Jasper Elementary School will be losing one of its full-time Grade 1 teachers for the 2010-2011 school year. Donna Heine, who has taught at the school for many years, has asked for and received a transfer to work for a school in Hinton.

According to elementary school principal Raymond Blanchette-Dubé, the spot opened up by Heine’s departure is not going to be filled by another full-time teacher. Instead, he said several part-time teachers, who have already been teaching at the school for years, are going to have their hours increased.

Heine was working a 1.0 full-time equivalency, he said. The part-time teachers will be working hours equivalent to a 0.9 equivalency.

“There will be some different configurations of classes,” said Blanchette-Dubé. For instance, he said that phys-ed will probably be a class that could see some students from Grade 1 and 2 combined.

However, he said the school was going to aim to keep the Grade 1 homeroom classes, where students are taught core subjects, the same as 2009-2010.

“Overall, the changes should be fairly minor,” said Blanchette-Dubé. “I wouldn’t say there’s going to be more combined classes. Different configurations is how I would put it.”

He said that student enrolment for the school for the 2010-11 school year was following the same trends as seen in 2009-2010.

“It fluctuates some, but we’re at about the same numbers right now,” he said. Students are still enrolling at the school, however, and will continue to do so into the school year.

“We’re not expecting any major changes,” said the principal.

Heine stated in an email that living with her husband in Hinton and commuting to Jasper over the past three years finally got to be too much for her, and she decided to make a transfer to Hinton. It was not at all an easy decision to make, she said.

“It has been my pleasure to teach at Jasper Elementary School for the past ten years. I loved the children, enjoyed working with their parents and my colleagues, and I really liked having a room with a view! Jasper is a great community and I will miss being a part of it,” she stated. “I leave Jasper with many fond memories and good friendships. I know that I will be returning many more times...after all, it’s not that far away.”

“She has just been a wonderful asset to the school and was such a great person to have around,” said Blanchette-Dubé about the departing Heine. “We’re going to miss her.”