Sunny Olver, a 12-year-old student in Saskatoon, faces challenges with reading due to his dyslexia diagnosis. Despite his mother’s efforts to advocate for him, the lack of proper support and resources in his school has made it difficult for him to progress.
Lindsay Olver, Sunny’s mother, expressed frustration with the system’s shortcomings in catering to her son’s needs since his diagnosis two years ago. She has been actively seeking solutions by hiring tutors and navigating the educational system to provide the necessary assistance.
Recently, École Cardinal Leger Catholic School, where Sunny attends, and numerous other schools in Saskatchewan are set to benefit from a new initiative involving the introduction of dedicated “classroom complexity teachers.”
The inclusion of these specialized teachers was a significant point of contention during negotiations for the latest collective agreement between the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) and provincial authorities. Following a period of job action, a binding arbitration process concluded that classroom complexity support should be integrated into the new contract, resulting in the signing of a revised agreement in April.
Under this new framework, schools with over 150 students will receive a full-time complexity teacher, while schools with 75 to 149 students will have a part-time position allocated. This initiative is expected to create approximately 500 new teaching roles and a $20-million fund to enhance student support services.
STF President Samantha Becotte acknowledged that while this measure is a step in the right direction to address classroom challenges, it may not resolve all issues. School divisions across the province have already filled most of the new positions, with increased focus on providing tailored academic support to students with diverse needs.
Fulfilling New Roles
Mark Haarmann, the Director of Education at Regina Public Schools, emphasized the timely nature of these additional teaching positions, noting the evolving needs of students in today’s classrooms.
Unlike regular classroom teachers, complexity teachers will offer targeted support to students requiring extra assistance, aid classroom teachers in student support, and address behavioral and mental health challenges as needed.
The specific responsibilities of complexity teachers will vary based on individual school requirements, ranging from academic interventions to behavioral support. Haarmann highlighted the diverse approaches adopted by Regina Public Schools to accommodate varying student needs.
While optimistic about the benefits of the new positions, Haarmann noted a potential drawback in the allocation of resources, particularly in larger urban schools compared to smaller rural institutions. He expressed hope for future adjustments to better align staffing allocations with school sizes.
Hopes for Change
Despite the introduction of complex needs positions, parents like Lindsay Olver believe more targeted training, such as structured literacy programs, is necessary to effectively support students like Sunny.
The provincial government clarified that school divisions have autonomy in determining their staffing requirements and that the new agreement aims to address classroom complexities by facilitating additional hires. Ongoing monitoring by STF will track the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers, particularly in regions facing shortages.
