Director of Education, Lac La Ronge Indian Band

Simon Bird comes from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and was raised in the community of Southend, Reindeer Lake. He currently holds a Bachelor of Education., a Master of Education Administration, and a Master of Northern Governance and Development. Simon is a very proud and fluent Cree speaker. In his spare time, he hosts a language initiative aimed at educating his +12,500 followers on the Cree language, via Facebook Live. Simon is a strong believer in both learning traditional skills and formal education. The lessons taught in the bush are just as valuable within the classroom and are directly applicable in every walk of life. Simon believes it is critical to continue learning and keep asking questions from elders while they still hold open the door to our past. This philosophy continues to serve him well in his professional working career in education or in politics. He has served as the Vice Chief of FSIN, and as a teacher, a principal, liaison, coach, Superintendent of Education for the Stoney Education Authority. Currently, Simon is the Education Director for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. With a population of approximately 11,000 band members, the community has made language and culture top priority.