New partnership boosts adult education opportunities

News — 14 February 2012

Representatives from KPDSB and Seven Generations sign an agreement to offer a streamlined method of education to students in the region. From left: Dave Wilkinson, KPDSB Trustee; Jack McMaster, KPDSB?Director of Education, Naomi Field, Board Member for Seven Generations; and Delbert Horton, CEO of Seven Generations. Photo by Ally Dunham

By Ally Dunham

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) and the Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) signed an agreement on Feb. 7, to share the delivery of adult education services in Northwestern Ontario.

The agreement supports the shared delivery of adult education services and facilities in many communities including Dryden, Kenora, Red Lake, and Sioux Lookout.

“This creates opportunity for access to more course work to students that we provide instruction to right now. It expands not only our access to curriculum, but also to services and specialized instruction,” said Delbert Horton, Chief Executive Officer for SGEI. “We are also working on the development of a learning platform. We’ve been trying to access e-learning materials for several years now, and now this creates opportunity for that.”

The KPDSB and SGEI will meet to develop a plan for the management of resources and the new agreement will be put in place for the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

“Seven Generations Education Institute is very respected worldwide for the work they do to support First Nation learners, and it is with great pleasure that the KPDSB is able to partner in the delivery of Adult Education learning within our regions. I am very excited about the opportunity to work with Delbert Horton again,” said Jack McMaster, Director of Education for KPDSB.

“In discussion with Del, I see huge opportunities for First Nation adults to come and work with both us and Seven Generations and increase the success rates. As a director of education, I have made it very clear that this is one of our mandates,” said McMaster.

“This will benefit the students that we have, and may increase graduation levels and student success levels,” said Horton.

Seven Generations currently has approximately 300 students, but that number could double with the partnership with KPDSB.

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