Progress On The Battlefields

The war in Ukraine is still ongoing and it’s impossible to look away.  I thought I could keep the events surrounding the war separate from my teaching job, but they have seeped into my Social Studies lessons as examples on certain topics.  I’ve gotten better at not letting my emotions take over because that would be unprofessional.  A lot has happened since late February, too much to include in one post, so I will focus on the most important developments and tragedies.

Russian forces fully withdrew from Kyiv on March 29.  The Ukrainian capital is saved!  The brave Ukrainian warriors fought with everything they had and prevailed.  They stalled, halted, harassed, scattered, damaged, and fractured the very long convoy of Russian armour, trucks, and soldiers that were sent to take the city.  The withdrawal also forced the invaders to retreat from the entire northern front, including places like Chernobyl (March 31).  The occupiers had to abandon the decommissioned nuclear plant because they were complaining of radiation poisoning/sickness.  The Russian high command forgot and/or didn’t bother to supply its soldiers with hazmat suits.  I’m glad they didn’t watch the Chernobyl tv mini-series.  Unfortunately, the invaders looted everything they could during their rout and left behind immense devastation and booby traps.

But that’s not all they left behind.  Mass graves of civilians have been uncovered in Bucha and other towns - war crimes & genocide.  Investigators have been collecting evidence and witness testimonies of what happened during the occupation.  Russia can deny all they want, but the truth always wins.  They thought they could bury everything and forget about it, but that’s not happening.  Unfortunately, it will be very difficult to bring the war criminals to justice, especially when they possess nuclear weapons.

Russia’s flagship of the Black Sea, the cruiser Moskva, was sunk on April 14.  Awesome!  News outlets reported that Ukrainian forces struck the ship with anti-ship missiles and the resulting fire caused munitions to explode.  The Russian navy was towing their damaged vessel, but thankfully, couldn’t rescue it in time.  Unfortunately, there’re plenty of ships left in Russia’s Black Sea fleet.  Hopefully more of them will be sunk.

The Siege of Mariupol is still ongoing and it looks like Ukraine will lose.  The city is completely surrounded and destroyed.  Remaining Ukrainian forces are holding out at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works industrial complex.  I don’t know how long they can hold out, but as long as they can continue draining Russian personnel and equipment, the better.  Their heroic actions & sacrifices are buying more precious time for Ukraine.  Pootin – I’m not spelling the dictator’s name correctly – declared victory on April 21, but Ukrainian forces are still holding out.

Airstrikes, missile strikes, and tough talking rhetoric are still occurring on all sides.  The word “liberate” is being used, um, liberally.  Russia claims to be “liberating” Ukrainians from a Nazi government – a complete lie – while Ukraine is fighting to liberate its people from tyranny, oppression, and subjugation.  I hope for a speedy Ukrainian victory.

A message to all NATO countries: keep supplying Ukraine with the best weapons, equipment, and training you have.  Ukraine is fighting for everyone’s freedom!  And that includes the world.  If Ukraine falls, more countries will be on Russia’s hitlist.  And a Russian victory will encourage China to invade Taiwan. 

Ukraine has proved everyone wrong.  The world thought they would surrender in 3 days, but we fought back with everything we had, and then some, and now we’re beating the Russian bear all the way back to his cage.

Biathlon Presentation & Nunavut Quest

The cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps were treated to a short biathlon presentation on April 13.  The presentation was done by a civilian volunteer who acts as the corps’ biathlon coach.  He’s been working towards starting a biathlon training program in the community to get potential candidates ready for future Arctic Winter Games and Canada Winter Games.  The main feature of the presentation was the two new Anschutz 22LR rifles he acquired. 

The rifles came inside bright blue new soft-shell rifle bags.  The rifles themselves looked professional, sophisticated, and expensive.  The rifles are made of wood, metal, & plastic, and cost up to $6,000 each!  The biathlon coach went over the basics of how to hold the rifle and how its used in competitions.  Unfortunately, the cadets are not allowed to fire 22LR rifles inside the school gym.  They at least were allowed to hold them, aim down the sights, and pose for pictures.

The presentation lasted 30 minutes.

Nunavut Quest, the annual dog sled race, returned to Arctic Bay on April 16.  The race was cancelled the previous two years due to COVID-19.  (Nunavut Quest began in 1999).  The community was the Starting Line and Igloolik was the Finish Line.  Everyone was excited about the return of the competition.

The festivities began with fun afternoon dog races in the frozen bay.  They didn’t count as actual races; more like putting on a show for the kids and parents.

The opening ceremony was held at the community hall.  A large Nunavut Quest banner was taped to the back wall on stage.  A row of chairs, presumably for the competitors, were placed in front of the stage.  Several rows of chairs were placed around the C-Hall for the audience.  The ceremony began at 6:30pm.

Everyone was required to wear facemasks.  The Nunavut Quest Committee (NQC) welcomed everyone and asked all registered competitors to sit in front of the stage.  A few short speeches were made by several people.  The ceremony moved on to four musical performances.  The first performance was a vocal duet.  The second was a local family that sang a few songs.  The third & fourth performances were done by two competitors who played the guitar and sang songs they wrote.  All performances were done in Inuktitut and the audience appreciated them all.

The NQC drew the names of the competitors to find out which numbered bibs they would wear during the competition.  The number on your bib determines your starting position.  There were 13 competitors this year, so, 13 bibs were drawn and given out by lottery. 

From where I was standing, I don’t think the majority of competitors were hoping to get a specific number drawn . . . unless it was their lucky number . . . or they really wanted to start first . . . or last.  I’ve never competed in a dog sled race before, so I don’t have insider knowledge on this part.  I suppose if you suffer from triskaidekaphobia, you wouldn’t want your name drawn for the number 13.  Either way, the competitors appeared happy with the numbers they were assigned.

The race began in the afternoon on April 18.  Everyone was instructed to assemble out in the frozen bay at 2pm.  I walked down an hour early to get a good view.  It was a sunny, though, partly cloudy day.  I had to walk some distance because the competing dog teams were spread out deep in the bay.  I was armed with a GoPro and my cellphone camera.  Dogs were barking loudly. 

Slowly, more people appeared in the frozen bay, many driving snowmobiles, atvs, and trucks.  The ice is still very thick in mid-April.  You can probably land an airplane on it.  By 2pm, the bay was buzzing with activity.  The competitors were getting their dogs ready, the supply teams were checking all their, um, supplies, and the spectators like me walked around taking pictures and videos.  The last time I saw something like this was in 2017.

At around 2:25pm, all the supply teams assembled at a point in front of the competitors.  Together, they looked like a very long convoy of skidoos & qamutiks.  The leader of the convoy appeared to have a large flag attached to his skidoo.  At 2:30pm, the signal was given for the supply teams convoy to leave.  Everyone waved and yelled “Goodbye!” and “Good luck!”.  How I really wanted to join them on their journey to Igloolik, but unfortunately, I have a teaching job to attend to. 

The supply teams travel ahead of the dog teams, stop at designated points along the route and set up the checkpoints/rest stops.  I’m not sure where there’ll be, but I know they’re more than one.  Nunavut Quest is a timed relay race, similar to rally car racing.

The race officially began at 3:00pm.  From competitors #1 to #13, they each left at one-minute intervals.  The race officials loudly counted down the last remaining seconds and then waved at them to get their dogs moving.  Everyone clapped and cheered as they waved goodbye to Arctic Bay.  Most of the dog teams ran in the proper direction.  People started making their way back to town when the last dog team was out of sight.  I wish the competitors, supply teams, and officials the best of luck.  I hope they safely make it to Igloolik.

I’ll have to figure out some way of documenting a Nunavut Quest race from start to finish in the future.  It’ll make a great series for this blog.

 

Exams, A Parade, & Guitars

My apologies for not posting another entry last month (March).  Not enough happened in the community to warrant a full post before the end of the month.  I blog; not micro-blog.  I guess situations like these are bound to happen.  Regardless, I have enough material now to catch you all up to speed.

High school midterm exams occurred in the middle of March.  Nine exams were administered over three days; two of them were mine.  Both of my exams were for Social Studies.  The Grade 10 exam focused on economic globalization and the Grade 11 exam focused on nationalism.  My Grade 10 guitarists had a performance test before midterms. 

I added the exam marks & performance tests to the students’ report cards and calculated a percentage grade.  I then wrote comments for each student; about a paragraph each.  I was glad everything was submitted before the deadline.

March 31 was a special day for long time resident nurse Gail.  She decided to retire from the profession after practicing for 34 years in the community.  The community organized an afternoon parade of vehicles in her honour.

The school was notified in advance of the planned parade.  Students & teachers made Thank You posters.  When the day arrived, everyone lined up along the street behind the school and waited.  I had a GoPro camera at the ready to take pictures and video.

A firetruck and RCMP truck led the parade.  Both vehicles blared their sirens to let everyone know the procession was in motion.  Nurse Gail was in the third vehicle, a red pickup truck decorated with balloons and a large Happy Retirement sign on the front bumper.  She and her co-workers tossed candy to the kids.  Several people shouted, “Thank you Gail!” as she passed by.  The drivers of the vehicles that followed honked their horns and waved at the children.  I’m not sure how many vehicles participated, but it had to be around 20.  There were even some skidoos and atvs. 

It took about 7 minutes for the parade to pass the school.  I got it all on video. 

Thank you, Gail, for your hard work, dedication, and service to the community of Arctic Bay.

I received a shipment of new guitars and music stands from Long & McQuade in early April.  Four of the guitars were ¾ size.  They would be used by middle school students who are smaller in size.  The school provided the funding.  If the opportunity presents itself, I may buy four more. 

Army In Town Again

My superiors gave me permission to restart cadets in late February.  The cadets & I were glad to be back in training.  We reviewed drill, dress, & deportment, and then moved on to new materials.

In early March, a selected number of army personnel arrived in Arctic Bay as part of the Arctic Operations Course (AOC), an annual training regiment that begins in Resolute Bay.  Soldiers are trained in Arctic survival, search-and-rescue, communications, planning, and conducting military operations in extreme cold environments.  The Canadian Rangers assist as instructors and guides.  Soldiers from allied countries also participate on occasion.  The course lasts six weeks.

Three non-commissioned members (NCMs) gave a presentation on the AOC to my cadets on March 11.  The presentation was held in my classroom.  Each NCM introduced themselves, explained their specialities, and why they were attending the course.  They also went over the ins and outs of the course, what they learned & experienced so far, and what was coming up.  They would be leaving Arctic Bay the next day on a land/sovereignty patrol and camping exercise with the local Canadian Rangers.  The NCMs answered several questions from the cadets.

The meeting moved on to a short first aid lesson about using rope to make a Figure-8 carrier and tourniquet.  The cadets & I were surprised to see a simple rope being strong enough to hold a human just by arranging it in two figure-8 patterns.  One cadet volunteered to be the “casualty” and we were able to lift him off the floor using the rope carrier.  The cadets spent a few minutes tying rope tourniquets on themselves. 

The NCMs gifted the cadet corps four boxes of Canadian Individual Meal Packages (IMPs).  They were given extra rations and decided to give some away.  IMPs are normally restricted to the armed forces and cadets have to make due with American Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs).  I think it’s a budget thing.  Personal experience has taught me that IMPs are better than MREs.  The menu selection is better and chocolate bars are included in the bags. 

The cadets & I thanked the NCMs for the presentation and wished them well on their land trip.

Skidoos for the Arctic Operations Course.

COVID-19 is now present in Arctic Bay.  The virus actually arrived in February, but I forgot to mention it in a previous post.  I guess it slipped my mind and I’ve grown tired of hearing about the disease.  (I’m sure we all have by this point).  I’m fully vaccinated so I should be good until I have to get another booster.  Sadly, the human race has failed in eradicating the virus and will now have to live with it.  We will have to treat it like the seasonal flu and get our yearly COVID-19 shots to stay protected.  Maybe one day it’ll be eradicated.     

And finally, Russia’s invasion in Ukraine is still causing much devastation and suffering.  Yes, Ukraine is losing ground and taking casualties, but Ukraine’s will & spirit has not broken.  The brave & noble soldiers and volunteers are fighting hard to beat back the Russian horde.  Even Ukrainian farmers have pitched in, helping the military tow abandoned/captured Russian vehicles to places where they can be repaired and repainted with Ukrainian colours.

I’m glad to see the long Russian military convoys heading towards Kyiv being repeatedly stalled, attacked, and forced to disperse.  I also find it hilarious reading news stories about Russian vehicles running out of gas & ammunition because the supply lines are disarray.  I hope these problems continue because I don’t want to see Kyiv and the whole country come under Russian occupation. 

As long as Canada, USA, Europe, and NATO continue supplying Ukraine with modern weapons & training, the tide will turn in Ukraine’s favour.  Establishing a no-fly zone over the country and transferring fighter jets to the Ukrainian air force would have been really helpful, but unfortunately, NATO is still hesitant on those fronts.  Thankfully, there are plenty of other weapons systems Ukraine can use in its fight for freedom & survival.

Dark Days Ahead

At first, I didn’t want to write anything, but I feel that the last few days - and the next foreseeable future - need to be addressed because they hit very close to home.  I wanted to post something sooner, but I’m glad I reviewed my first draft because it was too intense.  That usually happens when the unthinkable happens. 

The writing was on the wall.  It was obvious and inevitable.  No amount of lying and denial could convince me otherwise.  I still find it shocking that there were many people around the world – including news pundits and world leaders - who believed that it wouldn’t happen.  But here we are, just several days later, and we’re one step closer to World War III.  I mean, the fighting really began in 2014 and has continually escalated since, and finally, what everyone hoped would not happen, has now happened.

Russia has invaded Ukraine, a sovereign country that only wants to live freely and peacefully till the end of time.  The country has its own distinct language, culture, food, music, clothing, and history.  Unfortunately, the dictator in the Kremlin can’t and won’t let Ukraine go due to really warped views of history and what the Eurasian map should look like.  His reasons for invading are completely false and just cheap excuses to grab & annex land.  He is Joseph Stalin, version 2.0. 

What?  Being in control of the largest landmass on Earth isn’t enough?  You really want to go all out and rebuild the Soviet Union?  You do realize that even after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia still is the largest country on the planet.  You don’t need Ukraine or any of the former Soviet republics.  I guess you have become too gluttonous after being in power for nearly two decades.  Congratulations.  You’ve lived long enough to see yourself become the villain.  And the world and history will judge you as such.

Russia began its military buildup as far back as November 21, 2021.  Thousands of soldiers and equipment were moved to the Russo-Ukrainian border, the Belarus-Ukrainian border, and the illegally annexed island of Crimea.  This buildup continued until the invasion of February 24, 2022.  Sadly, many countries including Russia downplayed these troop movements and assured the world that no invasion was imminent.  Thankfully, NATO and its allies began delivering military aid to Ukraine as a form of deterrent.  But it wasn’t enough.

The first sign of trouble/escalation was when the Russian dictator formally recognized the breakaway rebel provinces of Luhansk and Donbass as independent states on February 21.  And then, three days later, he ordered his army into Ukraine.  The world watched in disbelief as the unthinkable happened.  I’m not going to bother quoting his reasons for invading because they’re false.  He sent his armies into Ukraine to depose the government because they don’t want to take their orders from him.  He wants to install a puppet regime like the one in Belarus because he’s scared of NATO and democracy. 

The first few days of the war have been brutal for Ukraine.  I’m not going to lie; the Ukrainian Armed Forces have a huge challenge on their hands.  Yes, NATO has been training Ukrainian soldiers since 2014 and have given them NATO weapons, but the Russian war machine is really big and has a very long-lasting supply of ammunition & equipment.  They also have powerful long-range weapons.  Even if Ukraine is able to stop the 190,000 strong Russian invasion force, Russia could use the zombie strategy and just keep throwing soldiers until they overrun the country.  The strategy worked in World War II, but I hope that doesn’t happen.

Thankfully, there have already been positive signs on the Ukrainian battlefields.  Resistance is stiff and fierce.  The Ukrainians have not given up like the people of Afghanistan.  The Russians have failed to establish air superiority despite deploying many aircraft and deadly cruise missiles.  Kyiv is holding out and Ukrainian soldiers are making great use of NATO anti-tank & anti-aircraft weapons.  One Ukrainian soldier on Snake Island has become an instant legend for telling a Russian warship where to go after the ship demanded their surrender.  Land is being lost to Russian forces, but Ukrainians are making them pay dearly for every inch.  The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, hasn’t fled the capital, is leading his nation into battle, and requesting more weapons from NATO and the free world.  I hope they respond fast.  I don’t know how long Ukraine can hold out.

When the invasion began, all I could think of was the famous quote by British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey: “The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.” 

I don’t know how long this war will last, but I hope Ukraine will emerge victorious and push the Russians all the way back to Moscow.  The dictator in the Kremlin started this unnecessary & unjust conflict and it will be Ukraine and the free world to finish it.

Slava Ukraini! 

 

The Sun & PI Week

The sun returned to Arctic Bay on February 6, bringing an end to dark season.  I was at the school grading student class work and preparing lessons when the sun rose above the mountains on the other of the bay.  I took several pictures to mark the occasion.  I know this happens every February, but it never gets old.  Seeing the sun after a two & a half month absence is a big deal in the Arctic.  The sun stayed visible for less than an hour and descended behind the mountains. From now until early May, the length of time the sun will stay up will increase by 20 minutes everyday.  Twenty-four-hour daylight will commence in May.

The temperature outside doesn’t increase immediately when the sun comes back.  It’ll be cold until mid-May.  We sometimes have blizzards in April and light snowfalls in early June.  At least there’s more natural light, making it easier for people to see where they’re going and for hunters to spot their prey.      

Unfortunately, the school didn’t hold a Return of the Sun celebration due to COVID-19 restrictions.  Students & teachers celebrated the sun’s return in their classrooms.

The week of February 14 – 18 was Professional Improvement (PI) Week.  It’s also known as Professional Development Week.  Nunavut students get a week off school while teachers improve/upgrade their teaching qualifications and skills.  Unfortunately, everyone had to stay in their home communities this year. 

I completed two online courses on educational leadership, specifically leading professional learning, and how to be an effective leader.  I’m assuming I’ll be called upon to do such things in the near future, so best to get ready.  The courses were okay; not outstanding.  It’s difficult to find good short online education courses.  Most of them require more than a week to complete.  Regardless, I did learn a lot and acquired a list of resources to use.

My coworkers completed online courses, Connected North workshops, and prepared resources for their classrooms. 

We will now have to spend time completing and submitting substantiation forms to the Nunavut Teachers Association headquarters in Iqaluit.  Thankfully these can be completed online. 

 

Onwards In 2022

Source: iStockPhoto.

Happy New Year everyone!  Yes, I know it’s the end of January, but better late than never.  Hard to believe that 2021 is behind us and 2022 has begun.  The days, months, and years just fly by.  I had fun times down south visiting family & friends, and buying school supplies for the upcoming semester.  Surprisingly, I didn’t encounter any travel difficulties on the return trip.  I was stuck in Iqaluit for 5 days last August, but faced no delays in January.  It’s usually the other way around.

However, the start of school was delayed by two weeks, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The rate of infection increased in the territory, prompting the Nunavut Government to shut everything down.  I think the human race will have to admit defeat and accept COVID-19 as endemic like the seasonal flu.

Electric (top); Bass (bottom).

The delay gave teachers and staff more time to prepare their classrooms & the school.  I received a shipment of musical instruments from St. Johns Music, thanks to the MusiCounts Band Aid Grant I received in March 2021.  I bought 4 acoustic guitars, 1 electric guitar, 1 bass guitar, and 1 marching snare drum.  They will all make fine additions to the school’s music program.     

The biggest change to the school year is the new schedule.  Five high school periods were created by splitting the first morning class into two periods.  (That part of the morning was always too long).  Elementary & middle school schedules were adjusted to accommodate this change so that all breaks & lunch timings are the same.  The downside for high school students is that they would have one more class to take.  The upside is if the new schedule is kept for the long term, students can be done high school in two years instead of three.

A new schedule also brings new classes to teach.  I still have my regular high school courses, Grade 10 Guitar and Grades 10 & 11 Social Studies, but for the first time, I’ve been given several middle school grades.  I won’t be teaching their entire curriculums; only certain subjects.  Grades 7 – 9 Guitar, Grade 8 Social Studies, and Grade 8 Computers for boys.  A different teacher will teach Grade 8 computers for girls.  I used the two-week delay to prepare the necessary materials & lessons.

Classes did start on Monday, January 17, but they weren’t in-person.  Teachers were instructed to prepare take-home learning packages for the week of January 17 – 21.  The packages were picked up at the school’s main entrance.  I kept my lessons simple.

In-person instruction resumed on Monday, January 24.  The wearing of facemasks is still required.  I spent the day welcoming the students, going over the course outlines, explaining the new schedule, and assigning binders & folders.  The next two days were focused on reviewing the learning packages and giving students time to finish them.  Their completion would be counted on report cards. 

I began teaching new content on Thursday.  All guitar classes focused on the basics: parts of the guitar, posture, holding the guitar, reading musical symbols, proper care of instruments & equipment, and holding a pick.  For Grade 10 Social Studies, it’s globalization and its effects on Nunavut, Canada, and the world.  Grade 11 Social Studies students will be looking at nationalism and its effects on people’s identities.  My Grade 8 students will be studying Canadian citizenship & immigration. 

I had to postpone the return of in-person cadets due to COVID-19 restrictions.  I’m hoping training will resume next month.

On a more positive note, Arctic Bay has a brand-new power plant up and running.  The new facility is located at the Gas Station and, according to Nunatsiaq News, “[cost] $32.4 million [and] replaces the 45 year-old system[.]”  It will be officially opened in the spring, but is already providing much needed electricity.  The area around the old power plant will be quieter, something the people living next to it will greatly appreciate.  (The former power plant sits in the community). 

And finally, since it’s the end of January, I can say I have lived & taught in Arctic Bay for 9 years!  I can’t believe it’s already been that long!  Time sure flies fast.  I have seen, experienced, and documented so much.  I look forward to what the future brings.