s7ulh wa nexwniw̓éyalh
Our Ways of Education

Taking back jurisdiction of our children’s education is one of the Nation Building Initiatives that Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) prioritizes. Our s7ulh wa nexwniw̓éyalh (Our Ways of Education) project team is embarking on an exciting journey to reshape the future of education in our community, and we need your valuable input!

Get Involved Fill out Survey

s7ulh wa nexwniw̓éyalh

Project Team

We want to know what you think

We have the opportunity for our community to engage through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.

Are you a parent and/or caregiver of children aged 5 to 7 years old, or 15 to 17 years old? Or, are you interested in providing your thoughts on the future of Squamish education? If so, we want to hear from you! Sign up to participate and get a $5 gift card:

Squamish Valley:
Totem Hall (1380 Stawamus Rd, Squamish BC V8B 0B5)

  • For parents/caregivers of children aged 5-7: Monday, June 24, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
  • For parents/caregivers of children aged 15-17: Tuesday, June 25, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

North Vancouver:
Ta7lnew̓ás (Education) Office (Unit 5, 380 Welch Street, West Vancouver, BC V7P 0A7)

  • For parents/caregivers of children aged 5-7: Tuesday, July 16, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
  • For parents/caregivers of children aged 15-17: Wednesday, July 17, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Dinner and a $25 gift card will be provided at the session.

Sign up now to join a focus group

Your Questions Answered

Yes. The current curriculum aligns with provincial requirements and includes our own teachings. Our goal is to ensure every learner can transition into the public school system at any time and that their Sḵwx̱wú7mesh learnings and ways help ground them in who they are, so they can confidently succeed in a variety of educational systems.

Yes. While we always encourage and want to support planned transitions between schools to minimize disruptions for students, we believe that choosing a school system and learning approach is a personal and family choice. We will always respect that choice.

We are working to realize our dream of teaching our children the best of both worlds, so they can strongly and confidently choose any path in their lives. In the upcoming year, the team will be implementing the Education Law Engagement Strategy.

To learn more, and to receive updates or submit questions, please email reclaiming.education@squamish.net.

It has been a year since 87.5 per cent of Members voted YES in the s7ulh wa nexwniw̓éyalh (Our Ways of Education) Referendum (formerly known as Reclaiming Education), which means that the Nation has entered into an Education Jurisdiction Agreement that will lead to us managing education for Sḵwx̱wú7mesh children.

There is much work to be done and it has been started with passion, commitment, and excitement. Here are three initiatives to advance our journey:

We have put agreements in place to set out the path based on the results of the referendum.

These include signing agreements that define how and when Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw will take back control of education:

  • Canada – First Nation Education Jurisdiction Funding Agreement
  • British Columbia – Squamish Nation Education Jurisdiction Agreement
  • First Nation Education Authority Co-Management Agreement

We have hired a team to plan and implement an engagement process that will bring the community into the process of Reclaiming Education.

There will be opportunities in 2024 for Members to engage deeply and provide feedback on this topic. This process will lead to us drafting new laws around education that are for us and by us.

We have crunched the numbers and created a high-level budget that outlines how much it will cost to implement Reclaiming Education with the Engagement and Implementation Plan.

Concurrently, the feasibility study for expanding on-reserve schools in the Squamish Valley and the North Shore has begun.

Learn more