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YK1 School Board briefs Town hall meeting set for Jan. 25 Laura Busch Northern News Services Published Friday, January 13, 2012
This will be an open public meeting in which anyone with an opinion is welcome to come and share their thoughts on how public schools are doing and what can be done better, said John Stephenson, vice chair of the board of trustees. During the event, there will be three 30-minute periods for round-table discussion. Topics for discussion were determined by the results of a recent public survey, said Stephenson. These topics will include bullying; reading, writing and mathematics; and staff professional development. "It's our intention to be there to hear what people who come to the meeting want to share with us," Stephenson told the board. Recommendations from the town hall meeting will be used the following weekend, when trustees will hold their annual retreat and policy meeting. Aboriginal education program gets tech-savvy Mildred Hall School's aboriginal classroom has recently been equipped with 24 iPads and a Smart Board, which is a kind of computerized white board. The aboriginal facilitator will be using the Smart Board to make classes more interactive, said board trustee Reanna Erasmus. A parent feast and information night will be organized to discuss the new technology, though the date for this event has not yet been set. Administrators are still waiting on applications to accompany these new devices, which were ordered by the GNWT Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Erasmus said. Canadian Parents for French commends board Representatives from the YK1 and NWT Canadian Parents for French (CPF) chapters made their annual presentation during Tuesday's board meeting. Karen Hamre, president of the NWT CPF chapter, praised the board for its dedication to teaching the French language, especially since they do not have a French immersion program. Hamre noted the public schools' enhanced French and intensive French programs were doing a remarkable job equipping students with practical French-language skills. "Intensive French is absolutely a substitute for core French, it is not a substitute for French Immersion," said Hamre. Extra Foods donates decorations Yellowknife public schools have received a large donation of holiday decorations - presumably to be used next year. So far, five pickup truck loads have been collected from the grocer, and five more loads are ready to be picked up, said Elvis Beaudoin, manager of facilities and maintenance for YK1. The donation includes many Christmas baubles, wrapping paper and other decorations. Board members commented that the donation will be helpful for next year with student projects and potentially for plays and other student activities.
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