Mine Centre School

Our guest speaker this meeting was Cecilia Stewart, the new principal of Mine Centre School — a small rural school serving approximately 64 students in the unorganized territory of Mine Centre, located roughly three hours west of Thunder Bay along Highway 11 (approx 1,700km from KW). The school serves students from two nearby First Nations communities: Seine River First Nation and Nicickousemenecaning (Red Gut) First Nation.

 

One hundred percent of Mine Centre's students are self-identified First Nations. Recognizing the food security challenges faced by many families, the school runs a daily breakfast and snack program, with students fed twice every school day. The program is powered largely by one dedicated employee — Mrs. G — who organizes menus, orders food from a supplier 65 km away, cooks, preps, serves, and often stays the latest of any staff member.

Breakfast items typically include fruit, whole grain cereals, milk, boiled eggs, muffins, and toast. For special occasions like Breakfast with Santa, Education Week, and Winter Carnival, the team prepares pancakes, waffles, and sausages for a sit-down family-style meal.

 

Principal Stewart was clear about why the program matters: for many students, the school meal isn't a supplement — it's a lifeline. Parents regularly call to say they don't have food to send with their children and are thinking of keeping them home. Her response is always the same: "Send them to school. We'll feed them."

The program also serves a powerful social and educational function. Mealtimes are used to build relationships between staff and students, practice social skills and manners, and model healthy eating habits. Teachers and EAs eat alongside students — and it works. Vegetables that students once refused are now being eaten enthusiastically. As Cecilia noted, "By the time they're in Grade 8, they're all eating it."

 

The cost of food in this remote community is stark. A dozen eggs costs $5.69. A single cucumber is $3.79. A 2L carton of milk runs $6.77. Against a school board nutrition budget of just $2,000 per year, the school works to source approximately $12,000–$14,000 in food annually to sustain the full program.

Twelve of the school's 34 families are enrolled in the NOW (Nutrition on Weekends) program, which helps provide healthy food during weekends when children are away from school.

 

When asked about the impact of COVID-19, Principal Stewart was candid. Being in an already-isolated area, the school was hit harder than many. Students are still catching up — the cohort that went through COVID is roughly one to two years behind educationally. Socially, staff now set aside curriculum time specifically to teach self-regulation and social skills that were disrupted during the pandemic.

 

Our Rotary Club has been supporting Mine Centre School for close to ten years. The growth over that time has been remarkable — from students who wouldn't drink milk or eat fruit, to a school where broccoli, carrots, and snow peas are now a regular part of the menu. It's a testament to what consistent, caring support can achieve.

Thank you, Cecilia, for sharing your story with us — and for the important work you and your team do every day for the children of Mine Centre. For more info you can refer to their website at https://mcs.rrdsb.com/.