New Elementary School for Kehewin

Kehewin Cree Nation has been approved for a new elementary school for 2017. The approval for funding for the school comes from Indigenous & Nothern Affairs Canada (INAC), with plans to start building in 2017. Vernon Watchmaker, Councillor for Kehewin Cree Nations says the community is excited with the news and is looking into adding clean energy to the designs.

Councillor Watchmaker attended a National Education Forum in Ottawa in Febraury of 2016, where the Minister of Indigenous & Nothern Affairs, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett spoke on the approval of new schools. “Minister Bennett made mention of pushing for technology. She made a suggestions that if you’re going to propose a new school in your community, to include technology. So we’re looking at solar panels for our new school. We’re also looking at biofuels, so it’s less of a footprint on the environment.” Watchmaker explains that Kehewin is moving towards solar panels for the Band Office, as well as the high school and has plans to include solar panels when the new elementary school is built.

The new facility will be a new build at a different site, than the current elementary school. The building will be near where the schools are in the central hub of the community. Councillor Watchmaker says there aren’t definite plans for the current school once it’s vacant, but does see many possibilities for re-purposing; especially because it has a large gymnasium.