The SD57 Board of Education took a trip to Mackenzie Tuesday night for their annual out-of-town meeting to hear comments and concerns about rural education.
During their session, a teacher from Morfee Elementary voiced her opinion on why she believes the district isn’t doing much to keep instructors working longer in smaller schools.
#SD57 elementary teacher in #Mackenzie worries # of instructors is low; wants all recruitment to be professional, not convenient @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/JDbk08SR9f
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) April 26, 2017
Shannon Pride believes more effort needs to be made in order to ensure students are getting a quality education.
“We have teaching positions that we need to have a qualified teacher, and there isn’t anyone applying and there’s no one to hire. Our administrator had to go back to a teaching role; we just have empty jobs that our students are losing out on that support.”
The 21-year veteran teacher adds rural communities need to advocate more for local employees to stay working in their respective areas.
She suggests enforcing better incentives for young graduates by resolving their loans to make the job more appealing.
“If we could offer, like if you stay a year we’ll pay a percentage; if you stay longer, we’ll keep paying it off, so maybe that would make them stay three or four years to get their loans, and then they can move, debt free, to another community.”
While it’s hard to admit for her, she says she understand however why most of the younger teachers choose to move on to bigger cities.
“If they don’t find what they’re looking for, or the activities that they like, then they’re going to go to where they want to go. But I mean, Mackenzie is a nice community and it’s safe.”
Pride claims this system should include all of the materials required to teach in all levels of education and ensuring a safe working environment.
.@tiben12 says #SD57 visited #Mackenzie schools, parent advisory councils earlier today; calls meetings successful & enlightening @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/1ZYb5ATnrj
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) April 26, 2017