Resolute Bay (Dec 08/03) - School life is finally back to normal in Resolute Bay.

After two months of construction, students and teachers have a place they can call their own.

On Nov. 24 Qarmartalik school reopened after it received a $3 million facelift and expansion.

"We're now feeling like a school," said Byron White, principal of Qarmartalik.

"The sense of community has been missing in the school and we are starting to get that back," he said. "Without having the classroom it's been hard for the school to come together."

The existing structure of the school was expanded to provide much-needed classroom space. Now the school has space for a science lab, computer room and a home economics room.

What the students think

The students are happy to have their schedules back to normal and are looking forward to the year.

Solomon Idlout, Grade 12 student, said the past two weeks have been great.

"It's good to be back," he said. "We were scattered all over the community."

Idlout said the only thing that he didn't like was that he won't be spending much time in the new school.

"I'm graduating this year. I was looking forward to the new school."

Moses Aronsen, who's in Grade 6 will have a few more years to enjoy the school.

"The school feels good. It's more comfortable because there's more room," he said. "Our classroom is big and we have a couple new computers."

White said the last two months has been a challenge for students, teachers and parents. But it's one they have faced together.

"I wanted to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience," he said. "Everyone pulled together to make the schedules work."

Since September students and teachers have coped with make-shift classroom and unusual scheduling.

The school commandeered an old recreation office, a conference room in a hotel and a class room in Arctic College.

A new schedule was also created and split between all the rooms. Some students would start as early as 8 a.m. and finish in the afternoon. Other classes would start in the afternoon and wouldn't finish until 5 p.m.

Tough for all

"It's been tough on everybody," White said. "It was a unique situation for the students and teachers, to say the least."

Despite the difficulties, White said he was confident that students have kept up their studies.

"We've been pushing them hard to make sure we cover as much of the curriculum as possible," he said.

Now that all the work is complete, White said, they have a modern school.

"Everyone is happy now," he said. "We have something the whole community can be proud of."

Some highlights of the construction are a new home economics lab, a science lab and a computer lab.

"We have entered into the 21st century," he said.

There are still some bugs to be worked out.

White said the computer lab will take a few more weeks before it's up and running with internet connections.