La Verendrye School will host the annual "Topic Day" for the Portage la Prairie school division on April 7th. Principal Tracy Vanstone says this event is for all teachers from grades K through eight, and they're expecting about two hundred and fifty people to attend. Vanstone notes nine sessions will be offered in the morning and just about the same number in the afternoon, adding a variety of speakers will be on hand during those sessions. She says they'll kick everything off with a morning yoga class, because wellness is a main focus of the day. Vanstone notes some of the topics covered will include strategies for working effectively with educational assistants, an LGBT session, and one on wellness.

She adds it's a dynamic array of subjects to try to engage all participants, whether they teach health, math, or any other course. Vanstone says teachers began signing up in early March and were able to pick a morning and afternoon session to attend. She notes this opportunity is hosted by the Portage Teachers Association in conjunction with the Portage school division. Vanstone adds this kind of professional development is key to teachers being successful in the classroom.