qathet School District (qSD) board chairperson Jaclyn Miller addressed attendees at the monthly board of trustees meeting on Wednesday, April 17.
Miller said that she, along with superintendent of schools Dr. Jay Yule and qSD district principal of Indigenous education Jessica Johnson, met with Tla’amin education managers and directors on April 16, as part of the first step in establishing the Tla’amin Education Agreement (TEA) oversight team.
"The TEA is meant to be a living document that serves as a core shared accountability mechanism to build a positive and constructive relationship to support and promote Tla’amin language, culture and the educational outcomes of Tla’amin students," said Miller. "The oversight team is there to ensure that we’re living up to our commitments and that the TEA is being used and implemented at the school district level."
It was reported by the Peak in February 2023 that the agreement signed by Tla’amin and the school district provided a contract for the best educational outcomes for Tla’amin students.
Tla'amin, in a written statement last February, stated that: "We trust this agreement lays the groundwork to see the school experience of our students enhanced through educational programs, pedagogical approaches and inclusive spaces that support the sense of identity, safety and resilience, while promoting understanding and reconciliation across the school community broadly."
Johnson stated last year that, "The TEA sets out the parameters for the relationship between Tla’amin and qSD as the service provider for education of the Tla’amin students. Indigenous education is not just for Indigenous students, it’s for all, and the more people who have an understanding of Indigenous history, the more it will impact the region and the community.”
qSD trustees Maureen Mason, Dale Lawson, Miller and secretary-treasurer Steve Hopkins are heading to Vancouver for the annual BC School Trustees Association general meeting.
"We’re looking forward to the keynote speaker this year, Riaz Meghji, a human connection expert, who will be highlighting how to create engaged and connected cultures through the power of candid conversation," said Miller. "There will be sessions related to AI [Artificial Intelligence] and coding, the upcoming election period, anti-racism, leading with evidence, using board work plans, and then the voting session for the motions that are being brought forward for this year."
Miller said qSD is hosting its second annual Health and Wellness Conference on May 9 for Grade seven students who are transitioning to high school.
"This event aims to help prepare students with information, tips and ideas on how to get ready for this important transitional time in their lives," she added.
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