No teacher cuts slated on local scene

While student enrolment is projected to drop here next year, the Rainy River District School Board will not have to cut any teachers like the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board in Kenora may have to do.
“We’re looking at an enrolment drop of 100 elementary students and 35 secondary students,” Warren Hoshizaki, education director with the local public board, said Tuesday.
“But, actually, we’re in a position for hiring more teaching staff,” he added.
While Hoshizaki wasn’t sure on the exact number of retirements this year, he said 10 teaching positions are open–half at the elementary level and half at the secondary.
“From now until the summer, we’ll be looking into filling those positions. We have some applications already,” he noted.
If need be, ads for the positions will be posted soon.
“We really like to focus on local students that come back here in order to provide some stability in the system,” noted Hoshizaki. “We’ve done that a lot in the past, and it’s been working for us.”
Teachers especially are needed in areas such as music and French.
But Hoshizaki also noted that with less students, there possibly would be less non-teaching staff. Details such as this will be sorted out once the board gets a better idea of its 2001-02 budget.
“We just got our grant picture last Friday. We haven’t analyzed it in total. Our financial department is looking at it right now,” Hoshizaki said.
The list of grants from the Ministry of Education normally is in the board’s hands before March Break.
He added the budget won’t be ready for the board’s next regular meeting on June 5 but trustees likely will discuss it at a special meeting later on that month.
Meanwhile, the Northwest Catholic District School Board here reported enrolment will remain stable in 2001-02.
“We won’t see any major increase or decline,” said Director of Education Carol-Lynne Oldale. “So there’s nothing major we’re concerned with there.”
The local Catholic board also will add one portable classroom each at St. Joseph’s School in Dryden and Sacred Heart School in Sioux Lookout.
“Along with the one at St. Francis, we’ll have three portables in use,” noted Oldale.
“We’re in good shape. We’re very happy about that,” she added.