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Indigenous Support
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BME INDIGENOUS EDUCATION WEBSITE

Black Mountain Elementary's Full-Time Indigenous  Student Advocate is Ms. Ainzley Wikenheiser.

For more information, please click the link to her website above.

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Indigenous Student Advocates provide emotional, social, academic and cultural support to students. They work closely with families, teachers and other personnel to provide service for students.

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Children who have Indigenous ancestry are eligible to receive services through the Indigenous Education Program in School District No 23.  Indigenous Student Advocates, and Certified Teachers assist students to help them succeed in school. 

Indigenous Student Advocates are the vital link between indigenous students and the school system.  Because they provide the unique perspective of a shared cultural heritage, they serve as a communication network among students, their families, and the other school personnel.  The importance of this perspective has been endorsed by the Human Rights Commission by approving preferential hiring of qualified people with indigenous heritage.

Advocates form the important relationships with indigenous students that help them to be successful in the school system.

Services that our staff provides are as follows:

  • becoming acquainted with all students with indigenous ancestry and meeting with them periodically throughout the year to maintain relationship
  • problem solving clothing, transportation, health, housing and other issues
  • providing emotional support and counsel
  • reading and writing in-class support
  • encouraging goal-setting (academic and behavioural)
  • cultural programs at lunch
  • cultural presentations in the class and the school
  • Gr. 2 and 3 Primary Winter Gathering field trip
  • math assistance
  • school-home connection
  • homework clubs
  • being a liaison with parents

Each fall, those students who who have Indigenous ancestry, will be reminded of the services provided to your children, and parents may choose to have cultural or academic support (or both).

Our aim is to see every Indigenous student who enters kindergarten graduate and have a successful, positive school experience.