First Nation Metis and InuitShowcase

Fort Vermilion School Division Strategies

Programs will be aimed toward students at risk but the

learning opportunities will be for all interested students if possible.

Learning will be in addition to traditional classroom instruction.

Students will learn skills that can be applied to their working and home lives.

Students will be involved in programs that will be successful and build a sense of accomplishment.

Gain valuable experience in terms of project planning, management and completion.

Goals of Strategies

Students will gain exposure to multiple CTS strands so that

students will gain high school credits.

Students will be engaged in learning that will build citizenship skills.

Students will be involved in an environment which positively builds the perception of peers, staff and community towards the students.

Students will be motivated by the programs and feel ownership of their learning.

Learn about safety concerns at a work site.

Goals of Strategies (continued)

House Building Project

Students in two predominately FNMI schools will be engaged

in building homes or renovation projects in the community.

Program has been operating for five years.

Students have reported that without this program, many would have left school earlier.

Projects have included building homes on the Tall Cree First Nation reserve and partnering with Mackenzie Housing Association to build or renovate low income housing.

House Building Project

House Building Project (continued)

House Building Project

(continued)

BLAST Program

“Busy Learning and Serving Together”

Students will be involved in a mobile service team which

can move from location to location to complete projects in multiple communities.

The team will consist of 15 to 20 students on a 10 week rotation.

The program will have four ten week cycles and each cycle will have a point of origin at a different high school.

Students will be provided with training and work experience opportunities

BLAST Program (continued)

Students are transported to the job site in a specially

equipped 20 passenger bus which tows an enclosed trailer. The trailer house manual and powered tools necessary to

complete the job.

The bus is equipped with video, wifi, and connections for electronic devices.

Students are equipped with all the safety equipment needed to complete the job.

BLAST Program (continued)

MY DAY is an opportunity for individual students to

identify a citizenship program in which the blast team will participate in.

BLAST is in its second year of operations.

Students are gaining high school credits in this program that would not have been gained if the student had stayed in a traditional school setting.

Examples of projects to date:

BLAST Program (continued)

Examples of projects to date:

Renovation a mobile building Relocating two playground structures Installing weeping tile around a builiding Renovating 8 classrooms (painting, lighting, ceiling

tile) Building training structures for local fire department Constructing a utility building suitable for carpentry,

mechanics and tool storage

BLAST Program (continued)

BLAST Program – My Day

Rocky Acres Program

This innovative program will provide students with

practical skill and knowledge development opportunities related to the operation of a farm/ranch as well as opportunities in entrepreneurship, leadership development, and business operations.

The farm/ranch would incorporate crop, greenhouse, animal husbandry and a horse riding school as components of its operations.

Rocky Acres Program (continued)

To enable this program FVSD has entered into

partnerships and/or received support from the Rocky Lane Agricultural Society, the Beaver First Nation, Alberta Education, Mackenzie County, Rural Alberta Development Fund, and Agricultural Initiatives Program.

The program will involve the construction of a horse stable, greenhouse, support utility building, corrals, water system and heating system.

The program is in its first year and will require three years to be fully operational.

Rocky Acres Program (continued)

Students will achieve high school credits through:

Agricultural courses Work experience Special projects Registered Apprenticeship Program Other CTS courses such as construction and mechanics

Initially the program will primarily benefit the students of Rocky Lane School (enrolment k-12 of 175) which is 73% FNMI.

As the program grows students from throughout FVSD and the region will be able to participate.

Rocky Acres Program (continued)