Montreal hasn’t seen this many Crees gathered since last year’s Grand Council/CRA Christmas banquet. They came from all over Eeyou Istchee to talk about education and learn about the inner workings of the Cree School Board and its various departments. One hot topic concerned a proposal to change the way school committees function. After much discussion it was decided to fully examine the issue over the next year to see what each community wanted. Some committee members noted that while non-parents may vote in elections, they are unfairly barred from serving on the board and that this should change.
Abraham Jolly, the Director General of the CSB, took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with the Nation.
The Nation: What were some of the things you hoped to achieve with the assembly?
Abraham Jolly: Well, there’s a little history with these orientations for school committees. We wanted to make it more of an assembly where there was a definite connection between the Cree School Board and its departments to the schools at the local level. We wanted it in particular for the school committee members because there are always changes with elections happening every year or three years. We need to orient the new members in relation to the CSB and their functions as committee members.
So this was a way to bring that all together. We have the displays put on by our various departments, so the information is there for them. They can gather the information so they are familiar with their role and have an understanding of what the departments do and can do. This way they can learn what we do as the CSB.
What else was achieved?
The connection was an important thing as there have been gaps here and there in terms of communication between the school committees and the schools themselves, the departments and services. By having the members present here face to face with the departments and the departmentheads we are establishing an important relationship. The communications aspect was something that we all wanted to improve.
What would you like to tell the people back home about the assembly?
We will be putting out a newsletter on this event, so they can expect that. There will be communications about this assembly. It is one of the reasons we have hired a communications officer for the CSB.
We want to communicate with the communities and to let them know we are there and available on the topic of education. The CSB wants to get a local perspective on education along with their issues. We want to continue to improve on communicating with Crees and that’s what I want to let the communities know.
One of the other aspects we really wanted to touch on with parents of children in Cree schools was the whole issue of curriculum and the CSB. This is something we are communicating with people on here at the assembly. Some of the presentations here dealt with the curriculum, the reforms being done here in Quebec and what is the aspect of Cree in that context. That’s something we will continue to be working on and the assembly was a good way to introduce that to the committee members as well.
The other key thing we will be introducing to the committees is the ratio of parental involvement at the schools. Our keynote speaker really emphasized the parent’s role in a child’s life and every aspect of their development. The speaker encouraged homes and parents to create and environment for children to grow healthy in all aspects of their lives. This especially applies in the early stages of a child’s life and making parents aware of that. It goes beyond the value of education as we have to go back and talk about the value of our children, the stages of their lives. It was heavily emphasized and this was the highlight of the conference to my thinking as it came across really strong.
On the theme, “Let’s Talk Education,” it is one thing to say let’s talk education and some people may say haven’t we talked enough about education and how about the action aspect of it?
In this assembly we said, let’s talk education but let’s talk constructively. Let’s build the idea of the education system itself the way we talked about it. We also mentioned that the Cree Nation must have confidence in the education system and we, as parents and those involved in education, must deal with the education system competently to achieve that. Hopefully all this will spill over to the local communities and families so they see there is something being done to improve Cree education.
Another aspect is that we need to change and let’s have the courage to face change in the way we are going to improve education as well.
The assembly also touched on is how can we individually work to improve education whether it is as parents, educators or so forth.
Overall, by having the committee members, the CAs, the pedagogical services people and the administration, we have managed to look at the CSB as a whole collective Cree education structure.
As an assembly, this is a first for the CSB. How would you rate it as a success?
I think we will get some input on that from the members themselves but the sense I have about it is that it was a success. It is something we can build on and it’s an improvement from last year. It wasn’t called an assembly then but now it is. That was a decision by the school committee members. I think it’s going to open more doors for us and the way we will talk about education in the future. I believe the school commissioners realize the importance of this type of assembly as well as employees of the CSB from department heads to people like me, as the Director General.
I think we all realize the importance of this and will continue to work on both short term and long term goals in improving Cree education. I think people at this assembly are of the opinion we all want to work forward from here.
Resolutions
Cree School Board Education Assembly 2007 Resolutions
January 30, 31 and February 1, 2007SUBJECT: Organize Parenting Workshops
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Organize parenting workshops
PROPOSED BY: Naomi Awashish SECONDED BY: John Henry Wapachee
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Create an Information Kit on Parental Involvement school agendas, etcWHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Create an Information kit on parental involvement, school agendas, etc.
PROPOSED BY: Rhonda Oblin SECONDED BY: Clarence Minaquaken
ACTION: Carried
SUBJECT: Have a parent day and recognize it as a pedagogical day
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Have a parent day and recognize it as a pedagogical day
PROPOSED BY: Chris Napash SECONDED BY: Mabel Bearskin
ACTION: Carried
SUBJECT: Promote Teacher Education (Training) Program for Crees
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Promote Teacher Education (Training) Program for Crees
PROPOSED BY: Karl Simard SECONDED BY: Tanya Blackned
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Promote Cree History and Cree Culture
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Promote Cree history and Cree culture
PROPOSED BY: Mabel Bearskin SECONDED BY: Lily Napash
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Make Representation to MELS to Acquire Accreditation for Cultural Activities that are Held within the Regular Classes and Out on the Land
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Make representation to MELS to acquire accreditation for cultural activities that are held within the regular classes and out on the land
PROPOSED BY: Minnie C. Longchap SECONDED BY: Chris Napash
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Make Representation to CRA to Introduce Cree Language at the Day Care Level
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Make representation to CRA to introduce Cree language at the day care level
PROPOSED BY: Emmett MacLeod SECONDED BY: Mabel Bearskin
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Design the School Calendar taking Into Consideration the Cree Cultural Breaks (Moose Break, Fall, etc)
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Design the school calendar taking into consideration the Cree cultural breaks (Moose breaks, Fall, etc.)
PROPOSED BY: Jack Ottereyes SECONDED BY: Edna Neeposh
ACTION: Carried
SUBJECT: Establish a Cree Language Institute in Collaboration with CRA, CHB, etcWHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Establish a Cree Language Institute in collaboration with the CRA, CHB, etc.
PROPOSED BY: Chris Napash SECONDED BY: Naomi Awashish
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Assess the CLIP Program
WHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Assess the CLIP Program
PROPOSED BY: Lily Napash SECONDED BY: Reggie Neeposh
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Create a Website for the Local Schools for Parents to Access Information on School Attendance, Activities, etcWHEREAS The School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Create a website for the local schools for parents to access information on school attendance, activities, etc.
PROPOSED BY: Mabel Bearskin SECONDED BY: Lily Napash
ACTION: Carried SUBJECT: Review the Criteria of Eligibility for School Committee Members in Order to Allow People who do not have Children in Cree Schools to Become Members (By-Law, etc)
WHEREAS the School Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities are represented by several of their members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS voting members of these school committees wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Review the By-Law on the Eligibility Criteria for School Committee Members
PROPOSED BY: Daniel Mark Stewart SECONDED BY: Dennis Cheezo
ACTION: CARRIED Minnie C. Longchap – Objected Allen Neeposh – Abstained Local Continuing Education Committees
January 31, 2007WHEREAS the Local Continuing Education Committees from the nine (9) Cree Communities were invited to participate to the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
WHEREAS the members present at the Assembly wish to formulate official recommendations on certain issues to the Council of Commissioners of the Cree School Board;
WHEREAS workshops were organized where various topics were discussed by the members at the Cree School Board Education Assembly;
RESOLVED:
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERSTHAT1) The Local Continuing Education Committee:be involved in the hiring of teachers interviewsbe part of the selection process of students for vocational Programshave Honorarium for their membershave their own handbook for Local Continuing Education By-Laws
2) The Cree School Board explores the possibility of modifying the by-law and have more members (small businesses in the community) on the Local Continuing Education Committee
