Parent & Student Handbook 2013-2014 School Year

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: 979-6597 Fax: 979-0440

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1420, Iqaluit, Nunavut, X0A 0H0

Principals email address: mknickelbein@qikiqtani.edu.nu.ca

We believe that our school staff must work as a team with our students parents and guardians to ensure our childrens success at school. We invite you to contact us and meet with us to learn more about our schools programs and to discuss any concerns you may have. We encourage parents and others to visit and / or volunteer in our school, but please check in at our office when you first enter our building.

OUR REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS

8:30 a.m.

School Starts

10:15 10:30 a.m. Recess 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Lunch Dismissal School Starts

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

3:15 p.m.

Dismissal

OUR SCHOOL STAFF

Grade K Qalapik Pishuktie

Grade 1 and 2 Teacher:

Maggie Kuniliusie

Grade 3,4 and 5 Teacher:

Jeremy Smith

Principal/Support:

Mathew Knickelbein

Custodial Staff:

Theresa Gervais

OUR COMMITMENT

Nanook School allows children to believe in themselves and others. The school offers children freedom to discover their intellectual potential. The school encourages children to see problems as challenges searching for solutions.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

OUR EXPECTATIONS

Nanook School Staff/Apex District Educational Authority believe that parents want their children to succeed in school when teachers respect the background, culture and traditions of our children.

Apex District Educational Authority expects parents; To make sure that their child is prepared to come to school. To make sure that their child comes to school on time. To send their child to school except for illness or other valid reasons. To inform prior to the start of the school day, the Principal or their child's teacher, the reasons for their child's absence from school. To talk to their child about the importance of proper behaviour in school. To take a keen interest in their child's progress in school. To accept the methods used by teachers to encourage good behaviour in school. To be responsible for their child's behaviour after school hours.

Apex District Education Authority expects children; 1. To understand the meaning of the School Thought. 2. To follow school and classroom routines. 3. To respect other students and adults. 4. To make every effort to learn at school.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

Apex District Educational Authority acknowledges that parents have the right to discuss in an appropriate way with the Principal, the child's teacher or any member of the Apex District Educational Authority about the methods used by teachers to encourage their child to behave in an acceptable manner in school.

OUR SCHOOL GOALS

Nanook School provides children from Kindergarten to Grade Five opportunities to; 1. Strengthen their Inuktitut and English literacy skills. 2. Develop and improve problem solving and numeracy skills. 3. Cooperatively work as a family, with parents, teachers and students equally involved.

Our Nanook School Team: Make our school a place where every child is welcomed and accepted. Use of cultural knowledge and activities as an important part of the curriculum. Build our children's confidence to meet challenges in school activities. Help our children participate in a shared and safe learning environment. Provide classroom experiences that reflect Inuit values and beliefs. Strive to help our children develop skills to succeed as caring, confident and self- sustaining citizens.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

APEX SCHOOL THOUGHT

Together, We ask you To bless this school And everyone in it With happiness and friendship.

Let everyone Be wanted, Needed and cared for.

We thank you for what you have given us and ask for guidance each and every day.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

THE COOPERATION RULES

At Nanook School we strive to help kids learn to work together and cooperate with their peers and teachers in an attempt to allow them the freedom to grow and risk in a safe place. The cooperation rules that we stress are as follows:

1. We will help each other. 2. We will work and study. 3. No one will put down anyone in the class. 4. Everyone will listen to instructions. 5. No one will speak when another person is speaking. 6. We will have fun learning.

OUR SCHOOL BEHAVIOUR POLICY

Our Statement of Philosophy At our school we believe that by focusing on the positive behaviour of our student body and by modeling and expecting respectful behaviour, a school climate is created which encourages respect, responsibility, and a personal commitment to learning. When students do not demonstrate self-discipline it is our responsibility to help them learn to modify their behaviour and learn to make better choices. For a school to be effective in bringing about positive change in student behaviour, our school staff and parents must work together to support our students.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

Process

1. Each teacher attempts to deal with the discipline problems in his / her classroom. 2. If the problem persists then the student may be referred to the school office for a time out, and /or talk with the principal. 3. Each staff member keeps a record of all problem behaviour, and if the behaviour is repeated or is serious in nature, then the student's parent / guardian is called by the teacher or the principal. A meeting may be arranged to develop a means to solve the problem. 4. If the plan of action does not result in a positive change of behaviour, the student may be referred to our school team. Further strategies will be planned and a referral to outside support services may be required.

*** If a student is not able to correct repetitious and unsafe behaviour or if the behaviour is deemed serious, such as:
Verbal or Physical Assault Throwing objects with the intent to injure Stealing or damaging property Defiance of authority Suspension may be recommended. Suspension will take the form of: In school suspension, if the student can be respectful of school staff

At home suspension length to vary from 1 20 days depending on the severity of the misbehaviour.

Expulsion is only used as a last resort when all else has been tried and the student is still not able to choose safe and respectful actions.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

Please Note: **** No student or unauthorized person is permitted to carry or have in his / her possession, a knife, a laser pointer, a lighter / matches, a firearm, or any other article which could be used as a weapon on school property. The item will be confiscated and the police may be called.

Our School Ground Rules: Students must: Remain on our school grounds once they have arrived on our school grounds. A student may only leave our school grounds with the permission of a teacher and / or a parent or guardian. Respect the directions of the staff persons on duty.

Respect our student peacekeepers. They have an important role in maintaining the safety and well being of all our students. We encourage all our students to report incidents of bullying or other un-safe behaviour to their teachers or the school office immediately. Stay in the supervised areas of our school grounds and respect our school ground boundaries. Play safely and choose games that are safe to play near large groups of students. Rough play, play fighting, rock and snowball throwing are not permitted because someone usually gets hurt. Think safety.

Enter and leave the school at entrance and dismissal times only through the door their class has been assigned to use. To ensure the safety of all, students must walk keeping their hands and feet to themselves. Respect our school grounds and property. Please help us keep our school grounds clean by not littering and putting your garbage in a garbage can. Also Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

please return equipment properly after using it.

Our In School Rules (entrance ways, hallways, washrooms, common areas, stairways): Students must: Respect all staff members and on-duty student peacekeepers, and listen attentively to and follow respectfully their directions. Help keep our school clean by removing as much sand or snow from their outside footwear before entering our school. Walk quietly and respectfully in the hallways.

Use scent free products. Many of our students and staff have allergies to perfume. Respect their own and other's personal health. Thus junk food is generally not permitted to be consumed except at recess and other specified times and places determined by the school staff. Please remember to respect our school environment and dispose of your garbage properly. Line up respectfully during dismissal times and wait for the direction of their teacher, before walking towards their designated exit door. For safety reasons, please remember to walk safely in our hallways and on our stairs.

Our In-classroom and Specific Area Rules: Students must: Respect and follow the class rules. Each teacher, in consultation with their students, will post rules agreed upon by the class to help their classroom be a positive learning community and environment. Have a pair of indoor shoes with non-marking soles in which they can keep in their classroom for in-school use and gym use. The use of indoor shoes Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

helps to keep our floors clean.

Our Computer Use Rules: Students must: Only use the Internet or e-mail for schoolwork. If a student chooses to go to sites that are not appropriate for school use, he / she will not be allowed to use a computer in school. Use the computer properly and respectfully. To help our computers function properly: food and drink are not supposed to be near them, and nothing is to be downloaded or copied onto a school computer without the permission of the designated computer technical support staff member. Save paper and not print anything without teacher approval.

Make the Internet a safe place to work by treating others with respect when on the computer. Students must report any rude language on the computer to the teacher and not give personal information about them over the computer. Respect other peoples work by not deleting or changing anyone elses work.

After-School Programming: The City of Iqaluit runs a successful after-school program from 3:155:30pm each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Permission forms will be sent home from the City.

Nanook School will be offering a Homework Club on Mondays and Fridays from 3:15-5:00pm.
Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

Supervised Lunch Program: For parents who aren't able to be home over the lunch hour, Nanook School offers a supervised lunch program. This program is run via parent volunteers. If you can sign up for an occasional shift, please let the school know as soon as possible. Many hands make light work.

ATTENDANCE POLICY
We encourage all our students to attend school regularly and to be on time. However, if for any reason your child is not going to be at school or will be late, we ask that you call our school office (979-6597) to inform us of his / her absence. If your child is absent without a given reason, our school staff will try to phone you to ensure that your child is safe. If a student is truant our School Principal, and the Apex District Education Authority if necessary will work with the student and family to try to resolve this problem.

OUR SCHOOL PHONE POLICY

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

The phone in the office is for emergency use only. We would appreciate it if students and parents / guardians made sure that lunch and after-school arrangements are made before their child leaves home in the morning and at lunch time. If necessary, parents / guardians may leave messages for their child by calling the school office. Students may only use our school phone with permission from staff. Personal student cell phones are not to be used during school hours.

OUR WEATHER AND SCHOOL CLOSING POLICY

It is important for students to dress appropriately for the weather when they come to school. Coming and going to school and outdoor recess can be unpleasant for students who are not dressed properly. We have indoor recess and before school supervision when it is extremely cold. Students must listen to the instructions of the Supervision Staff. Occasionally weather conditions are such that it is not safe for students to travel to and from school. We will make every effort to keep you informed if a school closure occurs. Announcements on CBC 1230 on the AM dial will be made by 7:30 a.m. or as soon as possible. Notices will also be posted on Facebook (please 'like' our Apex Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

District Education Authority group on Facebook) and Twitter (follow @ApexDEA on twitter) We are also attempting to use a Nanook School email list to keep parents up to date and more informed. Please make sure that the school has your most up to date email information in order to be placed in this group. Please make sure your child knows what to do on stormy days.

OUR TRANSFER AND REGISTRATION POLICY

To register at our school, new students should be accompanied by a parent / guardian and have with them their child's health card number, and the name, address, and phone number of their last school. Any other information or materials should also be brought that would be helpful to us in assisting your child to adjust well to our school. The first day at our school for our new students will be the day after registration. Please let us know in advance if your child is transferring out of our school and we will prepare a transfer package for you to take to your child's new school. ***Students registering from the Qimaavik Shelter will be required to follow a two week waiting period from the day they register at Nanook School, until their first day of classes.

HEALTH CONCERNS AND ALLERGY ALERT

***We are are a peanut free school!

There are some students at Nanook School with severe peanut allergies. Please make sure that your child does not bring anything into the school that would endanger our peanut free zone. All students will be asked to wash their hands upon entering the building. All snacks/lunches will be inspected daily. Please advise our school of any health problems that your child may have such as allergies, poor vision, hearing loss, injuries etc. The teachers can then ensure Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

that these have as little effect as possible on your child's progress, and can be properly managed/monitored. If your child becomes ill at school, every effort will be made to make sure he /she is comfortable. You will be contacted immediately. Please ensure that our school has your current home and work phone numbers. In case of an accident or other emergency, the school will make every effort to contact you immediately. If this is not possible, a staff member will accompany your child to the hospital if necessary and assist until you can be reached to be with your child. To ensure the safety and health of all people at our school, please keep your sick child at home to recover.

CLOSING REMARKS
We hope you have found this handbook informative and helpful. We hope our time together this year will be full of fun and learning. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher or the school office if you have any comments, questions, or concerns. The Nanook School staff thanks you for your continued support.

Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

 Nanook School Apex District Education Authority Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440