SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The man who was vice-principal at Sir John Franklin High School has taken over the top administrative job since the former principal, Ed Lippert, has been appointed as the district's assistant superintendent.

Metro Huculak, superintendent for Yellowknife Education District 1 (Yk1), left, sits with principal Dean MacInnis in his new office at Sir John Franklin High School. - Evan Kiyoshi French/NNSL photo

Dean MacInnis, now principal at the high school, said he hopes to continue a reputation of academic success at Yellowknife Education District 1's secondary school.

"Sir John has a long history of doing exceptionally well academically," said MacInnis sitting in his new office May 12.

"Our AP (advanced placement) results are outstanding. I want to make sure that ball keeps rolling."

Yk1 Superintendent Metro Huculak said he's known MacInnis since he took over the district's chief administrative job ten years ago.

"He's got the skills to be an effective administrator and leader of a school," said Huculak. "There was more than one person interested in the position so we advertised internally and had a competition. Dean was the successful winner. We're confident the school will continue to do well and under his leadership things might even get better because he's got a strong interest in what happens at this school."

MacInnis said he has two daughters learning under the Yk1 system - one in Grade 10 at Sir John Franklin High School. He said he doesn't expect his being the top administrator will change their relationship, however.

"To be honest there's many days that I don't see her because it's such a big school," he said, adding that his new job won't make things awkward around the dinner table.

"If something was bothering her at the school ... she has a really good relationship with her councillor, so anything would go through the councillor."

MacInnis said he moved to the city in 1992, at the end of university in Nova Scotia.

"What drew my attention to coming here was I had a relative who was already here," he said. "It was a good size community, not too big, not too small. So I came here right after university and through my work at Mildred Hall School I was able to do the last component of my teaching degree. Literally on the first night I met lots of Maritimers, met lots of teachers. I loved it right off the bat."

MacInnis said he met friends playing sports and met his wife two years after arriving.

He's worked at Mildred Hall School, William McDonald School and Range Lake North School, where he got his first experience as a principal.

At the Sir John Franklin, MacInnis said he plans to continue adding support to educational programs already offered at the school and keep working to bring in those that are in the works for the future.

"I need to really be the strong supporter for the kids and the staff to make that a success," he said. "Because I see potential for sure."

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