Indigenous Education

Kwey! Taanshi! She:kon! Boozhoo! Tunngasugitsi!

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is committed to working with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) community members in the Ottawa-Gatineau region to ensure that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students have opportunities and resources to achieve academic success and to further their personal well-being. In addition, it is our goal to improve educational outcomes for all of our students by ensuring that they leave secondary school with a complete and authentic understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, traditions, and contemporary realities.

The OCDSB First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education team works with students, schools and community partners to:

forge strong relationships between OCDSB schools and staff and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in Ottawa;

promote First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives as part of daily school life, across the curriculum and throughout the school year;

support programming for learning and leadership specific to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students in grades K-12; and

create school spaces that are inclusive of and responsive to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, their families, and their cultures.

Learn more about the Indigenous Education in the OCDSB by visiting the following links:

Here are some more links to further information:

For more information about the OCDSB’s commitment to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education programming, please contact:

Shannon Smith, Superintendent of Instruction, at (613) 596-8211 Ext. 8820, email:shannon.smith@ocdsb.ca
Jody Alexander, Vice-Principal, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education at (613) 596-8211 Ext. 8179, email: jody.alexander@ocdsb.ca
Kyl Morrison, Instructional Coach, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education at (613) 291-5980, email: kyl.morrison@ocdsb.ca
Kris Meawasige, Indigenous Student Support and Re-engagement Coordinator, at (613) 608-9764, email: kris.meawasige@ocdsb.ca
Kareena Butler, Indigenous Education Itinerant Teacher (K-8), at (613) 596-8211 Ext. 8426, email: kareena.butler@ocdsb.ca
Josh Lewis, Indigenous Student Support Coordinator, at (613) 979-4623, email: joshua.lewis@ocdsb.ca
Courtney Valeyev MSW RSW, Indigenous Children and Youth Wellness Advisor Social Worker at (613) 325-4549, email: courtney.valeyev@ocdsb.ca
Josh Pagan (he/him), Indigenous Graduation Coach (Canterbury High School) at 613-864-6708 email: joshua.pagan@ocdsb.ca
Jasmine Doig (she/her) Indigenous Grad Coach (Ottawa Technical Secondary School), at 613-266-3957, email: jasmine.doig@ocdsb.ca

The Mandate of the Indigenous Education Council (IEC)

To collaborate on the the development of the Indigenous Education Board Action Plan;
To provide strategic advice to the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action;
To advise the school board on any issues affecting First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students' learning and well-being;
To act as a resource to provide authentic and current knowledge of different FNMI perspectives to support informed decision making; and
To actively engage with Indigenous parents and community partners to help provide an equitable and inclusive education and work environment for Indigenous students and staff.
Indigenous Education Council (IEC) Report Archives

For more information on the IEAC council's work, please refer to the policy P. 140.GOV.

Algonquin Nation protocols include how The Indigenous Education Council (IEC) meetings are conducted and the process of decisions and procedures. Read the full protocol document.

Please note the procedures for non-Indigenous guest attendees:

In Algonquin communities, a person wishing to come into the territory had to make a request. In the case of IEAC, a request to be invited into the circle has to be made. When guests request to attend the IEAC the following steps must be taken:

The request must be emailed or in writing at least three weeks before the meeting.
The request must include their name, position, the reason why they wish to attend as well as what they plan to do with any information they are gathering.
Community members/Parents can send a request. However, as members of the community it is not necessary for them to outline their purpose. Identifying as community members will suffice.
The requests will be discussed and determined by the Algonquin representatives of the IEAC.

2021-2022 Indigenous Education Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule
Date	Location	Time
Thursday, September 16, 2021	Zoom Meeting	6 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, October 21, 2021	Zoom Meeting	6 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, November 18, 2021	TDB	6 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, January 20, 2022	TDB	6 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, February 17, 2022	TDB	6 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 19, 2022	TDB	6 - 8 p.m.

All Indigenous parents, students and staff members are welcome to attend the next IEAC meeting. To obtain the meeting information, please contact Board Services Manager Nicole Guthrie at nicole.guthrie@ocdsb.ca.

Ottawa Carleton District School Board