Chief Moosomin School is a state-of-the-art building. (Cora Bird/Facebook)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

learning and culture

Moosomin First Nation celebrates opening of new K-12 school

Aug 20, 2024 | 3:37 PM

It’s been years in the making and now the ribbon has been cut on a new school for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students on Moosomin First Nation, about 30 kilometres north of North Battleford.

Chief Cheryl Kahpeaysewat celebrated the grand opening of Chief Moosomin School Tuesday alongside Elders, councillors and representatives from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Planning for the new school began in 2016 and since then, ISC has invested close to $37 million in the project.

“I am very proud to see the vision of our Elders, as well as our current and former leaders, come to be and excited for the future of our young people to be learning at home in a new school created especially for them. The Chief Moosomin School will provide students the environment for learning, and it will also serve as a community gathering area and emergency shelter location,” said Chief Kahpeaysewat.

The state-of-the-art building is more than 5,000 square metres and includes space for cultural activities, trades learning and a gymnasium. The entrance features a towering teepee and rock circle gathering area and there is a unique two-level amphitheatre-style gathering space at the centre of the school.

According to a press release from ISC, classrooms and hallways feature logos, names and historically significant expressions in the local Cree dialect painted on the walls. The school also includes the Chief Yellow Sky cultural room, a sewing and home economics room, cosmetology rooms, kitchen, and weight room.

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“Every child deserves a fair chance to succeed. Thanks to the commitment and hard work of Elders and Moosomin Chief and Council, this new school will help students of Moosomin First Nation access broader opportunities — allowing them to study, grow, and become the next generation of First Nations community leaders and role models,” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.

Moosomin First Nation has approximately 2,112 members, nearly 1,300 of whom live on the reserve.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com