Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation
Introduction
The 2005-2006 school year began with great anticipation as the staff and students of Hillside School celebrated the tenth anniversary on September 17, 2005. Together the Education Committee, staff, students, parents, and community members took a stride down memory lane with the local leadership, some of whom were involved in the planning of the school prior to its opening in 1995. Joining in this happy occasion were former staff members who returned for the day, along with former Education Committee members, all of whom share our vision of Hillside School as an educational facility second to none. Today we are ten years closer to realizing this dream and are intent on building upon past successes to ensure that the students of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation are well prepared for advancement into the provincial school system.
Building Blocks
With admiration, the new Education Administrator surveyed the landscape of the local education system, making note of the high level of commitment to student success held by the school staff members, and the depths of knowledge and experience among the team, many of whom have worked at Hillside School since it first opened its doors to welcome students way back in 1995. With the strong support of the local Education Committee members, it was clear that all of the components of a successful education program existed. The next step was to determine where outstanding needs existed using student achievement levels as the primary guidepost in the ongoing journey toward excellence.
Consultations with the school leadership, staff members, parents and community members resulted in the identification of four (4) areas of the education program which could be strengthened for the ultimate benefit of the students. These four areas were:
Homework Assistance – To support the day-to-day efforts of the teaching staff, a need existed to enable students to develop consistent study habits, including the completion of homework assignments, along with practical tips for parents and guardians. The response to this need was the formation of the Hillside-Sylvan Homework Club, which met once per week in the school library. This newly formed partnership was the first of its kind in this region and gave parents, guardians and students the opportunity to benefit from the time-tested and proven methods to student success employed by the Sylvan Learning Centre.
Parent Committee – Early in the school year, a group of parents expressed the desire to more actively participate in the education of their children at Hillside. In response to this need, a community meeting was held and an invitation was issued to all interested parents in the community to serve on the school Parent Committee. The initial response was enthusiastic, however, meeting attendance faltered toward year-end for various reasons. We are optimistic that this committee will yet become a significant partner in the education system.
Special Education – The large number of Hillside students in need of Special Education services necessitated a thorough review of the program, including human and financial resource allocations in relation to the achievement of specific goals. The response to these needs began with a review of the Special Education policy, which has been revised to more effectively engage all partners in meeting the student’s needs. Considering the wide range of services required by the students, modifications to the program are planned which will include increased in-service training on various exceptionalities for teachers and education assistants. At the Intermediate level, the students with severe needs were provided tutoring through the Sylvan Learning Centre. Early intervention is planned for the Primary division through Early Reading and Early Math Programs designed to identify and remedy any stumbling blocks encountered by students, enabling them to keep pace with their peers. Our goal is to minimize the number of students on the Special Education roster by providing remediation in a timely and consistent manner as needed.
Financial Management – Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has consistently under-funded Education in First Nation communities, resulting in escalating deficits as efforts are made to effectively meet student needs. The subsequent challenge is to provide a wider range of educational services to students while the financial resources to do so effectively diminish due to rising costs. The responses to these challenges included: (a) Adjusting the Education budget to more closely balance income with expenditures; INAC provided specific amounts of funding for Education based on a formula, and the amounts provided must be adhered to in order to avoid a deficit; (b) Additional funding of approximately $120,000 was acquired to meet outstanding needs in the Education program through proposal development; and (c) A five-year deficit reduction plan was created which included cost-saving measures and Education program enhancements.
Activity Highlights
Memorable activities enjoyed by the staff, students, parents and community members included:
October: Halloween Parade held in the Hillside School gym, with numerous prizes awarded to students in each grade;
December: Christmas dinners with Hillside staff and students, and with the secondary school students;
February: Farewell dinner for Mrs. Ruth Anne Cook, former Kindergarten teacher;
March: Family Fun Day sponsored by the Indigenous Education Coalition.
Fond Farewells
Three staff members departed from Hillside School during the past year, including: Onorio Frezza, Ruth Anne Cook, Pat Wolfe, Jason Smith and Wanda King. Their commitment to the staff and students of Hillside School will always be remembered with fondness and appreciation. Each in their own way made significant contributions toward the effectiveness of the Education program, impacting the lives of many, many students.
Sustainability
The Education Committee held a retreat to focus on long-range planning to ensure that every step taken is a step in the right direction. The ultimate goal of our collective efforts is a healthy community where families and individuals thrive; education is an essential step in that journey. The student success rates we aim to achieve are a shared responsibility between parents, guardians, grandparents, extended family members, educators, service providers, and the students themselves. It is essential that an effective partnership exist between us, and efforts will be made by the staff of Hillside School to build and strengthen these partnerships in the years ahead.
PLANS FOR 2006-2007
1. EQAO Provincial Testing
In response to the concerns of parents regarding transferability between Hillside School and the provincial schools in nearby towns and cities, provincial testing will be introduced in Grades 3 and 6 during the new school year. These tests will be administered in May, 2007, according to the schedule of the Education Quality and Accountability Office. The results of the tests will provide comparability data to concerned parents and to the school administration for use in program assessment and proposal development.
2. TRIBES Training
Training in the TRIBES program will be provided to all Hillside School staff to strengthen the social development component of the Education program. Through the TRIBES program, students will be taught how to incorporate social values into their daily lives in school and elsewhere. It is hoped that Hillside graduates will be individuals with healthy self-esteem, who are respectful and kind, honest and trustworthy, patient and understanding. For the benefit of each individual student, their families, and all of the people they interact with, the Hillside staff through the TRIBES program will encourage the development and internalization of these values.
3. School Improvement Plan
In consultation with school staff, community leaders, parents, students, and community members, Hillside School will development a school improvement plan with specific goals and objectives. Provincial schools were mandated by the Ministry of Education to develop improvement plans several years ago, and this practice is continued today. The Education Committee recognized the importance of developing a plan to focus activities on areas for improvement based on the feedback from all interested parties. This plan will be an evolving document that will be modified on an ongoing basis while providing focus and direction based on needs.
4. Five Year Evaluation
In the Spring of 2007, Hillside School will undergo another five-year evaluation as is required by INAC of all First Nation schools. The objective is to ensure that the school is conducting regular assessments of its program and staff for the benefit of the students and the community. The previous evaluation was completed in 2001 and the majority of the recommendations made at that time have been implemented to some degree in the Education program. The new evaluation report will be a useful tool in short-term and long-range planning, and in the acquisition of additional resources for Education.
Conclusion
Thank you for your support throughout the 2005-2006 school year, which was an eventful one that included several strides forward for the Education program, in spite of ongoing challenges. Collaboration occurred, partnerships were formed, additional resources were acquired, lessons were learned, and plans were made. With purposeful strides, we will once again venture into another school year, informed, determined, and prepared to work together with all like-minded partners in service of the students, their families and our community. Together we can ensure student success!
Beverly Bressette
Education Administrator
September, 2006