The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board is committed to the well being of all students. Recently, TBCDSB has been able to expand Indigenous Student Counsellor program to include all senior elementary schools and both high schools.
The ISCs support students and families in a variety of ways such as cultural support, advocacy, academics, post secondary applications, bursary and funding applications, as well as personal counselling, after school programming and much more.
Our ISCs are at Bishop Gallagher, Bishop EQ Jennings, Pope John Paul II, St Ignatius High School, and St Patrick High School. Please contact the school to connect with our ISCs.
TBCDSB now has Native Language programs in ten of our twenty schools.
Students in the NL program are learning Ojibwe dialects from northern Ontario. In this program, students learn both oral and written Ojibwe language. If your child is interested in taking the Ojibwe classes, please contact your child's school.
The TBCDSB schools that offer Native Language are St Ann, St Jude, St Martin, St Elizabeth, Our Lady of Charity, Pope John Paul II, Bishop Gallagher, Bishop EQ Jennings, St Patrick High School, and St Ignatius High School.
Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee advises the Board of Trustees on matters relating to Aboriginal education. This committee consists of community members representing Fort William First Nation, Metis Nation of Ontario, Lakehead University, Biwaase'aa, parent and student representatives, teacher and principal representatives, as well as local elders. The committee meets a minimum of four times per school year.
TBCDSB has partnered with Biwaase'aa to run cultural learning programs in our schools. Biwaase'aa is a culturally designed program that provides Aboriginal youth aged 7 to 13 years and their families with a fun opportunity to participate in programs which contribute to their cultural, mental, physical, and emotional well-being. The program offers in-school literacy support, role modelling, and cultural teachings. Cultural teachings are also the foundation of the after-school component of Biwaase'aa.
Youth Outreach Workers give traditional Indigenous teaching in both classrooms and after school. The main purpose of the program is to teach about culture and pride, living a healthy lifestyle and living a good life following along the seven grandfather teachings. Youth Outreach Workers provide snack and lunch programs along with after school programming. This program is open to all students. Please contact your child's school to see if Biwaase'aa is there.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education implemented the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. Part of that initiative was the Voluntary Aboriginal Self-Identification project. The data collected from the schools will give the TBCDSB an awareness of FNMI student presence and needs in our board.
Voluntary self-identification allows the board to allocate appropriate resources, supports, and programs such as the Aboriginal Student Counsellor Program, Native Language, Upward Bound, Biwaase’aa Program and more!
For more information, please go to Ontario Ministry of Education FAQ’s on voluntary Aboriginal Self-Identification.
© Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board 2023
