The Garden Valley School Division (GVSD) recently concluded a complex process regarding staffing for the new Pine Ridge Elementary School.

GVSD Superintendent Todd Monster said the comprehensive process started in fall and wrapped up at the beginning of this month.

Monster said the process began with meetings with each of the teachers in the various schools that are affected by the opening of Pine Ridge. While explaining the process and timelines they were working with during these meetings, Monster said the teachers were also provided with an intent form where they could express their wishes as to what their preference would be; To stay at their current school, or transfer to Pine Ridge. Monster said this was done with the knowledge that not all preferences could be accommodated.

There were many variables to consider in the process, with numerous meetings from fall until the announcement was made as to which teachers would be moving.

"A lot of people were involved in that process," said Monster. "The principals of the affected schools were involved, senior administration was involved, as well as the new principal for Pine Ridge Elementary, Renae Hildebrand. All those people were involved looking at all the different variables around how we meet the needs of all the various locations."

Monster said they need to ensure they would have the necessary teachers to be able to operate Pine Ridge. At the same time, they also had to meet the needs of their existing schools. "The # 1 factor, of course, was meeting the needs of all of our schools. That had to be taken into consideration throughout the whole process," said Monster.

What made the process so complex, was needing to move teachers from 3 locations, J.R. Walkof School, Winkler Elementary School, and Parkland Elementary. Monster noted those 3 schools will be reducing in their student numbers, therefore also reducing in the number of their teaching allocations. "What we've said, is we're taking three great teams, and we're making four great teams, that was our goal throughout the entire process."

The end result of the process will see 12 teachers from WES, 11 from Parkland, and 8 from J.R. Walkof moving to Pine Ridge. Monster noted some of the teachers from WES moving to Pine Ridge will split some of their time between WES and Pine Ridge.

"Our staff, both our teachers as well as our support staff, are great people that understand the complexity of opening Pine Ridge and have been very gracious in this whole process. They want to help out, and help meet the needs of the division, their school, and the students and their families that are impacted."

Monster said part of the process is recognizing that there's excitement that goes with opening a new school and the opportunities that go with that, but there's also the recognition that there's an impact on existing relationships. He noted, as a division, GVSD has always been focused on relationships. "One of our belief statements is that relationships are the key to creating safe, caring and engaging learning environments, and we know that now, these relationships are impacted."