Surrey is looking to immediately hire teachers and counsellors to fill 55 new positions across the school district.
Applications for the job openings – details of which are now posted on the Surrey School District website – are being accepted until Monday, Jan. 16.
The hirings follow the result of a B.C. Supreme Court ruling in November in favour of the B.C Teachers’ Federation. Earlier this month, provincial education minister Mike Bernier announced $50 million in interim funding from the province to hire more classroom teachers and support staff.
Following an initial meeting between Surrey School District staff and the Surrey Teachers’ Association, the joint committee recommended the hiring of 30 full-time Learning Support Teachers, 20 full-time Integration Support Teachers and five full-time elementary school counsellors.
The announcement of these new positions is the initial phase of what could be as many as 100 new teachers coming to Surrey – the largest school district in the province – and 1,100 new teachers across B.C.
Surrey is already at a tipping point when it comes to overcrowded schools and potentially more portable classrooms, said Surrey Board of Education Chair Shawn Wilson, and the main hurdle will be finding space for the new teachers come September.
He said the district will be in desperate need for more capital funding to help ease the enrolment crunch.
“You will likely see a need for more classroom space and how we get there, that’s going to be a bridge we’ll have to cross… And boy oh boy, it could be significant. It could have a big impact," Wilson said recently.
According to a statement issued by Surrey School District Supt. Jordan Tinney, the new teacher positions will be posted until Jan. 16.
“The joint committee is very pleased to initiate our hiring processes and we look forward to seeing more teachers in our schools as soon as possible," said Tinney in a release. "More postings will follow as the committee continues to meet."