Secondary School Board and Moosonee District School Area Board. Since the Ontario Ministry approved this dual director position in April 2022, the schools have functioned as an integrated system serving approximately 455 students from kindergarten through grade twelve. The unified approach addresses unique challenges in this community accessible only by train, plane, or winter ice road. About one third of Northern Lights Secondary School’s 210 students commute from Moose Factory Island, requiring careful coordination with helicopter transport providers. Moosonee Public School serves 245 students in grades JK through 8, while maintaining close ties with its secondary counterpart. “Everything we’re doing with our school system is looking at aligning resources and practices and making a difference for our students,”Tozer explains. The schools operate under shared priorities of meaningful connections and powerful learning opportunities, though they maintain separate board trustees and finances. This structure allows them to pool resources effectively while respecting governance requirements. BRIDGING GENERATIONS THROUGH ART AND LEARNING When kindergarten students at Moosonee Public School drew monster designs last Halloween, they never imagined their creations would come to life through the hands of high school art students. This intergenerational project exemplifies how the James Bay Lowlands schools create authentic learning experiences that strengthen community bonds. “The kindergarten students had designed monsters, and they wanted to bring them to life,” explains Wanda Zelau, Principal of Moosonee Public School. “So, the teacher connected with the art teacher at the high school, and her students were able to create the monsters from the designs.” The kindergarten children then visited Northern Lights Secondary School to meet the artists who transformed their drawings into three-dimensional sculptures. “Our grade nines made their little monster models out of plaster and clay, then had them on display 393 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 JAMES BAY LOWLANDS SECONDARY SCHOOL BOARD & MOOSONEE DISTRICT SC
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