February 2, 2011 - The academic accomplishments of apprentices in the North Slave region are being celebrated at lunch tomorrow in the Yellowknife Fieldhouse. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Jackson Lafferty, and Canadian celebrity and professional contractor, Mike Holmes, will present awards to apprentices who have achieved the highest mark in their respective levels of technical training in 2009-2010.

January 26, 2011 - Play for Literacy is this year’s theme for Family Literacy Day on Thursday, January 27. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), Jackson Lafferty, encourages families in the Northwest Territories to take time tomorrow to remember that literacy includes more than just reading and writing.

January 18, 2011 - The Regional Minister’s Forum for the Yellowknife, Dettah and N’dilo schools is kicking off in Dettah today, and will wrap-up on Thursday. Discussions will focus on the ASA priorities of early childhood education, family and student supports; Aboriginal language and culture; and literacy. Feedback collected at the Forums will be incorporated in the development of territorial, as well as community specific, education plans.

For more information, contact:

Amy Doerksen
Manager, Public Affairs

January 17, 2011 - Strengthening ties between communities and education boards, as well as supporting students in getting a good education while retaining their Aboriginal language and culture, was the focus of the recent Dehcho Aboriginal Student Achievement (ASA) Regional Forum in Fort Simpson.

January 14, 2011 - Fort Good Hope is celebrating the official grand opening of the new Chief T’Selehye School today with a community feast, drum dance and jig dance following the opening ceremony.

January 13, 2011 - The NWT’s results for the 2010 Alberta Achievement Tests (AAT) and Functional Grade Level (FGL) were released today, and the GNWT is taking steps to address the areas of concern.

“The results are important indicators that help us track student performance and the success of the education system in the Northwest Territories,” says the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Jackson Lafferty. “With the results, we are able to spot areas of concern and work to address them.”

January 12, 2011 - The Department of Education, Culture and Employment invites all members of the media to attend a technical briefing on the release of the Alberta Achievement Tests (AATs) and Functional Grade Levels (FGLs) results for the 2009-2010 school year.

Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011
Time: 3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Location: Lahm Ridge Tower, 3^rd Floor (4501-50^th Avenue, Yellowknife)

For out-of-town media:

December 15, 2010 - The recent Tlicho Aboriginal Student Achievement (ASA) Regional Forum in Behchoko was a great opportunity for community leaders and youth to get together and share their ideas on how to improve academic performance among Aboriginal students in school.

December 1, 2010 - Amazing Family Sundays presents: All About Mittens, December 5, 2 – 4 pm at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center.

Join the Literacy Ladies, Kathryn and Katie, for a winter afternoon dedicated to mittens! They’ll read a Story Sack tale of lost mittens that is sure to warm your heart. Warm your hands with crafts and see how mittens are made with various materials. If you want to warm the hands of others, bring a new pair of mittens to donate to the Salvation Army’s Christmas Hampers.

November 19, 2010 - National Child Day on Saturday, November 20, 2010 marks the 21st anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This year’s theme for National Child Day promotes Article 13 of the CRC which states “children have the right to freedom of expression.”