Students are heading back to Nunavut schools

(Updated at 1:20 p.m.)

Students are already back in school at 16 of Nunavut’s 43 schools, with more scheduled to return next week in Igloolik, Pond Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Arviat and Kimmirut.

Some schools, such the two schools in Igloolik, are still short more than six teachers.

But the good news is that no schools have had to delay the start of the academic year due to the shortage of teachers.

More than 60 teaching positions that remained vacant Nunavut-wide in August of last year led to delays and staggered schedules in some classrooms.

This August, about the same number of teacher positions still need to be filled, and there are two principals and three vice-principal positions that are vacant, according to numbers supplied this week to Nunatsiaq News by Nunavut’s Education Department.

But despite the number of vacancies, the department’s assistant deputy minister, Tracey MacMillan, said “so far it’s been quite positive and there are improvements from last year.”

As of this week, 280 educators had been hired in Nunavut’s three regions, MacMillan said, and about 25 more were expected to be signed on.

Many of the hires are new, the numbers show, pointing to a high turnover in teaching staff:

• In the Kivalliq, of 87 hires, 33 are new.
• In the Kitikmeot, of 51 hires, 28 are new.
• And in the Qikiqtani, of 142 hires to date, 50 are new, with about 25 contracts under negotiation.

The Education Department did not immediately have any information about where these new teachers are from, or whether some are recent graduates of the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.

Overall, more than 60 teaching positions must still be filled in the three regions, with the Qikiqtani looking for about 50 teachers and principals.

The Qikiqtani communities most in need include Hall Beach (4.5), Arctic Bay (4.5), Igloolik (six), Iqaluit (6.5), Pangnirtung (six) and Pond Inlet (six).

Schools in Sanikiluaq and Pond Inlet also need principals.

But MacMillan said agreements with 25 new teachers for the Qikiqtani are in their final stages.

In the Kivalliq, there only five vacant positions for 13 schools, MacMillan said, while eight teaching positions and three vice-principal positions remain vacant in the Kitikmeot’s eight schools.

“We are in competition with all other jurisdictions,” said MacMillan about Nunavut’s continuing efforts to recruit teachers.

To improve retention and recruitment, she said the Education Department plans to launch a 10-year recruitment and retention plan that will focus on the development and retention of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun educators and, in the short term, the recruitment and retention of non-Inuit educators.

She said the use of two portals for recruitment, applytoeducation.com and educationcanada.com, as well as the website teachinnunavut.ca, have produced results.

The Education Department also recruits through job fairs, university job boards, associations and the Government of Nunavut website, she said.

Education Department staff also gave students in Grades 10 to 12 information packages on being a teacher.

An advertisement for a typical teaching position shows salaries range from $76,506 to $119,961, with Nunavut Northern Allowances ranging from $15,016 to $34,455, depending on the community.

Teachers in Nunavut are public service employees, who are enrolled in the federal superannuation plan.

And the GN pays for relocation from any point in Canada.

Subsidized staff housing is typically available for every position, although sharing of accommodations may be required, the job description says.

The Education Department said there have not been any housing barriers to date that have held up competitions, although it “is possible that some applicants may be giving us a pass when seeing that jobs ads indicate that housing may be available and sharing may be required. However, we have also received requests from teachers to share accommodations.”

The start-up dates for Nunavut schools are as follows:

Baker Lake, Rachel Arngnamak School: Aug. 9

Baker Lake, Jonah Amitnnaq School: Aug. 9

Gjoa Haven, Quqshuun Ilihakvik: Aug. 9

Gjoa Haven, Qiqirtaq High School: Aug. 9

Naujaat, Tusarvik Elementary School: Aug. 12

Naujaat, Tuugaalik High School: Aug. 12

Taloyoak, Netsilik School: Aug. 13

Arctic Bay, Inuujaq: Aug. 14

Kugluktuk, Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik: Aug. 14

Kugluktuk, High School: Aug. 14

Whale Cove, Inuglak School: Aug. 14

Chesterfield Inlet, Victor Sammurtok School: Aug. 15

Coral Harbour, Sakku School: Aug. 16

Rankin Inlet, Leo Ussak School: Aug. 16

Rankin Inlet, Simon Alaituq School: Aug. 16

Rankin Inlet Maani Ulyuk School: Aug. 16

Iglulik, Ataguttaaluk Elementary: Aug. 19

Iglulik, Ataguttaaluk High: Aug. 19

Pond Inlet, Nasivvik High: Aug. 19

Pond Inlet, Ulaajuk Elementary: Aug. 19

Qikiqtaruaq, Inuksuit: Aug. 19

Cambridge Bay, Kullik Ilihakvik: Aug. 23

Cambridge Bay, Kiilinik High School: Aug. 23

Arviat, Levi Angmak School: Aug. 22

Arviat, Qitiqliq Middle School: Aug. 22

Arviat, John Arnalujuak High School: Aug. 22

Kimmirut, Qaqqalik: Aug. 23

Cape Dorset, Peter Pitseolak High: Aug. 26

Cape Dorset, Sam Pudlat Elementary: Aug. 26

Clyde River, Quluaq: Aug. 26

Grise Fiord, Umimmaq: Aug. 26

Resolute Bay, Qarmartalik: Aug. 26

Kugaaruk, Arviligruaq Illiniarvik: Aug. 28

Apex, Nanook: Sept. 3

Hall Beach, Arnaqjuaq: Sept. 3

Iqaluit, Inuksuk High: Sept. 3

Iqaluit, Joamie Elementary: Sept. 3

Iqaluit, Nakasuk Elementary: Sept. 3

Iqaluit, Aqsarniit Middle: Sept. 3

Iqaluit, Trois Soleils: Sept. 4

Pangnirtung, Alookie Elementary: Sept. 4

Pangnirtung, Attagoyuk High: Sept. 4

Sanikiluaq, Nuiyak Elementary: Sept. 5

Sanikiluaq, Paatsaali High: Sept. 5

Correction

An earlier version of this article stated that 208 educators had been hired in Nunavut, rather than 280.