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May 16
Frontier School Committee Member Receives Order of Manitoba
  on 5/16/2013 9:21 AM

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School Committee Member Eleanor Woitowicz
 

Frontier School Committee Member
Former Teacher Receives Order of Manitoba

Frontier School Division congratulates Eleanor Woitowicz for being one of 12 recipients of the Order of Manitoba.  Eleanor Woitowicz is a retired teacher from Mel Johnson School in Wabowden.  She is currently a member of the Mel Johnson School Committee.  
 
Eleanor was the driving force behind the Mel Johnson School Gardening Project, which was designed to promote healthy eating and sustainability.  This program  is now emulated in other Manitoba communities and recognized internationally.  She will receive the Order at a ceremony on July 15 at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg.  Please see http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Order-of-Manitoba-r-206933111.html.
 
Congratulations Eleanor!
 
 
Mr. Don McCaskill
Area 1 Superintendent
Frontier School Division

​

April 26
Gillam School Student Wins $10,000 in Competition
  on 4/26/2013 9:26 AM

Gillam School Student Wins $10,000

in Prairie Milk Marketing Project U Competition

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Corrine is seen here in Nicaragua helping build a
school with Free the Children over the past summer.
One of her many accomplishments over the past year.

Congratulations to Gillam School student,Corinne Gusnoski, who was recently selected from among 134 entrants as the winner of the Prairie Milk Marketing Partnership’s (PMMP) Project U competition.

Corinne won the PMMP award for her response to the question “how would you change the world with $5,000?” The award is $10,000, half of which goes to Corinne, and half of which supports her cause, which is supporting the village of Manac in Haiti.

Read more in this Thompson Citizen story.

April 18
Registration Happening Now! FSD Music Jamboree
  on 4/18/2013 4:46 PM
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 Acclaimed fiddler and fiddle instructor Gord Stobbe leads a master class

Registration Happening Now!

Frontier School Division Music Jamboree May 2-5, 2013

Register now to participate in Frontier School Division's 9th annual Music Jamboree! Instructors include some of Canada’s most celebrated fiddlers: Calvin Vollrath; Gordon Stobbe; Mairi Rankin; and Mark Sullivan!

All students taking fiddling or guitar instruction in their schools and meeting at least the minimum performance requirements are eligible to take advantage of master classes in fiddling and guitar, as well as percussion and dance instruction in a beautiful setting along the western shores of Lake Winnipegosis. Parents and chaperones are welcome to participate in classes.

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The Music Jamboree is hosted by three schools: Duck Bay, Minegoziibe Anishinabe and Philomene Chartrand.

Minimum requirements are as follows:

  1. Fiddling students must know five songs from the Level 1 Category or songs of comparable complexity and skill level. Level 1 songs include: Can Can; Short Bow Jig; Liza Jane; Buffalo Gals; Drunken Sailor; Perogy & Cabbage Roll Jig; Rubber Dolly; and Boil Them Cabbage.
  2. Guitar students should at least know the following: keys of G, D, A, E, A minor, D minor, E minor and B minor; and the songs Blackberry Blossom and Red Haired Boy.

Registration costs for participants are:

  • Frontier School Division students - $45
  • Non-Frontier School Division students - $105 (includes $45 for meals and $60 for instruction costs)
  • Chaperones - $45

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For more information, see theJamboreeBooklet2013.pdfJamboree Registration Booklet 2013.pdf.

Don't delay; register your students for this amazing opportunity today!

​

April 18
Black River First Nation to be joining Frontier School Division Sept 1, 2013
  on 4/18/2013 3:46 PM
April 18
Renewal of partnership with Berens River First Nation
  on 4/18/2013 3:43 PM
The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that the Division will continue providing educational services to Berens River First Nation.  We look forward to renewing and strengthening our partnership with the people of Berens River.

Renewal of partnership with Berens River First Nation.pdfRenewal of partnership with Berens River First Nation.pdf

April 08
Gillam Students Inspired and Inspiring!
  on 4/8/2013 11:10 AM

Gillam Students Inspired and Inspiring!

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Students at Gillam School learn about fitness, healthy food choices
and fundraising with the nationwide program Jump Rope for Heart
 
Established in 1981, Jump Rope for Heart is a nationwide program which focusses on fitness, healthy food choices and fundraising. This year approximately 4,000 schools and 600,000 students participated and Gillam was one such school. In making the decision to participate our goals were as follows:
 
  • We wanted another avenue to teach our students about the importance of physical activity.
  • We wanted to focus attention on healthy eating.
  • And finally, we wanted to provide our students with an opportunity to think about social responsibility and making a contribution to the wellbeing of others.
 
Mr. Thompson, our kindergarten through grade eight physical education teacher was our Jump Rope for Heart Coordinator. He struck a committee to help organize the kick off and final assemblies, talk up the incentives, advertise our progress and run the Sunday skipping practices. Our kick-off date was Feb. 1st. Students from junior kindergarten through grade eight attended. At this assembly the committee introduced the program, the incentives, our goals and handed out participation forms, which had to be signed by the parent/guardian before a pledge package was given to the student. The committee also set about establishing a goal; this year it was $10,000. To encourage our students a number of school based incentives were also dreamed up:
  1. All students who returned completed pledge packages had their name entered into a draw for a Gillam School sweatshirt.
  2. The two students who raised the most money (Olivia Stewart, grade 2, $695, Bodan Semenchuk, grade 3, $535) pied their teacher.
  3. The class that raised the most money pied Mr. Thompson.
  4. 1000 dollars: students put graffiti on the walls of our gymnasium.
  5. 2000 dollars: Mr. Thompson was taped to the gym wall and had his toes painted.
  6. 3000 dollars: school wide pajama day.
  7. 4000 dollars: movie afternoon in the gym.
  8. 5000 dollars: Mr. Falade (our school principal) had his face pied.
  9. 10,000 dollars: Dr. Jack-Malik (our vice-principal) shaved her head and Mr. Thompson shaved his legs.
 
Boy.jpg  Girl.jpg​
 
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67 students and 2 teachers participated in Jump Rope for Heart, raising $6500
 
67 students and 2 teachers participated and 6500 dollars were raised. The day before the assembly students wrote persuasive letters to Dr. Jack-Malik encouraging her to shave her head in spite of the fact that 10,000 had not been raised. Reasons included the following:
  • She would not have to worry about getting lice.
  • She would not have bedhead for a few months.
  • She would never have a bad hair day.
  • The students had worked very hard and really wanted to see her bald.
  • While looking beautiful she would be setting a fine example.
  
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Mr. Thompson is taped to the
gym wall and pied
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Mr. Thompson braves having
his legs waxed rather than shaved
 
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Vice-Principal Dr.Jack-Malik agrees to have her head shaved bald at the assembly
 
On Friday morning before the start of Spring Break the final assembly took place. It was an hour of fun, laughter, skipping demonstrations and a reminder that hard work does indeed pay off. A special thanks to Mr. Thompson and his very hard working committee and to Amanda Johnstone, our volunteer barber. Finally, congratulations to the students and staff who participated; it was a job very well done indeed!
 
Sandra Jack-Malik PhD
Vice-Principal Gillam School
 
April 02
Frontier Idol and Frontier Rocks 2013
  on 4/2/2013 3:06 PM

Frontier Idol and Frontier Rocks 2013

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Students from Wanipigow School win Frontier Idol and Frontier Rocks Competitions in 2013!
 
Last fall talented singers and bands from across Frontier School Division auditioned in the hopes of being chosen to represent their schools at the second annual Frontier Idol and Frontier Rocks competitions held on February 13th, 2013. Auditions were open to all FSD students in grades 7 to 12. The auditioning bands, however, had to have a minimum of four members and include at least one singer, one fiddler, one guitarist and a drummer. A small panel of adjudicators selected finalists from across the Division for each of the two competitions.
 

On the evening of February 13th, the finalists were judged according to their choice of song, skill level, stage presence, and overall performance. Cash prizes were awarded for first, second and third place winners in each competition. One of the most challenging aspects of the finals was performing for an audience of 200 people as part of a dinner theatre show during the School Committee Conference Banquet!

This year, nine singers were invited to compete in the Frontier Idol competition, representing six schools in the Division including, Frontier Collegiate Institute (Cranberry Portage), Gillam School, Grand Rapids School, Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre (Norway House), Lakefront School (Crane River), and Wanipigow School.

Winners of Frontier Idol 2013 

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1st Place
Song: Gangnam Style
Wanipigow School		 Idol2nd.jpg
2nd Place
Song: I Dreamed a Dream
Gillam School
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3rd Place
Song: Valerie
Frontier Collegiate Institute

 

The Frontier Rocks Competition featured the talents of four bands from Grand Rapids School, Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre, Rorketon School, and Wanipigow School.

Winners of Frontier Rocks 2013

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1st Place
Song: Riley's Reel
Wanipigow Junior Fiddle Band
(Wanipigow School)

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2nd Place
Song: Have You Ever Seen the Rain
HBO Area 5.2 Band
(Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre)

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3rd Place
Song: Chicken Fried
Chicken & Fries Band
(Rorketon School)

Frontier School Division congratulates the finalists and winners and wishes to thank the audition participants, adjudicators and the volunteers whose efforts and dedication make the Frontier Idol and Frontier Rocks competitions happen.

 
April 01
Don't Miss the Strawberry Train!
  on 4/1/2013 2:05 PM

Don't Miss the Strawberry Train this Year!

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Last year the "Sweet Taste of Success" delivered over 10,000 stawberry plants to students in schools throughout Frontier School Division. If you, as a teacher or principal, want to include your school and students in this northern sustainability project, it's easy! Just click on thelink below to register your school and we'll send you all the details you need.

 
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Click NOW to register before the train leaves the station!

http://www.borealgardening.com/forms​

March 19
Thomas Gallant - One of Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2013
  on 3/19/2013 10:19 AM

FSD Principal Thomas Gallant

honoured as one of Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2013

 
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(L to R) Graeme Montgomery (Trustee), Wayne Marche (Area 1 Principal), Thomas Gallant
(West Lynn Heights Principal), Jim Robson (Adult Education teacher, South Indian lake and nominator)
 
The Learning Partnership honoured fifty-one exceptional educators from every province for Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2013 at a gala dinner Westin Harbour Castle hotel in Toronto on February 26, 2013. Thomas Gallant, from West Lynn Heights School in Lynn Lake was one of the proud recipients of this prestigious award. Trustee Graeme Montgomery, Area 1 Principal, Wayne Marche, and Nominator Jim Robson were pleased to attend this event and celebrate with Thomas.
 
In the Canada’s Outstanding Principals program, principals are nominated by their peers, school staff and community members in every province and territory. Nominations are reviewed and final winners selected on a representation-by-population basis by a National Selection Committee made up of a distinguished group of Canadian education, community and private sector leaders. Candidates are chosen using the following criteria: characteristics of outstanding principals; evidence of partnerships with parents and community; a personal story illustrating successful change and innovation that resulted in improved student achievement; and letters of support.
 
Frontier School Division congratulates Thomas on receiving this award.
 
Don McCaskill
Area 1 Superintendent

​

March 18
Gillam School and the 4 + 1 High School Timetable
  on 3/18/2013 1:04 PM
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Gillam School

and the 4 + 1 High School Timetable

​The Gillam School high school team began meeting in January of 2012. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the following concerns: 

  • high school attendance
  • course completion rates
  • and high school graduation rates, particularly with our Aboriginal students.
We wanted improvement in all three areas.  What was evident from the early going was the unwavering commitment demonstrated by teachers to reflecting on current practices while imagining up possible changes. We met three times a week after school for 60 minutes. When Don McCaskill, then our Assistant Superintendent of Senior Years and Career Programs suggested we look at the 4 plus 1, we were intrigued. We chewed on it for a few weeks; we sought input from students, parents, colleagues and the Gillam School Advisory Council. In the end we made the leap. We are now in our third semester and these are some of experiences:
  1. In the 20 day semester students completed or got back on track in credit recovery. This has dramatically changed the experience of students who struggle academically and or with attendance.
  2. Some students worked quickly in credit recovery because they wanted to get to what they considered the "fun courses, aka electives".
  3. For the electives, teachers, worked from their strengths and passions and the students benefited.
  4. Attendance is up. 
  5. Behaviour referrals are down by 45 %.
  6. More credits are being earned.
  7. Students liked the option of going out to Cranberry Portage and to Manitoba Hydro.
  8. There is a buzz in the building
And while it is not a perfect match and there are areas we continue to tweak, the credit completion rates are stunning. We stand poised to have all grade nine students complete the year with credit in each of the core subjects. Additionally, we have a number of students who were not attaining credits for a variety of complex reasons. The credit recovery option has provided them with a short term, 20 day, manageable timeframe to complete outstanding work and earn credit. This is significant.
 
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Credit Recovery 
Course​ ​# Enrolled # Completed​
​SS 10F
8
 ​8
​Applied Math 10F ​3 ​3
​Transitional Math 10F ​2 ​2
​ELA 10F ​5 ​3
​Science 10F ​7 ​7
​Applied Math 20F ​4 ​3
​SS 20F ​1 ​1
​ELA 20F ​3 ​1
​Science 20F ​4 ​4
​SS 30F ​1 ​0
​Physics 30 ​3 ​3
​Applied Math 30 ​1 ​0
​Essentials Math 40 ​1 ​0
​TOTALS ​43 ​26
(As of Jan 25)
Blue font is used to represent our grade nine students who are enrolled in their core subjects: English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Mathematics. They will continue with the core subjects in semester 3.   

The chart below represents the course enrollment for the remainder of our high school students.

​Course ​# Enrolled ​# Passed
​Advertising Layout 30S ​11 ​10
​History of Modern Music ​9 ​7
​Foods & Nutrition (Howell) ​18 ​17
​Physical Education ​10 ​9
​Industrial Arts ​12 ​10
​Hairdressing (Cranberry Portage) ​6 ​6
​Power Mechanics (Cranberry Portage) ​2 ​2
​Manitoba Hydro Work Experience (at Radisson) ​11 ​11
Work Experience (various locations) ​2 ​In Progress
 
Sandra Jack-Malik PhD,
Vice Principal, Gillam School
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