At its regular monthly meeting here Tuesday night, the Rainy River District School Board heard a presentation on the various programs and partnerships it is involved in to ensure the academic success of First Nations students.
Fort Frances High School vice-principal Brent Tookenay talked to the board about his experiences in the last school year—and what he has planned in the coming year.
“It’s been a very rewarding experience, and I feel I’m making a difference,” said Tookenay, who was hired last year to help improve the success rate of First Nations students at FFHS.
Tookenay said his role as vice-principal includes dealing with discipline and attendance issues, and athletic eligibility.
The primary issue among First Nations students right now is attendance, he said. “I don’t have the answer for that right now,” he admitted.
But one program that began last year and was a great success was the “Later Literacy program,” Tookenay noted.
It involved taking kids out of class and having them work one-on-one with an educational assistant “to work specifically on reading and comprehension to help build their overall esteem and their confidence,” he explained.
“That worked great for some of the kids,” Tookenay said, adding he was looking forward to starting the program again this year.
One of the remarkable statistics last year was the number of First Nations graduates nearly doubled from the year before to 19.
Tookenay attributed that success to the students’ parents. “Their parents were involved in their education,” he stressed, adding they came out to parents’ night and other school events.
One of the goals for this year is to increase the parental involvement of other First Nations students. The high school will launch a pilot project this year to offer workshops to parents about how to help their children with homework.
“A lot of First Nations parents are intimidated by the curriculum,” Tookenay said.
Overall, Tookenay said he was pleased with the results from last year and looking forward to the next. “I really think this partnership is making a difference,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Education Terry Ellwood outlined some of the partnerships the board has with local organizations.
“The efficiency of any modern organization can only be enhanced by seeking partnerships with other organizations which have common interests,” he said.
“The Rainy River District School Board has developed many such partnerships recently, but none so encompassing as with the First Nations communities in the area,” he added.
Ellwood noted about 10 percent of the board’s students attend their schools through tuition agreements with the 10 First Nations communities in the region. Seven Generations Education Institute represents nine of them while Big Grassy has a separate agreement.
Another 10 percent of the board’s students come from aboriginal backgrounds but do not reside in a First Nations community.
In an effort to ensure the success of these students, the board has established a First Nations Advisory Committee.
“We meet regularly to try to implement new strategies that help First Nations students achieve,” Ellwood said, adding the committee is a model other boards look to for guidance.
The board hires special education assistants that work specifically with aboriginal students. These assistants often are appointed by the bands themselves.
There are three native language instructors, four literacy leaders at the elementary level, and three First Nations counsellors at the secondary level (two at Fort High and one at Rainy River High School).
Ellwood also referred to the “Later Literacy” program, and the appointment of Tookenay as vice-principal at Fort High, as some of the board’s successful initiatives.
In terms of facilities, Naicatchewenin shares its gymnasium with Crossroads School in Devlin, while Fort High has the “Circle Room.”
“That room alone is significant in having First Nations activities. It’s reserved for that purpose,” Ellwood explained.
The board also has partnerships with various local organizations, including Confederation College, the United Native Friendship Centre, and particularly Seven Generations Education Institute.
“We’re always working with that organization to make sure the needs of First Nations students are being met in the region,” Ellwood stressed.
Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, the board:
•approved a motion to proceed with permanent capital financing by the Royal Bank for the J. W. Walker renovation/expansion project;
•approved six policies for stakeholder consultation;
•received the director’s annual report; and
•welcomed new student trustee Jay Neilson, a Grade 11 student from Rainy River High School.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
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