Willie J.Happyjack Memorial School

Introduction

The Willie J. Happyjack Memorial School serves a clientele of 450 to 470 students. The fluctuation increases with the registration of off-reserve students whose parents attend the Vocational Training Centre at different peak times of the year.

Three Languages of Instructions are offered to our students:
Southern Cree (mother tongue):
• Pre-K and CLIP Program (Cycle 1-2-3 Elementary)
English Second Language of Instruction:
• Cycle 2 Year 2 to Cycle 3 Year 2 Elementary
• Secondary 1 to Secondary 5
French Second Language of Instruction:
• Cycle 2 Year 2 to Cycle 3 Year 2 Elementary
• Secondary 1 to Secondary 5
Many buildings and spaces are presently being used for educational purposes:
• The Jolina Gull Blacksmith Building offers pre-school education to two Pre-K and two Kindergarten groups.
• The new elementary school (opening August 2008) provides elementary learning to students from cycles 1 to 3 inclusively.
• The Willie J. Happyjack Memorial School will soon branch out to offer secondary education to our English and French student clientele and will offer space to Continuing Education.
• Traditional Cree Culture teachings are presented to girls and boys at the Waswanipi Cultural Site by the beautiful Waswanipi River.
• This area has been set up at the Waswanipi Cultural Site where traditional and cultural community activities take place. This site has been chosen to facilitate the learning process and to implement interactive activities by means of engaging community members as resource people.
School Statistics
Our average elementary class size is 20 students per class. Our secondary classroom vary from larger groups of 20 to lower numbers in the upper grades.