Indigenous Cultural Presenters 

Saanich School District 63

Please discuss honorariums, invitations and protocol with your School Based Indigenous Support Teachers, Indigenous Support Liaison's

If your school does not have school based staff please consult the Itinerant ISL's at your school.

Indigenous Cultural Presenters Protocols

There are speakers, teachers, and Elders from the W̱SÁNEĆ communities, as well as the greater Victoria Indigenous community available to speak in SD# 63 classrooms for a variety of topics and subject areas. In order to respect local protocols, and ensure that cheque requests follow school and district guidelines, these requests will go through the Indigenous Education.

This process of protocols is followed by families in the local communities. These are  traditional practices handed down from one generation to the next. We will respect the process and ask the Indigenous Department to ensure this is followed respectfully.  

Contact the Indigenous Ed Staff at your school, or the District Itinerants.

It is recommended that the teacher and Indigenous Ed staff jointly plan the time and date of the classroom visit.  

It is advisable to give at least 3 weeks’ notice so everyone can adequately prepare for the class presentation.

The Indigenous Education staff should contact the cultural presenter to:

-Inform the guest about the class and how her/his visit fits into the unit of study

-Determine any special requirements such as AV equipment, space or supplies

-Plan any other aspect of the visit

The Indigenous Education department will pay for two half day ($100.00) or one full day ($200) presenter per school. Please discusss with Admin at your school about where the honorarium is coming from. 

Please submit Honorarium to the Indigenous Ed Administrative Staff, Sherry Burton at the District Office. Online Honorarium forms can be found in the ESS. Please be sure that all the information on the form is complete and that requests are submitted at least 2 weeks prior to guests date of presentation. Please note that cheque runs are on Wednesdays of each week. 

 If the cheque is for a school with an Itinerant Indigenous Support Liaison please make sure you note if the cheque should be sent to the school or picked up at the Board office by staff to be delivered to the presenter. 

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Prepare school staff for the visit. Inform administrators and office staff of the name of the visitor and the time and purpose of the visit well in advance.

On the day of the visit, designate a staff member to greet the cultural presenter at the office and accompany him/her to the classroom.  Often there are materials to carry as well.

If there isn’t an Indigenous Ed Staff member available to be there for the presentation make sure you know the information to introduce your guest speaker, Stand by and let the speaker do their work but be in a position to handle anything that comes up. Please ensure that the presenter does not get left alone in the classroom without teacher supervision. If necessary, assist the guest speaker to reach closure with the students.

Have your class thank your guests once the presentation is complete, and if required, help the presenter carry their materials out. 

It is encouraged that you have a thank you card ready to give your presenter from your class along with the Honorarium.

School Based Indigenous Ed Staff: 

• Brentwood - Muriel Morris, Lance Norris

• ḰELSET - Coartney Norris, Julia Settler

• Bayside - Kim Graves, Marco Caffiero

• North Saanich - Brayden Cook, Mariah Underwood

• Claremont Secondary - Eric Slade, Bailey Phillips

• Parkland - Brayden Cook, Gina Horne

• SIDES - South Island Distance Learning - Ally Poniedzielnik, Janesta Lewis

• Stelly’s Secondary - Lowell McDonald, Brandon Dreyer, Ambrose Underwood 

• ILC -  Will Ballard, Delpheen Horrill 

Indigenous Itinerant  Support Liaison - 

• Cordova Bay Elementary - Bailey Phillips

• Deep Cove Elementary - Mariah Underwood

• Keating Elementary - Bailey Phillips 

• Lochside Elementary - Lance Norris

• Prospect Elementary - Bailey Phillips

• Sidney Elementary - Mariah Underwood

• Royal Oak Middle School - Bailey Phillips

• CDC - Childrens Development Centre - Bailey Phillips

Indigenous Education Services Secretary: Sherry Burton sburton@saanichschools.ca