Around OECTA
October 2022
In This Issue
Local Unit Issues
Negotiation Updates
We are living in interesting times indeed. As of writing this, we are in the midst of CUPE’s announcement that they intend to go through with a full withdrawal of services on Friday, November 4 if a collective agreement is not reached. The conservative government has also announced that back-to-work legislation has been tabled in advance of CUPE's legal job action.
This government is making a mockery of the collective bargaining process, a decision that has been seen to backfire given the decision more recently regarding Bill 115. However, it doesn’t seem to faze them as they look to bully and impose their political will on working class Ontarians.
How this potential legislation will affect our negotiations is yet to be seen. But anytime the collective bargaining process is tossed aside in favour of strong armed and abusive tactics, it’s not a good sign for any labour group. Once CUPE, the government, and the boards make their decisions, we will have a clearer picture of our path forward.
Be assured that our position is that the fallout of these negotiations should not fall on the shoulders of teachers. Especially at a time when teachers are shouldering too much already. The health and safety of our members is our top concern and providing you with the time and tools to adjust is our expectation.
Please read the OECTA Provincial memo that would have been emailed to your personal address on the morning of October 31st for important information updates. More details will follow any official action taken by either side as we navigate this ever changing situation. Continue to do what you do best, serve the students in our communities and maintain the high standards of professionalism that you display each and every day.
Be well.
Josh
Important Upcoming Dates
Aspen Training
Aspen training continues. There have been ½ day release opportunities for up to 2 people per school to be trained as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These are continuing this week. We are expecting that principals be creative in carving out time for these teachers to support their staff. The expectation is NOT that these SMEs spend their planning time or after school to support colleagues. Leaving plans and having the principal teach the SME’s class for a morning while they are free to support in the learning commons or a planning area is an example of principal creativity. Repeating this model for an afternoon would allow all staff the opportunity to be supported. We are also suggesting these SMEs be released again before first term reports to be better able to support and troubleshoot. For the time being, the deadline for progress reports have been postponed until November 10.
Writing Your Report Cards
While drafting their progress reports, members are reminded that it would be inappropriate to assess or comment on the progress of a student in the absence of supporting data. Growing Success offers this guidance on the formulation of a report card assessment;
"The teacher will consider all evidence collected through observations, conversations, and student
products (tests/exams, assignments for evaluation)...that the student has completed or
submitted...and will use their professional judgement to determine the student’s report card grade."
In the absence of evidence, Growing Success suggests that extenuating circumstances may result in the use of the code "I" on the report card if a teacher determines it to be appropriate in the circumstances. Our members are reminded that they are to use their professional judgement in consideration of all the available evidence when authoring reports. If you have further questions to this, please contact the unit office.
The Right to Disconnect
Since the advent of the Internet age, the reliance upon email and other digital means of communication has exponentially infiltrated our lives, and has placed upon us the unrealistic expectation that we are 'always-on' and available to others, including our places of employment. Over the years, the line between home and work became blurrier, resulting in an intrusion into time spent with family and recharging oneself, and typically without commensurate adjustments to compensation.
"Disconnecting from work means not engaging in work-related communications, including emails, telephone calls,
video calls or the sending or reviewing of other messages, so as to be free from the performance of work."
Effective December 2, 2021, Bill 27 amended the Employment Standards Act, requiring employers to institute a policy respecting workers' right to disconnect from communications related to the performance of work. Recently, the HWCDSB released its policy and procedure respecting your right to disconnect. Please be certain to review these documents by clicking on the links below.
Electronic Monitoring Policy
Effective October 11, 2022, the HWCDSB was required to have in place a written policy respecting how, if at all, the Board is monitoring its employees through electronic means. This policy must be provided to workers by November 10. The policy must clearly state whether or not the employer electronically monitors employees. If they are monitoring employees electronically, the policy must include:
a description of how and in what circumstances the employer may electronically monitor employees (i.e., monitoring access to work site, cell phone use, work on company networks and systems, along with location and movements of employees),
a description of the purposes for which information obtained through this monitoring may be used by the employer, including potential discipline,
the date the policy was prepared and the date any changes were made, and
such other information as may be prescribed (This last point leaves the door open to a regulation that sets further standards for electronic monitoring.)
The policy is required to capture all electronic monitoring, and not just monitoring of employer-provided equipment and devices. This might include, for instance, monitoring of an employee when they work from home using their personal computer. This might also include monitoring after work hours.
As of writing, the Board has not communicated to the OECTA office the contents of the policy. More information will be circulated to members once it is available.
Source: Worker Health and Safety Centre e-Bulletin, October 5, 2022.
Know Your Contract
Earned Leave Plan
Article 8 of the 2014-2017 contract provided members with access to partially paid and unpaid days as in incentive for an attendance record which was better than the average of their colleagues across the system. As of August 31, 2019, this plan ceased to have any force inasmuch as additional earned leave could no longer be accrued. Days previously earned, however, would remain in place to be accessed with conditions. Members should be aware of the following with respect to their earned leave days...
Partially paid days (ELP_P) expired on June 30, 2022. A payout for any remaining credits was processed in July. Please check your pay stubs in Employee Self Serve to ensure that you were properly paid. Each credit was worth $248.48.
Unpaid days (ELP_U) may be used prior to June 30, 2023. If not used by that date, the unpaid days shall expire and have no residual value.
You must provide at least twenty (20) calendar days’ written notice of requested days.
Access to leave days is available at any time during the school year and requests shall not be denied subject to reasonable system and school requirements.
Please refer to Article 8 of your contract for all the details related to accessing your earned leave.
Attendance Check-Up
When registering an absence on Smartfind Express, members are encouraged to perform a quick audit of their attendance allocations prior to confirming their absence with the system. The use of an absence code for which one's allocations are exhausted may result in a loss of wages for the day. As a reminder, members have access to several "banks" of leave provisions, the two most commonly utilized being the Personal Illness bank of 11 + 120 days, and the "bank of five" (5) days reserved for unique circumstances. These circumstance can include urgent personal reasons (up to 2 days per year out of the 5 days), medical/dental, inclement weather, and compassionate leave. Note that credits drawn in any given year from the "bank of five" must not exceed five for all of the above-mentioned circumstances, with a maximum of 2 days for urgent personal reasons. Please be certain to reference your contract for the finer details respecting your leave provisions. Contact the office for even greater clarification.
Health and Safety Corner
The Safe Schools Incident Report and You
“Behaviour that is not addressed becomes accepted behaviour.”
What is a Safe Schools Incident Report?
In 2009, Bill 157 was passed into law by the Ontario government, ushering in new requirements for employees of school boards in Ontario with a mind for improving school safety. Among the requirements is a duty for school board employees to report incidents of behaviour which meet the threshold as defined in the Education Act 306(1) and 310(1). As a general rule, employees of the Board – including administrators, teachers, and other school staff – must respond to any student behaviour that is likely to have a negative impact on the school climate.
"Building and sustaining a positive school climate is a complex
challenge requiring evidence-informed solutions."
Program and Policy Memorandum 145
Meeting one's duty to report must be observed as part of a process designed to identify and manage unacceptable behaviours early not only to minimize the potential impact to the moral tone of the school, but also to protect the physical and mental well-being of all members of the school community. Unfortunately, violence, and other inappropriate behaviours meeting the threshold, are often going unreported or under-reported. To help in securing the support teachers need, proper reporting procedures must be followed. Through accurate reporting, appropriate measured steps can be taken to address inappropriate behaviour, leading to a safer workplace and learning environment for staff and students alike.
Reporting to the Principal
Any employee of the HWCDSB who becomes aware of a student who has engaged in an activity for which suspension and/or expulsion might be considered shall, as soon as reasonably possible, report to the principal of the school about the matter. A principal shall investigate any matter reported, and after investigating, communicate the results of the investigation to the employee who initially reported the matter.
Threshold for Reporting
Any activity meeting the criteria outlined in the Education Act 306(1) and 310(1);
Any activity for which a principal may suspend under a policy of the board (HWCDSB Code of Conduct);
Any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the moral tone of the school;
Any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the physical or mental well-being of any member of the school community;
Any act considered by the principal to be contrary to the HWCDSB Board Code of Student Conduct and Discipline or School Code of Conduct.
Some Infractions Meeting the Threshold
*Sources: Education Act 306(1), 310(1), HWCDSB Code of Conduct
committing any type of assault to a person in a position of authority (e.g., physical, verbal);
swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority;
bullying;
fighting, punching, biting, spitting, kicking, etc any other person;
threatening to inflict and/or inflicting bodily hard on another person;
encouraging others to inflict bodily harm on another person;
vaping/smoking;
possession/sharing of inappropriate images;
throwing items;
pulling alarms;
using social media negatively;
possessing alcohol or illegal drugs;
being under the influence of alcohol;
selling cigarettes/vaping apparatus to a minor;
possession of drug paraphernalia;
theft;
persistent truancy;
profane or improper language;
habitual neglect of duty;
opposition to authority;
willful destruction of school property, or the property of others;
possessing a weapon, including possessing a firearm;
using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person;
committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by a medical practitioner;
committing sexual assault;
trafficking in weapons or in illegal drugs;
committing robbery;
giving alcohol to a minor;
giving cannabis to a minor;
giving illegal drugs to a minor;
trafficking in controlled drugs or cannabis;
engaging in exploitative behaviour or engaging in coercion leading to human trafficking or sex-trafficking;
a pattern of behaviour that is so inappropriate that the pupil’s continued presence is adjudged to be injurious to the effective learning and/or working environment of others;
and, other activities which necessitate police involvement.
SSIR Completion by School
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Member Opportunities
Local Unit Opportunities
Upcoming Social Committee Events
After a protracted COVID hiatus, the OECTA Hamilton-Wentworth Social Committee is thrilled to announce the return of Breakfast With Santa and other exciting events for members and their families throughout the year. More details will come soon, but we are able to share with you the following at this time.
Breakfast With Santa
Saturday December 17, 2022 at Michelangelo's. SAVE THE DATE
More details to be released soon.
Recreational Skating Drop-In
Come on out and get some exercise while enjoying a great Canadian pastime. No skill necessary. Tentatively scheduled to occur in January, we will be renting a sheet of ice exclusively for OECTA-HW members and their families to enjoy some time together.
BINGO Night
Channel your Mee-maw this March for your chance to win-big at the OECTA-HW BINGO night.
Paint Night
Let your inner-artist out with this event tentatively scheduled to occur in February. OECTA-HW members will have an opportunity to work with a local artist while sharing time reconnecting with their colleagues.
Bowling at Splitsville
This crowd-pleasing event is planned to occur in May. Get your team organized and be sure to register early. This one fills up quickly!
Provincial Association Opportunities
Call for Writers
OECTA’s AQ Program is looking for writers for:
Mathematics, Grades 7 & 8, and
Classroom Management
Interested applicants may submit their resume/CV with a cover letter, video or audio recording that speaks about a vision for the project. Application(s) to include:
Resume/CV
Introduction (cover letter, video, audio recording, or medium of your choosing)
References (2)
All applications may be submitted to AQOnline@catholicteachers.ca by the end of the day on June 17, 2022 noting which course you are applying for.
Projects will launch during the week of July 11, 2022. Follow this link for more details.
Call for AGM 2020 Tellers
Experience the Annual General Meetings in an entirely different way.
Apply to be a teller at
AGM 2023
Open to active or retired OECTA members.
Assist the Association in conducting its business throughout the meeting at Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto.
Duties commence Friday March 10, 2023 at 5pm and conclude on March 13, 2023.
Deadline for applications,
Friday, November 11, 2022
Religious AQ Course - Go to Italy
The Association is pleased to announce a trip to Italy to complement the OECTA Religious Education AQ courses, Parts 1, 2, and 3!
In-person experiential learning
Faith-development
Visits to Assisi, Rome, and Sorrento.
Registration is now open on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP today to secure your spot.
Your Provincial Association Working For You
Collective Bargaining Updates
On October 24, 2022, the Provincial Bargaining team announced that agreement had been reached on a majority of the items to be captured within the “scope” of negotiations to occur at the central table. Some items remain in question and then will be decided upon by the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Once the entirety of the scope of central and local terms has been determined, then the collective bargaining process will proceed. Meetings between the Provincial Bargaining team, the Government of Ontario (Crown) and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) have been scheduled in the near future. Stay tuned to your email for updates from these meetings. If you, or your colleagues, have not yet registered their personal email with the Association, please follow the link below and start receiving the updates in your inbox.
OECTA AQ Courses
Your Association offers a wide range of Additional Qualification courses to help you progress in your career. Taking an AQ course is a great way to add to your professional portfolio so that you can better meet the needs of your students. Consider registering for an OECTA AQ course today!
Key Information
Registration for Spring AQ courses close on January 16th at noon.
Courses begin on February 6th and end on April 21st.
Religious Education Part 1 - $599*
All other AQ courses - $600*
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