Cowichan school district investing more attention to aboriginal education
Cowichan’s school district and the Hwulmuhw Mustimuhw Education Council have agreed to spend an almost $400,000 Aboriginal education surplus on everything from teachers to technology.
Big-ticket items are an extra 1.5 Aboriginal education teacher positions ($135,000), Hul’qumi’num curriculum and resource development ($100,000), and student education planning ($45,403), which includes research and pilot projects focused on increasing family engagement in student education.
Other costs include professional development ($20,000) to develop teaching strategies for language and culture teachers, and technology $17,150), which will be used by Aboriginal education staff in resource development and student support.
Meanwhile, Cowichan school trustees have decided to take a closer look at Aboriginal education in the valley.
They recently directed superintendent of schools Joe Rhodes to look into a Cowichan-built Aboriginal education report that provides more than the report required by the Ministry of Education.
This second, more in-depth report will contain ministry-required details, such as the results of Foundation Skills Assessments, but will also more of a narrative on the status of Aboriginal education in the valley.
It will also seek to provide more up-to-date data, as current reports are based on information that is roughly two years old.
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