The Upper Grand District School Board will be hiring 32 new elementary teachers and 44 new educational assistants for the 2018-2019 year.
The additional teachers are needed for changes in class size requirements for Kindergarten and junior/intermediate classes, says a board press release.
The additional educational assistants "reflects the increasing need to provide support to students with special needs," the board said.
The numbers are included in the 2018-2019 approved budget that was released Thursday. Trustees approved an operating budget of $401,347,488 and a capital budget of $55,643,680.
In the UGDSB expects increased enrolment at the elementary level next school year while secondary school enrolment remains essentially flat, says a board press release.
The budget also adds an ASD Facilitator to assist students with special needs, four FTE Itinerant mental health clinicians and additional communication disorder assistants.
The UGDSB budget includes $100,000 in proposed spending to assist children who cannot afford to participate in programs or activities, and maintains funding for transporting rural students to sports events and school groups to provincial or international competitions.
