Save the Date!

Registration will soon be open for our next PD event taking place at the Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 from 4:30 - 7:30 PM.

All ETFO-TVOT website members will be notified by email as to when Registration will be open. If you do not have an account on the website, you will not receive the email.
To create your account, go to www.etfotvot.com and follow the prompts. Don't hesitate to contact our office should you require any further information.
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Thank you to participants and presenters alike who attended our beneficial PD Event on January 19 at the BMO Centre.

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Highlighting Article 18; Inclement Weather

L18.01 a)  The normal responsibilities of an Occasional Teacher are to fulfill the teaching duties of the Elementary Teacher being replaced.

b) The School Administration shall endeavour to provide for an Occasional Teacher arriving for an assignment the following in-school information. It is understood that this information will generally be located in the individual Teacher's daybook.

• a timetable for the Occasional Teacher's assignment (including supervision periods)
• a schedule identifying period times
• a floor plan of the school (if available)
• the school Code of Behaviour and special classroom discipline procedures
• information on how to obtain necessary equipment
• names and positions of individuals who can provide assistance
• an up-to-date class list
• name(s) of high risk student(s) and any applicable special programme(s)
• Name(s) of student(s) participating in special in-school support programmes with the time and place where they receive that support
• name(s) of student(s) transported by bus and/or taxi
• an up-to-date seating plan (where applicable)
• a general outline of classroom routines which includes washroom, attendance and entry and dismissal procedures
• planning for the first day of an absence
• computer and generic passwords
• all keys necessary to the assignment
• the provision of safety plans of students that an Occasional Teacher could reasonably expect to come into contact with

          In addition, fire drill and emergency procedures will be located within the classroom.

c)  The Occasional Teacher shall endeavour to provide written feedback to the Teacher being replaced at the conclusion of the occasional assignment. Such feedback will generally include comments on the progress of lessons taught, problems encountered and where appropriate, successes achieved and marks for work completed by students within the occasional assignment.
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Recent changes to TVDSB's inclement weather policy, has schools remaining open in inclement weather even when buses have been cancelled. Often the result is that many students do not make it to school on such days and Occasional Teachers at these schools are called on to teach collapsed classes. Should you find yourself in such a situation please ensure:
1) you are not being asked to supervise an unreasonable / unsafe number of students and
2) that the timetable of the Teacher you are replacing is being honoured i.e., that you still receive the prep periods of that Teacher and that you take on no additional supervisory duties.

On snow days, LTOs may access the "Act of Nature Days" provided under Article L9.04 (b). This means that if the weather between the LTOs home and their work site, prevents them from getting to work safely, they have access to up to 3 days per year. Note: there is a total of 5 days for act of nature and care days so the act of nature claim would be deducted from this total.

Article L10.08 states that a daily OT or a LTO who is delayed by the weather between their home and their work site but who arrives at school as soon as possible during the school day, he/she will be paid for that day of work.

Paramount in all of this, is that Occasional Teachers, whether daily or long-term, should always exercise good judgment to ensure that they can arrive at work safely during periods of inclement weather.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Local should you have any concerns or questions regarding inclement weather and the above provisions of your Collective Agreement.
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We look forward to seeing over 110 members at tomorrow afternoon's Professional Development Event at the BMO Centre from 4:30 - 7:30 PM.
We have had a few cancellations so please go to the Local's website to register. www.etfotvot.com
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Happy 2017 and Upcoming Professional Development Event

Welcome back to all members. We hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful Holiday break and that we are all ready to get back to the classrooms!
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Registration for our upcoming PD Event on January 19, 2017 at the BMO Centre is almost full. There are a couple of spots remaining in
workshop 2 : DPA for the Occasional Teacher and
workshop 3 : Power to Explore: Grades 4 - 6 Nutrition and Healthy Living.

These are always beneficial events that participants greatly appreciate. Avoid disappointment and register at www.etfotvot.com
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Just a reminder for those who have Employment Insurance concerns that TVDSB now submits a full day of work as 8 hours so be careful that your calculations are accurate.

ETFO Provincial Math PD for Occasional Teachers, ETFO-TVOT PD and Good Wishes!!

Math that Matters for Occasional Teachers

This is an exciting two-day math institute that provides opportunities for daily and long-term occasional teachers to deepen their mathematical knowledge while exploring various instructional strategies, tools and resources. Release time is provided for participants to attend.

Date:  February 28- March 1, 2017
Location: Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites - 5875 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON

Flyer
PDF: http://www.etfo.ca/CalAttach/MathConference.pdf
Word: http://www.etfo.ca/CalAttach/MathConference.docx

Registration
Registration for this event is offered through the Event Management System (EMS) by using your ETFO membership number at https://events.etfo.org/upcoming-events and look for the tab : Math that Matters.

 If you do not already have an account on this system, please go to
https://events.etfo.org/member-sign-up/ and register for ETFO events. Participants will be selected by random draw.

The registration deadline is Monday, January 23, 2017.

Forms for members with accessibility needs:
http://www.etfo.ca/BeingaMember/Accessibility

For additional information contact Ruth Dawson (rdawson@etfo.org)  Jason Johnston (jjohnston@etfo.org) or Jill Aoki-Barrett (jaokibarrett@etfot.org).

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Remember: To attend any after-school professional development, you must be registered on our website www.etfotvot.com. All registrations are done in the Member Services area of the Local's website and if you need help in registering, please call our office and we will be glad to help.

Our TVOT Lending Library is now online in the Member Services area of our website! The Library is filled with hundreds of books and resources on various topics related to your elementary education practice and for use in both your long term and daily assignments. Any registered member may reserve a book/resource online and come to our local office to pick up the book on a scheduled date (be sure to call ahead to make sure someone will be there).  Look for more books to be purchased in the new year. If you have a book title that you would like to see in our library, please send us an email.

Don't forget that all our members are entitled to apply for and receive up to $50 reimbursement for any books/resources related to elementary practice. Find the book rebate form in the Member Services area of our website. All forms (along with original receipts) are due by May 31st, 2017.
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On behalf of your President and Executive Members, we wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season and the best for 2017. We remind members that the office will be closed until school resumes on January 9, 2017. If it is an urgent matter please call Provincial ETFO at 1-888-838-3836.

Inclement Weather and Cancellations of Assignments, Indigo FUNdraiser for Merrymount! and January19, 2017 PD Opportunity!

L10.08 INCLEMENT WEATHER - A Long-Term Occasional Teacher or a Short-Term Occasional Teacher who is delayed by local weather conditions but arrives at school as soon as possible during the regular school hours of that day will not have a salary deduction made. "Local" means within the geographic area between the Occasional Teacher's home address and the school or worksite of said Occasional Teacher.
Your Local reminds you to use your personal judgment wisely to determine if it safe for you to travel to work in inclement weather and to let the school know if you will be delayed or are unable to make the journey that day.
Should the school be closed for an emergency, the Collective Agreement provides:
L16.04 a) In the event of a late opening or early dismissal of a school for emergency reasons, Occasional Teachers shall be paid for the assignment at the applicable rate of pay. b) In the event of a school closure for emergency reasons, a Long-Term Occasional Teacher shall be paid for the assignment at the applicable rate of pay.
And finally, regarding cancellation of an assignment:
L16.05 a) The Board shall give a minimum of two (2) hours notice of cancellation of any pre-arranged assignment. Should cancellation of a pre-arranged assignment occur without two (2) hours notice, the Occasional Teacher shall report for work and the Board shall pay the Occasional Teacher for that assignment in accordance with the provisions of Articles L16.01 or L16.02, whichever is applicable. b) In the event of inclement weather, Occasional Teachers will receive information on the status of school closures or delays in openings by the normal Board communication process. Notice of closure due to inclement weather will be deemed to meet the minimum notice requirement of Article L16.05 (a). c) An Occasional Teacher who cancels a previously accepted assignment may not accept another assignment scheduled for that same day. 
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SUPPORT MERRYMOUNT CHILDREN'S CENTRE

You're invited to a FUNdraiser for ....

Merrymount Family Support & Crisis Centre Monday, December 19th, 6-9 pm

Indigo North London Richmond Centre, 86 Fanshawe Park Rd.  519-672-6781

Please bring this invitation with you to the FUNdraiser!

Indigo North London and the staff of Merrymount Family Support & Crisis Centre cordially invite you to a community FUNdraising event.

Come out and go shopping while supporting Merrymount. With every purchase of regularly priced , in-store items at Indigo North London on this special evening, up to 20% of the purchase  will be donated directly back to Merrymount!

Choose from a wide selection of books, gifts, toys, magazines, music and much more! Your purchase will make a difference. Please join us to see how much fun giving back to Merrymount can be!

When you arrive at the store, please ensure that you register at the registration desk, which will be located directly inside the main doors.

Hope to see you there!

Please note, in order to ensure the most successful and profitable FUNdraiser possible for Merrymount any discounts (including iRewards, Plum Rewards, Bestsellers, etc.) will not be in effect during the event, and the purchase of Gift Certificates, Membership Cards, Electronics and Love of Reading Donations do not count towards the FUNdraiser.

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Save the date:  January 19, 2017  4:30 - 7:30 PM
Where:  BMO Centre - 295 Rectory Street, London, ON
Details and registration to open soon at : www.etfotvot.com

Workshops include:
The Mindful Teacher : Presenter Sherry-Lynne Kirschner
DPA for the Occasional Teacher : Presenter Claudette Andress
Power To Explore: Grades 4-6 Nutrition and Healthy Living : Presenter Andrea Kirkham, Dairy Farmers of Ontario/teachnutrition.ca

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UN Human Rights Day - Dec. 10; Paid PD; Keys for OTs; Nova Scotia Teaches

Precarious Work - It's a Human Rights Issue
The theme of this year's United Nations Human Rights Day on December 10th is 'stand up for someone's rights today!'. Article 23 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to work and just remuneration to ensure that they have an 'existence worthy of human dignity.'
Yet right here in Ontario, one in three jobs is temporary, contract, part-time or self-employed. Racialized workers, single mothers, recent immigrants and people with disabilities experience higher rates of unemployment and people with disabilities experience higher rates of unemployment and precarious work. This situation creates many risks including lack of health and safety on the job, stress, long hours, lack of legal protections and poverty.
You can "stand up for someone's rights today!" by supporting the Ontario Federation of Labour's makeitfair.ca campaign. Let's advocate for the Ontario government to revise labour laws and raise the bar for all workers. Go to www.makeitfair.ca for more information.

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TVOT members are reminded to check the Board's Employee Portal frequently for updated paid professional development opportunities. Your Local has been in discussions with TVDSB Staff Development and we hope to have more news to release about exciting options for 2017.  Make sure to register for Member Services at www.etfotvot.com so that you will receive "Blast Emails" about registration for such events.
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 TVDSB is working on keying schools so that Occasional Teachers can lock their classrooms in case of an emergency situation - Code Red. Approximately eight schools per week are being completed by Facility Services, but please continue to advise the TVOT Office should you encounter a school that does not offer you a key.  Your OT Local does not accept the practice of asking OTs to exchange personal keys for classroom keys so please let us know should this be asked of you.
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The Teachers in Nova Scotia are embroiled in a labour battle similar to what we endured with our fight against Bill 115 when the Liberal Government tried to impose terms rather than negotiate a Collective Agreement.  Just as they supported Ontario Teachers then, we urge you to show your support for the Teachers of Nova Scotia.  Vist www.ActforEducation.ca to learn more.

2017 ETFO Validation Sticker Distribution and New OTIP Giving Program

You will be able to find your Edvantage validation sticker for 2017 in the December issue of the Voice magazine.  Don't forget to retrieve it prior to recycling your magazine.

For those members who have chosen to receive their copy of the Voice electronically and are also on board approved leave, you will receive your 2017 sticker to the home address ETFO Provincial has on record via Canada Post. Please ensure your personal residential information is up to date by going to : www.ETFO.ca on the right-hand side, click on 'Quick Links' and go to 'Member Update Contact Information' .
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Introducing OTIP's Newest Corporate Giving Program

Not all worthy causes are linked to registered charities.  Within the education community, there are many school projects or initiatives that support learning, provide an enriched experience or help those in need. Each project or initiative that meets the criteria below, will be entered into a draw in which four prizes of $5,000 will be awarded each year:

Criteria

Any member in the Ontario public, Catholic or French system can apply for funding for their project. Projects or initiatives must be shown to positively impact the lives of students or educators. Requests do not have to be linked to a registered charity.

Entries must be made via a short video (no longer than five minutes), and permission must be granted for OTIP to use the videos on social streams and our website.

Examples of projects that would qualify for funding include:

- School nutritional programs;
- Purchase of musical instruments or band equipment;
- New playground equipment;
- Environmental initiatives like gardens or tree planting;
- Art supplies or programs.

Funding is not provided for:
- Capital projects, such as school additions, replacing building or facilities etc.
- Administration or operating costs such as salaries, utilities.

OTIP will be accepting applications online from December 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.  Between April 1 and 14, OTIP will review video applications to ensure they meet the criteria. The draw will take place on April 17. Winners will be notified the last week of April, with the winning videos posted on OTIP.com and social media on May 1.

Videos should be sent to www.otip.com/school-project
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Just a reminder that to stay on the elementary OT Roster for next year, now members must teach a total of 10 full days in the elementary panel.  Paid PD days continue to count for all purposes including this requirement, as time taught. You can find out more about what activities are available for paid professional development by checking in the Employee Portal under Conference Registrations where you will see a list of elementary PD opportunities.