Simone Homeniuk is a new teacher at Canora Composite School (CCS) this year, but she’s not new to the school.
Homeniuk taught at CCS for four years until the 2012-13 term, but then spent four years working for the Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) in Yorkton, before returning to CCS.
She grew up in Calgary, and loved to play soccer, which she continued right through high school. Homeniuk said she has enjoyed gardening ever since she can remember.
After high school she studied at the University of Toronto, receiving her bachelor of arts (honours) degree, majoring in history. She went on to earn her bachelor of education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto.
Homeniuk is starting her 22nd year in education, including teaching experience in Toronto and Calgary before her initial move to Canora. Even though she was raised in a big city, she has grown to love small town life. She said it’s much easier to get to know people and create meaningful relationships in a small town like Canora.
Starting in 2013-14, Homeniuk spent four years working as a literacy coach for GSSD, splitting her time between 23 different schools. She enjoyed the work immensely, but was ready to come back to Canora and be at the school full-time.
In her new position at CCS, Homeniuk is teaching ELA (English Language Arts), career education, social studies, history and health to students in grades 6, 8, 9 and 11.
“I enjoy creating meaningful relationships with students, especially the moment when they really understand the concept I’m trying to teach them,” she said.
She has set a goal to find a way to help every one of her students enjoy reading and writing, even if they claimed to hate it at the start of the year.
Homeniuk and her husband Calvin live in Canora. She said they are blessed to live with their blended family, daughters Sofia Tratch, Grade 5 at CCS and Olivia Tratch, Grade 2 at CJES, as well as adult daughter Morgan Homeniuk who is the assistant manager at Maurices in Moose Jaw. Simone and Calvin are lucky to have good co-parenting relationships with the Tratch girls’ father and the mother of Morgan. Calvin is the sales manager at Key Chevrolet in Yorkton.
Homeniuk loves to entertain, and has continued her life-long interest in gardening. It has grown to include canning, freezing and preserving produce from the garden.
