Nishnawbe Aski Nation and KPDSB Sign Historic Memorandum of Understanding

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE - May 11, 2017

TIMMINS, ON: Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance educational services and opportunities for students and staff.  This historic MOU represents an invested commitment and partnership to support NAN and KPDSB students and staff.

“Nishnawbe Aski Nation students, whether attending First Nation or provincial schools deserve education opportunities that will enable them to follow their dreams,” said NAN Deputy Grand Chief Derek Fox. “For far too long, First Nations students have fallen through the large divide between these two systems. By working together we can ensure that we are focused on student success. We appreciate the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board’s commitment to improve education outcomes and we look forward to strengthening our relationship.”

The agreement was signed today in Timmins, Ontario during the NAN Chiefs Spring Assembly. The signing of the MOU is an important step to help NAN students reach their full learning potential, and at opportunities comparable to the general student population in Ontario.

“With this signing, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board take the unprecedented step of partnering together, putting the interests of children ahead of mandates, policies, and bureaucracy,” said KPDSB Director of Education Sean Monteith, “Perhaps most importantly, achieving this not by directive but rather by an ethical responsibility to Northern Ontario, and students and parents from NAN communities who look to education as the leveler of the field. Today is a day worth remembering, we are very pleased.’

The MOU focuses on several priority areas to improve educational outcomes for NAN students in both NAN First Nation operated schools and provincial schools. The priority areas include:

• Student Support Services – Development and implementation of strategies to support student safety and well-being measures, including mental health, student transition and orientation programs, parent engagement initiatives, support mechanisms for students living away from home, student retention strategies, involvement in extra-curricular activities, and the development of a First Nation student anti-addiction education program.
• Curriculum – Strategies to enhance the inclusion and integration of First Nation history, culture, perspectives and language within the provincial curriculum as appropriate.

• Professional Development – Strategies to support staff in meeting the holistic learning needs of First Nation students, development of strategies to facilitate cross-cultural training and professional development for educators in the provincial education system.
• Communication – Identification of mechanisms to improve communication between provincially funded schools and First Nation schools.
• Human Resources – Explore options to facilitate increasing the number of First Nation staff, including the participation of elders, in provincial schools.
• Parental Participation – Strategies to facilitate improved parental communication with, and involvement in, the provincially funded schools their children attend.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) represents 49 First Nation communities in James Bay Treaty No. 9 and Ontario portions of Treaty No. 5 – an area covering two thirds of the province of Ontario in Canada.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) delivers high-quality educational programming to more than 5000 elementary, secondary and adult education learners across Northwestern Ontario.   

For more information please contact: Sheena Valley, Communications Officer- Keewatin- Patricia District School Board (807)223-5311 Ext.247 or by email sheena.valley@kpdsb.on.ca

For more information please contact: Tamara Piché, Communications Officer – Nishnawbe Aski Nation (807) 625-4906 or cell (807) 621-5549 or by email tpiche@nan.on.ca

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Open Roads School students cuts hair for good cause!

Grade 5 student Bella Reid bravely cut 8 inches of her hair off to donate to a Canadian wig making company in front of her class, following a cupcake and candy apple sale! 100% of the proceeds raised were donated to a local Dryden family as one member battles cancer.  Click here to read the full article!

Tags: Open Roads School, students, charity

KPDSB appoints New Superintendents of Education, Human Resources

Media Release - February 14, 2017

Trustees of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board are pleased to announce the appointment of Tania Sterling to Superintendent of Education with responsibility for Secondary Schools and Student Success effective August, 2017; and the appointment of Joan Kantola, currently Superintendent of Education, to the new position of Superintendent of Human Resources and Special Education effective April 1, 2017.

The appointments mark a further significant milestone in the Board’s restructuring of its administration and executive teams. Supported by the Efficacy work that has been underway for the past four years and taking place across the board and schools, these changes also secure strong succession planning for the future.  

Dr. Sterling made the following comments about her new appointment “Over the past few years, I have developed strong relationships with staff and a deep understanding of the goals that lie ahead. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities offered by this new position with KPDSB.”

“I am very appreciative and humbled to be assuming my new role” said Joan Kantola with regards to her new appointment.  “I have great respect for our current Human Resources staff and I look forward to working alongside the department to ensure we maintain the highest level of customer service for our entire system.  I am looking forward to building a collaborative working relationship with Tania in her new role in our efforts to continue to put students first.”

Dave Penney, Board Chair, said “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are extremely pleased to welcome Tania, knowing that her qualifications will no doubt be a great asset and that she will help to strengthen what we know is already an incredibly strong executive leadership team here at the KPDSB.  We look forward to working with Tania and Joan in their new appointments.”

Sean Monteith, Director of Education, added “With the appointment of Tania Sterling to our team and the experience that she brings with her; and the appointment of Joan to a new realm of responsibility, the KPDSB has taken the last major step towards its end-goal of a system-reorganization. Capitalizing on the new external expertise Tania brings, and supported by the reassignment of existing assets and experiences Joan, Caryl Hron, Dean Carrie, and Kathleen O’Flaherty possess, as Director of Education I could not be more pleased. This is tremendous for the KPDSB; there is simply a lot of gratification being felt today.”

Dr. Tania Sterling comes to the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board with over 22 years of instructional and educational leadership experience in Ontario. She has designed and facilitated face-to-face and online professional learning in K12, higher education, and corporate settings. In June 2013, Tania assumed the Vice President, Efficacy role at Pearson Canada to ensure its products and services had a measurable impact on learners. Her most rewarding system improvement work has involved collaborating with educators and leaders in K12 school districts in Northwestern Ontario and the Ministry of Education in Nunavut to support the unique needs of FNMI learners. In her free time, Tania enjoys cooking, yoga, and spending time outdoors. She and her husband Kevin keep busy schedules coordinating visits with their two sons Kurtis and Jack who are attending university, and cheering their daughter Julia on during her competitive dance season. 

Joan Kantola has been the Superintendent of Education with the KPDSB since 2013 when she assumed responsibility for the Board’s Special Education and Elementary Schools’ Programming. Recently Joan successfully completed the Rotman School of Business Strategic Executive Human Resources Management Program, with the University of Toronto.

Joan and Tania will work alongside Caryl Hron Superintendent of Elementary Education, Early Learning and Instruction; Dean Carrie, Superintendent of Business; Kathleen O’Flaherty, Assistant Superintendent of Business; and Director of Education Sean Monteith.

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KPDSB & KDSB Receive Funding to Renovate Spaces for Child Care

Media Release - February 15, 2017

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) and the Kenora District Services Board (KDSB) are excited to announce we have received more than 3.6 million in funding to renovate and retrofit spaces in five KPDSB schools to create state of the art child care spaces.

The renovations are possible thanks to funding from the Ontario Government and Ministry of Education.

In total, $3,630,024 in funding will go towards renovations at the following schools:

• Open Roads Public School in Dryden ($403,336)
• New Prospect Public School in Dryden ($806,672)
• Sioux Mountain Public School in Sioux Lookout ($1,210,008)
• Evergreen Public School in Kenora ($403,336)
• Keewatin Public School in Keewatin ($403,336)

The renovations will be completed in three phases, with phase one having already begun in Dryden. The remaining two phases (Sioux Lookout and then Kenora) will be completed by the end of the 2019-2020 school year. 

Our organizations are pleased to continue working with our child care providers and elementary schools to provide seamless coordination of services for children and their families as they grow through our school communities.

Caryl Hron, Superintendent of Education for the KPDSB, said “As part of our Students Come First vision to support children in the communities of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, it has been our goal to provide the best services for our families by providing child care programs and Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres in our schools. Every child deserves the best start in life, and it is our honour and privilege to work closely with the KDSB and area child care providers to make sure all families are supported so that children can thrive and flourish in a high quality learning environment.”

Henry Wall, Chief Administrative Officer for the KDSB, added “The investments being made in moving standalone child care programs into schools demonstrates the positive partnerships that exist between the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, Kenora District Services Board and child care operators.   It is our collective desire to ensure that children and families in our communities feel supported and that all families in the district have access to safe and affordable child care programs.”

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Kenora’s Beaver Brae Bronco Cheerleaders win Bronze at World Championships in Florida

Media Release - March 8, 2017

The staff, administration and Trustees of the KPDSB wish to acknowledge the incredible achievements of Beaver Brae Secondary School’s (BBSS) Bronco Cheerleaders at the High School World Cheerleading Championships at Disney World in Florida this month.

The BBSS Cheer Team, made up of 19 student athletes in grades 7-12, travelled to Florida mid-February to compete in the Junior Varsity Division after winning their bid to the High School World Cheerleading Championships in February 2016 from the Manitoba Association of Cheerleading.

In December 2016, the team was adjudicated in Winnipeg by a representative from the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), and shortly after, the Broncos were invited by the International Cheer Union to enter a second event at the world championships called Game Day, making the BBSS Broncos the first international team to compete in the event.

We are proud to announce the Beaver Brae Broncos Cheer Team won a bronze medal in the World Junior Varsity Non Tumbling finals.  Their placing helped earn the Canadian teams a silver in the Nations Cup. The Broncos also placed seventh overall in the U.S. Nationals Game Day event in the Junior Varsity division earning the Bronco Cheerleaders a Silver Nations Ranking.

Deb Allan, Head Coach for the Broncos Cheer Team, credits the team’s unprecedented achievement at the world stage to the hard work and dedication of each and every student on the team, the support of their families, teachers and coaches, and Beaver Brae’s Bronco Cheer Academy. 

Allan stated “This opportunity provided for our team was such an honour and it was a very proud moment to be Canadian and a Bronco.  The girls demonstrated such strength and composure at every single step and showed that they belonged on that Worlds Stage.  Our Bronco Cheerleaders looked great in purple, white and Bronze and are now a nationally and internationally recognized school program in North America.  Congratulations girls, this is an achievement you can carry with you for the rest of your lives and we’re very proud of you.”

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