Subsistence, School and Rain

Good Day to you all, I hope this blog finds you all dry and organized. I say this because the rain outside is really putting a puddle into my enjoyment of our season. It is so soggy out there!! The wind and rain has prevented us from going out to subsist and its put a real damper to my mood. Speaking of subsistence and school Skip has asked us to comment on how the schools relate to it.
Since my childhood the policy of excused and unexcused absences have sort of made full circle. When I was in elementary school in the 1970's we were allowed to go with our families for fall and spring camp, although not many families regularly participated in those migrations by that time. I can remember two or three families that did that every year and a few that decided to go out one year. In the late 70's to early 80's the policy was gradually reduced at a point to less and less absences were allowed. I can remember in the late 90's to today a student is formally allowed up to 5 excused absences over a school year - NOT SPECIFIC TO SUBSISTENCE - but encompassing everything from sickness, medical appointments, family emergencies to subsistence activities. Do not quote me on this because I have been away for about 4 years from my Home School position,and even while working in school this has varied so much that I could not state the current policy without having it in front of me to read. Having said that - the Russian Mission School has for many years reconnected many children to subsistence activities in a very direct manner. Not many schools will actually have class time in a camp setting, or have the students physically help catch fish for the school and community, or many other various subsistence activities.

Regardless of the high technical and modern aspects of our communities we live many many miles away from others and most of our nutritional resources are all around us. Even compared with other villages in the region, our ability to travel to the more urban areas take longer than most. We don't have huge stores with wide varieties of groceries brought to us from all over the world, and even if we did the prices for those products would be very high due in large part to shipping and handling. We can't sit and wait for someone to actually bring those things to us. We do have local stores that offer basic needs - flour, sugar, salt, oil... These are brought to us by airplanes, sent "bypass mail" and the cost of shipping and handling is added to the price you see at the store. Some families order their own groceries, but we do not all rely on this outside source for sustenance.Frankly I don't know of many people who would want to be in that position.

The school recognizes that - and also recognizes that the nutritional value of what we have subsisted on is higher than processed food. Throughout the seasons there is something to gather that is better for ones health than what can be found in the stores. I thank the school for their program, one that does not attempt to ignore or look down on our activities but rather highlight and join in our harvesting and desire to pass the skills and knowledge needed to gather these resources to the younger generation.

For a detailed review of the local school's activities, Google Russian Mission School subsistence. Although I know the basics of what they do, I am not in a position to accurately report what they are doing. I can say that they strive to continue with close consultation and participation of the local community and have a group of elders who come in regularly to help guide the students in their educational studies. Throughout the years this has made the school a part of the community and not a place next to it.