NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
An educator from Fort Providence and the South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC) each received an Indspire Award for their work the weekend of Nov. 4.

The South Slave Divisional Education Council received an Indspire Indigenous Organization award during a ceremony in Toronto on Nov. 4. From left, Shirley Lamalice, Doris Camsell, Nathalie Diaz, Brandie Miersch, Ann Pischinger, Diane Tourangeau, Kaysea Fountain, Brent Kaulback, Angie Fabien and Dr. Curtis Brown. - photo courtesy of South Slave Divisional Education Council

Deh Gah School principal Lois Philipp won a Leadership award while the SSDEC received the Indigenous Organization award during Indspire's annual National Gathering for Indigenous Education.

Curtis Brown, superintendent for the council, said the award belongs to the entire school community, including parents.

"I truly hope that our teachers, parents and students see this award as a testament to their hard work and our collective improvement," he said.

That improvement began in 2007 when the council revamped its programming, Brown said. At the time, only about 50 per cent of students were achieving the Alberta standards for literacy.

Now, 74 per cent of South Slave students are reading at the Canadian standard level.

Part of the success is attributed to hiring literacy coaches for each school as part of the Leadership for Literacy initiative.

"We hired instructional coaches, one in each school, to work side-by-side with teachers so that teachers were receiving ongoing classroom-based professional development throughout the year," Brown said.

Classroom instruction was also restructured to maximize learning, including a special classroom at Deninu School in Fort Resolution.

Teacher Angie Fabien set up a house within her aboriginal language classroom to teach students the words for household items they see and use every day. The concept is not only encouraging students to speak in the classroom, they're also taking what they've learned home with them, Brown said.

"She's actually challenging those students to use their language at home," he said.

Parents are seeing the improvement first-hand, Brown added. In 2007, the council conducted a survey asking parents to rate how satisfied they were with their children's reading abilities. The results were in the 60 to 70 per cent range. But now, parents are reporting much higher levels of satisfaction.

"Every year we do that survey and now it's 95 (per cent of parents) are satisfied with their child's growth in reading," he said.

Lois Philipp recognized for leadership

Philipp was nominated for the leadership award by a multitude of individuals, including school staff, the chief and council of the Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation, the Deh Cho Divisional Education Council, former students and colleagues.

She believes it's Deh Gah School's culture-based experiential learning programming that prompted her nomination.

The school year begins in August to allow students to participate in as much on the land programming as possible, starting with a four-week camp at Willow Lake. The area is only accessible by plane and students spend the month learning and speaking Dene and doing daily chores and camp maintenance, such as gathering firewood.

Residents and local elders facilitate the camp, which allows students to learn fishing, hunting, meat butchering and other skills directly from community members.

"It allows them to succeed in a way that we don't often see in the schools," Philipp said. "It allows them to connect with community members, with elders, in a way that's an extremely intense experience. They're there 24/7 with them."

The group leaves the community with few supplies, including flour, rice, oats and skim milk.

"It allows their bodies to detox from sugar," Philipp said.

The lessons and attitudes students acquire after a month of living on the land is then transferred to the classroom.

"They come back much more grounded and much calmer," Philipp said. "It's a very unique experience."

Other grades participate in on the land programs of their own, including primary grades who spend their first month of school outside in an area known as Big Snye, as well as an annual 10-day right of passage camp for boys.

In addition to cultural experiences, the school also features a variety of programs linking students with opportunities outside of Fort Providence.

Every student who leaves to attend post-secondary is accompanied by someone from Deh Gah School or the community for the first few weeks to help them transition. The school also brings high school students to tour colleges and universities each year and helps connect students with the Northern Youth Abroad program.

Philipp said her award recognizes the contributions of both educators and community members to the level of education at Deh Gah School.

"It's a testament to the people I get to work with," she said.

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