Deh Cho superintendent recognized by peers
Terry Jaffray awarded the 2014 distinguished service award
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 1, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
When asked about her favourite moments from her 32 years of service in Northern education, Terry Jaffray pauses and lets out a quick laugh.
Terry Jaffray accepts a distinguished service award from Yellowknife Education District No. 1 Superintendent Metro Huculak on Nov. 25. Jaffray has worked in education in the North for more than 30 years. - Elaine Anselmi/NNSL photo |
"That's difficult," she said. "I really like my job."
Jaffray started her first Northern teaching position in 1982 at Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet. She later moved onto schools in Baker Lake, Fort Providence and Fort Simpson, where she served as principal of Bompas Elementary for 10 years.
Jaffray worked her way up to assistant superintendent and today she is the superintendent of the Dehcho Divisional Education Council.
She was recently awarded the 2014 distinguished service award by the Northwest Territories Superintendents' Association and is in the running for the 2015 Canadian superintendent of the year award.
"I think it's a real honour," said Jaffray of the award. "It's always nice when your peers recognize the work that you do."
After some reflection, Jaffray settled on a favourite memory and shared it with fondness in her voice.
Four years ago, she was introduced to Drew Ann Wake, who covered the Berger Inquiry as a young journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Wake had pictures and audio recordings from the historical event and wanted to give them back to the people.
The materials sparked a discussion among residents in the Deh Cho region and led students and educators to create an online repository. In some communities, students interviewed elders who had participated in the inquiry.
It was a special project to be a part of, said Jaffray.
"When you see someone from your community looking at a picture of their mom or dad at this inquiry or listening to a tape of their mom or dad speaking at the inquiry and you're giving that back to them, man that's so exciting," she said. "And to see the young people in Fort Liard when they were talking to Harry Deneron who was actually involved at the time and here he is 30 years later talking to these young men and woman about his role and about what he had said then ... It just brings history alive for young people and makes it the kind of learning experience that makes kids want to be in school. I just think it was a very successful thing that we did."
Throughout her years of teaching, Jaffray has noticed a shift in how schools handle issues such as attendance.
It used to be that teachers would phone up the parents of students with low attendance and impress upon them the importance of school.
But nowadays, Jaffray said, schools are looking inward.
"We have to look at the role of school and how we can make school an appealing place for kids to be. I think that's the thing we're looking at now," she said.
"It's not so much dealing with the parent and family side of things, but looking at school and what makes it a good place for kids to be and making sure it's inviting and that it's safe."
Modern technology helps in that it connects students and teachers to new resources, she said.
When Jaffray began her teaching career in the NWT 32 years ago, Northern schools were isolated and disconnected.
"Some of the schools in the Deh Cho region 20 years ago didn't have telephones. They connected by radio phones, satellite phones," said Jaffray. "It was hard to get information and to connect with other people."
Today, students at Deh Gah School are using video conferencing equipment to meet with students from Calgary on a regular basis.
They're learning areas of the curriculum together, explained Jaffray.
"I think it's a fabulous way to use technology because then the young people get to talk with people their own age in another community and share their opinions. It's good for them to see and hear the things that are alike and different about each other."
Another exciting project is in the works to promote South Slavey language through technology.
Last week, aboriginal language teachers created books that will later be digitized and put onto school websites and the Dehcho divisional council website, said Jaffray.
"So that brings slavey into the home."
Going forward, Jaffray said, she wants work to continue on improving literacy in schools and increasing the number of slavey language speakers and teachers.
Curtis Brown, superintendent of the South Slave Divisional Education Council, said the Northwest Territories is lucky to have someone like Jaffray working for students.
"Terry's soft spoken and heartfelt approach always brings group discussions back to what is best for kids, he stated in a news release. "Terry is not only respected for her breadth of educational leadership knowledge, her high moral standards and caring nature is always enjoyed and appreciated by others."
