The Mohawk immersion school on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory celebrated the addition of its first bus on Monday but more is in store for the school.
The independent school run by the Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na (TTO), the language and cultural centre, is an alternative school, offering education based on the Mohawk language, culture and tradition.
Students, parents, staff and community leaders gathered to welcome the school’s first bus.
Since the primary school opened in 2011, students have been bused to Quinte Mohawk School and then transferred to the small school on Hwy 2.
TTO Executive Director Callie Hill says the addition of the bus is an important step.
“To help give that prestige to what they’re doing here, and to the language and the culture and the importance of it, we thought they need their own bus to be able to feel even more proud of what they’re doing.”
TTO Executive Director Callie Hill. (Photo: Alana Cameron/Quinte News)
It’s a small part of a much larger plan.
Last year plans were announced for a new 13,000 square foot language and cultural centre on Salmon River Road that will include classrooms for the school allowing enrolment to increase.
“Right now we have nine students in Totáhne which is our early years program and we have 10 in Kawenna’on:we, grades one to grade four. And that’s almost at capacity in this building so that’s why we’re really excited about our new building.”
Hill says the new centre will have room for about 60 students.
She says the design phase is almost finished and they hope to break ground on the new centre within the next year.
“I feel like this place for them is the best way to do that. It kind of encompasses, you know, all the cultural teachings and seasonal celebrations and stuff so it just kinda made sense. And language being the focus here too.”
Students and parents took the maiden voyage on the bus Monday morning, going for a ride around the block.
Students of the Kawenna’on:we School on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory board the school’s new bus for the first time. (Photo: Alana Cameron/Quinte News)
The 28-passenger Ford E-450 was purchased from Leeds Transit.
Funding for the bus, as well as salaries for the bus driver and monitor, came from supporters including the parents and families of Totáhne and Kawenna’ón:we, the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Canada Helps, Tyendinaga Giveaways, Bev Hill, Mohawk Duty Free, and Richard Sager.
