Playground in the works
Education authority forms committee to raise funds to replace wooden structure
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, November 13, 2014
INUVIK
There was little public interest in the annual general meeting of the Inuvik District Education Authority Nov. 5.
Judy Harder, the chairperson of the Inuvik District Education Authority, presided over the annual general meeting of the organization Nov. 5 at East Three school. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Only two people from the public attended the meeting, and there were no questions from the gallery following some detailed presentations by authority chairperson Judy Harder and East Three school prinicipal Deb Maguire.
One of the bigger changes announced is the establishment of a new playground equipment committee to raise the money needed to install new playground equipment.
Since the school opened, the education authority and school officials have been attempting to have log-structure playground equipment removed due to safety concerns.
That's still an ongoing negotiation, Harder said, but it's expected the structure will be removed next spring to make room for the new equipment.
"The (education authority) has been advised that the cost to install this equipment on the new school grounds is many thousands of dollars," Harder said, reading from notes.
"At this time, we would like to form a new playground equipment committee to undertake proposal writing and fundraising to acquire the funds to install the equipment on our playground."
The new equipment has been purchased, and was transported to Inuvik from Edmonton by Northwind Industries at no cost.
The new equipment cost $80,000, and was purchased through a playground committee led by former elementary prinicipal Janette Vlanich.
Harder's presentations included some relevant statistics for the school, which consists of East Three Elementary and East Three Secondary schools.
Currently, there are 48 teachers on staff between the two schools. Five education assistants work in the secondary school, while six are employed at the elementary school.
Enrolment at the elementary school is 350 students, with another 279 at the secondary school.
Harder said among the noteworthy items for the school is the establishment of an e-learning program that offers courses to students in Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk, Whati and Fort Resolution.
The program is offered through the Beaufort Delta Education Council, and the Beaufort Delta had been the only region in the NWT where the service was offered.
The education authority has also moved to improve and consolidate its on-the-land programs under the direction of Eric Church. Previously, Jason Dayman, the former elementary school vice-principal ran the elementary program while former secondary school vice-principal Lorne Guy operated the secondary program.
Harder said the program is a priority for the education authority.
"He has a very full timetable and we expect this program to have a very positive effect on our student population," she said.
The education authority will have an accumulated surplus of $61, 926 in 2104, according to its financial statements.
