Education

Fort Smith is an education centre in the Northwest Territories, with an elementary school, secondary school, and post-secondary college that attracts students from across the NWT and Nunavut.

Aurora College delivers post-secondary programs to residents of the NWT. The college has three campuses; Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith is the largest with 300 full-time students. Programs at Thebacha Campus include various apprenticeship programs, a teacher education degree program, and an environmental and natural resources technology program.

Joseph Burr Tyrell (JBT) Elementary School has 317 students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. In 2008/09, the school began offering French immersion programming for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1.

Paul William Kaeser (PWK) High School has 310 students in Grades 7 to 12. Students in the Western Arctic Leadership Program and Lutsel K’e Residence Program attend PWK. In 2008/09, the school began offering individually-paced learning opportunities through its Phoenix School branch.

The South Slave Divisional Education Council administers the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system for five communities in the South Slave region of the NWT, including Fort Smith. The council consists of an elected/appointed representative from each of its member District Education Authorities (DEAs).

The Fort Smith District Education Authority is responsible for the administration of JBT Elementary School and PWK High School.