Glen Vienneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 16/00) - One of Yellowknife's newest schools opened its doors last April and is now ready to offer full-time schooling for students in Ndilo.

"What a job it was to move the whole school in a matter of one week," reflected Angela James, principal for the K'alemi Dene school in Ndilo.

While renovations for the new school building got under way last summer, the school was moved to the portables next to J.H. Sissons school for more than seven months during the last school year.

Then, last spring, the school returned to the community when renovations were completed.

"In spite of the many hours spent organizing, packing and moving, we made it and began our educational activities," said James.

By May, the school was ready to have its first open house.

"The students plucked and prepared ducks the day previous to this and on our menu was duck soup. Yum. The community of Ndilo came out in droves to celebrate," said James, adding that the school's name reflects the Dene community.

In the Dogrib language K'alemi means rainbow, which is fitting because for years the federal government referred to the community as Rainbow Valley.

Teachers are now busy gearing up for the school year, James says, adding the school is expecting 50 students from kindergarten to Grade 6.

At the moment, the school has four teachers on staff, including James, and one educational assistant.

The curriculum follows a Dene tradition of teaching the four relationships of respect: the self, others, the land and the spiritual world.

"These relationships are taught in conjunction with the key cultural experiences in which students participate in throughout the school year," James said, adding students can look forward to taking part in cultural camps, drumming lessons, dog sledding and Dene arts and crafts.

Other educational standards mandated by the NWT Department of Education will be followed.