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DEH CHO - In Jean Marie River, thin double-line tracks in the snow lead to and from Louie Norwegian school.

The tracks are made by the cross-country skis that all nine students wear as part of a daily cross-country ski program. As soon as the snow was deep enough, almost three weeks ago, the students started skiing and so far they've only missed one day, said Terry Davidson.

Carla Norwegian, left, watches as Keegan Norwegian-Menacho, 5, gets his balance on his cross-country skis during a physical education period for the Louie Norwegian school. - photo courtesy of Arnold Gargan

Davidson, the principal and only teacher at the school, designed and is implementing the skiing program.

"I really felt it was important for good physical health," he said.

Davidson chose cross-country skiing because it's an activity that all of the students, even those in kindergarten can participate in. The students said they rarely skied in the past, said Davidson.

Now all the students and the school staff go skiing for approximately an hour at the end of each school day. In that time they cover about three kilometres, he said.

Davidson has started to set tracks through the bush near the community and along the banks of the river. He's also looking for disused trapping trails that might be suitable to ski on.

Along with increasing physical activity, the skiing is also part of Davidson's plan to get the students involved in more on the land activities. As soon as they have enough pairs the skiing will be alternated with snowshoeing, he said.

Davidson isn't the only teacher who is taking advantage of the winter conditions for physical education. Many of the small schools in the Deh Cho have strong cross-country skiing programs.

In Nahanni Butte, Wayne Ingarfield, principal of the Yohin school, has started to pack the ski trails around the community. The trails still need another foot of snow to make them usable, said Ingarfield.

Within three to four weeks the students should be out skiing.

"It all depends on the snow," he said.

Cross-country skiing has been a mainstay in the line up of winter physical activities in the community. Snowshoeing and sports like broomball on the local ice rink compliment the skiing.

This winter the sports activities will be a bit different, said Ingarfield. When the new community gymnasium is completed students will probably be doing indoor sports every other day.

In Kakisa, cross-country skiing is a popular activity with the students at the Kakisa Lake school.

"It's fun," said Dalton Simba, 12.

Skiing is good exercise and even the younger students can do it although they fall down a lot, said Simba.

The students started skiing last week as part of the physical education program, said teacher Sheila Hilliard.

Skiing is a popular choice to fill the half an hour that students spend outside daily.

"They love it," she said.

The school has trails that lead through the bush for the older students while the students in younger grades ski on trails around the community.

Right now the students in Grades 1 and 2 are skiing without poles to strengthen their balance. The kindergarten students are waiting for the small skis that have been ordered for them to arrive.

"They can't wait to go," said Hilliard.