Commonwealth _Canada _ New teachers may migrate to the Central Interior and work in the local school system for $10,000 apiece, with an additional $15,000 offered if they choose to work in Lytton, the community that was destroyed by fire two years ago. The offer is being made by an anonymous donor.
The money is being given to School District 74 as part of what is being referred to as a “welcome to the area” grant, and it is being done so through Community Futures Sun Country, a nearby nonprofit.
Ashcroft, Lillooet, Cache Creek, and Lytton are among the smaller, rural municipalities that fall under SD74’s purview to the west of Kamloops. With less than 300 pupils in each, the schools in Ashcroft, Lillooet, and Lytton are the target locations for the prize.
The recruitment drive by SD74 for new teachers comes amid a larger staffing crisis in B.C.’s schools, which has seen some districts hire uncertified instructors to fill in when certified teachers aren’t available.
There are now 25 open positions throughout the three schools, according to Linsie Lachapelle, general manager of Community Futures Sun Country. The reward will be awarded in installments, with 50% of the total amount to be given at the conclusion of the academic year.
The prize includes a district vehicle and petrol cards if the teacher plans to commute from a nearby village to Ashcroft or Lytton, according to the school system. A $7,500 relocation payment is also included in the prize.
One of the few structures to survive the catastrophic fire in 2021 that caused the majority of the neighborhood to burn down was the Kumsheen ShchEma-meet School. 122 kids are now housed there, and many of them are Indigenous.
Prior to taking on her current position, Denise O’Connor, the community’s mayor, worked as a teacher and the school’s principal. Â She said that the school faced severe staffing issues even before the fire and that on more than one occasion, she had to step in as a principal to teach courses “for weeks at a time.”
