Education, language and cultural programming are seen as supportive to the overall success, health and well-being of the members of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. The Education, Language and Culture (ELC) Partnership was developed following the recommendations from our Community Comprehensive Plan (CCP, 2015).

The ELC Partners have been working together since 2016 and consists of the following programs and services: the Chippewas of Nawash Board of Education, Language Nest, Kikendaasogamig Elementary School, Nshiime Daycare, Adult Learning Centre, Youth Mental Health and Wellness, Councillor Liaison for Education as well as Elder and Youth representatives.

The ELC strategic plan was completed and presented to the community in July 2018. Click here to access an info sheet that was distributed to the community.

The goals of the ELC strategic plan are as follows:

1. Increase coordination among programs and services in the life-long learning continuum.
2. Sustain and strengthen culture and language through community-developed curriculum and immersion programs.
3. Acquire appropriate services for students with special needs (physical, educational, emotional, gifted).
4. Employ Indigenous teachers, preferably community members, at the school. Provide developmental opportunities for teachers to learn the Anishnaabe worldview.
5. Increase the success of the secondary and post-secondary students to a level equivalent to or exceeding that of the non-Aboriginal population while fostering a strong Anishnaabe identity.
6. Provide learning opportunities for all stages of the lifelong learning continuum.
7. Provide awareness to community members living outside Nawash about what is going on in the community regarding the ELC strategic plan

Education, Language and Culture Partnership Community Update for December 2020

“I feel quite strongly about the Anishnabae language. Our people should be encouraged in every way to pick up the language again.” - Ella Waukey

The Chippewas of Nawash Education, Language and Culture (ELC) Partners are happy to inform the community of progress on the ELC Strategic Plan.

What a time we are in. Perhaps now more than ever we must look to our teachings and language to provide us with the guidance and direction we need to get where we want to go.

Background

The ELC Partners have been working together since 2016 and currently consists of the following programs and services: the Chippewas of Nawash Board of Education, Language Nest, Kikendaasogamig Elementary School, Nshiime Daycare, Adult Learning Centre, Youth Mental Health and Wellness, Maadookii Seniors Centre, Councillor Liaison for Education as well as Elder and Youth representatives.

The ELC Strategic Plan was developed in response to goals and action items within the Community Comprehensive Plan of 2015. After several months of discussion and community engagement the ELC strategic plan was completed and presented to the community in July 2018. At that time an
information sheet was distributed and a community meeting was held.

Highlights from the ELC strategic plan

The strategic plan report reminded us that we have less community members with Anishnaabemowin as their mother tongue and less community members who have knowledge of it. According to census data, 79 people in 2011 and 40 people in 2016 said it was their mother tongue. In 2011, 140 people had knowledge of it and, in 2016, 85 people said they had knowledge of it.

The good news is that education and learning Anishnaabemowin remain very important to us. We put out a survey to the community and 86% of the respondents said they have life-long learning goals. 96% of the survey respondents want to learn more Anishnaabemowin and all parents and guardians who completed the survey said it is somewhat or very important for their children to learn Anishnaabemowin.

Progress

• All Chippewas of Nawash programs and services continue to provide language and culture initiatives for community members. This is ongoing.
• Chief and Council approved the budget to support the initial activities of the ELC Partners.
• A consultant was hired by the Chippewas of Nawash Board of Education to advance the implementation of action items. The consultant reported on ELC communications needs and Teacher professional development.
• A beautiful logo was designed by Nyle Johnston for the ELC Partnership, which you can see above.
• Jessica Keeshig-Martin now assists with the coordination of the ELC partnership and implementation of some of the key areas of the ELC strategic plan.

GOAL 1: Increase coordination among programs and services in the life-long learning continuum.

The ELC Partners are meeting regularly and developing a workplan for the next phase and implementation of the ELC strategic plan.

GOAL 2: Sustain and strengthen culture and language through community-developed curriculum and immersion programs.

Grade 7/8 Chippewas of Nawash history textbook has been developed, as well as lesson plans and resources developed for each grade. Current work includes local infusion of science lessons and a Nawash/SON specific geography text has been started.

GOAL 3: Acquire appropriate services for students with special needs (physical, educational, emotional, gifted).

The Board has hired a full time special education teacher from Nawash and the school has full time Education Assistants for each classroom. The Board supports special programming and resources to ensure student success for all.

GOAL 4: Employ Indigenous teachers, preferably community members, at the school. Provide developmental opportunities for teachers to learn the Anishnaabe worldview.

The Board fully supports school staff and encourages staff to pursue additional qualifications and learning opportunities as much as possible.

GOAL 5: Increase the success of the secondary and post-secondary students to a level equivalent to or exceeding that of the non-Aboriginal population while fostering a strong Anishnaabe identity.

Secondary Students and Post-Secondary students receive continual support to assist their academic pursuits at all levels. The Secondary Student Services Coordinator and Post-Secondary Coordinator continually look for ways to encourage and promote and acknowledge student success.

GOAL 6: Provide learning opportunities for all stages of the lifelong learning continuum.

The ELC Partners are working together to coordinate activities and to explore learning opportunities within the lifelong learning continuum.

GOAL 7: Provide awareness to community members living outside Nawash about what is going on in the community regarding the ELC strategic plan.

The ELC Partners will continue to explore ways to communicate with the Nawash membership through multiple platforms including providing updates and online engagement.

Next Steps

The ELC Partners have goals and action items to develop within their program and service area. They are ramping up coordination among one another and are meeting monthly via zoom. The group will develop a terms of reference for the implementation of the strategic plan.

The ELC strategic plan provides some of the initial steps and some of the activities as part of an overall language strategy. It also identifies the need for a multifaceted, community-wide language strategy. As a community we need to come together to envision what we want our language levels to be in the many years to come and we must all take up our role in this. The intent is for the programs and services to provide supports to the community who are taking up their Anishnaabemowin learning goals.

The ELC partners are also looking at ways to increase communications and ways we can engage with one another along our learning journeys.

You can also call the Board of Education office to request a paper copy of the ELC Strategic Plan Info Sheet at 519-534-0882.

Resources

ELC Info Sheet