Student Success Program Newsletter

February 2014
Volume 1, Issue 1
Student Success Program
Newsletter
MESSAGE FROM TRACEY POITRAS -COLLINS, PROJECT MANAGER
Tansi ~ Abawashded, Aneen ~ Greetings! On behalf of YTC FNSSP, we would like to thank
everyone for their hard work and dedication on the success of our students. In this edition,
we have asked communities to submit highlights in the following areas: Key literacy activities, Key numeracy activities, Key student retention activities & Cultural Activities. Also featured in this edition are photos from our work with our Youth Leadership Team. Our conference was a success and we thank everyone involved and especially the communities that
continue to support this project. We appreciate and thank everyone for their feedback.
We welcome more information for our next newsletter to be released in April of 2014.
2014 YTC FNSSP STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM
Our Student Leadership Team is selected by each respective school. Students are involved
in: Leadership Training, Planning the YTC FNSSP Youth Conference on Education and assisting the YTC Leadership Team in delivering Student Speak Out Forums in their respective
schools. It’s always good to have our Elders participating. Jim O'Chiese (Knowledge Keeper) provides advice to our students. We appreciate his presence in this project. We also
have Glenn Zacharuk mentoring our youth providing them with activities and opportunities
to grow as future leaders.
Alexander
1. Jayde Arcand
2. Jacob Auigbelle
3. Kara Burnstick
4. Simon Burnstick
Alexis
1. Kobe Alexis
2. Mathias Alexis
3. Rocky Kootenay
4. Clayton Cardinal
O’Chiese
1. Mathew Bremner
2. Theron Goodrunning
3. Jerome Strawberr
Sunchild
1. Jacinda Bird
2. Dustin Crookedlegs
3. Laval Jerry
4. Marissa Lagrelle
March 6, 2014 - YTC
FNSSP Education Directors Meeting in Calgary,
Education Act
March 14, 2014 - YTC
FNSSP Teacher Leader
Group Meeting (Language
Arts)
Language Arts (PD)
Mar 10 - Sunchild (K-3)
Mar 10 - Edmonton (7-12)
Mar 11 - Sunchild (4-6)
Mar 12 - Alexander (K-3)
Mar 13 - Alexander (4-6)
Math (PD)
Mar 24 - Alexander (K-2)
Mar 25 - Alexander (3&4)
Mar 26 - Alexander (5&6)
March 25 - YTC FNSSP
Student Engagement
Coaching @ Paul School.
March 26 - YTC FNSSP
Student Engagement
Coaching @ Alexis & Alexander School.
Inside this issue:
Alexander Update
2
Alexis Update
2
O’Chiese Update
2
Sunchild Update
3
Paul Update
3
Youth Conference
3-4
YTC FNSSP
5
FNSSP Resources
6-7
YTC FNSSP
8
Page 2
YTC First Nation’s
Student Success Program Newsletter
KIPOHTAKAW
Alexander FNSSP Contact:
Sandra Auigbelle, Vice Principal
Email: [email protected]
Address: Box 3449, Mornville,
Alberta T5R 1S3
Phone: 780-939-3868
Fax: 780-939-3991
“Action is the foundational
key to all success.”
Pablo Picasso
ALEXANDER FIRST NATION SCHOOL (K -12)
Tansi from Kipothakaw. This year
with FNSSP we have invested in
much needed technology. We
are working on getting a smartboard in each class. We have
Ipads that have been in use for
the past couple years. In the
second semester of last year we
uploaded a music program onto
the ipads. Students in jr/sr high
had a music option and learned
music notes. They were able to
use the flute recorders to play
tunes. The grade six class uses
the ipads for math and science.
The Ipads are also used as part
of our weekly super surprise
event. Students who have good
attendance and good behavior
have the opportunity at the end
of the week to participate. K5
have also begun to use the
Ipads, they are used during centre time for practice in numbers,
letters, words, colors, patterns
and short stories.
In Literacy we have been busy
looking for appropriate reading
materials to help assist teachers
with class libraries. We continue
to use the balance lit program
here at the school. We have
shared reading groups where
upper elementary students are
paired up with primary grades.
We are also going to begin a
shared Cree reading group
with upper elementary and k5
students. Our high school English class had the opportunity
to attend a live theatre to
complement their high school
English.
We continue to look at other
opportunities and resources to
help enhance our math program. We still struggle in this
area, but we have a great
working team that makes sure
every effort is made for our
students to achieve success
We have a Cree Development
room where our Cree resources and materials are
stored for all teachers to use
during the year. This room is
kept operational by our Cree
Team. Learning and teaching
our students the ways of our
people is incorporated and
shown daily. There are five
elders who are in the school on
different days of the week.
At K.E.C. we are also looking
for many ways to teach our
students good citizenship skills,
volunteering and leadership.
We take our students out to
volunteer their time to help
others less fortunate. Our highlight this year was helping the St.
Albert Kinettes prepare food
hampers for families at Christmas.
This spring and summer our students will participate in the annual graveyard cleanup.
For our student retention we have
planned our second ski trip for
grades 4 to 6 and 7 to 12. This is
always a big event and the students really look forward to skiing.
We also begun our minute to win
it monthly event with our students
in jr/sr high. This event is for all
students who display a positive
attitude towards school and have
good attendance. We also have
our monthly whiter feather award,
where students in jr/sr high will get
the opportunity to a night out at
the movies or some other event.
We had an awesome time at the
YTC annual school conference.
Hiy Hiy,
ALEXIS NAKOTA SIOUX NATION SCHOOL (K -12)
Ms. Cassidy’s Gr. 3 Class
Alexis FNSSP Contact:
Kent Johnson, Vice Principal
Email: [email protected]
Address: Box 27, Glenevis,
Alberta T0E 0X0
Phone: 780-5919
Fax: 780-967-2671
Ms. Cassidy uses her
Smart Board during daily
math lessons for she believes that it actively stim-
Literacy
ulates student’s enthusiasm and creativity. This
combination of technology and teacher instruction benefits all learning
styles and promotes better understanding of
complicated math concepts. Miss Cassidy
states her top three reasons for incorporating
Smart Board technology
into her math lessons
Numeracy
are: “I am able to save
notes from previous math
lessons to review later with
students, I can to draw manipulatives which students
can then manipulate, and I
can cut and paste pictures
bringing to life difficult
word, multiplication and
division problems”. The
Smart Board has become a
fixture in her classroom because simply put, it makes
Retention
Page 3
Volume 1, Issue 1
-12)
At O’Chiese School the grades 3 and
4 continue to devote their mornings
to Language Arts and Mathematics;
and have successfully implemented
the D.E.A.R.S. (Drop, Everything, And
Read / Share) Sessions. Students are
actively reading aloud in front of the
entire class. Majority of students are
doing more math. They love learning
new math concepts and work with
each other to complete projects.
There are many math games on the
class set of iPads that help engage
students when there is time available. Having this technology is definitely good for retention purposes.
The grade 3/4 class is also fundraising to go on a swimming adventure.
Students are practicing positive student behavior to go on field trips.
O’Chiese FNSSP Contact
Denise Webster, Vice Principal
Email:
[email protected]
Address: Box 337, Rocky Mountain
House, Alberta T4T 1A3
Phone: (403) 989-3911
Fax: (403) 989-2122
SUNCHILD FIRST NATION (K -12)
Sunchild School continues to use
balance literacy as a methodology to improve student reading
skills. Miss Pepitjean, our grade 2
teacher, likes the guided reading section of balance literacy.
“During guided reading
students work in smaller groups
which allows them to work at
their own reading and comprehension level. It enables me to
better transition the students to
independent reading.” Through
the reading resources that have
been provided by FNSSP and our
dedicated teaching staff,
Sunchild School has seen an improvement in its reading scores.
Sunchild FNSSP Contact:
Susan Collicut, Principal
Email: [email protected]
Address: Box 1149
Rocky Mountain House
T4T 1A8
Phone: (403) 989-3476
Fax: (403) 989-3614
PAUL FIRST NATION SCHOOL (K -9)
Paul FNSSP Contact:
Nicole Birk-Calliou,
Principal
Paul School is undertaking the
effective use of laptops on
learning grade 7-9 math and
experiential learning.
Email:
[email protected]
Address: Box 63 Duffield,
Alberta T0E 0N0
Phone: (780) 892-2675
Literacy
Numeracy
Retention
Page 4
Volume 1, Issue 1
2014 YOUTH CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION
Chief Tony Alexis, Alexis
Councilor Kurt Burnstick, Kipohtakaw
Grand Entry / Invocation
Councilor Lisa Daychief, Sunchild
Laverne Arcand, YTC A/Executive Director
Tracey Poitras Collins, Project Manager
Jody Kootenay, Ed. Director - Kipohtakaw
Laverne Arcand,
YTC Interim Executive Director
Welcoming (Ice Breaker)
Daphne & Arnold Alexis
Youth Cultural Workshop
Ryan McMahon
Comedy Show
Francis Alexis
Knowledge Keeper
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation
Elizabeth Letendre
Knowledge Keeper
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation
Ryan McMahon
Youth Advocate
Jordan Millar
Youth Advocate
REAL SCHOOL
Literacy
Rocky Kootenay
Simon Burnstick
Master of Ceremonies
Jerry Redbear
Knowledge Keeper
Sunchild First Nation
Fawn Wood
Youth Advocate
Saddle Lake First Nation
Numeracy
Retention
Tracey Poitras-Collins
YTC FNSSP Manager
Opening Address
Jim O’Chiese,
Knowledge Keeper
O’Chiese First Nation
Isabel Arcand & Roy Arcand Sr.
Knowledge Keepers
Alexander First Nation
Elizabeth Letendre
YTC FNSSP Advocate
Page 5
Youth Leaders
Eugene Alexis
Artist / Language Instructor
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation
YTC First Nation’s
Lisa Daychief
Band Councilor
Sunchild First Nation
Youth Arts & Crafts Session
Volume 1, Issue 1
Ruyan McMahon &
Tracey Poitras-Collins
Youth Arts & Crafts Session
Camp Nakamun Recreation
Camp Nakamun Recreation
YTC FNSSP
Door Prizes & Awards
YTC FNSSP
Students Traditional Give
Away
YTC FNSSP
Students Traditional Give
Away
YTC FNSSP
Students Traditional Give
Away
Special Thanks
to Our
Sponsors!
Camp Nakamun Cafeteria
Camp Nakamun Recreation
Veronica Hayward &
Paulie Cardinal - YTC Volunteers
Closing Ceremonies
Page 6
Volume 1, Issue 1
YTC FNSSP STUDE NT SUCCESS PLANNING (K -12)
YTC FNSSP holds regular meetings
with the school Education Directors,
Principals, Vice Principals/FNSSP Coordinators to:
Provide leadership to the expectations of the project,
Discuss effective ways of providing implementation support to
schools in the FNSSP initiatives,
Keep schools posted on the reporting requirements of the FNSSP,
Seek the input of the schools and community into the annual funding
proposals,
Develop consensus on in-service delivery, proposal development, review
templates and overall project direction.
Discuss how the directors, administrators and FNSSP coordinators can
provide leadership to their staff.
Model some leadership tools, and
Develop shared ownership of the FNSSP direction.
"Before anything else, preparation
is the key to success."
Alexander Graham Bell
These meetings are effective and provides educators with the
opportunity to NETWORK, LEARN STRATEGIES and BUILD CAPACITY for IMPLEMENTING STUDENT SUCCESS PLANS into their classrooms and schools.
Meetings take place five (5) times a year and are hosted by
each First Nation School. As part of the program operations, YTC
School Surveys
Surveys can be useful when a researcher wants to collect data on questions that cannot be directly observed (such as opinions on school services). Surveys are used extensively to assess attitudes and characteristics of a wide range of subjects. Data are usually collected through the use of questionnaires.
Schools were asked to review their individual student, parent and teacher survey results relative to questions about
student proficiency in reading, writing,
speaking and knowledge of First Nation
culture and history. This information was
useful in helping schools develop their
student success plans. Student Success
Plans are a work in progress.
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on
after others have let go. “
William Feather
The 2013-2014 data will be published in
our April 2014 Newsletter.
Literacy
Numeracy
Retention
Page 7
FOUNTAS & PINNEL READING ASSESSMENT RESOURCES
YTC FNSSP is using Founas &
Pinnel to assess and evaluate student reading comprehension. It addresses the
unique decoding, vocabulary and comprehension
needs of readers in the intermediate and middle
grades. After one year of
implementation, we are excited to see the results!
Literacy
Numeracy
Retention
Page 8
A partnership program enhancing &
supporting student success!
For more information:
Contact: Tracey Poitras-Collins,
Title: Project Manager
Address: #304, 17304-105 Ave
Edmonton, AB, T5S 1G4
Bus: 780-484-0303
Fax 780-481-7275
Toll Free: 1-877-982-3382
Email:
[email protected]
Newsletter editor:
Stephanie Alexis
Project Officer
Email:
[email protected]
YTC FNSSP
Literacy
@YTC_FNSSP
Numeracy
Retention