The Final Days Before Summer

The old hotel.

With only two days left in the academic year (June 5 & 6), there were still plenty of things to do before I could start enjoying the summer.  To make it more manageable, I grouped everything into three categories: cleaning out my classroom, ordering resources/supplies for next year, and packing for my summer trip down south. 

            

Some of you are probably wondering why I wrote summer trip instead of summer move?  Well, it's rather an interesting story.  From the beginning, my teaching contract was for six months and could not be extended.  However, I was more than welcome to reapply for the same job in late April except this time, it would be advertised as an indeterminate position.  Naturally, when the time came, I submitted my application.  I knew I would not be the only candidate; indeterminate positions are highly sought by teachers.  As for Plan B, I applied to schools in other northern communities, such as, Kugluktuk, Repulse Bay, and Clyde River.  Moving back to the south was Plan C.  I hoped Plan A or B would work because I still didn't want to say goodbye to the north. 

            

The former Co-op store.

After waiting patiently for several weeks, I was interviewed for the position at Inuujaq School (Plan A) and was offered the job.  Naturally, I accepted.  I would be teaching high school English, Social Studies, and Music for the 2013-14 year.  It had taken a few years but I had finally secured a full-time indeterminate teaching job at a time when the economy is still in recovery, and not many employers are hiring.  Attaining an indeterminate position is what all aspiring teachers aim for because it brings stability, benefits, experience, and removes the pressures of having to constantly search for other jobs.  On top of that, as is the case in the territories, if the job is in the community you're currently residing, you don't have to move all your belongings to another dwelling.  Unless, of course, you decide to move out of staff housing and get your own place.  In my case, I chose to keep my assigned housing unit.

            

With the future of my teaching career secured for the time being, I got right to work on cleaning out my classroom.  The place wasn't a mess; just unorganized.  The first task was clearing out my desk; the drawers were packed with documents.  After choosing which papers to discard & keep, I moved on to discarding submitted work that was posted around the classroom.  At first, I was hesitant about taking everything down and throwing it in the trash because a lot of effort was put into them.  But it would be unfair to keep them up and not post the work of my future students.  With no one wanting to take their work home, I took everything down and placed it in the garbage.  Due to high transportation & disposal costs, recycling does not happen in the communities.  The last thing I had to do was move all the furniture off the carpet and into a corner of the classroom.  The carpet would be cleaned over the summer.

            

At the end of each academic year, teachers are given a sum of money to spend on ordering resources for next year.  These resources can be office stationery, books, posters, and notebooks.  Just look through the catalogues, fill out a detailed order form, and submit it to the main office.  All the orders would arrive by sealift and/or airmail.  I checked mine twice before submitting it to the office.    

            

Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay follows the semester system but the timings are different.  Instead of starting the year in September after Labour Day, Semester 1 begins in mid-August and ends in December.  Semester 2 runs from January to early June.               

            

When it came to preparing for my summer trip, I limited myself to packing one suitcase with just the essentials.  The success of being rehired was a huge weight off my shoulders because I no longer needed to move all of my belongings.  I had done that once in January when I moved to Arctic Bay from Iqaluit and it was a lot of work. 

            

To celebrate the end of another successful school year, the staff of Inuujaq School held a pot luck lunch on June 6.  I assisted in setting up the Home Ec(onomics) Room for the occasion by placing cutlery on the cloth covered tables.  The food was laid out in the style of a buffet.  When the word was given, everyone lined up - ladies first of course - and helped themselves to a delicious meal.  Just before dessert, the principal, A. Salam, thanked everyone for their hard work in making the 2012-13 year a success.  He also led staff in wishing three departing teachers all the best in their future endeavours.  They each received a card and a parting gift.    

            

On the morning of Friday, June 7, I woke up, got dressed, and made myself a small breakfast.  Today was the big day; flying down south for the summer.  Several teachers were also flying out as well.  Most of us were driven to the airport by the Housing Manager.  The town's only taxi was not available.  It was a sunny but cloudy day.  The bay was covered in slush, a sign that the melting process was in full swing. 

            

The First Air turboprop arrived from Resolute as we were checking in our luggage.  A high school student returning to Pond Inlet was also taking this flight.  Her boyfriend and his friend came to bid her farewell.  Unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Pond Inlet.  From Arctic Bay, you have to fly down to Iqaluit and then back up to Pond Inlet.  The passengers from Resolute had to disembark from the plane so that the ground crews could refuel, restock, and clean the aircraft.  When everything was ready, the passengers from Resolute were allowed to board first.  Next came the Arctic Bay passengers.  I took one last look at the scenery around me before boarding the plane.  Thinking like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I quietly said the phrase, "I'll be back," to myself.  When the plane lifted off the gravel runway and began turning towards the south, I caught a glimpse of very large cracks in the ice below.  I wondered what the landscape would look like in August.

            

My summer vacation would begin in Iqaluit.  Rather than just pass through, I decided to stay for the weekend and revisit the town I called home for a year.  Much needed R & R would follow in Ottawa.  After that, summer school in Toronto.  With summer school in full swing at the time of this writing, I will be taking a short break from my blogging duties to complete my studies.  Expect my return in August.  And if a particular Social Studies student of mine is reading this post, yes, I will be ready and in shape for Round Two.