Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (June 24/05) - A couple of familiar faces won't be seen at Bompas elementary school this fall. Teachers Kim Hardisty and Paul Stipdonk are retiring.

After two decades of stimulating young minds in Fort Simpson, teachers Paul Stipdonk and Kim Hardisty won't answer the morning school bell in September.

On Friday, they were honoured at a barbecue lunch. Each of them received a memory book with messages and recollections from pupils.

Student Celine Gargan said Ms. Hardisty would always help out anyone having difficulty and she even baked cakes for students on their birthday.

"It's kind of sad that she's leaving because lots of people liked her teaching," Gargan said.

Student Liam Hardisty said Mr. Stipdonk "was always there for me in school." He said Stipdonk fostered his participation in soccer "because he saw the potential I had."

Going to Super Soccer in Yellowknife was, Stipdonk admitted, always one of his favourite times of the year. He guided several teams to championships. He will also fondly recall the spring and Christmas concerts, where, much to his chagrin (or so it seemed), he would sometimes wind up in the spotlight. One year the students dressed him as Frosty the Snowman. On another occasion he did the Macarena.

"Deep down you want to be a kid at heart and get silly and goofy," said a smiling Stipdonk, who taught in Fort Simpson for 18 years.

He said he can foresee himself being a substitute teacher in Fort Simpson for years to come. With sons in Grades 5 and 10, he said he won't be venturing far. "You kind of grow with the community and it's really comfy," he said of Fort Simpson. "I don't want to move to the big city."

Hardisty, with 20 years of teaching in Fort Simpson, also has some wonderful memories. Moving into the newly renovated Bompas school in the mid-1990s was "an awesome experience," she said. The building incorporated Dene themes. She also enjoyed going to cultural camp, where the students were fascinated by their experiences.

"It just brightens their spirit to be in the bush," said Hardisty.

She noted that learning new approaches to teaching youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) was the most eye-opening lesson she has learned.

Loved concerts

Like Stipdonk, she said she loved the school concerts. Those events showcased the students' abilities in music and arts rather than just academics, she explained. Hardisty also praised the Dehcho Divisional Board of Education for rejecting standardized testing as long as possible. She added that she's grateful for all the parents who had good suggestions and for the school's hard-working and positive staff members.

In her retirement, she plans to offer a literacy program for three to four year olds in their parents' homes. She is also planning to enjoy time with her grandson, she said.

Bompas principal Terry Jaffray said she'll miss both colleagues, but she looks forward to working with them in different ways in the future as she suspects they will remain active in the community.