Mental Health & Well-Being

NOVEMBER 7, 2022 -- On October 7, 2022, Albert Community School had a professional development (PD) morning of land-based engagement. The morning included picking sage, rose hips and wolf willow. The staff meeting was held around an open fire while staff cooked bannock on a stick, hotdogs and s’mores.

NOVEMBER 4, 2022 -- Staff members at Judge Bryant School had the opportunity to experience an aspect of Indigenous tradition first hand as they headed to Last Mountain Lake to pick sage. This experience was led by Indigenous Education Coordinator Jeff Cappo.

Jeff spoke about the importance of sage in Indigenous culture and explained how smudging can cleanse the spirit. Tobacco was placed along the grounds as an offering and permission was asked from Mother Earth prior to picking the sacred plant. The Judge Bryant staff spent the morning collecting the medicinal sage while the sun warmed the valley.

The experience was a way to reflect on and honour treaty relationships as folks made a connection to the land.

NOVEMBER 2, 2022 -- The months of September and October have been busy for Albert Community School staff, students and families. There have been many activities in and around the school to celebrate re-engagement of students and families who have not had the opportunity to engage with the school as a community since the onset of COVID.

NOVEMBER 2, 2022 -- On October 7th, F.W. Johnson Collegiate staff, along with Elders Hazel Dixon and Lloyd Carrier, travelled to the Treaty Education Alliance Centre in Fort Qu’Appelle to participate in a Treaty Walk. It is a “hike, a stroll, a field trip with Treaty on the mind” and “the goal is to promote our shared history and work towards truth and reconciliation by reflecting on Treaty and our role within it” (Koops, 2012).

Sheena Koops, Nation Building Advocate, led staff to multiple locations to better understand the original intent of Treaty 4. Staff gained a deeper understanding of the ways that the treaty agreement has been broken and our collective obligation to honour it again. Staff also had time to share and reflect on their personal treaty story.

NOVEMBER 1, 2022 -- The Regina Huda School SLC team had a very busy and very successful September. With school start-up and two major school-wide events, Terry Fox and Orange Shirt Day, the SLC members were also very busy with an urgent call to fundraise for the Pakistan flood relief.

NOVEMBER 1, 2022 -- On the chilly afternoon of Friday, October 14^th, the Grades 7/8 students at Coronation Park Community School were guided on a walk of the Regina Indian Industrial School (RIIS) cemetery site by Bill Wall. The visit was in recognition of Secret Path Week that commemorates the legacies of Chanie Wenjack and Gord Downie from October 17th to 22nd.

The students and school leaders learned about Regina’s residential school that was operated from 1891 to 1910 with students from some 43 First Nations on the Prairies. The cemetery, where 35 to 40 children are believed to be buried, is located on Pinkie Road in northwest Regina and has Municipal as well as Provincial Heritage Property status.