Flin Flon School Division’s mentors held the spotlight at one of the last school board meetings of the 2018-19 school calendar June 11.
The mentor program, which allows individuals looking at a teaching career to garner skill, knowledge and experience, hosted six mentors in the Flin Flon area this year, including three at Ruth Betts Community School and two at École McIssac.
Brendan Bighetty, Kira Kittle and Mackenzie Murray worked at Ruth Betts, while Danica Andrusiak and Phoenix Hanson were at École McIssac. Murray said she grew into the role throughout the year in a presentation to board members.
“As the year began, I was very shy and nervous around the teachers, staff and students,” she said. “As the year went on, I came out of my shell and bonded well with everyone.”
Murray initially wanted to get a post-secondary teaching degree, but after her experience through the mentor program, decided to pursue nursing instead. That didn’t stop her from learning and improving her skills.
“The number of courses we have taken is amazing,” she said. “Especially CPR, first aid training and mental health first aid training. Not only have these courses taught me things I can use in the school, but also future jobs.”
After the meeting, Flin Flon School Division superintendent Constance McLeese said the mentor program is a great way for those looking at a career in education to get behind the scenes.
“It’s useful to give people perspective on what the profession of teaching really is,” she said.
“It’s a whole lot more than what was ever on those TV comedies.”
Andrusiak took her experiences and fought back tears when she told the board she was going to continue her path by attending university in The Pas for teaching.
“I could be here for hours telling stories and experiences that I will cherish forever,” she said.
“I truly appreciate being given this opportunity, and I am ready to see what the future holds.”
Both Andrusiak and Murray helped run Girl’s Groups at their respective schools. The once a week meetup provided a chance to connect with students in a different setting.
“The amount of students I have gotten to know and help guide made me feel so great about being a mentor and make an impact on their lives by even doing the simplest things,” she said.
Bighetty used the program as an opportunity to rediscover his love for the arts. While working at Ruth Betts, he helped students create a short film. He played a portion of it at the meeting for the board to see.
“It became about being my authentic self and modeling that behaviour for the youth,” Bighetty said. “I sought to inspire them somehow, so I drew on what strengths I had at the time. I connected to them through film, dance, music, writing and drawing.”
Bighetty said he wasn’t sure he would continue in education, but learned a lot, especially from the students in the film group.
“They taught me to be accountable, original, hard-working and organized. They also taught me to learn from my mistakes, something I reflected on many times,” he said.
“What I’ve learned is that it takes a long time to be a great teacher. People don’t have it down in one year.”
McLeese said that the mentor program brings an infectious energy to school, citing their one-on-one work and extracurricular activity as particularly valuable.
“These guys had a whole number of things that they were doing for extra-curricular activities,” she said. “Anything that anybody brings to your organization, really encourages you. And they’re young. They have energy to burn.”
Band merger
The board approved the merger of band programs at Creighton School and Hapnot Collegiate. The programs will come together for next year only while Creighton School waits for the return of their band instructor.
Creighton Community School will bus their students to FFSD facilities for the 2019-20 school year. This will be the first year Creighton band program will feature Grade 12 students and they’ll get a chance to perform in a larger band.
The division also approved a plan for hiring a director of student services. Sharon Trubiak will be hired for the 2019 school year, working part time.
In 2020, Amber Zerbin will step into that role, along with being responsible for curriculum assessment and evaluation.
The final Flin Flon School Division board meeting of the year will take place on June 24.
