Indigenous Educators Lead Remote Northwest Territories School in Full-Circle Return to Community

In the remote Dehcho Dene community of Jean Marie River, Northwest Territories, education has reached a significant milestone. For the first time in recent memory, the educators at Louie Norwegian School are locals who have returned to their home of fewer than 70 people to teach the next generation. Principal Sharon Nahani-Allen and educational assistant Rhonda Grossetete are leading this shift, providing a model of Indigenous-led education rooted in lived experience and community connection. According to APTN News, the presence of local teachers has created a unique learning environment where educators already know the families and cultural nuances of their students. Rhonda Grossetete noted that because the staff and students are effectively family, there is a deep sense of safety and understanding regarding which children are going out on the land or what their families are experiencing. This connection is particularly vital as many remote schools in the territory struggle with the recruitment and retention of outside staff. The school’s history of self-determination began in 1951 when then-Chief Louis Norwegian refused to send local children to a residential school in Fort Simpson. Instead, he insisted the community build its own log schoolhouse and find its own teachers. Today, the Louie Norwegian School serves students from Kindergarten through Grade 9, maintaining that same spirit of keeping children home. Nahani-Allen, who returned to the community in August 2025 after earning her degree from Aurora College, manages the one-room classroom by differentiating lessons for various grade levels and reading abilities. She emphasises hands-on learning and concentrated instruction to meet the needs of her students. While she advocates for more support and training for educational assistants, the current model stands as a testament to the power of Indigenous educators returning to their roots to lead from within.