Land-based learning space at Fort Saskatchewan High

Around the Division

Grand Opening of EIPS Land-based Learning Spaces
September 17 was a very special day for staff and students of the schools in Bruderheim and Fort Saskatchewan with the official grand opening of the land-based learning spaces. Thanks to a generous donation from Shell Canada and led by the teachings of Elder Wilson Bearhead, nine schools in the two communities have created beautiful outdoor spaces where staff, students and the community can gather to learn from and with the land.

The learning spaces invite teachers, students and community members to sit with and on the land and listen to the story she is sharing, making the spaces at each school unique to the land they have become a part of. Students use the spaces to connect within themselves and with each other. The EIPS land acknowledgement comes alive in these spaces as students and teachers think about their responsibilities to others who live here in Treaty 6 territory and become curious about what it means to be a Treaty person.

Elder Wilson’s teachings of relationship and reciprocity also take on new depth, inviting students to think about who the first caretakers of the land are, who they share the land with, what gifts the land has to offer and what their responsibility is to give back to the land.

The rock circles, log stumps and grassy areas invite visitors to sit quietly and feel their many layers of connection. As they sit in the spaces and interact with each other and the land, they listen to the land as teacher, the story she shares and their place within that story.

We look forward to sharing many stories of how each school engages with their spaces, learning with and from Elders and knowledge holders.

Watch the official ceremony

Welcome to the newest member of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit education team!
Tansi, my name is Harlee McArthur and I'm a proud member of White Bear First Nation located in the beautiful prairies of southern Saskatchewan. I have a Bachelor of Health Sciences, and since graduating, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from various Nations across western Canada. Although the job titles have differed, all the work I’ve done has been centred around creating trusting and meaningful relationships and helping people identify their strengths and make positive changes.

My position at EIPS is First Nations, Métis and Inuit Family School Liaison Worker. I’m here to support students and their families, to provide resources and to act as a liaison between school and home. I’m very excited to be working with the Division and look forward to working with students and families. If you have any questions or would like to chat further, send me an email.

Upcoming Events

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
  Board-declared holiday September 30
  The Board of Trustees unanimously passed a motion to amend the school calendar to officially recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. This new somber holiday and Orange Shirt Day will both be acknowledged Division-wide on September 29. Each school will participate in an age-appropriate program of remembrance and reflection to honour residential school survivors and the children who died at the schools. Schools are busy planning support lessons and experiences to foster understanding of the new federal statutory holiday, its significance and its connection to Orange Shirt Day. Throughout their planning, schools will continue to honour the spirit and intent of Orange Shirt Day as well.

Resources of Interest

• Learn how you and your family can participate in virtual nation-wide programming and events leading up to and on September 30. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is hosting free, virtual Truth and Reconciliation Week events September 27 to October 1. Special programming will happen for the general public. Interested families can register through Eventbrite.
  • Families can participate in the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, the resting place of Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce. The online event will feature the first-ever public display of the 57,000 Project of Heart tiles created by children and youth across Canada to honour children who attended residential schools.
• What was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? What are the Calls to Action? Listen to this interview with retired judge, Senator and former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Murray Sinclair.
• Curious to learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its 94 Calls to Action? Read this family-friendly version from the Caring Society.
• What does reconciliation mean to you?
  • Listen to Indigenous scholars and leaders share their perspectives about what reconciliation is and what it isn't.
  • Listen to how some Indigenous and non-Indigenous people answer this question.
• Read this article from award winning author and journalist Tanya Talaga, “All Canadians should take September 30 to observe National Truth and Reconciliation Day.”
  • On October 6, Tanya Talaga will also be hosting a webinar, “Truth Before Reconciliation: A Conversation with Tanya Talaga.”
• On September 30, CBC TV and radio have a full day of programming you can enjoy safely at home with your family.
• The National Film Board of Canada has a selection of free streamed films by Indigenous filmmakers and allies about the tragic impact of residential schools. 
• Want to learn about residential schools and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with your children? Check out resources from CBC kids.
• Want to learn more through books? The Winnipeg Public Library has compiled a list of books for all ages.