Edmonton Public Schools… In the News

June 15, 2012

Students honoured with John Bright Memorial Award
The Edmonton Journal, June 13, 2012

They’ve pushed their young bodies and brains to the limits, excelling in the classroom and on the court and on Tuesday, Ana Catuneanu and Troy Neilson were honoured for their efforts with the John Bright Memorial Award. Read more.

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Students reach the grand finale
Edmonton Journal, June 13, 2012

At an escalating moment of group euphoria during the fifth annual Cappies gala Sunday night at the Citadel, two different high school ensembles were moved to express their gratitude. “We’re thankful for the arts!” cried The Velveteen Rabbit ensemble, as the crowd roared its approval.  Read more.

Watch the video here.

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CTV News – Edmonton, 14 June 14, 2012

Local students from Amiskwaciy Academy and the Aspen Program in Edmonton, premiered three PSAs dealing with tough topics.

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Awards handed out to grads
Metro Edmonton, June 12, 2012

Concordia University College considers itself a teaching university, where faculty focus on students. So it’s little wonder that Concordia’s Faculty of Education has produced two award-winning teachers in 2012 alone. Each year, the Edwin Parr Award is presented by the Alberta School Boards Association to six first-year teachers in the province. The recipients are chosen for their demonstration of outstanding initial teaching proficiency, for going beyond the duties normally expected of teachers, and especially for ensuring that students feel cared for and respected in the school setting. Concordia graduates Lisa Mol and Leah Kres were recognized with Edwin Parr Awards for 2012. Mol, interactions teacher at Parkview School and 2011 Concordia alumnus, received the Edwin Parr Award as the representative for Edmonton Public Schools. Mol was selected because of her outstanding demonstration of the Teaching Quality Standard. 

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Kiwanis Club spends “One Day” at Amiskwaciy Academy

May 4, 2012

Each year, Kiwanis clubs around the world join in a day of service, known as Kiwanis One Day. This year, the Kiwanis Club of Edmonton (Downtown) has chosen to devote its annual day of service to the permaculture project at Amiskwaciy Academy. The full day project, taking place on Saturday, May 5, is a joint venture between the Kiwanis Club, Amiskwaciy Academy, Boyle Street Community Services as well as Jasper Place and Queen Elizabeth schools.

The project team will work to transform three huge planters, located behind the school, into a thriving green space. A Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds consultant will be on hand to direct the design of the space, which will be used as an outdoor classroom and for community events.

The day will begin with a traditional blessing of the land by Elder Francis Whiskeyjack.

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Amiskwaciy Academy donates “Houses for Hounds”

April 26, 2012

Amiskwaciy Academy presented 12 dog houses, built by students, to the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS). The project is part of the school’s Community Carpentry program and was made possible through a $10,000 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant – a partnership between Lowe’s and Skills Canada.

Woodshop teacher Larry Moro had applied for and won the grant last December (read the story here).

SCARS operates as a no-kill rescue and primarily takes in animals who are slated for euthanasia at municipal pounds. The student-built dog houses will be used in homes that foster dogs and may also be auctioned off as a fundraiser for the organization.

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Amiskwaciy Academy Update

April 12, 2012

Students and staff return to classes at Amiskwaciy Academy on Wednesday, April 18.

The school was temporarily relocated on April 2 to Highlands School as a result of a water main break which flooded the basement. The flood damaged the school’s entire mechanical and electrical systems.

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Amiskwaciy Academy update

April 5, 2012

Edmonton Public Schools has completed its assessment of the impact of the flood at Amiskwaciy Academy. The damage to the transformers and boilers is considerable and the repairs will not be completed in time for the school’s initially scheduled reopening of April 10. The earliest occupancy date has been changed to Monday, April 16. This is subject to temporary repairs to the boilers and availability of new transformers.

This means that the students and staff from Amiskwaciy will continue to be accomodated at Highlands School for at least another week. The school was temporarily relocated on April 2 as a result of a water main break which flooded the basement.

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Amiskwaciy Academy temporarily relocated due to flood in basement

March 30, 2012

Amiskwaciy Academy, 101 Airport Road, will be temporarily relocated until Tuesday, April 10 due to a water main break. The break resulted in flooding in the basement which has caused the shutdown of the entire mechanical and electrical systems. The building is without power, water or natural gas at the present time. It is estimated that the amount of water in the basement compares to that of a large recreational swimming pool.

Damages are still being assessed and the necessary repairs/actions are being taken to reopen the building. Edmonton Public Schools leases the building from Edmonton Airports Authority, but is responsible for maintenance and repairs. Staff and students from Amiskwaciy will be temporarily moved to and accommodated in classrooms at Highlands School, 11509 – 62 Street starting Monday April 2. Staff, parents and students are being contacted and made aware of the alternative site.

Bus transportation with ETS has been arranged to and from the temporary accommodation site. On Monday, the bus departure will take place at Amiskwaciy at 10 a.m. Starting on Tuesday, the departure times to Highlands School from Amiskwaciy Academy will be at 9 a.m. Students will also be taken back to Amiskwaciy after school or to an ETS transfer station.

Amiskwaciy Academy has a student enrolment of 200 students. The school incorporates Aboriginal culture into both the learning and school environments for junior and senior high students. The school also houses 40 staff members from Edmonton Public Schools Inclusive Learning Department and they will also be temporarily relocated to another site.

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McKernan School starting point for the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay

March 12, 2012

McKernan School is excited to be the starting point for the Edmonton portion of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay on Wednesday, March 14.

The relay, which began last August in Newfoundland, celebrates people who have made a difference in the lives of others (Difference Makers); the progress communities have made in the area of accessibility; and the 25th Anniversary of Rick Hansen’s original Man in Motion World Tour.

McKernan’s Relay Celebration begins at 9 a.m. and includes a message from Rick Hansen and the ceremonial transfer of the Rick Hansen Medal to McKernan student, Rachel Tyzuk.

Five other district schools are also on the official relay route, including: Queen Alexandra, Victoria, Westmount, J. Percy Page and Kameyosek.  In addition, Elder Francis Whiskeyjack, along with two students from Amiskwaciy Academy, will escort the medal when it makes a stop at the Aboriginal Memorial at the Fort Edmonton Cemetery at 10 a.m. on March 14.

Unlike the Original Man in Motion tour, which saw Hansen log the full distance on his own, the 25th Anniversary Relay is being completed with the help of 7,000 Canadians from coast to coast. The relay will have travelled 12,000 kilometres through 600 communities when it finally concludes in Vancouver on May 22.

For more information on the 25th Anniversary Relay, visit www.rickhansenrelay.com/en/.

The 1st group of Medal-Bearers join Rick Hansen at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, to kick off the 25th Anniversary Relay

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Amiskwaciy Academy hosts video conference based on Aboriginal wisdom traditions

February 24, 2012

Students from Jasper Place School, Queen Elizabeth School and Amiskwaciy Academy will gather on Tuesday, February 28, to learn how the wisdom of Aboriginal traditions can help build a sustainable world.

Elder Francis Whiskeyjack will guide students through a traditional drum circle followed by a brief presentation on Cree culture with teachings from the medicine wheel.

Afterwards, the three schools will join students and educators from across North America via video conference to discuss Aboriginal wisdom traditions and the current state of our world. They will be joined by experts such as Dr. Jane Goodall, Chief Gordon Planes of the T’Sou-ke First Nations and members of the David Suzuki Foundation.

The conference will include a solar lantern workshop by creator Steve O’Gorman, and an indigenous gardening presentation on permaculture, where students will create their own vermiculture (indoor worm-based composting systems) to take back to schools. The completed solar lanterns will be donated to the Attawapiskat First Nations in Ontario, as well as to Haiti and to parts of Africa where Dr. Jane Goodall operates.

The conference will celebrate a new kind of learning where students from diverse learning communities partner to share ideas of environmental sustainability through hands-on projects infused with Aboriginal customs.

The event will be followed in the future with a renewable energy tour of Edmonton and the building of a native plants species garden at Amiskwaciy Academy in the spring. 

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Amiskwaciy Academy students make a special delivery

December 28, 2011

Amiskwaciy Academy’s Community Connection Centre student leadership team, in partnership with the Foods Class, delivered bannock to supportive community partners this month.

Pictured above are students Trae Boudreau and Mariah Brown with Janet Millar, Communications Director at Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. Millar Western donated a substantial amount of lumber to Amiskwaciy's CTS woodshop class this fall.

This photo was taken at Métis Child and Family Services to thank them for their continuous investment in Amiskwaciy's youth and programming.

Students Raven Kootenay and Kassandra Gower visit Assistant Superintendent Bruce Coggles at the Centre for Education.

"Sharing bread, or pahkwesikan, is our way of giving, sharing of our abundance, and acknowledging our friendship." ~ Elder Frances Whiskeyjack

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Amiskwaciy Academy celebrates winter solstice with feast

December 20, 2011

Amiskwaciy Academy staff, students and families will celebrate the winter solstice with a communal feast on Wednesday, December 21 at 1 p.m.

Guest speakers include Dr. Dwayne Donald from the University of Alberta, who will discuss the significance of the winter solstice, and Dr. Louise Hayes, the Organizational Liaison for Aboriginal Relations with the Government of Alberta, who will touch on the topic of community engagement.

Elder Francis Whiskeyjack will lead everyone in the blessing of the food while students from the Community Connection Centre Student Leadership Team will serve the meal which has been prepared by community members, Gwen Milbreth and Velma Anderson.

The winter solstice is a great way to bring all the members of the Amiskwaciy Academy community together to share in traditional teachings.

There are spirit feasts with the four seasons, the spring, summer, fall and winter.  The winter feast is often celebrated as a memorial feast and is a way to maintain a relationship with our families and loved ones who have gone to the spirit world.   ~ Anishnawbe Health Toronto

 

 

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