Frequently Asked Questions

Every child matters. The Yukon’s First Nation School Board is critical to producing better outcomes for Yukon First Nations students while also benefitting every Yukon student it serves. There are significant problems with the current delivery of education in the territory. This is an opportunity to change the system and do better for our students.

It is clearly laid out in our Final Agreements that Yukon First Nations require involvement in public schools. Many First Nations are excited and have the capacity to partner and participate. Others are less involved, for now. The new School Board provides a bridge between Yukon First Nations and our public schools, which will only strengthen and fortify over time.

In general, First Nations methods and practices of teaching (pedagogy) incorporate Indigenous worldviews into engagement with subjects like Math, Science, or Social Studies, often through land-based cultural activities, Ceremony and Elder engagement, and immersion in First Nations languages. First Nations values of respect, collaboration and kindness are central. The advantages of learning from two worldviews equip students to be rooted in the culture of their homeland and prepared for the modern world.

The specifics of how this will look at our 8 FNSB Schools will be determined once the trustees of the Board are elected in November 2022 – and will be shaped by the needs and input from the local First Nation and wider school community. The first school year will be a transition year. It is important to clarify that this is an inclusive model. In no way are Indigenous students going to be treated differently or with more services than non-Indigenous students. The First Nation School Board

is about delivering a different model of education, framed through a Yukon First Nations worldview, to benefit and strengthen every student at the school.

It honours the rights of Yukon First Nations to have authority over education while also enabling true collaboration with Yukon government and the wider Yukon community. It also offers an opportunity for our students to equally honour and benefit from two worldviews – Yukon First Nations balanced with western/European.

Board-run schools continue to use the BC Curriculum, but tailor the programming, lesson delivery and assessment methods to include Yukon First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing.

Each school operates differently from the next, reflecting the needs of the particular community and student body – and will be clarified after Community Committees are established in 2023 – however, one can expect to see increased on-the-land and experiential learning, increased First Nation Language instruction, Elders in the classroom, and specialized teaching and assessment practices tailored to Indigenous pedagogy and ways of learning and doing. First Nations-run schools across Canada report significant improvements in academic outcomes and graduation rates for their students.

The Yukon education system is failing too many students, especially rural, special needs, and First Nations students. There are many recent studies, reports and incidents that illustrate this:

• The 2009 and 2019 Auditor General’s Reports on Education offered an alarming assessment of Government of Yukon’s inability to meet the needs of First Nations, rural, and special needs learners in the territory.

• 2019/2020 Review of Inclusive and Special Education findings showed that, in many cases, students’ learning needs were not being met, with devastating consequences.

• 2020/21 Attendance Audit by the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office identified six (6) areas of concern as systemic barriers to school attendance.

As the Board-run schools must be accountable to the Education Act, and follow the BC Curriculum, the same graduation requirements and certificates are upheld (e.g., Certificate of Graduation, a.k.a Dogwood Diploma, School Completion Certificate, a.k.a. Evergreen Certificate, and Adult Graduation Diploma, a.k.a. Adult Dogwood).

YFNED is a completely separate organization from the First Nation School Board. Under the direction of the Chiefs Committee on Education, YFNED has been tasked with supporting the process for the establishment of the FNSB. The Interim Governance Committee of the FNSB is developing finance, HR, and other procedures, and from time to tome, consults YFNED senior management personnel for professional advice. When the board trustees are elected in November 2022, they will negotiate and finalize agreements whereby YFNED may continue to support the Board, but the extent to which will be determined by the elected trustees and appointed CEO.

No. YFNED’s wrap-around service programs are funded by Jordan’s Principle and are thus mandated to serve all Indigenous students of the Yukon no matter what school they attend. This includes the Nutrition Program’s School Meal Program (2 meals per day to Indigenous students), the rural communities’ Mobile Therapeutic Program (Allied Health and Wellness Program), the urban-centered First Nation Education Advocates, as well as YFNED’s Early Years program supporting families with pre-school-aged children.

No. All students in the Yukon are welcome at FNSB-run schools. They provide a vigorous education meeting a high-level of academic standards – taught through the cultural worldview and pedagogy of Yukon First Nations.

In the communities, First Nations students do not have priority enrollment over any other student living in the attendance area of the school.

In Whitehorse, where we have only two FNSB schools in operation, all currently-enrolled students will maintain their enrollment – never will a non-First Nations student lose their spot to free spaces for First Nations students. However, for kindergarten enrollment, there will be priority given to First Nations students. For the first year or more of operation, it is anticipated that there will be spaces for all students interested in enrolling in Kindergarten at FNSB-run schools.

This is an inclusive, student-centred model whereby all children are served equally, based on need. FNSB-run schools put the child at the centre of all decisions so that anyone coming into our system will be honoured and served. All students will continue to be served by Student Support Services within Department of Education.

Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, an organization that is independent of the FNSB and Department of Education, will continue to provide Jordan’s Principle wrap-around services to Indigenous students across the territory, no matter what school they attend.

No. This is an inclusive model whereby all qualified teachers are welcome to teach in these schools.

The Interim Governance Committee is currently working with each school community to assess the training needs and interests among staff. FNSB-tailored PD training is under development for the 2022-23 school year. It can be anticipated that all staff under the new Board will receive ample training to equip them with the skills, knowledge and support to teach under the new programming.

Within the Education Act and Yukon government mandates, all teaching staff are to receive 6 Professional Development days a year. The Board can negotiate with the Minister of Education for specific training commitments. As well, the Board anticipates applying to the Yukon Teacher’s Association for training. Indigenous-teaching specific training is likely to be a big part of the ongoing training for teaching staff.

Staffing and Human Resources policies and procedures will be developed in time by the new Board and will be negotiated with the Minister of Education around specific recruitment and retainment policies. For example, a policy might include hiring teachers in December and January instead of the current practice of hiring in May and June.

Currently, the Interim Executive Director is working with Human Resources at Department of Education on recruitment and hiring for the 2022/23 school year, tailored for the needs of the FNSB.

No. There will be no drastic changes in the first year, but rather, a gradual but significant shift over many years, as programming, staff training and other partnerships and resources develop. The Board will be committed to support teachers in the transition to teaching under the new pedagogy. It will take time for the process of training teachers and staff in Yukon First Nations ways of teaching and learning and we can anticipate it will require support and patience.

As teachers already know, the BC Curriculum requires every unit and every subject to provide the local First Nation perspective on the material being taught. The FNSB will build on this requirement and better support you to do that.

Yes, unified literacy and numeracy programs will be implemented because it is widely known that this will better serve students. Identification of those programs that will be used is currently in process.

Assessment methodology will also change, using a variety of Indigenous methods that are in use at schools and program across the country.

The First Nation School Board will adopt a Strategic Vision including policies and programs that promote proven methods to achieve its targets – and conduct the data collection and analysis needed to track progress towards these goals (Yukon government is greatly lacking in this area). With the flexibility and localized control, the FNSB will be able to better meet the needs of each individual school community it serves.

The new First Nation School Board is accountable to the Education Act including Section 7 which requires schools to care and look after all students to the highest standards. The Board is accountable to both the Minister of Education as well as to the Community Committee established for any school community. If a parent or teacher has an issue, they raise it with the Community Committee, which can then bring the issue to the Minister if the Board is not responding adequately.

Within the Education Act and Yukon government mandates, all teaching staff are to receive 6 Professional Development days a year. The Board can negotiate with the Minister of Education for specific training commitments. As well, the Board anticipates applying to the Yukon Teacher’s Association for training. Indigenous-teaching specific training is likely to be a big part of the ongoing training for teaching staff.

The mandate of the Board is set through the Education Act. A draft workplan, policies and procedures, and other planning requirements are currently being prepared by the Interim Governance Committee of the FNSB, to prepare for the 2022/23 school year and ultimately, will be carried forward by the new board when it is elected in November 2022. A strategic plan will be created and periodically renewed or revisited on a regular basis. In general, School Boards are known to follow through with strategic plans and programming goals more closely than Ministry or government-led education departments.

The FNSB is working with the Department of Education to determine the budget, which will come out of the existing Education budget (~$272 million). We’re currently receiving a reduced interim funding which will take us to the end of March 2022, at which point in time we anticipate receiving our full funding requirements.

The First Nation School Board provides for the local management of schools through “Community Committee Agreements.”

The First Nation School Board may enter into agreements with a Yukon First Nation to set up these committees and specify their power and duties. These committees can be established to make most decisions around the operation and management of the school.

These committees would exercise agreed-to aspects of the First Nation School Board’s authority under the Agreement for their respective schools. This could include ensuring that the school supports Indigenous students and meets their education needs and aspirations; implements culturally-relevant curriculum and the use of Yukon First Nation languages; and provides for local participation and decision-making.

All Community Committee Agreements will be negotiated upon election of the board trustees in November 2022.

The Board will determine the policies for the establishment and operations of Community Committees, including when they are created and whether its members are elected or appointed. There is also the option to create Parent Advisory Committees. It will take time to create individual agreements for each community and we should expect this to take time, if it is to be completed properly.

At any point, school councils can submit a resolution – or school communities a petition – to the Minister of Education (cc Executive Director of FNSB) requesting their school join the First Nation School Board.

Once received, the First Nation School Board of Trustees, Chiefs Council on Education, and the Minister will decide whether another referenda will be opened.

Yes. In the establishment of the Board, five (5) trustees are elected who must meet the “Oath of Qualifications”. There is a provision which allows parents that have a child attending a FNSB school to run as a trustee for the Board.

The next FNSB trustee election will take place in 2025, at which point information will be posted on this website and at: www.electionsyukon.ca