In the 2017-2018 academic year, NLSD employed 283 teachers across northern Saskatchewan. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

recruitment and retention

NLSD short nine teachers as classes set to begin next week

Aug 30, 2019 | 5:00 PM

Teachers with the Northern Lights School Division (NLSD) are back to work this week to prepare for the thousands of students returning to class Sept. 3.

“This week is mainly a planning week and also some professional development,” Director of Education Jason Young said. “It looks like teachers are prepared, and they are ready and eager to have students come back. We do this work to serve students and we are looking forward to having all of our students come back to school next week.”

Young also stated the school division found more success this year recruiting new teachers, but he added there are still nine positions open mostly in Pinehouse Lake and Sandy Bay. At this time last year, there was a shortage of 15 teachers and staff had to assist with additional teaching duties. Administration also struggled to find teachers for La Loche in 2018, but Young noted the elementary building is fully staffed and he expects positions to be filled at the high school by the end of next week.

There’s a variety of reasons Young believes NLSD was more successful this year at recruiting teachers. He said it was a combination of ongoing recruitment efforts, promotion, offering jobs to recent northern Bachelor of Education graduates and the information delivered to the public via the media.

“We’re looking for about nine positions, but five of those positions are temporary positions, so that’s much better than where we were before,” Young said. “I’m glad we were able to fill most of our full-time positions.”

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Back in April, NLSD Superintendent Jackie Durocher spoke to larongeNOW about her work recruiting teachers. She stated although the division can’t promise teachers luxuries like malls and movie theatres, but with ‘mitho-pimatisowin’ – the good life – is one aspect it can.

In the 2017-2018 academic year, the Northern Lights School Division consisted of 4,124 students and 283 teachers in 17 communities.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno