The Downie Wenjack Fund Legacy School program is an opportunity for classrooms/schools to lead the movement in awareness of the history and impact of the Residential School System on Indigenous Peoples. Legacy Schools are provided a Secret Path Toolkit and educational support resources to engage students, staff and school communities as a catalyst for reconciliation in Canada. The toolkits are being well used in our schools, with staff engaging students in a wide variety of activities related to the book, the Secret Path
Staff and students at Crolancia Public School in Pickle Lake, and the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, were honoured to become the first Legacy School in Canada through the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (or Downie Wenjack Fund). During a special assembly during the 2018-2019 school year, Principal Holly Szumowski announced the school’s plans to honour the Downie Wenjack Fund, including the dedication of two benches outside of the school, the dedication of the school’s Native as a Second Language (NSL) classroom as the Legacy Classroom, and the renaming of the school’s end of year NSL award as the Charlie Wenjack Award.
Since that announcement, we are proud to say that all KPDSB schools have since registered as Legacy Schools, making us the third school board in the country to have all schools registered.
Students and staff at Crolancia Public School have accomplished many of their goals only a year after the announcement, including creating an outdoor learning area for everyone in the school. Students worked together to build and install benches and a fire pit for the new space. To learn more about Crolancia’s Downie Wenjack Legacy School journey, check out the video below, created by students and staff at the school.
When our teacher Harriet Visitor shared her work, connection, and involvement with the Downie Wenjack Fund, I knew that our school had to be a part of this movement. Being named the first Legacy School is a wonderful honour, however the real work begins now. In the spirit of reconciliation, we must all continue to not only share Chanie’s story, but listen, respect, and respond to all survivors’ stories. As Justice Sinclair said, ‘Education is what got us here, and education is what will get us out.’
Principal Holly Szumowski, Crolancia Public School
