Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw Ns7éyxnitm ta Sneẇéyalh
Squamish Nation Education Department (SNED)
Ta núyap Siiyám, Siíyay, iyáwit wanáxwswit, i7xw ta Siíyuxwa7chet, ten S7ekw’í7tl iy ta Ménmenchet, Nek’íluswit s7ulh a temíxwiyekw Smenálhwit i Áyatway i Chénchenstwaywit
Chiefs, Respected leaders, Friends, Elders, Relatives, and our beloved children, our Elders are wise. They carried themselves with dignity, walked in peaceful ways supporting and sharing with one another.
For the Squamish Nation Employment and Training page click here
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Jump to Post Secondary Policy and Funding
Jump to K-12 Policy and Funding (Including direct deposit authorization form)
Post Graduate Credential Survey
MISSION STATEMENT
Education is an inherent right; it is lifelong and holistic. Education is central to our growth as a prosperous, healthy and self-governing Nation.
PURPOSE
The SNED mandate is to offer K-4 to Post Secondary supports and services to facilitate life long learning of qualifying Nation members. Such supports are based upon Squamish Nation policies and availability of funding.
The school’s mandate is to guide students’ learning in a way that includes our language, culture, and traditions. Our education program will give our students the tools to understand themselves and the world around them and enable them to live independent lives.
Xwemelch’stn Etsímxwawtxw, Capilano Littlest One’s School K4 – Grade 2
Many members have expressed a desire to see Squamish Language offered in at the school. In the Physical Development Plan, Phase 2: Community Consultation, November 1996, members stated that an on-reserve school should use the Squamish language as the medium of instruction. The quality of Squamish children’s education must reflect and express our language and culture, which are inseparable in the teaching and learning process. It is with this intent that we make this submission to move towards a Squamish Nation Immersion school to reverse the tide of language loss.
The Developmental Standard Certificate for Squamish Language Cohort
The Squamish Language teachers and School faculty make up the first cohort of the Developmental Standards Term Certificate (DSTC). Twenty-six (26) cohort students completed Eng 100 (Spring 2011), Skwxwú7mesh 111 (Summer 2011) and Skwxwú7mesh 115 (Fall 2011). The cohort must complete the remaining six credits. The enrolment projections are 14 students from the first cohort and 12 students who make up the second cohort.
This winter and spring term, the development of the next level of the DSTC course content and design is ongoing with the pilot for the audio/transcription course as part of the Diploma courses that will follow the Certificate training. Further professional development training will proceed in a Total Physical Response (TPR) and mentoring for Master/Apprentice as Diploma course requirements.
Dr. Peter Jacobs has left the organization to take on a tenured position with the University of Victoria. We wish him well on his new journey.
The Squamish Nation Department of Education Archives
The building of the SNED Archive continues as resources for Education purposes throughout the Squamish Nation as well as for Squamish language resources. Added to the Education Archive this past year were the late Chief, Uncle Louis Miranda Squamish Language Collection: 205 audio tapes with accompanying written materials, papers and news clippings from the late Chief Philip Joe and the late Chief Joe Mathias’ working life at Squamish Nation. The family of the late Chief Philip Joe donated both collections.
A North Vancouver resident donated a historic photograph collection (1937-1947) of over 300 photographs anonymously to the SNED. Squamish Nation photo subjects were identified by name through interviews with Nation Elders. Individual Squamish Nation members donated several private donations of audio and photograph materials to the department. The donors specifically describe each donation and future use and access in a written agreement.
- The Squamish Language Elders Authority.
- New books and audio/video materials developed Hussa: an audio cd to accompany the Hussa book completed last year.
- Ha7lh Stelmexw Kwilh , We come from goodpeople: a DVD produced about the Xwmelch’stn Etsimxw Skwul language program, with the children.
- Ha7lh Kwakwayel [Ta-ah’s Greeting of the Day]:a new children’s book.
- Etsim Skw’shim/Small Numbers: a YouTube Squamish language video resource.
North Vancouver School District Protocol Agreement
The Protocol Agreement for Communication and Collaboration, signed by Squamish Nation and the North Vancouver School District (NVSD) on January 17, 2019, commits to an equal partnership in the education of Squamish Nation students enrolled in the NVSD. The agreement contains provisions that entail Squamish Nation involvement in educational decisions, such as the inclusion of Squamish Nation language, culture, and history in the curriculum and courses offered to all students in the NVSD.
Available Scholarships:
More information on these scholarships can be obtained through our post-secondary education counselor. You can reach the education department via our contact page.
Richard Band Scholarship
Lois Guss Scholarship
Lena Jacobs Scholarship
Marion Jacobs Scholarship
Post Secondary Funding
Note regarding fillable forms: Please right-click and choose ‘Save as….’ to save the form to your computer. Open and fill out the form with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 11 or newer.
- Post Secondary Policy (April 2018) (PDF)
- Appendix A: Application Form (Fillable PDF)
- Appendix B: Monthly Training Allowance Chart (PDF)
- Appendix C: Tutor Support Form (Fillable PDF)
K-12 Funding
Deadline for submitting both the Public and Private K-12 school supports forms is May 31st. All applications will be reviewed and will be subject to the new policy. Check the website frequently for updates.
Note regarding fillable forms: Please right-click and choose ‘Save as….’ to save the form to your computer. Open and fill out the form with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 11 or newer.
- K-12 Policy (October 2017) – (435KB PDF)
- School Support Form K5 – Grade 12 (June 2019) (167KB Fillable PDF)
- Travel / Allowance direct deposit authorization form (June 2019) (138KB Fillable PDF)
Post Graduate Credential Survey
On the behalf of Education, Employment & Training Department (EE+T Department) we are requesting statistics from Squamish Nation community members.
If you have received a post‐grad credential, either through the post‐secondary program, personal funding, or funding from any other Squamish Nation program, please send the information to Lisa Paull and we will add it to our EE+T Department database. Our goal with the database is to be able to contact members with career and job opportunities that we are aware of.
Please Note: All of the forms linked above are fillable PDF files. For these to work properly, please download them to your computer and open them using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat (version IX at the time of this writing).
Employment and Training:
To advocate Squamish Nation’s interests in employment and training on a National and Provincial level
Through the Eslha7an Learning Centre and Employment Services and the Trades Centre, provide development and delivery of community programs, education, training and employment services to members who can benefit from these services, to assist them in being more successful in mainstream education, employment and training.
THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT IS COMPRISED OF THREE MAIN DIVISIONS
Income Assistance
Eslha7an Learning Centre and Employment Services
Squamish Nation Trades Centre
Our team works with First Nation clients to assist them in seeking employment and training that suits their needs. We have partnerships with the First Nations Employment Society (FNES), Industry Training Authority, Kwantlen College, Capilano University, as well as the North and West Vancouver School Districts to maximize funding for clients. Our goal is to help clients get on the path to education or training that will lead to meaningful employment. Following the guidelines of our funding agencies we strive to assist clients with tuition, books, travel and living allowances in some circumstances.
MISSION STATEMENT
We offer a safe and holistic environment where our First Nations clients can take their first steps towards education, training and employment while maintaining their traditional values.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the needs of membership on an ongoing basis and to continually develop the implementation of workshops, training and education that meet the diverse needs of our clients.
Our team is responsible for the efficient administration of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) Income assistance program. We provide financial support to eligible adults and their dependants who are unable to meet their basic needs. The team assists persons living on reserve to maintain a basic standard of living; to prevent dependency by developing individual and family strengths; and to assist recipients to access services that will enhance their ability to assume primary responsibility for their own affairs.
Employment Services
Our employment and training services have always been funded from Service Canada through the First Nations Employment Society. Two years ago this service was centralized through FNES and all payments come directly from FNES, not the Squamish Nation. Unfortunately, this has caused financial stress on our team and ultimately affected how much we can support clients in training. Our staff has been reduced to two staff members, Frances Stegner and Eric Baker, due to this situation. An important note for all clients is there are no funds available from FNES for training, tuition, living allowance or books until next fiscal year (April 1, 2013). Currently we are only able to offer support to our Squamish Nation membership through our Occupational Skills Training funds which is limited to $1,200.00 per member per fiscal year. If you are interested in taking training in 2013 please come in and apply early so we can reserve funds for you. The Department Head (Faye Halls) and Council Representative (Chris Lewis) will continue to advocate for Squamish Nation at both the Provincial and National level to increase funding and support for client training requests.
Our staff is always here to assist you with job search, resumes, and will be offering the following workshops for clients:
Computer Training
First Host Workshops
First Aid
Essential Skills
Eslha7an Learning Centre
Adult Program and Youth Program (16–19 years)
Arrow Might Literacy Program – We are pleased to offer this literacy program to those students who need assistance in upgrading their reading comprehension skills. The curriculum in this program is First Nations-based and is designed to bring a non-reader to a full reader in six months. The full time students also participate in Life Skills and Language/Culture training. Currently there are over 50 participants in the program, with17 attending on a full time basis. Candice Halls-Howcroft is the Instructor for this program with the assistance of Lorraine Louis.
Squamish Nation Trades Centre/Building Your Future
The Squamish Nation Trades Centre is in the midst of an internal review to ensure we are meeting the needs of our Squamish Nation Membership and labour market demand. We are continually working with the Industry Training Authority and Kwantlen Polytechnic University to build partnerships that will support funding to deliver further programs at our Centre.