Extension Report Card deadline; New TVDSB site for Occasional Teachers; Update lost prep time; Your Mental Health

 

- The deadline to submit report cards, has been extended by one week. 

- TVDSB has created a new SharePoint site for Occasional Teachers . To get there, click on the 9 dots in the top left corner of your Outlook and when "Apps" opens, click "SharePoint". If the new site doesn't show when you open that page, then click on "See all".

- Occasional Teachers/LTOs can attend ETFO Provincial conferences and PD session without losing pay for the day, if it is a session where "release time" is provided. 

- If you do not see a deduction for OCT fees in this week's pay, then TVDSB did not deduct your annual fee and the onus is on you to pay.

- Both daily OTs and LTOs have access to TVDSB's Employee Assistance Program. These supports are free and confidential so please check in the Employee Portal for further details.

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 Lost Your Prep Period? 

Your TVOT Local has been encouraging members to track each time they have lost their scheduled prep period, as our Collective Agreement provides: Article L18.02 "The timetable for an Occasional Teacher shall be the same as the timetable of the Teacher being replaced..." 

As TVDSB has not agreed to financially compensate members for this time, the Local is filing a grievance on your behalf. We ask that members now also email the TVOT Local / etfotvot@gmail.com with such details whenever they lose their prep period. Please use the subject line, "Lost Prep".

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Today, Wednesday, Jan. 25th is #BellLetsTalk 

 As posted by Bell , we can all take meaningful action to create positive change so that everyone can get the mental health supports they need. 

Were you aware that:

- More than 200 Canadians attempt suicide every day; twelve will die.

- Opioid deaths in Canada increased more than 90% during the pandemic to 20 deaths per day.

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Every year on January 27, ABC Life Literacy Canada hosts Family Literacy Day, the largest national family literacy event in Canada. Literacy organizations, schools, libraries and media groups will coordinate numerous literacy-themed events and activities across the country in honour of this special initiative.

Family Literacy Day® is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. 

For more information, visit the Family Literacy Day website or download resources from the CommunityWire website at www.communitywire.ca/en/org/abc-life-literacy-canada.

Lost prep time, Teaching after retirement; Right to Refuse Work; ETFO Provincial Opportunities;

 

- Your TVOT Local reminds members keep track of any lost prep periods (date, number of minutes etc.).This is in violation of our Collective Agreement so the Local will be looking to the Board for a resolution.

- At this time, there has been no decision to extend the 50 day limit for those teaching after retirement. The Local and OTF (the Ontario Teachers' Federation) will advise members if there is any change.

- TVOT members are urged to apply for all LTOs that interest them as currently we have people without teaching certificates filling some of these positions.

- Where an OT is hired for prep payback or IPRC meeting coverage, that OT shall be assigned no more than one supervisory duty per Article L18.03(b) and if this is a full day assignment for prep payback, then that OT shall be provided with a minimum of 40 minutes prep time at the beginning of the assignment per L18.03(c).

- Morning half-day assignments end no later than 20 minutes after class instructional time per L18.07.

- The Education Act requires all Teachers/OTs to be in the school building at least 15 minutes before the start of the instructional day and 5 minutes prior to the start of afternoon classes.

- An OT shall not be assigned supervisory duties prior to the commencement of class on the first day of the assignment (or if it is an afternoon job, than no duty before that first afternoon) per L18.03 (a) as the Board agrees that this time is needed to prepare for the day.

- TVOT members can participate in any of the paid PD options listed in Conference/Session registrations for a half-day of pay. The June 30th notation only means that these online sessions will be open until that date - they can however be completed at your convenience. 

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Happy Lunar New Year

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Start the new year off right with ways to save on your home and auto insurance -

The price you pay for insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars, so how can you get the best value for your money? Here are 10 ways you may be eligible to save on your home and auto insurance and start your new year off right.

Read more at www.otip.com/article158.

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January is National Crime Stoppers Month - 

If you see something, then say something!

ETFO VP Comments on OT shortage; Columbia Outlet Invitation; OCT $200 Fee; Thanks from Merrymount; New LTOs

 

ETFO Comments on Uncertified Emergency instruction in Ontario

As the OT shortage continues, hear what Provincial ETFO VP Dave Mastin has to say about the use of uncertfied emergency personnel in schools across Ontario.

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Deadline: TVOT Invitation Expires Jan.15/23

(Members can bring up to 4 guests)

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OCT Fees are due on January 1 of each school year and must be paid by April 19th this year or your teaching certificate will be suspended. The OCT fee this year has increased to $200 and for those who miss the April deadline, there is an additional penalty of $130 in order to be reinstated. TVOT Members who are in a LTO assignment at the beginning of January will have their fee deducted by the Board and this will be reported on their January 27th pay.

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The top 5 things that should be on your ‘beginning of the year financial to-do’ list

It’s a new year—and while you might be sorting out whether or not an ‘old acquaintance should be forgotten’, there is a list of money-related things you shouldn’t forget if you want to start this year on the right financial foot.

From making the most of your TFSA and RESP contributions, to getting ahead of the RRSP and tax deadlines, check out the top 5 things that should be on your new year financial to-do list: https://bit.ly/3VpNTvU. Brought to you by Educators Financial Group.

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In a new LTO?

LTO Contracts: If you are in a position with a posted end date, then ask for your LTO contract the first day so that it will be processed as soon as possible. (If your position has no posted end date, then you will sign your contract on the 10th day, though salary etc. will be retroactive to the first day of the assignment.)

QECO Rating: Make certain to submit a QECO rating to HR along with proof of any previous post-certification teaching experience outside of TVDSB. This includes daily OT work in any public board in Ontario, as this will move you  up the salary grid.

ELHT benefits are available for LTOs who are in an assignment of 90 calendar days or longer, though it may take a few weeks for information to be processed. Enrolment information will be sent to those eligible by OTIP via the Board's Outlook email inbox.  Click on ETFO Employee Life and Health Trust for further information about the plan.

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Survive and Thrive is an OTF website containing hundreds of practical hands-on resources on useful topics such as classroom management, special needs students, working with parents, occasional teaching, assessment and reporting. The site is designed with the needs of newer Teachers, Occasional Teachers, mentors and Teacher candidates in mind.

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Some of the thanks the Local received from Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre for the vanload of toys etc. donated by TVOT members in December and for the Local's cash donation of $5000 to aid in the invaluable work this organization does to support the children and families in our TVDSB community.