Education Partnerships Kainai Board of Education

1. Education PartnershipsKainai Board of Education Richard Fox, Superintendent Morris Manyfingers, Deputy Superintendent Evelyn Good Striker, Project Coordinator

2. Partnerships • Kainai First Nation is located in the southwest corner of Alberta, along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains • Its land base is 642 sq miles, the largest reserve in Canada • Population is approx 10,000

3. Partnerships • Kainai student population is approx 1,635 • KBE student population is 1,016 • Tuition student population is 619 • KBE operates 7 schools

4. Partnerships Historical Context of Education of Kainaiwa - Pre contact Kainaiwa had a traditional form of education of holistic nature - Land base (Rocky Mountains to the West, North Saskatchewan River to the North, the Sliding Hills and Cyprus Hills to the East, and the Yellowstone River to the South) - Treaty #7 of 1877, whereby the Tribes of Treaty 7 area agreed to share its traditional territory with newcomers.

5. Partnerships Part of the promises made by the Queen’s representatives included the commitment that they would provide for the educational and health needs of the members of the Treaty 7 Tribes Indian Act (1876) designed as an administrative tool in working with First Nations

6. Partnerships Formal Education Introduced: - Industrial Schools: St. Joseph’s Industrial School (Dunbow School) near High River (1884-1924) - Mission Schools: First Anglican School established in 1880 at the Belly Buttes, the first Catholic mission school established St. Mary’s (Immaculate Conception) Mission Boarding School in 1911

7. Partnerships - Residential Schools: St Paul’s Indian Residential School established in 1924, closed in 1975 St Mary’s Roman Catholic Residential School established in 1925 was one of the last schools closed in 1987 - Provincial Curricula was introduced - Federal Policy 1938, no Indian could receive better than gr 8 (leave at 16) - Day Schools: Levern Day School, Stand Off Day School (1954) St. Mary’s and St. Paul’s accepted students who didn’t live in residence

8. Partnerships - Assimilation/Integration Policy: Students were permitted to attend public schools. Room and board accommodations were paid by INAC (1960) - Indian Control of Indian Education 1972 - Band Operated Schools: 1988 Kainai signed a tripartite agreement with the INAC and the province to take administrative control of education of the schools on the reserve - In 2008, KBE celebrated 20 Years of Band Control of Education

9. Partnerships INAC Funding: Financial Transfer Agreement (FTA) - 5 Year Funding agreement with the Band - Education receives funding from this agreement - KBE negotiates for funding directly with INAC for projects such as this Education Partnership Initiative - Special Education funding from INAC has always been problematic - Tuition agreements are outdated

10. Partnerships KBE Board Members Johnny Dayrider Sr. (Chairman) Arnold Fox Jim Gladstone Delphine Goodstriker Joyce Goodstriker Melodie Little Bear Kirby Manyfingers Oliver Shouting

11. Partnerships Aahsoapi Elementary School

12. Partnerships Kainai High School

13. Partnerships Tatsikiisaapo’p Middle School

14. Partnerships Saipoyi Community School

15. Partnerships • Kainai Alternate Academy • Blood Tribe Youth Ranch • Adolescent Treatment Centre

16. Partnerships - Funding for this project came from INAC: Reforming First Nations Education Initiative Education Partnerships Program 2008-2010 - Our project began with KBE sanction October, 2009 - Initial meetings with the four school jurisdictions KBE does business with agreed to explore this partnership

17. Partnerships Goal of the Initiative: to explore interest in the value of a tripartite partnership, and to build relationships with KBE, the Blood Tribe, and all it’s partners/stakeholders, with the overall objective of advancing First Nations student achievement in First Nation schools and in provincial schools.

18. Partnerships KBE has tuition agreements with: • Westwind School Division • Livingstone Range School Division # 68 • Lethbridge School District # 51 • Holy Spirit RCSRD # 4 Students are bussed off the reserve by the Blood Reserve Bus Coop (1971)

19. Partnerships Address topics such as: • Tuition agreements • Sharing of learning and teaching resources • Transitions of students from First Nation schools to provincial schools • Exploring job interchanges between jurisdictions • Enhancing relationships between communities • Parental engagement

20. Partnerships Professional Stakeholders: • College of Alberta Superintendents (CASS) • Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) • Alberta Education: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Services Branch • Association of School Business Officials (ASBOA) • Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium (SAPDC) • Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)

21. Partnerships Outcome: • Host a one-day symposium to share effective practices on enhancing partnerships with: Westwind School Division, Livingstone Range School Division #68, Lethbridge School District # 51 and Holy Spirit RCSRD No.4. • To be held at the Lethbridge Lodge, March 31, 2010 • Symposium details can be found on the KBE website

22. Partnerships • Consultation with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Services Branch, Donna Crowshoe, Education Manager • Education Business Plan 2009-12, Goal Three: Support school authorities in the development of collaborative frameworks with their local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, which will include continuing to implement community and parental engagement strategies focused on improving First Nations, Métis and Inuit student success.

23. Partnerships Existing Relationships: - Tuition Agreements - Westwind School District has an appointed Trustee - Bussing Agreements - Superintendent attends CASSIX meetings - Sports Participation - Parent Committees - SAPDC (teacher in-service and training) - Liaison workers

24. Partnerships • KBE met with the Superintendent of each of the four jurisdictions who agreed to pursue the enhancement of their partnership • Agreement was made to collaborate on topical issues such as enrolment, transfers, Special Education students, sharing of teacher resource materials, learning Kainai history, etc. • Enhance parental engagement • Improve student success

25. Partnerships Enhance communication Enhance relationships Held 2 rounds of meetings with each Board Engage in open, honest, discussions such as tuition agreements and data collection concerns Honoring Blackfoot Protocol Gift giving

26. Partnerships • Teacher exchange • Problem solving • Provide advice and expertise • Boards and Officials visited our Board Office and toured our schools • Hosted 42 Holy Family RCSRD principals, administration personnel and liaison workers on school tours

27. Partnerships Sharing Teaching Resources, Building a Blackfoot Resource List Sharing Effective Practices, i.e. parental engagement, sharing circle Co-planning one-day symposium March 31, 2010 at the Lethbridge Lodge Invitation from Holy Spirit to attend Parental Student Townhall Meeting

28. Partnerships Provided Kainai history presentations to all Boards Involved Alberta Education, FNMI Services Branch Manager Donna Crowshoe Informed CASS President Kath Rhyason of our Project Informed ASBA - Sig Schmold - of our Project Engaged SAPDC - Director Gary Heck

29. Partnerships KBE is committed to this initiative The success of the students on-reserve is as important as success for students off-reserve KBE is open to sharing – learning can go both directions We believe this partnership will improve understanding and respect for the diverse cultures that exist in southern Alberta All stakeholders are benefactors of this initiative

30. Thank You Visit Us at www.kainaied.ca Kainai Board of Education P. O. Box 240 Stand Off, Alberta T0L 1Y0 Telephone: 403.737.3966 Fax: 403.737.2361