Released on September 7, 2016
Education Minister Don Morgan joined students and staff in North Battleford today to recognize the importance of the Gateway to Success/Graduation Coach program in the Living Sky School Division.
“We commend Living Sky School Division for its commitment to the success of its students through the development of Gateway to Success,” Morgan said. “We recognize that there is a disparity between graduation rates of First Nations and Métis students and non-aboriginal students in Saskatchewan, and this program is working to change that.”
Following the recommendations of a 2013 Joint Task Force, Living Sky School Division developed a partnership with the Treaty 6 Education Council through the Invitational Shared Services Initiative (ISSI), to respond to concerns raised about the graduation and attendance rates of First Nations and Métis students. The partnership members wanted to develop strategies to address those concerns with a focus on student supports to keep kids in school.
“The Gateway to Success team has sincerely tried to personalize their programming to make a real connection with each student,” Living Sky School Division superintendent Jim Shevchuk said. “Since the program’s inception, we are seeing increases in our First Nations and Métis graduation rates, as well as a sizeable increase in credit attainment. The investment of these dollars is making a significant impact in the lives of these students.”
Since the inception of the ISSI program in 2014, the Ministry of Education has allocated $6.4 million in funding for 11 school divisions to support 16 Invitational Shared Services Initiative partnerships, including $2.4 million in funding for the 2016-17 budget year.
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For more information, contact:
Chris Hodges
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: chris.hodges@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-7506