Around OECTA
Around OECTA
December 2021
December 2021
Embedded Files
Merry Christmas to All
Merry Christmas to All
Congratulations on making it to another COVID Christmas. You are superstars. The ability to manage your responsibilities in the classroom and at home is remarkable. What you have accomplished is phenomenal! Heading into the Christmas break, we wanted to take the opportunity to wish each of you and your families a peace-filled and joyous holiday. You have more than earned each minute spent away from the rigors of work.
It cannot be overstated the importance of using this time to shutdown, rest, and rejuvenate. Vacations are known to improve your quality of sleep. As the attached McMaster link states, “Dedicating time for the purpose of rest, relaxation and to recharge is of critical importance; … so dedicating time away to unplug can help us to reset.” Our office has communicated to the Board that they should have no expectation that teachers will be doing any work over the coming two weeks. Additionally, we have requested two transition days to allow for a pivot to remote learning should an announcement to that effect be made during the holiday. Please take all of this time ahead for yourselves and your family.
Our office has communicated to the Board that they should have no expectation that teachers will be doing any work over the coming two weeks. Additionally, we have requested two transition days to allow for a pivot to remote learning should an announcement to that effect be made during the holiday. Please take all of this time ahead for yourselves.
Throughout the break, the OECTA Hamilton-Wentworth office will remain closed. If an emergency presents, please contact the provincial office at 1-800-268-7230.
Board Makes $8.4 Million More Than Budgeted Last Year
Board Makes $8.4 Million More Than Budgeted Last Year
You read that correctly! The Board had budgeted a deficit of $718,000 for the 2020/21 school year and wound up with an extra $7,655,000 in the bank instead. We were all asked to make sacrifices for the students, their families and our communities. Apparently all of us were to contribute to the cause. Yet the Board had $8.4 million more than they planned at the end of the year.
Teacher-Librarians were yanked from the Learning Commons at the last minute and forced back into classrooms. Arts Integrated Teachers were no longer teaching arts and were given classroom assignments too. All teachers we provided inadequate technology to provide on-line education. We were asked to use inferior PPE. Our timetables were contorted to allow for all the extra safety precautions. Classroom teachers were asked to teach, asses and report on three more subjects. Primary virtual classroom teachers were asked to do this for six subjects. All of you missed so much planning time. And the Board was sitting on $8.4 million.
What Would $8.4 Million Pay For?
What Would $8.4 Million Pay For?
Thousands of dollars of technology for each teacher for online instruction.
Payment for all missed planning time, both last year and this year.
Payment for Occasional Teachers (OTs) at 1.33 times the daily rate like the Hamilton Public Board is doing.
$300 bonus for OTs who work 75% of the Fridays in the year like York Catholic does.
Paid (or partially paid) benefits for OTs like Toronto and Niagara Catholic do.
$600 bonus for OTs who do more than 120 days of work each year like York Catholic does.
It is unconscionable that teachers were asked to do so much while the Board had access to resources to alleviate so much stress!
COVID in Your Workplace
COVID in Your Workplace
False Bill of Goods
False Bill of Goods
Following a tumultuous 2020-2021 school year, Ford and Lecce spent the summer and fall fervently selling Ontarians on robust layers of protection. Evidence for the effectiveness of their plan is now riding in upon a tsunami of COVID cases in our schools. Elementary schools, in particular, are a stand out among all other outbreak settings, with 324 active outbreaks as of December 16, more than at any other time throughout the pandemic. Rather than attend to the issue, like any snake oil salesmen worth their salt, Ford and Lecce continue their campaign of gas lighting through diversion and distraction. In the midst of an Omicron Crisis, Ford and Lecce are laser-focused on self-promotion and drawing attention away from the calamity of COVID in our schools. Curiously, the Minister of Education met with senior citizens as opposed to meeting with students in schools. Meanwhile, Ford took time from his busy schedule to make an announcement about the announcement he was about to make. Robust layers of promotion, perhaps. A false bill of goods, undoubtedly. Clearly, their priorities do not align with keeping students and education workers safe.
Active Outbreaks by Setting
*as of December 17, 2021.Active Outbreaks by Setting
Map of COVID-19 in Schools
Map of COVID-19 in Schools
Updated Operational Guidance For Schools
Updated Operational Guidance For Schools
Recently, the Ministry of Education released a number of updates to the operational guidance for schools. Below are some of the key highlights:
Virtual-only parent teacher conferences/interviews, and virtual-only assemblies in elementary schools.
A return to recess cohorting in grades 7 and 8.
Daily on-site confirmation of screening.
Participation in high contact extracurriculars to be limited to fully vaccinated students only.
Please review the updated document for all the details.
NOTE:
Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 are exempt from federal quarantine if they travelled with someone who qualified to be exempt from quarantine, based on vaccination status. Regardless of this, they may not attend school or childcare for 14 days upon their return to Canada.
It is also important to note that the guidance offered by the government and public health officials is changing rapidly. Omicron is a game changer which has resulted in a significant uptick in case counts, and has marked differences in case and outbreak management. Be sure to stay tuned to the news for future updates.
When COVID Arises
When COVID Arises
When a case of COVID arises in a school, it can be a very confusing and anxiety-driving time for everyone involved. In response, members are advised to complete an exposure incident report with their principal to document that they were exposed to a potentially life-changing hazard. Following the incident report, it is also highly advisable to complete the WSIB Worker Exposure Report as a precautionary measure to protect one's future interests. Given that an individual might remain asymptomatic while infected, it is entirely possible to have had the virus and never know it. Since the long term consequences of a COVID infection are not yet known (think Chicken Pox and its impact later in life in the form of shingles, or something along those lines), completion of the WSIB Exposure Incident Form would help to substantiate any potential future claim. If a member falls ill with COVID, the individual is encouraged to call the OECTA office as soon as possible for guidance on the appropriate steps to take.
Rapid Antigen Tests
Rapid Antigen Tests
Despite your workplace being a high-risk congregate setting, Ford and Lecce continue to demonstrate little respect for educators. While students were given rapid antigen test kits - an important proactive measure in "blunting" the Omicron wave - educators were once more pushed to the back of the line. Following intense pressure from education unions, the Ford government has finally made rapid antigen tests kits available to the general public. Education workers can now access free rapid antigen tests by visiting one of many high-traffic settings such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets, and transit hubs. Now you can get a virus when you get a test - how convenient. Nevertheless, a robust testing and tracing program, in tandem with other measures such as smaller class sizes, increased physical distancing, improved ventilation, improved masking practices and adequate PPE, remain as important layers in helping to prevent the spread of the virus.
Superior PPE
Superior PPE
In a COVID world, so much can change in a week. On December 7, when the daily case count was under 1000 per day, the Ontario Science Table presented modelling predicting approximately 3000 new cases of COVID-19 per day by mid January. On December 17, the daily case count was already at 3124. The sudden and sweeping emergence of Omicron has prompted a revisit of the modelling to take into account the transmissibility of this new variant. Updated modelling is alarming and should give people pause to contemplate their COVID prevention practices moving forward.
Many of our members have expressed a desire to use superior PPE in the workplace following the Christmas break. Prior to doing so, it is prudent that one first speaks to the building supervisor/principal to ensure they are informed of your intended practice. If difficulties are encountered, members are encouraged to reach out to our office for assistance in the matter.
Snow Days
Snow Days
The snow is gently falling from a dreary grey sky on a Sunday afternoon in January. The storm warnings are in place, and all forecasters are saying, "Hamilton's gonna get it, folks - get those snowblowers ready." Little Johnny sits upon his sled at the top of a green hill and promises to be extra good to his sister if only the good Lord above would unleash the largest storm ever. While Little Johnny dreams of all the fun he's going to have building the most epic snow fort ever, his parents review an email sent from the school board informing everyone that snow days are a thing of the past. Little Johnny, defeated, exchanges his sled for a protractor and a pencil and prepares to be productive. There will always be time for fun when you're grown up, Little Johnny.
As you are all aware, the Board has issued a memo with respect to snow days, making clear its expectation for learning to occur despite the closure of schools. To assist teachers with a sudden and transient transition to remote learning, we are offering a member-built repository of asynchronous activities which can be posted to the LMS in the event of an inclement weather school closure. Please follow this link to access the databank and to upload your awesome snow day activities.
To be clear, in the event of a snow day, synchronous learning is not the expectation, and "being available to students" does not mean a teacher must sit on a computer and be instantaneously available throughout the day.
Promotional Material
Promotional Material
5 ways to keep pets happy over the holidays
5 ways to keep pets happy over the holidays
The holiday season brings family, food, and cheer! We all know pets are part of the family, so including them in your holiday festivities is a no-brainer. Keep these five basic tips in mind to avoid any mishaps and keep your pets safe over the holidays. #OTIPUpdate
Read more at www.otipinsurance.com/article130.
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