Indigenous Education

Runner Model in HWDSB Schools 

To support the ongoing implementation of the Indigenous Education Policy (link this) and Indigenous Education Circle Strategic Action Plan (IECSAP) (again, link this), and a necessary shift from reflection to action, the Indigenous Education Department launched the ‘Runner Model’ in the 2025/2026 school year. While the ‘Runner Model’ intersects and runs interdependently across all Pillars of the Multi-year Strategic Plan (MYSP), it connects directly to our Strategic Direction of Reinforcing Indigenous Educational Wellness and Reconciliation: 

We will honour our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by nurturing respectful and reciprocal relationships among Indigenous Peoples and Treaty Partners, and by cultivating intergenerational healing and wellness in a restorative education system. 

Indigenous People have a long history of ‘Runners’ being the messengers for our communities, carrying the words of our leadership between communities and nations. Runners are responsible for carrying messages, seeking clarity, consultation, understanding, and reaffirming messages to eliminate the transfer of misinformation. This model represents traditional forms of communication, conduct, and protocols of engagement to support the reciprocal giving and taking of information (knowledge acquisition, transmission and mobilization). There is a reciprocal responsibility for both the Runner and Recipient. 

This year, we invited one representative from every school in the HWDSB to join us for a 5-part learning series.  

In addition to agreeing to carry the messages of the Indigenous Education Department back to the school, ‘Runners’ have approached learning with Cultural Humility, which can be understood as a humble acknowledgement of oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding a person’s experiences.  They’ve demonstrated that they are life-long learners who reflect deeply and are open to exploring concepts that are rooted in an understanding of self-in-relation to and in relationship with Indigenous peoples, the land, and all resources.  ‘Runners’ continue to carry messages, resources, and ideas back to schools, and have worked with school leaders to determine how those messages, resources, and ideas can be shared with the whole school.  It is exciting to hear how this model of implementation has supported schools in aligning this work, and this learning, to their school improvement plans, in support of student achievement and well-being.