across the Yukon and Northwest Territories in speech, language, and literacy in my role as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist.

I look forward to spending more time in the communities of the Yukon in my role as Literacy Coach.

I am excited to build relationships with our FNSB schools – especially the schools I will be directly supporting: Grey Mountain Primary, Nelnah Bessie John, St. Elias Community and Kluane Lake schools – and to support Learners on their literacy journey!

I feel very honoured to be a part of this wonderful team!

LITERACY COACH

Hello, I’m Angela Gale, and I have been in the Yukon for 30 years!

I have lived in several communities (Mayo, Watson Lake, Haines Junction), and now reside in Whitehorse with my husband.

We raised our three children in Yukon communities. I’m originally from a large family and grew up in Newfoundland.

I started my teaching career in Haines Junction and have worked at Elijah Smith Elementary School and Takhini Elementary.

I have loved the busy pace of a primary classroom, engaging Learners with outdoor learning and cultural experiences, and now look forward to my new role as a literacy coach.

I’m excited, and I look forward to continuing to work with Educators and Learners.

My literacy practice has always been structured with direct, explicit teaching, and I’m grateful that this practice is being implemented in our schools, giving Learners the skills they need to see themselves as readers!

I will be supporting Takhini Elementary, Ross River School, and Chief Zzeh Gittlit School in Old Crow.

My other passions are being outdoors, hiking, biking, paddling, and skiing with family and friends.

LITERACY COACH

I am honored to be a Literacy Coach with the First Nation School Board. I just recently moved to the Yukon with my partner, two children, and dog Spruce, looking for adventure and a life in the mountains.

I spent the first few years of my life in Malawi, Africa, and moved to Canada in 1985 to begin school in Regina. I grew up in a bilingual family, speaking Dutch with my mother and English with my father. My schooling was in French Immersion, and in University I took Spanish classes. With this multilingual background, a love for languages came naturally.

In my early 20’s, my partner and I moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta, where we grew roots for almost 20 years. I have an Education Degree from the University of Alberta with a minor in English as a Second Language (ESL), and I’ve been teaching the primary grades for the last ten years. Several years ago, I was introduced to the Structured Literacy approach of teaching kids how to read, and took a deep dive into the science behind how we acquire language. I was fascinated with this approach, and saw very quickly the positive impact it was having with my students and their ability to process language, and ultimately read!

In my spare time, I love to x-country ski, hike, paddleboard, forage, and explore with my family and friends. I enjoy being creative, and over the years have dabbled in jewelry making, ceramics, and watercolor art. I grew up playing the violin, and have recently started learning how to fiddle!

LITERACY COACH

Bonjour! My name is Sofie and I am Acadian from New Brunswick.

I grew up speaking both French and English, and sometimes both at the same time.  

I love learning new languages. I know a little bit of a lot of languages, and I’m eager to learn more.  

I drove here from N.B. in 1999 for a one-year adventure, and I never left. Since then, I met my husband, Dave, and have one son, Gabe.  

I have worked in education for the past 25 years – as a classroom teacher, school counsellor, vice principal, learning assistance teacher, curriculum consultant, and a literacy coach. These various roles have given me a broad perspective on education.   

I am thrilled to be FNSB’s Intermediate Literacy Coach, as I enjoy change and challenge.

I appreciate FNSB’s clear literacy plan that gives Learners access to effective literacy practices.

I want to contribute by helping Educators implement new programs and gain a better understanding of structured literacy. 

I look forward to providing ongoing support to our hard-working Educators.  

When not working, you can find me watching my son play volleyball or basketball, riding my mountain bike, picking berries, reading, knitting and spending time outside with family and friends.