Yellowknife (Oct 17/03) - Range Lake North school has joined Ecole J.H Sissons in a federally-funded education project, filling the test sites available for Yellowknife.

The Restitution Peace Project came to the North in 1998, says Lynn Taylor, coordinator for the project.

J.H Sissons was the first school accepted for implementation for the program, which uses classroom lessons and activities to teach respect, build community, and resolve conflict among students.

The national project is based on behavioral research and aims to move away from the standard rewards and punishment systems in schools.

The program allows students to be responsible for their actions, making decisions based on their morals, not the reward they might receive.

In it's fifth and final year, results for the school are coming in, and the news is good.

"We've had dramatic reduction in suspensions," says Taylor.

The number of suspensions at the school dropped to eight in 2001-2002, down from 49 before the program started.

Both schools receive up to $60,000 in training, resources, and materials annually, adding to the bonus of the program, says Taylor.

With the J.H Sissons school project fully implemented, Range Lake North school was given the go-ahead to start this fall.

Sandra Bowden, principal at Range Lake North, says the school was looking for a project, and Restitution filled a needed spot.

"The staff were asking for something that would help us get a better, bigger, over all picture of where we wanted to go with the school," Bowden says.