The school board has raised the rate it pays non-certified substitute teachers to $150 a day from $114 a day. Trustees voted in favour of raising the rate at a meeting Saturday night (Dec. 2) in Queen Charlotte, said secretary-treasurer Ken Campbell. Substitute teachers who have a BC teaching certificate are paid a higher rate, which is covered in the collective agreement with the teachers' union, Mr. Campbell said. The new rate took effect Dec. 1. In a report to the board, superintendent Mike Woods said the rate needed to be raised because there is an extreme shortage of substitute teachers on the islands. Trustees also voted to raise the rates the district pays for meal allowances and mileage. The new rates reflect what the Ministry of Education pays in these areas, and will be adjusted every year to keep pace with provincial rates. The new rates allow $22 for breakfast, $22 for lunch and $28.50 for dinner. The mileage rate is now 47 cents per kilometre (up from 44 cents per kilometre), and will go to 48 cents per kilometre on April 1.
The board also accepted a recommendation from the Haida Education Council to conduct an assessment of the Massett language materials and resources. The review will be done by local university student Amanda Bedard as part of her Master's degree program, Mr. Campbell said. Teacher Kevin Borserio and some members of the Queen Charlotte Secondary boys soccer team made a powerpoint presentation on their trip to the provincial finals in Penticton last month, and thanked the district for finding enough money to allow the team to fly the entire way to Penticton. Last year the team had to drive on the icy Coquihalla highway to get to the provincials.
The board had been scheduled to meet on Nov. 28 at Sk'aadgaa Naay elementary, but cancelled that meeting because of icy roads and bad weather. Instead, trustees met Saturday night after spending the day in a workshop with Penny Tees and Lee Southern of the BC School Trustees Association, Mr. Campbell said. Ms Tees is the president of the BCSTA, and Dr. Southern is the executive director.