Melfort, Tisdale schools looking for volunteers as teachers withdraw noon-hour supervision

“We have a call out in Tisdale as well as in Melfort through the school websites to have volunteers come forward who would like to contribute their noon periods to help support and supervise students,” Lair explained. “Right now we have a few gaps still and are looking for a few more volunteers but have quite a few signed up already.”

Volunteers must have a clear criminal record and vulnerable sector check, and a commitment to a chosen shift. Each noon period will include someone with a First Aid certificate or experience. Lair said training will be provided to help the volunteers.

Lair said the compressed day is difficult to manage for both students and staff, especially in the long-term.

Nipawin will remain on the compressed schedule, and Lair said everyone involved in that process considered also going to community volunteers to supervise the noon-hour, but the choice was made not to proceed with that.

“(I) appreciate all the work SCCs did to have those conversations and to talk about what was the best for their staff, and for the communities.”

Lair said everyone hopes the contract situation is resolved quickly, but the division is planning for these noon-hour provisions to continue through the rest of this school year. Some grad ceremonies have had to move times or change dates, but Lair said otherwise they haven’t been affected in the division.

“It is a culmination of all those years together and working together and learning and growth and achievement, and so we’ve made a commitment to have our graduations, all our exercises, during the school day so that our staff can participate and are there to guide and lead that, because it is important that they’re a part of it.”

With talk of Education Assistant (EA) supports in classrooms, some people have questioned or even criticized the division for having five superintendents. Those critics have claimed the division is top-heavy and the money paid to upper management could be used to hire more support and other workers. Lair disagreed with that notion, saying the division has a lean administration in comparison to other school divisions with the student ratio as a factor.

“Lots of folks don’t know but there is a part of the teachers’ collective bargaining that outlines how many superintendents can be in place in any given division, and the North East (School Division) is under that count,” said Lair.

She said there’s a balance between being able to support schools how they need to be, and making sure the resources are in the classroom.

“I think we do a really good job of that, and so I would point to anyone who’s interested to look at our Annual Report, and it’s available on our website.”

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK

by Cam Lee

Melfort, Tisdale schools looking for volunteers as teachers withdraw noon-hour supervision

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