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4TuesdaySeptember92014TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDTheNorthernJournalispublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditor........................................DonJaque867-872-3000ext.21donnorj.caEditor.........................................................................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter.......................................................................DaliCarmichael867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller.....................................................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising867-872-3000ext.26salesnorj.caAdministration............................................JeremyTurcotte867-872-3000ext.26adminnorj.caProductionGraphics...................................SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caProductionGraphics..................................PaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caLetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.AdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRatesPricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.EDITORIALCORRECTIONNewNWTJuniorKindergartenneedsreconsiderationTheplanforanewJuniorKindergartenprogramfortheNWTatleastthewayitisconceivedhasthepotentialtocostalotandbecomesofraughtwithproblemsandcon-troversyitmaylastonlyafewyears.Ithasgreatpotentialbutwethinkitshouldbere-consideredandrecongured.TherehavebeenmanycriticismsoftheprogramtheworstfromsomeFirstNationgroupsandcommunitiesthatitwillbelikeresidentialschoolsalloveragain.TheysayyoungAboriginalchildrenwillbetakenfromtheirhomesatanearlyageandforcedintoasystemthatisnotoftheirparentscommunitysorFirstNationsAboriginalHeadStartAHSprogramde-signedtothesamepurposebutinalocalNorthernFirstNationscontextmaybeatriskbecauseofthenewJuniorKinder-gartenprogram.InthecommunitieswhereAHSprogram-mingisofferedasfaraswecandetermineithasbeensuccessful.RunbylocalFirstNationsusinglocalpeo-pleasteacherstheprogramhassuitedcul-turalandNortherncriteriaandtheprogramhasgenerallyreceivedavidcommunityandparentalsupport.OurconcernisthatthetwoprogramswillcompeteandAHSwillloseout.FurtherthosewhoteachinAHSwillnothavethecredentialstoteachinschoolsandcouldeasilylosetheirjobs.Wethinkitwouldbebettertocombinethetwoconcepts.UsetheAHSprogramasabaseprovidingmoresupportforitandexpandingitintonewcommunities.Thebenetswouldbelocalinvolvementcommunityandparen-talandgreaterexibilityinprogrammingandhiringcriteria.ThenewJuniorKindergartenprogramistobefundedfromwithinexistingbudgets.Unpopularcutstootherprogramsorevenpositionsinschoolswillhavetobemade.Communitieswiththelargestpopulationswilllosethemostfunding.Istherethatmuchloosechangeinthesystemthatthosesacri-ceswillnotcompromisequalityInvariablycostlyinfrastructureupgradestoschoolstoaccommodatethesenewverylittlepeoplewillbeneeded-playgroundclassroomevenbathroomrenovations.SomeofthechildreninJuniorKinder-gartenwillbebarelyoutofdiapersandwillhaveremnantspecialneedsofinfants.WillallteachersnowberesponsibleforthatlevelofcareUnionswillbeinvolvedintheissuesthatwillinvariablyariseasthenewprogramndsitsway.Ofcoursejobdescriptionswillin-cludespecialrequirementsthatmosttrainedteachersdonothave-aslipperyslopeonmanylevels.WesayinsteadofanewseparateJuniorKindergartenprogrambuildonandenhancetheAHSprograms.Runtheminseparatefa-cilitieswithlessformal-andsolessrestric-tive-criteriaintermsofcredentialrequire-mentssavingmoneybydoingso.Keepitcommunity-basedandwherepos-siblewithlocalFirstNationsintheleadrole.Invokeactiveparentalinvolvement.Insteadofdictatingrunitasapartnership.OnlywhenNorthernersfeeladirectsenseofownershipandinvolvementintheeducationoftheirchildrenwillitbesuccessful.design.Thatisaterriblethoughtyetthereistruthtoit.IfweunderstanditcorrectlyJuniorKin-dergartenhopestoaddressuniversallyiden-tiedneedsintheschoolsystem.Theproblemofpoorhighschoolgradu-ationratesamongAboriginalstudentsistheelephantintheroomforoureduca-tionsystem.Educationstartsinthehomeshortlyafterachildisbornbutsomegetitbetterthanothersdependingontheirparentsknowl-edgecapacityandmotivation.Readingstoriestoaninfantnightlyandteachingthemhowtospeakspellcountprintoreventoknowmultiplelanguagesastheygrowisstandardpracticeinmanyhomes.Somehomeshoweverforamultitudeofcomplexreasonsprovidenoneofthat.Thosechildrenstartschoolinadecit.JuniorKindergartenwillbenefitkidswhohavenotbeenprovidedbasicskillstobeabletoperformwellwithinthesystemfromthestart.Theproblemisthatthereisalreadyapro-gramintheNWTaimingtodothat.TheUnpopularcutstootherprogramsorevenposi-tionsinschoolswillhavetobemade.Communitieswiththelargestpopula-tionswilllosethemostfunding.IstherethatmuchloosechangeinthesystemthatthosesacriceswillnotcompromisequalityInlastweeksstorySuddendebtbarsformercouncillorsfromSaltRiverFirstNationelec-tionsitwasincorrectlystatedthattheRCMPremovedafamilyfromahouse.TheRCMPdidattendthesceneinapeace-keepingcapacitybutdidnotdirectlyparticipateinaneviction.TheJournalapologizesfortheerror.LETTERTOTHEEDITORSupportneededforCaribouLegsEditorIusedtoliveinInuvikandbackin198485myhusbandandIknewakidnamedBuddyBradleyFirthhewasfriendswithourchil-dren.ThirtyyearslaterIhavelearnedthatBradleyFirthlivedaverysadlifeofaddictionandhomelessnessonthestreetsofVancouverfortwentyyearsuntilovercomingitallwiththediscoveryofhisgreatabilitytorunlongdistances.ImguessingsomeofyouhaveheardofBradleyFirthbutifyouhaventyouwillwanttoGoogleCaribouLegsandlearnallabouthisjourney.AtthemomentBradleyisnearFt.NelsonrunningfromVancouvertoWhitehorsetoraiseawarenessofthePeelRiverWatershed.IthasonlybeenduringthisrunthatIhavereconnectedwithBradafteralltheseyears.IcantbegintotellyouhowproudIamofhimandallhehasovercome.IamwritingthisletterwiththehopeofgettingthewordoutaboutBradleytomakesurethatNorthernersareawareofhimandwhatheistryingtoaccomplish.IhavelearnedBradisbasicallylivinghandtomouthalongthisroutetakingfoodandlodgingwhenandwherehecanandcontinuouslyhavingtoseekoutsupport.Friendsandfollowersmakecon-tributionstohelphimalongthewaybuthedoesntseemtohaveanyseriousbackingforthiseffort.HedoesntevenhaveacellphoneIbelieveiftheGwichinFirstNationswereawareofBradleyFirththeywouldwanttobebehindhimineveryway.Whatawonder-fulrolemodelfortheyoungpeopleandwhataninspirationforanyonewhoisghtingaddictionsThisisamantheycanallbeproudofandthrowtheirsupportbehindIrememberwellfromthe10yearsIspentintheArcticthelackofinspirationforsomeofthechildrenthereandIwonderhowtheywouldhavebenetedfromhavingsomeonelikeBradrightthereintheirmidstsomeonewhounder-stoodandknewtheveryissuestheyfacedandsomeonewhocouldinspirethemandencouragethemtofollowtheirdreams.IcaneasilyimagineBraddoingthatbecauseatage65andlivinginatotallydifferentworldIaminspiredbyhimIaminspiredbyhisincredibleaccomplishmentandIwanteveryoneintheNorthespeciallytheGwichinpeopletobeproudofhimanddowhatevertheycantosupporthisefforts.Heisacredittoyourcommunity.MycontactwithBradisthroughhisFace-bookpageCaribouLegsandIhopeyouwillfollowhisjourneyalongwithme.IfyoucanoffersomesortofsupportIhopeyouwilldoso.ShirleyGolbyRobertsCreekB.C.JenniferBuckleyservedupherspecialtodieforrecipeofbeer-batterwhiteshattheHayRiverFishermensWharfeverySaturdaythissummer-oneofanumberoftreasuresavailabletolocalsinHayRiverincludingbakingcraftsantiquesandavarietyofothergoodsattheweeklymarket.Theboothsareabouttobeclosedafteraverysuccessfulsea-sonoffunandcamaraderieinwhatbecamethehighlightoftheweekendformany.PhotoDonJaque