Kehewin Community Education Centre's new principal, Alan Pogson, is encouraging students back to school and giving them reasons to come back, including awards incentives, rides home from after-school sports, revamping the school and a new approach.
“We want to make the school better. It's not just a matter of saying ‘Hey don't go to Bonnyville, don't go to Elk Point.' What are we doing here to make it better?” he explained. “It's looking at our gym, our club, our classrooms, just the appearance of the school.”
The school is beginning a new quarterly awards program to try and get students back to school earlier, he said. In the past, awards were given out yearly.
The awards will cover more than just academics and athletics, but various other topics such as attendance, leadership, Cree/cultural, creativity, most improved, volunteerism, good conduct/citizenship and respect for others and the environment. The awards night will also feature a supper and prizes such as laptops, iPods and compact disc players. To be eligible for the awards, students must be registered and attending school by Sept. 30.
“So we're trying to encourage our kids to get back by the 30th,” he said. “If you're going to stay in Bonnyville or Elk Point, that's fine. But, here's just an encouragement.”
The school's enrolment is up from last year with some new students returning from the public system and other areas such as Saddle Lake, he said.
Last year there were 204 students, while this year there are 230, with the possibility of more still to come.
The school has been phoning parents to encourage students to come back to school. He said they won't call students who have decided to go to a different school, but he said some students just aren't going to any school.
“I don't want to be in a raid-mode, I don't want anyone raiding us, I don't want to raid them... but if the kids ... are just not going anywhere then I'd just as soon have them here.”
The school has added more teams this year to its sports program, and is addressing transportation issues with a 15-passenger van that will regularly drive students home after practice.
In previous years, the van would run occasionally after games, but this year it will be consistently running, he said.
“We've emphasized with the kids, look, we want you to be there... After practice, we'll drive you home if that's the issue,” he said. “We want kids to know that that's not going to exclude them.”
He also has plans for the physical part of the school.
“We want to do some beautification too, these schools are very old,” he said.
He considers this to be a priority as the school has some 10-year-old damage, and believes students will do better in school if their needs are met and think they are equal to other schools.
“I don't like us to be considered second class and some of the reserve schools I've been at they are so definitely and we have a lot of potential here. But little things have gone unnoticed and not dealt with, and I see the big picture, and I just want kids to be here comfortable. I want them to be able to host other teams coming here and be proud of hosting and have other kids watching them.”
As well as emphasizing cultural aspects, Pogson said the school is really targeting attendance and wants to lower the drop out rate.
He said he doesn't know if he can change it, and doesn't plan to right away, but that the school wants “to look at more kids in class,” as the more often they attend, the more successful they will likely be in the course.
The school is also planning a trip to Mexico for students in Grade 9 and up based on behaviour, attendance and attitude.
Pogson says often students will try public schools because of bullying issues at reserve schools.
“The bullying (has) been pretty minor,” he said, adding that he has already suspended students for bullying and that the school has emphasized a “zero tolerance” bullying policy.
He said he was hired “to make this a little bit more modern and presentable” and to work both on the inside and outside of the school. Pogson has opened four new schools in the past and has experience suggesting ways to improve schools.
“I told one place I was at, ‘You paint the outside and that and I'll work on the environment inside,' and that's my goal.”
Pogson said he was once a school dropout and experienced being bored and disliking school.
“I don't want kids to go through that,” he explained.
He said he expects a lot from his teachers, is straightforward with parents and will give students a second chance. He also said he won't take sides and doesn't care who someone is related to politically.
He said he has been pretty happy with his students so far and he thinks they have been receptive to his new approach.
“I think they're learning to trust me.”
