Declining enrolment sees nearly 100 teachers laid off

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation says the school board issued redundancy notices to 99 full and part-time teachers today.

99 teachers were served redundancy letters today by the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB).

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) president Jen Hare says enrolment is down across its secondary schools, so a mix of part-time and full-time teachers have been laid off.

67 full-time positions were declared redundant. Those positions were filled by 99 teachers.

Teachers from all fields of study, including in academic subjects, technology and special education have been cut, says Hare, who is the teacher’s bargaining unit president of the OSSTF D17 Simcoe.

“School board enrollment is down more than 800 students due to funding cuts from the government,” Hare said.

“Our teachers are an incredibly dedicated group of educators who have been feeling the strain of an underfunded system for years,” said Hare, adding, “The important work they are doing to support their students every single day makes it all the more heart-breaking when they are told they are no longer needed. The system needs them. Your kids need them. This government has chosen not to provide the necessary funding.”

SCDSB Manager of Communications, Sarah Kekewich, says the staff reduction is attributed to enrolment figures.

“Unfortunately, this projected decline in enrolment results in a reduction in the number of secondary school teachers required for our system,” Kekewich said.

Kekewich says the board will continue to monitor enrolment and “remain hopeful that we will have recall letters issued to some staff during the spring staffing process,” she said.

The declaration notices were handed out at the end of the school day.

Kekewich said the SCDSB is committed to “providing ongoing support during what can be a challenging staffing process.”