Yes, the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District is considering hiring non-teachers for on-call work but, no, itB次元官网网址檚 not a done deal.

The school district has posted notices stating that due to a shortage of certified teachers, the district is looking to hire individuals without a teaching certificate to replace absent teachers.

Superintendent Peter Jory confirms it is being explored as an option but the advertisements are just a first step.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e seeing what kinds of people come in the door and if theyB次元官网网址檙e able to do the job. If we have some suitable candidates we will look at board approval at that time,B次元官网网址� he says.

Another critical piece, he emphasizes, is B次元官网网址渢eacher replacements will be called only after all certified teachers have been deployed and for short-term jobs B次元官网网址� typically one day at a time.B次元官网网址�

Requirements include: a university degree; experience working with children or youth in a formal position or as a volunteer; the ability to connect with students; strong interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills; demonstrated ability to organize and safely manage groups of children; and completion of a criminal record check.

Jory says the practice isnB次元官网网址檛 new to B.C.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been happening in more remote districts consistently over the last 20 or 30 years,B次元官网网址� he says, explaining that northern districts do it.

He says itB次元官网网址檚 even occurred intermittently in School District 83.

B次元官网网址淥ne of our principals got his start as a non-certified math teacher.B次元官网网址�

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After the Supreme Court of Canada ruling in 2016 restored contract clauses on class size and composition that were stripped from the teachersB次元官网网址� contract in 2002, teachers have been at a premium as districts throughout the province have been hiring.

B次元官网网址淲e did a very nice job getting out in front of that after the Supreme Court ruling. We hired a contractor to come in and work specifically on recruitmentB次元官网网址� Our TTOC (teachers teaching on call) list at that time was very robust,B次元官网网址� Jory says.

Since then, however, those teachers have been hired by other school districts and within the district. Also, with it being the middle of winter, about 35 of the TTOCs are retired teachers, some of whom head south. And in January and February, some are on vacation.

At the end of last year, the TTOC roster was 130, he says. At the start of the school year, it was just over 100. It recently dropped down to about 70, half of whom are retired.

He says that would be enough, but some TTOCs donB次元官网网址檛 necessarily want to work every day. They also have different specialties and some want to work in specific communities.

Proactive recruitment of teachers is ongoing, he emphasizes, and any next steps will be taken cautiously and thoughtfully. He adds that the North Okanagan-Shuswap Teachers Association is supportive of the plan and understands the system is under some stress.

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Brenda OB次元官网网址橠ell, president of the teachers association, agrees.

B次元官网网址淥ur preference that we share with the district and, I know, with parents, is to have certified teachers in the classroom. But the shortage is affecting my members in real ways in the classroom,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橠ell says. B次元官网网址淥n almost a daily basis there are unfilled absences. So teachers are having their leaves cancelled and being called back to work when theyB次元官网网址檙e on different types of leaves because someone B次元官网网址檚 not available to take their class.B次元官网网址�

She says there are some rooms with no teachers in them, which the rest of the staff have had to cover.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to understand that this teacher shortage is being felt in every region in the province, so itB次元官网网址檚 not just a local problem, itB次元官网网址檚 a provincial problemB次元官网网址� I know the district is moving cautiously with this. Again, itB次元官网网址檚 just a stop-gap measure, hopefully for the short term.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址橠ell started noticing that absences werenB次元官网网址檛 being filled just before Christmas, she says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of been consistent since that time.B次元官网网址�

She notes that flu season has added to the pressure and the district has been hiring proactively.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just beginning to feel the kind of pressure other districts have been feeling since September.B次元官网网址�

marthawickett@saobserver.net
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