Inclement Weather; Columbia Outlet Invitations; Leaves of Absence; OCT Fees and LTOs;

Daily Occasional Teachers are not paid when schools are closed as there are no Teacher absences to fill.

 LTOs and Snow Days: Just a reminder to those in long-term assignments that if necessary, they can access an "Act of Nature" day if it is unsafe to drive - 

Article L9.04(b) Act of Nature – A Long-Term Occasional Teacher who is unavoidably absent due to a local act of nature over which no one has control may be granted up to three (3) school days leave per school year with no deduction of sick leave. A Teacher may apply in writing to the Superintendent of Human Resources or designate for an increase in the maximum allowable days under this section. It is understood and agreed that a “local act of nature” is an act of nature that occurs within the geographic area between the Teacher’s home address and the school or worksite of said Teacher.

It is understood as agreed to under the Central Letter of Agreement #7 that the combined maximum number of days for care days and act of nature days is five (5) days per school year. The days shall not be used for the purpose of sick leave nor shall they be accumulated from year to year.

Please also note - 

Article L10.01       INCLEMENT WEATHER - A Long-Term Occasional Teacher or a Short-Term Occasional Teacher who is delayed by local weather and/or road conditions but arrives at school as soon as possible during the regular school hours of that day will not have a salary deduction made. It is the Occasional Teacher’s responsibility to notify the Principal, Supervisor or designate of the situation as soon as possible. “Local” means within the geographic area between the Occasional Teacher’s home address and the school or worksite of said Occasional Teacher.

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To remain on the elementary OT List at TVDSB, members must teach 10 full days (not 10 assignments). 
Members who are not going to meet this requirement, have two options for taking a leave from the OT List:

1) A full year leave from the list - TVOT members only have until December 30th to request a full year leave of absence for the current school year. To apply go to Laserfiche (left hand side in the TVDSB Employee Portal). This is a leave under Article L10.16 and the supervisor for this purpose is Roxanne Jones at roxanne.jones@tvdsb.ca 

2) A partial year leave of absence where the number of days needed to remain on the list are pro-rated. There is no deadline for this leave. To apply go to Laserfiche (left hand side in the TVDSB Employee Portal). This is a leave under Article L10.17 and the supervisor for this purpose is Roxanne Jones at roxanne.jones@tvdsb.ca 

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TVOT members in a LTO assignment at the beginning of January, will automatically have their Ontario College of Teachers' (OCT) fees deducted from that pay. Their paystub in the TVDSB Employee Portal will show this deduction. 

The annual membership fee of $200 is due January 1 of each year for all certified Teachers though OCT will maintain your good standing so long as payment is received before April 17th. Please note that OCT charges a late payment fee of $130 on top of the $200 annual fee should a Teacher miss the April deadline.

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Columbia Sportswear has sent the following invitations to our membership to shop for brands such as Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, Sorel and prAna at 40% off retail pricing. To access the store, bring the digital invitation (or printout) along with proof of affiliation -  a pay stub will suffice.

Invitees can bring up to 4 guests and the store wants you to know that they are collecting unexpired food items for the Food Bank, all of December. 

For Members - 

 For Friends and Family - 

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Winter-proofing 101: Ways to prepare your home for the cold

As winter approaches, Canadians understand that while the beauty of snow-covered landscapes is enchanting, it also brings the challenge of keeping our homes safe and warm. Cold weather can present significant risks to both property and personal safety. From freezing temperatures to heavy snowfall, it's important to prepare your home for the upcoming season. Here's a handy checklist of cold weather safety tips to ensure you're ready for the winter months.

Read more at www.otip.com/article197. #OTIPUpdate

Celebrate the holiday season with a bonus offer!

For the month of December, receive a $30 gift card when you get a car, home, or leisure insurance quote. Get a quote or call 1-888-892-4935 and mention this offer.

 

Did You Know that Canada played a central role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

Check out this "Heritage Minute" - 

Thank you! Did You Know; Answers to Questions YOU have been asking; ETFO Conference and Support

It was lovely to meet so many new members at our Fall General Meeting on November 26th at the Stoneridge Inn.  We enjoyed a fine dinner, shared information and visited with colleagues. Thank you to those who took time to show their support for the TVOT Local - We've Got Your Back!

Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre was also very grateful for the generosity shown by those who attended - 

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  Should an Administrator ask you to use your prep period to cover a class etc., then members are to keep track of the date, the school, the time of the scheduled prep period and the number of minutes that were lost as the Board will provide a form in June for members to receive compensation for this lost time. Remember - a right gained, is never a right secured - vigilance is key.
• If you are in a LTO assignment with an undetermined end, then you need to wait 90 calendar days in order to become eligible for ETFO Employee Life and Health Trust benefits. For more information go to https://etfo-elhtbenefits.ca/faqs/
• Article L35.00(iii) states: When a long-term occasional teaching assignment is completed prior to the required date for report cards to be submitted, the Occasional Teacher may be assigned to assist with the completion of these report cards. In such an event, the Occasional Teacher shall be paid for the time to complete the report cards up to a maximum of one (1) day. The rate of pay shall be the rate the Occasional Teacher received during the long-term occasional teaching assignment.
• An assignment becomes a LTO on the 10th consecutive day of replacing the same absent Teacher in the same assignment.  
• As an LTO, you are eligible for salary that reflects your qualifications, however the onus is on you to provide the Board with a QECO / Qualifications Rating Statement or a card indicating your rating is in progress, prior to July 31st for retroactive adjustment.  Note that the process can take several weeks.
• To obtain a QECO Rating, follow the instructions at www.qeco.on.ca or call QECO at 1-800-385-1030 and request an application form.
• Your rating is personal so it is up to you to sent the results to TVDSB Staffing Officer, Jessica Grison Roeder - j.grisonroeder@tvdsb.ca before the July deadline or forward a copy of the green QECO confirmation card if your application is in progress but will not be available by the due date.
• You may also be eligible for credit for post-certification teaching outside of TVDSB. This includes working as a daily OT in Ontario. The same July 31^st deadline applies to proof of any post-certification teaching experience, outside of TVDSB so be sure to submit those documents to HR so  they will be considered when advancing you on the LTO salary grid.

For further details contact your ETFO TVOT Local  at etfotvot@gmail.com .  

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Your Mental Health & Wellness

Teaching can be a demanding profession. Your mental health is just as important as your students’. ETFO Provincial recognizes that psychosocial hazards, such as workload, the challenging behaviours of students, or workplace violence can cause psychological injury. These should be reported just like any other workplace injury.




ETFO Provincial H&S Website provides excellent resources on identifying and addressing these hazards -





TVDSB Accident / Incident Reporting and Decision Chart -

 





The TELUS Health One Employee Assistance Program offers confidential counselling, Care Now Programs covering topics related to relationships, work, body, mind, and personal finances, and workshops on stress management, resilience, and self-care -



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Highlights of Daily Occasional Teacher Handbook; Small Class Sizes; Fifth Disease; Alberta Teachers Legislated Back to Work; Meetings with HR; TVARRIS Blocks; Leaves of Absence;

 

Check it Out!

TVOT's new "Daily OT Handbook" is an excellent resource for all members.

Here are just a few of the topics and links:

 - Highlights of TVDSB policies on communicable diseases including Fifth Disease, conjunctivitis/pink eye, and head lice

- TVDSB policies regarding copyrights, footwear, technology, disconnecting from work, harassment and discrimination

- Info about Brightspace, Brightspace Classroom and Brightspace Staff Learning Hub (where the PD reflection survey is found)

- Links to all the above and other resources such as accessing Outlook from outside of Canada, completing an Employee Incident Reporting and Investigation form, how to register for TVARRIS texts and much, much more.

Go to www.etfotvot.com and check it out. 

Be sure to open members' account as well so that you have access to our $75 Resource Rebate and our Professional Learning Development Fund worth up to $685 per year.

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Smaller Classes Matter!

We all want the best start for our children but class sizes are too big in Ontario schools and students are paying the price with unmet needs.

Are you Immune to Fifth Disease?

The TVOT Local urges members who may become pregnant to check in advance to see if they have immunity to Fifth Disease as women in the first half of their pregnancy are most vulnerable to complications if they become infected.

Schools with outbreaks will post notices at the school and on TVARRIS but the disease is contagious well before the symptoms become apparent. In TVDSB, employee absences due to an outbreak of Fifth Disease are deducted from your sick leave entitlement. 

For more information about the TVDSB policy related to Fifth Disease go to http://www.tvdsb.ca/files/filesystem/FifthDiseaseIP.pdf

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A Threat to all Teachers in Canada and to all Public Sector Unions!

The Alberta government has used the "notwithstanding" clause to override Charter rights and legislate Teachers in that province back to work. 

"Teachers are being forced back and saddled with the very collective agreement that 90% of them rejected only a month ago - an agreement they said, loudly and clearly, does not meet the needs of their students, their classrooms or their profession." - Jason Schilling, President of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA)

Because this is a fight similar to the Ontario situation we face in 2022, your TVOT Local donated $1,000 to assist the ATA during their recent strike.

The Canadian Labour Congress urges all of us to stand with Albertans and defend the rights that protect workers throughout our nation. Sign the petition and tell Danielle Smith's government to stop attacking workers' rights and freedoms now!  Sign here www.workerstogether.ca/alberta-workers/ and share the link with your networks.

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Meetings with Human Resources (HR)

There are a variety of reasons that an OT can be called to meet with someone from HR but know that your Local will always provide representation at these meetings.

For instance:

- HR follows up on concerns brought to their attention by a school. It is HR's responsibility to identify if someone is having difficulty across the system or just at one site. This doesn't mean that the matter has escalated but a school Principal only knows what goes on at their school and cannot provide system oversight.

- Before TVDSB had TVARRIS, if a Principal no longer wanted an Occasional Teacher at the school (for any reason), they would simply direct the staff not to call that OT again and the OT would wonder why they were never called back.  With the switch to an automated system which defaults to random calls, if an Administrator wants to ensure that a certain OT doesn’t return, the Principal must  ask Human Resources to block that person from receiving TVARRIS calls from their site and submit rationale. Since notice now comes to the attention of HR, the Local has argued that members have a right to know that such a request has been made so that they have an opportunity to provide their perspective. 

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TVARRIS BLOCKS -If a TVARRIS block is put in place, then any Teacher from that school trying to pre-book the OT will find that the OT is “not available”. Such requests to block typically do not go into the OT’s personnel file nor do they result in any discipline. However if the OT becomes blocked from a growing list of schools, then  progressive discipline may commence.

Ultimately, most members see the wisdom in not returning to a school where Administration has lost confidence in them - there are so many other opportunities in TVDSB.

As always, please contact your OT Local for further guidance at the first sign of difficulty. We are here to support you at 519-641-3936 or etfotvot@gmail.com

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- Full Year Leaves: Daily TVOT members have until December 30th to request a full year, retroactive leave of absence from TVDSB's elementary Occasional Teacher List. This leave per Article L10.16, would release them from the requirement to teach 10 days in the 2025 - 2026 school year.

- Part of a Year Leaves: Daily TVOT members can request a leave of absence at any time, however the number of days they are required to teach would be pro-rated to 1 day per each  month they were active on the elementary list that school year.

Contact your TVOT Local for further details at 519-641-3936 or etfotvot@gmail.com

Join us at the TVOT Fall General Meeting; ETFO Opportunities; FAQs

Being an Occasional Teacher is an isolating experience so your TVOT Local invites 

members to spend an evening with your colleagues enjoying a lovely dinner.

We look forward to meeting you there! 

Donations of new items for Merrymount Children's Centre will be gratefully accepted!

Looking to become more involved with Provincial ETFO? Check out last week's Blog for upcoming Provincial workshops where your travel, accommodations, meals and salary (release time) will be provided!

Q. Can I resign from my part-time LTO to take a full time LTO position?  A. To maintain continuity in the classroom, TVDSB will release an LTO to take a permanent position but not to take another (better) long-term assignment. A member may leave their current assignment after providing 2 weeks notice per Article L5.07(c). They must leave behind all assessment data etc., and they can apply for another LTO to begin after that end date. 

Q. What does TVDSB report as the number of hours worked? A. For purposes of Employment Insurance (EI), the Board reports a full day of teaching as 8 hours per Article L7.07. Part-time assignments are pro-rated accordingly. N.B., Participation in paid PD also  counts as time worked for these purposes.

Q. How many days does the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) require for it to be counted as a pensionable year of teaching? A. OTPP credits any year with more than 10 days of teaching, as a year for pension purposes. N.B., Participation in paid PD also  counts as time worked for these purposes.

TVOT Fall General Mtg and Dinner; Merrymount Donations; Important Contacts; ETFO Provincial Events; About School Trustees;

 

Please note that TVOT annually collects donations to Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre at this Fall General meeting. Merrymount is an accredited children's mental health centre supporting the well-being of the children we teach across Thames Valley.

Possible donations include new items such as:

• waterproof insulated gloves and mittens
• bubble bath, shampoo and conditioner
• brushes, combs, ponytail holders and toothbrushes
• pajamas and items for older children
• new or gently used winter jackets, boots
• snow sleds, boogie boards etc.

Register by email - mail@etfotvot.com

Register by phone - 519641-3936

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Does home insurance protect my possessions while they’re with a moving company?

The process of moving from one home to another can come with a certain amount of stress, some very long to-do lists, and a lot of work. One of the biggest efforts is packing up and moving your belongings, often with the help of a moving company. But how protected are you when it comes to putting your furniture and other household goods in the care of a mover? We've got the answers to some common questions about protecting your stuff during a move.

Read more at www.otip.com/article196. #OTIPUpdate

Complete insurance solutions for the Ontario education community

Get personalized service and exclusive discounts for all your insurance needs. Plus, get a $20 gift card of your choice when you get a car or home quote! Get a quote or call 1-888-892-4935 and mention this offer.

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November 15th is "Wear Purple Day" in support of the London Abused Women's Centre (LAWC) campaign to remind us of how much work remains to be done to end the violence against women. Here is a link to more information and resources -  https://www.lawc.on.ca/shine-the-light-on-woman-abuse-campaign

The province of Ontario has designated the third week of every November as "Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week" in order to raise awareness of bullying-related issues and to make a difference in our school communities.

Decline in Work and TVARRIS; TVOT Fall General Meeting; If You Paid into OMERS; Personal Email Please; Smaller Class Sizes; New Members Meeting with ETFO Provincial;

 

 

Teacher Absences and TVARRIS - The TVOT Local continues to hear from members about the lack of work this school year. The Local has discussed this with TVDSB had have been told that permanent Teacher absences are down as there has been less illness and less PD being offered during the school day. We can report that the Board's use of uncertified instructors has also greatly diminished, though schools seem to be finding ways within the building, to cover absences.

The TVOT Local is also hearing many complaints about TVARRIS - the Thames Valley Absence Reporting and Replacement System. It seems members are experiencing fewer issues job-shopping when using a computer, than they find with the TVARRIS App. That being said, if members can send screenshots of any "glitches" or difficulties to us at etfotvot@gmail.com  that will assist us in our conversations with HR. Please note, that when job-shopping, you will only see jobs at schools that you have selected in your TVARRIS profile so members may want to select additional sites.  Remember that the majority of our membership live in one of the cities, so consider adding some rural schools - they are often a very pleasant change from the urban ones.

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It was nice to meet so many of  you at our "Got Your Back" event last week. We appreciate that you took time to meet colleagues, enjoy a lovely dinner and find out a bit about your Local and the Collective Agreement. Remember, that your Local is here to respond to your questions and provide support, so don't hesitate to contact us at 519-641-3936 or etfotvot@gmail.com.

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Registration is now open for the TVOT Fall General Meeting

mail@etfotvot.com / 519-641-3936

If you began as an Uncertified Instructor with TVDSB, you contributed to the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). When you became certified, this changed and you began contributing to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP). To ensure that your OMERS contributions are not lost, newly certified members must contact OMERS directly https://www.omers.com/ and instruct them to transfer these previous contributions to OTPP. This does not happen automatically - you must apply for a transfer or you will lose these contributions.

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Be professional – Don’t use the TVDSB system for personal correspondence. There is no privacy when an employee uses the Board’s property whether it is a TVDSB computer or the Board’s Outlook email system (even from a home computer). All such usage must be appropriate and related to your employment with the Board.  Inappropriate use of such equipment could result in the Board limiting or revoking your access and possible discipline.

The Union asks members to please use a personal email address when contacting the Local.

Visit https://www.buildingbetterschools.ca/ 

Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. But in Ontario, too many students are packed into overcrowded classrooms — and it’s hurting their ability to learn

Smaller classes would mean:

• More individual support for every child’s learning needs
• More space for teachers to identify and support learning challenges early
• Less classroom violence — and safer, calmer classrooms for our kids

The facts:

• Grades 4–8 have no cap on class sizes
• 10% of Kindergarten classrooms have upwards of 32 kids
• The Ford government has had seven years to fix these issues but they still haven’t acted

It doesn’t have to be this way. Together, we can demand smaller classes that give every student the chance to thrive.

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3 Ways to Celebrate Financial Literacy

 Month

   

November is Financial Literacy Month!

Talking about money is not easy but let’s normalize it. This November, we’re embracing the theme “Talk Money!” to help break the stigma around financial conversations. 

Whether you have debt on your mind, are budgeting for the future, or curious about different types of investments, Educators Financial Group can support you every step of the way. 

Here are three ways you can learn with Educators Financial Group this Finanacial Literacy month:

1.     Fast-track your financial literacy by signing up for a free 5-day mini course. In this 5-part email series, you’ll learn how to manage your debt, build a successful financial plan, maximize your money through tax-saving strategies, and more.

2.    Get your questions answered by an Educators Financial Advisor. Book a call with an Educators Financial Advisor to discuss your finances and create a plan that works for you.

3.     Attend one of our Financial Literacy Month webinars:

·         Financial Planning in your Early and Mid-Career on November 6, 2025, at 5:00pm

·         Investing - Empowering You to Make the Right Choices on November 12, 2025, at 5:00pm

·         Navigating Borrowing and Debt: Market Trends, Regulatory Updates, and Smart Strategies on November 18, 2025, at 5:00pm

Ready to take control of your finances? Book a call with an Educators Financial Advisor and get personalized advice tailored to your needs.

Let’s talk money!

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