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KO Telealth and the Kuhkenah Network will be delivering workshops at the upcoming Chiefs of Ontario e-health conferences being held in Toronto on March 2 and 3 and in Thunder Bay on March 9 and 10. The workshop information follows ...

The theme for the meeting in Sioux Lookout, “Building into the Future”, was chosen to reflect the rich and cutting edge experience KiHS students and staff enjoy. This past week the KiHS staff and Steering Committees met in Sioux Lookout to discuss ideas that will make KiHS an even better program for the students and the communities in the future. Having the administration, teachers, classroom assistants as well as the Steering Committee members from the different communities work together towards finding ways to make KiHS an even more dynamic program was a rewarding experience for all.

Please go to the photo gallery at  for some great pictures of the Steering Committee and staff.  Click here

Some of the ideas that were discussed had to do with greater interactivity between the teacher of a course and the students taking the course. We all know that it is very important that students and teachers be given the greatest possible access to each other. It is amazing how many more things can be done with computer technology now than a mere 4 years ago when KiHS first began. We are all determined to incorporating more of this exciting new technology into our courses and the KiHS program. The KiHS principal, Darrin Potter and vice-principal, Freda Kenny have been researching a number of different on-line platforms that will provide all of us in the KiHS community with more interactivity. We were all introduced to a couple of these programs to see how they worked and whether KiHS could utilize them effectively. 

Having the teachers and students see one another over a web-camera while being able to talk to one another live was one option that was discussed and which everyone felt would be a great idea for staff and students. We all agreed that working together is the key to success for the students and the KiHS program and are committed to finding more ways for this to happen. The week gave all who attended a lot to think about and a number of really interesting ideas were brought up and discussed such as the following:

1. Better communication throughout the program between all members of the KiHS community.

2. A land-based/ traditional component with community participation. Perhaps a few days in the bush with guides/elders from the community.

3. Wider use of available technology in all courses.

4. Closer working relationships with the community Steering Committee.

5. Ensuring a better understanding of KiHS in the communities. The credits are the exact same as credits earned outside of the community and are transferable.

6. Expansion of the existing KiHS program with alternative community partnerships to better meet the diverse community needs.

More of these ideas will be written about in the KiHS newspaper which will be on-line March 1st, 2005 so you can “READ ALL ABOUT IT “ at that time!!

Connecting Youth In Canada is broadcasting its fifth webcast "Growing Up Métis", in a live Internet series that engages Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth about issues that matter to them.Connecting Youth In Canada consists of 30-minute live webcasts with First Nations, Métis and Inuit high school students.

Schools and educators across Canada can go online, watch and send questions by e-mail to be answered in real-time by students participating in the webcast.

The upcoming webcast with Métis high school students will be broadcast from Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 23, 2005, at 11:30 a.m. EST.  The theme of the webcast is Growing up Métis.

We know that non-Aboriginal teens want to learn about their peers; in surveys filled out before the webcast, a majority of youth told us they are "very" or "somewhat" interested in learning about Aboriginal youth. An estimated  30,000 students and teachers watched the first four webcasts in Iqaluit (Nunavut), Chehalis First Nation (BC), Whitehorse (Yukon) and Sept-Îles (Québec).

Connecting Youth In Canada challenges misconceptions non-Aboriginal youth may have about their Aboriginal peers and increases awareness about Aboriginal youth living in different parts of Canada.

To find out more information or to view the archived webcasts, visit www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/connex or send an email to connex@<a href="mailto:ainc-inac.gc.ca.prudorit@inac-ainc.gc.ca">ainc-inac.gc.ca.