School District 79 announced that it received the Canadian School Boards Association (CSBA) National Reconciliation Award.
The award recognizes reconciliation efforts between the school board and Cowichan Tribes.
“This recognition is a testament to our strong bond and our thorough efforts to acknowledge and respect Indigenous language and culture within our school district,” said Cathy Schmidt, Chair of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District.
According to the district the partnership prioritized preserving Hul’q’umi’num’ language and culture, elevation of indigenous representation in staff roles, and the cultivation of culturally appropriate learning and teaching methods.
“Reconciliation is an ongoing process and we look forward to continuing to work with the Cowichan Valley School District to incorporate Quw’utsun ways of knowing and Hul’q’umi’num’ language and culture into the learning journey,” said Chief Cindy Daniels.
The award comes with $10,000 which the district says will go towards further enhancing the partnership.
