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.

Happy “new year”! I hope everyone had a pleasant summer holiday. It’s been nice to talk to students and parents this week about all the things you’ve done over the past two months. I’ve heard lots of stories of fun trips and relaxation. I’ve also heard a few about some more stressful experiences that life seems to always present. Whatever the past 2 months brought for you, I’m looking forward to working together again as a Boston School Family to support each other. September brings the opportunity for fresh starts and lots of reason for optimism. Each and every student is full of potential, and on a pathway that is their own unique success story (always in progress)!

This year you’ll notice that the staff is mostly the same with a few exceptions. Mrs. Huffman is off this year with her new baby. We would like to welcome Ms. Agius, who has joined us to teach the 3/4 class. We are excited to have her back as part of the Boston team! We would also like to welcome Mrs. Trembley as our new custodian. We are all in good hands with her making sure the building is in good shape!

On the first day, we had a Welcome-Back Assembly in which we committed to two very simple things this year: 1) We will always do our best

2) We will always be kind

I believe those two simple statements can guide every decision we make every day, and I’ve asked every Blazer to consider them when they are making choices.

Once again, welcome to a new school year. It’s good to be back!