FNMI Info:
2009-2010 is off to a great start; we just held
our annual Braided Journeys Meet & Greet to welcome the students
to the new school year.
A diverse group of students attended to socialize, eat
lunch, meet the Aboriginal Learning Services (ALS) and St. Joe’s
staff, and familiarize themselves with the programming for this
year. We are excited
to get to know the FNMI students here at St. Joe’s and
facilitate their success during their high school years.
With the help of the experienced staff at Aboriginal
Learning Services and an enthusiastic group of students, this
year promises to be eventful.
We have a new staff member on site from ALS who
is working as a career counselor and graduation coach.
Elyse Wood works out of Room 240 which is space for FNMI
students to work on homework, receive tutoring, access
resources, and take part in our regular cultural activities.
Students are encouraged to make good use of this space.
We will be holding a weekly Braided Journeys
meeting in Room 240 where we will have a Smudge Ceremony, eat
lunch, meet elders and other leaders in the community, take part
in cultural activities, monitor and track student progress, and
network. All are
welcome to these meetings so feel free to drop in every
Wednesday at lunch.
Every Friday after school, the Rainbow Spirit
Dancers will be offering dance lessons in Room 240 for those
students who are interested in learning the traditional and
contemporary Aboriginal dance forms.
Students who take part in this group will be expected to
be good role models to other students by living a clean and
healthy lifestyle and committing to weekly practices.
The Rainbow Spirit Dancers had their very first
performance at the DreamCatchers Conference in October.
Taste of St. Joe’s is coming up on November 16th where a few
Aboriginal students have volunteered their time to represent
their culture with food and dance.
This is a great opportunity for the school to taste some
Aboriginal delicacies and enjoy a cultural experience.
On November 27th, students from St.
Joe’s and Holy Trinity will be going to a Sweat Lodge to learn
more about Aboriginal culture. If you have any questions or
would like to join this field trip, contact Ms. Harris.
We are very excited about our initiatives for
this school year. It
promises to be a great learning experience and fun-filled for
all students that get involved.
Justine Harris
FNMI Liaison
