Many hands translate school dream into reality

Page 11

An curriculum emphasizing the Plains Cree culture, along with computer facilities that would be the envy of any school in Canada, are the drawing cards for the Ermineskin Junior Senior High School. That's according to Bernard Gauthier, director of facilties with the Miyo Wahkohtowin Community Education Authority, which runs the education portfolio for the band. He has overseen the entire design process, project management of the construction, and the implementation of technology into the school.

"On budget, of course," said Gauthier, laughing.

The cost, including sitework, is listed in the architect's documents as $9,511,797. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and the First Nation itself put up the money.

Although classes began last September, the school held its official opening ceremonies on March 12 this year.

It must be a pure joy to learn culture and curriculum in the wonderful new building on the Ermineskin reserve, thanks to the community's wise choice of architects and builders.

Ed Oram is the architect and project co-ordinator with Workun Garrick Architects and Associates Inc., who took the First Nation's vision and plans and translated them into a spectacular statement about the importance of a culturally relevant education to the people of Hobbema. His firm was chosen for the job after a rigorous selection process ended in their getting unanimous approval from the school's building committee.

"When we spoke to the ownership group, there were a number of features in the school that they felt was neceessary to reflect the Ermineskin Plains Cree Culture," said Oram.

In addition "They had asked us to ensure that the school was to have bright, open, cheerful learning areas and environment, lots of natural light. The complex was required to have the main entry oriented to the east."

In short, Workun Garrick's mission, which they carried out brilliantly according to the testimony of those who use the school, was to design a "prominent, attractive, civic building, to project the importance placed on education by the citizens of the Ermineskin community."

They were to create a strong focal point, and did so with the 15-metre-high teepee that forms part of the exterior of the building and provides an immense cultural room for sacred ceremonies and special gatherings. The teepee appears to be standing as a free form when viewed by students in the student gathering area or by people outside on the street.

Large diameter wood poles support the structure, which is covered by translucent panels that are reminiscent, when seen at night, of lantern light reflected from inside a regular hide teepee.

The semi-circular form of the school pays homage to the importance of the circle to the Plains Cree culture, and it also symbolizes learning that has no end.

Above the main entry are large, circular stained-glass windows that allow light to infuse the student gathering area, which opens off the main entrance. In fact, light, spaciousness and judicious use of color are prominent throughout.

A four-colored band encircles the school in the cardinal directional colors of red, yellow, blue and white. It is painted four feet wide on the split-face concrete block exterior walls between the first and second floors. Oram said the colors are picked up inside in the doors, counters, carpets and stained glass. Stained glass is also at the entrance to the physical education centre and the west exit. There are two gyms. "And an exercise/weight-training area on the second floor," added Oram.

The school also includes an artifact display case adjacent to the stairs that link the 21 first- and second-floor classrooms. A life skills and special education suite, language, science and music facilities and a family room for meetings with Elders, families and teachers are among the numerous needs incorporated into the innovative design.

The structural consultant for the Ermineskin school was Protostatix Enineering Consultant Inc.; the mechanical consultant was Hemisphere Engineering Inc.; the electrical consultant was Jo Engineering Inc.; and the landscape consultant was Butler Krebes and Associates Inc.

The architects and builders

As for the educational dynamic, Gauthier credits the resourcefulness of Education Director Brian Wildcat, who "helped a lot in the planning process" and involved teachers and others "to get to the end product, which was to serve the students of Ermineskin First Nation."

Wildcat was joined by others in the education authority, as well as Elders and youth, other community members and principal Laura Okeymow to form a building committee to get the project rejuvenated and pursue DIAND for funding after the initial feasibility study sat on the shelf for three years. Morley Workun was the architectural consultant attached to the committee, and Afzal Zakaria was the INAC project officer involved.

The architects noted Wildcat's contribution too. Ed Oram said,"We presented Brian Wildcat . . . with his sketch that he had done of the school here a few years ago when it was sort of the early design stages. We had it framed and presented it back to Brian. Because he had signed and dated it and it was kind of neat, because it actually bore some strong resemblance to what the final product was."

Everyone's work paid off.

Gauthier said "The Ermineskin school is known as the leaders in technology, and you can actually go to Apple web site -we're their host school for Apple Canada. It's a very high tech facility. The computer-to-student ratio is probably . . . 3:1."

Gauthier added that not only has the school got the best technology, it has integrated it successfully too. "They're far ahead of other First Nations schools when it comes to the technology aspect. . . . It's just not the matter of having the technology, it's actually using it, and then bringing in the Cree culture and Cree teachings. Now they're developing their own curriculum."

Gauther said the credit for the uniqueness of the school is shared by many, but he singled out the 16 panels painted by George Littlechild, which depict the history of the Ermineskin people, for special mention. Other key people he mentioned are Joanne Karst, who will be acting director of education when Brian Wildcat goes on sabbatical for a year, and Earl Short, the computer teacher.

He said that although the school doesn't have a full complement of 450 students yet, it runs an alternate school program in addition to the regular one, which is designed to attract drop-outs back into the system.