Dear Centennial High School Community,

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, as well as the Summer Solstice.  At Centennial we continue to work towards Truth & Reconciliation with humility.  We know that there is a great deal to learn, as we attempt to respectfully move forward in a good way.  We continue to work diligently to honour and respect Indigenous culture and tradition, and to mindfully weave Indigenous ways of knowing into our day-to-day work.

We are thrilled to welcome a new staff member to Centennial in the Fall.  Learning Leader Preston Huppie is joining the Coyote staff team as our new Indigenous Education Graduation Coach.  Preston is a dynamic and engaging person whose lived experience as an Indigenous man will bring a great deal of insight and wisdom to our larger staff team.  Centennial students and staff will be very fortunate to be able to learn alongside Preston moving forward.

For those of you who have visited Centennial High School in person, you may have noticed a beautiful mural and six other fantastic art pieces that can be found throughout the building.  Each represents the respective student artist’s vision of Truth & Reconciliation, and were donated to our school by these talented young people.  You may also have noticed our Treaty 7, Metis Nation, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami flags outside our Main Office, and our framed commitments on the office walls.  Those of you who drive or walk past the west side of the school may notice freshly planted trees and shrubs (we are hoping they survive city watering restrictions!), as well.  And still, though we intentionally seek to make our commitment visible to students, staff, guests and the greater community, it is in how we approach each and every day that truly honours the spirit of reconciliation – as well as the acknowledgement that most of us are guests on this beautiful land.

Each year, in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day and in alignment with the CBE Education Plan, Centennial High School acknowledges and supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, and renews our own commitment to action.  At Centennial High School, we will continue with the following previous commitments:

• We will continue to track the progress and graduation rates of Indigenous learners, as we seek to help them reach their full potential
• We will continue to share information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and aboriginal legacy

In addition, beginning the 2024-25 school year, we pledge the following:

• We will enhance staff understanding about intergenerational trauma, and will apply trauma sensitive and trauma informed practices to school structures and processes
• We will develop and apply staff knowledge of strength-based, holistic, restorative practices that foster inclusion for Indigenous students, staff, and families

As a white man born in southern Alberta a long time ago, I had the privilege of being raised in part by a grandma who recognized and embodied the spirit of Indigenous ways of knowing.  And, though I grew up cherishing and honouring the natural world, I was quite ignorant of the true plight of so many of the peoples upon whose land I live.  As we continue to learn, grow, and release ourselves from ignorance, we at Centennial will do our part to improve and connect, moving forward in a good way on our individual and collective journeys towards Truth & Reconciliation.

Sincerely,

Joe Sturgeon

Principal