École Poirier Elementary

School Plan Reflection

How have we been able to weave the indigenous principles of learning into our daily practice and how can we do more:

We have begun to develop a better sense of place:

1. Territorial Acknowledgements are less scripted and coming from the heart and a place of understanding; who has lived on this land and who still lives here?
2. We renamed our neighbourhoods to reflect where we live.
3. The new neighbourhoods are now a part of our school song, “Join In”
4. We reimagined our representation so that it is indigenous, a bear, and we reached out to a T’souke artist, Isabelle St. Pierre, to create an image of that bear. 
5. Our students have learned the Coast Salish Anthem and it is played out to the school on alternating Mondays.
6. Students are learning about the indigenous plants that grow around us and appreciating how the T’souke people use those plants
7. We feature SENĆOŦEN greetings around our building
8. We spotlighted SENĆOŦEN number lessons on the announcements in June
9. Classrooms connect with indigeneity through literature, visual arts, and music
10. We are learning that we can continue to teach indigenous ways after the elder has left or the role model lesson has finished; this is the way of this land so this is our way.

We are connecting with each other and building relationships:

1. We are meeting with each other in non-regimented ways; for example, assemblies and staff meetings can be outside or in a circle formation in the gym
2. We are learning how having conversations and drumming in a circle pulls us all together
3. We are creating art that connects us with the land and to the Saanich Moons

We aim to:

1. Continue to look for ways to bring SENĆOŦEN into everyday interactions
2. Continue to look for ways to bring in role models to connect us to place and to build relationship in community

How have we helped our students learn strategies to promote kindness and to connect positive actions with positive consequences? 

1. The WITS program has provided a shared language around solving problems; students will identify how they were able or unable to use strategies like walking away, ignoring, talking out, or seeking help to solve problems with peers. 
2. The staff teaches using WITS so that students can avoid, de-escalate, and solve conflicts at school, at home, and in the community

We aim to:

1. Bring in the Principle of Learning that “learning recognizes the consequences of one’s actions” into focus
2. Continue conversations around the value of diversity, what racism and discrimination are, and what actions students can take to protect against it.