Each year, Dyslexia Canada’s Educational Excellence Awards recognize individuals who are making a meaningful difference in the lives of students with dyslexia. These awards celebrate educators who embrace evidence-based practices, prioritize early identification, and work tirelessly to ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn to read.
Kimberly Phillips with Alicia Smith and Una Malcolm
We are proud to present Kimberly Phillips with Dyslexia Canada’s 2025 Educational Excellence Award. A dedicated school-based literacy facilitator at Cowan Heights Elementary in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Kimberly embodies the passion, commitment, and collaborative spirit that drive meaningful change. Her leadership in reading instruction has made a lasting impact on students, educators, and families. Kimberly is bringing hope and progress to her school community and beyond.
From the moment Dyslexia Canada connected with Phillips and her team, the enthusiasm was palpable, capturing the kind of heart-first approach she brings to her work every day. Despite the initial surprise of receiving the award, Phillips was quick to credit her entire team. “I don’t feel like I’m doing anything special,” she said, tearing up. “It’s a team effort.”
And what a team it is. Cowan Heights Elementary serves approximately 450 kindergarten to grade 7 students from diverse backgrounds. With large class sizes and an unmistakable energy in the halls, Phillips and her colleagues have embraced structured literacy with purpose. Their approach includes analyzing data, implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, and continuously evaluating and adapting teaching strategies to meet each child’s needs.
Cowan Heights is at the forefront of the shift toward evidence-based foundational skills instruction in Newfoundland and Labrador. While some provinces have implemented changes in response to human rights commissions, the shift in this province has been fueled by the dedication and insight of grassroots educators who saw firsthand that the old approach wasn’t meeting students’ needs. “We started looking at data and realized something wasn’t working,” explained Phillips. “We weren’t seeing what we should be seeing.”
That reflection sparked deep change. From collaborative planning sessions to exploring research and resources like Sold a Story and Ontario’s Right to Read inquiry, Phillips and her team began transforming how literacy is approached in their school. Intensive, fluid reading groups tailored to student needs are now the norm. Every child is seen as unique and capable. While some need a little bit more of this or that, as a team, they work to find the “perfect recipe” for success for every child.
Yet for all their serious work, joy is central to their mission. “We celebrate literacy,” Phillips shared. That might mean school-wide events, dance parties when reading goals are met or “Camp Read S’more,” a creative, library-based reading event complete with stories, art, and community participation. Recently, a book swap brought in a flood of donations, allowing every student to take home books they loved.
Looking beyond the school walls, Phillips and her team are extending their impact into the community through family literacy nights and events designed to spark excitement and foster a love of reading at home.
What shines through in every word Phillips speaks is not just her expertise but her heart. She sees literacy as “making meaning of the world around us,” and she works tirelessly to ensure every child has that opportunity.
In a province where changes to literacy practices are beginning to take root, Kimberly Phillips and her colleagues at Cowan Heights are leading the way. Their story is one of courage, innovation, and unwavering belief in the potential of every learner. Dyslexia Canada is proud to recognize their incredible work as a team and to celebrate Kimberly, an educator who embodies the spirit of the Dyslexia Canada educational excellence awards.