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

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

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.

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.

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.

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)

Punni

chy

Partnership

Agreement

Strategic

Committee

Action Committee

Enhanced Committee -

Programming

Enhanced

Committee

Capital/Facility

Opportunities for the

Success of all students

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)

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

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.

MAIN OBJECTIVES, 2008-09

In Sept., 2008 our main objectives were:1. Programming: Put in place skills and trades

programming during this school year by the start of the fourth of five “learning blocks” (March, 2009)

2. Students: Identify & confirm enrolment of students who would benefit from the programs planned as a result of consultations.

3. 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.

4. Cultural Awareness: Deliver cultural awareness training to the staff at PCHS.

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

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

1. Programming - Consultations

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

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

1. Programming – Confirmed Programs

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

2. Students – The “A-Team”

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

Identification Process8 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

2. Students – Human Services

2. Students – Human Services “FabulUS”

2. Students – Having Fun and Learning

3. Facility

Approaches to teaching explored Service Learning Project Based Learning Workshop – Office of the Treaty Commissioner

4. Cultural Awareness

Underlying the teachings will be a holistic First Nations way of knowing approach

4. Cultural Awareness

Contacts

Larry Bedellarry.bedel@hzsd.ca 365-4888 (w) 338-8333 (c)

Don SangsterDsang2@gmail.com 729-4990 (h) 535-5589 (c)

Donna Nursedonna.nurse@hzsd.ca 835-2140 (school)

Julie Bedeljulie.bedel@hzsd.ca 360-7027 (cell)