Decolonization of Our Education System
FNMI Specialist's 2020 - Present
Meet the amazing educators who have taken a personal and professional interest in learning more about First Nations, Meti and Inuit to bring back to their classrooms. I am certain that if you had a question or an idea you wanted to discuss further any of these unique individuals would do their best to help and share what they have learned and where they started. These FNMI specialist are authentic, open minded and have many ways to embed and use indigenous approaches in their classrooms.
Valerie O'Leary
Lives on the traditional lands of the Peoples of the Three Fires Confederacy: the Odawa, Ojibway and Potawatomi. My home of Wikwemikong, Ontario on Manitoulin Island is centred on Odawa Mnis and the surrounding islands in Lake Huron. Our lands are Unceded.
Educational Lead for the Wikwemikong Board of Education. K-12; currently teaching grades 9-12.
Nancy Rosaasen
Lives on traditional territory of Waabigon Saago'igan Anishina'be (Wabigoon Lake Ojibwe Nation/Eagle Lake)
Educational Lead in Treaty 3, Manitoba area.
Alex Hurley
Lives on traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg, specifically the Ojibway, Chippewa and Odawa peoples. This territory is covered by the Williams Treaty (of 1923) and the J. Collins land purchase (of 1785).
Educational Lead in the Huntsville area
Yvon Carriere
Lives on traditional territory of Algonquin.
Educational Lead in the Ottawa area.
Sheena Penfold
Lives on traditional territory of of the Peoples of the Three Fires Confederacy: the Odawa, Ojibway and Potawatomi
Educational Lead in the Orillia area.
Michelle Brown
Lives on the traditional lands of The Attawandaran (Neutral), Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Lenape (Delaware and/or Munsee).
Educational Lead for Chippewa of the Thames, Southern Ontario.
Christian Gould
Lives on the traditional territories of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe peoples, whose presence here continues to this day. I want to acknowledge the land we are on is at the meeting place of two treaties, the lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and those of the First Nations of the Williams Treaty. and would also like to acknowledge the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation who are our closest Indigenous community.
A concept I learned was hishuk'ish tsawalk - Everything is one and everything is connected.
Educational Lead for the York Region District School Board
Stefan Demczyna
Lives on traditional territory of next to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
Educational Lead in the Bellville/Kingston area.
Harly Murdoch
Lives on traditional territory of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe peoples, whose presence here continues to this day. I want to acknowledge the land we are on is at the meeting place of two treaties, the lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and those of the First Nations of the Williams Treaty. and would also like to acknowledge the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation who are our closest Indigenous community.
Educational Lead for the York Region District School Board, currently teaching grade 5.
Jan Gravelle
Lives on traditional territory of
Educational Lead in the