FFHS music program lauded

Staff

The music program at Fort Frances High School will receive the Rainy River District School Board’s “Recognition of Excellence” at tonight’s regular meeting for engaging and supporting student achievement in the musical arts.
The secondary school music program “has a longstanding tradition of performance excellence as part of its arts program.”
During the 2014/15 school year, the program increased the number of bands.
It now has a Junior Band, an Intermediate Band, a Senior Band, and a Jazz Band.
“Over the years, the instrumental bands have participated in the annual Kiwanis music festival, have performed in the local community, as well as in other Canadian communities including the Cantando Music Festival in Edmonton, and have travelled abroad to perform in Europe and Cuba,” noted a report to the board.
“Annually, the fall musical revue and spring musical production is well-attended by the community and showcases the tremendous talent within the school,” it added.
The report also indicated many students have pursued post-secondary music education based on their involvement with the local music program.
Also at tonight’s meeting, trustees will:
•hear a presentation on bus safety from parent Randy Thoms;
•hear a presentation about mental health;
•look to approve the following policies: 1.65 (Advocacy), 8.23 (Competitors’ Assistance Fund), and 8.31 (Donations);
•look to approve the following policies for stakeholder consultation: 1.60 (Parent Involvement Committee and School Councils) and 4.60 (First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Student Voluntary Self-Identification); and
•look to consolidate Rainy River High School and Riverview School into a new Early Years-Grade 12 school, pending Ministry of Education funding approval, and that this consolidation be exempt from the Student Accommodation Review process.
Tonight’s meeting gets underway at 7 p.m. at the Education Centre (board office).