THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION Issue 2
IN THIS ISSUE: 2014 PAGC Fine Arts-Senator ALLEN BIRD Gym-April
rd
By
Shona Stapleton
The Festival was held April 7 th to 10 th ,
2014 at the Senator Allan Bird
Memorial Centre Gymnasium. This year we had record registration numbers of well over 1700 students and chaperones for the week. During the planning of the festival, the committee decided that we would use themes in the group creative dance, individual creative, and country-dance categories. We also added themes to some of the visual arts areas such as literature. This brought the groups together and they would have to work together. We decided that we would use the 1970’s as a theme. The idea was that the groups would choose a song from the 1970’s; they would then have to research the style of clothes, hairstyles, makeup and dances that would have been used in those days.
Overall it turned out very well. The kids are really looking forward to next year (or at last the committee is) because it will be the 80’s.
It was another successful year the students all had a wonderful time and their creativity shone through.
What talent we have in our schools – we are so lucky! We also had a visit from a special guest, Michael Scott.
He spoke to the middle years and high school students about his life journey with addiction and how he has broken free from it. His presentation is called
“Sober Is Sexy”. It was very moving and it held the students attention for just about 2 hours.
The week ended with our teen dance to let the students wind down after a long week of competition. It was a good week. The committee that was in attendance throughout the week was wonderful. Thank you to all the committee members who put in all those extra hours. Without you this event would not be possible; and of course to the students, thank you for all your preparation and your hard work throughout the year, and of course the chaperones and the behind the scenes volunteers who very rarely get recognized – you are appreciated!!
2014 Saskatchewan First Nations
Winter Games
The Saskatchewan First Nations Winter games were held
April 20 th -25 th , 2014
First Nations Education
Page#2
First Nations Control of First Nations Education is a hot topic at the Federal level
Page #5

THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
Team
Agency Chiefs
Tribal Council
Team Wood Land
Saskatoon Tribal
Council
Meadow Lake
Tribal Council
Onion Lake Cree
Nation
Battlefords Agency
Tribal Chiefs
File Hills
Qu’Appelle Tribal
Council
Yorkton Tribal
Council
Touchwood
Agency Tribal
Council
Prince Albert
Grand Council
Southeast Treaty 4
Tribal Council
Battlefords Tribal
Council
Team Beardy’s &
Okemasis First
Nation
Total Points
300.25
237
234.50
195.50
148.0
144.25
137.25
126.50
108.25
106.50
105.75
81.25
57.00
By
Sheridan Longjohn/Cheryl Piprell
The 2014 Saskatchewan First Nation Winter games were a huge success.
Students attended the games from all the tribal and grand councils of the
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. Over 900 athletes attended and participated in 5 core sports along with one demonstration sport. The games were held April 20 th -25 th 2014 with venues in Shellbrooke and Prince Albert. All the Sports Venues were packed with Fans from across the province. The top
Team and defending Champions Agency Chiefs Tribal Council overwhelming took first Place again with an astounding 300.25 points. Congratulations to all the athletes and parents who took part. Also a Big Thank-You to all the Chiefs,
Councilors, coaches, and Sponsors, all of which this would not be possible without them.
These games are a fantastic opportunity for athletes to interact with each other. Many friendships are forged in this event-some last a lifetime. The games are all about the positive things that sports can bring to young persons life, Ekosi see you at the next games!
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*All Photos’ courtesy of PA Now -Alex
Soloducha April 25 th , 2014

THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
SCHOOL INFORMATION
Chief Leo Omani and Bev Waditika
Wahpeton Dakota First Nation.
Fine Arts Festival
3
PAGC Schools:
PAGC has 27 school sites
PAGC Fine Arts Festival:
Father Porte Students
FAST FACTS
51%
Of students are female and under 18 in PAGC schools
(PAGC DADAVAN Stat April: 2014)
89%
Was the PAGC Retention Rate for 2012-2013(PAGC
DADAVAN Stat April: 2014).
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact :Sheridan Longjohn
PAGC Education slongjohn@pagc.sk.ca
by
S.Longjohn
1) Count ME In : Incentive based program. Students are eligible to win prizes based on perfect attendance from month to month. (World Education 2008)
2) The A-Team.
This approach identifies staff as mentors. By having a mentor the students learn that someone at school really does care about them. The students meet with their mentor at a weekly meeting over lunch.(World Education 2008)
3) PACT(Partnering to assess and counteract Truancy).
This program sends letters home to the family regarding the lack of attendance in school by their child, Depending on the situation the letter can consist of concern, stressing the importance of education or even identifying the compulsory school attendance law and the consequences of violating it.(World Education
2008)
4) Check and Connect.
“The goal of the program is to help students attend school attend school regularly, participate actively in school and get a good start on the path toward graduation” (Lehr,
Sinclair, & Christenson, 2004, p.
284). It It involves monitoring the students’ achievement, mentoring, case management and other supports. The “Check” component continually assesses the student on his/her engagement in learning and the
”Connect component involves program staff providing individualized attention to students, with partnerships with school personnel, family members and community service providers” (U.S. Department of
Education, Institute of Education
Sciences, National Center for
Education Evaluation and
Regional Assistance, What Works
Clearinghouse, 2006, p. 2).
5) Families and Schools
Together(FAST) This is a two year school-based program at the elementary level with identified at-risk students. Once complete, the families are followed up with, on a monthly basis, for the next two years.( Reimer&Dimock,
2005)
6) OST . Out of School programs were”significantly less likely to be chronically absent…than comparable peers,” and among those who were chronically absent before starting OST, 2/3 improved their attendance rates.
(BERC-2010)

THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
Literacy Consultant
Suzie Carriere
The FNSSP Literacy Consultant works with all 26 PAGC schools employing approximately 220 teachers and approximately 6800 enrolled students to assist with their Literacy goals and plan, curriculum and resource needs and plans
Literacy Focus Group Meetings. The
Literacy Consultant also assists with the coordination the annual Canadian Test of
Basic Skills (CTBS) for Language Arts and
Math, for Grade 3, 6 and 9 for all schools.
Literacy is an ongoing focus in the PAGC schools and this school year there has been a lot of activity involving workshops on
English Language Arts curriculum, year planning, technology in the classroom and resource based teaching, Formative and summative gains in literacy and numeracy. more about becoming agents of change. Overall, we have seen improvements in assessments and the CTBS. Many of the PAGC schools are coordinating their
Literacy/Language Arts resources and technology to be more cohesive to the curriculum and best teaching strategies for our students. As the Literacy Consultant, these initiatives are continuous with visits and workshops at all of the PAGC schools and communities throughout the school year.
Some of the successes from this past year include the increased focus on Guided
Reading. The Literacy Consultant will continue to contact schools for future workshops with regards to Literacy,
Technology to improve Literacy, Literacy
Coaching, curriculum, Assessment and year/unit planning for teachers for the upcoming year.
Teacher Services
“A great teacher is one whose wisdom brings transformation!
Are you a great teacher?”
Spring is supposed to be here but this last blast of winter and the melting snow has
Consultants deep in slush. Well, we made visits to the eastern sector where the road to
Nisto Awasisak School was rough however in the school; calm rested our weary bones. Red
Earth was a pleasant sight with the new school beginning to take shape marked by traditional designs evoking culturally responsive teaching. In Shoal Lake we celebrate pedagogical practices that reveal the courage of all teachers.
Teacher effectiveness is seen across educational environments. We are enlightened when we observe fabulous teaching strategies that infuse First Nations cultural traditions into practice. Still in other schools we see education leaders who truly represent bravery facilitating opportunities where it is not just about First Nations philosophy but more about becoming agents of change
Overall, we have seen improvements in the classroom where teachers reposition themselves to understand renewed curriculum and implement programs of study that support using strategies that support gains in literacy and numeracy.
In Education,
Mary Sasakamoose, B.ED, M.ED.
Shirley Waskewitch, B.A, B.ED
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
By
Ed Mirasty
“The Sky is Falling”
I cannot think of a more fitting story that describes the fate of our 1972 NIB’s policy, “Local Control of Indian
Education,” and is being arbitrarily replaced with Stephen Harper’s proposed
Bill C-33. The Act has gone through its second reading in the House of
Commons on Thursday and is set to become law, Friday, June 20 th . The legislation that is titled, “The First Nations
Control of First Nations Education Act is been referred to as, “ The Minister
Control of First Nations Education
Act .” The proposed piece of legislation prescribes rather than empowers First
Nations’ schools on their programs, governance and funding. outcomes and developing education organizations will be ignored as this government takes us back to the Indian
Agents . Yes there is a significant increase in funding but that is balanced by a huge cut in funding between now and then. And it will still leave some first Nations schools significantly behind their ‘needs-based’ resourcing.
Political Ramifications/Implications:
History
First Nations Control of First Nation
Education is not and never has been a request for the federal government to develop our education systems.
Historically, the federal government has failed First Nations in education since the early 1960’s. Graduation rates for students began to increase with the involvement of
First Nations running their schools in the
1970`s. Although constrained in that it was First Nation administration of underfunded schools following provincial curriculum-these schools were still years ahead of when the federal government ran the schools. According to federal data the graduation rate of First Nation students in underfunded schools in Saskatchewan and
Manitoba is better than the rates in higher funded provincial schools.
 Through the development of our
Own Education Acts we are asserting our indigenous right and authority over our children’s education not only for this generation but for generations to come. The Education Act has excluded its promise of placing the Inherent and Treaty Right to
Education in the delivery of its first reading, but essentially removed local school committees from being established, as there are now only two options; fall under a local education authority or join a Provincial School Board.
 The accountability for education is not reciprocal as the Education
Act emphasizes First Nations, but absolves the federal government from any liabilities.
 If First Nations are to have a school system, and not just a collection of schools, full control and ownership of schools must be vested with First Nations and not in Minister appointed bureaucracies.
Today, the federal government wants to seize control of running our own First
Nations schools again. Their legislation is nothing more than the Minister of
AANDC controlling everything about First
Nations education.
Recommendations:
First Nations need to be included
…”in management of human resources, finances, development of a cadre of principals, identification and correction of underperforming schools and so on.” This Act erodes any local input into the hiring, selection
The minister will theoretically control all
533 schools. AANDC is now considering the use of third party managers in First
Nations education. All the hard work First
Nations have done on improving
and management of its own administration and governance structure.
PAGC and its member FN continue to assert their inherent and treaty rights regarding local control of education programs for youth.
PAGC adamantly reject the April
29 th second reading of the First
Nations Control of First Nations
Education Act.
We call on this government to provide for the PAGC and its member First Nations to create and develop its own educational discourse.
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
By
C.Piprell
We have had the opportunity to purchase the same Guided Reading Program for all of our schools. The Engage Literacy
Program is proving to be a “teacher friendly” program and, from what we are hearing is indeed, helping with the process of teaching students to read.
The Early Learning Project presentations on the Engage Program really seemed to spark an interest and resulted in several calls asking for in school Work bees and follow-up in-service. The Work bees are particularly enjoyable days for us – especially when we see the finished product. Also, days like this afford us the opportunity to work with you and in turn, get to know you better. There are a lot of great things happening in our schools.
If you are interested in holding a Work bee, please feel free to give us a call.
However, at this point we are booking for
June and the fall.
I encourage you to continue with the “take home” reading program. Reading is a skill that - just like a sport, needs practice!
This has been a very, very busy year. It has been a year to visit many schools and see some fantastic things happening.
Thank you to each one of you for making me feel, so welcome in your schools!
Around Town
“Bell’s Point Guided -Reading Room”
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
By , Bob Magee, NEW PATHS Consultant
The role of the New Paths consultant is to oversee all aspects of the New Paths for
Education program. This entails: proposal writing, ensuring final reports are completed by the deadlines, dispersing funds and collaborating with First Nations about their projects.
The New Paths for Education program addresses five key Strategic Priorities:
1.
Eliminating School Violence
2.
Creating More Innovative &
Engaging Schools
3.
Closing the Achievement Gap
4.
Retaining the Language & Culture
5.
Increasing Elder & Parent
Involvement
The New Paths for Education program provides funding for 16 projects that provide services to PAGC schools.
Another 24 projects were developed and completed by individual schools based upon their needs.
New Paths for Education is a very worthy program that provides communities with educational workshops, resource people and equipment for their schools. We hope and pray that this program will continue to provide the much needed funds for the
PAGC communities.
Physical Activity for Life Project
Bob Magee – Education Consultant
A.
Vision: “ To provide our PAGC students the support that they need to develop a positive lifestyle through fun, fitness and role modeling, so that our students create a sense of pride, within themselves, the community and their culture.
B.
Five key areas of our Action Plan:
1.
Communication to be improved
2.
Interschool
Athletics / Extra curricular Activities
/ Physical Activity- provide more for the children.
3.
Training – support the school staffs.
4.
Resources – purchase fun, innovative resources.
5.
Traditional Games
& Culture – provide training in this critical area & create Pride within the First Nations
Culture.
Achievements: Over the last 4 years
 8 networking meetings held with the Physical Education teachers to develop and enhance our
Action Plans
 PAGC School Athletic Executive elected.
 SPARK workshop held for
Physical Literacy group.
 Conducted SPARK workshops in
11 communities.
 Recess Guardians workshop to help schools structure recesses to help eliminate bullying & violence within the schools.
Our Future plans:  Working with Sports, Culture &
Recreation within the schools.
 Set up PAGC School
Championships
 Action Schools B.C. workshop in
Aug. 2011
 Applied for Health Canada
Grants
 Actions Schools B.C. resources –
20 schools
 YETE exercise equipment - 15 schools
 Aboriginal Games workshop
Feb. 9 th / 2012
 11 Physical activity workshops conducted
 Resources provided to schools;
Speed stack kit, Physical Activity kit, Healthy Eating Kit, Moving to Inclusion kit, Jumbo Stacks,
Coaches Kit, Standing Long
Jump mat, & SPARK curriculum resources.
 James Smith – In Motion finalist won $5,000.
 Wahpeton and PAGC Child Care
Education Centre -Involvement in Volleyball league.
 Black Lake Volleyball trip to
1.
Workshops provided to
5.
6.
7.
requesting schools.
2.
Provide more resource kits for the schools.
3.
Motivate schools to be more physically active.
4.
Improve physical education instruction
Apply for more grants.
Promote extra-curricular activities
Encourage school staffs to be more active.
PAGC Senior Volleyball
Championships at James Smith.
 Black Lake & Hatchet Lake involvement at PAGC Indoor
Soccer Championships
 Loaner kits to borrow – now given away to the schools.
 Special Education workshop –
Moving to Inclusion kits given to the schools.
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
LSCI is an advanced, interactive therapeutic strategy for turning crisis situations into learning opportunities for children and youth with chronic patterns of self-defeating behaviors. LSCI views problems or stressful incidents as opportunities for learning, growth, insight and change. LSCI is a non-physical intervention program uses a multi-theoretical approach to behaviour management and problem solving. LSCI provides staff a roadmap through conflict to desired outcomes using crisis as an opportunity to teach and create positive relationships with youth. This training helps develop skills with youth who displace anger, have errors in judgment, display limited social skills, justify harmful behaviour, are driven by impulsivity and guilt, and are vulnerable to peers.
LSCI teaches staff the therapeutic talking strategies they will need to help children during stressful moments, as well as the awareness and skills to understand and manage their own feelings and counter-aggressive tendencies when intervening with aggressive or out of control behaviors.
LSCI believes that the process of helping others having the ability to listen deeply to the personal stories of children and youth and to recognize that their message often is not in their words but in their underlying thoughts and feelings. The real strength of the LSCI program is its emphasis on teaching, and practicing specific interviewing techniques to help staff and students debrief a problem situation or critical event.
LSCI is a nationally recognized, professional training and certification program sponsored by the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute of
Hagerstown, Maryland. The Prince Albert Grand Council is the only internationally recognized training site in Canada that is certified to deliver LSCI training.
What are the goals of LSCI?
One of the key elements of LSCI is the development of trust between the staff and the new student. When confronted with a crisis, the adult must be the mediator between the student in stress, the students behaviour, the reactions of others, and the private world of feelings that the students are sometimes unable to handle without help, In the LSCI model, children and youth in crisis:
 Are valued and treated with respect
 Learn to trust caring adults and use them for support in crisis
 Become aware if their patterns of self-defeating behaviour
 Acquire strength-based social skills
 Learn to accept responsibility for inappropriate actions
LSCI provides specific strategies for children and youth who:
 Escalate incidents into no-win power struggles
 Distort reality
 Are self abusive
 Engage in destructive peer relationships
 Lack social skills
 Show little conscience
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
This year’s theme has been the importance of building relationships. We have examined the importance of building relationships and how we build relationship with students, staff and community. 2 meetings were held: October 28 and 29, 2013 and March 3 and 4, 2014. A third meeting for elementary school Guidance Counselors (and Kindergarten teachers) will be held April 30 for direction on the importance of Kindergarten Orientation and the value of building relationship from the beginning of the student’s school journey.
21 Guidance Counselors attended the October meeting, and 20 attended the March meeting.
Beside the meaningful networking and sharing that occurs at the meetings, some of the topics presented to the group are: 21 st Century Safety and Privacy,
Cyber bullying, Safe School Planning, Circle of Courage –overview, Being a Member of a Team – TA Module adaptation (half day workshop), and
Turning
Down the Heat: Preventing Conflict and Counter-Aggression in the Classroom, An Alternative to Student Confrontation and Restraint (1 day workshop).
At each meeting, resources are supplied to assist Guidance Counselors in their important and varied roles. Several books, Relevance magazines, puppets, and other items have been provided to all that attended.
Watch this short video: http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion
For information on the meetings, please contact
7234 or lgay@pagc.sk.ca
Guidance Counselors
Lori Gay at 306-953-
.
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
By
Cheryl Herman
Edladoht’e ? Tanisi. The Language and Culture department have been extremely busy since the last issue of the Raven. We have been working with a few First Nations communities in the PAGC area with the beginning stages of curriculum development. This is an exciting venture for all involved and we hope to continue this work with all the other communities in the coming months.
We recently hosted a SMART Board training workshop for some language and culture instructors. The training was very well received and the participants left with new knowledge and skills to utilize in their language planning and programs. Thank you to the schools for allowing those teachers to attend this very worthwhile professional development opportunity.
Some of the consultants have been out visiting schools to review language and culture programming. We have gained valuable insights into the unique and remarkable ways of our people. These programs definitely exhibit why it is important to maintain/revitalize traditional ways of knowing.
Lastly, we have a Language and Culture website up and running. The website is filled with information regarding language planning, language and culture curriculum, teaching strategies, cultural information and a blog. Please visit our website at: http://aboriginallanguage3.wix.com/pagclanguageculture
Marsi Chogh
Images: Wollaston Lake Culture Camp March 18, 2014
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( Language and Culture Happenings-April 2014)
Language Learning Tip: Start with the 100 most common words and then make sentences with them over and over again. Learn just enough grammar to be able to do this and do it until you feel pretty comfortable with all of them.

THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
Prince Albert Grand Council has purchased a 3-year subscription to Mathletics for all students Grades K-12! Some schools have already begun using Mathletics as an additional support to their regular Math programs. Mathletics is an online math program where a teacher is able to set student courses based on grade, content and outcomes, assign specific tasks and differentiate instruction as needed for each student. The program also tracks and monitors individual progress, where teachers can view at a glance the strengths and weaknesses of each student. One PAGC teacher using
Mathletics says:
“With the introduction of Mathletics, it has brought a new life to the students. Students that are not at grade level or students that don’t enjoy Math are now asking if we can do more Math. One student even asked if we could do Mathletics instead of physical education…Our school is benefitting immensely from Mathletics.”
Mathletics can be used at school; home or wherever there is an internet connection, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Parents are even able to register to receive progress reports.
11
A student in Hall Lake works on Mathletics at home.
To get your school connected to Mathletics all that is required is: a list of teachers, grades they teach and their email addresses for your school. Email the information to lgay@pagc.sk.ca
or cpiprell@pagc.sk.ca
- Don’t let your students miss out on this fun and interactive learning tool

THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
Shirley Kraus & Rick Closs
Over the past number of years, PAGC Early Learning program has promoted stimulating and engaging learning environments in
Nursery and Kindergarten. We know that the essential skills for school success (language and social-emotional development) are best learned through play in the early years. Effective Pre-K and
Kindergarten programs incorporate a range of enhancements to take advantage of the developmental stage of young children.
Experts urge teachers, administrators, and parents to resist the temptation to provide pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs that are academically focused rather than intellectually engaging .
The Early Years Study 2 (McCain, Mustard, & Shanker, 2007) highlights the importance of play as follows:
 Expands intelligence;
 Is a testing ground for language, and reasoning connecting to the challenges children face in school such as literacy, math, and science concepts;
 Stimulates the imagination, encouraging creative problem solving;
 Helps develop confidence, self-esteem, and a positive attitude towards learning;
 Is a significant factor in brain and muscle development.
Seat work, worksheets, and early instruction in reading or other academic subjects are inappropriate for most kindergarten children. What we need in PAGC early learning classrooms is a planned curriculum anchored by playbased problem solving. So what does a play-based classroom look like and what learning outcomes are achieved? Let’s review one popular learning centre—the block centre. Look at how much children are learning as they play together with blocks:
Talking and Thinking
They may learn to:
Connect words to actions as they talk together about what they are doing.
Participate in conversations about what they are doing.
Understand position words as they walk on a path of blocks next to the table.
Understand concepts such as soft, hard, big, small, heavy, light, rough and smooth.
Use their imagination as they tell a story about what they have created.
Make a plan as they decide what to build together.
Complete a task as they make a path of blocks.
Moving and Doing
They may learn to:
Develop awareness of where they are going as they walk on a path of blocks.
Develop balance when moving as they carry blocks across the room.
Use hand and wrist muscles to do delicate tasks as they make a stack of small blocks.
Feelings and learning about self:
They may learn to:
Express their feelings when they discover: “I like to build.”
Feel “I can do it!” as they complete a tower of blocks – or knock a block tower over.
Getting Along with others
They may learn to:
Play with other children
Cooperate with others as one-child hands another block
In
PAGC Nursery and Kindergarten classrooms, you will see a variety of play-based learning centres that promote oral language development, fine and gross motor skills, cooperative play, problem-solving, self-regulation and coping skills, and thinking skills. In addition to block centres, look for these play-based centres in your Nursery and Kindergarten classrooms: dramatic play, water table, book centre, kitchen centre, art exploration centre, listening centre, math centre,
‘a-b-c’ centre, music centre, science centre.
Play works at home too—so get active and creative with your children!
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
The past year was very successful for Team Woodland at the 2014 Summer Games hosted by the
Muskoday First Nation.
Team Woodland placed 5 th overall with over 700 points and won the overall title in the sport of canoeing.
Team Woodland took over 250 athletes in 6 core sports in archery, athletics, golf, soccer, softball and canoeing.
In 2014 Team Woodland will be preparing for the 2014 Winter Games hosted the Prince Albert Grand Council.
All tryouts will be held in various communities that represent the Team Woodland athletes.
The winter games Team Woodland will be bringing 242 athletes, 30 coaches and 15-20 mission staff.
Go Woodland! 2014 Winter Games
Fenton Favel
Woodland Coordinator
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THE RAVEN PAGC EDUCATION | Issue 2
PAGC Education PAGC Education
Publisher:
S.Longjohn
Box 2770
3601 5 th Ave East
Prince Albert, SK
S6V 7M2
Phone:
(306) 953-7234
Fax:
(306) 922-3135
Email: slongjohn@pagc.sk.ca
Editor:
Cheryl Piprell
Box 2770
3601 5 th Ave East
Prince Albert, SK
S6V 7M2
Phone:
(306) 953-7234
Fax:
(306) 922-3135
Email: cpiprell@pagc.sk.ca
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We’re on the Web!
See us at: http://www.pagc.sk.ca
We’re on the Web!
See us at: http://www.pagc.sk.ca