Canora Junior Elementary School has welcomed a total of four new staff members at the start of the school year.
Lisa St. Mars and Shyla Yannoulis began work as educational assistants for the 2016-2017 year, with Alexandria Blatter and Lisa Strozen being hired as new teachers. Each of them said they are very excited to start the new school year.
Alexandria Blatter has been hired as the new Grade 3 teacher. Originally from Fort Qu’Appelle, she received her bachelor of education from the University of Alberta. After receiving her degree, she moved to Canora. Prior to joining the Canora Junior Elementary School staff, she was a Grade 7 teacher at Canora Composite School.
“I’m looking forward to figuring out the difference between teaching young children as opposed to children in middle years,” Blatter said.
Blatter currently lives in Canora. She is involved in junior girls’ volleyball and volunteers with the School Community Council (SCC).
“I’m most looking forward to meeting all the students and parents as I start the school year. So far, everyone at the school, especially the staff, has been welcoming and warm,” she said.
Shyla Yannoulis is one of the educational assistants for Canora Junior Elementary School, and has lived in Canora for six years after moving from the Yorkton area. Yannoulis received an office administration certificate from Parkland College, and worked as a realtor and owned a restaurant in Esterhazy before deciding to pursue a career in education.
Yannoulis was originally at Canora Composite School for two years prior to being hired at CJES. She is currently completing her educational assistant certification online. She was involved with basketball and volleyball prior to beginning at the elementary school, so she is hoping to get involved with those once again, but she says she will help wherever she is needed.
“I like to get involved in things, so I’ll see who needs me,” she said.
Yannoulis is most looking forward to getting to know the young students at the school.
Lisa St. Mars is the second education assistant who is a new staff member for the 2016-2017 school year. St. Mars moved to Canora from Regina in 2004, and has four children.
St. Mars originally worked at Canora Farm Service and the Canora Liquor Store before beginning work with the Good Spirit School Division in 2012. She is taking her educational assistant course with Saskatchewan Polytechnic and should be finished by the end of the month. She is involved with the drama club, and her plan for the school year is “just to enjoy the students.”
Lisa Strozen is the new Grade 1 teacher, and the only new staff member who is originally from Canora. She moved to Saskatoon and moved back last year.
“We have a five-year-old who just started Kindergarten, and we’re really glad to be back in such a quiet community,” she said.
Strozen received her education degree from the University of Saskatchewan, and was part of the Saskatoon Public School Division for 16 years. She taught Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2, and last year, she taught Grade 3 at Columbia School in Yorkton.
Strozen is currently making plans for which extracurricular activities she will be involved in, but she said she would like to teach piano and organize a yoga program. She is looking forward to being with the students this year.
“I was very impressed with how excited and enthusiastic they are about school,” Strozen said.
“Canora is such a warm place to be. They do so much for kids here, and I’m glad to be part of a community-oriented school.”
