CCHS teacher wins Prime Minister’s Award

CCHS science teacher Ryan Peebles received a Regional Certificate of Achievement in the 2025 Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence, recognizing his student-centred approach and dedication to rural education.

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Ryan Peebles recognized for hands-on, student-focused teaching in a rural Alberta school

Crowsnest Consolidated High School science teacher Ryan Peebles was selected for a Regional Certificate of Achievement in the 2025 Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence, a recognition he described as humbling after more than two decades in the classroom.

“I felt a deep sense of gratitude and honour. Teaching is often described as a thankless profession so to be recognized in this manner is very humbling,” Peebles said.

Peebles said growing class sizes have shaped a student first approach that prioritizes personal learning, problem solving and conversation driven work.

“Given the increasing classroom sizes that have been occurring in Alberta education, I have been focusing more and more on developing my lessons in such a way that allows students to personalize their learning as we navigate various topics. It is becoming difficult to find the time to connect with students individually, to help guide their learning process,” he said.

Peebles said his priority is helping students understand themselves as people and as learners, guiding them to recognise how they process information and which strategies work best. The curriculum provides the subject matter, he said, but the goal is to develop capable learners and problem solvers who can approach new situations with confidence. 

“I try to incorporate hands on learning that requires them to engage in conversation with one another to develop ideas and to solve problems presented to them,” he said.

Measuring impact, Peebles said, reaches beyond marks to whether students feel safe and whether adults are teaching with integrity.

“Measuring impact can be a challenge. There are your standard methods of marks and grades, but that only communicates one small aspect of what’s happening in a classroom,” he said.

Peebles said he measures his impact by whether students feel they belong and are safe in his classroom. He wants them to trust that he will do everything possible to help them navigate this stage of their lives. 

“Trust is an important part of the teaching and learning process. It requires a commitment to the students, to ensure one is teaching from a place of integrity and accuracy in what is being taught and how they are being treated. If students and the community trust you in guiding the student through this phase of their life, then to me that is one of the best measures of one’s impact on the student and school community,” he said.

Peebles said the nomination came from Pass Herald publisher Lisa Sygutek and affirmed the long term responsibility educators carry in small communities.

“In small rural communities, often teachers fill a role for many years, decades even. As such, I feel it is important for educators to honour this responsibility to the families, to the community, by continuing to grow and improve one’s teaching practice,” Peebles said.

Peebles said the nomination affirmed the trust that underpins his teaching and indicated the program he has been building is positively affecting students and their families. 

“The school is to serve the community, especially in a rural community. Lisa and her husband Lyle, have been strong advocates for their son’s learning and this has had a positive impact on me as an educator and as a father. Their example and this nomination confirms the importance of strong advocacy for students and their learning,” Peebles said.

Peebles said teachers must advocate for each student and for the education system as a whole, noting that he learned that lesson most clearly from his students’ parents and guardians. He added the recognition shines a light on the work happening at CCHS and other rural public schools with fewer resources but a strong record of student success.

“It’s a challenge for rural schools to be recognized for the amazing work that is happening around the province compared to the city schools. We have limited resources compared to city schools,” Peebles said.

Peebles said rural schools such as Crowsnest Consolidated High School continue to deliver strong programs and teaching through the work of staff at CCHS and the Livingstone Range School Division, and that students earn places in competitive programs and find success in trades and university-based careers. 

“Public education in rural Alberta has been an integral part of what has made Alberta such a strong province in the past several decades. Awards such as these put a spotlight on the wonderful impact public rural schools have on students across the province,” Peebles said.

Asked for a moment that captures why he teaches, Peebles pointed to the everyday practice of showing up for students, particularly on hard days.

“Teaching is an incredibly complex process involving many complex topics and lessons, full of interesting questions and conversations, and the odd dad joke here and there. But after teaching for over 20 years, teaching is ultimately being present each day. Building a sense of community and trust within the classroom for the moments that are the hardest days for the students,” he said.

Peebles said he has taught students through some of the hardest days of their lives and sees a teacher’s role as one layer of support for them and their families.

“Being present for the students each day is why I teach,” he said.

He also offered a parting quip that often gets a smile in science class.

“Don’t trust atoms, they make up everything,” Peebles said.

The national recognition underscored the role of trust, community and student-centred practice at CCHS, and Peebles said the focus remains on helping young people learn who they are as learners and as people.