Indigenous Education Centre
The Indigenous Education Centre serves schools in School District 60, developing and promoting Indigenous programs that increase knowledge and understanding in the community. Working with teachers, support workers, administrators, and the broader community, its representatives assist with providing cultural awareness sessions, workshops, counselling, restorative justice facilitation and more.
District Principal – Pat Jansen
- Develop programming and strategies to improve SD 60 Indigenous student success
- Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Indigenous Education program
- Supervise six on-site staff and thirty-five school staff
- Chair and collaborate with Indigenous Education Advisory Council for student success
- Manage an annual budget
- Follow Ministry protocols and guidelines, with respect to programming/budget/values and educational pedagogy
- Continuously, researching best practices for programs
- Can be reached at our district office 250-794-5051 or email pjansen@prn.bc.ca
Administrative Assistant – Marie Westergaard
- Responsible for the general administration of office – Receptionist duties, accounting, attendance, general office duties
- Assist new staff with set up of equipment and programs
- Provide support for on-site staff as well as ISSWs, YCWs, Transition Coaches and support Teachers
- Assist District Principal in various areas, budget, meetings, travel arrangements, etc.
- Can be reached at 250-794-5050 or email mwestergaard@prn.bc.ca
District Language & Cultural, Librarian Teacher – Diane Barclay
- Developing Indigenous focused lesson plans
- Collaborating with teachers seeking to implement Indigenous content into their curriculum
- Supporting teachers and ISSW’/YCWs in promoting the First People’s Principles of Learning
- Providing Indigenous cultural content through presentations face to face as well as virtually
- Promoting locally relevant resources
- Collecting resources for hands on learning
- Collaborating with local Indigenous community members to create Language resources
- Connect outside resources such as elders and knowledge keepers to provide their expertise in classrooms
- Assemble resources for teaching and support staff
- Order academic resources connected to BC curriculum
- Expand Indigenous resource books for library
- Can be reached at 250-794-5054 or email dbarclay@prn.bc.ca
Indigenous Education Support Teacher – Yvonne Williams
- Collectively works with school administrators, teachers, support staff, to provide student emotional, academic and transition services.
- Can be reached at 250-794-5052 or email ywilliams@prn.bc.ca
First Nations Youth Care Worker – Melanie Jansen
- Working with the First Nations students in School District 60 from the three local bands
- Provides support and information to parents through phone calls, emails and home visits.
- Providing attendance support by collaborating with staff from their school, parents and the band Education Coordinator.
- Participates in committees and meetings that pertain to the First Nation students
- Collaboratively presents Local Education Agreement (LEA) presentations to the district staff
- Working with the 3 local First Nation Communities
- Can be reached at 250-794-5053 or email melaniejansen@prn.bc.ca
Elementary Youth Care Worker – Amanda Desjarlais
- Works with teachers and administrators, and with Indigenous students and parents, to promote the classroom success and eventual graduation of secondary students.
- Provides related support services to teachers, parents and school administrators.
- Works with teachers, school administrators and district personnel to promote cultural awareness within the classroom.
- ASSESS support for ISSW/YCWs.
- ISSWs are able to access/request Itinerant Forms via email. They are to be sent home with the student to have a parent/guardian signature, signed by the Administrator of the school, and information as to why the student is needing support.
- Can be reached at 250-794-5055 or email adesjarlais@prn.bc.ca