News Details

The Halton District School Board is pleased to announce Steve Paquette as the Board’s Indigenous Knowledge Guide for the 2017-18 school year.

 

The Board has experienced increased requests for integration of Indigenous voices, teachings and experiential learning opportunities into schools and workspaces. This position will serve to further support these requests.

 

Paquette will address a number of responsibilities in the new role as Indigenous Knowledge Guide including collaborating and liaising with local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, organizations, students and families, to help bring expertise and local wisdom into classrooms. The position will also help support the Indigenous student self-identification process across the Board.

 

Paquette has developed a strong relationship with the Halton District School Board, leading many Indigenous learning sessions with students and staff over the years. He has extensive experience with guiding learning in Kindergarten - Grade 12 schools, as well as Board events and programs for students, staff and Board leaders. He brings more than 30 years of experience, working with a variety of Elders and Knowledge Keepers from different Indigenous groups.

 

As Chair of the Halton Indigenous Education Advisory Council, Paquette is familiar with Ontario’s Indigenous Education Strategy. He is also a representative on numerous Halton Region committees and working groups, and has established trusted relationships with senior Board and provincial leaders, as well as staff members and local Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and the Chief of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.

 

“I’m very excited and proud to be asked to step into this role,” said Steve Paquette.  “I will embrace this new position with great humility and humbleness and bring everyone together with good minds and good hearts in a good way.”

 

Paquette hopes to engage the Halton community including students, educators and families.

 

“It’s my hope this new role will help everyone reach their full potential as Canadians by better understanding and appreciating our Indigenous past,” Paquette said.

 

“The Halton District School Board is pleased to welcome Steve Paquette as the Indigenous Knowledge Guide, and is honoured to have him serve in this new role,” said Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education for the Halton District School Board. “In this new role, Steve Paquette will help bring greater awareness and understanding of Indigenous perspectives to our classrooms and workspaces.”