In response to Pope Francis’ Apology for Residential Schools in 2022 and in the spirit of reconciliation, the Prince Albert Catholic School Division created a new Indigenous Education Committee in the division.
Director of Education Lorel Trumier gave an update on the committee’s progress during the board’s regular meeting on Sept. 8.
“We have a real great team of people in our system that have really taken this opportunity to enhance our knowledge and grow our information,” Trumier said. “(They) share knowledge, connect us with Elders, (and) connect us with processes that would support children in understanding our Indigenous community.”
The school division made the decision after the Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association created a similar group.
Trumier said the Pope’s Apology was an instigator in the decision, but they were already working on fulfilling the TRC Calls to Action before that.
The division began to working with Elders and Knowledge Keepers and developing a curriculum focused on Indigenous learning.
One example is the Invitational Shared Service Initiative (SSI) with Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation that came about because the division has a high percentage of students from PBCN. Roughly 70 per cent of Prince Albert Catholic students who live on reserve are PBCN members.
The provincial government will provide $92,300 to support the partnership between 2024 and 2028.
The ISSI develops partnerships between First Nation education authorities and provincial school systems.
Locally, the Indigenous Education Committee supports activities like the Moccasin Project, which includes Grandfather Teaching and the Five Marks of Catholic School Identity, teaching about smudging at events through the year for staff and students among others.
The division also hosts activities throughout the year such as Orange Shirt Day, and Indigenous Storytelling Month. Students attend the Heart of the Youth Pow Wow and celebrate Indigenous People’s Day.
They also work with the SCBA Indigenous Leadership Committee with meetings throughout the year.
The local committee is made up of Tate McDougall, the coordinator of religious education, Gwen Clyke, the coordinator of student achievement and assessment and Superintendent Wade Mourot, along with teaching staff. They also work to strengthen relationships with local Knowledge Keepers and Elders.
The goal is to incorporate Indigenous and Metis learning into the regular curriculum as much as possible.
The Indigenous Education Committee was approved for another year of work at the board of education’s regular meeting on Sept. 8.
“We’re happy that the board continues to approve the Indigenous Education Committee work because it’s not only at our school division level, but they also engage at a provincial level, whether it’s with the Saskatchewan School Board Association or the Catholic School Board Association,” Trumier said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
