Indigenous Education

Greetings from Lake Trail Indigenous Education. We are excited to be working with your students this year and look forward to meeting you.

Ancestry is determined on a voluntary basis through self-identification and includes Status, Non-Status, Metis or Inuit Ancestry. The Indigenous Education Program provides several supports that follow the four goals of the Indigenous Education Enhancement Agreement and is provided to enhance existing school programs.

We provide a relaxed and calm space for students. Our room is “screen free”… a place to unplug and connect, play games, chat, or create. We are currently running one  after school program on Thursdays from 3:15-4:30. “Beading Circle” is open to all students and all supplies are provided.

Words from Jenna

Hello,

My name is Jenna Flint and I have been working with School District 71 since 2018. This is my fourth year as an Indigenous Support Worker at Lake Trail Community School, and I am excited to be back and working with such a dynamic group of students.

My family came to Turtle Island from Scotland many generations ago and settled first in Massachusetts. In the mid 1700’s, a branch of my family arrived in the Great Lakes region living with the Seneca people of the Haudenosaunee Nation, and eventually moving to Niagara following the American War of Independence. In 1861 my family organized an overland expedition to the west coast, travelling by foot from Queenston, Canada West to New Westminster in BC. We have lived on Vancouver Island for 6 generations and consider this beautiful place to be our home.

I personally have a long history of living closely with the indigenous people of the lands that I have lived on. For two years in my early adulthood, I was a choreographer for Red Thunder Cultural Society, and lived in Tsuut’ina Nation territory for over 10 years. I have 2 adopted siblings who are Cree, a son who is Salish and Kanaka Maoli (Indigenous Hawaiian) and 2 grandchildren who are Salish and Muskogee (Creek).

I am looking forward to working with your children and getting to know your families.

With Respect,

Jenna

Words from Alana-

My name is Alana and I am grateful to be one of the Indigenous Support Workers at Lake Trail Community School.  This is my 5th year working in the district, but I have lived in and around the Comox Valley for 23 years, many miles from the North Shore of Lake Superior where I was born and raised.  I am of Cree Metis, English, Welsh, Norwegian, and German ancestry.

I am excited to be in this role where I can support your children along their individual pathways to success.  Please reach out at any time with any concerns or questions, or just to check-in and have a chat. I look forward to meeting you!

Gilakas’la,

Please feel free to contact us at any time if you feel there is anything we can do to support your child(ren). Jenna is available for contact Monday to Friday during school hours. We can be reached by phone at 250-334-3168, or via email at:

Jenna: jennifer.flint@sd71.bc.ca

Community Resources:

Aboriginal Island Health

B.C. First Nations Textbook

More Indigenous Links