Nanook School Apex District Education Authority

Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0

Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440

Parent
&
Student
Handbook
2014-2015
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. Lunch Dismissal
1:00 p.m. School Starts
3:15 p.m. Dismissal





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


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

Secretary/School Community Counsellor: Kootoo Alainga

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.

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



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

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.



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






APEX SCHOOL THOUGHT

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




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

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




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

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



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

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 please return equipment properly
after using it.




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



Nanook School Apex District Education Authority
Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0
Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440
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 3:15-
6:00pm each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Permission forms
will be sent home from the City. The City has informed me that this
program should be up and ready to run by Tues. Sept. 23
rd
.

Nanook School will be offering an IQ Club on Mondays and Fridays
from 3:15-5:00pm. Please ensure that you are here to pick up your
child no later than 5pm as that is when our staff are off duty and
they would also like to go home to their families.


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 plan on taking advantage of this service, you
must sign up for an occasional shift. A sign up calendar will be sent
home ASAP. Many hands make light work.



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



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

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.









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




Nanook School Apex District Education Authority
Apex P.O BOX 1420 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0
Telephone 867.979.6597 Fax 867.979.0440
HEALTH CONCERNS AND ALLERGY ALERT
***We 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 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