Schools in the Anglophone South School District returned to in-person learning two weeks ago.
Kindergarten to Grade 8 students returned on January 31st while high school students returned on February 2nd.
There were concerns about having enough staff to keep schools open with staff isolating due to COVID-19.
Superintendent Zoë Watson said the district operates with a lot of casual staff including supply teachers, educational assistants, custodians, and bus drivers.
“Over the last couple of years with the pandemic, some folks are anxious about coming into schools to work or being in a different school every day,” Watson said.
A plan was created to mitigate staff shortages with the district putting schools in groups of two or three based on location and level since some supply teachers are comfortable at elementary school but not at high school.
Supply teachers were hired to cover the first two weeks back in class.
“If a school was down a teacher or two teachers, then those folks would get that work and fill in,” Watson said.
Watson said they also have several certified teachers with district positions who are teacher coaches.
“We have pulled them away from their regular duties and they too are attached to a pair or a triad of schools,” Watson said.
Anglophone South employs several English as an Additional Language mentors, many of whom are degreed or retired teachers who can pitch in to help as well.
Watson said it took a while to get this organized across sixty-nine schools but, noted it has worked well so far.
In her visits to schools, Watson said principals told her this planned and targeted approach, has removed some of the early-morning confusion when you know you may be short some teachers.
