November 27th, 2020
Good afternoon Chalmers’ families,
The Ballantyne Project is coming to Chalmers’ November 30-December 18.
As a school community, we are looking to raise awareness related to the conditions surrounding many Indigenous communities in our province and country. Adults and children in these communities do not have the same level of access to quality education, school supplies, health care, employment and are largely disconnected and isolated from other areas across Canada.
We are hoping that our efforts will assist this campaign in spreading the message and bridging the gap that currently exists between remote Indigenous communities and the rest of Canada.
At Chalmers, we are seeking activity supply donations (e.g., markers, pencil crayons, activity books, basic learning materials, beads and craft supplies). All materials and donations will be prepared for shipment on January 11, 2021. Our partner community will be Cree Nation Deschambault Lake, SK.
All collected materials will align with WRDSB health and safety protocols. A collection bin will be located in each classroom and once materials are dropped-off, students will no longer have access to these items. All items will be quarantined upon arrival to Chalmers and prior to shipment.
In our continued efforts toward reconciliation, we are hopeful that this initiative will continue the Indigenous learning conversation at Chalmers. To date, we have engaged students in purposeful learning related to our community, reflected upon the land that we live on, explored the notion of residential schools and the significance of Orange Shirt Day, incorporated the Lost Teachings into classroom discussions, implemented restorative problem-solving and prompted reflective opportunities to build character and attributes of sound moral citizenship (love, wisdom, respect, truth, humility, honesty and courage).
To learn more about this initiative, check out my video message below.