K-12 teachers across the province are preparing to go back to school in less than two weeks, and while schools will be open, there is a big “burden” on the system to keep it running. That’s according to Newfoundland and Labrador Union of Teachers president Trent Langdon. Langdon isn’t doing anything about it – yes, there is a teacher shortage in the province that has been growing for some time, exacerbated by the pandemic. He describes the June school closures as a “pressure release” for the system, but says it’s difficult behind the scenes to keep facilities running. He says there are teachers covering other classes, heavy workloads for specialists as those same specialists are moved around to cover things, and emergency supplies are being used in some areas. According to Langdon, the areas where such problems are most prevalent are those in more rural and remote areas. He says teachers are excited to return to school, but there is some hesitation because they know they will face the same challenges as when they left. However, they are focused on making the return as positive as possible.
