The Primary Teacher Pilot Program

The purpose of the Primary Teacher Pilot Program is to address concerns identified by child care service providers with obtaining qualified caregivers to work at their child care centre due to the long term employment and workforce impacts of COVID-19. This pilot program will permit child care centres to hire provincially certified primary teachers (active or retired) to fill short-term vacancies and absences.

A Primary Teacher is defined as an individual who holds a valid Newfoundland and Labrador teaching certificate with a professional study designation of primary/elementary or primary/elementary/secondary. Primary Teachers wishing to participate in this pilot program will need to complete the online Casual Caregiver Module and online ELC Framework workshops series (4 goals), which are free.

Participating primary teachers will:

• Be permitted to work as a single caregiver in a preschool or toddler age room;
• Not require supervision from a qualified ECE; and
• Not be limited to several consecutive working days or working days per year.

The primary teacher will not be assigned to a homeroom in the child care centre with:

• Children in the Infant age range; and/or
• an individual approved under the Casual Caregiver Pilot Program.

This temporary pilot program will run until the end of 2023, at which point it will be re-evaluated based on success and the availability of qualified ECEs in the province.

Link to the Primary Teacher Pilot Program policies:

https://www.gov.nl.ca/education/files/Primary-Teacher-Pilot-Program-Policy-Final.pdf

How to participate in the Primary Teacher Pilot Program:

• Print and complete the Primary Teacher Registration Form for Required Professional Learning  
• Submit the application and the copy of your teacher certification or Primary/elementary education degree either via email to admin@aecenl.ca, mail it to or drop it off at the AECENL Office.
  • Applicant will receive an e-mail with the login information along with the information to complete online the Casual Caregiver Module and the Early Childhood Learning Framework Workshop Series (4 Goals) which are all free.
  • If the applicant has previously done AECENL’s Preschool Orientation Course they are exempt from the Casual Caregiver Module, however, they will still need to complete the Early Childhood Learning Framework Workshop Series online through AECENL.
• Complete the Casual Caregiver Module and the Early Childhood Learning Framework Workshop Series (4 workshops)
• Print off the certificates of completion and
• Submit the certificates of completion to the Child Care Centre’s Licensee/Administrator

*THIS IS NOT NOR CAN IT BE USED FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING HOURS.