Purpose and Goals
Anishinaabemowin
Native Language (Ojibwe) is taught at St. James School, St. David School, Holy Trinity School and Pius XII School as part of the Regular Program curriculum. Beginning in Grade 4, Native Language students receive 40 minutes of Native Language instruction each day.
Native Language skills are taught through themes based on students’ interests and experiences. Learning activities centre around listening, speaking, reading and writing, and are designed to prepare students to apply their linguistic and cultural knowledge in real-life situations.
The goals for a graduate of our Native Languages program include:
- understand key ideas of written materials on familiar subjects
- follow oral instructions
- take part in simple conversations on everyday topics
- write short messages and letters
- appreciate Native cultures and teaching including ceremonies, smudging and Pow Wow drumming
- have the foundation to pursue fluency through further study or living for a time in a Native speaking environment
Seven Grandfather Teachings
At Sudbury Catholic Schools, we strive to walk the path of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. The teachings represent the traditional concepts of respect and sharing that form the foundation of the Anishinaabe way of life. Each teaching honours one of the basic virtues intrinsic to living a life in balance and harmony with nature, family and community (adapted from The Mishomis Book: Voice of the Ojibway by Edward Benton-Banai).
Nibwaakaawin—Wisdom: To cherish knowledge is to know Wisdom.
Zaagidiwin—Love: To know peace is to know Love
Minaadendamowin—Respect: To honour all creation is to have Respect.
Aakode’ewin—Bravery: Bravery is to face the foe with integrity.
Gwayakwaadiziwin—Honesty: Honesty in facing a situation is to be brave.
Dabaadendiziwin—Humility: Humility is to know yourself as a sacred part of Creation.
Debwewin—Truth: Truth is to know all of these things.
Voluntary Self-Identification
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has implemented a voluntary Indigenous Self Identification policy to better meet the needs of First Nation, Métis and Inuit learners. It is the policy of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to address the needs of Indigenous students who experience gaps in their education by putting into place measures that respond to their particular needs. All Indigenous students and their parents will be given the opportunity to voluntarily self-identify so that their academic needs may be better addressed. In its commitment to ensure these measures, the School Board will establish a self-identification procedure to identify, collect and aggregate student achievement data for Indigenous students.
Voluntary Self Identification allows the Board to collect and aggregate student achievement data to monitor the performance of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students. Continued data collection and analysis will provide information for future decision making, surrounding Indigenous student success. This policy will evolve as the Board seeks to improve achievement and program delivery for Indigenous students. For implementation and future refinement of this policy, the following principles will be used as a guide.
Implemented measures will be used and evaluated regularly based on their:
- Transparency, Inclusiveness
- Innovation, Learner-centered
- Equality, Responsiveness
- Collaboration, Respect on individual privacy and dignity
- Results-oriented
- Acknowledgement and reflection of cultural diversity
- Contribution to the knowledge base through research
For more information about our Indigenous Education Program, please go to the following website.