Win a Chromebook or one of five $100 Gift Cards; List of Candidates; Refusing Unsafe Work; 13 days to get your $60; ETFO Men's Conference

 

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Win a new Chromebook or 

one of Five $100 Gift Cards! 

A pleasant evening with your peers

in the Crystal Ballroom!

Dinner included for those who register!

Dependent care forms will be available on site for receipted expenses.

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Candidates for Election 

to TVOT Local Executive

The following candidates submitted their nominations before 5 PM on May 11th, as stipulated in the ETFOTVOT Constitution. (Names are listed in the order nominations were received.)

PRESIDENT (one position)

- Terry Card ( 2 year term)

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT (one position)

- Kevin Utley

- Trish Robertson

SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT (one position)

- Vivek Nath

- Kim Elliott McIsaac

SECRETARY (one position)

- Sharon Pinylo

TREASURER (one position)

- Nancy Springer

HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER (one position)

- David Griffith

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS AT LARGE (up to 4 positions)

- Farida Makhani

- Krisanne Nunes

- Meera Jain

CHIEF NEGOTIATOR (one position)

- Terry Card

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COMMITTEE MEMBERS (5 positions)

- Farida Makhani

- Sharon Pinylo

- Nancy Springer

- Kevin Utley

- Vivek Nath

DELEGATE/ALTERNATE POOL for ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting (up to 5 positions)

- Cindy Webb

N.B. Members may not run from the floor unless no candidate form for that position has been received.

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Do electric vehicles need maintenance?

With the rising cost of fuel and the growing movement for a more sustainable future, electric vehicles (EVs) can seem like a win-win for the planet and your bank account. But how do electric vehicles compare to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles when it comes to maintenance?

Read more at www.otip.com/article144.

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$60 Resource Rebate - 

Deadline May 31, 2022

What will you purchase with your $60?

Forms available at www.etfotvot.com

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Only 15 days left before Election Day -

Click on Voter Information Service, the online service provided by Elections Ontario, to find your electoral district, voting and advance voting locations and dates, a list of the candidates, how to vote by mail and other pertinent information about voting in this important election.

Whether you have five minutes or a few hours, anything you can do to support candidates who believe in the importance of public education will make a difference!

Three ways to offer support - 

DONATE to your local candidate to help resource their campaign.

SIGN UP to join a canvass and talk to your neighbours.

TALK TO your friends and families about public education and why they need to vote on Thursday, June 2.

Take the quiz and find out more at Building Better Schools .

Your Vote Matters!

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LTOs Not Evaluated; TVOT Spring Banquet; Your $60 Resource Rebate;

 Finally, We Can Come Together!

Join your peers at the Spring General Meeting and Banquet on Tuesday, May 31st at the Crystal Ballroom of the Lamplighter Inn on Wellington Road.

Though we will call the meeting to order at 4:30 PM,  we recognized the size of this Board and so dinner will not be served until 5 PM. Dinner is provided at no cost to our members however, you must register in advance for the meal.  Want to know more about the menu? Check last week's blog.

To register call 519-641-3936 or email mail@etfotvot.com. 

We look forward to meeting you there!  

(Forms for dependent care will be available at the meeting for members who can provide receipts).

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Just a reminder that nominations for Local Executive positions close Wed., May 11/22 at 5 PM (9.2.2 Local Constitution)

Check www.etfotvot.com soon after 5 PM to see the full slate of candidates.

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LTOs No Longer Evaluated

With the revocation of Regulation 274, there is no longer a requirement for LTOs to be evaluated. 

As well, the Ministry has always exempted LTOs in the NTIP program from being evaluated. That stipulation is reiterated in our Collective Agreement - Article L5.05 (c).  

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Impact of climate change on home insurance

Both insurers and homeowners need to consider the impact climate change will have on the future of insurance, and what they can do now to prepare for climate change-related risks.

Here are steps homeowners can take to protect their homes from extreme weather conditions.

Read more at www.otip.com/article143.

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May 31st is the Deadline

Don't forget that TVOT members can apply for a $60 Resource Rebate from your TVOT Local. 

Use yours to purchase any book or professional resource related to your elementary teaching needs. 

Application forms are available in the members' section to those registered at www.etfotvot.com .

Claims must be received by May 31, 2022.

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Mandatory Training Modules - Now Posted!

Whether you are a TVOT daily OT or a LTO, you must complete the 9 modules now posted in the Employee Portal under Staff Development & Training > Employee Training. 

Be certain to hit "Submit" for each module. Completion is due by June 30, 2022.

  

The section with the required modules is under the heading 2021-2021 OTE Required Training:

 Please complete all modules listed:  

o   Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness

Roles & Responsibilities

o   Mental Health Awareness

o   Domestic Violence in the Workplace

o   Disposal of Sharps

o   Connections over Compliance - video

o   Introduction to CRRP - video

o   CRRP at a Glance -video

o   Capacity Building Series - Article

o   TVDSB Guidelines on the non-use of racial and other slurs and epithets

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Now Posted in the Employee Portal: A reminder that all TVDSB Employees must complete their Annual WHMIS Review, Offence Declaration, I.T. Declaration, and Privacy Declaration by June 30, 2022.

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Will it be salmon, beef, vegetarian lasagna? Important Deadlines; EQAO Advisory; ETFO Opportunities;

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It's our Annual Meeting and we'd love to meet you! 

Join us for a lovely free dinner, perhaps win a free chromebook or gift card and meet some of your peers!

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Reminders to TVOT Members:

• 
  Nominations for TVOT Executive close May 11th, 5 PM
• Deadline to submit your $60 Resource Rebate requests is May 31/22
• TVDSB Annual Offence Declaration, WHMIS Review etc. are now posted in Employee Portal and must be completed by all employees
• All TVOT members  (including LTOs) must complete the mandatory online training modules now posted in the Employee Portal. Check TVDSB Outlook for more details.

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IMPORTANT ADVISORY FROM ETFO PROVINCIAL -

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A time to celebrate the contributions to education  of the more than 1800 elementary TVOT Occasional Teachers who seamlessly replace permanent Teachers in Thames Valley. 

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What is usage-based insurance and 

is it right for you?

Wondering if usage-based car insurance is right for you? We’ve put together a guide to help break down the frequently asked questions of UBI programs.

Read more at www.otip.com/article145.

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TVOT elections; new Ministry resources; new ETFO resources

 

Nominations close on May 11, 2022

Just a reminder to TVOT members that  members at the TVOT Spring Annual Banquet and Meeting on May 31, 2022 will select next year's Local Executive.  The Executive meets monthly at a dinner meeting and here is some more information about these elected positions - 

President - two year term, full-time position; legal spokesperson and representative of Local; Grievance Officer; liaison/ member of all committees; signing officer; attends all Provincial Rep. Councils, ETFO Annual Meeting, other ETFO meetings in Toronto (Local Constitution 7.2.1)  Candidates for President must have a minimum of one year of Local Executive experience (Local Constitution 9.1.2)

First Vice-President - assists the President; coordinates preparation of the newsletter; attends committees (Local Constitution 7.2.2)

Second Vice-President - assists the President and First Vice-President and acts as liaison to the P.D. Committee (Local Constitution 7.2.3)

Secretary – records, prepares and circulates accurate minutes of past and present Executive and General Membership Meetings (Local Constitution 7.2.4)

Treasurer - maintains financial records; pays expenses of the Local as signing officer; drafts budget and reports to Executive and membership (Local Constitution 7.2.5)

Health and Safety Officer - acts as liaison with the Board’s Joint Health and Safety Committee, the Local Executive and general membership; conducts annual audits of schools and participates in all applicable training (Local Constitution 7.2.7)

Executive Members at Large (4) - great learning opportunity with duties as determined by the Executive (Local Constitution 7.1.1 – 7.1.13)

Chief Negotiator - negotiates the Collective Agreement; maintains the Agreement and reports to membership (Local Constitution 7.2.6)

Collective Bargaining Committee (President, Chief Negotiator and 4-5 others) - surveys membership; prepares preliminary submission; negotiates Collective Agreement (Local Constitution 7.3.4)

ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting Alternates (5) – pool from which delegate vacancies will be filled; Toronto Westin Harbour Castle, August 15-18, 2022 (all costs paid) (Local Constitution 10.1 - 10.3)

 Elections held May 31, 2022 at the Lamplighter Inn 

Candidate Forms are posted on the Local website: www.etfotvot.com

The deadline for receipt of Candidate Forms is 5 PM May 11, 2022 (Local Constitution 9.2.2)

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Effective Early Reading Instruction: A Teacher's Guide

The Ontario Ministry of Education has released a new resource that: "provides educators wth information on foundational early reading skills, an understanding of how these skills develop in young chldren, and classroom-ready strategies to effectively teach decoding skills. This includes systematic and explicit instruction of phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, and word-reading skills to support students in becoming fluent readers with strong language and reading comprehension."

Click Effective Early Reading Instruction: A Teacher's Guide to access this guide.

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May is Jewish Heritage Month 

"Addressing Antisemitism and Holocaust Education: An Annotated Bibliography of e-Resources" captures and highlights organizations with materials supporting schools, communities and workspaces on combatting antisemitism and addressing Holocaust education. 

To view this new ETFO resource and other grade-specific classroom resources, click on ETFO antisemitism resources.

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May is Asian Heritge Month

It is important to recognize that Asian Canadian history is part of Canadian history. Asian migrants and Asian Canadians have faced discrimination, exploitation and danger in many of our workplaces. Even today, many Asian communities experience racism and discrimination on individual and institutional levels. 

To download supporting curriculum and classroom resources that focus on Asian heritage, click on ETFO Asian herigate resources.

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National Day of Mourning

April 28th is the traditional day for Canadians to remember those who have lost their lives or been injured at work or who have experienced a tragedy related to their job.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that our workplaces are safe and healthy. We all have a duty to speak up about unsafe working conditions!

OCT Fees; Retirement Workshops; New Kindergarten resource; Mandatory training; Article L18.03

 

OCT Fees Due in ONE Week!

Just a reminder that there is only one week left for Teachers/Occasional Teachers to pay their annual fee of $170 to OCT (Ontario College of Teachers).

Those in a LTO or permanent contract at the beginning of 2022 likely had this fee deducted by TVDSB as verified on your pay stub.

Daily OTs however, must pay the OCT fee themselves and the College must receive this payment no later than April 25, 2022. OTs who do not pay this fee are removed from the OT List and will lose their "Good standing" on the OCT website.  For more information click on OCT Fees .

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I'm moving: 

What should I do about my home insurance policy?

Take a look at the moving and home insurance frequently asked questions inside so that you can look forward to making memories in your new home, confident that you have the coverage you need.

Read more at www.otip.com/article140.

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NEW - Eligible for $60 TVOT Resource Rebate 

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Mandatory On-line Training Modules

A reminder to all Occasional Teachers/LTOs that TVDSB will soon post the annual mandatory training modules which must be completed before June 30, 2022 in order to remain on the List.  

Daily OTs will receive a half-day of pay from their paid PD allowance for completing these. 

LTOs must also submit these though they will have completed many of the modules at staff meetings.  

N.B. Retirees must reserve a half-day of their allotment for this purpose.  

Once the modules are posted, members will be able to access them via the Employee Portal.  Do not forget to click on "Submit" after each module. When you log back into the Portal, check to see that the checkmark is still there so that you are sure your completion has been received.  

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Highlighting Article L18.03

L18.03 (a) Unless hired for a long-term occasional assignment in accordance with the provisions of Article L14, an Occasional Teacher shall not be assigned supervisory duties prior to the commencement of class on the first morning of an assignment or prior to the commencement of the afternoon class on the first day if it is a half-day afternoon assignment.

(b) Where an Occasional Teacher is hired for a vacancy for preparation time coverage, IPRC coverage, etc., that Occasional Teacher shall be assigned no more than one supervisory duty.

(c) If the assignment is for the Occasional Teacher to provide preparation time payback in full day assignment, then that Occasional Teacher shall be provided with a minimum of forty (40) minutes preparation time at the beginning of the assignment.

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Breaking News re OT Prep Payback; Your Local Executive Elections; ETFO position on masks; Day of Pink

 

Compensation 

for Lost Prep Periods

The ETFOTVOT Local is pleased to inform members that we have signed a Letter of Understanding with TVDSB that will provide compensation to daily OTs and LTOs who have lost their prep periods. 

The Letter of Understanding states:

"WHEREAS the Collective Agreement Article L18.02 states “the timetable for an Occasional Teacher shall be the same as the timetable of the Teacher being replaced except as set forth in Articles L18.03 and L18.05”;

And WHEREAS it is understood that this would be inclusive of any preparation time as assigned to the Teacher being replaced; 

And WHEREAS the parties agree that for the 2021- 2022 school year, every effort will continue to be made to provide prep coverage in the course of the short-term and long-term assignments of an Occasional Teacher;

THEREFORE in recognition of the unprecedented staffing demands:

i)   Teachers who are not able to receive their preparation payback period in the course of their assignment will be entitled to monetary compensation in lieu of.

ii)  Eligibility for daily Occasional Teachers will be for missed prep coverage from December 2021 onwards.

iii)  Payment will be processed following the completion of the school year in a lump sum based on a calculation of missed prep minutes calculated into an FTE increment and paid at the daily rate for OT assignments, and the LTO rate as applicable for Teachers in a long-term assignment.    

iv)  Individuals currently holding a LTO assignment as of the signed date of this letter will be entitled to payback for missed prep in their current LTO assignment rectroactively to the date that the current LTO assignment began. 

This agreement has been made without precedent or prejudice."

TVOT members are encouraged therefore, to track instances when they have lost their assigned prep periods. Information on how to submit claims will be posted on your TVDSB Outlook account, within the next few weeks.

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You Have Something to

Contribute!

Considered running for a position on the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers’ Executive?

Members at the TVOT Spring Annual Banquet and Meeting select their Local Executive each year.  

Why not join your Executive team and find out what is going on – you can make a difference!

Dinner meetings for the Executive are held once a month after school at our TVOT Office in London.

ABOUT TVOT ELECTED POSITIONS

President - two year term, full-time position; legal spokesperson and representative of Local; Grievance Officer; liaison/ member of all committees; signing officer; attends all Provincial Rep. Councils, ETFO Annual Meeting, other ETFO meetings in Toronto (Local Constitution 7.2.1)  Candidates for President must have a minimum of one year of Local Executive experience (Local Constitution 9.1.2)

First Vice-President - assists the President; coordinates preparation of the newsletter; attends committees (Local Constitution 7.2.2)

Second Vice-President - assists the President and First Vice-President and acts as liaison to the P.D. Committee (Local Constitution 7.2.3)

Secretary – records, prepares and circulates accurate minutes of past and present Executive and General Membership Meetings (Local Constitution 7.2.4)

Treasurer - maintains financial records; pays expenses of the Local as signing officer; drafts budget and reports to Executive and membership (Local Constitution 7.2.5)

Health and Safety Officer - acts as liaison with the Board’s Joint Health and Safety Committee, the Local Executive and general membership; conducts annual audits of schools and participates in all applicable training (Local Constitution 7.2.7)

Executive Members at Large (4) - great learning opportunity with duties as determined by the Executive (Local Constitution 7.1.1 – 7.1.13)

Chief Negotiator - negotiates the Collective Agreement; maintains the Agreement and reports to membership (Local Constitution 7.2.6)

Collective Bargaining Committee (President, Chief Negotiator and 4-5 others) - surveys membership; prepares preliminary submission; negotiates Collective Agreement (Local Constitution 7.3.4)

ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting Alternates (5) – pool from which delegate vacancies will be filled; Toronto Westin Harbour Castle, August 15-18, 2022 (all costs paid) (Local Constitution 10.1 - 10.3)

 Elections held May 31, 2022 at the Lamplighter Inn 

Candidate Forms are posted on the Local website: www.etfotvot.com

The deadline for receipt of Candidate Forms is 5 PM May 11, 2022 (Local Constitution 9.2.2)

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Spring is in the air – Road trip!

Ontario is a big province with lots to offer—from beautiful nature scenes to bustling city centres. Check out these Ontario road trip ideas that guarantee fun for all ages.

Read more at www.otip.com/article141.

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ETFO Provincial 

All-Member Survey Deadline

Just to remind members that the ETFO Provincial All-Member Survey closes April 14th so you may want to take 5 minutes and participate for your chance to win one of 10 iPad Minis.

For more information contact Member Records at Provincial ETFO.

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Today is the International Day of Pink - 

A reminder to each of us of the ongoing need to stand up to bullying and take action to create a more diverse and inclusive society!

Pay if sick with Covid; The winners are; Spring General Meeting and Banquet

Covid Is Still Here

- Just a reminder that daily OTs, have access to the province's Paid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave /PIDEL if they have had to cancel a job in TVARRIS

- If a daily OT has contracted Covid at school, then they can apply for pay based on the average number of days that they have worked as set out in Covid Protocol 2A Staff Absence Coding, bullet 2.5: 

 2.5. Staff impacted by a school exposure to COVID-19 and required to quarantine/selfisolate will be paid quarantine leave for the duration of the leave. Those in an LTO/LTA will continue to be paid based on their LTO/LTA. Temporary and Occasional employees that are required to quarantine/self-isolate as a direct result of a school exposure will be paid the average hours, they have worked over the previous 4 weeks during the

isolation period.

- LTOs have access to paid Quarantine Leave as set out in the Board's same Covid Protocol, 2A Staff Absence Coding.

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We Have Winners!

The TVOT Local is pleased to announce the five winners randomly drawn from the hundreds who participated in last month's Membership Survey. 

These lucky TVOT members each won $100:

- Erin Damm

- Linda Lewis

- Lisa Phillips

- Sarah Quartel

- Patricia Roberston

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- There is no penalty for booking off on TVARRIS so please make sure to make yourself "Unavailable" even for 1 day so that the system can operate most efficiently.

- Rumour has it that there is a flood of Teacher candidates on temporary certificates, teaching as elementary OTs in TVDSB. The fact is that there are fewer than 30 people in this category. Currently we have more than 1800 members, however we are unable to fill all the Teachers absences each month so there is plenty of work for everyone.

- TVDSB will allow OTs to access their paid PD days to complete OCT's Sexual Abuse Prevention Program / SAPP. Log into the Employee Portal > Conference Session Registrations to see how you can be compensated for this half-day as part of your paid PD alottment. This is retroactive for those who have already done the program. Members in LTOs next September will have an opportunity to complete SAPP on the PD Day at the start of school and daily OTs who still need to do SAPP, will have the first couple of weeks in September to follow the process above and submit a claim for a half-day.

- TVOT members are eligible for a Retention Stipend of up to $450 if they take daily assignments at certain schools/specific days. For more information check out our Wednesday Blog of March 9th!

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Tuesday, May 31st, 4:30pm 

ETFO TVOT Spring General Meeting 

Banquet and Elections

How wonderful it will be to come together again in person and spend time with other Occasional Teacher colleagues! Being an OT is very isolating - we only belong to a school on a temporary basis and we seldom get to compare notes with other OTs so take this opportunity to mingle with your peers.

Registration details will follow but please set aside this date and plan to join us for a lovely dinner (at no cost) with time to socialize before the business of the Local commences. The Lamplighter is a lovely facility and we always enjoy their large meeting spaces and wonderful meals. 

Elections will be held that evening for all positions so you may want to consider being a part of this progressive team.

Meetings are held monthly after school at our office with a dinner provided. 

Have a say in the business of the Local that determines your working conditions - Run for office!

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Will a Speed Camera Ticket make my insurance rate go up?

You arrive home after a long day of work and check your mailbox. Inside, you find a ticket from a speed camera with a photo of your vehicle driving above the posted limit. Let’s address some commonly asked questions about speed camera tickets.

Read more at www.otip.com/article142.

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