Nisaika Kumtuks

Nesaika Kumtuks is a new (BC School District #84) K-3 one classroom public school that opened in September 2014 in partnership with, Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, Boys and Girls Club of Vancouver Island and Mid-Island Metis Nation. This unique partnership is desgined to offer a wrap around service to families and strives to embed aboriginal content and culture into daily teaching and learning. We believe that the outdoors is an essential place for children to explore, investigate and extend their understanding of all areas of the curriculum. The funding provided by this grant will allow us to ‘sow the first seeds’ for a garden and composting programme that will grow over time. Aboriginal elders will be invited to participate in the planting, growing and harvesting process of traditional plants and root vegetables (such as sage and sweet potato) enabling the children in our programmes to make important links between plants, culture and ceremony.