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Swee’alt (Denise Augustine) gets prestigious Ministry of Education posting

After years of hard work on behalf of local Indigenous students, Swee’alt (Denise Augustine), the Cowichan Valley School District’s director of Aboriginal education and learner engagement, has accepted a prestigious 18-month secondment to the Ministry of Education.
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Denise Augustine (Swee’alt), a gifted and popular Valley educator, has earned a prestige position at the Ministry of Education. (Submitted)

After years of hard work on behalf of local Indigenous students, Swee’alt (Denise Augustine), the Cowichan Valley School District’s director of Aboriginal education and learner engagement, has accepted a prestigious 18-month secondment to the Ministry of Education.

A well-respected educational leader and gifted storyteller, Augustine’s work has been recognized locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. She has most recently worked with Harvard University where she is a part of a select group of international educators who are partaking in a three-year investigation into better student engagement.

Above all else, the building and maintaining of strong relationships defines this dedicated educator and her work and she respectfully challenges staff, students, colleagues, elected officials, and members of the public to question their own beliefs in a quest for equity.

In her new role, Augustine will be providing leadership as the BC Tripartite Education Agreement is implemented. It is to be the foundation of First Nations Education in B.C., focusing on language, culture, transportation, and technology while including new accountabilities for the federal and provincial governments.