PARRY SOUND, ON – Despite assurances from the Ford government, eight teachers have lost their jobs permanently at Parry Sound High School.
The provincial government had been touting that no teaching jobs would be lost through budget cuts and that teachers retiring would help pad the available jobs.
But according to high school teacher Natalie McDonald, who belongs to the Near North District School Board, that just simply is not the case.
“Our options now are nothing,” she said bluntly. “Some people might have to leave the community, some people might supply teach if they can. Together the eight of us have 76 years of teaching experience between us.”
McDonald says any possible jobs in Parry Sound have been taken by teachers who lost their jobs in North Bay and grabbed what was available in hopes of changes taking place over the summer. Teacher contracts end August 31st. As of that date McDonald and her colleagues that have received the notice will be made redundant.
“Relationships that teachers have built in the community and the students are all being shuffled,” she explained. “Even teachers who still have their jobs may have to commute two hours. Will they actually come here and do that drive?”
A press release from the (NNDSB) touted that a number of teaching jobs had been pulled back, but this will not help with jobs at Parry Sound High School said McDonald. Teacher-student ratios have been increased leading to fewer teachers being needed across the province.
McDonald has a decade of teaching under her belt and was coming back from a long-term hiring freeze two years ago, but now faces having to leave the community she loves to find a teaching job. She noted that it can take up to 10 years to get a permanent teaching job. Anywhere a teacher looking for work moves, they have to start as a spare teacher and wait many years for retirements to take place before permanent spots open up.
In a press release to the media today the (NNDSB) indicated the possibility of more re-hires board-wide.
“The (NNDSB) has begun the process of recalling teachers, as per the staffing and budgeting process,” the release read in part. “While these staffing processes will continue to unfold throughout the summer months and into the new school year, the Board is very pleased to confirm that 45 elementary teachers and 96 secondary teachers have been recalled to permanent positions.”