Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 09/02) - The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is going online with its teacher recruitment and retention strategy.

A new Web site (www.newteachersnwt.ca) was launched in June as part of the ECE's Teacher Induction Project.

The strategy is designed to combat the high turnover rate of teachers in Northern communities.

The official launch celebration was held in Yellowknife in the Centre Square Mall last Thursday.

"The program was de-signed to promote ongoing support to teachers from the time they are hired well into their school year," said Amanda Mallon.

Mallon was hired by ECE in November to co-ordinate the program.

This will be the first full year a full-time co-ordinator will be attached to the Teacher Induction Project, which was launched in 2000.

"We will be gathering data on the effectiveness of the program," said Mallon.

She said she believes they are seeing results. She used the Sahtu region as an example.

"It is a region with one of the highest turnovers. They only had nine teachers turnover this year, the lowest ever. There is definite evidence of success," she said.

The Web site features a variety of information to support new teachers. It is hoped the site will be a valuable resource.

Information on the site includes professional advice to teachers, information on culture-based education and advice on adjusting to a new school and environment.

The site is so effective and so well-planned it earned the Busy Educators Award, an international honour.

Dr. Lorretta Foley, deputy minister of education, said the Web site and the induction program are ways to sustain Northern teachers and ensure quality education for Northern students.

"When new teachers begin it is a big challenge for them, particularly for Southern teachers coming North," said Foley.

"We hope it will be one of the ways we can sustain teachers in the North. We don't want them to leave after year one. We want our teachers healthy, happy and fulfilled."

That is how Foley and the ECE believe they can combat the problem of high turnover.

"Ultimately it will help our students succeed if we can keep these teachers with us," said Foley.