SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yk Education District No. 1 is on the hunt for a new assistant superintendent to replace Mel Pardy.

Pardy is stepping down from the position as soon as a replacement can be found.

Superintendent Metro Huculak informed trustees through his regular report at Tuesday's board meeting that Pardy is leaving the job after 10 years to spend more time with his family.

The district hired a consultant who works through the Alberta School Boards Association to do a search for an assistant superintendent about six weeks ago.

Huculak said there were more than 20 candidates and five have been interviewed so far.

A special board meeting was scheduled for last night to discuss an offer to a candidate.

"An offer needs to be made and the person needs to accept. Sometimes it happens where people don't accept," said Huculak.

Aboriginal education committee coming together

Superintendent Metro Huculak said people from the district sat down recently to talk about who will take part in the development of an aboriginal education steering committee.

"What we're trying to look at is student achievement," said Huculak.

He said Chief Ed Sangris of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation will be on the committee, as well as two co-ordinators from each the Yk1 and Yellowknife Catholic Schools district, plus a member from the Dettah District Education Authority.

"That small committee will decide whether they want more members," said Huculak.

"At least we got that far. That first meeting happened so it finally took place and we got some action happening."

Assistant superintendent Mel Pardy said if the district is interested in creating an aboriginal language curriculum, then work must be done sooner than later.

"If you really, truly want kids to speak in Dogrib, this is something we need to look at," he said.

"There are a lot more obstacles and we'd need to plan. You're probably looking at eight or nine years down the road. You have to get teachers, you have lots of things to do."

Pardy said it is something the Department of Education, Culture and Employment ought to look into. Trustee Reanna Erasmus said training aboriginal language teachers is an important step to strengthening aboriginal culture.

"We all know in Behchoko there were a lot of aboriginal language speakers there," said Erasmus.

"Since the introduction of TV and everything, the language retention and learning has gone way down. We have very few young people who are speaking the language."

Agreement renewed between Yk1 and Dettah

Yk1 and the Dettah District Education Authority signed an agreement that extends their partnership until June 30, 2013. The agreement was read out at the Yk1 board meeting Tuesday night.

The agreement allows the Dettah DEA to utilize the superintendent's services and receive support to maintain the

kindergarten to Grade 6 Kaw Tay Whee School.

The cost of the services provided by Yk1 amounts to $25,000 over next two years, according to the agreement.

The agreement states Yk1 shall "assist with, review and make recommendations regarding the Dettah school educational program, operations and maintenance, budgets and the school academic year calendar" for the two years of the agreement.

The agreement states all matters related to the Dettah school and program developments will be kept confidential until written direction is given by its DEA to make the issues public.

Assistant superintendent Mel Pardy said this is solely to ensure no information is presented to the public until it is ratified by both authorities involved.

Pardy said this process is revised every two years between the two authorities.

"Our relationship with them probably goes back about eight years. This is a process that you go through, a cycle you go through," he said.

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