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Updates from the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, focusing on the Legacy Spaces, Legacy Schools, The Secret Path and all the community-based events, fundraising and reconciliACTIONs going on across Canada from coast to coast to coast.

The Educator Advisory Committee Welcomes Two New Members

January 14, 2021/in Blog /by DWF

Following a successful meeting on Dec. 5, 2020, the Educator Advisory Committee will meet again in March. Despite the difficult and unusual school year, our Legacy Schools have done great work in their efforts towards reconciliation. Their hard work and dedication has inspired our committee to continue to work as hard as possible – despite the circumstances – to improve and add to our Legacy Schools Program.  

We’re extremely proud to introduce two new members to our committee. Our new committee members join us from the East Coast, where they have been actively supporting and participating in our Legacy Schools Program. Joy Skanes from Newfoundland and Christina Sylliboy from Nova Scotia will be bringing their fresh perspectives into our discussions, and we thank them for their dedication to our Fund.  

Educator Advisory Committee Members for 2019-2021 

Harriet Visitor
Anishinaabe First Nation, Teacher, Chanie Wenjack’s niece, DWF Board Member, Ontario

Christina Sylliboy
Vice Principal, We’koqma’q Mikmaw School, Nova Scotia

Joy Skanes
Teacher, Leary’s Brook Junior High, Newfoundland

Krista Sherman
Dakota Sioux – Standing Buffalo Saskatchewan, Teacher, Winston Knoll Collegiate, Saskatchewan

Sharon Shadow
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Department of Education, Yukon

Buffy Sainte-Marie
Piapot First Nation, Teacher, Activist, Musician, Hawaii

Lisa Prinn
Manager, Education & Activation, Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, Ontario

Jon Patry
Assistant Principal, James Short Memorial (Early Development Centre, K-2), Alberta

Jessica Madiratta
Piapot First Nation, Teacher, Kitchener Community School (K-6), Saskatchewan

Jen Karpiuk
Métis, Teacher, Crescent Heights High School, Alberta

Greg Halcrow
Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Director of Education, Cross Lake Education Authority, Manitoba

James Groat
Tuscarora, Consultant Indigenous Education (K-8), District School Board of Niagara, Ontario

Sheila Francis
Mi’kmaq, Director of Education, Pictou Landing First Nation School, Nova Scotia

Kelly Fontaine
Sagkeeng First Nation, Teacher, Sagkeeng Anicinabe High School, Manitoba

Andrea Eby
Teacher, St. Bonaventure School (K-6), Ontario

Corinne Chappell
Lennox Island First Nations, Colonel Gray High School 9-12, Prince Edward Island

Brad Baker
Squamish Nation, District Principal, Indigenous Education, Safe Schools and Careers,
North Vancouver School District K-12, British Columbia

Trina Allinotte
Teacher, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute 9-12, Ontario

Pearl Achneepineskum

Anishinaabe First Nation, Chanie Wenjack’s sister, Ontario

We are currently still seeking members from Nunavut, Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Labrador. If you are from these regions you can apply here. 

Appointment to the Committee is one two-year term, and when applicable, a second term may be added. Meetings will typically be held virtually four times per year. 

The Educator Advisory Committee for Legacy Schools will advise current and future programs and participate in their development and quality assurance as needed. Committee members will also assist in identifying resources, including guest speakers, field placement, partnerships and various opportunities to further Legacy Schools programming. 

Educator Advisory Committee members are ambassadors and liaisons between DWF, schools, students, educators and the community. 


The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Educator Advisory Committee for Legacy Schools consists of members of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and non-Indigenous educators. They advise on educational resources and program development for Legacy Schools to help ensure that the unique interests, rights and perspectives of Indigenous peoples are recognized and implemented in schools and communities throughout Canada. Members will also help assess and evaluate the impact of Legacy Schools, furthering DWF’s mission to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all people in Canada.

 

 

https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png 0 0 DWF https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png DWF2021-01-14 18:36:182021-02-24 16:28:50The Educator Advisory Committee Welcomes Two New Members

ReconciliACTIONs At Legacy Schools

October 28, 2020/in Blog /by DWF

This past week many of our Legacy Schools took part in Secret Path Week, a week-long event that is held from October 17th to October 22nd to honour the passing of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack. Throughout the school year, and especially during Secret Path Week, we encourage our Legacy School educators and students to take part in reconciliACTIONs. These are meaningful actions that work towards reconciliation, creating awareness, learning and sharing to create strong relationships among all Canadians.

We would love to acknowledge some of the great reconciliACTIONs that have been led by  Legacy Schools not only during Secret Path Week but throughout the 2020 school year. We hope their powerful actions  inspire you and those around you to get involved and #DoSomething.

Range Lake North School

Thanks to Ms. Townsend for sharing what the students at Range Lake North School in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories have been up to during Secret Path Week. They started their week with a Zoom visit from author Monique Gray Smith who read her books When We Are Kind and You Hold Me Up to students followed by a discussion period. As well, all Phys Ed. classes were visited by the Aboriginal Sports Circle who taught them Northern Dene games. Throughout the week classes watched performances and met up with various artists such as Leela Gilday, Robyn Scott, and Diana Rockwell – a local student who created an original song about Chanie’s life.

 

Range Lake North School students and staff part took in Walk for Wenjack and held a toonie drive fundraiser. They reached their goal of raising $600 to represent the 600km that Chanie set out to walk. Their donation progression was documented on a map of the Northwest Territories, that enabled students to grasp a better understanding of the distance Chanie was trying to walk.

Lastly, for Orange Shirt Day students created fantastic posters that were displayed at the front of the school for their community to see.

 

 

 

 

Westmount Public School

At Westmount Public School in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Ms. Murdoch shared the reconciliACTIONs her class conducted in their second year as a Legacy School.

As part of their first Walk for Wenjack, her grade 6 class took great initiative in leading fundraising in order to create awareness and to take their part in making a kinder, and more understanding Canada. They created their own donation system where if you donated $1 you got your name written on a footprint, a feather when you donated $5 and a hat when you donated $10 or more. To track their donations, they created a beautiful display in their hallway for the whole school to see.

Students at Westmount School are continuing to further their education and understanding of Canada’s true history through Secret Path and many other great resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheppard Public School

Lastly, we would like to recognize Ms. Lukezich and the grade 4 and 5 students from Sheppard Public School in Kitchener, Ontario. Ms. Lukezich’s grade 4 and 5 French immersion students have been doing some amazing work in their class and school by learning about Indigenous history and culture through books. They have also found a passion about learning and bringing awareness to Indigenous rights issues through their current events unit.

During Secret Path Week, students watched several DWF LIVE sessions, such as the musical performance Leela Gilday. Ms. Lukezich’s students created some incredible posters for their Walk for Wenjack and were shown great support from community members while out on their walk. Most students wore purple during their Walk, and some even wore funky hats in honour of Gord.

To all our Legacy School educators and students, we would like to thank you for taking part in so many creative forms of reconciliACTION. Keep up the great work, and keep your passion for learning alive as you all are making a meaningful impact to making a better Canada that is greatly appreciated by all! We leave you with quotes from Ms. Lukezich and Ms. Murdoch that we should all follow;

“We continue learning all year. It’ not just for this week. Although we do a lot this week, it is not just a unit that happens one time in my class.”

“From our youngest to our oldest learners, we hope to educate each other as we look at the history of residential schools and the long-lasting impact they had and continue to have on families. The conversations are being had not only at school but at the dinner table as well.”

https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png 0 0 DWF https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png DWF2020-10-28 11:20:502020-11-17 21:21:45ReconciliACTIONs At Legacy Schools

Congratulations to the Legacy Schools Poster Contest Winners!

July 3, 2020/in Blog, News /by DWF

Early in May, we challenged our Legacy Schools students to design posters that answer the question “What does it mean to be an Indigenous Ally?” They definitely rose to the occasion! We loved all of the posters that were submitted, and it was certainly difficult to select the winners from elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Winners will receive a prize pack from DWF and appear in our Legacy Schools calendar for 2020-2021.

Our elementary school winner, from École James Nisbet Community School, was Liam! Congratulations, Liam!

Our middle school winner, from Lillian Berg Public School, was Darius! Congratulations!

Finally, our high school winner! From St. Pius X High School, congratulations to Pippa!

We want to give a few special shout outs to some of the other participants. Firstly, we award Ms. Bhathal-Paz at École James Nisbet Community School, Seven Oaks School Division as her class had the highest number of students participate in the contest! We will be providing this amazing teacher with a copy of Canadian Geographic’s Indigenous Atlas for her outstanding commitment. Here are some of the great posters that came from their school:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Close behind them was St. Pius X High School, Ignace Public School, Waterford Public School, and École Confédération. We appreciate the participation and enthusiasm of your students! Here are some of our amazing submissions from these schools:

 

We love to see the creativity of Legacy School students! We received a ton of submissions from students, and they clearly put a lot of time and effort into their work! Here are some of our favourite posters:

 

Congratulations to all of our winners! We were so pleased with your submissions. Many of these will be displayed in our new Legacy School calendar for 2020-2021. Keep an eye out for information about your prize pack, and be sure to follow us on social media, where we will be posting your beautiful posters! A big thank you to these three students, as well as all of the students who participated in this year’s contest. Also, thank you to the teachers who helped their students coordinate their submissions! We couldn’t have done it without you, and we are already excited to see what next year’s contest will bring. Miigwech, and have a great summer!

https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png 0 0 DWF https://downiewenjack.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DWF-Hat-FB-logo-300x300.png DWF2020-07-03 19:10:062020-07-03 19:11:04Congratulations to the Legacy Schools Poster Contest Winners!
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The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

Registered Charity Number: 784055915RR0001

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About Our Fund

Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Our goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all Canadians.

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Phone:  1-844-944-4545

E-mail: staff@downiewenjack.ca

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OHSWEKEN, ON
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