Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Nearly 12,500 young people and adults attending schools managed by the Centre de Services Scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT) were back in the classroom for the start of the new year on September 2.

As the fastest growing service centre or board in Quebec, the CSSVT has been tasked with balancing a rapidly growing student population with overall budget reductions of around $5 million. This has been complicated further by a new measure introduced by the provincial government which aims to optimize human resources by imposing a target number of full-time equivalents.

CSSVT director general Suzie Vranderick acknowledged that the budget has been more challenging this year, while noting that all service centres are having to navigate these targets while managing budget restrictions. The fact the CSSVT has grown by six per cent over last year simply adds to the headache.

“We’ll get there,” Vranderick said. “We want to contribute to the government’s efforts, but at the same time, we also want to ensure the success of our students,” she explained. “Thanks to rigorous planning and teamwork, the impact on schools has been limited.”

At least 34 new groups have been added across the service centre, which requires teachers, but other services as well, including classroom support. “It’s a puzzle. We must find the pieces and put them in the right place,” added François Robichaud, the CSSVT’s assistant director general.

As of September 2, the CSSVT had filled 99.6 per cent of its teaching positions, with only four remaining vacant. According to the government’s education dashboard, there are an additional nine support staff openings, and eight jobs available for educational professionals.

Vranderick noted that the human resources team began interviewing for positions in April, before confirming the CSSVT was in a very good position for the start of the year: “People will be in place, student services will be there, but it is a challenge every day,” she admitted.