Inuvik (Feb 25/05) - Elementary school staff members are not happy with the District Education Authority's (DEA) decision not to extend current principal Bernie MacLean's contract for one more year. On Monday night a contingent of staff attended a DEA meeting, hoping to convince the board to reverse its position.

"Mr. MacLean prides himself in not allowing any child to fall between the cracks," said spokesperson Chris Gilmour, a SAMS teacher, reading from a letter signed by 33 staff members from the school.

Earlier this year the DEA made the decision not to extend MacLean's contract for another year, which would have been his ninth at the elementary school.

"We appreciate very much your support for him," said DEA chair Judy Harder, who noted that MacLean's contract had already been extended four times - each time for a one-year period.

"The decision was based on the DEA's desire for a three to five year commitment."

"Although Mr. MacLean leaves big shoes to fill, it is our hope that we'll find somebody with similar talents." Nearly a dozen SAMS teachers attended the meeting in support of MacLean, including Aleisha Manuel, who questioned the DEA's logic in looking for a replacement when MacLean was willing to stay another year.

"There's no guarantee the new person will stay three years," she said. "And you have stability in place already." While DEA member Nick Saturnino assured SAMS staff that the board would consider their comments, Harder told the Drum Tuesday morning that the board was sticking to its plan.

"With the new school being planned, we want to be proactive and have a principal who will be a part of that."

MacLean was not at the DEA meeting Monday and declined to comment on the matter when contacted Tuesday.

The letter from SAMS staff is printed in the Drum's letters section on page 5.