Tansi, hello. My name is Sandi Phye and I am happy to be the Indigenous Support Worker at Arden Elementary. I am of Metis and European decent and am grateful to be living and working on the land of the K’omoks people. I have been working in School District 71 for 20 years, starting out as an educational assistant followed by spending the past 8 years as an ISW.
As an Indigenous Support Worker, my role is to provide support in any way I can; academically, social-emotionally, and through advocacy for my students. I also provide cultural resources to teachers and classes, and increase cultural awareness in the school. I enjoy working with students and staff in various ways, such as: going on plant walks in our surrounding forest, going on field trips to explore the fish traps, working with groups of students on research projects about Indigenous Veterans, making beautiful art with classes and making bannock to share with our students. I can also help my families advocate for their children by attending meetings and/or providing assistance in navigating resources.
I can be reached at school Monday – Friday from 8 – 3. I welcome you to contact me via email or phone with any questions, concerns or ideas you may have.
