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Fernando Oliveira, the grade 8 (G8) supplementary online courses program coordinator and teacher, produced a final report for the first year highlighting the development process of this program and its delivery. Click here to read the report (282K, PDF).

From the report ...

The project, named the G8 Supplementary Courses Program (www.g8.firstnationschools.ca), was initially piloted with the launch on April 14, 2003 of a Grade 8 Science course. This pilot involved eight First Nations communities. The pilot was funded under the Kuhkenah Network, Smart Communities project with funding support from Industry Canada.

After this initial pilot, there was general agreement among teachers and students that the pilot program was very successful. Survey results revealed that both groups were quite open and eager to incorporate e-learning into their regular classroom activities. The full survey results of this pilot course may be accessed at www.g8.firstnationschools.ca/feedback.html.

In September 2003, the G8 Program was sponsored by Keewaytinook Okimakanak (Northern Chiefs) and made available under the umbrella of Industry Canada's First Nation SchoolNet Program and the Ontario Regional Management Organization. During the 2003/04 school year, the G8 Program ran three courses within a three-term framework:

Science

October 20, 2003 to December 19, 2003

Math

January 19, 2004 to March 22, 2004

English Literacy

April 26, 2004 to June 20, 2004

Request for Art Proposals

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, in conjunction with our community partners, is seeking local artists to submit proposals for art work to be permanently displayed at the new Cultural and Training Centre facility.  The proposal should include submissions for a major piece of art work to be displayed around the main entrance and lobby of the facility as well as smaller pieces to be displayed throughout the building.

The art work should complement the beauty and practicality of the facility by promoting the concept of the multi-services it provides.  The facility offers a quality venue for education, training, entertainment and cultural events.  The auditorium is designed to be an innovative multi-use space for hosting cultural and entertainment events as well as supporting large group meetings and training seminars.  The spacious and welcoming entrance areas are overemphasized with wood.  Wood is used in all the architectural/structural elements of the building and reflects its beauty and structural charm.

All forms of art work will be considered including sculptures, paintings, carvings, etc.  Completion must be in time for the grand opening scheduled for mid-October, 2004.

Proposals must be received by the undersigned by July 15th, 2004. Proposals are to include representations or prototypes, descriptions and explanations of the concepts, timelines and a breakdown of costs.

Facilities Manager
Keewatin-Patricia District School Board
79 Casimir Ave.
Dryden, ON
P8N 2Z6

Notices are being received about various scholarships that are available for Aboriginal students attending post-secondary school in the fall. Xerox Canada has a June 30 deadline for this year's scholarship program.

Xerox Canada's Aboriginal Scholarship Program is designed to assist the advancement of Aboriginal Peoples' participation in an increasingly technologically enriched workplace and the new digital economy.

The Ontario First Nations SchoolNet web site provides links to additional resources for Aboriginal students and education staff. For example, be sure to check out ...

INAC's E-Directory of Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards for Aboriginal Students that helps eligible Aboriginal students to quickly access a national directory comprising of organizations and institutions that offer more than 500 awards, totalling more than $2.5 million!

Early this morning, as I was going through the Consultation Paper and the Workbook for Growing Strong Rural Communities, I checked out the source of this consultation process for developing Ontario's rural plan. It seemed to me that both the paper and the workbook must have been created by people who have a pretty good understanding about rural communities. Turns out that the contacts for this "rural plan" are located in Guelph at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Rural Development Policy Branch in Guelph.

While exploring the MAHO web site resources I came across the "Cams Across Ontario" web site. I was able to watch the sun rise in Toronto, checked out the Canada Day preparations on Parliament Hill, and the Science North Centre in Sudbury.