Kindergarten learning materials in Cree. (submitted photo/Victor Thunderchild)

By Alison Sandstrom

Language education

School board explores Cree kindergarten

Feb 4, 2020 | 1:57 PM

Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division is designing a Cree language program and looking for community input.

The school board is hoping to start a bilingual Cree kindergarten class at one school this fall, and grow the program from there.

“We’d like to start it small,” Superintendent of Schools Randy Emmerson told paNOW. “Just be sure that we’ve got all the things that we’ll need in place to ensure that over the course of time we can increase the number of proficient Cree speakers within our community and area.”

Victor Thunderchild, the teacher in charge of writing the program’s proposal, said learning Cree allows kids to connect with their culture and learn about their history.

“There are things within the Cree language that when you translate it into English, it loses [the meaning],” he explained. “Our Elders are dwindling and we need to be able to communicate with them so we can continue on the practices that were practiced historically.”

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Books in Cree. (submitted photo/Victor Thunderchild)

Saskatchewan Rivers will hold a meeting to gather input from the community on the potential program on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at the school division’s offices at 545 11th Street East.

“We want to find out what the community wants,” Thunderchild said. “We have some questionnaires, things we’re going to ask them, a little presentation. But ultimately we want to know what they would like to see us do with this program. They are the experts.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom