The First Few Weeks & Sealift

Inuujaq School staff, new & returning, assembled a few days before the start of the academic year to meet, collaborate, and prepare the classrooms & school for students.  School Administration held a morning staff meeting to go over many essential items.  I won’t bore you with the entire list, but it included schedules, duty assignments, policies, upcoming events, and important due dates.  We also introduced ourselves and gave brief bios.  The next 2 & half days were spent getting ready.  A few teachers assisted me setting up the gym for the first day assembly.

The first day for students was August 18.  Staff arrived early in the morning to prepare food for breakfast.  The menu included various fruits, granola bars, cheese, meat, yogurt tubes, and juice boxes.  The food was moved to the gym where it was equally divided onto paper plates.  The food would be served at the morning assembly.  It’s best to prepare plates ahead of time to make distribution immediate & easy.  You don’t want to keep the audience waiting.

The first school bell of the 2025-26 school year rang and excited students came inside.  Students were welcomed over morning announcements.  Everyone proceeded to the gym for the morning assembly & breakfast.  Parents & guardians were invited. 

The principal opened the assembly with a short speech.  She welcomed everyone and wished the students the best for the school year.  A Minute of Silence was held for two students we tragically lost over the summer.  I won’t include details out of respect for the families involved.  An Elder blessed the food and the principal instructed all staff to help with distribution.  The plates went fast and the food was delicious. 

Staff members introduced themselves and stated their assigned roles.  Parents & guardians were invited to take leftover food home in takeout boxes.  Teachers escorted their students back to class at the end of the assembly.  High school students stayed behind to clean up the gym.

The first few weeks were spent establishing student routines, expectations, learning outcomes, proper behaviours, reviewing the IQ Principles, and beginning the curriculum.  High school students were told they only had the first few weeks to decide if they wanted to change classes.  I will be spending most of my time in the main office as vice principal – my second year – but also teaching high school drums.

The annual sealift shipping season began early in Arctic Bay with ships from NSSI & NEAS arriving near the end of August.  They usually arrive at the beginning of September.  Earlier is better.  NSSI offloaded my crate and then I hired a local business to move it to my place.  I spent a few hours on the weekend opening the crate with a crowbar, moving everything inside, sorting, and putting my supplies away.  My residence now looks like a well stocked fallout shelter.  I would spend the next several days moving the school supplies I bought to school.

The school’s sealift order also arrived, taking up a large space in front of the Northern Store.  The order was divided into many wooden crates of various sizes.  The school contracted a local moving company to move them closer to school.  Staff & students spent several days opening the crates & moving the supplies inside.  The main hallway looked like an aisle in a warehouse.  I assisted the secretary in checking all the products that arrived against the order lists.  We received most of the requested items.  The items were distributed throughout the school.  We should be good for most of the year.  If we need to order anything, it’ll have to be shipped by air.