Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Oct 10/01) - Yellowknife schools are feeling the effects of a national teacher shortage.
"We are heading into a serious teacher shortage and it's getting worse," said Judith Knapp, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 superintendent, at a policy committee meeting last week.
"Today we didn't have enough subs to cover all our classes."
David Murphy, president of the NWT Teacher's Association, said the number of supply teachers, also known as substitutes or subs, has decreased over the last year or so.
"One reason for this is that there are more jobs available," he said. "There was a time when qualified teachers had difficulty finding jobs."
Not only is the list shorter, but subs are getting choosy.
"Right now, we have a number of subs who only want to work once a week, or in the afternoons," said Knapp. "People are being more particular and that limits our flexibility."
And schools often hire substitutes when full-time positions open up.
"We've reduced our own pool," said Knapp.
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Kern Von Hagen, superintendent at the Catholic School Board, said its sub list is about the same as last year. But many of these substitutes are employed elsewhere part-time.
"There are some mitigating circumstances making it difficult," he said.
The Catholic School Board tries to use subs with teaching certificates, university degrees and work experience in a similar field. "But sometimes, that's not possible," said Von Hagen.
The boards have jointly advertised for more substitutes.
Knapp is currently looking for a full-time teacher. However, so far, not one person has applied, despite ads placed internally and through the Internet.
William McDonald school is one school feeling the supply teacher crunch.
"There have been no problems where students have gone without supervision," said principal Gord Breen. "But it's pretty close, it's at a critical point."
Breen said that on one occasion, the school found itself down to its last supply teacher on the call list. Once, a teacher lost a preparation period to fill in for an absent teacher when no substitutes were available.
"We've been OK so far," said Breen. "But it's not a good situation and we hope it improves."
Over at Ecole St. Joseph, principal Flo Campbell said they are managing.
"But we'd certainly feel better if there were more -- we haven't entered the flu season yet," she said.
Sickness isn't a problem at K'alemi Dene School in Ndilo. Not one teacher called in sick last year.
"We have a very low incidence of teacher sickness, but it's hard to predict," said principal Angela James.
The school relies on one regular substitute teacher who works only for K'alemi Dene.
But what if two teachers are absent?
"We haven't crossed that bridge yet," said James. "I'll cross all my limbs to make sure that doesn't happen."
Working at YK No. 1:
