At Nelnah Bessie John School
We value family,
community and
cultural ties.
We acknowledge that we live and learn on the unceded traditional territory of the White River First Nation.
The school was named after the late Nelnah Bessie John, a respected White River Elder and language teacher.
School Growth Plan
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Literacy
Improvement in standardized literacy assessments. Growth in individual reading and writing levels based on formative assessments (e.g., UFLI, Heggerty, and writing samples). Incorporate outdoor education that connects students to the land, seasons, and local ecosystems, guided by First Nation knowledge keepers. Use traditional stories to teach values, history, and lessons. Invite Elders to share stories that align with curriculum themes.
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Numeracy
Begin numeracy instruction with hands-on activities and real-world applications, gradually progressing to abstract mathematical concepts.
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Whole Child
Introduce regular activities around Social Emotional Learning (SEL), such as emotional regulation, growth mindset, empathy-building, and teamwork. Begin each day with a short session focused on building community and addressing students’ emotional needs.
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Land & Language
Create classroom spaces that reflect Indigenous art, symbols, and teachings. Ensure the learning environment is culturally rich and respectful. Invite Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members to share stories, teachings, and traditions. Organize a community language fair with storytelling, songs, and games in the Upper Tanana language.
A word from our Principal
Together, we can all
grow and come together as a family and community.
Dziin sùu’, Dzenu sóóthän NBJS community,
Welcome back to a new school year at Nelnah Bessie John School! We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable summer and are looking forward to another year of learning, growing, and spending time together.
We are excited to welcome our Learners, Families, Elders, and community members back into the school. We look forward to another year of learning both in the classroom and on the land, strengthening our connections to language, culture, and community.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of NBJS. We’re looking forward to a wonderful year together!
Tsin’įį choh, Máhsin cho
Nelnah Bessie John School Staff
Meet our outstanding staff
Leadership Team
Kelsey Shiels
Principal
I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to work as acting principal at Nelnah Bessie John School and to spend time in such a beautiful community. I have been a school leader since August 2024, making the transition to the Yukon from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, where I lived for 3 years, working in various roles at Arviliguaq Illiniarvik. I love the collaborative nature of working in a smaller community, being able to connect with Elders, families, and various agencies while we all provide wrap-around support to learners.
When I’m not working, I spend plenty of time with my dog, Penelope. I also enjoy quilting, crocheting, reading, and connecting with family and friends
Jolenda Benjamin
Language Teacher
Nathan Hussey
Educational Assistant
Three years ago, my wife Danielle and I made the journey from almost the furthest eastern point in Canada to the furthest western community in Canada when we made Beaver Creek our home. I come from a background in fishing, hospitality, and the restaurant industry, but since coming to NBJS, I have discovered a real passion for working with Learners. I especially enjoy watching them learn, grow, and discover new things about themselves and the world around them. I feel very fortunate to be part of the NBJS community and to have the opportunity to learn alongside our Learners, Educators, and Families.
When I’m not at school, I love spending time on the land with Danielle, exploring by quad and enjoying everything the Yukon has to offer. I also enjoy watching Survivor, spending time with friends, and being involved in the community.
Danielle Fraser
Teacher
I am going into my third year at Nelnah Bessie John School, and I have really come to appreciate the smaller class sizes and the opportunity to incorporate on-the-land learning into everyday education. I moved to Beaver Creek from a small community in Northern Cape Breton, and I love that life here still carries the same strong sense of community and support that I grew up with. My husband, Nathan, our dog, Gunner, and our cat, Gizmo, have all settled into life in Beaver Creek, and we love calling this community home.
I especially enjoy finding ways to meet learners where they are and supporting them as they grow and discover their strengths. I have also loved learning about Upper Tanana and Northern Tutchone languages and culture, and learning from the Elders and Knowledge Keepers who generously share their knowledge with us. Outside of school, I enjoy beading, crafting, and music.
Ruth Johnny
Land & Language Connector
Roberta Sembsmoen
White River First Nation Education Director
Liane Whiteman
Child Development Centre - Early Childhood Therapy Assistant
I was born and raised in Ontario and moved to Beaver Creek with my husband nearly 10 years ago. Over the past decade, I have had the privilege of working at Nelnah Bessie John School in a variety of capacities, and I feel incredibly grateful to be part of such a special school and community. I am passionate about working with children and love learning alongside and from our Learners. One of the greatest privileges of my time at NBJS has been watching our Learners grow, discover who they are, and develop their strengths over the years.
Outside of school, I love spending time on the land with my husband. We are avid snowmobilers and enjoy exploring the Yukon and surrounding areas together. We also love spending time at our home in Alaska whenever we have the opportunity.
School Team
Hilary Messer-Barrow
Educational Assistant and Admin Assistant
Nelnah Bessie John School is a special place, and I feel very fortunate to be part of such a close-knit school and community. I have called Tthèe tsa’ nìik/ Tse’ tehgea/Beaver Creek home for the past eight years, after life unexpectedly brought me to the Yukon. My path has looked very different from what I once imagined, but I have fallen in love with this community and the incredible natural surroundings.
I hold a PhD in Criminology and before moving north, I taught university courses and worked in research. Outside of school, I love spending time outdoors with my husband and our two dogs.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our Learners, Families, Educators, and community members and to continue learning from the people around me.
What makes FNSB schools different
Accountability
We take the words of past reports and the wisdom of our communities seriously. The Auditor General Reports of 2009 and 2019, the Joint Education Action Plan (JEAP), and the various reports from the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate (YCAO) have given us a clear map with checkpoints to ensure the needs of our Learners are met and our communities are heard and empowered. An overarching theme of these reports is accountability. You cannot have accountability without objective data and transparency.
Through our Yukon First Nation values, we have built all aspects of FNSB around this, especially how our schools operate and support our Learners' education. Everything from our school growth plans, to teacher evaluations, academic assessments, and the development of new data measures for cultural connection and belonging, FNSB is ensuring we are accountable to our Learners, families, First Nations, communities, and the public.
Together with local First Nations
We are changing what education looks like at Nelnah Bessie John School because local First Nation citizens are involved and leading everything from staffing and budgets to school rules and programming. Our school is a part of the community, not separate from it. Our Leadership Team includes education leaders from White River First Nation, and our localized governance model of Community Committees, made up of citizens and families, enables our community to genuinely share the delivery of public education.
High Expectations, High Support
Nelnah Bessie John School follows the BC Curriculum, and we work with White River First Nation to integrate local knowledge, histories, languages, and cultures with high academic rigour. We know true learning engages minds by reflecting lived experiences and fostering a sense of belonging. Our community should maintain high expectations of our Learners, and the Educators and School Teams entrusted to teach them. In reciprocity, all Learners, Educators, and families are supported through a localized First Nations approach, which is strengths-based and wraps around the whole person, not only one aspect.
Inclusive of all
All Learners, Educators, and families are welcome at Nelnah Bessie John School. Every decision we make holds our Learners and families at the centre. We provide education grounded in reconciliation. A Yukon First Nations model puts the whole Learner first through a strengths-based and community-centred approach. We all hold the privilege and the responsibility to learn about and from the people, teachings, and languages of this land.
