There is a complete complement of teachers in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division. The local division employs about 550 educators for each academic year and all positions are currently filled said Keith Keating, the division’s deputy director.
“We will have a few maternity leaves coming up though, a good number of them actually and I guess that’s a good problem to have,” he added. “But otherwise, we are currently fully staffed.”
Keating also told the board that four of the 38 Cornerstone schools had sought permission to have staff and/or students recite the Lord’s Prayer during the school year for certain assemblies or special events. The request required a motion of acceptance by the board and they unanimously provided this permission to Queen Elizabeth School in Weyburn, MacLeod Elementary School in Moosomin, Gladmar Regional School and Carievale School.
The initial enrolment in Cornerstone schools as of opening day on Sept. 3 showed an increase over last year, but the numbers are unofficial until the enrolment is tabulated on Sept. 30 for submission to the ministry of Education. The projection had been for 8,282, with 8,393 students in class on the first day of school. The official enrolment is taken on Sept. 30 because often there is some adjustment to student numbers during the first month, said education director Lynn Little.
Vice-chairwoman Carol Flynn, Cornerstone’s representative to the Public Section of the Saskatchewan School Board Association (SSBA), told the board they had launched a new program to promote public schools and their role in citizenship and democracy. “There is a Citizenship Award we are now promoting. It is a monetary award for students, groups or classes,” said Flynn.
The Public Section award for students from Grade 1 to 8 has been set at $1,000 and a more extensive award is allocated for students from Grade 9 to 12.
“It’s about promoting democratic values and public education and information is found on the Public Schools of Saskatchewan website,” Flynn said. “This is a three-year pilot project. The responses will then be assessed.”
Lynn Little, the school division’s director of education has had her services contract renewed for two years. Board members voted unanimously to extend the new contract offer, which was accepted.
Cornerstone’s annual financial report will be made ready for auditors’ scrutiny on Sept. 23 and 24 and again in mid-October. That should wrap up the fiscal business end of the school year, said Marilyn Yurkiw from the division’s financial department. She joined the trustees to provide a quarterly report near the end of their regular open business session.
The board’s next public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, which is a change from their usually scheduled monthly open sessions. The board generally meets on a Wednesday.
