A Cowichan school for Cowichan children (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

A Cowichan school for Cowichan children

[photo inset - Kierra Thomas pours flour into the play-dough mixture
while classmate Gabby Joe looks on in a kindergarten class at
Quw’utsun’ Smuneem elementary school.]

By Aaron Bichard
The Pictorial
http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=9&cat=43&id=789680&more=

Dec 09 2006

Quw’utsun Smuneem translated from Hul’qumi’num to English means our
Cowichan children and there’s no doubt the small elementary school on
Glenora Road takes its name seriously.

The small First Nation school run by the Cowichan Tribes has been
quietly growing and adapting for the past four years, trying
desperately to preserve both language and culture amongst local
children.

“It really provides a sense of belonging for the children,” principal
Maryann Thorne said about the school that only teaches First Nations
children.

“Some people say it is wrong for a school to be exclusive, but I feel
it’s very important for our children and our culture to survive.

“It’s a safe place with people who only look out for their well-being,
and the kids are able to behave in ways that are culturally
appropriate.”

The school began with Fran Rose who held a daycare in the Anglican
Church basement in 1966.

During the years that passed, Cowichan Tribes saw the need for daycare
increase with high population growth rates.

In 2002, nestled in a remote rural area with large expansion potential,
the school was built to house kindergarten classes.

Now, five classes — two kindergarten, two Grade 1 and one Grade 2 — are
held to accommodate more than 90 students.

The school, built with a main cedar wall to represent a traditional
salmon weir, has dozens of windows, bathing the learning in light.

A fulltime speech language pathologist rounds out the cast of 20 staff
members who look after the kids.

“I’d say about 90 per cent of our teachers are Cowichan,” Thorne said.
“The number of staff is good for the kids. There’s a lot of one-on-one
teacher time.”

The school is slowly amassing resources, with its library growing
steadily. It has 18 computers in its lab and a fully furnished kitchen
where traditional fare is cooked regularly.

“I’m proud of this school,” Thorne said. “It’s a nice feeling to have
our own people teaching our children.”

Part of the curriculum makes it mandatory for the students to learn
Hul’qumi’num, which they start right away.

“It doesn’t take them long to understand kinship and be able to name
household objects,” Thorne said. “But it’s difficult teaching the
language because there are so few fluent speakers still alive.”

Thorne hopes the school will be able to expand during the next few years
to accommodate up to Grade 6, but isn’t holding her breath it will
happen right away.

“It’s up to the people giving us the funding,” Thorne said.

© Copyright 2006 Duncan News Leader and Pictorial