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Visit Patreon.com slash Canada land and keep independent journalism alive for as little as a dollar per month. I'm sort of right out with students for that there will be music classrooms today, the music

from which I'm here.

First day of school at Dennis Franklin Cromartie High.

Orientation Assembly, a teacher takes the stage.

Okay, good morning everybody.

Nice to see everyone.

Tons of familiar faces, lots of people that are back.

The first thing that I want to mention is that here at

DFC we have a technology policy. It's really important that you put your

headphones in your pocket, okay? But it's still a sign of respect that your

ears are open and that you're listening to the person up in front of you.

At first it's a mixture of rules and motivational advice

that'll be familiar to anyone who's ever sat through a high school assembly.

Students are treated with respect and dignity

and in return are expected to demonstrate respect for themselves for others and for property

Then comes a warning you won't hear at other high schools

But the thing that you need to remember is that in the, what are we, 18 years, DFC's been open now I think.

There's been students that have left their homes, their northern communities to come to school here and

haven't gone home.

Their bodies have gone home in a casket. My name is Ryan McMahon. I come from a small Anishinaabe community not far from this city.

...