The new trustees are from First Nations reserves.
Gail Nadjiwon and Theresa Roote were officially sworn in at yesterday’s Board meeting in Chesley.
Nadjiwon represents the Chippewas of Nawash and Roote is from the Saugeen First Nation.
Nadjiwon hopes to help better educate First Nations students by working with the federal school system on First Nations reserves.
She says at her reserve the elementary students learn on the reserve and the high school students go to a school outside the reserve and learn under the Ontario curriculum.
Nadjiwon says she remembered going to school while her parents were enlisted in the Armed Forces.
She says the curriculum there was set too high for her and realized that wasn’t the case in other schools.
Nadjiwon is also pleased that the Bluewater Board will devote a Professional Development Day to building trust and showing respect between the two cultures.
She says everyone should respect each other and feels everyone will learn more from it.
That PD day will be on Friday September 26th.
