Principal says farewell to MUI
12-year-run in Rankin ends with message of importance for parents, partnerships in education
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
KANGIQLINIQ/RANKIN INLET
The reality of Jesse Payne's decision has become quite real as he spends his final few days in Rankin Inlet before turning out the lights at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) for the last time and retiring home to the East Coast - and he's OK with that.
Kathleen Merritt, left, presents the citizenship award to Sakkataaq Zawadski during Student Awards Day at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin Inlet on June 9. - photo courtesy of MUI staff |
Payne, 55, has been the principal at MUI for 12 of the past 13 years, since first taking the position in 2004.
He had decided, earlier in life, to retire once he hit the 30-year mark of his career in education.
Now, finishing up his 33rd year, he feels his career has run its course and it's time to leave MUI in new hands.
Payne said he needs to move on and try something else, and he wants to enjoy more time with his family.
He said he made the decision early in the school year and it was not an easy one to make.
"It's not that I really wanted to leave, because I still love it here and I love the students," Payne stated emphatically.
"It's been a great run, and I wish I could stay until every single student in the school actually graduated, but, at some point, you have to make decisions in your personal life and I'm not getting any younger.
Plus, our first granddaughter was born this year, and that was a big factor for me, as well."
Payne said leaving MUI is at its toughest right now because he's seeing a finality to it all.
He said he began the process of hiring new teachers and putting programs together for the upcoming school year, because he's still responsible for ensuring everything is ready for the incoming principal.
Payne said one area where he hopes he had a hand in making a difference during his 12 years at MUI, is with the number of students moving on to post secondary once they graduate from high school.
He said that, along with the fact MUI has a lot more students graduating today, allows him to think that he helped make a positive contribution to the community during his time in Rankin Inlet.
"That's a legacy being left behind for the staff; for the team that we've had during the past number of years, because that was something we really strived for, to get students to their graduation and, maybe, look beyond that a bit," said Payne.
"If you can help students see their path in life, and help them realize they can follow their dreams, achieve their goals and do something good in their lives as productive citizens, then you've made a positive contribution as an educator."
As far as loose ends go, improving attendance is still very much a challenge for MUI as Payne prepares to depart.
As hard as he and other staff members tried over the years, there's still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to attendance rates, he said.
Attendance and parental engagement at the high school are areas that are constantly challenging. Tthey're something he sees the new principal, Katherine Leblanc, really having to focus on once she's gotten her feet under her, said Payne.
"The effort in those areas, I hope, will be continued, and she'll work with the community to increase the value of education," said Payne.
"I've preached for years that if you're not involved, things fall through the cracks, and it just doesn't work all the time if you look to the school to try and educate your children."
Payne said where parents are engaged, children are attending and getting better grades.
"In some instances, the parents are really working hard to try and get their kids to school but some kids, when they're teenagers, just don't always listen and that's the same everywhere," said Payne.
"So you can't say it's always the parents who are to blame, because we have a lot of parents who come to school asking us for help because they need to get their kids in school."
