In a public ceremony on Oct. 28, the recently elected Rocky View Schools (RVS) Board of Trustees appointed two of its members to serve on a newly formed Indigenous Advisory Council, which will aim to consult with Indigenous communities in support of truth and reconciliation.
The ceremony, held at Genesis Place Recreation Centre, saw the recently elected trustees sworn in, and take the oath of office prior to the board’s regular organizational meeting.
The meeting marked the re-election of several trustees, as well as newcomers Fred Burley and Shelley Kinley. It also saw the appointment of trustees to each of the board’s committees, as well as other provincial committees. Fiona Gilbert, Ward 6 trustee, was named as board chair once again, and she and Ward 3 trustee Melyssa Bowen will sit on the Indigenous Advisory Council.
According to Gilbert, the advisory council is important to RVS and the board, as it shows their commitment to the work of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its findings.
“[RVS] is working to create safe, diverse, and inclusive environments for our students,” Gilbert said. “The newly created committee will play a crucial role in guiding these efforts.”
She added the committee will work to develop plans to share and apply “foundational knowledge” about Indigenous peoples and their ways of knowing. The committee will serve in an advisory capacity both to the RVS Board as well as to the division's administration team to show how the organization can best support the success of Indigenous students.
“We will also look to them to recommend strategies for reconciliation efforts across the division and to help with some professional development opportunities for both our staff and board, and provide guidance on protocol matters,” she said.
The new council is expected to meet five times during the school year, though there is flexibility for members to meet more often if the need arises, Gilbert added.
The Indigenous Advisory Council will be comprised of the two trustees, as well as representatives of Stoney Nakoda First Nation, Tsuu T’ina First Nation, and the Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3. Gilbert said the committee will also be supported by RVS staff and students.
“The board will [also] be sending out letters of invitation to each of our neighbouring nations to request them to appoint somebody to this committee,” she said.
The council is the first of its kind for the RVS Board of Trustees, though Gilbert said the division does have an Indigenous Council that includes administrative members, school staff, principals, and a senior executive.
“This is the first Indigenous Advisory Committee that is established by the board this full of representation, including our Indigenous neighbours,” she said.
Carmen Cundy, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @carmenrcundy
