Rebecca Plotner has witnessed many changes in the education system from her days as a student in Dettah and, many years later, serving as chair of the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 district education authority.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a big difference. ISA国际影视传媒檝e seen a huge shiftSA国际影视传媒� especially out in Dettah. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot more interactive. The students have a lot more say in their education SA国际影视传媒� not to say my education was bad, I feel like the experience was just different and the teachings are different,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e learning different skills (today); theySA国际影视传媒檙e learning how to do a lot more research at a younger age.SA国际影视传媒�

Plotner points to a videography project at Kaw Tay Whee School that involved Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP). Students, who number close to 30, researched related audio and video equipment, learned about animation, shooting and editing video and how to do voice-overs.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey had to pitch their ideas to the teachers and show them their research and what would be best for them. I feel like those are very good transferable skills for when they get older. So itSA国际影视传媒檚 a very different learning environment from when I was in school there,SA国际影视传媒� Plotner said.

She has been a member of the school board for close to a decade and has been chair of the DEA for just over half that time.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e always really put an emphasis on education and schooling and I have a lot of nieces and nephews who still go to school at Kaw Tay Whee School,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a good way for me to be involved in education and my community, and being able to give back to my community, in a way. I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 a good opportunity to have a positive impact on the students in our school and being able to oversee the different programs that the school is able to provide SA国际影视传媒� just being there for the youth and the students and our staff.SA国际影视传媒�

Elders have resumed visiting this school year as pandemic measures have subsided. That has led to fish-scale art and studying traditional meats being among recent activities.

SA国际影视传媒淥n-the-land initiatives have always been a really high priority for me,SA国际影视传媒� said Plotner, who holds a bachelor of science in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Northern British Columbia.

In teaching the Wiliideh language, the school also goes SA国际影视传媒渁bove and beyondSA国际影视传媒� the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 minimum requirements for language programming, she adds.

Plotner offers high praise for the educators at Kaw Tay Whee.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e got a really good staff,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

She tries to stop by the school every couple of months to provide treats for the students. In some cases, the children have grown food for themselves. They used hydroponic pods and plots in the Dettah community garden to produce vegetables like peppers, carrot and potatoes that are used in the lunch program.

SA国际影视传媒淪o itSA国际影视传媒檚 really rewarding for them,SA国际影视传媒� said Plotner.

Among special events at Kaw Tay Whee, Plotner said Breakfast with Santa and the associated skits ranks among her favourites. She also enjoys the Super Secret Event at the end of the school year, which always involves surprises for the students that staff have planned in advance.

As the Department of Education undertakes a process of curriculum renewal SA国际影视传媒� transferring from AlbertaSA国际影视传媒檚 curriculum and associated testing methods to modelling B.C.SA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒� Plotner expresses support for this new approach.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is very much linked to Indigenous teachings as well, and the fact that itSA国际影视传媒檚 knowledge-based learningSA国际影视传媒� from our perspective it is a good thing,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 obviously going to be hiccups and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be things that we all need to work together on, but a lot of the other DEAs and DECs (divisional education councils), weSA国际影视传媒檝e been collaborating pretty well over the past couple of years. I think it will just build that relationship between all of us as we move forward.SA国际影视传媒�

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