Homegrown solution gives hope to Innu School Board to fill teacher vacancies
Teaching vacancies are still a problem in schools in Natuashish and Sheshatshui — but the Innu School Board is hopeful positions will be filled.
The 2019-2020 school year kicked off with a rocky start as both schools were left with a teacher void, raising concern among parents that their children weren't getting a proper education. There are still seven positions left to fill, but the Innu School Board is working to solve the issue by offering a homegrown solution: To get more Innu people in classrooms.
Kanani Davis is the director of the Innu School Board, and she's hoping to soon see more Innu in the classrooms.
"We would like to see more Innu in our classrooms teaching our Innu children, especially now where the language is endangered," Davis told CBC's Labrador Morning.
We had a huge turnout in Natuashish ... a lot of people interested in taking the program, same thing in Sheshatshiu. - Kanani Davis
"The teachers that we have now are great and doing an excellent job in our schools teaching our children. But, it will also be really good to see more Innu in the classrooms teaching our children."
The teacher assistant program comes in the form of a course offered by Nipissing University and the Innu School Board is looking to purchase the course, then to get instructors from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to teach it.
Davis said if everything goes well, the two-year program will kick off this summer. She added that the program has already received a lot of interest from both communities.
"We had a huge turnout in Natuashish ... a lot of people interested in taking the program, same thing in Sheshatshiu, we had an interest and people wanted to find out more and wanted to fill out the applications."
Davis hopes to have about eight to 10 people trained in each community.
2020-2021 looking good
Rena Penashue is in charge of human resources at the school board and has been busy recruiting teachers for next fall. She's hopeful for the next school year.
"I started recruiting in December, so a little bit ahead of the game," Penashue said.
"We still have a couple of fairs to attend. I'm finding them very successful and post-secondary students that are finishing are very interested in working with our school board."
The more you encourage your kids to go into the teaching career, the better we are at filling our own. - Rena Penashue
With seven positions left to fill in both communities, Penashue reassures parents that despite the challenges, teachers are working hard.
"Our school staff work above and beyond their call of duty," she said.
"It's hard to fill positions when you don't have that actual substitute pool to pull from, given that the teacher assistant training that's coming up is going to help us build up that capacity. The more you encourage your kids to go into the teaching career, the better we are at filling our own."
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
