Around OECTA
April 2024
In this issue...
From Your Local Unit
President's Message
Hello Teachers of Hamilton-Wentworth.
I probably say this every year but, I can’t believe it’s May!
The unit office has been busy with a number of Association and Joint-board activities. This continues into next week for Catholic Education Week. Many members have been in and out of the office in preparation for these great events. We continue to seek members for a variety of committee opportunities as this is a great way to get involved and help steer the direction of the local Association. Please reach out to the office for information on these many opportunities.
You should already have been informed by the board that the transfer process timelines have been adjusted for this year. Without going into great detail, the Provincial government has only just released funding numbers to boards (last week). This has created a time crunch for the board to identify proper staffing numbers. In an effort to create a more accurate staffing picture, OECTA agreed to delay the transfer dates by week (for the most part). Adjusted dates have been included in the newsletter to the right and below. Aside from date changes, all processes remain the same.
Our Unit General Meeting is coming up this month. It is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22nd at St. Naum’s. As usual, dinner begins at 4:00 pm with the meeting beginning at 4:30 pm. If you haven’t already, please sign up by clicking the following link; General Meeting Registration. There will be a number of topics that are dealt with including our local unit elections. Hope to see everyone there.
On many people’s minds is the topic of money. Specifically, the Bill 124 payouts. The board has made available a FAQ section on the HWCDSB website. We’ve included the link here; Bill 124 FAQ.
Take a look at this information and general calculations and contact the unit office with any additional questions you may have.
As of now, the planned payout day for OECTA members is July 25, 2024.
Arbitration rulings regarding 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 grid changes are expected in June (and into July). As a result, any retroactive payments on salary grids are not expected until the Fall.
Members are always encouraged to reach out to the office if you have any questions.
Please take time this spring for yourself and your families. Many people have started a countdown and a well deserved break is around the corner.
Be well.
Josh
Important Upcoming Dates
25 Years of Service and Retirement Celebration
***Want your name published on this list? Please reach out to retirement@oectahw.com to give us the go-ahead to include your name.***
OECTA-HW Unit Executive Elections
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, local unit elections will take place as part of our at our unit's General Meeting. In accordance with our by-laws, the Elections Committee (graciously co-chaired by Horst Schweinbenz and Lynda Cifani) will issue a series of call-outs for candidates over the coming weeks leading into the election. Interested teachers are urged to declare their candidacy as soon as possible, and take heed of the following information to assist with their campaigns.
Elections will be in-person and will occur at St. Naum of Ohrid Parish Hall: Meeting starts at 4:30pm (food is served at 4:00pm
Speeches for President will not exceed 5 minutes. Speeches for all other positions will not exceed 3 minutes.
No PowerPoint (or similar) can be used during the speech.
Step down elections are permitted except for the position of the Occasional Teacher Representative.
The following positions will be determined at the General Meeting. Additional call-outs will occur in the coming weeks.
President
(2 year term)
The duties of the president shall be:
to represent the unit membership;
to call unit general meetings and executive meetings, plan and prepare their programs and agendas, and chair these meetings;
to file and keep in order all unit records;
to keep a file and to make available to the unit executive the minutes of executive and general meetings;
to provide for the distribution of unit executive minutes;
to keep on file a record of all members;
to serve on the Council of Presidents; when unable to perform this duty, the unit president shall ensure a designate is chosen according to procedures established by the unit membership;
to forward the names of unit delegates and alternate delegates to the provincial annual general meeting and other provincial conferences;
to organize the preparation of the delegation to the provincial annual general meeting to discharge its duties and responsibilities;
to be one of the signing officers of the unit;
to attend to all correspondence;
to be the communications officer;
to keep the membership informed of unit business through the Association representatives;
to notify the provincial office of all Unit meetings;
to forward by the prescribed date to the general secretary the names and addresses of the unit executive immediately following their election;
to submit amendments to the unit by-laws passed by a unit general meeting to the provincial executive for approval;
to prepare an updated version of the by-laws whenever necessary; and to provide a copy of the by-laws as most recently amended to all Association representatives at the beginning of each school year and to any other member of the unit whenever requested;
to be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominations committee;
to carry out additional duties as assigned by a motion of an executive or general meeting.
2nd Vice-President
(2 year term, must hold valid Joint Health and Safety Committee certification)
The duties of the second vice-president shall be:
to assist the president with his/her duties when requested;
to be informed on issues, trends and problems in the area of occupational health and safety and the workplace environment;
to advise the executive in matters pertaining to occupational health and safety and workplace environmental issues that require attention;
to provide training on health and safety issues to members and to OECTA Health and Safety Representatives as directed by the executive;
to be certified in health and safety;
to be responsible for arranging transportation in the execution of their duties, subject to unit mileage reimbursement;
to perform such duties as may be specified by a motion of an executive or general meeting.
Treasurer
(2 year term)
The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
to receive and acknowledge all money from the provincial treasury;
to deposit all funds in the name of the unit in an accredited financial institution;
to be chairperson of the finance committee;
to be one of the signing officers of the unit;
to keep an account of all money received and expended;
to pay all authorized accounts and expenses incurred by the unit;
to present the unit budget to the membership for approval at the first general meeting;
to give an annual financial report to the membership at the first general meeting of the subsequent year;
to submit the books and financial statements to an accredited auditor no later than four (4) months after the close of the fiscal year;
to submit an annual financial report audited by a licensed public accountant to the membership at the first general meeting following such audit and to the provincial office;
to present a financial statement at all unit executive meetings;
to provide counsel for the new incoming treasurer;
to perform such other duties as may be specified by a motion of an executive or general meeting.
Councillor
*Four Councillors to be elected to a one year term
The duties of the unit councillors shall be:
to assist the unit executive in its duties;
to perform such other duties as maybe specified by a motion of an executive or general meeting.
Occasional Teacher Representative (1 year term)
*Must be an elementary Occasional Teacher. Only an elementary Occasional Teacher will be able to vote for this position.
The duties of the Occasional Teacher Representative shall be:
to assist the unit executive in its duties;
to advise the unit executive on matters pertaining to occasional teachers.
Teacher Transfer Process
In last month's newsletter, an article was published which did a deeper dive into some of the intricacies of the teacher transfer process. Please click here to review that information. (Please note that the dates outlined in the previous issue of Around OECTA are no longer accurate. Please see the revised dates in the table below.)
Please note that the timeline for transfers has changed. You must receive notification of placement for 2024-2025 by Friday, May 10, 2024. This delay is due to the government providing funding information late to school boards. Since there are funding changes, the board has requested additional time to consult and plan for these changes.
One key reminder is that once transfers begin, a school CANNOT shuffle assignments until all rounds of transfers are complete. That means if a teacher is successful in transferring in any round, the grade assignments cannot be changed within the school and a different grade posted in the next round. If a Grade 7 teacher gets a transfer, a Grade 7 position must be posted in the next round.
If a teacher was declared surplus from a school, and a teacher transfers out in any of the rounds, the surplus teacher can apply to position, however, this position is not automatically offered back to the surplus teacher. The reason why a teacher is declared surplus is because the school lost a classroom. Only when the school adds a new classroom (usually over the summer due to additional enrolment that was not anticipated) can a surplus teacher be offered that newly added position.
Another "frequently asked question" is what happens if there is a retirement during transfers or after transfers. If it occurs during transfers, grades cannot be shuffled and the position assigned to the teacher on May 10 must be posted. If a retirement occurs after transfers then grade changes at the school level can occur however, the May 10th assignment must be honoured. This means the grade can be offered to staff who are qualified but staff can keep their May 10th assignment. If no one wants to change grades then a newly hired teacher would be assigned the grade.
As we enter the month of May, the transfer procedure will unfold according to the timelines outlined below. Please contact the unit office with any questions on this process.
Service Credit With the OTPP
Have you checked out your online account with the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan recently? If not, maybe you should; you could be in for a bit of a surprise. This was the case for a couple of members who discovered that their service record with the plan did not align with the amount of time they had been working as a Teacher in Ontario. In one instance, an entire year's worth of credit was missing. In another situation, the member was looking to retire and realized that their credit record, being shy of accurate, would have resulted in a substantial decrease to their benefits in retirement.
Getting this error resolved can take some time and could potentially be impactful for one's pension if it goes unnoticed and, thus, uncorrected. Since your pension calculation uses your service credit as a factor, any unaccounted time would result in a reduction to your benefits. Do your future self a favour and log in at otpp.com today to do a wellness check on your pension.
PENSION = 2% x Service Credit x Avg of Best 5 Years Salary
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Health and Safety Corner
Stop Violence in Schools
It's time to stop violence in schools! It feels good to shout, sometimes, doesn't it? Let it out; yes, that's good. Deep breath in now. Say it with me one more time - it's time to stop violence in schools! Teachers, education workers, administrators, parents, and students should all want to scream it from the rooftops. And, in fact, it appears that they are.
A recent Abacus Data poll of Canadians confirms that we are nearly all united on this front, no matter the province nor political persuasion. At a time in our history where we've never been as fractured of opinion, on this issue, a resounding 86% of Canadians are concerned with the increase in incidence and severity of violence in public schools. We've never been this united since that time we all agreed that poutine is delicious.
But simply agreeing isn't enough. School violence has devastating consequences for students, teachers, and the entire learning environment. We need to move beyond agreement and take action.
International Barometer of Education Staff, 2023 (link to report)
Not a New Problem
Violence in schools is not a new problem, of course. A review of reports and surveys going back many decades reveal that Teachers have experienced violence in their classrooms across many generations of students. Certainly, we can all recall a few school yard scuffles in our time as Teachers. Even as students, ourselves, violence was not absent from the school experience.
What is a more recent phenomenon, however, is the rise in incidence and severity of violent behaviours directed toward Teachers and other education workers. With 40% of Canadian respondents to the International Barometer of Education Staff (I-BEST) reporting that they have been victims of workplace violence, this gives Canada the distinct and unenvious title of "highest rate of violence" among all 11 participating countries. What's also disconcertingly new is the normalization of that violence within a Teacher's duties, an expected part of their job. Let's be clear - Violence is not in the curriculum. Teachers signed up to teach.
The surge in violence against educators has a ripple effect throughout the school environment. In a world where critical support systems are already stretched thin, a lack of resources can exacerbate the problem.
You Get What You Pay For
The unfortunate reality is that against the backdrop of austerity in education, the problem of violence in schools is unlikely to get better any time soon. Per pupil funding, as reported in previous issues of Around OECTA, has consistently decreased over the past 6 years, and that trend is projected to continue as the Ford government proceeds with its callous strips from the education budget.
Behind the Minister of Education's proclamations of historic investments in schools, an analysis of the budget beyond the headline and soundbites shows that Ontario's students are being shortchanged, and that the Ford government is either inept at math, or just flat out lying to its citizens in the pursuit of a different vision for public education.
Within the context of the education budget, a year ago, funding per pupil was down ~$1200 per student inflation adjusted compared to 2018 when Ford took office. Today, that number has grown to $1354. Extrapolated across a school of 400 students, that works out to approximately $540,000 less per year with which to serve the needs of the students. The HWCDSB, assuming about 19500 students, is operating with ~$26 million less, per year!
In consideration of the above, it is no wonder kids are struggling - already scarce critical supports are being made even less accessible as funding has not kept pace commensurate to the growing complexity of student needs. Imagine the world of good that an additional $540,000 could have brought to your school community this past year. Smaller and more manageable class sizes, educational assistants, social workers and other professionals, professional development for Teachers, more than one pack of photocopy paper per month. The possibilities are boundless.
Ontario Dead Last in Canada
So what's standing in the way of improvements in public education in Ontario? Teachers, education workers, parents, and students are on the same page on this one - investing in our kids is a path toward a better future for everyone. To borrow from the Education Act, "A strong public education system is the foundation of a prosperous, caring and civil society." Indeed, research supports that each dollar invested into public education pays $1.30 in dividends. What a deal! Who wouldn't want an investment that pays 30 cents on each dollar invested?
It seems, then, an economic no-brainer to invest heavily in our youth. Yet the Ford government, the purported party of the economy, does not see investment in education through the same lens. What gives? Once more, the Ford government is either astoundingly inept at "economy 101" or diabolically competent in exacting a more overarching agenda to drive families into the private system. Already a perennial laggard in social spending, Ontario seems bent on being dead-last in supporting its people, spending only $0.75 on social programs for every dollar that other provinces invest, on average. The results of under-spending on education need not be explained, of course, to Teachers who too readily play witness to the devastating impacts borne by our children.
Repeal of Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada
Amidst an era of of decreased funding and increased violence in schools, Teachers should familiarize themselves with two pieces of legislation currently working their way through the parliamentary process in Ottawa. Bills C-273 & S-251 were introduced to repeal a section of the Criminal Code which has been used to defend and justify the maltreatment of children in Canada's schools. Prior to a Supreme Court decision in 2004, Section 43 provided a legal defense to the use of corporal punishment of children. Rightly so, this part of the Criminal Code is an outdated artifact in need of a refresh to remain relevant with the times. Corporal punishment is never okay. Full stop.
Section 43. Every schoolteacher, parent or person standing in the place of a parent is justified in using force
by way of correction toward a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his care,
if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances.
"I don't get it? What's the issue with removing this from the Criminal Code? It seems like a prudent thing to do." To put it simply, without language to allow Teachers to intervene physically, when necessary, to protect students or themselves from harm, they will not be able to ensure safety and security in schools. As we all know, Teachers are sometimes required to manage situations such as breaking up a fight between students, or stopping a student from running into a busy street, or in the situation where a Teacher finds themselves the target of violence perpetrated by a student.
There are many valid scenarios where physical intervention may be the only reasonable recourse remaining to a Teacher, but if Section 43 is repealed without protective language inserted elsewhere in the Criminal Code, then a Teacher may find themselves being charged with assault and have no credible defense to fall back upon. The repercussions from such a criminal conviction for a Teacher could be wide ranging, up to and including termination, not to mention other impacts upon the Teacher's private life, most certainly none of which would be pleasant.
Clearly, greater consideration is due to Bills C-273 & S-251 for their potential impacts on Teachers, particularly in light of the growing crisis of violence in our schools. This issue has been closely followed by the Canadian Teachers' Federation, and amendments to Bills C-273 and S-251 are being sought in order to protect the interests of Teachers in Canada.
To learn more, and to lend your voice to the cause, click here. For a deeper dive into the topic of violence in Canadian schools, explore the information in the following links, and consider listening to the podcast episodes linked below.
Understand More
ta_training_certification_joe_pece.pdfSOURCE: Podcasts by the Canadian Teachers' Federation
Episode 1: The Violence of Austerity in Schools
With the help of leading experts and real stories from teachers and education workers, this episode breaks down the issue of violence in schools, the history, recent research, and outline the causes and why we're seeing an exodus in the teaching profession, and more .
Episode 2: Not Meeting Student Needs, A Systemic Problem
This episode is the second of two episodes on the rise of violence in Canadian schools. With the help of leading experts and real stories from teachers and education workers, this episode explores possible solutions, what the CTF/FCE is doing to advocate about the issue, and how you can take action.
Member Opportunities
Local Association Opportunities
Bowling Night Returns
Hey OECTA-HW! Feeling down in the gutters? Don't be a turkey - put on your finest rented bowling shoes (don't forget your socks) because it's time to channel your inner champion at the annual OECTA-HW Bowling Night! Come on out and strike up a little conversation with your colleagues, and maybe enjoy a libation, or two.
Register as a team or as a solo bowler. You don't even need to be good at bowling. No judgement at this event; it's all about getting together and having a good time. So quit being of a split mind, and spare yourself the time on May 16 to lace up your bowling shoes, dust off your lucky bowling shirt, and join us at Splitsville.
FREE OECTA Strong Rally Shirt
Members can order a free OECTA Strong t-shirt. Delivery is offered through the HWCDSB mailbag, or you can choose to pick it up from our office. We do not offer shipping to other addresses.
When selecting your size, please note that these shirts fit a little on the larger side.
**If you previously paid for a shirt, please contact the office to discuss reimbursement.**
Provincial Association Opportunities
Spring Learning Institute Sessions
OECTA’s virtual Learning Institutes are back by popular demand. Each three-hour virtual session has been curated to provide a balance of information, resources, and synchronous support for teachers. Connect with our teacher leaders and your colleagues from across the province for what will be both an impactful and useful learning experience.
Upcoming Sessions
The Front Matters - Highlighter Worthy Points
Grade 1-8
How does the new Language curriculum fit into your existing literacy instruction? Join us for a collaborative learning session that will help to navigate and highlight aspects of the new 2023 Language Curriculum.
Saturday May 4, 2024 9am - noon REGISTER NOW
Elevate Learning in the Classroom with Tech Tools
All Teachers
This session will explore a variety of tech tools (each offer free and fee for service options) that can be integrated into the classroom to provide a value-added learning experiences for students.
Saturday May 11, 2024 9am - noon REGISTER NOW
Becoming a Responsive Educator: Foundations
All Teachers
This session will focus on the foundations of equity work within the system of education. Participants will further their language acuity of concepts related to the work of E&I as they deepen their awareness of systemic barriers that impact students with equity-deserving identities.
Saturday May 25, 2024 9am - noon REGISTER NOW
Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy in the Classroom
All Teachers
This session will focus on the importance of representation and providing content to students that is reflective and responsive to their needs and lived experiences. In addition to examining the dangers of trauma and deficit representation, participants will also learn about the importance of content warnings and honouring the dignity of all students. Participants will be left with a range of instructional strategies that are rooted in the philosophy of CRRP to support content that centres accessibility, inclusion, diversity, and equity.
Saturday June 1, 2024 9am - noon REGISTER NOW
The Toronto Blue Jays are offering a discount to teachers and education workers for the 2024 season!
How to Access the Discount
Step 1 – Click HERE to access the teachers and education workers special offer.
Step 2 – Click on the Buy Tickets button. All eligible games are listed, and the discount has been automatically applied.
Step 3 – Use your school board email address when purchasing to verify your status as a teacher.
Step 4 – Enjoy the game!
Step 1 – Click HERE to access the teachers and education workers special offer.
Step 2 – Click on the Buy Tickets button. All eligible games are listed, and the discount has been automatically applied.
Step 3 – Use your school board email address when purchasing to verify your status as a teacher.
Step 4 – Enjoy the game!
Additional Offer Details
Discount valid for select games until September 28, up to 8 tickets per game.
For select games (listed on the site), receive 30% off tickets in select Corner Reserved, 200 Level and 500 Level seats.
Receive 15% off tickets for the remaining games in select Corner Reserved, 200 Level and 500 Level seats (excluding June 6, and July 1).
Offer subject to seat availability.
From the Ontario Teachers' Federation
Need to find some added training in your teaching area? Then OTF is your source. OTF offers professional learning programs, which provide training, resources, and support in numerous areas.
These excellent, ready-to-use, professional learning opportunities provide ongoing support throughout the year, in ways that work for you. Don’t hesitate to discover both of these fabulous new tools!
By teachers, for teachers. The Ontario Teachers' Federation offers excellent professional development opportunities for members to up-skill their competencies. Browse through archived webinars which touch upon
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