Rural schools facing the axe this fall could find their salvation or face another setback in a response expected this week from the school district’s board of trustees.
The Fraser-Fort George Regional District’s select standing committee on rural schools expects to hear back from the District 57 board of trustees some time this week on a number of alternatives to closing three rural schools they put forward to the board earlier this month.
“We have looked at some of the alternatives which have been put forward by the affected communities and believe there is a basis for some optimism on this matter,” said Maureen Thompson, chair of the committee.
Two First Nations request forensic audit of Indigenous student funding
February 3, 2021
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Two northern First Nation chiefs have requested a forensic audit of 20-years worth of funding for Indigenous students in the Prince George School District.
“Looking at how their system worked, we were following the dollars and some things just didn’t seem to make sense,” said Lheidli T’enneh Nation Chief Clay Pountney. “McLeod Lake said maybe we should look at a forensic audit, and we said, we support you in that, we think that’d be a good idea.”
McLeod Lake Indian Band and Lheidli T’enneh Nation joined together to request a forensic audit of all targeted Indigenous education and Local Education Agreement (LEA) funding dispersed by SD57.
More vaccines are being administered in Northern Health.
Mackenzie and District Hospital as well as McLeod Lake have received their first shipments of the Pfizer BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine. Mackenzie held its first immunizations for long-term care residents and staff.
McLeod Lake held its first clinics for First Nations vulnerable populations and eligible health care workers.
Additional immunization clinics for staff in Mackenzie will happen this week.
Photos provided by: Northern Health
Josephine Tylee, McLeod Lake Elder gets her Covid-19 immunization from Nikki Bennett, Staff Nurse and Interprofessional Team Lead
Heather Kirk was the first long-term care resident at Mackenzie and District Hospital to receive her COVID-19 immunization. The immunization was administered by Stephanie Clarke, Primary Care Nurse.