Land Learning at Holy Family Catholic School
Educators and students from Holy Family Catholic School in Beaverton are partnering with the Indigenous Education Team and community partners to engage in Land Learning over the coming months. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 were introduced to the Land surrounding their school, invited to ask questions, observe deeply, and begin forming connections with the beings and elements they share space with.
This learning is helping students build a stronger understanding of how meaningful, relational actions can be woven into their daily Land Acknowledgement. Students are getting to know the place of their school and the kin with whom they are in a relationship.
Students at Holy Family Catholic School Continue Their Land Learning Journey
On March 23, students in Grades 5-8 at Holy Family Catholic School in Beaverton continued their learning journey of connecting with Land through an ongoing seasonal mini-Land Learning series. Guided by community partner, Beedahbin Peltier, students and educators engaged with the Land as Teacher, deepening their understanding of how knowledge, relationships, and teachings emerge through observing and returning to the Land across different seasons. This experience supported meaningful reflection on responsibility, respect, and reciprocal learning with the natural world.
Storyteller Robert Cutting Visits Kindergarten Classrooms
On Monday, March 30, kindergarten students at Monsignor Philip Coffey Catholic School had the special opportunity to welcome storyteller Robert Cutting into their classrooms for an engaging and meaningful visit centered on storytelling, music, and listening to the world around us.
During his visit, Robert shared his story Coyote’s Trick, using it as a way to talk with students about the importance of forgiveness. The students listened closely as they explored how characters learn from their choices and how forgiving others helps build understanding and kindness.
Robert also read Bear Listens, guiding students in a thoughtful discussion about listening to nature and paying attention to what nature is trying to tell us. He encouraged students to slow down, notice sounds, and appreciate the messages found in the world around them.
In addition to storytelling, Robert introduced students to several musical elements. He shared a traditional whistle, demonstrating how it can create different sounds, and then played his flute, captivating students with its gentle tones. He even made bird call sounds, delighting the children and connecting the music to nature.
To close the visit, Robert taught the students the word “Kwey,” meaning hello, and shared a song that everyone could sing together. The experience was interactive, joyful, and memorable, leaving students inspired through stories, music, and meaningful lessons.
We are grateful to Robert Cutting for sharing his knowledge and stories with our kindergarten students.
Indigenous Artist Vicky Rozentals Inspires Grade 7 and 8 Students Through Story and Art
Victoria (Grant) Rozentals, also known as Vicky the Real Artist, visited Ms. Matti’s Grade 7 and 8 class at All Saints Catholic School to share her powerful story of identity and her journey as an Indigenous artist. Vicky is an Anishinaabe, Mi’kmaq, and Métis artist living and creating in Durham Region. She honours both her Indigenous and her French and Scottish ancestry, and is known for her distinctive work in pyrography, the art of wood burning.
During her visit, students learned foundational wood‑burning techniques and created their own designs under Vicky’s guidance. She shared stories from her life, her cultural teachings, and her evolving art practice, sparking meaningful conversations about identity, community, and the role of art in carrying teachings forward.
Students were deeply inspired by Vicky’s artistry, humour, and encouragement, and her visit continues to influence their creative work in the classroom. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from an artist whose work honours tradition while embracing contemporary expression. Learn more about Vicky here.
St. Mary Catholic Secondary School Welcomes Indigenous Speaker Noreen Labelle
St. Mary Catholic Secondary School students in Ms. Prebble’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices (NBE) course welcomed Noreen Labelle into their classes. Students had the opportunity hear her powerful story of resilience, courage, and reconnection to identity. A survivor of the Sixties Scoop, Noreen shared her experiences navigating foster care, adoption, and the long and often difficult journey back to her roots. Her honesty and warmth created a space where students could listen deeply, not only to her story, but to the teachings within it.
What resonated most with students was Noreen’s message of hope. Noreen also emphasized the lifelong process of reconnecting to identity. She shared how identity can be disrupted, hidden, or taken, but never erased. She spoke to the strength that comes from reclaiming who you are, honouring your story, and embracing the teachings passed down through community and culture. Her words reminded students that identity is something to nurture and protect, and that every person has a right to know where they come from and who they are becoming.
Throughout the visit, Noreen highlighted the kindness, attentiveness, and genuine care she saw in the students. She encouraged them to recognize this goodness within themselves and to harness it in their own lives, whether through compassion, curiosity, advocacy, or simply by showing up for others. She reminded them that their gifts matter, and that the small acts of empathy they offer each day can have a real impact.
Sheepa Papatsi Visits Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School
On Tuesday, February 24, Indigenous community partner, Sheepa Papatsi, visited Mr. Gorman’s Contemporary Indigenous Issues and Perspectives in a Global Context (NDW) class at Father Leo Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School. Sheepa shared a wealth of knowledge about her home, Baffin Island, in Nunavut. She spoke about the Land, cultural stories, and traditional foods, offering students a firsthand look into Inuit life.Students were especially surprised to learn about the seasonal extremes in her community, where there can be 24 hours of darkness in winter and 24 hours of daylight in summer. Sheepa also brought a collection of Inuit art, jewelry, clothing, and cultural items—including the ulu, a traditional knife used by Inuit women for thousands of years. Her visit provided students with a rich and authentic learning experience rooted in Inuit knowledge and lived experience.
