2026 NOIIE Symposium

About
Speakers

2026 NOIIE Symposium
Strong Roots: Rising Up

Tickets are limited. Register today!

Dates & Times

May 8th
7:30am – 8:30am PT (Breakfast & Registration)
8:30am – 5:00pm PT (Symposium)
May 9th
7:30am – 8:30am PT (Breakfast)
8:30am – 12:15pm PT (Symposium)

Location

Westin Wall Centre (Airport)
3099 Corvette Way, Richmond, BC
www.westinvancouverairport.com

Fees & Registration

Cost: $485 + GST

REGISTER HERE (search “NOIIE”)

Please Note: Symposium reimbursements will not be provided after April 3, 2026. Participants can contact Delta Registration before this date if they require a reimbursement. Please contact us if you have any other registration inquiries.

Delta Registration Contact Phone: 604-940-5550
Delta Registration Contact Email: continuingeducation@deltaschools.ca

Symposium Registration FAQs:

Do you offer daily rates? No, we do not offer daily rates.
If I am unable to make the symposium, can I get a refund? We can issue reimbursements up until April 3rd. Please contact Delta Registration (see above) if you need a reimbursement before April .
What methods of payment do you accept? Online registration is through Delta School District with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Visa debit card.
Was my registration successful? You can check to see if your registration was successful by clicking on the “My Account” link at the top corner of the registration site, and sign into your account using the email and password you set up.
Where can I find my registration receipt? You can check your registration(s) and print or reprint your receipt(s) by clicking on the “My Account” link at the top corner of the registration site, and sign into your account using the email and password you set up.
What is the easiest way to register more than 5 people at the same time, using one method of payment? You can call the Delta School District registration folks at 604-940-5550, 9am – 4pm Pacific Time. Tell them you are registering for the NOIIE Symposium and they can take your credit card information over the phone and note the spaces you need.
I am registering for the symposium from outside of Canada and do not have Canadian contact information, what do I do? Due to a glitch in the registration system, for Province please enter BC and a generic postal code (V1V 1V1).

Still having troubles with registration? Please contact us.

Transportation

Skytrain: The Capstan Station is about a 2 minute walk from the Symposium hotel. There is also additional parking at the Bridgeport Skytrain Station.
Parking: Paid parking at the Symposium venue is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. A coupon code for parking onsite will be provided closer to the date. Alternatively, there is overflow parking available at the building across the street from the hotel.

Accommodation

We have a limited room block with a discounted group rate of $290+tax at the Westin Wall Centre (Symposium venue). Book early if you wish to stay here.

The deadline to book a discounted room is April 6th, 2026 or until sold out. Please do not book and hold rooms you intend to release later. 72 Hour Cancellation Policy — Changes and Cancellations must be made 3 days before arrival to avoid charges.

Online: 2026 NOIIE Symposium Room Booking
Phone: 604-303-6565 (indicating “2025 NOIIE Symposium”)
Email: reservations@wallcentre.com (indicating “2025 NOIIE Symposium”)

Once the room block at the Westin is full, please see a list below of additional accommodation options in close proximity to the Symposium venue. Please note, schools and districts often qualify for a government rate.

Versante Hotel (7 minute walk)

River Rock Resort (10 minute walk)

Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport (11 minute walk)

Days Inn by Wyndham Vancouver Airport (8 minute walk)

Hampton Inn by Hilton Vancouver/Richmond Airport (7 minute walk)

Hosts

Tashi Kirincic

Coordinator of Inclusive Literacy Practices, Secondary Schools (SD 37)

Tashi Kirincic is a teacher-leader in the Delta School District, located on the traditional territory of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam People. She is passionate about cultivating and sustaining spaces where teachers can connect, get curious about teaching and learning, and work together to create powerful and inclusive learning environments. Tashi is the Coordinator of Inclusive Literacy Practices for Secondary Schools in Delta. She received her Masters of Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia and is a graduate of UBC’s Transformative Education Leadership Program.

Lori Burger

District Vice Principal of Indigenous Education, Equity and Excellence (SD 52)

Lori Burger is from the Nisga’a Nation, from the community of Gitlaxt’aamiks in the Nass valley. She is Giskaast (Killerwhale), from the house of Wisin xbiltkw, and Cree from Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan on her mother’s side, as well as settler heritages on her father’s side. Lori is committed to uplifting Indigenous voices and passionate about Indigenous representation both professionally and personally. She cares deeply about Indigenous representation and reconciliation learning, and is actively involved in evaluating Indigenous literatures and resources for use in the K-12 public school system. She has worked with the Association of Book Publishers of BC Indigenous Books for Schools and the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) on authenticating First Peoples resources.

Lori has been involved in Indigenous education for over twenty years in roles spanning from Support Worker to Teacher, to Vice Principal and District Administration. Lori is currently the District Vice Principal of Indigenous Education, Equity and Excellence and also Director of Instruction in School District 52 in Prince Rupert. Her personal and professional focus continues to be equity and empowerment of Indigenous youth, and Indigenous education for all.

Keynote Speakers

Ron Berger

Senior Advisor, EL Education

Ron Berger is a well-known national and international keynote speaker focused on inspiring a commitment to quality, character, and citizenship in students. He is the Senior Advisor at EL Education, a nonprofit school improvement organization that partners with public schools and districts across America, leads professional learning, and creates open educational resources.

Ron is the author of best-selling education books, including: An Ethic of Excellence, A Culture of Quality, Leaders of Their Own Learning, Transformational Literacy, Management in the Active Classroom, Learning that Lasts, and We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture. He was a professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he did his graduate work. He founded and directs the website Models of Excellence: The Center for High-Quality Student Work, which holds the world’s largest collection of beautiful K-12 student work.

Ron was a public school teacher and master carpenter in rural Massachusetts for over 25 years and received the Autodesk Foundation National Teacher of the Year award.

Jo Chrona

Speaker, Education Consultant and Advocate, and Author

Jo Chrona is a speaker, education consultant and advocate, and author of Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Education (2022). Jo Chrona is Ts’msyen, and a member of the Kitsumkalum First Nation. She also has European ancestry. Jo’s professional experience includes over 25 years teaching in both the K-12 and post-secondary systems in BC, working as a Policy Analyst and Curriculum Manager for the First Nations Education Steering Committee, an Advisor to the BC Ministry of Education, and a Faculty Associate in SFU’s BC Teacher Education Program. Jo has also been involved in curriculum development and resource writing, professional learning through inquiry networks, and Indigenous and anti-racist education. She participated in aspects of educational transformation in BC’s K-12 system, as well as managing and contributing to the development of authentic Indigenous teacher resources.

Jo has a Bachelor of Arts from SFU, a Diploma in Education and Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from the University of British Columbia (UBC), and completed UBC’s Transformative Educational Leadership Program (TELP). She also maintains her BC Teacher Certification. In between speaking, consulting, and providing professional learning sessions that focus on the intersections of Indigenous and anti-racist education, and how Indigenous pedagogies and high-expectations relationships create stronger educational experiences for all, Jo is co-writing a book focussing on the intersections between assessment, equity, well-being, and Indigenous pedagogies.

Judy Halbert & Linda Kaser

Co-directors, Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education
Co-leaders, Transformative Educational Leadership Program, UBC

Dr. Judy Halbert and Dr. Linda Kaser are co-directors of the Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education (NOIIE) and co-leaders of the Transformative Educational Leadership Program at UBC (TELP). They have served as teachers, principals, district leaders and have seconded directors at the Ministry of Education. Judy and Linda consult extensively with school systems internationally, and are deeply committed to achieving equity and quality for all learners—and to networking for innovation and improvement across systems.

Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser were identified by the Big Change Organization as Pioneers for their work with NOIIE and in 2019, along with Debbie Leighton Stephens, they were awarded the Cmolik Prize for the enhancement of public education in British Columbia.

Judy and Linda are co-authors of Leading Through Spirals of Inquiry (2022), The Spiral Playbook (2017), Spirals of Inquiry for Equity and Quality (2013), Leadership Mindsets: Innovation and Learning in the Transformation of Schools (2009) and with Helen Timperley, A Framework for Transforming Learning in Schools: Innovation and the Spiral of Inquiry (2014).

Jillian Lewis/DJ GrooveHeart

Education Consultant & DJ

Jillian Lewis is an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching, learning, and leading in British Columbia. She has served as a classroom teacher, elementary school principal, and now independent education consultant, and has always had a passion for building community and facilitating collaborative inquiry. Jillian is deeply committed to nurturing the social and emotional well-being of all learners and those who care for them. She is a life-long learner and a self-taught photographer and musician. Her most recent field of study has been behind the decks as a DJ, sharing joy through music and dance.