The Clearview board of trustees has unanimously passed a motion aimed at creating awareness on First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) culture and identity within the Clearview school communities.
In a motion moved by trustee Karen Holloway, the board supported the request of deputy superintendent Brenda MacDonald to bring in presenters from the FNMI community and share their experiences, and to invite Clearview communities to be part of the process.
"We strive to support and enhance the educational experience and achievement of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students," said Brenda MacDonald. "We do this by helping schools develop a holistic understanding of the FNMI cultures, world views, histories and current realities."
According to MacDonald, Clearview believes that a holistic approach fosters relationships that welcome, nurture, and honour individual student's stories and cultures and supports the weaving of culture and curriculum to enhance the learning for all students.
Taking the lead from the Alberta Education Business Plan 2015-2018, Clearview school division says it is committed to create and raise the awareness of FNMI communities in its network of schools.
"We are in the awareness phase of FNMI," said MacDonald. "We would like to work collaboratively with the board, principals, parents and community and host a Moving Ahead: Recommendations of Truth and Reconciliation with Judy and Roy Louis."
Roy Louis is a member of the Samson Cree Nation and hails from a family of leadership and former President of the Indian Association of Alberta. He helped initiate the Pe Saskastew Healing Centre in Hobbema with former Commissioner Ole Ingstrup.
Judy Louis, his wife is a highly motivated educational consultant with a demonstrated track record for fostering learning and promoting multicultural diversity. She is a recipient of an Excellence of Teaching Award and the Alberta Centennial Medal for innovative approaches to education and the promotion of cultural diversity.
According to a Clearview Combined Education Plan and Annual Education Results Report, CPS encouraged families to self-identify in 2015, which increased the FNMI population from 16 to 112 in one year.
It further stated that with this renewed understanding of self-identification, there is a need to investigate how best to meet the academic and social needs of the FNMI students through a variety of supports and interventions.