FORT SEVERN – The grand opening of a new Keewaytinook Internet High School building took place Wednesday morning in this Cree First Nation along Hudson Bay, the northernmost community in the province.
A ceremonial ribbon cutting and community feast followed an elder’s blessing at the building, located beside the kindergarten-to-Grade 8 Wasaho Cree Nation School.
The new facility represents Keewaytinook Okimakanak Board of Education’s commitment to providing quality education that respects and integrates Indigenous culture and language, a board spokesperson told Newswatch.
The building was constructed with support from the provincial and federal governments and will serve as as a hub for community engagement and lifelong learning and Cree culture.
Keewaytinook Internet High School was created in 2000 as a way for teens in Northern First Nations to attend Grade 9 without moving to an urban setting.
Its programming has expanded to include all the high school grades.
Students attend community classrooms to complete school work in an online platform called Moodle.
More than 80 courses are offered, including Indigenous language and Indigenous culture courses.
The internet high school also delivers courses in the five other northern First Nations served by Keewaytinook Okimakanak: Deer Lake, Keewaywin, North Spirit Lake, Poplar Hill and McDowell Lake.
