Yellowknife (Jun 07/06) - There were few dry eyes in Ndilo last Thursday as members of the community gathered at the K'alemi Dene school for a sod-turning ceremony.

Ndilo Chief Fred Sangris, left, and Premier Joe Handley remove the first shovelful of earth from the site of the new school on the Latham Island community, last Thursday. - Jessica Gray/NNSL photo

More than 100 people attended the event to celebrate the upcoming construction of a new community school for Ndilo - something those involved in the process have waited 10 years to see.

"As chief of this community, I'm happy we're going to get a school built here," Chief Fred Sangris said.

Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Phil Fontaine was also there to share in the celebration.

"I'm proud to be present for so important a moment in the life of this community," he said.

Yellowknives Dene First Nations education counsellor Cecilia Beaulieu agreed.

"We've come a long way from residential schools," she said with tears in her eyes.

The K'alemi Dene school was originally an adult learning centre, Yk 1 Education District board chairperson Reanna Erasmus said.

"It was designed as an education upgrading class," Erasmus said.

In order to get a new school, the community had to prove to the NWT government that it needed more space.

K'alemi Dene principal Angela James said they have done that, and more.

"In 1998, we had 15 students, now we have 85," which is full capacity for the school, James said.

She said she has had to turn away parents looking to enrol their children this year, although she is not sure how many.

The school is set to be built adjacent to the present school, just metres away from the jungle gym.

James said the new school will have a capacity for 120 students. She hopes to have a tender for construction accepted by the end of the summer to begin laying the concrete foundation by September.

The school will house kindergarten up to Grade 12 students and will cost approximately $5 million, James said.

Members of the Dene community were proud of what was happening and that there would be a proper place to educate their children.

"Today is one of those days where we stand up for our elders who worked so hard for our school," Chief Peter Liske said.

Premier Joe Handley, who is also MLA for Weledeh, and Chief Sangris were the ones who turned the sod at the end of the ceremony.