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Learn about the other committees.
Indigenous Education Advisory Council
The Indigenous Education Advisory Council (IEAC) membership includes:
- system leaders
- trustees
- school principals
- curriculum advisors
- the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Transition Liaison
- representatives of the First Nation community of Georgina Island
- parents and students
The IEAC provides guidance to address the learning and cultural needs of students. It works to increase accurate and reliable knowledge of cultures, histories and perspectives with the goal to increase student achievement and improve student well-being. This committee also reviews the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement, Trustees’ Multi Year Plan and Director’s Annual Plan to ensure alignment between committee, Ministry and Board directives.
The vision of the IEAC is:
- We believe that all students can be successful.
- We believe that by honouring the rich histories, language and cultures of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, we will foster a safe and inclusive learning environment.
- We believe that by meeting our First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students’ spiritual, emotional, physical and mental needs and by affirming pride in cultural identity, we will encourage all students to reach their full potential.
Voluntary Indigenous Self-Identification Process
The number of students who have self-identified with Indigenous ancestry has increased since June 2017 to 356 students. Our strategies to encourage voluntary self identification of students include:
- Creating a supportive community of learning for educators, staff, students, parents and community partners to build competency around integrating Indigenous Ways of Knowing and worldview in a good way;
- Increasing awareness and understanding among school administrators and support staff of the self-identification process;
- Increasing and improving communication to parents, students, and the community regarding self-identification, and specifically the benefits to students in self-identifying, by providing a brochure to all students and information in school newsletters;
- Revising our methods to monitor the achievement patterns for self-identified students;
- Developing and mobilizing our system supports to address the needs of self-identified students;
- Building student advisory programs to increase cultural awareness among our K–12 students through a variety of activities and leadership opportunities; and
- Increasing classroom resources and supports that reflect Indigenous peoples and provide contemporary perspective.