Dale Bass– Kamloops This Week
With at least 29 teachers opting to retire at the end of this school year, Kamloops-Thompson school district Supt. Karl deBruijn is optimistic there will be jobs for all existing teachers for the upcoming school year.
Earlier, layoff notices were issued to 15 full-time equivalent teaching positions and others were declared surplus.
DeBruijn said some of the surplus designations have been rescinded and, if the anticipated retirements proceed, combined with money received through the province’s learning improvement fund, noted “there should be a job for everyone.”
He said some of the teaching positions might not be what people want — and they have the option to refuse — “but the jobs will be there, I expect.”
The learning improvement fund was created to create a pool of money districts can use to hire teachers and special-education assistants to meet complex composition needs in classrooms.
It does not guarantee ongoing jobs, however, as classroom compositions, sizes and complex needs change annually.