National Indigenous Peoples Day

SD83 is committed to true reconciliation through working together and honouring Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. As part of the commitment to furthering Truth and Reconciliation SD83 honours and recognizes June 21, 2024, as National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Today is another opportunity for our students and staff to learn about Indigenous histories, perspectives, and teachings. Here are a few events taking place:

• Shuswap Middle School is hosting an event where students will take part in a series of stations led by school staff.
• J.L. Jackson Secondary has organized a group drumming performance and Indigenous games on the field behind the school.
• Salmon Arm Storefront Graduation will feature a dedication of a sign carved by John Sayers and Storefront students.

This year, these are just a few of the ways that schools across the District have gathered in different ways to listen, learn, and reflect on the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada:

• From September 25-29, 2023, various events commemorated Truth and Reconciliation. The Splatsin Community Centre, Salmon Arm West School, and the District Education Support Centre welcomed Isabella (Bella) Kulak and her family to hear their inspiring journey which led to National Ribbon Skirt Day. Schools across the District listened to Drummers, raised flags, wore orange shirts, and made bannock. Read more.
• Kindergarten students at Falkland Elementary School developed their own classroom land acknowledgement. Read more.
• There was a Knowledge Keeper luncheon held at the District Education Support Centre on December 6, 2023. Read more.
• All School District 83 staff, members of the Quelmúcw Education Council, Shihiya School staff, the Mayor of Enderby, and members of Council from Armstrong, Enderby, Salmon Arm, and Sicamous, took part in a virtual learning session with bestselling Ts’msen author Jo Chrona during the Indigenous Education Day of Learning on Monday, January 29, 2024. Read more.
• The Indigenous Education Department held a well-attended Parent Engagement dinner for Indigenous parents and secondary-level students on May 2, 2024. There were tables set up for Student Support and Wellness, Careers, the Equity Scan, Indigenous-Focused Graduation Requirement and Graduation Pathways, and three post secondary institutions – TRU, UBC-O, and Okanagan College.
• On May 3, 2024, students, staff, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, and community members recognized the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Read more.
• Ten students from Salmon Arm Secondary, Shuswap Middle School, and Pleasant Valley Secondary School participated in an overnight field trip, on May 6-7, 2024, at Thompson River University to attend an Anti-Racism Student Summit. This gathering of Indigenous students is the method being used by the Ministry of Education and Child Care to consult about the Anti-Racism Action Plan introduced in January 2023.
• On May 13, 2024, Shuswap Middle School celebrated the grand opening of an innovative outdoor learning space shaped like a medicine wheel that also features a fire pit at its center. This unique educational space promises to be a beacon of cultural and holistic learning. With each quadrant of the medicine wheel symbolizing the four cardinal directions and elements, students are invited to embark on a journey of exploration, connecting with nature while deepening their understanding of Indigenous teachings.
• Family, friends, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Band Chiefs and Councils, community members, and SD83 staff gathered on May 29, 2024, at the beautiful Splatsin Centre to celebrate the hard work, resilience, and determination of 120 Indigenous graduates.

This has been a wonderful year of continual learning and growth as a district community, making National Indigenous Peoples Day another opportunity to extend this commitment to learning together.