SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Despite an announcement that Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger's board reform plan is back on the table, the Yellowknife public school board hasn't heard anything about it from the territorial government.

"Minister Miltenberger said that he provided information to cabinet, but of course he hasn't provided any information to us," said Duff Spence, chair of Yk Education District No. 1.

"Maybe, hopefully, when he does have a proposal, he will bring it to the boards to discuss," said Spence.

"I guess the only information we received (about the merger) was the article ... in the paper," added Spence, referring to a Yellowknifer feature story published on Feb. 18.

"We're here for the kids and their success, we're also here to work with the government, so hopefully they can get that going."

Spence said that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is working to co-ordinate a meeting between school board chairs in the territory, scheduled tentatively for later this month.

School's out for summer

Classes in Yellowknife public schools will officially come to an end on June 26.

Sir John Franklin high school's graduation ceremony takes place Saturday June 27. Farewell ceremonies for the rest of the schools will occur Thursday, June 25, and on Friday, June 26.

The Yk1 board meeting on Tuesday will be the last until September 8.

Drug free zone enforcement demanded

Yk1 superintendent Metro Huculak said he wants to pump up enforcement of the Drug Free Zone program at schools.

"If you declare a place a drug free zone, there are more powers given to the legal system for prosecution," said Huculak.

"What we're trying to do is get all the partners working together - health, social services, justice, and so on - and try to eliminate drugs in schools."

Huculak said when former Yellowknife RCMP detachment commander Roch Fortin left Yellowknife in 2008, the program died down.

"We're trying to revive it," said Huculak.