This is Sarah Longman, the Supervisor for Indigenous Education for Regina Public Schools. She oversees the academic standing of all self-declared Indigenous students in Regina public schools, to ensure that they are successful and acquiring the credits needed to stay on track to graduate. When it is identified that a student may need extra support, there are a number of ways this can be done.
There is an Indigenous Advocate Teachers Program, in which trained teachers of Indigenous backgrounds are placed in the high schools to monitor the process of the self-declared students. If needed, the Indigenous Advocate teacher will work with the student to get them back on track by contacting the parents/guardians to help them identify the barriers that may be preventing a student from succeeding.
Another source of support for students is an Elders in Residence Program. The Elders provide cultural understanding and cultural affirmation for Indigenous students and are overall positive role models. Elders bring their knowledge and expertise into the classroom and they may help non-Indigenous teaching staff to navigate sensitive topics such as residential schools. Elders may also connect with families by teaming up with the Indigenous Advocate teachers and provide support to the student and family that are experiencing trouble in school or at home.
There is an Elders Advisory Council that advises the Board of Trustees for Regina Public Schools. These Elders offer their cultural understanding and cultural knowledge that guide the Trustees when they are making decisions that could impact Indigenous students and the community.
A lot of work is being done to bring culturally affirmative resources into the schools to develop contemporary representations of who Indigenous people are – with the aim to eradicate and replace negative stereotypes about Indigenous people.
Sarah hopes that in the years to come, there will be more Indigenous educators, Indigenous doctors, Indigenous engineers, etc. taking the best of the Western world and finding a way to utilize that to promote and sustain who they are as Indigenous people.