The Roots of Resilience Charter School—Alberta’s newest Indigenous-led charter school—has officially opened its doors in Drayton Valley and welcomed its first 73 students. This K-12 school provides Indigenous and non-Indigenous students with an education that blends First Nation and Métis culture and language with the AB public school curriculum. The school’s location was chosen because it is an overlapping region between different First Nation and Métis peoples’ homelands, explained school founder Charlene Bearhead. The school will incorporate hands-on and land-based learning and Indigenous languages and teachings into its programming, and students will have the opportunity to connect with Indigenous staff. “It’s sentimental because my grandparents never did anything [Métis]. My mom is just learning. I’m just learning. I’m happy that I can actually learn, explore and discover what I can about my culture,” said Grade 11 Student Mackayla Greenlee.
