It's Our Spring Meeting! Resource rebates and Possible Postal Strike; Violence Survey and Ottawa University Report; Registration Opens for ETFO Summer Academy; EQAO, OTPP Investment Update

Meet your peers over a lovely dinner -  

We look forward to seeing you there!

$15 gas money for registrants who attend!

Win one of three gift cards of $100 each!

Dependent care provided (with receipts).

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TVOT Candidate Forms for the following elected positions must be received by 5 PM on May 2/25:

- Executives at large (4 positions)

- Chief Negotiator 

- Collective Bargaining Committee (5 positions)

- Delegates and alternates for ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting in Toronto, August 11-14/25

Candidate forms are available at the Local website - www.etfotvot.com

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Resource Rebate Reminder - Given the looming possibility of a Canada Post mail strike as early as May 22nd, TVOT members are urged to submit their $75 Resource Rebate claims in advance of our May 31st deadline, so that the Local can process these requests and reimburse members ahead of any labour disruption.  Resource Rebate forms are available to members who have registered on our Local website www.etfotvot.com. 

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TVDSB Staff Development is starting to process the July 11th payment for members who have completed their mandatory online training modules. This  will appear on members' TVARRIS calendars as code "HR 1" for June 27. Please do not delete/modify this entry. For further information, contact Terri Manning in Staff Development at t.manning@tvdsb.ca

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Have a Voice!

The ETFO Thames Valley Teachers' Local has invited TVOT Occasional Teachers to participate in this very short survey on violence in our schools, by clicking on the QR code or https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFF9TK7

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Running on Fumes - This methodical report by the University of Ottawa into the current school crisis, is presented in six sections dealing with -

1) Violence: the language of violence; rates and frequencies of student-initiated violence

2) Harassment: student-initiated and parent-initiated harassment and toxic work environments

3) Reporting and Responses: barriers to formal reporting; available supports

4) Differences and Diversity: the unique experiences of those in education who are marginalized

5) Ripples and Repercussions: the wider effects of workplace violence and harassment

6) Compounding Costs in the Age of Austerity: how reducing sevices and resources are factors in the increased in violence and harassment in our schools

To access the full report, go to  https://www.educatorviolence.ca/

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ETFO's "Is EQAO Failing Our Children?"

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For resources, visit https://www.etfo.ca/news-publications/publications/jewish-heritage-month-poster

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TVOT Spring Annual Meeting; Being on TVOT Executive; $75 TVOT Resource Rebate; Defensive Teaching; ETFO "PRS Bulletins";

 

Elections will be held May 22, 2025 at this meeting for the following TVOT Executive positions:

Executive Members at Large (4) – one year term; great learning position with duties as determined by the Executive: Local Constitution 7.1.1 – 7.1.13

Chief Negotiator - remains in office until new agreement ratified; negotiates the collective agreement; maintains agreement and reports to membership: Local Constitution 7.2.6 and 7.3.4

Collective Bargaining Committee:(President, Chief Negotiator and 4-5 others) - remains in office until new agreement ratified; collects information from membership and prepares Local preliminary submission: Local Constitution 7.3.4

ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting 7 Delegates and up to 5 Alternates – 10 representatives to attend and the others form a pool from which vacancies can be filled; Meeting is in Toronto from August 11-14, 2025 (costs paid): Local Constitution 10.1 – 10.6

The deadline for receipt of Candidate Forms is Friday, May 2, 2025 at 5 PM.

There will be no elections for the following positions as this is the first year of their two year terms: 

President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Health and Safety Officer 

N.B. Meetings are held one afternoon a month at our TVOT Office. Union business counts as teaching time and LTOs are released from their assignments to attend.

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The deadline for TVOT members to submit applications for their $75 Resource Rebate is May 31st. Books or professional resources purchased within the last 60 days which are related to your elementary professional needs, are eligible.    

To access the application form, log into the TVOT Local website www.etfotvot.com as you must first set up an account with the Local.

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We call it defensive teaching:

- Never leave students unsupervised;

- Try not to be alone with a student;

- Avoid physical contact with students;

- Remember that you are viewed as a Teacher even when off-duty;

- Be hyper-vigilant about your social media posts, comments, account settings etc.;

- Respect the confidentiality of students and staff;

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Provincial ETFO has crafted numerous advice articles for the membership, call PRS Bulletins. Here are just a few of the topics: sharing workspaces; dealing with conflict; professionalism and ethics; tips for managing current events and sensitive issues; tutoring and conflict of interest guidelines; are you protected if volunteering at a school? EQAO testing advice; members as witnesses in court proceedings; student/parent custody etc.

To peruse the library of PRS Bulletins, click on -    https://www.etfo.ca/about-us/member-advice/prs-matters-bulletins

April 23 - April 24th is Holocaust Remembrance Day

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TVARRIS block meetings; ETFO's position on EQAO; TVOT donations; Your right to safety at work

 

Now more than ever, it is important that Canadians stay informed and exercise their right to decide the future of our nation. Canada's federal election date is Monday, April 28th but there are opportunities to cast your ballot beforehand. For information regarding advance polls or other alternatives, click on    https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx

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About TVARRIS Blocks

Before our Board had an automated callout system to replace absent Teachers, 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. Likely the Occasional Teacher would not be aware of the conversation and might 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. These are low-level meetings which now take place with Union representation replacing those school conversations and decisions that took place without our knowledge.

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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Accurate information helps ETFO members understand their rights to be safe from violence at work.

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Community Donations - If you have not recently attended a TVOT Local Membership meeting, you may not be aware that your Local donates the incidental income the OT office earns, largely from distributing insurance information to members.

This year we have donated more than $20,000 to the following organizations on your behalf:

- Merrymount Children's Centre

- Atlhosa Youth Program

- N'Amerind Family Support

- Aeolian El Sistema Music Program

- London and Area Food Bank

- Salvation Army Woodstock Food Bank

- Humanitarian Coalition

- Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

- Red Cross Middle East Humanitarian Appeal

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Registration for ETFO Summer AQ courses opens on April 22nd for courses that run from July 2 to August 1, 2025.  Courses cover topics such as anti-racism, the environment, education law, diversity and inclusion, as well as FSL, Kindergarten, Math, Primary, Spec Ed, Reading etc.  For more information go to https://etfo-aq.ca/catalogue/

Remember, that if you have been on the TVDSB elementary Occasional Teachers' List for at least one year and are registered on our Local's TVOT website www.etfotvot.com then you are eligible for the Local's $500 Professional Learning Development Fund which can be applied to the cost of any course that supports your elementary teaching practice. For more information contact us at etfotvot@gmail.com or 519-641-3936.

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Retirement your way. Choose from 3 RTIP health insurance plans, and the flexibility to move between plans if your needs change in retirement. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4c9iyHM #OTIPUpdate

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Earth Day Events in the TVDSB region:

London https://www.earthfestlondon.ca/

St. Thomas

 https://www.stthomastoday.ca/2024/04/19/73118/

Woodstock  https://www.oxfordcounty.ca/news/posts/earth-day-in-oxford-county/

OTs and Ontario Teachers' Pensions; CRA T1198; Half-day assignments; Feedback after interviews; Employee Assistance Program

- Though TVDSB only requires TVOT members to teach a total of 10 full days in the elementary panel to remain on the elementary OT List, we urge all members to teach one day more so that the year will count as a qualifying year for the purposes of  the Teachers' Pension. Don't find yourself having to teach an additional year at the end of your career in order to qualify because of one day missed at the beginning of your career.

- Some members chose to remain as OTs for a variety of reasons. Career OTs are eligible for a Teachers' Pension but if they return to the list, their days will have the same limits as retired permanent Teachers. Contact https://www.otpp.com/en-ca/ for further information.

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For those awaiting their CRA T1198 Tax Forms, TVDSB has provided the following information - 

- forms are expected mid-April

- check the Payroll SharePoint FAQs for further details

- tax forms can be filed without the T1198 form and an adjustment requested afterwards https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t1-adj.html

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- Morning half-day assignments end no later than 20 minutes after the end of instruction and afternoon jobs begin no sooner than 20 minutes before class instructional time. (Article L18.07) Supervisory duties cannot exceed this.

- If you are interviewed for a long-term position and are unsuccessful, you have a right under -the Central Collective Agreement to request feedback from the Administrator who interviewed you.

- Members who apply for a position must be given at least 1 day's notice of a scheduled interview, where reasonable. (Article L37.01)

- OCT Fees are due in one week so check your TVDSB paystub, and if there is no deduction, then the onus is on you to pay your annual fee. A current OCT fee is necessary to teach in Ontario.

- Occasional Teachers/LTOs are never to transport students in their personal vehicles. (Article L34.01)

- If you are asked for a district code when installing an app such as TVARRIS, our Board uses: WWQM

- Your TVOT Local asks members to notify the OT Office 519-641-3936 / etfotvot@gmail.com if they become aware of a school calling in uncertified instructors, as we believe we have enough members to fill Teacher absences - we are eager to investigate specific occurrences to ensure there is no abuse of the process.

- April 13th is the last day for TVOT members to use their Columbia Outlet Store Invitations (for more  details, check our earlier posts)

- OTs/LTOs have confidential access to the Board's Telus operated Employee Assistance Program. Details are available in the TVDSB Employee Portal.

- Daily OTs can accept TVARRIS daily assignments outside of their qualifications, e.g. French, Intermediate etc.

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TVOT members are urged to frequently check their pay stubs (available in the TVDSB  Employee Portal) for any errors.  Under the terms of Article L7.12 of our Collective Agreement, there is a time limit of 12 months for the Board to address any underpayments or overpayments.

N.B. No daily Occasional Teacher will be paid for less than a half day, as provided by Article L7.03. 

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6 tips to help you eliminate distractions and stay focused on the road

Did you know that roughly 1 in 4 fatal car accidents involve distractions? In Ontario, data shows someone is injured in a distracted driving accident every half hour. So whether you're teaching a new driver the ropes or working to improve your own habits, these tips can help you minimize distractions and keep our roads safe.

Read more at www.otip.com/article191. #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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Annual Mandatory Online Training; About Prep Periods; OCT Fees; Call for Candidates;

The Mandatory Training Mondules for elementary Occasional Teachers, are now posted in the Employee Portal under "Employee Training".  Once there, scroll down to "2024 - 2025 OTE Required Training" and complete the following modules by June 27th for a half-day of salary to be paid in July:

Click here for eBase access for: Harassment, Bed Bug and Cockroach Awareness Training and Employee Incident Report Training

Anaphylaxis

Asthma

Diabetes

Epilepsy

Concussion

Ancillary & Non-Instructional Materials

It Can Happen To You - ETFO

Fire Safety Awareness

Head Injury Prevention

Health and Safety Program Awareness

Navigating WSIB

Violence Awareness - General Awareness

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 About Prep Periods -

- Prep periods are paid time so OTs cannot leave the school, even if the prep is scheduled for the last period.

- Just as a permanent Teachers cannot be directed how to use their prep periods, it is up to the OT/LTO to decide how they are going to use this time professionally.

- The timetable of the OT is to be the same as that of the absent permanent Teacher, including scheduled preparation periods. If a member is reassigned during their prep period, they are entitled to monetary compensation in lieu of this time so keep track of the assignment, date, minutes lost etc. as the form will be posted by the Board toward the end of June. (Letter of Understanding #5)

- If a daily OT is hired for a prep payback assignment, be aware that the Collective Agreement provides that the first 40 minutes (or as close to the beginning as possible), be set aside as a preparation period. (Article L18.03 (b))

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Important - OCT annual fees must be paid by April 15th in order to remain on the OT List. The penalty for late payment is $130 in addition to the $200 OCT fee. Here is OCT's link https://www.oct.ca/members/college-fees

Only those in a long-term assignment in January will have their fees deducted from their pay, as reflected on their TVDSB paystub.

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CALL FOR CANDIDATES for TVOT Local Executive positions -

Have you considered running for a position on the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers’ Executive? Members at our TVOT Spring Annual Meeting select their Local Executive each year.  

Why not join your Executive team? Find out what is going on and make a difference!

Meetings are typically held one afternoon a month at our TVOT Office. (LTOs are released from their assignments to attend.)

Elections will be held May 22, 2025 at the Lamplighter Inn for the following positions:

Executive Members at Large (4) – one year term; great learning position with duties as determined by the Executive: Local Constitution 7.1.1 – 7.1.13

Chief Negotiator - remains in office until new agreement ratified; negotiates the collective agreement; maintains agreement and reports to membership: Local Constitution 7.2.6 and 7.3.4

Collective Bargaining Committee:(President, Chief Negotiator and 4-5 others) - remains in office until new agreement ratified; collects information from membership and prepares Local preliminary submission: Local Constitution 7.3.4

ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting 7 Delegates and up to 5 Alternates – 10 representatives to attend and the others form a pool from which vacancies can be filled; Meeting is in Toronto from August 11-14, 2025 (costs paid): Local Constitution 10.1 – 10.6

The deadline for receipt of Candidate Forms is Friday, May 2, 2025 at 5 PM.

There will be no elections for the following positions as this is the first year of their two year terms: 

President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer , Health and Safety Officer 

Registration for the TVOT Annual Meeting opens next week.

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