Dennis Franklin school looks at possibility of on-site residence

A plan to build a residence for a local high school would keep students safe, says an education official.

Jennifer Manitowabi, executive director of the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council, said while they do their best to keep students at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School safe, an on-site residence building would help with students transitioning to urban life from their remote communities.

"We need orientation to city life so we can have them all in a central location residing together supporting one another and know where they are. Basically keep them safe is really what we hope the outcome will be," Manitowabi said.

Right now, more than 100 students from the school are living in homes all across Thunder Bay. Everything from bussing to racism are issues the students face. There is also a shortage of people willing to share their homes with students, which means students have to wait until a home is found before they can start school.

"Just helping them with issues that they’re going to face," Manitowabi said Tuesday afternoon as a racial slur is shouted from a passing vehicle. "This is what the student’s reality is and if we can keep them all together and respond to their needs immediately then we’re going to keep the safe."

DFC student services director Larry Howes said it costs $250 every two weeks for each student living in the city to offset utility and food costs for students. While he didn’t know the specifics of size or cost for the proposed residence, which could be built on the school’s property just behind the current facility, Howes said housing students on site would be an economic benefit.

The school is looking for funding partners for the building, which Howes hopes would house up to 120 students.

"We’d love to go for $5 million," he said. "Anybody out there who wants to donate is welcome to donate."

The school is meeting with students to get their input on what the building should have.

Meetings are also planned with potential donors. Howes said the school hopes to break ground by spring and have the building ready sometime in the next school year.