Dr. Cardinal has moved on

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The first principal of Canada's first urban Aboriginal high school formally resigned her position in January. Phyllis Cardinal, known as Dr. Cardinal to the students at Amiskwaciy Academy in Edmonton, leaves big shoes to fill.

"I said that when I was going to do this it would be for four or five years. You can bring things as far as you can with your knowledge, and then there needs to be new ideas. There are younger people out there with some new ideas for the school. I'm the kind of person who likes to affect change and move on," said Cardinal.

Cardinal's vision was to have a place where Aboriginal teachings and traditions could be heard, seen and felt and through doing so the physical, spiritual and social development of the students would be impacted.

Aboriginal ceremonies, traditions and prayer are a part of each school day at Amiskwaciy. Students have access to the wisdom and teachings of Aboriginal Elders through the Elder-in-Residence program and use the Alberta curriculum of studies as a base from which to build on. All of this is offered in a stand-alone high school which is not just restricted to Aboriginal students but open to all young people.

Cardinal's vision changed the learning landscape in Edmonton when in 2000 Amiskwaciy opened its doors.

Cardinal said it was the support and commitment of many people from the public school board and from the Aboriginal community that made Amiskwaciy happen.

"Angus McBeth (superintendent of Edmonton public schools) showed the support, and the sincerity from the community was unbelievable. They were patient with me learning to work with the system and just balancing what was there already. And then there were the many ceremonies we went through to keep us on track."

Allan Jack, acting principal for Amiskwaciy, believes the transfer of leadership to the successful candidate to fill the permanent position will be gentle. He also says the amount of work Cardinal did for the school to get to where it is today is remarkable.

"I think about this job and how much work Phyllis has done to make it happen. She opened a school that was the first of its kind, got the students there and all the while made sure they had a permanent home, filled that building, worked with the board and followed her teachings. She did an amazing amount of work," said Jack.

The first priority for Amiskwaciy is to have continuity from principal to principal. Jack says people like Theresa Cardinal, assistant principal who has been with the school since its inception, will guarantee that. Jack also said he can rely on Phyllis Cardinal for support and guidance during the transition.

Jack believes it is important for the new principal to be of Aboriginal descent. The students need to see an Aboriginal person as the leader. There are many good people out there with a solid base in education, he said. Students looked up to Cardinal. Jack recalled one student saying she wanted to be a doctor like Dr. Cardinal one day.

"It made me realize that Aboriginal children really needed to feel like they belonged," said Jack of his experience at Amiskwaciy.

Cardinal believes students at Amiskwaciy Academy have a unique opportunity to realize their academic and personal potential while learning the culture, history and beliefs of Aboriginal people. Most importantly, they are expected to appreciate what the school offers, and to challenge themselves to achieve, said Cardinal.

"There's a lot that could happen there provided that the Elders are listened to and the teachings are followed. Students take pride in their environment, in the culture, in themselves. Amiskwaciy is one-of-a-kind and it's not by far perfect," said Cardinal.

Some of the highlights from Cardinal's career are the many ceremonies held at the school, in particular, the eagle release ceremony, she said.

Visitors from all over the world left the school with good feelings. And graduates of the school were thebest end result.

"It was tough to leave and it was an incredible experience; one I'll never forget. I have no regrets. I hope that I have left something for them," said Cardinal.

Amiskwaciy (pronounced a-misk-wa-chee) is the Cree word for Beaver Hills. This name is derived from Beaver Hills House, which is the name the Cree people used for early Edmonton.

The name honors both Edmonton's history and the important role Aboriginal people played in shaping the city.