YELLOWKNIFE - Yk1 school board members had a few questions and concerns for RCMP Insp. Roch Fortin over the recent drug-free zone established around Sir John Franklin and St. Patrick high schools.

William McDonald middle school students Johanna Stewart and Katie Weaver were recognized at the Yk1 board meeting April 10 for scoring top marks on a French immersion test, the Dictee PGL. The students beat out other elementary school students across the NWT and Yukon. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo

Board trustee Dale Thomson expressed concern over the length of the commitment to have a full-time RCMP officer working at the schools.

Thomson referred to a previous RCMP presence at the school a few years ago that later disappeared.

"We lost the presence of the force and I think that did a lot of damage," said Thomson, who asked whether this was a long-term commitment.

Fortin said that the presence of RCMP Const. Louis-Philippe Goulet in the school full-time is a pilot project until the end of the school year.

However, Fortin said he hopes that if the drug-free zone leads to a decrease in crime, he should have the resources to keep the commitment.

"If crime reduces, it can open up members for community policing," said Fortin.

Fortin also addressed concerns expressed in a letter published in Yellowknifer that said the drug-free zone was useless because it was "just a sign."

"Yes, it is a sign, but there's meaning behind the sign," said Fortin.

Fortin said the RCMP has been working with social services, the Tree of Peace, the RCMP, and the city to realize the project.

Trustee Mildred Wilke said that she also hears a lot of doubt over the effectiveness of the drug-free zone.

"The subject of the drug-free zone is negative among the people I associate with on 50 Street," Wilke told Fortin and the board. "But my heart says I truly hope this becomes a success."

Music Monday

The music teacher from J.H. Sissons school asked the board to join together in song to celebrate Music Monday.

On May 7, Kamey Dunbar hopes to get music enthusiasts to sing together at 11 a.m. outside the school.

"We're encouraging any musicians to come out and play," said Dunbar.

This is the third annual Music Monday, a national event organized by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada.

On that day about 1,300 schools join together to sing a song written especially for the event.

Dunbar has offered to teach the song to anyone interested.

The song will be sung in both French and English, as Dunbar said it was important "not to exclude one of the languages."

Professional development

Two administrators from J.H. Sissons school and William McDonald middle school gave a presentation to the board on what they took from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Conference in Anaheim, California they attended from March 17 to 19.

Tommy Samson and Sarah Berry said they were both blown away by a presentation by Todd Whitaker, a professor at Indiana State University.

Berry asked the board to sponsor Whitaker to come to Yellowknife next fall to give his presentation on the characteristics of great principals and teachers.

She said she spoke with Whitaker about this possibility while she was in California, and she said that he had agreed.

"I'm so blessed to see this guy two years [after I've been in] this administration," said Samson.

He added he felt the talk would affect how he does his job next year. Samson and Berry both said the presentation taught them to focus more on training teachers rather than on programs.

Metro Huculak, superintendent of education for Yk1, agreed that this would be the focus for next year.

He said this principle falls in line with the classroom walk-through training the school board provides to teachers at the beginning of the school year.

Money for heat

The school board is looking to the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment to see if they will help heat the schools.

Tram Do, director of Corporate Services, said that the board is on budget if they receive a $100,000 fuel subsidy from ECE.

Do said they have received it over the past couple of years, but she hasn't heard anything for this year.

"We're really hoping ECE will come through with the funding," she told the board.

Huculak said that he has been in touch with ECE about the funding.

He said the department hasn't said no, but they are still trying to calculate the extra costs.

Tram said that heating fuel prices were at 80 cents per litre this year, in comparison with 77 cents per litre last year. She also said colder temperatures had increased their heating costs.