A crop of new teachers is ready to jump in and get started on a new school year.

There are 28 new teachers coming into the division this year, and for 24 for of them, the Fort Vermilion School Division will be their first posting.

“They bring a lot of enthusiasm and excitement, and they are bringing new knowledge into the classroom,” said Scot Leys, Assistant Superintendent of Operations. “I think what that does is transfer to some of our experienced teachers. And it gives our experienced teachers a chance to mentor them, which is a rewarding experience as well.

New teachers who have just recently graduated bring with them a wealth of new techniques and information, as they are on the cutting edge of their profession. And coming north and working in the Fort Vermilion School Division brings opportunities for support and growth in professional development, and also offers opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

“We are a young division, typically, so these teachers in the next few years will get called upon to do things that maybe teachers in larger and southern divisions won’t have an opportunity to do for another five or six years,” said Leys.

For communities where these new teachers will be settling in, Leys says he hopes they will have every opportunity to experience the friendliness that people in the north have to share.

“When parents show up in schools, it’s a matter of welcoming these new staff into the community, and when you see them out in the community, you can touch base with them,” he said.

“The real benefit that I have loved of this area for years is the friendliness of it, and how we embrace newcomers and new people.

“It’s important for new staff as they who have moved so far from home. They need to know this is a place that cares about them and it’s a place that’s going to support them and help them grow – and invite them into different activities outside the school as well so they can build those connections.”

He added he is looking forward to seeing what the 2019/2020 crop of new teachers can bring to the FVSD.

“I think they are a strong group of teachers who will really help the division achieve our goals in connections, numeracy and literacy,” he said. “They are eager, they are young, and they are willing to learn and make connections in classrooms.”