By Angela Brown

Living Sky says teacher positions filled for new school year

Sep 4, 2018 | 5:00 PM

While today was back to school for kids in the Battlefords, it was also a big day for their teachers back on the job.

“It’s been an exciting start, and it looks like our numbers are coming in right where we need to be,” Jim Shevchuk, Living Sky School Division’s superintendent of learning said about the teacher count. He said there was no shortage of teachers for the available positions.

”We are really thrilled about the new crop of teachers we’ve hired, and we seem to have all of our spots just about filled,” he added.

Shevchuk said there may be a couple of adjustments the division may need to make in the near future, in case any teachers have to take leave for any reason, but otherwise all systems are a go.

“It looks like it will be a great start,” he added.

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When looking at teacher numbers he said the division’s schools haven’t had any issues, although sometimes it may be difficult if a school is located out of town. But that isn’t the case this year.

Shevchuk said the division has a full complement of teachers currently.

“I’m really thrilled about it,” he said.

Shevchuk added while reports may indicate that Ontario and B.C. school divisions are looking for more teachers, that isn’t the case for Living Sky School Division.

Currently, Living Sky has 360 teachers in place that are “all ready to meet new students’ needs.” The division estimates it has about 5,500 students in total, although final numbers are still to come in.

Shevchuk credits the division’s director and senior leadership team for putting a “really good strategic plan in place.

“I know there’s a few [students] who might have anxiety. That’s why I’m thrilled about the teachers we have in place.”

Shevchuk said graduating as many students as possible is the division’s main goal.

“We want to focus on how we can get as many kids to school as possible, for attendance. And how can we graduate them and make them successful, so they can transition into whatever it is they would like to do,” he said. “Those are our big pushes all the time.”

Angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW