Saskatchewan Bulletin Columns

Education Minister Dustin Duncan indicated that “the Ministry of Education recognizes the important role of principals and vice-principals within the school setting.

“There are no current plans to move principals or vice-principals out of the provincial teacher collective bargaining agreement, as this is a matter for the bargaining table.”

Under the tutelage of teachers Camille St. Amand and Rita Istifo, this group of inspiring young students from Bethlehem Catholic High School in Saskatoon shared their passions for social justice issues while emphasizing the importance of being part of a team with a similar commitment.

As we all know, COVID-19 has been challenging for everyone, but this is especially true for teachers and school communities. Too often during the past year Saskatchewan educators were asked to pick up the ball and run with it, without being told which direction to run or, worse yet, with conflicting and ever-changing instructions. While I wish our members hadn’t been put in this position, I have been so consistently impressed and proud of how you have responded to the pandemic. You have worked incredibly hard in less-than-ideal circumstances, often playing a key part in holding our communities together.

In case you haven’t heard this enough, thank you. Thank you as a parent, a community member and as STF President for the work, both seen and unseen, that you have done for your students, families and communities.

For more than a year, the statistics have become a daily lead item on the newscasts and newspaper reports.

The numbers of newly confirmed COVID-19 positive tests, the deaths and those in hospital, while also noting the recoveries. Sad surely, but somehow context is often lacking.