What's New

MARCH 3, 2022 -- On January 28, 2022, Grade 5 students at Plainsview School had an opportunity to experience Outdoor Education right in their own backyard!

Students learned alongside John from the Outdoor Environmental Education department and heard all about life in the North. Students helped create and light a Qulliq, which is a type of oil lamp traditionally used by Arctic peoples. While outside, students also played various Inuit games, including some favourites such as Leg Wrestle, High Kick and Hoot Hoot.

Thank you to the Outdoor Education staff for this exciting opportunity!

FEBRUARY 25, 2022 -- The Grades 3/4 class at Ruth Pawson School was so excited to listen to and learn from two Indigenous storytellers this month. February is Indigenous Storytelling Month!

Both Rhonda Donais and Hazel Dixon are wonderful storytellers who kept the students engaged and questioning. Students continue to talk about the stories that they heard and connect them to their own lives. It was such a great experience for the students to have, and being able to do it over Zoom helped more schools take advantage of this important opportunity.

FEBRUARY 24, 2022 -- Hide tanning is hard physical work involving a chemical process that alters the hide of an animal to create leather. This is Albert Community School’s winter project and the school is tanning a deer hide in the traditional way.

Hide tanning is a way to learn about Indigenous history, culture, biology, chemistry and traditional conservation. Through the tanning of the hide, students are participating in a different educational experience within the typical four-walled classroom. Students are connecting to the real world; this activity, and the knowledge that surrounds it, would have traditionally been taught and passed down to Indigenous children.

FEBRUARY 8, 2022 -- On World Teachers’ Day (October 5, 2021), the RPSTA and the STF welcomed 43 of their 75 newest teachers into the local association and greater federation. The event was held virtually, with special guests Trustee Adam Hicks, Director of Education Greg Enion and Special Service Award recipients Chris Keyes, Kim Lawrence and Helen Molloy in attendance.

JANUARY 31, 2022 -- The art of beading and adorning items has been around for centuries, from pre-historic time to present modern day. The art of beading in North America tends to represent Indigenous People’s culture and ethnicity. One can identify the various Indigenous Peoples simply by their sophisticated designs that they developed in their beading patterns.

JANUARY 28, 2022 -- Happy New Year to everyone from the Elders in Residence, Indigenous Advocates, Indigenous Coordinator (Jeff Cappo) and Supervisor of Indigenous Education (Vanéa Cyr)! They had a wonderful holiday luncheon in December (masks were taken off for the photos).

We honour the work, time and connection with students, staff, families and communities that all of these individuals accomplish in our schools. We hope for the remainder of the school year that people stay well and safe.

JANUARY 27, 2022 -- Congratulations to Lori Milligan, Program Manager of Outdoor Environmental Education for Regina Public Schools, who was involved in having an article published in Leaders & Learners Winter 2021-2022.

The article, entitled “Are You In or Are You Out? Reimaging Education Without Doors,” is about the benefits of outdoor learning and what school divisions across Canada are doing, especially since the pandemic.

DECEMBER 17, 2021 -- Russell Fayant was December’s guest speaker at Albert Community School. Russell is a faculty member with the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP), and he is based out of the University of Regina campus. Russell is Métis and from the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan. He is a Michif speaker and says he is still learning his language.

Russell began his presentation at Albert School with a jovial hello to everyone and then started to introduce himself in his Michif language. Once he finished his introduction in Michif, he explained to everyone what he said and what it meant to him to be able to speak his language. Russell is not fluent in Michif but is continually learning from other speakers.

DECEMBER 15, 2021 -- As the snow has fallen to the ground, so comes the season of storytelling in Indigenous culture.

Students at Judge Bryant School have hung on every word that has come from Elder Hazel Dixon. After one class watched several of Elder Hazel’s storytelling videos from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum website, one impressed young learner exclaimed to her, “I didn’t know you were a YouTuber!”

Staff at Judge Bryant are so grateful for the wisdom that Elder Hazel shares with everyone at the school.

DECEMBER 15, 2021 -- On November 24^th, students from the Scott Collegiate Food Tourism & Hospitality Pathway helped cater the lunch provided at the Indigenous Agriculture Summit.

Chef Jenni Lessard, owner of Inspired by Nature Culinary Consultant and member of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations, worked alongside the students, sharing her recipes. Chef Jenni and the students harvested rosehips for the rosehip lime butter to go with her grandmother’s baked bannock recipe. The bannock was served with a bison stew with bison donated from Canadian Bison and a three sister spice cookie for dessert.