The principal of the Walpole Island elementary school is confident academic improvement that developed during a four-year pilot project will continue into the future.
Steve Styers says the project that was funded in part by former Prime Minister Paul Martin provided some supplies like books but also support for teachers.
"It's really the teachers, the students and the families that were part of the success, but it's about increasing the capacity of teachers, so when they left last year the thought is the capacity is here and we'll continue the progress." he says. "When we call Indian Affairs, and I did so a couple of years ago with an issue we had, we get the same response which is 'be creative with your budget.'"
Over the four years of the pilot project, literacy levels at the school and the one on the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation went from well below provincial averages to meeting or exceeding them.
