ALUMNA RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF CANADA ’ S 2019 OUTSTANDING PRINCIPALS
Katherine LeBlanc ( B . Ed . ' 90 ), Principal in Rankin Inlet , Nunavut at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik
In January 2019 , and in her 10th year of being a principal , alumna Katherine LeBlanc was recognized as one of Canada ’ s Outstanding Principals by the Learning Partnership . LeBlanc grew up in Peebles , SK , went to school in Windthorst , and spent most of her career working with Horizon and Good Spirit school divisions . She and her RCMP husband " jumped at " an opportunity that would be " checked off their bucket list of to-do ' s " before retirement , to go north to Rankin Inlet , Nunavut , where for the past two years , LeBlanc has served as principal at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik ( MUI ), Kivalliq School Operations . The following is an interview with LeBlanc . The Learning Partnership states that LeBlanc in a short time has " transformed her school into a reflective , responsive to the community , safe , caring and inviting place to learn ."
Where you surprised when you found out you had won this award ? Oh yes . I knew I was nominated , but it never occurred to me that I would make the top 30 . I feel there are so many deserving leaders in schools and “ it is nice to just be nominated ” I was overwhelmed . I shed a few happy tears and then for the next few weeks it drove me crazy not to be able to tell anyone until the announcement was officially made .
What does a day in your life as a principal in the North look like ? I get to work very early . Usually I am short staffed and spend a lot of time trying to find subs . Often I can ’ t find them , so I spend time re-arranging schedules or my VP and I take turns going into the classes and ensuring instruction happens . If I don ’ t have to teach , we make sure there are snacks for our children — we have some very hungry youth . I always go say " hello " to the Elders . We have two Elders : One helps our students make traditional tools , builds igloos when the snow is just right , and helps with our land trips . Our second Elder teaches traditional sewing , skin prepping , and cooking with our students . She is also allowing us to digitally record her as we try to ensure we don ’ t lose her stories .
I try to go into every class in my school at least once a day . Sometimes it is a short visit , and other times , I am doing my walk through or just helping students . I always pop into our guidance area a few times a day as this is where some of our older students go who need someone to talk to . Then there is the normal everyday things like checking attendance , administrative paper work , meetings , etc .
How does working in the North compare and contrast with your previous experience in the South ? Some of the biggest differences that I have faced are in the courses we offer . We teach students how to skin a seal and prepare it to make traditional clothing and food . We spend a full day out on the land learning how to build an igloo — for a school credit . We even take overnight land trips on the tundra in the winter ! Learning about the cultural classes has been a very unique and rewarding experience . Of course , we have the similar ones , too , like math , science , English and so on .
How is it you ’ ve come to stand out in your field in such a short time ? My first goal when I got to MUI was to ensure that the students had a safe place to be . We worked hard to make sure our students felt involved in their education . One young man spoke to me about his connection with the culture and how important land trips are to him and how it has made a difference in his education . Doing my doctorate , I understood the need to work to embed culture into all we do at MUI , but hearing it from this young man made me want to help students feel that they , too , were part of sustaining culture . I felt it may be a way to empower them — thus , we started doing some video stories about culture .
We also shared the Inuit culture with schools in Saskatchewan . We connected via ConnectEd North into a school in Saskatchewan where my Grade 12s showcased their culture and highlighted the challenges they face in the North such as housing , food costs , and isolation while also sharing hunting stories and cultural stories . Some of my students have never been out of Rankin Inlet and others have never been out of the North . It was important for me to have them share their beautiful culture .
I do feel a little overwhelmed by the whole award . Honoured , but I do feel there are many principals in this nation that are more deserving . I have a great staff , students and community who are willing to work hard to meet our students ’ needs and willing to work with me to ensure our students have a safe , culturally responsive environment
What obstacles or challenges have you encountered in creating the transformation at MUI ? How have you overcome these challenges ? The biggest obstacle for me was learning about a new culture . I love the Inuit people . They have been so welcoming to me . However , my biggest concern has been my lack of knowledge about their culture . I try
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