Walking Together: HPSD Staff Deepen Learning Through Indigenous Professional Development

On August 27, HPSD held its 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟, and it was a resounding success! Staff chose from five meaningful experiences:

Kairos Blanket Exercise – an interactive learning experience illustrating 500+ years of Indigenous history.

wâhkôhtowin (wah-KOH-toh-win, which means 'walking together' – a session at Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park with Herman Sutherland Sr. exploring the interconnectedness of people and plants, and the healing power of plants.

Rat root harvesting with Ernest Patenaude

Sweat Lodge at the Desjarlais family lodge in East Prairie Métis Settlement and Laboucan family lodge in Driftpile Cree Nation.

The 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 is an interactive learning experience delivered by a certified facilitator that takes participants through more than 500 years of Indigenous history in Canada. Using blankets to represent the land, participants step into the roles of Indigenous peoples, experiencing the impacts of colonization, residential schools, and government policies in a powerful, hands-on way.

One staff member shared that she found the Kairos exercise particularly meaningful because it referenced local places such as Falher, McLennan, and Grouard. “The exercise deepened my understanding and refreshed my perspective that these issues remain current challenges—not just part of the past,” she said. “It gave me a renewed respect for Indigenous peoples who had to endure harsh, dire times where so many rights were taken away and roadblocks were erected. Those who remain had to evade, hide, and survive cultural genocide to be standing today. Seeing how widespread this was across the nation was eye-opening and gave me newfound respect for survivors.”

She also reflected on the ongoing educational realities in rural areas: “It was affecting to realize that outlying schools only go so far in their grades. Families still must send their children into unfamiliar areas—where safety, security, and well-being can be concerns—to continue their high school education.”

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐭, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞, 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐫., 𝐄𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟.

By offering opportunities like these, HPSD continues to build learning partnerships built on mutual understanding and respect, while aligning with Alberta Education’s Leadership Quality Standard (LQS) and Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard (SLQS) where Indigenous education is not optional but a professional standard – and directly responding to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Calls to Action. These experiences help ensure that reconciliation is woven into our daily practice and leadership across the division.