State of the art school
New Tuugaalik High School in Naujaat impresses faculty, community
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Friday, September 2, 2016
NAUJAAT
The new Tuugaalik High School opened in Naujaat earlier this month and the school's top two administrators are impressed with the community's new digs.
The new Tuugaalik High School is a state-of-the-art facility in Naujaat. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson
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Principal Aubrey Bolt said the new school is a beautiful building that houses state-of-the-art technology throughout.
He said the reports he's heard indicate Tuugaalik is the nicest building of its kind in the territory.
"It's just a beautiful, beautiful building, and we've all ready had students come back to finish their high school education who had been out of school for two or three years," said Bolt.
"The attraction of this building just may see those students who are on the fence decide to come back to school.
"It's a building for the community to be proud of, and it will serve the students of this community well during the next 34 years, or so."
Bolt said the biggest challenge the staff currently faces is to get everything up and running properly.
He said Tuugaalik will offer a very wide program of education for its students.
"One of the things dear to my heart with this school, is the staff and the local District Education Authority (DEA) were involved with its design.
"So, certainly, some of the elements of the school -- particularly the gathering area inside the main lobby, which has become the centre of the school -- were, basically, ideas that came from us.
"We're proud, both the staff and the DEA, that the Government of Nunavut and its designers allowed us local input into the design.
"We have an inuksuk in the windows and above the main entrance, and a sunburst design in the back windows that are reflective of the community."
Bolt said student attendance remains an issue.
He said he hopes the new facility and its varied programming will strongly increase average attendance.
"Our program features the regular courses of science, math, English, Inuktitut and social studies, along with a full variety of trade courses from woodworking to mechanical, welding, and a full variety of sewing and cooking courses.
"So, we hope our programming will help attract students and keep them in school until they graduate.
"The students have been extremely careful with everything, so the pride in their new school is all ready evident.
"Many parents and other community members have toured the school, and they see it as being able to meet the needs of our students to obtain a high school education."
Vice-principal Julia MacPherson said the school has been a project in the making for the past few years.
She said excitement was running high among the students, and when the doors first opened they had full attendance from Grade 7 to Grade 12.
"Everyone in the community has been looking forward to this and it's a very exciting moment for Naujaat," said MacPherson.
"This building is fully state of the art and, eventually, we see out trades program becoming a lot stronger.
"Having three learning kitchens and one teaching kitchen for home economics is another thing that has us very excited.
"We've added a peer-mentoring course this year, which will see our high school students working in the kitchen with students from Grade 7 to Grade 9, so that should also help our senior students step up into a leadership role."
MacPherson said when more students enrol during the coming years, and attend school on a more regular basis, there will be more options to hire additional teachers for specialized fields.
She said one thing that has struck her so far in the school's first semester is how much quieter the building is in the mornings.
"It's very, very quiet now in the mornings and we do miss the younger students, who tend to be very curious.
"We have a staggered lunch period, so when their lunch bell rings some of them trickle-up here to wait for their older brothers or sisters, and they're just so intrigued by the new school.
"To be honest, I miss the younger grades because I miss being given pictures for my office, the high fives and things of that nature," said MacPherson with a laugh.
Staff at Tusarvik Elementary School have been quite supportive of the new school while the early bugs are ironed out, allowing the teachers to do some photocopying and borrow the odd item or two.
MacPherson said the only complaint she's aware of so far, is the school being located at the edge of the community.
She said that can make the hour-long lunch break a hectic one, and some students face a lengthier walk than they're used to.
"When you look out at our lunch bell, you see pretty much every ATV, side-by-side and truck in the community parked outside waiting for the students.
"There really wasn't another spot for the school in the community, so it's something for everyone to get used to.
"At the rate the community is growing, there will be buildings and houses built around the new school in the next five to 10 years.
"At that point, it won't seem so far away or 'so far up,' as everyone says now."
