Getting to know you
Staff members at both Naujaat schools spend day on the land
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
NAUJAAT
Staff members from two different schools headed out for a boat trip and some time on the land earlier this month in Naujaat.
Students William Kringayark, Nicholas Kringayark, Diana Kringayark and Lewis Siusangnark, from front to back, tag along for a staff boating trip in Naujaat earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson |
Teachers from the new Tuugaalik High School -- grades seven to 12 -- were joined by their counterparts at what is now Tusarvik Elementary School on the trip.
Tuugaalik's first vice-principal, Julia MacPherson, said the annual orientation trip has been held in Naujaat for a good number of years now.
She said the high school has two new staff members this year, so far, and will eventually hire two more.
"The teachers are used to doing everything together in Naujaat, so we invited everyone from the elementary school to join us and we went out together as a group," said MacPherson.
"We had about 25 of the 32 teachers from the two schools make the trip."
MacPherson said the teachers met in front of the Northern store to be divided up into each of the seven boats.
She said the first stop of the day was to pay a visit to the Harbour Islands.
"There's one island with whaler graves from, I believe, the 1800s, so we paid them a visit to take some photographs.
"From there we went to a popular waterfall in the area to enjoy lunch together, then we went up around North Pole River to relax in the sun and enjoy the scenery.
"Some of the boats went out, set fishing nets, and caught some char while we were there."
The trip allows new staff members to get to know everyone, and become a bit familiar with the community's surrounding areas.
For returning staff members, it's a chance to chat about what they did during the summer and compare notes on the upcoming school year.
MacPherson said the day is a nice way to let new staff members know a little about what to expect during the upcoming school year, including Naujaat's weather patterns.
She said every time the group stopped in an area, people sat in different groups and talked about everything from how beautiful the scenery was to things they did at their previous school.
"We have some staff members who are new to Naujaat, but not to the Kivalliq.
"So it was quite interesting to listen to them talk about what they did for staff orientation, or staff bonding, at their previous schools.
"It can give everyone a bit of a different perspective, at times, and it really benefits new staff members in understanding what's so special about our little piece of land."
