Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission

HISTORY OF MESC

MESC originally began as Maskwacîs Education Steering committee. MESC began in 2011 after a motion was passed from all four school authorities. The purpose of the committee was to discuss issues of concern to all of the Four Nation schools and administer the First Nation Student success program. Discussions from the committee helped create the Maskwacîs outreach school in August 2012 as a Four Nations initiative. In the spring of 2015 MESC gathered 24 representatives from all Four Nations. Over two days, a number of different options were created on the best long term approach to the delivery of education in Maskwacîs. In May 2015, MESC hosted a meeting with Chief and Council from all four nations. This meeting was held to discuss the benefits of amalgamating all the Four school systems. The meeting covered the history of Maskwacîs schools from 1989 to present. At this meeting a motion was passed that directed MESC to research and explore the creation of a Maskwacîs Education Authority. The motion read:

“Be it resolved that we, the Maskwacîs Cree Chiefs and Council, direct the Maskwacîs Education Steering Committee to investigate the possibility of developing Maskwacîs Education Authority that meet the following criteria/principals/conditions:
1. Adequate timeframe; and
Further than, proper protocol be conducted to commence the process.”

In February of 2016 the Maskwacîs Council passed a motion to incorporate MESC. Incorporation was needed so an entity could receive the funding necessary to explore the creation of a Maskwacîs school system. In April of 2016 MESC was incorporated under the new title, Maskwacîs ECS - Grade 12 School Commission. In April of 2016 MESC received official funding from Indigenous Affairs to begin work on researching and exploring the creation of a Maskwacîs Education Authority.