Fort Simpson (Sep 12/03) - There have been many changes at Bompas elementary to begin the school year.

These alterations, most of them quite subtle, are intended to make learning easier for all students, especially those with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Those children often exhibit short attention spans and usually don't cope well with abundant stimuli.

The changes at Bompas are based on recommendations made by FAS/FAE specialists from Surrey B.C. who visited in the spring.

Notebooks are colour coded by subject.

Headsets are available to block out noise.

Classrooms have only desks instead of large tables so students have their own work space.

Teachers are also using various hand signals. For example, they'll extend their arms to remind students that others require at least that much personal space.

The walls in each room have fewer posters and messages, so children don't become preoccupied. Most of the posters that remain illustrate the proper way to do things, such as the acceptable way to walk in the halls.

"A lot of those things are organizational and they help all the kids," said Jaffray. "They're not things that are going to interfere with an average child's learning. In fact they actually enhance it."

Some of the measures were implemented in May and June.

"People made observation last year about kids being able to focus better," Jaffray said, adding that there will be no attempts to diagnose individuals.

Shane Barclay, the Deh Cho's former doctor, helped organize a FAS working group in Fort Simpson in the fall of 2002. That group, comprising representatives of several groups and agencies, raised $25,000 towards developing an FAS-friendly school. Barclay said studies have shown that all students can benefit from more structure and fewer classroom distractions, such as posters and artwork on walls.

"It generally helps everybody," he said.