(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
April 29, 2015 - 8:30 AM
VERNON - The Vernon School District is celebrating a six year high in the number of aboriginal students completing high school.
The completion rate for aboriginal students in School District 22 has reached 71 per cent, the best in six years and higher than the provincial rate of 61 per cent.
The good news came in a recent letter from Education Minister Peter Fassbender, who commended the district on the achievement.
District superintendent Joe Rogers congratulated aboriginal learners on their hard work and applauded the efforts of teachers, aboriginal support workers, support staff, families and community partners.
“School District 22 is committed to excellence in Aboriginal education and to providing the programs and services that will allow our First Nations, Metis and Inuit students to excel,” Rogers said in a release.
Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis said it’s been 100 years since Harry Harris became the first member to attend public school in Vernon.
“I’m so pleased to see more and more of our young people walk across that graduation stage and on to the next stage of their lives. We honour the hard work of our students, their families and thank all of their teachers and support staff,” Louis said.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015