The Advocate provides a wide range of support for our Indigenous students. The following is a small portion of the type of support they can offer. Our wonderful Advocate is Rubina Waterhouse (rubina.waterhouse@sd23.bc.ca); please do not hesitate to reach her by email.
Understanding teaching through story, and connecting it with contemporary, colonial views and perspectives on Education, help to provide understanding from a local Indigenous perspective. Learning is embedded in story and history and through our connections and relationships, we can support all our students to experience success through the lens of Indigenous teachings.
The Four Food Chiefs teachings can be utilized at all levels of Education, from Leadership to student voice. These teachings have been used since time immemorial by the Okanagan Syilx people. "The perspectives of the Four Food Chiefs cover the spectrum from tradition to innovation, from action to relationships. As individuals, we tend to identify more strongly with one of the four perspectives. Using the teachings of The Four Food Chiefs as our guide:
- We support children, fostering intellectual and cultural growth through an Indigenous mindset.
- We empower each student to explore and strengthen their personal identity.
- We offer cultural opportunities that strengthen home, school, and community connections.
- We support our students to nurture healthy relationships that promote health and wellness that will inspire confidence and a sense of connectedness to others.
Our Commitment: Relationships, nurturing, compassion We are committed to fostering reciprocal relationships for the health and wellbeing of each Indigenous learner, inspiring confidence, and a sense of connectedness to others.
Our Commitment: Innovation, we can do it, no barriers, think big . We are committed to co-creating cultural opportunities that strengthen home, school, and community connections.
Our Commitment: Action, get it done, focused. We are committed to empowering each Indigenous learner to take action to explore and strengthen their personal identity.
Our Commitment: Traditional, protocols, culture. We are committed to fostering intellectual and culture growth through an Indigenous mindset.
Indigenous Advocates in SD23 also:
- Provide emotional, social, academic, behavioral, and cultural support to students using the teaching of the Four Food Chiefs as the guide
- Liaise between home and school
- Work closely with teachers and other personnel to plan effectively for students
- Help students with goal setting, academic and behavioral
- Monitor attendance of Indigenous students and facilitate improvement
- Respond to any specific concerns of teachers or parents
