Peggy Revell
The Rainy River District School Board has gotten a boost in funding for aboriginal education initiatives from the provincial government.
The board will be receiving roughly $105,000 after a recent confirmation and approval of five aboriginal education proposals submitted to the Aboriginal Education Branch of the Ministry of Education.
“This is a definite increase over the amount of last year, that’s for sure,” said Brent Tookenay, the board’s Aboriginal Education Leader.
Last year the local public board received just $29,000.
The five approved initiatives include the “Seven Grandfather Teachings Come Alive in the Rainy River District School Board,” the Aboriginal Student Mentorship program, Aboriginal/Transition Outreach, regional conferences, and Native Language/Native Studies Professional Learning Communities.
“These are some things that we looked at with the First Nations’ communities and organizations as possible areas where we can focus on to help support aboriginal students and student success,” explained Tookenay.
For example, the “Seven Grandfather Teachings Come Alive” initiative will see even further involvement of local elders within the school system and help implement the soon-to-be published book on the Seven Grandfather Teachings by award-winning Canadian author David Bouchard, who has visited the district several times to help promote literacy in First Nations’ communities.
Bringing First Nations’ culture and history into the school system is an important focus, stressed Tookenay.
“The local history with our First Nations and this area is very important, and I think some of these initiatives that we’re doing are going to help us to do that,” he noted.
“Especially when we’re linking elders and community resource people with teachers and curriculum writers and stuff like that, and getting that local history into the curriculum and then into the classrooms.
“It’s a real important part,” Tookenay continued. “It makes things relevant to the students and to the families around here. So we’re pretty excited about that.”
Part of incorporating aboriginal culture includes, for example, using the Seven Grandfather Teachings as part of the board-wide character education plan, he noted.
It also means working to ensure it’s incorporated throughout the board and occurs on a daily basis, Tookenay explained, not just as a once-and-a-while “special” event or occasion.
“First Nations and aboriginal cultures are very rich and meaningful, so it’s really a great guide for the board to keep working on these things, with the kids and communities,” he remarked, noting the local First Nations and community has been very helpful with these planning initiatives.
“We’re not going to make a difference just overnight . . . we’re going to work on this year’s five areas, and hopefully there’s still opportunities next year to continue this,” Tookenay said of the future.
“I know with the RRDSB, they have built in a number of initiatives here, as well, in terms of supporting aboriginal students and supporting a strong focus on partnering with the First Nation communities and organizations.
“So I think this just adds and allows school boards to do some really neat things, and really important things for all students.”
