Professional Development Opportunity Network for K4 Educators
23 September 2025
October 2025 – February 2026 | Virtual Sessions
The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) are excited to announce a Network opportunity designed for K4 educators in First Nation schools.
This 8-part network opportunity, Planning and Assessing in the K4 Classroom will unpack and explore the role of effective and meaningful planning and assessment at the K4 level as we prepare students for Kindergarten. Jennifer Nielsen and Shari Orregaard, two esteemed K4 educators, will present on various themes related to planning and assessment for the first half of each session, with time to reflect on learning and join discussion groups for the second half.
Participants are encouraged to make a commitment to all of the 8 sessions.
Presenters
Jennifer Nielsen
Jennifer brings over 23 years of experience in education, including 19 years as a Kindergarten teacher at Lalme-Íwesawtexw, Seabird Island Community School. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in diverse Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) through FNESC and Martin Family Initiative (MFI).
Jennifer has presented at several FNESC conferences, sharing her expertise in literacy instruction and her journey of professional inquiry. She holds a BEd and BA in Speech Science and Psychology from UBC. Jennifer recently completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in ECE and a Graduate Diploma in Curriculum, Instruction, and Design. She is currently pursuing a MEd at SFU specializing in Place-and Nature-Based Experiential Learning.
Shari Orregaard
Shari is a dedicated K4 teacher with over 20 years of experience working with children ages 3–5. She holds an Early Childhood Education diploma with a specialty in Diverse Abilities and has been teaching at Seabird Island for the past four years. A strong advocate for the Early Learning Framework, Shari embraces a child-led approach, fostering inclusive, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences that celebrate each child’s curiosity, strengths, and growth.
Schedule
| Series | Session | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | Building Bridges & General Skills Needed | October 7, 2025 |
| Session 2 | Oral & Aural Language Development | October 21, 2025 |
| Session 3 | Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) | November 4, 2025 |
| Session 4 | Fine & Gross Motor Development | November 18, 2025 |
| Session 5 | Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment | December 2, 2025 |
| Session 6 | Numeracy-Rich Environment | January 13, 2026 |
| Session 7 | Creative & Critical Thinking | January 27, 2026 |
| Session 8 | Brining It All Together | February 10, 2026 |
Registration
Once your registration has been approved, you will receive a calendar invitation for all registered sessions which will include the Zoom link.
Session Description
Session 1 – Building Bridges & General Skills Needed
Join Jennifer and Shari in exploring the general assets and skills children need as they transition into kindergarten. We will connect to the BC Early Learning Framework (BC ELF), and consider how educators can support children’s growth through planning, assessing, and intentional teaching practices. Participants will be invited to try strategies and be ready to share at the next session.
Session 2 – Oral & Aural Language Development
Children need daily opportunities to play with language before we can expect them to use it for communication whether speaking, reading, or writing. In this session, we will explore planning and assessment strategies to support language development through tools such as Heggerty, storytelling, rich play experiences, and pedagogical narration. Participants will also be invited to reflect on and share their own practices and approaches.
Session 3 – Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Fostering belonging, resilience, self regulation, and independence support children’s readiness for school and for life. In this session Jennifer and Shari will share strategies for planning, assessing and informing practice to foster SEL.
Session 4 – Fine & Gross Motor Development
We will explore playful, body-centered approaches to support coordination, strength, and independence, while considering how educators can assess and build on children’s motor skills. By incorporating intentional skill development, we can better prepare children for the complex task of writing. Jennifer and Shari will share their experiences designing purposeful activities informed by assessment.
Session 5 – Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment
Children’s first encounters with print set the stage for a lifetime of literacy. In this session, we will explore how diverse assessments can guide intentional planning to support early concepts of print for pre-literate learners. Jennifer and Shari will share their experiences designing literacy-rich environments that invite curiosity and engagement. Participants will also reflect on their own spaces and exchange practical ideas for nurturing early literacy through meaningful, everyday interactions.
Session 6 – Numeracy-Rich Environment
Early math is more than numbers. It is about curiosity, problem solving, and discovering patterns in the world around us. Jennifer and Shari will share their strategies for using child friendly assessment to design environments that spark mathematical thinking. Participants will reflect on their own practices and gather ideas for assessment and planning to support numeracy in meaningful, engaging ways.
Session 7 – Creative & Critical Thinking
Creative and critical thinking flourish when children are given time, space, and meaningful opportunities to explore. In this session, we will consider how diverse assessments can inform intentional planning that nurtures open-ended play, questioning, and compassionate engagement. Jennifer and Shari will share strategies for weaving assessment into daily practice, while participants reflect on their own approaches and gather ideas for fostering thoughtful, imaginative learning environments.
Session 8 – Bringing It All Together
In this final session, we will revisit key ideas from previous discussions and consider how intentional planning, and diverse assessments can support ongoing growth. Participants will share reflections on their own environments and experiences implementing strategies, with a focus on collaboration, professional learning, and continued development as educators. Jennifer and Shari will guide the conversation, highlighting how shared insights can strengthen practice and build community.
Recording Not Permitted
Audio and video recording, AI transcription, and use of other AI tools to record the meeting is not permitted.
