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ATM: Pathways to Reconciliation

ATM-20240311

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action numbers 62 to 65 speak to the role of education in building a pathway to reconciliation. This is recognized by Alberta Education who embed Applying and Supporting First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education in the Teaching Quality Standard, the Leadership Quality Standard, and the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard.


Within these three professional standards, we are called upon as education professionals to deepen our own foundational knowledge of Indigenous cultures and history for the benefit of all students. Supporting this work, the Board of Trustees have developed Governance Quality Standards that align with those above, in addition to embedding Indigenous Education as a goal in the FSD Education Plan. Advancing this work is both a professional priority and an organizational priority. It is also a moral imperative.


Two years ago, Foothills School Division applied for and received a grant from the National Indian Brotherhood to help advance this important work. Since that time, the grant funding has allowed each school in our division to access funding to support Elders and Knowledge Keepers taking part in school and classroom activities. It has also allowed for the purchase of a smudge kit for each school, as well as the purchase of kits to provide Blanket Exercises to both schools and the community.


This year the grant funding is being used to plan and support the first ‘Indigenous Graduate Feast’. In this first iteration, we are inviting First Nations, Métis, and Inuit graduates to be recognized and celebrated for their graduation achievement alongside their family members and members of their Nation’s Leadership at a feast. The event is scheduled for mid-June, and we look forward to making this an annual recognition as our next step on the road to reconciliation with our Indigenous students, their families and our greater FSD community.   


Yours in learning, 

BoardGroup.pngSuperintendent Fuzessy 
and the Board of Trustees


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