Janet Warkentin has been an educator for nearly 28 years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

new chapter

Only days left before Warkentin’s retirement from Pre-Cam Community School

Jun 12, 2024 | 5:00 PM

After nearly three decades as a teacher, Janet Warkentin only has days left before retirement.

Warkentin started her position as a student services teacher at La Ronge’s Pre-Cam Community School eight years ago. She began her career with early childhood students in Nipawin, which was followed by the Ahtahkakoop Education Centre near Shell Lake.

After those early years, most of her career has been as a student services teacher, starting at Macklin School for a year and a half. She then taught at Craik School for 17 years, where her primary role was in student services with additional experience teaching Kindergarten and a variety of elementary, middle school and high school subjects.

“I enjoyed participating in many school community programs and events there. I have many happy memories there,” Warkentin explained.

As a student services teacher, she worked alongside other teachers giving them resources and helping with planning for special needs students. She wrote inclusion and intervention plans, which is a collaborative process with educators, parents, specialists and education assistants. She called it a very multifaceted role.

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Warkentin grew up in Saskatoon, where she attained a Bachelor of Education and Post-Graduate Diploma in Cross-Categorical Resource Room Teaching from the University of Saskatchewan.

“I always loved working with children, and I always wanted to make an impact in their lives. I always just had a real heart for them,” she said.

With 28 years experience as a teacher, Warkentin believes it is important to build relationships with students. She noted it is pivotal to know where they are coming from, where their interests lie, their backgrounds and their social, emotional and physical well-being.

During her time at Pre-Cam, Warkentin travelled between her acreage in Saskatoon and La Ronge on a weekly basis while renting a home in the community. With retirement on the horizon, she plans on visiting Alaska with her husband, spending time with family, as well as continuing an active, healthy lifestyle, continuing to learn and pursue new interests.

“I had a wonderful experience of working with students, parents, staff and specialists in a beautiful, northern community,” she said.

“I just wanted to say to them this has been like a second home for me and thank you.”

Warkentin’s last day at Pre-Cam is June 25.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com