Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Arviat (June 15/05) - While Arviat teachers and students alike are giddy with excitement over the doors to a brand-new building opening in August, the premise remains that Qitiqliq will be one school that just happens to be in two different buildings, says principal Fred Durant.

The new building will house one Grade 7 and one Grade 8 class, along with grades nine through 12.

Durant says while he shares the excitement over the new building, he doesn't want people to view the two schools as separate entities.

"We are one school, Grade 6 to 12, with one principal, in two buildings," stresses Durant.

"A number of our teachers and staff members will share time between the two buildings."

Durant says one big advantage the new building will provide is increased space.

He says the current school operates with 14 base classes, in addition to high school personal-development units such as art, music, physical education and land skills.

"There are times I have to go on the public-address system to ask teachers if there's a free room available anywhere in the school.

"We have 42 periods in a seven-day cycle and, on average, there's one free room about half of those periods.

"That gives us no flexibility whatsoever.

"So, if nothing else, it will be a pleasure just to be able to stretch out a bit."

Durant says the new school's final design and functionality came from the wishes of students and teachers.

He says the architectural firm, Winnipeg-based Acutech Engineering, was absolutely phenomenal in gathering input from the community.

"They even took photos I brought in - most of which were taken by Gord Billard - and incorporated the scenes and colours into the exterior of the building.

"It's incredible how they interpreted those pictures into the colour scheme.

"The sunsets, Inuksuit, and even a small snowdrift, really capture the essence of the community.

"As for the inside, it's the kind of building you walk into and say, wow!"

Needed security

The new building is equipped with a modern alarm system and the Department of Education plans to have video cameras installed in all three Arviat schools by summer's end.

Durant says he hasn't heard one negative comment from the community concerning the cameras.

He says even the students are fed up with the number of break ins.

"They come to school to find food from our breakfast program stolen or items taken from their classrooms.

Sense of relief

"There's a true sense of relief among teachers and students that we're going to have a high-level security system in both buildings and, hopefully, will no longer be plagued by the frequency of break-ins."

Not surprisingly, Billard, who is the school's drama teacher, is enamoured with the building's new theatre.

He says the sophisticated light-and-sound system represents an incredible upgrade to current capabilities.

"It features 18 brand-new 500 watt fully mobile units, all incorporated into a built-in control system located in the back of a Greek-styled theatre," says Billard.

"We even have a real box stage, about 24-feet wide, with proscenium and curtains up and down stage.

"Our productions there have the potential to be something very, very special."

Spooky encounter

A number of students helped school staff move equipment into the new building this past week.

Billard says he suspects the motive behind the good will was to get a look at the inside of the structure.

He says the students were impressed by everything they saw - and he means everything.

"One student came running back to Qitiqliq to tell us of his amazement with the washrooms in the new building.

"Apparently, he was using the washroom and couldn't figure out how to work the facilities.

"He was shocked when they started flushing themselves as he walked away, and then became even more amazed when he went to wash his hands and the water came on without a faucet being touched.

"He figures the new building has pretty cool washrooms - even if they're a little on the spooky side."