2 N.W.T. schools to get thousands of dollars for books

Two schools in the Northwest Territories have been awarded thousands of dollars to buy new books.

Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson, and Charles Tetcho School in Sambaa K'e will receive $20,000 and $15,000, respectively, over a three-year period.

"It will have a huge impact on them," said Donna Fradley, Charles Tetcho School principal, regarding her students. "We are very, very excited."

The money comes courtesy of the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation.

Fradley said she applied for the grant because the school has "quite a lack of resources."

"They've been kind of reading the same books over and over," she said in phone interview Tuesday.

As part of the application, the students wrote letters explaining why they wanted some new things to read.

There's an emphasis on literacy for students at the school, and having books the kids are interested in will help with that, Fradley said.

The school used to be one room in size. It's now under construction to expand to three classrooms. Twenty-one students attend the school, which accommodates students from kindergarten to Grade 9.

"My long-term goal is to create a library in the school," Fradley said.

Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson has 144 students, and it accommodates students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Pam Booth, vice-principal and literacy coach, said the school's current selection has some gaps, and there's need for some books to be replaced.

"We do have students that do struggle with reading," she said. "That's been a main focus over the last couple of years, to really help improve the literacy skills at our school."

Having books catered to the students' different reading levels that they're keen on reading "will make a big difference."

The foundation has already donated several books to both schools, they said.