Dyslexia Canada’s 2025 Educational Excellence Award has been awarded to Heather Kierstead, a dedicated educator and passionate advocate for literacy based in northern Alberta. Currently serving as principal at Florence MacDougall Community School in the Fort Vermilion School Division, Heather is being recognized for her outstanding efforts in improving reading outcomes, mentoring colleagues, and championing evidence-based instructional practices.
Heather’s career has been defined by her commitment to helping all children become successful readers. She began her journey teaching kindergarten in Edmonton, where early collaboration with speech-language pathologists gave her a strong foundation in phonemic awareness and early literacy development. Her experiences in early intervention programs with Black Gold School Division further deepened her understanding, especially through interdisciplinary teamwork with occupational therapists and psychologists.
A pivotal moment came when Heather became a learning support teacher and reading interventionist. Despite her best efforts, she realized she didn’t yet have the tools she needed to effectively help struggling readers. “I recognized that I didn’t know enough,” she recalls. That realization led her to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Alberta, specializing in educational psychology and special education, with a focus on reading, writing, and oral language difficulties. That program, launched in 2014, profoundly changed her approach and ignited her passion for evidence-based instruction.
Today, Heather leads an early years school serving kindergarten to grade 3 students in High Level, Alberta, a remote and diverse community near the Northwest Territories. Her school and division are recognized leaders in data-informed, evidence-based literacy instruction. Under her leadership, Florence MacDougall Community School prioritizes explicit, systematic phonics instruction, oral language development, vocabulary building, and fluency, which are all foundational to strong reading skills.
Universal screening and a robust approach to intervention play a central role in Heather’s school. “We begin with screening in September, and we monitor student growth throughout the year,” she explains. This data drives both classroom instruction and targeted support. Trained interventionists provide evidence-based strategies to students who need additional help, ensuring no child is left behind.
The results speak for themselves. Nearly 80 percent of students who received intervention this year have reached grade-level expectations. Heather's message to her team is clear: “Every single one of our students is going to make progress this year.”
Beyond just students, Heather’s influence extends to her colleagues. She has worked with graduate programs at the University of Alberta and continues to mentor educators across the province. Within her school, she fosters a strong culture of collaboration and collective efficacy. “We’re all committed, from teachers to support staff, to doing what’s best for kids,” she says. That collective belief in their shared impact leads to excitement when student growth is visible. “One teacher came to my door just to say how excited she was to see students doing so well on their screening,” Heather recalls. “Success breeds more success.”
Dr. George Georgiou, who nominated Heather, summed it up best: “She might not be on podcasts (though she would be great), publishing blogs (though she reads so many and would have lots to offer), or in the limelight (which she really deserves), but she is quietly educating so many within the teaching profession and changing trajectories for countless struggling readers.”
Heather’s dedication, her belief in the power of evidence-based teaching, and her unwavering commitment to student success exemplify the values celebrated by Dyslexia Canada. Her work ensures that every child, regardless of their background or challenges, has the opportunity to learn to read, grow in confidence, and thrive.