KPDSB students in Red Lake and Sioux Lookout appointed to 2018-2019 Minister’s Student Advisory Council
Media Release - March 21, 2018
The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board wishes to congratulate Red Lake District High School’s Drea Sinclair and Queen Elizabeth District High School’s (Sioux Lookout) Tristan Bouchard on their appointments to the 2018-2019 Ontario Minister’s Student Advisory Council. Both students were selected from more than 400 applicants from across Ontario.
The Minister’s Student Advisory Council provides students with an opportunity share their ideas and advice directly with the Minister of Education on how to make Ontario’s schools greater places for all students to learn, grow and succeed. Students on the Council are also encouraged to speak up and take action on topics to strengthen student engagement across the province. Appointments to the Council are for a one year term, commencing in May 2018.
Bouchard, currently in Grade 9 at Queen Elizabeth District High School, had the following to say about his appointment, “I am both nervous and excited at the same time. I’m not going to represent myself, I am going to represent my high school, and the youth in my region. I applied for this opportunity because I feel like the youth in our area are not heard at the provincial level, and I want to do something to remind the government that we are still here.”
Sinclair, currently in Grade 10 at Red Lake District High School, detailed why she wanted to be on the Council, “I applied for this position because I believe my voice is important and I wanted to advocate for student mental health on and off reserve. I am very excited for this opportunity.”
Sean Monteith, Director of Education, said, “The maturity of these two young people, reflective in their comments and influenced by their personal experiences, makes them not only appropriate voices for all Northern Youth, but tremendous ambassadors for the entire Keewatin-Patricia District School Board. The fact that the KPDSB has two students appointed to the Minister’s Student Advisory Council, should not be confused as a coincidence, but rather a reflection of the regard Keewatin-Patricia receives on-going by the Province of Ontario. We are all very pleased of both Drea and Tristan, two remarkable northern young people.”
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Before- and After-School Program Survey for Families for 2018-2019 School Year
As we prepare for the 2018-2019 school year, we wanted to reach out to our families to find out your needs for before- and after-school programs next school year.
In order to gather this information, we have created a short survey for you. We are offering the survey both as a paper copy (will be sent home with your child this week) and an electronic option, please fill out whichever survey you are most comfortable using. Please visit this link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/beforeafterschool2018 for the electronic survey.
The survey is open to families who have children in Kindergarten to Grade 5 in the 2017-2018 school year, as well as families with children who will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. Any information you can provide is helpful, even if you do not plan to enroll your child in before- or after-school programs.
Thanks for taking the time to fill out the survey! The electronic version will be available until the end of the day on April 30, 2018.
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EQAO Executive Team completes visit to KPDSB Schools
Media Release - April 9, 2018
We were pleased to welcome members of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) to our schools last week.
Dr. Steven Reid, Chief Assessment Officer for EQAO, and members of the EQAO Executive Team visited KPDSB schools in Kenora, Dryden, Ignace, Red Lake, Ear Falls, and Sioux Lookout. They were also welcomed to Lac Seul First Nation to tour schools and meet with leadership in the community.
Staff and students from all areas of the Board were given the opportunity to meet with the EQAO Executive Team to share their experiences in education in Northwestern Ontario and specifically, with the provincial standardized tests. All students in Ontario are required to write the provincial assessments in Grade 3 and 6 (Reading, Writing and Math), Grade 9 (Math) and Grade 10 (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, a requirement for students to attain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma).
Reid had the following to say about his team’s visit, “In light of our commitment to modernizing EQAO assessments, our team was eager to learn more about realities and experiences in Northern Ontario. Director of Education, Sean Monteith, and his team were gracious hosts, taking us all across the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board to connect with students, staff and community members. We were honoured that so many people took the time to share their understandings, as well as their thoughts and hopes for the future.
“It is important to offer all students across Ontario equitable opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and EQAO gained valuable insights in speaking with KPDSB students, staff and community members. EQAO’s commitment to the future will reflect learnings from our visit, and we will continue to listen to perspectives from across the province as we develop assessments that are more student-focused, easily accessible and engaging. Our team has left with a great gift of knowledge. Miigwech KPDSB!”
Sean Monteith, Director of Education for the KPDSB added “For two full days, members of the EQAO Executive Team traveled throughout the entire district and met with staff, administration, parents, and most importantly our students, to look at how the realities and experiences unique to Northwestern Ontario might be reflected in the types of questions they are assessed on. Our kids are just as gifted and capable as any in all of Ontario. They should be able to share their experiences with the value they deserve; the fact EQAO and their leadership recognized this and came to see firsthand validates this. We are grateful for their time with us in the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.”
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KPSDB Continues to See Enrolment Increases
Media Release - November 15, 2017
The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is pleased to report increased student enrolment for the 2017-2018 school year. The KPDSB for the first time in its history, will no longer be eligible for the “Declining Enrolment Grant” in 2017-2018.
The Board credits several factors for the increase in enrolment including its expansion of innovative student-based programs that increase student engagement and the efforts of front-line school staff to put the needs of students first. Additional acknowledgement must be given to ongoing and exhaustive efforts of administration to work closely with and sign formal agreements with Indigenous partners such as Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO), Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI), and Lac Seul First Nation (LSFN).
Budgeted enrolment for the 2017-2018 school year was 4,842 students. Current enrolment for the KPDSB is 4,868, 26 students above the projected or budgeted enrolment.
Notable enrolment increases include:
- All Kenora elementary schools: Valleyview, Evergreen, Keewatin, and King George VI Public Schools are above projected and actual 2016-17 enrolments;
- Beaver Brae Grades 7/8 increased enrolment by 17 students;
- Golden Learning Centre in Balmertown is 17 students over budget;
- Sioux Narrows Public School enrolment at historic high; enrolment of 31 students;
- Lillian Berg Public School in Vermilion Bay, increase of 22 students over 2016-17;
- Queen Elizabeth DHS in Sioux Lookout is an additional 20 students higher than historic 2016-17 numbers with a total of 508; up from 396 students in 2013-14;
- Enrolment in Senior Kindergarten was 12 higher than projected at 296 students.
Sean Monteith, Director of Education, said “There are always compelling indicators that clearly and indisputably demonstrate the direction an organization is headed in. The enrolment growth in many of our schools and the enrolment picture across the Board is strong. The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board continues to strengthen and with that so does our responsibility to Northern Ontario children.”
The KPDSB is currently seeking applicants for employment in all positions and will hold Recruitment Fairs in communities across the board area following a successful event in Sioux Lookout on November 8. Upcoming events include:
- Dryden/Ignace/Vermilion Bay areas – December 11, 2017 at Dryden High School from 3:00pm to 8:00pm
- Red Lake/Ear Falls areas – January 10, 2018 at Red Lake District High School from 3:00pm to 8:00pm
- Kenora/Sioux Narrows areas – January 30, 2018 at Manidoo Baawaatig from 3:00pm to 8:00pm
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