Honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day 

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2022

Today (June 21) marks National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is an opportunity to celebrate and honour the diverse experiences, achievements and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. It is also an opportunity to learn about the histories, rights and realities that reflect where we are today. 

Above: Solidarity Day - Ohsweken, Ontario. June 21, 2022.

Grand Erie District School Board is uniquely situated in our country, providing opportunities to enrich and co-create a better understanding together. Our commitment to Learning, Well-Being and Belonging renews also our commitment and responsibilities toward reconciliation. As we gain a better understanding of the ongoing processes of colonialism and its damaging, long-term effects, we commit ourselves to learning.  

Today, and every day, is an opportunity to learn something new. Grand Erie’s Indigenous Education Team has been active throughout the school year providing curriculum resources and aids to support learning across the district. Grand Erie’s new Land Acknowledgement statement represents one of the milestones on our path of learning this year. 

We thank all community partners for sharing their knowledge and resources with us throughout the year. We honour Indigenous peoples and Indigenous ways of knowing, and express gratitude that we can inform the work we do as a school board with this crucial insight and wisdom that provides a way forward.

Grand Opening of the Snoezelen Room

Elgin Avenue Public School welcomed staff, students and community to the Grand Opening of the Snoezelen Room on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

On hand for this special occasion was Chair of the Board Carol Ann Sloat, Trustee Rita Collver and Superintendent Liana Thompson as well as several members of the community that contributed to the fundraising, and Elgin staff members.

Allie Richardson (teacher of students with autism), Lori Minarik (EA working with students with autism) and Samantha Nicholson (Principal) worked together for over three and a half years to fundraise for this $30,000 project. The Elgin community, parents, local charities and the Grand Erie District School Board all came together to make this project a huge success.

A Snoezelen Room is a multi-sensory environment that provides a controlled, safe, relaxing space for individuals with a variety of sensory needs. The room is set up to give individuals a positive space where they can meet their specific needs in a calming atmosphere. This atmosphere helps in reducing fear, anxieties, repetitive behaviour, self-abusive behaviour and aggressive behaviour so that students are better able to learn. Students at Elgin in both self-contained classes and in the regular classes will be able to access the room to help meet their sensory needs.

According to Seth, a student who accesses the room daily, “It is the best room ever!!!”