At its regular monthly meeting last night, the Rainy River District School Board voted to approve a partnership agreement with the United Native Friendship Centre to provide a new secondary education program.
“We hope this program will attract a number of students who are not currently in education at the secondary level,” Education Director Warren Hoshizaki said.
The program will allow people to earn their General Education Development (GED)—the Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate.
The Ministry of Education is funding five such programs throughout the province. The project here will receive $80,000 in funding.
The UNFC will provide a counsellor, the location, and will help develop the program while the local public school board will provide the teacher and curriculum material, which will include the integration of cultural activities.
The project will be under the supervision of the principal of Fort Frances High School.
“There is no identification process for this program and individuals can be any clients of the United Native Friendship Centre,” the board’s First Nations Advisory Committee wrote in its report.
The board hopes to attract 10-12 students in the first year.
Also at last night’s meeting, the public board reviewed data collected by Fort High vice-principal Brent Tookenay regarding First Nations students in the 2003-04 school year.
There was a total of 194 First Nation students enrolled in September, 2003 and 148 students remained by the conclusion of Semester 1.
The report also indicated 40 students transferred to other geographic locations due to family situations, attendance problems, and/or behavioural problems.
“The statistics indicated a high dropout rate in Grades 9 and 10,” the report read. “Comparison of statistics to previous semesters indicate an overall decrease in retention of students and credits received by First Nation students.”
Hoshizaki stressed the board was committed to improving these figures.
“This is an ongoing process where we try to look for solutions, and attempt to help them get as many credits as they can and to graduate,” he noted.
The report indicated “two key areas of concern are lack of literacy skills and the need for more community support which may increase attendance.”
“High-risk students need to be identified at the elementary level so that the proper support system can be provided to help keep First Nation students in high school until graduation,” the advisory committee wrote.
“Plans are ongoing to develop programs that can be integrated into the current curriculum and that will suit the needs of First Nation students,” it added.
One suggestion was to provide a spare for Grade 9 students to seek help and complete homework.
Also at last night’s meeting, the board:
•recognized the efforts of staff across the board in helping students with extra-curricular activities like theatrical productions, weekend competitions, and conferences;
•saw a slide-show presentation from the Young Women’s Conference which took place April 16-18, 2004;
•awarded the tender for janitorial services for the Fort Frances Alternative Education building to Billie Jo Glover for $500/month from April 1, 2004 to Aug. 31, 2005; and
•approved a one-year extension for arts and crafts supplies to Supreme Learning, and general paper and notebook and office supplies to Wilson’s Stationery and Office Equipment for the period of July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
