The innovative Four Directions program offered by the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is getting rave reviews from the Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.
The initiative links First Nations, Metis and Inuit Coaches with Indigenous students with programs and services to help them graduate high school.
Carolyn Bennett met with students at Dryden High School on Wednesday.
Bennett says one student pulled her aside and told her “whatever you can do to get them the resources they need, they are changing our lives”.
She stresses with the added supports from people who really care, like the Graduation Councillor, everyone had a story about the individual way that they are being supported.
Bennett says it was overwhelming to hear how supportive students felt in a customized way, noting it was really impressive.
She adds every school board should have a similar program in place.
It was introduced five years ago at DHS and was the first in Ontario.
It has since been expanded across much of the board.
Director of Education Sean Monteith says it’s different and focuses on the kids in a holistic sense, stressing they look at their students with the knowledge that they aren’t coming to their schools with what the traditional nuclear family experiences in their homes.
Monteith says for many of the kids, just getting to this stage is heroic in itself, noting a lot of their experiences have been out of their control and impeded them from being successful.
He stresses these students need a lot of wrap-around support and encouragement and need adults in the building to try something different and tell them that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Monteith stresses the program has helped close graduation rates between aboriginal and non-aboriginal kids.
To hear more about the program, visit the Audio link below.
