Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Sep 06/02) - There are many new faces in Deh Cho classrooms as the school year commences.

There were 16 vacancies left by outgoing Deh Cho teachers in June. Nolan Swartzentruber, director of the Deh Cho Divisional board of education, said the number of departures was "about normal."

"We have about 15 to 20 per cent turnover every year," he said.

The board doesn't formally survey departing teachers to determine their impetus for leaving.

From his experience over the past 17 years, Swartzentruber said the primary reasons include opportunities in the South or familial obligations.

"So the (Northern) adventure comes to an end, I guess," he said.

He noted that there were hundreds of applicants for the available jobs, but fewer than previous years.

A regional teachers' conference has been planned in Fort Simpson from Sept. 19-20. The conference will help familiarize newcomers with the curriculum, the Dene culture and each other.

With funding assistance from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, a superintendent trainee position has also been created this year.

Gladys Norwegian, who served as principal of Bompas School last year, has assumed that job.

"It's to build some capacity within ourselves," Swartzentruber explained.

"There's a real effort now to have (aboriginal) senior managers trained. That's a thrust of government, so we're part of that."

The doors opened to students in Fort Simpson on Tuesday, but most other communities began classes last week or the week before.

At Deh Gah school in Fort Providence, principal Jane Arychuk said teachers reported three days in advance of students for orientation.

To make kindergarten students more comfortable, they were introduced to the classroom setting earlier this year while still preschoolers. In addition, the Aboriginal Head Start preschool in Fort Providence runs programs that help prepare the youngsters.

"So they knew what to expect," Arychuk said.