By: Michael Oleksyn
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Prince Albert Daily Herald
The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division highlighted efforts they’ve made to address some of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action in an update presented at the regular board meeting on June 15.
Superintendent Jennifer Hingley provided the update. Hingley shared highlights of the division’s response including growing land-based learning opportunities and ongoing work in anti-racist/anti-bias education. The division has been tracking efforts to respond to those calls since 2017.
Director of Education Neil Finch agreed with Hingley’s assessment during the report and said that the depth and breadth of actions taken make it more difficult to update on a yearly basis.
“There’s lots of great work happening in the division,” Finch said. “It’s hard to narrow down one or two things that’s going really well because there’s so many pockets of success, but also consistent success across the division.”
According to the report, Leadership Learning Teams in each high school track student achievement and support individual graduation plans for First Nations and Metis students.
Since the TRC published their reported in 2015, Sask. Rivers has increased its focus on teaching Indigenous languages. They have also focused on giving teachers more opportunities to learn about Indigenous culture through professional development. That includes things like tipi raisings and ribbon skirt/shirt workshops.
They have also continued to expand the Following Their Voices program to multiple schools. Following their Voices implementation answers the call for culturally appropriate curriculum.
It is implemented at Wesmor, Carlton, Ecole Arthur Pechey, PACI, Queen Mary, St. Louis and Kinistino. The initiative is designed to raise the educational achievement and participation of Saskatchewan’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
In 2025-2026 Princess Margaret and Vincent Massey became part of Following their Voices.
The division previously applied for and received funding to help implement Jordan’s Principle in response to TRC calls to action on child welfare. Jordan’s Principle helps ensure all First Nations children living in Canada can access the products, services, and supports they need, when they need them. The division did not apply for Jordan’s Principle funding this school year instead it provides individual support as needed.
Responses to the call for a more culturally appropriate curriculum include providing professional development workshops on culturally responsive topics including land-based learning. As well, the learning model for Literacy, Math and High School also all have Indigenous worldview embedded in them.
The call on protecting the right to Aboriginal Languages has also expanded in the division.
Recent steps include establishing the Cree Language Program at John Diefenbaker School to Grade 4 and establishing a partnership with Metis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) to create a
Michif Language and Culture Program at St. Louis and Queen Mary School in Sept., 2021, which continues to this day.
This school year the Cree Language program at John Diefenbaker will expand to the entire division due to transportation offered.
“They are doing some great work down at the Cree Language Program for sure,” Finch said.
In 2024-2025 the division added a full-time equivalent teacher to support the Cree Language program and Michif Language program, split between John Diefenbaker and Queen Mary. This year those schools offered parent/family engagement opportunities to encourages speaking the language at home.
Another example is a Cree 10 courses offered at both Carlton and Wesmor Public High Schools. Cree 10 was also offered at PACI this school year. St. Louis continues to offer their localized Michif program.
The division has also created an Indigenous Language Learning Community in Fall of 2021. The group supports Cree and Michif teachers in the division and Language Keepers in early years and high school, a Dakota teacher, a Language Keeper, an educational assistant at Wahpeton, and a Cree teacher at Muskoday.
As part of the call for building capacity for intercultural understanding and mutual respect there has been completion of another cycle of four Pipe Ceremonies. Four meetings were held this year following the Seasonal Pipe Ceremonies, where trustees learned from Indigenous Elders.
The division hosted a Pipe Ceremony four times this year at different schools, John Diefenbaker, Carlton, Wesmor and PACI.
Hingley also highlighted the development of a Land-based learning networking group which included some senior administration, principals, teachers, students, elders, community partners and Invitational Shared Service Initiative (ISSI) partners from Muskoday and Montreal Lake. This collaboration led to the development of a land-based learning model based on Cree teachings, language and worldview. The model is system wide in Professional Development opportunities and help guide teachers when incorporating land-based learning experiences for their students.
During the 2025-2026 school year land-based learning and experiential play-based learning were introduced as a school area of focus. This year they expanded to include seasonal Land-Based and Culture Days. PACI, Montreal Lake, Westview, Riverside, Princess Margaret and Queen Mary took part in winter appropriate celebrations in January.
In June 2026 Osborne, East Central, Red Wing, Wild Rose, West Central, Meath Park and Birch Hills attended Spring theme days. The division plans to carry these concepts forward.
The division enhanced land-based learning by including Elders and Knowledge Keepers from the Elder’s Council, one example is Knowledge Keeper Mike Relland.
Other areas covered during the presentation include, justice, professional development and training for public servants, education for reconciliation, and sports and reconciliation.
The division has also supported KidsFirst, helped schools access Catholic Family Services, and worked in partnership with the Prince Albert Early Years Resource Centre to address calls to develop culturally appropriate parenting programs.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca