Manor School has found itself graced by three new faces on staff this year.
With a total staff of less than 10, the three new teachers, plus a new principal, means that the flavour of the school has measurably changed.
A native of Arcola, and still living within that community, is first time teacher Janine Houston.
Houston, who had graduated from with a degree in kinesiology as well as her education degree, has taken on the role of Learning Support Teacher (LST.)
As the LST, Houston offers specialized support to students in need of additional help and care.
"I had really hoped to find a position close to home," Houston said. "I love living in small towns, and I love living in the Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast specifically."
"Going to university, I learned that big city life isn't that attractive too me, so getting a job so close to home was like winning a lottery," Houston said. "It really was what I had planned and hoped for."
As for the classes and students so far, Houston's response to question of how it is going is both brief and to the point.
"I'm loving it!" Houston said with enthusiasm. "The students are great, we have a great staff around us that help out, and a great administrator too."
"It is everything I had hoped it would be."
Another new face on the staff is Kelly Pattison.
Pattison, who has taken on the 7-8 mixed class, hails originally from Vernon, BC, and had acquired her B. Ed. at the University of British Columbia.
"I had planned to come to Saskatchewan from the start," Pattison said. "I had heard that there were a lot of opportunities out here, so once I had graduated, this is where I started my job-hunt."
Also a first year teacher, Pattison has settled into her classes and her new community quite well by her account.
"The people have been very friendly," Pattison said. "I have a great class of kids, and the support of my fellow teachers has been great too."
"Having a few other new teachers helps, because we can share about how things are going, and the challenges we are facing," Pattison said. "I'm really enjoying the whole experience and process."
The final, and by no means least, of the new faces at Manor School belongs to April Hutton.
Hutton, who had done her internship at Carlyle Elementary School last year, continued on into substitute teaching between February and June of this year.
Manor, her first full-time position, has proved to be a great posting for her so far, and is fitting in well with what she had hoped for.
"I'm from Redvers, so I am happy to be teaching in the area," Hutton said. "I'm teaching the Kindergarten/1-2 class, so I'm dealing with the age-group I like."
"I had really wanted to teach in the SE Cornerstone region in a small school," Hutton said. "I think that the settings you get in small schools is way better for the students, and the teachers as well."
"You get to deal more directly with your students, and they in turn are a lot more involved with the class," Hutton said. "I really feel lucky to have gotten this posting."
