Justis Sewap, who wants to work in the uranium mining industry once he graduates, gets help from teacher Dana Doran. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski
Most teachers end their day around 3 p.m., but this school year a pilot program in Prince Albert will see staff sticking around a few hours later in the day.
Won Ska Cultural School is already different from the traditional school environment for Grade 8 to Grade 12 students. Its teachers don’t stand at the front of the classroom to teach 20 or more students, nor do they have specific times for specific classes.
“(Students) do their research, their reading, whatever they need to do. If they need help we go and do mini lessons with individual kids. Lots of the kids will do one subject at a time until they’re done,” said Dana Doran, who’s been a teacher with Won Ska since its inception.
The school is designed for students who have a lot of demands that keep them from succeeding in a normal classroom.
Won Ska offers P.A. Outreach’s services for students within its building, whether its for addictions, shelter, food, mental health, or other issues. The school has good relationship with social services and probations that occasionally visit as well.
Having counselors and extra help is something Grade 11 student Morgan Smallboy appreciates.
“They really help, especially when you get into trouble, a little bit of trouble, they go and help you and get you out or something. Pretty good counselors and teachers, I like them,” he said.
Smallboy has gone from starting Grade 8 at Won Ska with no other options for school, to entering Grade 11 with hopes of becoming a lawyer.
Morgan Smallboy at a desk in Won Ska Cultural School. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski
Doran sees a lot of attitude changes as students get further along in school.
“Often when they come in here they don’t really believe that they’re ever going to finish anything because it’s been a pattern in their life that they kinda don’t finish stuff. So that’s a huge thing, that suddenly they figure out ‘I’m valuable, I’m smart, I can do this,” she said.
The goal for Won Ska has always been to educate students as much as possible when they are able to make it into school. This year the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division pitched the idea to have teachers at school until 5 p.m, and it will help students who need that flexibility, Doran said.
“Students will have the opportunity to maybe just come afternoons if they just have a job, or if they have childcare issues or if they just can’t get up in the morning and all of a sudden say ‘I’m too late so I’m not going,'” she said.
One of the key components to the rising graduation rates at Won Ska, Doran said, is the success its staff has in making students feel valued.
“We treat them like family so it’s just like any family, when the kid is finished school that doesn’t mean we’re done with that kid,” Doran said.
“We’re like a whole bunch of mothers kicking around and we give them lots of heck if they need it but they’re still, we never give up on them.”
Smallboy echoed that idea, that teachers “don’t just let you sit and do no work. They actually go and help you and make sure you’re on track.”
The school also keeps in touch with First Nations culture through drumming, visits from Elder, and other activities throughout the year.
Won Ska students all meet the same requirements to pass each grade as the student’s at Won Ska’s affiliated school, Carlton Comprehensive. Both school’s students graduate together.