SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
In order to respect the various backgrounds of their diverse student bodies, elementary and middle schools in Yellowknife are focusing on themes that span cultures and religions during the holiday season – food, music, and giving to others.

Hannah Latour, left, secretery of the Yellowknife Interactive Club, and Girlspace co-ordinator Ashley MacDonald at St. Patrick School show off one of the GirlSpace Christmas cards and a cheque for $1,500 in January 2012. Yellowknife schools are focusing on giving to staff, students and the community as well as celebrations with song, dance and food in order to be inclusive of all religions and cultures during the holidays. - NNSL file photo

"It's not that we don't recognize Christmas as a Christian holiday, it's just that there are so many ways to celebrate this time of year and we just want to acknowledge them all," said Shirley Zouboules, principal of N. J. Macpherson School.

How the holidays are celebrated depends on each individual classroom, but all celebrate inclusively, encouraging students to tell stories of how they celebrate and spend time with their families during the season.

"Our classes investigate other celebrations throughout the whole year and other traditions, to recognize everybody comes from a different background," Zouboules said.

The elementary schools in Yellowknife Education District No. 1 each have a winter concert for families to attend which feature students performing songs, and dances. Some of the songs are the traditional Christmas carols, but the general theme is winter, more so than Christmas.

During celebrations at J.H. Sissons an awareness of multiculturalism is always promoted.

"In many of our different faiths there are different celebrations so teachers might invite students to discuss how they celebrate," said Principal Paul Bennett. "The holidays are about sharing what you have and sharing what you eat. We want to share it ourselves and promote embracing one another."

Rachell Simmons, principal of William McDonald school, said much of the same.

"All of the religions are giving in some way (during the season) so we look at giving and not necessarily a specific religion or religious background," she said.

Kalemi Dene school in Ndilo does not teach about celebrations such as Kwanzaa, Ramadan or Hanukah. They instead focus on the traditional Dene celebrations by caroling in both English and Wilideh Watti. There is also a feast on Dec. 20 followed by a concert with songs in both languages.

"All of our students are Dene, so we don't teach about the other celebrations but we do put culture in as much as we can," said Eileen Erasmus, principal of the school.

In the Yellowknife Catholic school district, most of the focus is on celebrating Advent.

"We look at the Catholic celebration of Advent," said Weledeh Principal Simone Gessler. "So there are four weeks of Advent prior to Christmas with a liturgy each week, and at each one there are different activities."

Despite the focus on Advent, students in YCS are also taught about different cultures and students share their celebrations across their various backgrounds.

"We celebrate our multicultural student body and the students are able to share with the other students how they celebrate," Gessler said.

In Yellowknife's two high schools, there are events such as Crazy Christmas Sweater Day and Winter Prom at Sir John Franklin, but most of the focus is completing the curriculum before exams begin after the holiday break.

Bennett said one of the best parts of this season is the richness it brings to the school community.

"The schools are all decorated.It's a festival of light. We're heading into our dark season and, boy, this adds light and excitement."

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