The Hanover School Division will have an additional 16 teachers when the new school year starts in September. Superintendent Randy Dueck says that will bring the total number to 533. He explains where the additional teachers will be employed.

"Pretty close to 11 of that increase is related to 20, K-3, in terms of bring our class sizes in Kindergarten and Grade 1, and this year in Grade 2, down to roughly 20 or fewer (students). That accounts for 11 of these additional teachers. And then, we're hiring another five additional teachers just to bolster some of our middle years programming and some of the growth that still exists in our community."

Meanwhile, Dueck says twelve teachers will retire at the end of June, a number which he describes as about average. He adds the division has, or is in the process of, filling those positions. Dueck notes Hanover remains a popular destination for teachers who are graduating from university.

"It's not as good as it was. We don't have as many new grads starting this coming year as we've had in the past. But we're still one of the divisions in the province that is hiring and has the Employees Wanted sign hanging out there. So, they're very aware in university that Hanover is a destination."

One of the 12 teachers who is retiring is long time Elmdale School principal Garry Giesbrecht. He has been a teacher for 38 years including 23 years at Elmdale School. Giesbrecht says he doesn't want to make a big deal of his retirement but notes Elmdale has been a great place for him.

"It's been very, very good to me. It has been such an awesome place to work. The people there have been just fantastic; the students, the parents and the staff, I can only thank them all for a really, really awesome time working in that establishment."

Going forward, Giesbrecht says he looks forward to doing some volunteer work.

"I don't know what's ahead for me. I know that I have it in me to do some more things in the world and I'm looking forward to doing some volunteering for some organizations. And, I do know that my career has always been meaningful work and I know my volunteering experience is also going to be meaningful. I'm just looking for more meaning as I continue on."