PRINCE ALBERT — Trustees discussed the connection between Catholic education and Indigenous spirituality during the Prince Albert Catholic School Division board of education’s regular meeting on May 26.
The Inspiring Success Journey explored the intersection of truth and reconciliation within the Catholic faith.
Father Harry Shalahub, co-ordinator of Religious Instruction, and Gwen Clyke, co-ordinator of Student Achievement and Assessment, gave a presentation on how the division connects the two subjects.
"There's certainly a lot in common with Indigenous spirituality and our faith, and the dignity of each person is the first thing that comes to mind, that all nations really respect the dignity of all people,” Director of Education Lorel Trumier said.
The division’s three-year strategic plan outlines both Inspiring Success and Catholic faith as priorities.
Inspiring Success is a Ministry of Education policy that has the intent to support First Nations students in a way that supports their knowledge.
The school division's goal is to provide educational opportunities to further the knowledge of Indigenous ways and understanding of truth and reconciliation calls to action, with guidance from the Inspiring Success framework.
“There are many things occurring throughout our curriculum and our faith-based opportunities that can support our work on truth and reconciliation, and we're being intentional about the aspects of this work,” she explained.
It also connects to the faith-based aspect of Catholic education by creating opportunities to make connections to the Catholic faith. The two work hand-in-hand to create opportunities for students and staff to learn about both of the priority areas.
The Inspiring Success journey answers two calls to action, Call 63 on Indigenous education and Call 14 on Aboriginal languages.
The division began the year with a staff retreat, which included workshops with Elder Liz Settee, Knowledge Keeper Mike Relland and Kevin Phillip as Catholic faith speaker. The retreat was divided into three stations with Indigenous ways of knowing with Settee and Relland, and Catholic faith with Phillip. Clyke and Shalahub led a saint walk where staff learned about the saints represented by each of the schools.
"We take our opportunities for not only faith development, but professional development and reflection on these matters,” Trumier said.
This year’s spiritual theme was Living Christ’s Mission, which connected to the three teepee teachings for the year on respect, obedience and humility. There were presentations, classroom lessons and activities in schools to support them on the Inspiring Success journey. More teepee teaching will be done in upcoming years.
“They're spiritual themes that we journey on each year, and it is a jubilee year this year, which heightens our responsibility and the joy that we get from journeying and pilgrimaging together through these processes,” Trumier said.
The division also has an Invitational Shared Services Initiative (ISSI) with Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation that supports work in Inspiring Success.
The provincial government has earmarked $92,300 to support the partnership between 2024 and 2028. The funds will go towards land-based learning consultations, elders and knowledge keeper honorariums and Indigenous education consultants.
The division is partnering with PBCN for the application because 70 per cent of Prince Albert Catholic students who live on reserve while attending Catholic schools are PBCN members.
The ISSI proposal was initially submitted on April 14, 2023, and the division was notified in late May that the maximum application limit was reduced from $100,000 to $80,000. They resubmitted the application on June 2 to reflect the updated ministry financial criteria and received approval on June 11, 2023.
“There are really some great community partners and people that we come to discuss and to work with, including our Bishop and our clergy as well,” Trumier said. “There is a committee of all of the Catholic School boards doing this work and helping each other through the process of understanding the best ways to do that.”
The presentation was also done at the beginning of Catholic Education Week, which ran from May 25 to June 1.
Trumier saluted the work done by everyone in the division.
“We are lucky that we have a team here within our school division that includes not only superintendent (Wade Mourot), (but) religious co-ordinators and curriculum co-ordinators,” Trumier said.
“We have teachers and Administration that are of Indigenous and Metis decent that are supporting our understanding and moving that forward along with the Elders and the community members that are assisting us,” she added.
The presentation concluded with a video produced by the Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association (SCSBA) entitled “Lighting the Path to Truth and Reconciliation.” The video included several people from the division, including Shalahub and others. The video highlights all eight Catholic Divisions and their journey in Truth and Reconciliation.
"Kudos to my team of teachers and administrators and co-ordinators who really make it come alive in our schools, I think, we can't do it all without all our teachers and the people that are organizing and supporting us,” she said.
