School board superintendents have one week to whittle almost 800 applications down to nine teachers who will help make up the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions.
Scott Milner, with the South Shore Regional School Board says he’s been given a stack of applications from the area and is working to create a short list.
“So I’m really looking for a front line, in classroom teacher. A master teacher who really knows his or her curriculum broadly and deeply.”
Milner says all eight superintendents are gathering in Halifax tomorrow in hopes of completing their selections by the end of the day.
He says this is an important step and they don’t want to waste time getting the council up and running.
The council will be formed by next Tuesday and is expected to make recommendations to government by no later than April 28.
Meanwhile Liette Doucet, President of the Nova Scotia Teacher’s Union, says it’s no wonder so many teachers applied to be on the council.
She says teachers are still looking to make their voices heard.
Doucet has a number of concerns about the council starting with the selection process.
She says with almost 800 applicants it’s hard to imagine how the process can be completed objectively.
And she points out the NSTU weren’t asked for their input.
Some of the in-class issues raised during the bargaining process were class size, limiting data entry and greater support for students with special needs.
Doucet says the province has refused to deal with these issues during the last 18 months of negotiations and she believes it’s unlikely they’re going to do so now.
