Simon Jacob Memorial Education Centre
SJMEC is a band-operated school offering Kindergarten through Grade 12 to the community of Webequie First Nation. SJMEC is run by the Webequie First Nation Education Authority (WEA) under the direction of Chief and Council. The school is designed to promote a sense of pride of heritage to the students.
Mission
WEA recognizes the need to control their own education system. The involvement of the community in the school is of utmost importance in locally controlled education. WEA is committed to providing the best possible education to its students. Culturally relevant content, teaching techniques, and materials will be emphasized throughout the school program. Emphasis on the development of positive cultural identity will be integrated into school activities. WEA is dedicated to the concepts of mutual respect for all people, young and old. This dedication provides each child with a sense of acceptance and value. By recognizing an individual’s worth and dignity, Simon Jacob Memorial Education Centre can present each student with the opportunity to experience and learn the responsibility of caring and respecting others.
Vision
The education of our children is our responsibility. We want to renew and revitalize the dignity and harmony of our people. We want to reflect our traditions, language, and way of life. We want education to carry out the teaching and wisdom of our peoples in all walks of life. It is through education that we as Indigenous people will rise once again to self-sufficiency, both individually and collectively. It is also through education that our children will be provided with a strong sense of positive identity as Indigenous people.
Values
SJMEC recognizes and follows the traditional cultural teachings of Anishinaabe people. The Seven Grandfathers are respect, love, courage, wisdom, humility, honesty and truth. These teachings guide us as educators and administrators.
Respect
Having high expectations for Indigenous students and honouring their culture, language and world view in our school, community and society.
Love
Demonstrating our belief as educators that all students are competent learners and will succeed through our dedication and commitment to diverse learning perspectives.
Courage
Committed to change and transformation through critical pedagogy that includes the contributions, innovations and inventions of Indigenous people (i.e. skills, knowledge, values and perspectives).
Wisdom
Sharing effective practices in Indigenous education through ongoing professional development and research that focuses on reflective, critical and transformative change.
Humility
Acknowledges that we need to learn more about the diversity of Indigenous people and access key First Nation resources to enhances Indigenous perspectives and world view.
Honesty
Accepting that we have much to learn from one another and review the factors involved to encourage change in the education system through the development of mutual partnerships between the school, home, community and equitable stakeholders.
Truth
Developing measurable outcomes for Indigenous student success and using evidence as key indicators to enhance curriculum and pedagogical practices from an Indigenous perspective.
Meet the teachers
Elementary School
Carol—Junior Kindergarten Immersion
My name is Carol, from Webequie First Nation. I have been a Teacher for 8 years, mostly in Kindergarten but have worked in the School for 16 years as an EA/CA/TE. The students and staff are good people and we support each other as much as we can throughout the school year. Our community is a beautiful place with great people! I enjoy working with our little ones in Kindergarten and enjoy seeing the rest of our students participate and engage in their learning!
Angie—Senior Kindergarten Immersion
I’m Angie and I’m from Webequie. I started working for WEA in 2000. I’ve mostly worked in primary grades as a tutor escort, classroom assistant, teacher, and immersion teacher. Now I am teaching a kindergarten immersion class. I like teaching, learning, sewing, beadwork, nature, and travelling on the road.
Emily—Grade 1 Immersion
My name is Emily and I am originally from Kasabonika, but I have been living in Webequie for over 15 years. My hobbies are baking sweets, reading, fishing, and taking nature walks. I am the Native Language Teacher for the primary students (grades 1-4) and I’ve been working at the school for a few years. I started off as a relief and then worked my way up from there. I enjoy teaching kids and I’m really hoping each and every one of them will have a good year!
Randy—Grade 2 Immersion
Wendy—Grade 3 Immersion
Noah—Grade 4A
Princess—Grade 4B
Jeongmin—Grade 5
I am Jeongmin and I am teaching grade 2 this year. This is my fourth year in Webequie, but I am still learning more about the community and culture. In my first year, I got to learn how to bead and make moccasins. My goal this year to finish a pair of mittens that I started last September. I hope for this year to be fun and exciting with cultural and academic opportunities. Surprisingly, I hardly know anything about K-pop even though I am from Korea.
Megan—Grade 6
My name is Megan and I am from a small farming town in southern Ontario. This will be my first time teaching in Canada full-time and I am looking forward to getting to know students, families, and community members. I love to travel and over the last few years I taught in India and Haiti as an English teacher. Some of my interests include baking, dance, theatre, and astronomy.
Aaron—Grade 7
Noah—Grade 8
Booshoo! My name is Noah Sisson and I am an Upper Elementary Teacher in Webequie. I have been coming to this amazing community for over 4 years now and I consider it as a second home. Some of my favourite things to do here are go for walks to North Point, participate in cultural/community activities, swimming and canoeing (summer), sledding and ice fishing (winter), and spend time with the youth! I come from Newmarket, Ontario and studied Theatre Performance Creation at York University in Toronto. I love all kinds of games, animals, singing, dancing, laughing and coffee!
Marilyn—Special Education Resource Teacher
Hello Everyone, It is hard to believe but this will be my 7th year at SJMEC! Although I live in Thunder Bay now, I am originally from Alberta and have moved around a lot both within Canada as well as internationally. I have 2 grown sons and a dog. In my down time, I enjoy the natural beauty of Webequie – whether through snow shoeing, cross country skiing or simply by going for a long walk. As the Special Education Teacher, I have seen significant growth in access to services and supports and I look forward to continuing our partnership with Creative Therapy and others to develop special education even further. Despite all the uncertainty ahead of us in light of COVID, I am excited about the year and the possibilities of what will be.
High School
Cecilia
Cecilia, niintishinikas. I have been working at the school for a number of years. First I started off with a relief receptionist at the the Day School back in 1990s. Then we moved to the SJMEC school in the year of 1994. I worked there as receptionist again. I worked as a breakfast program coordinator one time when it started. I started being in the classroom as a Kindergarten Teacher, Education Assistant, and elementary and secondary Native Language Teacher. After that I also took Native Language and received a Certificate at LU. I am currently working hard on another course and hope to achieve this goal. I have too many favourite memories to choose from, every present day is a special memory. I have a new student who I worked with this year her name is Chelsey. We worked together with new technology and having fun with the syllabic fonts and translations. I am looking forward to work as a team including you all. I am present working as a Native Language coordinator mostly cultural outings with Stanley Jr. and teaching secondary Native Language with two classes with Beverly. There’s no other place I want to be in but 240. It is my hometown. Let’s make our community as one, beautiful, strong and peaceful.
Ananias
Sherine
Booshoo, Wachey, Waah-gwaan. I’m Sherine Bryan and I have been working at S.J.M.E.C. for more than a minute (since 2011!) Webequie has become like my third home at this point (behind London, ON and Jamaica). I have made lifelong friends and wonderful memories here. In my now 20+ year teaching career, I have taught Kindergarten through to Grade 5. I am currently a High School teacher and the School Guidance and Career/Life Counsellor. S.J.M.E.C. is a great place to work, with a supportive staff and students, brimming with personality and potential. On a personal note, the most important things to me are my faith, my family and friends and my rambunctious bichon frise, Appleton. I believe in staying humble and grateful in every situation and in appreciating life’s blessings.
Jordan
Jordan Nicholas Kane, a Toronto Canadian father, educator, Christian, and musician, employs a unique teaching style and personal etiquette to deliver high-quality education. Jordan’s professionalism extends beyond education, encompassing personal life, business, and relationships. He is self-motivated, results-driven, and passionate about scholarly evolution, demonstrating discipline and professionalism. Jordan, a 20-year educator, aims to provide exceptional education by integrating the Ontario Curriculum with other disciplines for a comprehensive learning experience. Jordan plans to complete his Doctorate, teaching real-world skills like teamwork, cooperation, tolerance, perseverance, respect, and independent thinking in education to produce quality graduates.