June is National Indigenous History Month. Throughout the school year, students and school staff engage with Indigenous culture in many ways. In addition to celebrations and connection, some projects also address more somber aspects of history and contemporary issues. Here are several examples from across the District.
Under the guidance of Master Carver and Squamish Nation Elder Xwalacktun, students and staff are carving a Welcome Post at Stride Avenue Community School. The transformed piece of cedar will be proudly placed at the front entrance once construction of the new school building is complete. With each aspect chosen for its meaning, ideas for the design of the Welcome Post came from a collaboration between the school, Indigenous families, students, and the artist. The design includes the symbol from the school logo: the Stride Dragon. As both students and staff work together to carve with Xwalacktun, the Elder has also been sharing stories, teachings about Squamish Nation culture, and Indigenous learnings.
The school community at Westridge Elementary has been learning from a mural by Coast Salish artist Austin Harry, who is of the Wolf Clan from the Squamish Nation and Thunderbird Clan from the Namgis Nation. The former Byrne Creek Community School student named the mural Chénchenstway, a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim (Squamish language) word meaning “to support one another.” The design for the mural flowed from the artist’s discussions with students. Each animal symbolizes a distinct aspect of the self: mind, body, and spirit – representing the balance we need to maintain for strength and well-being.
A Canadian Olympian spoke with children at both University Highlands and Kitchener Elementary schools. Justina Di Stasio has ancestry from the Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba and is also a District elementary Indigenous Resource Teacher at five schools. The world champion wrestler, who competed in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, brought in memorabilia and gave students a first-hand account of the rigours and dedication required of an Olympic athlete.
Burnaby Mountain Secondary students from BC First Peoples 12 and the Summit program collaborated with Sprouting Chefs to expand the school’s garden spaces. With hands-on outdoor activities, the students learned about soil, climate conditions, and Indigenous perspectives on the interconnectedness of land, culture, and community. The funding for the work was provided by the charitable organization Learning for a Sustainable Future and was featured in Our Canada Project’s online publication.
Red Dress Day is recognized by the District – such as at Alpha Secondary and Westridge Elementary, where poignant displays were hung to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited People.
Setting the tone for the day, Indigenous elementary students from across the Burnaby School District joined members of the Squamish Nation to open the Annual General Meeting of the British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA), held at the end of April. With Elders standing behind them to show their support, students shared local Greeting of the Day teachings. The children have been learning from Elders in the Squamish Nation about how to start the day with strength and gratitude.
Posted May 2025