Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Attawapiskat First Nation Education Authority to have its students graduate with pride in themselves, and in their First Nation culture and heritage, and with those spiritual, emotional, physical and mental skills, that will enable them to seek out and access relevant information, to enable them to become decision makers, problem solvers, lifelong learners and caring and contributing members of their communities. We will achieve excellence in teaching and learning through the use of research and inquiry, innovative technologies, and local resources.
We are happy to say that the Internet of AFNEA was replaced with Fiber Optics. From a dismal 0.5Mbps to 10Mbps, it may not be as fast as a large city, but to us this is a significant increase. Both schools utilize Smart Board Technologies and Windows based laptops to go along with them. Most workstations also utilize Windows. Both schools are equipped with computer labs (Windows 7 & 8), and each classroom is equipped with a workstation for educators.
Google maps view for your viewing plesure, please peruse through it to see what the surrounding area is about. I would also like to add we are happy to see a more updated image of Attawapiskat, we just wished that it wasn't so bright. Enjoy!
A little bit of our history!:
The first school in Attawapiskat was established in 1938. Between 1905 and 1938, some of the children from Attawapiskat attended The Oblate Roman Catholic Mission Boarding School in Fort Albany, Ontario. In 1938, Father Arthur Bilodeau, O.M.L. succeeded in building a school in Attawapiskat. This school was only a few grades in one room. The original one-room school was located next to the present site of the Attawapiskat Wing of James Bay General Hospital This building burnt in 1991. J.R. Nakogee School opened its doors in October: 1976. In 1991 the school was enlarged, and Vezina Secondary School opened its doors, in 1993 a new high school was built.
From 1912 on, the Roman Catholic Mission in Attawapiskat kept a garden behind the buildings of the Mission. One villager, Joseph Nakogee, also began cultivating a garden below the village. When Nakogee left, the Mission enlarged his garden. For the next forty years, brother Odule Laflamme, O.M.L worked the garden on the island. Here potatoes, carrots, cabbages, celery, lettuce and many other vegetables were grown. One section of the warden was used for hay for the Mission animal livestock. The Roman Catholic Mission brought in cows, pigs. Bulls, and horses. A big barn was built in 1942, but burnt down in 1974. Towards 1970, the island farm and all of its equipment was given to the Attawapiskat Band. In 1934, 1950, and 1966 severe flooding took place in the spring. This happened because the ice melted inland faster than the Bay area ice, causing water to overflow. Water reached as high as seven feet, and houses were pushed into me bush, and firewood floated down towards the Bay. This is why many people have their canoes ready by their houses for flooding in the spring. The great flood of 1934 destroyed all small animals in the bush for miles and miles around Attawapiskat. From the summer of 1934 through the winter of 1936 these were no small game animals and people in the area-endured starvation.