Candace Meadus YCS Trustee

CYCC services for all YCS schools are available over March break- see here for details!

The pink shirt movement was started by students in Nova Scotia. Here are some words of wisdom from our own École St. Patrick High School student Kaitlyn Stewart. Pink shirt day is Wednesday!

Tonight’s Yellowknife Catholic Schools Board meeting: 1) We met March Gacayan, a former Weledeh Catholic School and École St. Patrick High School student who is now our YCS Human Resources intern. She’s been busy in her first month on the job, supporting our hiring teams, moving forms to a digital format to help virtual hiring (extremely relevant in our current world!), and supporting the District Wellness Committee. 2) We had a presentation from the École St.Joseph School (...Official site - Site officiel) Admin team entered around Indigenous Languages Month and the work ESJS is doing to embed Indigenous learning in the school’s every day learning. With more than 600 students, these teachings can be seen on the walls of the building and heard in the Willideh Yahti language used in the morning announcements. The wall tent outside the school and the culture camps the students attend share traditional learnings of life on the land. Social and emotional learning streams are shaped by the Dene Laws and Elders share legends with lessons. Staff have worked hard on individual learning, reaching out to other educators in the district to share experiences, and are strongly supported by the members of the Indigenous Languages & Education (ILE) teams, volunteers who help organize initiatives with the help of other staff. They’ve made amazing strides and I can’t wait to see how this work will continue to grow! 3) At our last board meeting we approved the YCS Robust Technology Infrastructure project, improving the foundational pieces to support the dramatic increase in internet needs. YCS will be meeting with the GNWT’s department of Education, Culture and Employment, as well as the Technology Service Centre as part of an advocacy effort for their support in this work.

https://www.cbc.ca//n-w-t-teachers-to-be-given-priority-to The Yellowknife school boards have been advocating for educators to be included on this priority list. Thanks to the MLAs and other supporters who raised this for consideration at many levels. We have seen how important schools are to our children’s success and family dynamic. This is one more way we can support our educators to keep schools open.

She’s taught me, been an educator and leader for my kids, and is a critical part of serving on the YCS Board. Congrats and well deserved!