This December, the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board took the majority of its staff to the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) conference. 

The FNESC conference is the largest Indigenous Education gathering in BC, celebrating 30 years of advocacy for First Nations Education in 2022. The 2022 theme is ‘Resilience and Self-Determination: A Vision for the Future’.  The 2022 conference took place over two days, with 800 participants at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver, BC. 

The FNESC conference brings together a large professional community of First Nations education experts from across BC to discuss educational jurisdiction, language, and culture. Since its foundation, FNESC has grown and supported First Nations students and educators in making BC the top-performing province for Indigenous Education in Canada.

The event consisted of discussions on systemic change, curriculum, language, and culture, as well as the recent milestone of First Nations Jurisdiction, as four BC First Nations have now achieved full law, making authority of education in their communities. On the opening evening, there was a social evening with cultural entertainment and a benefit auction. In the following two days, there was an array of workshop sessions, along with a keynote speech by The Honourable Steven Point, OBC (Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl), a First Nations Authors Panel, and a celebration of the new Indigenous-focused graduation requirement. The conference is an opportunity for advancing professional learning, development, and connections for all staff. Networking with other Nations and communities to discuss First Nations education helps staff to identify growth opportunities and advance personal and professional learning.

WLSS will use the conference as a springboard to continue planning and development for staff to identify professional goals for this year, and expansion of secondary programs and opportunities for learning. This work aligns with the mission of the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board to continually improve and remain at the forefront of Indigenous education and language innovation.

Over its 50 years of existence, the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board has gone from a one-room schoolhouse to a world-class facility. What began as a small school with limited options has now expanded into five distinct schools that offer opportunities for all kinds of students, including the SȽEȽEMW̱ Child Development Centre (Daycare Program), ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Tribal School (Preschool to Grade 6), W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Secondary School (Grade 7 – Grade 12), the Saanich Adult Education Centre and the SȾÁ,SEN SENĆOŦEN Language school. In 2022, the WSB celebrated its 50th-anniversary serving W̱SÁNEĆ communities. The impressive growth of the WSB demonstrates the leadership, political strength, and economic development of the ongoing vision of the W̱SÁNEĆ people. 

Building on the momentum of WLSS’s growth over the past couple of years, the FNESC conference is an additional resource for staff that has many benefits in terms of connecting with others professionally and personally, as well as learning about leading-edge developments in Indigenous education. Attending this conference provides staff with further support and guidance towards a world-class educational experience for all students.