The Federal Day School (Sir Joseph Bernier Federal Day School) est. 1951 opens with two classrooms; first principal Roland Lariviere.
After world war ll the federal government expanded its medical and educational facilities in the Keewatin. It was opened in 1951. The previous federal day school was later named after Victor Sammurtok (senior) in early 1980’s, an elder in Chesterfield Inlet, the school operated on this site for 35 years; later when a new school facility was built in the community for Kindergarten and Grade 9 classes; the existing school was closed.

The previous first school building was later purchase by ACL (Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.) for local Pitsiulak Co-operatives Ltd. store in Chesterfield Inlet that was transform into a local retail, hotel and a restaurant for guests.