Punnichy Community High School

1. Punnichy Community High School Career Transition Initiative Project Promising Practices Symposium Thursday, April 2, 2009 Larry Bedel, Don Sangster, Herman Blind, Ray Horney, Albert Pinacie, Donna Nurse, Julie Bedel

2. DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION • Grade 9-12 school with a student population around 200 students • 100% of students are First Nation • Staffing Component of 17 FTE teachers, 1 full time personal counselor, 1 Career Counselor/Life Skills teacher and .5 Band Liaison plus support staff • Serves the communities of • Punnichy • Day Star First Nation • George Gordon First Nation • Muskowekwan First Nation • K-8 feeder schools – Punnichy Elementary Community School, George Gordon Education Center and Muskowekwan School • Community School Status • Located on highway #15 in the Touchwood Hills, 128 NE of Regina and 220 SE of Saskatoon • First Nations communities are members of Touchwood Agency Tribal (TATC) and are part of Treaty 4

3. OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOMES • Improved student retention rates • Improved student graduation rates • To enable students to gain experience and skills that will help them to be successful in the next step of their life - whether that next step is a job or further education or training.

4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Desire to formulate a formal partnership was first established in 2005 • Amalgamation put this on hold • Desire and need to work together for improved student success guided partners to engage in discussion in 2006-07 (Enhanced Committee) • January 22, 2007 first meeting of interested partners held • First Nations Communities • Horizon School Division • Touchwood Agency Tribal Council (TATC) • Carlton Trail Regional College (CTRC) • Service Canada • Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) • Punnichy High School administration • April, 2007 a formal proposal submitted to Department of Learning (First Nation & Métis Branch). Approval received in June. • Project facilitator hired in September 2007 to guide partners for the creation and signing of a formal partnership agreement.

5. BACKGROUND INFORMATION, CONT’D • January 21, 2008 a formal signing of the Partnership agreement was signed by the 4 partners. The vision of the agreement is: “Creating opportunities for the success of all students.” • As part of agreement two committees formed • Strategic Committee • Action Committee • Additional funding secured in fall of 2007 for the Career Development Action Plan. Consultant hired to undertake a survey to hear the local voices. Report issued in June, 2008. Accomplishments of this process: • Students, schools staffs, parents and community members were given a voice. • Information and data pertaining to project were shared with related parties and the public. • The Partnership Strategic Committee was provided with recommendations and action plans. • A strong working relationship, based upon “what is best for children”, developed between the partnership members.

6. BACKGROUND INFORMATION, CONT’D • Funding application submitted to the First Nation & Métis branch in June, 2008. • Funding Secured in August, 2008. Hiring of a • 50% Career/Life Skills teacher (Julie Bedel) • Contracted consultant (Don Sangster)

7. Partnership Punnichy Strategic Committee Action Committee Opportunities for the Success of all students Enhanced Committee Capital/Facility Enhanced Committee -Programming Agreement

8. PARTNERS IN LEARNING • As deliberations continued, the partnership grew. Some were involved as funders and some were involved in programmming: • Ministry of Education • Carlton Trail Regional College (CTRC) • Partnership First Nations Bands (George Gordon, Muskowekwan & Day Star) • Touchwood Agency Tribal Council (TATC) • Horizon School Division (HZSD)

9. PARTNERS IN LEARNING, CONT’D • Indian & Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) • Advanced Education & Employment • CanSask Career & Employment Services • Industry • BHP Billiton • Raymore Co-operative • Service Canada • Town of Punnichy

10. PLANNED KEY DELIVERABLES OF THE INITIATIVE • Improved student retention and graduation rates • Delivery of PAA courses that will provide students skills that are marketable and reflect the “voices” of the communities • Offering of workshops, visits, tours, guest speakers to increase cultural awareness of First Nations and Métis ways of knowing for student and staff of PCHS. • Development of personal Career portfolios and Career Action Plans for every student in PCHS • Expansion of the existing school facility to offer increased skills and training programs.

11. MAIN OBJECTIVES, 2008-09 • In Sept., 2008 our main objectives were: • Programming: Put in place skills and trades programming during this school year by the start of the fourth of five “learning blocks” (March, 2009) • Students: Identify & confirm enrolment of students who would benefit from the programs planned as a result of consultations. • Facilities: Obtain approval in principle for a building addition at PCHS to accommodate the program in the longer term and locate and refit a temporary site in the short term. • Cultural Awareness: Deliver cultural awareness training to the staff at PCHS.

12. 1. Programming - Planning • Consultation was the key ingredient to obtain buy in and ownership • Informal discussions with community members, band leaders, committee members, etc. • Community meeting held to gain input as to program needs • Students in PCHS consulted – both in groups and individually to gain input as to program interests and needs • Committee brainstormed programs

13. 1. Programming - Consultations • Top Ten Results of Consultations: • *Carpentry • *Framing and Drywalling (sub-trades of carpentry) • *Oil Patch/mining safety programs • *Food prep and service areas • *Early Childhood Education, Teacher Assistant, Childcare (Daycare) • *Welding • Computer Technology/Graphic Arts Design • Business Courses • Cosmetology • Life Skills

14. 1. Programming – Confirmed Programs • Carpentry Program (Outcomes) • Four high school elective credits • First Aid/CPR “C” • Safety Tickets: • CSTS (Construction Safety Training System), H2S Alive, WHMIS, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Confined Spaces • Framing course from SIAST – towards Level I Carpentry • Up to 800 hours towards their Apprenticeship in Carpentry • Life Skills/Employability Skills • Portfolio including resume, Career Plan, & evidence of Employability Skills

15. 1. Programming – Confirmed Programs • Human Services Program (Outcomes) • Four high school elective credits • First Aid/CPR “C” • Credits for the following modules from SIAST: • HMD 100 – Child and Adolescent Development (from Educational Ass’t/Early Childhood Education Certificate Programs) • SFTY 184 – Crisis Preventiion (from EA/Rehab Worker/Youth Care Worker Certificate Programs) • CLTR 120 – Diversity (from Corrections Worker/ Aboriginal Police Prep Programs) • COMM 112 – Interpersonal Competence (Corrections Worker/Aboriginal Police Prep Programs) • Life Skills/Employability Skills • Portfolio

16. 2. Students • Carpentry Students • Identification Process • 14 students – 4 from Grade 11, 5 from Grade 12, 2 taking correspondence, 3 who had quit school and were not engaged in school or work

17. 2. Students – The “A-Team”

18. 2. Students – The “A-Team” Rescue Mission

19. 2. Students – Human Services • Identification Process • 8 students – 5 from Grade 12, 1 taking correspondence, 1 who had gone to SIAST last fall and not been successful, and 1 who had quit school and was not engaged in school or work

20. Students – Human Services “FabulUS”

21. 2. Students – Having Fun and Learning

22. 3. Facility

23. 4. Cultural Awareness • Approaches to teaching explored • Service Learning • Project Based Learning • Workshop – Office of the Treaty Commissioner

24. 4. Cultural Awareness • Underlying the teachings will be a holistic First Nations way of knowing approach

27. Contacts Larry Bedel larry.bedel@hzsd.ca 365-4888 (w) 338-8333 (c) Don Sangster Dsang2@gmail.com 729-4990 (h) 535-5589 (c) Donna Nurse donna.nurse@hzsd.ca 835-2140 (school) Julie Bedel julie.bedel@hzsd.ca 360-7027 (cell)