聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Canora Junior Elementary School has welcomed a total of four new staff members at the start of the school year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa St. Mars and Shyla Yannoulis began work as educational assistants for the 2016-2017 year, with Alexandria Blatter and Lisa Strozen being hired as new teachers. Each of them said they are very excited to start the new school year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Alexandria Blatter has been hired as the new Grade 3 teacher. Originally from Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle, she received her bachelor of education from the University of Alberta. After receiving her degree, she moved to Canora. Prior to joining the Canora Junior Elementary School staff, she was a Grade 7 teacher at Canora Composite School.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to figuring out the difference between teaching young children as opposed to children in middle years,鈥� Blatter said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Blatter currently lives in Canora. She is involved in junior girls鈥� volleyball and volunteers with the School Community Council (SCC).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 most looking forward to meeting all the students and parents as I start the school year. So far, everyone at the school, especially the staff, has been welcoming and warm,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Shyla Yannoulis is one of the educational assistants for Canora Junior Elementary School, and has lived in Canora for six years after moving from the Yorkton area. Yannoulis received an office administration certificate from Parkland College, and worked as a realtor and owned a restaurant in Esterhazy before deciding to pursue a career in education.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Yannoulis was originally at Canora Composite School for two years prior to being hired at CJES. She is currently completing her educational assistant certification online. She was involved with basketball and volleyball prior to beginning at the elementary school, so she is hoping to get involved with those once again, but she says she will help wherever she is needed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 like to get involved in things, so I鈥檒l see who needs me,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Yannoulis is most looking forward to getting to know the young students at the school.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa St. Mars is the second education assistant who is a new staff member for the 2016-2017 school year. St. Mars moved to Canora from Regina in 2004, and has four children.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 St. Mars originally worked at Canora Farm Service and the Canora Liquor Store before beginning work with the Good Spirit School Division in 2012. She is taking her educational assistant course with Saskatchewan Polytechnic and should be finished by the end of the month. She is involved with the drama club, and her plan for the school year is 鈥渏ust to enjoy the students.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa Strozen is the new Grade 1 teacher, and the only new staff member who is originally from Canora. She moved to Saskatoon and moved back last year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have a five-year-old who just started Kindergarten, and we鈥檙e really glad to be back in such a quiet community,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Strozen received her education degree from the University of Saskatchewan, and was part of the Saskatoon Public School Division for 16 years. She taught Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2, and last year, she taught Grade 3 at Columbia School in Yorkton.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Strozen is currently making plans for which extracurricular activities she will be involved in, but she said she would like to teach piano and organize a yoga program. She is looking forward to being with the students this year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 was very impressed with how excited and enthusiastic they are about school,鈥� Strozen said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐anora is such a warm place to be. They do so much for kids here, and I鈥檓 glad to be part of a community-oriented school.鈥�
