annual report 2014–2015 - mfnerc · 2015 in winnipeg to identify performance indicators for local...

Annual Report2014–2015

ContentsMessage from the Executive Director.............. 02

Service Delivery

School Planning Program ......................... 03

Student Learning Assessment ................. 05

Special Education (SE) Program ............... 07

Training Initiatives ..................................... 09

Support Services

Structural Readiness Program .................. 11

First Nations Languages Program ............ 12

Research and Development Program....... 15

Private Home Placement Program ........... 17

Integrated Programs.................................. 18

Early Childhood Program .......................... 21

Publishing and Communications.............. 23

Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate .................... 25

Data Management Program ...................... 27

Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation

Pilot Project...................................................... 29

02 | Annual Report 2014-2015

Message from the Executive DirectorIt is with great pride that I share with you the progress

and achievements made by MFNERC in the past year.

Now in our 16th year, MFNERC and the schools we

serve have made great strides in creating a better

future for First Nations students. Advances in First

Nations education are evident within the schools,

the classrooms and also in the hearts and minds of

those working in First Nations education. Whether

it is the annual MFNERC Science Fair, mini-regional

conferences, or in-class training, MFNERC facilitators

continue to work hand in hand with First Nations

school sta� to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Over the past two years, MFNERC has been expanding

in the area of capacity building. For example, Ginew

School of Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation is

now under the canopy of MFNERC administration.

In this way, the school has additional support and

resources to conduct its operations within guidelines

that ensure a flourishing and constructive school

system.

Elders, parents and First Nations leadership con-

tinue to play a pivotal role in laying the foundation

for strong and healthy educational environments.

Education is our right, it strengthens our identity, and

it gives our communities hope for today and future

generations.

Lorne C. Keeper

Executive Director

Annual Report 2014-2015 | 03

School Planning Program The school planning process begins with MFNERC school planning specialists and school administration

sta� meeting with parents and community members. Parents and community members provide the overall

direction regarding what they hope to see from their local school. School planning specialists and school

administration sta� then meet with other sta� to assess the current state of the school and what steps need

to be taken to address any gaps that exist between the parents and community goals and the current school

state. The defined steps to correct any existing gaps becomes the school plan.

For more information on the School Planning Program contact:

Elmer Everett, School Planning Program Manager at [email protected]

School Plans

In order to develop school plans, MFNERC’s school

planning specialists assisted school administrators

with organizing community gatherings for parents

and community members. There were eight gath-

erings in total with approximately 500 participants.

These parent and community engagement sessions

provided a process of communicating direction for

the school plan to the principals, and looked at ways

to share the Co-op Education Program with parents

and community members. Participants were provided

information on the community-based school plan-

ning process, Professional Learning Communities,

and how they support the school planning process

and implementation.

Numeracy

Numeracy specialists worked to gather mental math

and problem-solving strategies per service delivery

area that will be incorporated into the upcoming

Mental Math and Problem-Solving Booklets. These

booklets will provide teachers with ongoing support

and target early and middle years, while incorporat-

ing culturally relevant content. Specialists worked to

promote and facilitate workshops on mental math

strategies with teachers.


Literacy

The literacy specialists worked to create multi-genre

thematic units to be implemented in the Grade 8

classrooms that focused on First Nations content

and perspectives. The units will assist teachers with

their evaluation of reading comprehension and

expository writing. First Nations content focused on

the use of oral language, speaking and listening to

assist students in the development of self-identity,

and researching the impact of residential schools

on today’s youth.

Literacy specialists completed and published, in

partnership with the Publishing/Communications

Unit, a writing anthology of student work for kinder-

garten, Grade 1, 2 and 3, as well as four First Nations

books: The Robin’s Nest, Sugar Time, The Firemen,

and The Spirit of the Teepee. Two additional books,

Preparing and Smoking Fish and Picking Medicine,

were created in collaboration with the language and

culture specialists.

Festival of the Arts 2015

Festival of the Arts 2015


Student Learning Assessment Learning assessment specialists help teachers deliver e�ective, quality classroom instruction to meet the

needs of each student. The data derived from the assessment process informs First Nations educational

planning and provides information to all First Nations stakeholders, most importantly parents. The data

gathered through this program is also used to inform schools on how to set their priorities, and monitor

student achievement and progress.

MFNERC has fully trained 516 First Nation teachers and principals on the Grades 3, 7 and 8 Provincial Assess-

ments since the initiative began in 2010.

For more information on Student Learning Assessment contact:

Brenda Delorme, Assessment Program Manager at [email protected]

Grade 8 Reading Comprehension and Expository Writing

Twenty-six teachers from 22 schools completed Grade

8 province-wide assessments training. Overall, 32

schools submitted student assessment results for

Grade 8 Reading Comprehension and Expository

Writing Assessments.

Grades 3 & 7 Numbers Sense and Skills

Thirty-four teachers from 25 schools completed

Grade 3 province-wide assessment training. Grade 3

training sessions took place in Winnipeg on Septem-

ber 22-23, 2014 and in Thompson on September

25-26, 2014. Further, 28 teachers from 23 schools

completed Grade 7 province-wide assessment

training. The Grade 7 training sessions took place in

Winnipeg on September 29-30, 2014 and in Thomp-

son on October 2-3, 2014. Twenty-eight schools

submitted student assessment results for the Grade


7 Number Sense and Skills Assessment. Overall, 31

schools submitted student assessment results for

the Grade 3 Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense

Assessment.

Grade 7 Rethinking Assessment and Student Engagement Provincial Assessment

Thirty-two teachers from 26 schools completed

Grade 7 province-wide assessment training. Grade

7 training sessions took place in Winnipeg on Sep-

tember 29-30, 2014 and in Thompson on October

2-3, 2014. Twenty-eight schools submitted student

assessment results for the Grade 7 Student Engage-

ment Assessment.

Roundtable Sessions

Two Manitoba First Nations student learning

assessment roundtables were held in northern

and southern regions with 28 participants from 26

schools. The roundtables oriented participants on

the Manitoba First Nations Student Learning and

Assessment Framework document, and planning

models and assessment planning were provided to

the directors of education outlining action strategies

to facilitate community-based planning.

Three roundtable gatherings on student engagement

in language and culture involved participants from 19

First Nations and two steering committee meetings

were held on October 30-31, 2014 and March 19-20,

2015 in Winnipeg to identify performance indicators

for local options on the Manitoba Standard Report

Card.

Finally, an advisory committee was created to start

the development of a holistic assessment tool to

align local option success indicators to the Mani-

toba Standard Report Card. Meetings were held

on March 2, 23, and 24, 2015. Performance criteria

were identified to support schools reporting on First

Nations engagement. This also helped schools align

instruction and assessment to First Nations culture

and language learning outcomes.

Grade 3 assessment interview

Middle years assessment interview


Special Education (SE) ProgramThe Special Education Program develops resources and provides support to educators in First Nations schools

who work with special needs children. Specialists work with schools to establish a special education plan

to be implemented throughout the school year. Ongoing research and assessment identifies the growing

demand to provide services to children with special needs.

For more information on the Special Education Program contact:

Margaret Scott, Special Education Program Manager at [email protected]

Resource Teacher Support and Meetings

SE specialists provided services to 46 schools to assist

classroom teachers, resource teachers, educational

assistants and other school sta� with e�ective strat-

egies to initiate resource programs and to promote

inclusive education settings. Additionally, six regional

training sessions were held this year. Specialists con-

tinued to advocate for students with special needs

to stay in regular classrooms with their peers, as

capacity is thus enhanced for resource teachers,

school administration and other school staff to

deliver e�ective programming. In all, 82% of schools

received special education program support and all

58 schools developed SE work plans that are required

for schools to receive high cost special education

funding.

Resource teachers and school sta� from 37 schools

attended eight regional resource meetings in Bran-

don, Dauphin, Thompson and Winnipeg. Networking

amongst resource teachers, MFNERC and AANDC has

become a key component to the successful delivery

of special education programs. Participants heard

regular updates from AANDC representatives and

were engaged in question and answer sessions. Pro-

fessional development was provided at all meetings

and participants showcased teacher best practices.

Speech Language Services

The speech language pathologists (SLPs) continued


to provide this highly sought after service to 26

schools, encouraging the use of technology to com-

municate with and supervise the speech language

educational assistants (SLEAs) between school visits.

This communication keeps program and therapy

design relevant and teaches SLEAs to carry out pro-

gramming and therapy with students requiring SLP

services. Contracted SLPs provided services to nine

schools to complement the services for the remaining

schools, bringing the total to 35 schools.

Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) Services/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

Six service visits in Garden Hill and Winnipeg were

carried out to provide BVI services to one student.

Resource staff, classroom teachers, educational

assistants and parents were trained to work with

blind and visually impaired students. As a result, the

BVI student is able to remain in the community and

receive specific support. There were 19 service visits

to 17 First Nations schools this year for students hard

of hearing. Resource sta�, classroom teachers, edu-

cational assistants and parents were more informed

on programming for hearing impaired students in

First Nations schools.

Special Education workshop activity

Special Education workshop activity presented at CCLAS Mini Regional 2015


Training InitiativesThe Training Initiatives Program supplements the work of the service delivery specialists through the provision

of accredited professional development or human resources development required to implement innovative

programming in First Nations schools. Participants in the program are individuals currently employed in the

schools. Training is generally provided to those individuals who will remain in the community for extended

periods of time, thereby, building capacity within each First Nation.

For more information on Training Initiatives contact:

Shirley Myran, Training Institute Manager at [email protected]

Educational Assistant Training Program

This diploma program is designed to provide edu-

cational assistants (EAs) with the knowledge and

skills to assist students under the direct supervision

of teachers and/or resource teachers, monitor and

report on student progress, and assist in preparation

of learning materials. The program entails face-to-

face and online training in partnership with the

University College of the North. It is made available

upon request from the First Nations school.

There were five new intakes this year, including

Garden Hill First Nation, God’s Lake Narrows First

Nation, Peguis First Nation, Pinaymootang, and Little

Saskatchewan First Nation. The program is ongoing

in Ebb and Flow First Nation, Mathias Colomb First

Nation, Bunibonibee First Nation, and Brokenhead

Ojibway Nation. There were 72 participants in the

program with eight participating schools.

Behavioural Support Professional Development

First Nations school staff currently has limited

support in assisting students with emotional and

behavioural issues. Professional development for

school sta� was provided to help with behaviour edu-

cation plans to enhance student self-confidence and

skills, and to cope with social and emotional issues

in the school environment. Helpers in Education for


Life Program (HELP) was finalized and announced

to all First Nations schools in February 2015 and

approximately 21 schools expressed interest in the

program with 15 participants.

HELP was created with input from First Nations

guidance counsellors, home school coordina-

tors, education counsellors and school clinicians.

Grounded in First Nations philosophy and perspec-

tives, the program provides First Nations counsellors

with a wide range of skills, techniques and practices

to promote empowerment, healing and wellness,

fostering healthy growth and development of First

Nations students.

Training Initiatives sta

Educational Assistant Program Instructor speaking at MFNERC hosted event


Educational Assistant Program Instructor speaking at MFNERC hosted event

Structural Readiness ProgramThe Structural Readiness Program aims to increase and sustain MFNERC’s capacity to deliver education

supports to our First Nations schools. Structural Readiness activities focus on key challenges, historical

trends in First Nations education, and a vision for the future. The program looks for possible opportunities

that could help implement a First Nations education system that is developed by First Nations and one that

remains under First Nations jurisdiction and control. MFNERC also continues to work with the Partnership

Transition Initiative.

For more information on the Structural Readiness Program contact:

Violet Okemaw, Director of Support Services at [email protected]

Program Costing

A¥er a call for proposals to cost early, middle and high

school programming was posted in July 2014, two

researchers were awarded contracts to cost all three

programs areas. These researchers met with First

Nations on 16 di�erent occasions in locations such

as Winnipeg, Cross Lake Cree Nation, Pinaymootang

First Nation, Garden Hill First Nation, Brandon, and

Peguis First Nation. A¥er these meetings, costing

was completed to identify and determine costs for

evidence-based, quality and effective education

programming specific to the needs of First Nations

students.

Transition Initiative

The Structural Readiness Program finalized a strategy

and action plan to address the possible dual role of

MFNERC as a delegated Education Authority, working

to deliver education services to First Nations schools

while continuing to provide second and third level

services. The strategy and action plan are now being

implemented according to the organizational review

recommendations, including the Partnership Tran-

sition Initiative.


First Nations Languages Program The First Nations Language Program is committed to creating resources and providing training and academic

supports. The program’s goal is the revitalization, preservation and promotion of First Nations languages.

The program has developed educational resources in partnership with First Nations schools and educators

to promote the goal of fluency in First Nations languages. Specialists continue to support the inclusion of

local resources such as Elders’ support and Indigenous experts from First Nations. The program also uses

the latest in communications technology and has developed programs to provide an interactive learning

experience, most notably the Before You Know It (BYKI) language so¥ware.

For more information on the First Nations Languages Program contact:


First Nations Language Resources

Educational resources were distributed to 49 First

Nations in the areas of culture, language, and leg-

ends. These resources included short story books,

lesson plans, and picture books. Some of the titles

that were provided to schools are Fort Alexander

Stories and Legends; K-12 Aboriginal Language

and Culture Foundation Curriculum Framework; Ne

Nãnowãwen: Cree Sayings and Phrases; Ojibwe Teach-

ings, Words, Phrases and Puzzles; The Long Tent of

Life; and First Nation Languages: Why We Need Them.

Language Instruction and Programming

This year, 82 service support visits and/or pre-

sentations were made to 42 First Nations schools

to support language programming. Supports,

assistance, and networking with school sta� were

provided to enhance language instruction in 75%

of schools.

Two regional training sessions were held for language

instructors in Opaskwayak Cree Nation in September

2014, and in Brokenhead Ojibway Nation in Octo-

ber. The purpose of these sessions was to provide


language teachers with techniques and methods

for teaching language, teaching resources, land-

based education, and spiral method of planning.

Forty-five language teachers from 26 First Nations

schools received training on language instruction

and methodology.

A working group session consisting of Elders, First

Nations Language and Culture specialists, and First

Nations language teachers from 14 di�erent schools

was held on unit and lesson planning for First Nations

language and culture instruction. As a result of the

working group session, a sample lesson plan booklet

will be developed, printed and distributed to lan-

guage instructors in the First Nations schools.

Information Technology Language and Culture Support

Regional training sessions provided participants with

an opportunity to gain hands-on experience using

technology, so¥ware and computer equipment to

help them in applying learning to classroom instruc-

tion. Participants were able to create lessons using

so¥ware, and received demonstration lessons on

creating sound files for the BYKI language program.

Approximately 80 First Nations language instruc-

tors and IT technicians from 30 First Nations schools

received training.

The First Nations language information/technology

specialist provided support to First Nations language

and culture instructors and information technology

technicians in schools. Technical assistance with

SMART Board application, SMART Table application

and BYKI language program were some of the sup-

ports delivered to 20 First Nations.

Gatherings and Information Sessions

A Regional Language Group Gathering consisting

of representatives from the five Manitoba language

groups was held at Opaskwayak Cree Nation on

First Nation language technology

Dr. Anton Treuer’s language presentation at CKP Conference 2014


Language resources created by Cree Language Specialist

September 30 to October 2, 2014. Over three days

topics included exemplary language programming

in Manitoba, language program strategies in British

Columbia, language immersion programming in

Saskatchewan, and language revitalization. A list of

recommendations was created to assist in language

retention.

Seven community events ranging from meetings with

leadership to community celebrations were held. The

highlight of all events was the inclusion and discus-

sion of First Nations language and culture as key to

the success of the education journey.

MALS Partnership

A new group was formed to work together in devel-

oping a strategy for Manitoba Aboriginal languages.

Membership includes: MFNERC, Aboriginal Education,

Frontier School Division, Winnipeg School Division,

University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Bran-

don University, Aboriginal Languages of Manitoba.

The group is called the Manitoba Aboriginal Language

Strategy (MALS). MFNERC’s First Nations Language

and Culture Program attended five sessions in The

Pas and Winnipeg.

Youth Empowerment Gatherings: Pride in Our Cultures

A Youth Symposium was held in two First Nations for

First Nations youth (Grades 7-12), their chaperones

and Elders. Topics included traditional teachings, role

models, and leadership development. There were

74 participants at the symposium. The purpose of

the gathering was to bring youth from First Nations

schools together to experience Elders teachings,

participate in traditional education, and share and

network with one another. A Youth Gathering Report

and DVD will be shared with all participants.

Language Youth Symposium


Language resources created by Cree Language Specialist

Research and Development ProgramThe Research and Development Program (RDP) is responsible for projects related to First Nations educational

resources, curriculum development, leadership and school board training. It develops, creates and provides

classroom resources for Manitoba’s First Nations schools. These resources are created in partnership with,

or on request from, educational leadership in the schools. Priority is given to culturally appropriate and

language-based materials.

For more information on the Research and Development Program contact:

Olga McIvor, Research and Development Program Manager at [email protected]

Elders’ Community Stories and Histories

This new project was created as a result of the pop-

ularity of the interviews in the Community Names

Mapping Project. The specialist conducted interviews

and recorded the community histories with Elders

and community members from Nelson House, South

Indian Lake, York Landing, Sagkeeng, Tataskweyak,

Tadoule Lake, Cross Lake, and Chemawawin First

Nations. The interviews are available for schools to

access on USB and the MFNERC website.

Application of Indigenous Thought

Orientation and professional development sessions

were delivered to 131 MFNERC sta� on the application

of Indigenous thought and optimal ways of cross-cul-

tural collaboration. The benefits of the project were

to provide increased knowledge and understanding

of Indigenous teachings and practices. The goal of the

project was the enhanced application of Indigenous

thought in daily work and developmental activities

with the First Nation schools.


Books and Other Resources

An MFNERC RDP specialist wrote and developed

Treaty Tales in partnership with the Publishing and

Communications Unit. Treaty Tales is a children’s

book series aimed at educating youth about treaty

history and contemporary knowledge. The first of

the three books was published and the final two are

expected in the final quarter. The first book was pro-

vided to all schools and was also listed as a bestseller

at local bookstores in Winnipeg.

MFNERC published the sixth edition of First Nations

Perspectives: The Journal of the Manitoba First Nations

Education Resource Centre, an ongoing initiative since

2008. The journal consists of articles by First Nations

scholars that pertain to First Nations education.

The first two volumes of the Grassroots Anthology

were published and provided to schools. Short

stories, poetry, artwork, and photography by First

Nations writers and storytellers were showcased.

Instructional Resource Centre (IRC)

The IRC continued to provide curriculum appropriate

materials to First Nations schools in Manitoba. As a

lending library all resources are available to teachers,

principals, and sta� within the education system.

The Winnipeg and Thompson IRC catalogues were

made available online, giving schools the ability to

view resources in both the Winnipeg and Thompson

locations. Up-to-date resources were purchased for

the MFNERC Instructional Resource Centre and made

available in the Thompson and Winnipeg libraries.

School Board Training and Governance

Principals, education directors, band councillors with the education portfolios, and school board members from seven schools received school board training. �e governance and research specialist drafted a tem-plate for the development of Emergency Response Plans (ERP) for First Nations schools. All schools will eventually require an ERP and the template will be adjusted for each community. �is training enhanced capacity of school boards and admin-istrators to manage education programs in their communities.

RDP specialists distribute resources at CKP Conference 2014Application of Indigenous Thought Set-up 2014


RDP specialists distribute resources at CKP Conference 2014

Private Home Placement ProgramEnsuring that high school education is accessible to First Nations students and providing e�ective supports

for retention and graduation is a First Nations priority. The Private Home Placement (PHP) program makes

it possible for First Nations students to access secondary education if a high school program or specific

academic and/or vocational courses of study are not available in their community.

In 2009, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs requested MFNERC to make Private Home Placement research one

of the five priority areas of research as part of the Education Partnerships Program (EPP).

For more information on the Private Home Placement Program contact:


Transition Plan

To date, Private Home Placement specialists have

conducted on-site visits in five communities to com-

plete the PHP Pilot Project. A Pilot Project Report

and Community Profiles were completed for each

of the pilot communities and regular PHP taskforce

committee meetings were held throughout the year.

Presentations

The PHP program was presented at MFNERC’s annual

Circle of Knowledge and Practices Conference in

October 2014 and at the mini-regional session in

Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation on March 10-11,

2015. These presentations had a total of 21 par-

ticipants and helped to increase awareness and

knowledge of the PHP program. In addition, presen-

tations were made to leadership in seven di�erent

communities as well as the Keewatin Tribal Council.

Partnerships

Based on the recommendations contained in the

PHP Review Report, ongoing partnership respon-

sibilities were maintained. PHP meetings included

partners from First Nations, Tribal Councils, Assembly

of Manitoba Chiefs, Frontier School Division, Aborig-

inal A�airs and Northern Development Canada and

Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning.


Integrated ProgramsThe promotion of science and science-related careers, as well as land-based education, has become a

priority for many First Nations schools. MFNERC continues to promote science planning and professional

development including various science fair programs and land-based science projects. Specialists work to

promote science in the schools and assist teachers through professional development and resource creation.

For more information on the Integrated Programs contact:


Science and the Curriculum

Support in science curriculum planning was provided

at 10 schools. During school visits, science special-

ists o�ered teachers support in three specific areas:

with the school’s current overall school science

program; with using the Manitoba science curric-

ulum documents for unit or lesson planning; and

with maintaining an inventory of science/laboratory

materials and ensuring proper protocols for handling

and storage. The number of early and middle years

teachers consistently implementing science on their

timetables is steadily increasing.

Manitoba First Nations Science Fair Program and National Science Fair Program

Now in its 12th year, this program continued to grow

with almost 2000 students and over 100 teachers

from over 30 schools involved. The 13th Annual Man-

itoba First Nations Science Fair was held on March

11-12, 2015. In all, 425 Grade 4-12 students from 34

schools exhibited 225 projects. Of the participants, 75

students achieved Gold Medals, 110 received Silver,

and 240 received Bronze Medal awards of recognition

for their work.

Four students were selected by the judges to rep-

resent the MFNSF at the Canada-Wide Science Fair

in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in May 2015. These


students were provided eight weeks of direct and

intense mentorship to raise the level of their work

and presentation. This process provided growth at a

whole new level for those students in their personal

academic level.

Manitoba First Nations Advanced Senior High Science Mentorship and Symposium Program

This program continued to provide the opportunity

for high school students to engage in advanced

scientific research projects beyond the curriculum

and beyond their grade level, with the direct help

of science specialists from MFNERC and research-

ers from the University of Manitoba or University of

Winnipeg. The number of students enrolled in the

program increased by 50% this year. In total, 56

students pursued 24 projects at the school level.

Students that participated attended training in

Winnipeg and 20 participated in the follow-up sym-

posium. The average age and grade of those entering

the program this year was 2-3 years younger than

previous participants, setting the stage for more

multi-year projects and greater student develop-

ment in the process. 15 schools participated in this

project. The National Aboriginal Senior High Science

and Engineering Symposium is integrated within this

program. The symposium was held in conjunction

with the Manitoba First Nations Science Fair on March

11 and 12, 2015 with 20 of the students engaged in

the Mentorship Program exhibiting their work at the

symposium.

Science Specialist presenting at CKP Conference 2014

First Nation Astronomy presentation at CKP Conference 2014


First Nations Astronomy Program

A travelling planetarium delivered programs in

schools featuring teachings about the stars and the

night sky through traditional constellations and

legends, developed and taught over thousands of

years by First Nations people in Manitoba. The First

Nations Portable Planetarium was showcased to over

3,200 students and sta� from 15 schools including

800 plus delegates that attended the Lighting the

Fire conference this year.

Land-Based Curriculum Development

MFNERC worked collaboratively with a regional land-

based educators group to develop and enhance each

of their programs. Many schools o�er land-based

education programs and courses of varying designs,

content, and depth. Through collaboration, all the

schools that chose to participate in this network

have enhanced their programs. Integrated Programs

sta� participated in two major events under this ini-

tiative, the 'Ways of our People' program at Peguis

First Nation on October 22-23, 2014 and a three-day

meeting on December 8-10, 2014, with 18 land-based

educators from eight schools.

First Nation Schools Gardening Program

A large number of schools received classroom grow-

ing kits and grow lights to support horticulture in

the classroom. In addition, eight schools requested

and received seeds, fertilizer mix, and fruit trees to

support schoolyard and community gardens and fruit

orchards. Three schools received greenhouses and

assembled them on their respective schoolyards.

The Integrated Programs team devoted several days

to the development of curriculum materials to sup-

port this program. The materials developed bring

together soil science, plant science, water chemistry,

and weather studies. This year, 10 schools are in the

process of developing and/or implementing school

gardening programs.

Land-based curriculum

School gardening program


Early Childhood ProgramThe Early Childhood program works in partnership with Healthy Child Manitoba to deliver the Roots of Success

Program in Manitoba’s First Nations. The program has two components: Seeds of Empathy, for children 3 to 5

years old, and Roots of Empathy, for children in kindergarten to Grade 8. MFNERC’s Early Childhood specialists

provide training to instructors on how to deliver the programs in their communities. Then, throughout the

school year they travel to Manitoba’s First Nations hosting workshops and professional development to the

instructors, in addition to presenting at numerous education conferences. As well, most recently through

the Early Childhood Program, a Family Literacy First Nations Working Group was established. Their goal is

to develop a home-based family literacy guide and modules.

For more information on the Early Childhood Program contact:

Sheila Murdock, Early Childhood Program Manager at [email protected]

First Nations Early Childhood Project

Early childhood program manager and early child-

hood literacy specialists met on three occasions with

RRC Health and Social Sciences research department

and it was decided that the Science of Early Child

Development (SECD) course would be o�ered by RRC

to 15 First Nations participants to help them acquire

a common understanding of new and important

research related to early development. The course

was delivered online to 15 participants from Roseau

River Anishinabe First Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation

and Lake St. Martin First Nation. It was intended to

provide participants with access to new and import-

ant research related to early development and its

implications for practice as it relates to frontline

work with children in the school setting. In all, eight

participants completed the training program and

received accreditation for the course through RRC.

First Nations Early Childhood Education Conference

The First Nation Early Learning Conference: The Jour-

ney from the Mind to our Heart was held on February


19-20, 2015 in Winnipeg. A total of 218 early learning

educators attended the event including participants

from schools, and instructors from the Seeds of

Empathy programs operating in First Nations. The

conference included one keynote speaker, two lunch

hour speakers and 21 workshops. The workshop

presenters included partners from Healthy Child Man-

itoba, Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning,

Red River College, Mosaic Family Centre, Manitoba

Child Care Association and MFNERC sta�.

Roots of Empathy

The Roots of Empathy (ROE) program is an evi-

dence-based classroom program that has shown

significant reductions in aggression among school

children by nurturing social/emotional competence

and increasing empathy in kindergarten to Grade 8

students. Specialists met six times in order to review

work plan activities and ensure e�ective delivery

of the ROE program. As well, they showcased and

presented the ROE program at 11 schools to recruit

new instructors. These gatherings provided increased

opportunities to network. In all, 15 new instructors

were trained from eight First Nations schools. All

instructors were supported by early years specialists

throughout the year.

Seeds of Empathy

The Seeds of Empathy (SOE) program continued to

be o�ered to new early childhood programs/teams

to increase the number of First Nations delivering

the program, with the goal to foster social/emotional

competence and early literacy. Sta� held 17 meet-

ings throughout the year to ensure e�ectiveness of

program delivery. SOE contractors showcased the

program at the Early Learning Conference, providing

information, handouts, and contact information to

teachers and early childhood educators. A total of

55 participants from 16 First Nations were trained to

deliver the SOE program focusing on family guides

and literacy coaching.

Family Literacy

A facilitator’s guide and First Nations Family Literacy

Curriculum were dra¥ed for the home-based and cen-

tre-based models. Four pilot schools were trained on

the dra¥ curriculum while the facilitator’s guide was

being revised. Three of the pilot communities (Kee-

seekoweenin First Nation, Sapatoweyak Cree Nation,

and Mathias Colomb First Nation) participated in four

partnership meetings and training sessions.

Overall, family literacy programming was imple-

mented in four First Nations, thereby increasing

options for literacy programming. Capacity was

increased in pilot communities to deliver home-based

family literacy programming as a result of the training

and mentoring, as well as the implementation of the

First Nations Family Literacy Curriculum.

Seeds of Empathy Program


Publishing and CommunicationsPublishing and Communications is the production hub of MFNERC. The department uses numerous oppor-

tunities, through a number of delivery methods, to promote the work of the organization. Additionally,

the publishing program has a strong focus on creating e�ective educational resources for schools and has

undertaken the production of several books, from anthologies to children’s picture books, to assist teachers

in providing engaging tools for students.

For more information on Publishing and Communications contact:

David Robertson, Publishing Operations Manager at [email protected]

Book Publishing

Publishing and Communications has partnered with

other departments, as well as internally sourced its

own projects, and produced a number of publications

that were age appropriate and culturally relevant.

These publications range from children’s books to

short story collections to anthologies. Major titles

include Grassroots Anthology Vol. 2; Treaty Tales: The

Handshake and the Pipe; Ojibwe Teachings: Words,

Phrases and Puzzles; and Fort Alexander Stories and

Legends.

With the goal of publishing six to eight titles each

year, a number of exciting projects are planned for

the upcoming fiscal or are already in development.

Most notably, the Treaty Tales series will have its final

two books published, titled respectively The Friend-

ship and We Are All Treaty People. Every published

title was distributed to the First Nations schools free

of charge. In addition, McNally Robinson Booksellers

in Winnipeg began to carry four of the titles.

Conferences

Lighting the Fire

The Annual Lighting the Fire Conference was held at

the Victoria Inn, Winnipeg, on May 7-9, 2014. Over 600

delegates, presenters and sta� gathered for the three-

day conference. Delegates included primarily school

sta�, teachers, principals and education directors

from Manitoba First Nations; however, participants

came from other regions as well (Ontario, Frontier


School Division). The theme of this conference was

“Sounding the Drum: Reclaiming our Rightful Place

in Indigenous Education.”

There were two keynote speakers (Verna J. Kirkness

and Robb Nash) the first two mornings and 15 work-

shops concurrent over seven session periods. The

annual Student Essay Contest brought in four youth

from four di�erent First Nations schools. The winning

students presented their essays at both opening cer-

emonies and the Lighting the Fire banquet. At this

year’s LTF Tradeshow, 50 tables were sold to local and

national businesses, arts and cra¥s, and universities

from other regions.

Circle of Knowledge and Practices

The 16th Annual First Nations Circle of Knowledge &

Practices Conference was held at the Victoria Inn,

Winnipeg, on October 9 -10, 2014. This year 495

delegates, presenters and First Nations leadership

gathered for the two-day conference. This year’s

theme was “Traditional Knowledge and Languages:

Moving Forward Through Our Past.”

T h i r t y p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t w o r k-

shops over two days were provided to delegates.

Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, First Nations aca-

demic, editor, and author gave the keynote address

at the opening plenary. This year’s FNCKP Conference

also included a tradeshow, which had a booking of

over 40 tables, including MFNERC departments that

displayed their resources.

Multimedia

MFNERC continued to raise its profile in the realm of

social media by partaking in a marketing plan that

was developed with Relish New Brand Experience. As

a result of this plan, Facebook and Twitter followers

rose to over 2,000 while unique hits on the MFNERC

website were almost 40,000 and page views topped

out at close to 300,000.

MFNERC established a podcast channel, entitled

Thunder Radio. The first episode was recorded this

fiscal, and featured an interview with APTN journalist

Michael Hutchinson. The podcast is available online

and via iTunes.

Finally, MFNERC’s video production saw the estab-

lishment of a new production centre which enabled

the Publishing and Communications Unit to produce

high-quality videos in-house. A number of videos

were also produced and recorded at community

events and gatherings. These videos include, but

are not limited to: Ginew School Gathering of Friends

2014, Lighting the Fire Conference Recap 2014, Ebb and

Flow Culture Days 2014, Publishing and Communica-

tions Unit Promotional Video, and First Nations Early

Learning Conference Video.

Robb Nash performing at LTF 2014


Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate While many remote schools do an excellent job of providing and teaching a core set of classes, WVC o�ers

even more opportunities to help students succeed in achieving their future goals. The schools participate in

the direction of course development and programming. Identified course needs are considered in the school

year planning and assignment of workload amongst WVC sta�.

For more information on Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate contact:

Allison McDonald, Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate Principal at [email protected]

Courses

WVC o�ered over 30 di�erent Grade 9 - 12 courses,

with more courses being developed for student intake

in September 2015. WVC sta� members worked as a

collective team to build quality, interactive master

courses that met provincial standards and in 2014

WVC received accreditation as a Manitoba high school

from Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning.

Partnerships

The school code allowed the WVC the ability to grant

credits for its online courses to those students who

are not registered at any First Nation school. First

Nations home schooled students can now enroll

and be granted credits through the WVC, with

certain conditions as outlined in our Memorandum

of Understanding with Manitoba Education. Meetings

regarding the collection of data and sharing with

the Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning

reporting took place throughout the year at regular

intervals.

The WVC partnered with over 20 schools and many

schools remained aware of the course o�erings with

WVC and have come to rely on the WVC to provide

engaging online courses to the students. The WVC

was engaged in a pilot program with a limited num-

bers of students from the Pine Creek School Division

and the Winnipeg School Division in Q2-Q4. The

results from the pilot semesters may define the next

steps for the expansion of the WVC to other school

divisions.


Wapaskwa Students

Wapaskwa sta at LTF Conference 2014

Student Empowerment

WVC’s pedagogical model for online learning included

numerous opportunities for students to become

empowered to make wise e-learning decisions.

Prior to starting Elluminate Live classes, the WVC

principal ensured that an e-learning readiness online

self-assessment was available to all new e-learning

students. The On-Boarding module included Help

Videos and served as demos for how to navigate

within the Learning Management System and the

Elluminate Live Classroom.

The Learning Management System itself provided

students with the technology tools necessary to

manage their academic progress. Students used

the tools to manage, communicate, submit and

monitor their progress through the course(s). The

WVC Principal implemented a mechanism for online

reporting and feedback, as well as a mechanism to

have users input for future development. Feedback

indicated great satisfaction with the overall system

and program.


Data Management ProgramIn 2009, MFNERC and Manitoba First Nations implemented a First Nations data management system to address

performance measurement and data collection in our schools. The data management system, Maplewood,

is a web-based application that manages the raw and aggregate data collected by the schools, on a daily,

weekly, monthly and yearly basis. The province-wide system was intended to facilitate data-driven decision

making for improving education programs for First Nations students. The amalgamated system ensures that

First Nations Education Authorities have congruent reporting structures and procedures for all of Manitoba.

The Data Management Program addresses performance measurement, school success, and assessing students’

levels in reading, writing and math. It provides continuity for reporting, methods of documentation, technical

support, professional development, locally developed curriculum integration, and base of knowledge for

teachers migrating from one First Nation school to another.

For more information on the Data Management Program contact:

Paul Scott, Data Management Program Manager at [email protected]

Data Management Website

Quarterly status update reports were published

on the Data Management website. These reports

provided information on the status of the pro-

gram, upcoming training sessions, modifications to

Maplewood, and technical issues. Any questions or

comments from the stakeholders were updated in

the status reports and answers were disseminated to

the schools through email and updated to the Data

Management website. All policies and procedures

were published to the Data Management website

and made available for download at the schools.

In total 17 schools had equipment upgrades.

Maplewood

Fifty-two First Nations schools have Maplewood

deployed and have hired and maintained an infor-

mation worker. Additional IEP functionality was


Data Management sta support at MFNERC hosted conference

Training Session

implemented and deployed to the schools. Student

Information Service infrastructure was enhanced and

expanded to improve reliability, integrity, and acces-

sibility. Outside of regular scheduled maintenance,

the Student Information System has not experienced

unplanned service outages. Critical student data and

Maplewood configuration is based up to multiple

locations on and o�-site to ensure no data loss or

service outage in the event of a catastrophic event.

Training

Based on career plans and MFNERC technology

strategies, ICT sta� was provided relevant training

using classroom and distance learning environments.

School sta� and ICT workers were trained on Maple-

wood for sta� replacements or new functionality. In

addition to technical professional development, all

sta� had access to so¥ skills and other non-technical

training using Web-based training and presentations.

In total there are 41 information workers employed

in the schools and 32 school training events took

place during the year.

There were 909 service desk requests, from the

schools, during the year.


Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation Pilot ProjectMFNERC was created to provide education services to Manitoba First Nations-operated schools, but under

this three-year partnership initiated in 2011, Ginew School is the first school that MFNERC became admin-

istratively responsible for as a pilot project.

For the past three years, MFNERC worked with Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation (RRAFN) and ANNDC to

support development and implementation of a school success plan focusing on student achievement in the

areas of literacy, numeracy, and student retention.

The agreement outlines the overall objective to advance student achievement and help both parties strive

towards the achievement of educational goals set by the community.

For more information on the Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation Pilot Project contact:

Rab Subedar, Director of Service Delivery at [email protected]

Language and Culture

The Ojibwe Language and Culture Program is

intended to increase competency in the language

and promote cultural competency for the students

and sta�. The goal is to build positive identity and

self-confidence in students through exposure to

traditional beliefs, practices, and language. The

program is reliant on community involvement and

Elder consultation.

Elders have an important role beyond consultation.

The Elders in the School Program, for example,

provides an opportunity for Elders to share cultural

experiences, traditional knowledge, skills, and per-

spectives. This builds and enhances relationships

between the school and the community.

Language and culture classes were offered on

a regular basis with a focus on vocabulary, cul-

tural activities, and cultural appreciation. Recent


Workshop activity at Gathering of Friends

developments in technology have been utilized to

support language development. This program is a

critical piece in embracing cultural awareness and

language reinforcement at Ginew School and in the

community.

Responsive Classroom

Responsive Classroom believes that academic skills

are as important as social skills, and that students

want to, and can, learn. The “morning meeting”

coincides with the Anishinabe perspective and

the strength of circle teachings. The Responsive

Classroom fits the ideal of integrating culture and tra-

ditions, and promotes social and emotional growth

while targeting curricular outcomes. Students that

have taken part have shown more confidence, and

improved their listening skills, speaking skills, and

behaviour.

Speech and Language Therapy Program

Ginew School strives to support the individual needs

of our students to maximize their learning opportu-

nities and success. We have successfully initiated

this program for students who need extra support.

Students are referred to Student Support Services

where they are assessed by a speech and language

pathologist. From there, student-specific assess-

ments lead to a diagnosis and recommendations for

programming. These students received one-on-one

support from a specialized educational assistant with

an emphasis on articulation.

Assessment

Ginew School sta� members have recognized the

importance of developing assessment toolkits as

part of the province-wide assessment initiative.

Common assessments have been selected and

developed to be used as components of the Ginew

School Literacy Assessment Toolkit and the Ginew

School Mathematics Assessment Toolkit. The toolkits

include a description of tests included, the purpose

of each, and how the results will be used to guide

instruction. Through continuous use and analysis of

assessment data, appropriate changes in curriculum

and instruction will allow all students to achieve their

educational potential.

Head OiceSwan Lake First NationUnit 7, 4820 Portage AveWinnipeg, MB R4H 1C8 Phone: (204) 831-1224Fax: (204) 831-1301

Winnipeg Sub-Oice2-1100 Waverley StreetWinnipeg, MB R3T 3X9Phone: (204) 594-1290Toll Free: (866) 319- 4857Fax: (204) 942- 2490

Thompson Sub-OiceLower Level - 79 Selkirk AveThompson, MB R8N 0M5Phone: (204) 594-1290Toll Free: (877) 506-1568Fax: (204) 677- 0938

Waverley Sub-Oice200-1090 Waverley StreetWinnipeg, MB R3T 0P4Phone: (204) 594-1290Toll Free: (866) 319- 4857Fax: (204) 477-4314

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