Cree School Board chairperson Kathleen Wooton speaks about the ownership linkages - what they are and what they mean.

1. June 4, 2018
The Principle of
Ownership Linkage
Presentation by:
Kathleen J. Wootton, Chairperson
Teddy Wapachee, Vice Chairman

2. 2
Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Policy Governance Model
• Ten Principles of Policy Governance Model
• Ownership Linkage Meetings
• Data Analysis
• Categories of Concerns and Issues
• Recommendations
• Conclusion
• Questions

3. Introduction
• Kathleen J. Wootton, Chairperson of Cree School Board
• Teddy Wapachee, Vice Chairman of Cree School Board
• Office for Chairperson is at the Head Office in Mistissini, Quebec
• Main Responsibilities of Chairperson:
 Chief Governance Officer ( Kaaniikanskak Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin)
 Preside over the Council of Commissioners’ meetings
 Assures integrity of Council process;
 Represents Council to external parties; and
 Makes decisions within the parameters of the Governance Process and Council-Management Delegations
Policies.

4. Policy Governance Model
Adopted in 2010
Policy Governance Model:
• Is a system of ten principles upon which governance is based;
• Principles guide the Council’s governance and its agenda;
• Developed by John Carver; and
• Based on the notion of “Servant Leader”.

5. 10 Principles of Policy Governance Model
Governance System
The Council of Commissioners will always use all ten principles
(Chischinuhtihiiwewinh) below as a system of governance for
Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin. If required by outside jurisdictions
to approve decisions that have been delegated, Council will find
a lawful way to apply these principles. This system allows the
Council to be truly accountable to the people of Eeyou Istchee.

6. Principle 1
1. Ownership
The Council governs the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin on behalf of
the Eeyou-Eenou Nation of Eeyou Istchee. The Council provides
leadership by serving and putting the needs of the Eeyou-Eenou
ahead of any personal interests.

7. Principle 2
2. Position of Council
The people of the Eeyou-Eenou Nation have delegated to the Council the
authority to set direction for the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin and ensure it
is protected. The Council’s role is to set strategic direction and boundaries
within which the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin Director General (hereafter
referred to as Uuchimaau) makes decisions. The Council then delegates
responsibility to the Uuchimaau to achieve the expected results. Council is
accountable for what it has delegated to the Uuchimaau. The Council is
also accountable for its own work and how it does that work.

8. Principle 3 & 4
3. Group Authority
The Council as a collective body has full authority; the
Commissioners each on their own do not have any authority.
Likewise, committees do not have any authority other than what is
specifically authorized by the Council.
4. Ends Policies
The Council writes policies called “Ends” which describe the
outcomes or results that the Council wants the Eeyou
Chiskutamaachaawin to achieve, for whom the outcomes are
intended, and what it is worth to achieve them.

9. Principle 5
5. Governance Process Policies
The Council writes policies which describe its own behaviours and
the way it will govern the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin on behalf of
the Eeyou-Eenou Istchee. These policies are called Governance
Process policies. The Council also defines in writing the details of
how it will delegate to and hold the Uuchimaau accountable. These
policies are called Council –Management Delegation policies.

10. Principle 6
6. Executive Limitations Policies
The Council does not tell the Uuchimaau how to achieve the “Ends.”
The Council does set boundaries about how to achieve the “Ends”
by identifying methods, situations, or conditions that would be
unacceptable. They would be unacceptable because they are
unlawful, imprudent, unethical or inconsistent with Cree values, even
if they worked to achieve the “Ends.” Policies describing these limits
are called Executive Limitations.

11. Principle 7
7. Policy Sizes
Council develops its policies in categories that include Ends,
Governance Process, Council-Management Delegation, and
Executive Limitations. There are no governing policies outside of
these four categories. Each category is developed one layer (level)
at a time from the broadest, most inclusive level to succeeding levels
of detail.

12. Principle 8
8. Delegation to Uuchimaau
The Council delegates operational matters only to the Uuchimaau.
Council does not delegate to anyone who reports to the Uuchimaau.
The Uuchimaau is accountable to the Council for all aspects of the
operations of the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin.

13. Principle 9
9. Any Reasonable Interpretation
The Uuchimaau has the right to choose to put into place any interpretation of the Ends and
Executive Limitations policies as long as the Council finds it provides:
• a method for measuring achievement
• the level of achievement, and
• a credible explanation for the method and level of achievement that could have been
provided by a capable person in a similar position.
The Council Chairperson (Kaaniikanisakak) has the right to make any reasonable interpretation
of the Governance Process and Council-Management Delegation policies unless the Council has
given the right to another Commissioner or Council committee. An interpretation is reasonable if
the Council agrees it provides a credible explanation that could have been provided by a capable
person in a similar position.

14. Principle 10
10. Monitoring
The Council monitors the performance of the Eeyou Chiskutamaachaawin
by fairly, systematically and thoroughly assessing whether the reasonable
interpretation provided in the monitoring reports of the Ends and Executive
Limitations policies has been achieved by the Uuchimaau. The
performance evaluation of the Uuchimaau is simply the cumulative
summary of the Council`s assessments of the monitoring reports.

15. Ownership Linkage Meetings
Ownership Linkage (First Principle of Policy Governance Model):
• Conducted Ownership Linkage (OL) meetings with leadership and
members of Cree communities, entities and other interest groups;
• Held 24 OL meetings between November 2012 to July 2016;
• Wanted to consult, communicate, collaborate and connect with each
community, entity, or other groups;
• Needed a better understanding of Cree Nation’s educational needs from
various perspectives;
• Wanted to know whether or not the CSB is addressing the concerns and
issues raised by Cree communities, entities and other groups; and
• Wanted a Data analysis on the information gathered from OL Meetings.

16. Data Analysis
Council:
• Hired a Cree Consultant to do an analysis of the data gathered from the
OL meetings, including a meeting with Kativik School Board;
• Received the Data Analysis Report in December 2017.
Consultant:
• Identified 2263 references (concerns and issues);
• Grouped and synthesized the data into categories and sub-categories;
• Wanted to identify factors contributing to school efficacy; and
• Reviewed certain CSB documents (reports) such as Council Policy
Manual, Strategic Action Plan and RGA Calls-to-actions.

17. Categories of Concerns and Issues
Consultant identified the following 5 Categories and Sub-
categories:
1. Academic and Social Integration of Cree Culture:
• Integrations of Cree component into Education system;
• Development of land-based programs & cultural activities;
• Development of Cree history courses;
• Infusion of traditional scientific knowledge;
• Role of Elders; and
• Qualified Cree teachers and training programs.

18. Categories of Concerns and Issues
2. Development of Programs and Projects
• Develop and offer Vocational programs linked to local needs;
• Prevention programs that address health and social issues
(diabetes, substance abuse, mental and physical health, violence &
bullying, sex education, cultural adaptation for secondary and
PSSS students);
• Offer essential skills programs (life skills);
• Offer various concentration programs in high school (sports, arts,
music, etc.); and
• School projects (after school programs, extra-curricular activities,
integration at work, summer school, etc.).

19. Categories of Concerns and Issues
3. Organizational Aspects of CSB:
• Enhancement of student academic success;
• Counter negative perception of CSB’s ability to achieve its
goal and promote sense of belonging;
• Low teacher retention and high absenteeism; and
• Communication of CSB activities and results to the
communities.

20. Categories of Concerns and Issues
4. Teaching Practices:
• Recognition and development of services for special needs
and gifted students;
• Enhancement of teaching practices (individualization,
differentiation, specific strategies; student support, discipline);
and
• Inclusion of technology in school and teaching practices.

21. Categories of Concerns and Issues
5. Partnerships:
• Increase of formal and informal relationships with the
community (agreement and exchange of information);
• Establishment of collaborative processes;
• Sharing of common objectives; and
• Convergent use of resources (human and financial).

22. Recommendations
Completion of Data Analysis resulted in 22 recommendations
• Cross-referenced these recommendations with the Council’s
Ends; and
• Wanted to ensure the expectations of the Cree Nation are being
addressed; and
• The list of recommendations cross-referenced to the Ends
Policies (in red) follows:

23. Recommendations
Academic & Social Integration of Cree Culture:
1. Maintain efforts & commitment of academic & cultural integration of Cree culture
(Cree identity, language and culture). E-1, items 1, 2
2. Develop and implement land-based programs and cultural activities that promote
the learning of Cree language. E-1, items 4, 4.1-4.5
3. Develop and implement Cree history courses into the curriculum. E-1, item 2
4. Enhance its practices for learning the Cree language. E-1, item 3
5. Involve Elders in the schools and the development of programs (history, land-
based programs, traditional knowledge) E-1, item 4, 4.1-4.5
6. Include and value traditional scientific knowledge (E-1, items 4, 4.1-4.5)
7. Develop appropriate training programs for Cree culture and language teachers.
(SAP; E-1)

24. Recommendations
Development of Programs and Projects:
8. Develop and implement integration at work programs in partnership with the employer, local industry,
and organization. E-3, item 2.2
9. Develop, in partnership with the Cree organization and the community, prevention programs that
address health and social issues such as diabetes, early prevention, substance abuse, mental and
physical health, violence & bullying, sex education. E-1, items 6, 6.1
10. Develop and implement cultural adaptation programs (preparation and support) for secondary and
PSSS students. E-3, items 2, 2.4
11. Develop and implement essential skills programs. E-3, item 2.2
12. Develop and implement a diversity of concentration programs at the secondary level such as sports,
arts and music. Mik Chiyam, E-2, item 5
13. Establish strategic partnership with employers, industry and the community to develop vocational
training programs that respond to local needs. E-3

25. Recommendations
Teaching Practices:
14. Enhance the services provided to special needs students. E-2, item 9
15. Identify gifted students and develop specialized support. E-2, item 9
16. Promote the inclusion of technology in teaching practices. E-2, item 4.3
Organizational Aspects:
17. Maintain its commitment to teacher and staff retention with the development and establishment of
upcoming programs. SAP
18. Maintain the CSB’s efforts to retain teachers through the development and establishment of the
upcoming programs. SAP
19. Maintain its efforts in the development of communication strategies with the community. E-4, item 2; SAP

26. Conclusion
Policy Governance and its system of ten Principles:
• Ten principles guide the Council’s governance of CSB
and its agenda;
• Basis upon which Policy Governance Model operates;
• Principle of Ownership enables Council to maintain
contact with the members of Cree Nation for whom it
governs and protects Eeyou-Eenou
Chiskutamaachaawin (Cree education);

27. Conclusion
Policy Governance and its system of ten Principles:
• Ownership Linkage Meetings, Regional General
Assembly, Symposiums, Community tours and other
gatherings are the means to connect, contact,
collaborate and consult with members of Cree Nation;

28. Conclusion
Policy Governance and its system of ten Principles:
• The findings of the Data Analysis of Ownership Linkage
Meetings and the cross-reference of recommendations
with Council’s Ends (Results) Policies indicate that the
Cree School Board is fulfilling some of the expectations
of the members of Cree Nation.
• The Ends Policies are the results the Council expects the
CSB to work to achieve. Some can be achieve on the
short term; other will take a little longer to achieve.

29. Kathleen J. Wootton
Chairperson - CSB
418-923-2764
kwootton@cscree.qc.ca
Questions?
CSB Commissioners
Regional General Assembly
418-923-2764
www.cscree.qc.ca
Meegwetch. Thank you. Merci.