She has one of the hardest jobs in cabinet - smooth things over with the province's teachers.

But newly sworn-in Education Minister Liz Sandals says she's ready for what she believes is an uphill battle, with plans to reaching to union heads soon.

Sandals says she wants to listen to union concerns when it comes to the future but she underlines her discussions with them will not be a new set of negotiations.

The province's relationship with its teachers was severed after Ontario used Bill 115 to impose contracts on teachers late last year.

Returning extra curricular activities to schools is a top priority for Sandals, who says she believes not only students and parents want them back, but many teachers realize they are valuable ways to reach out to students.

Sandals believes her experience in the education system will help her in the portfolio. She was a school board trustee for 15 years and is former president of the Ontario Public School Boards Association. She also was Premier Kathleen Wynne's parliamentary assistant when Wynne was Education Minister.