Prince Albert Daily Herald
Carlton Comprehensive Collegiate/Daily Herald File Photo
Music Monday will be celebrated in another new way at Carlton Comprehensive High School in 2021. The school will posting a few videos on their various social media pages throughout this week.
For the second year in a row, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, music teacher Brenda Bernath wanted to keep the tradition going.
Music Monday was started in 2005 by the Coalition for Music Education with the goal of improving the state of music education in Canada, while striving to bring attention to the importance of equitable access to quality music education for all students. Every year on the first Monday in May students, educators, and musicians celebrate this day by sharing music in their schools, communities and virtually online.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Victor Thunderchild leads the opening ceremonies for Carlton Comprehensive High School s Indigenous Day on Sept. 27, 2019. (Jayda Noyes/Daily Herald)
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations added their voices to the hundreds mourning the late Victor Thunderchild Tuesday.
Thunderchild, a Carlton Comprehensive High School counsellor and former teacher, passed Friday after a battle with COVID-19.
“As a long time educator, Victor was well known regionally and nationally. Hailing from Thunderchild First Nation, he spent many years ensuring that First Nations and Metis student’s walking through the doors of Carlton Comprehensive High School in Prince Albert, SK., were heard, seen, advocated for and protected. He will forever be remembered by generations of students as their champion,” FSIN wrote.
PRINCE ALBERT Victor Thunderchild had knowledge that can’t be learned in a book, former student Carmen Fourstar says. Thunderchild helped her navigate racism and connected traditional education to Indigenous knowledge, she says. He was also teaching her son Brock, who is in Grade 12. “It was comforting when I was a teenager to have that classroom to go to, to have that connection with Mr. Thunderchild.” Thunderchild, a well-loved and respected guidance counsellor at Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive, died Saturday morning after contracting COVID-19. He was among those in the education community who have been vocal about the need for teachers and other school staff to be higher on the priority list for vaccinations.
(Facebook/Victor Thunderchild)
Victor Thunderchild, a well-known and well-respected Prince Albert high school student counselor died Saturday morning after being hospitalized with COVID-19. He was with the school for nearly 30 years. Victor Thunderchild was in hospital with COVID-19 since April 2.
“We are heartbroken with the news of Victor’s passing. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and every heart that he touched,” Carlton Principal Jeff Court said. “Victor was a staple in our school/community and will be missed immensely.”
Safe Schools Saskatchewan Advocacy believed Thunderchild’s death could have been prevented with more measures.
“We have members of our admin team connected to Prince Albert so we were aware. We are also in shock and vacillate between sadness and rage. His death was preventable. We will continue to fight for the safety of school staff and students,” Safe Schools Saskatchewan said in a statement.