OTs!
Send us your Red for Ed t-shirt pictures from today (Sept. 16th) to
mail@etfotvot.com and we’ll add to our blog!
If you do not have Red for Ed. t-shirt and would like one,
please call 519-641-3936 or e-mail: mail@etfotvot.com We still have various
sizes up to 4XL.
MORE THAN
BOOKS! All members of TVOT can receive up to $75 per school year for
resources they wish to purchase for their elementary OT practice: books,
kits, workbooks, etc. Forms are at etfotvot.com. Single use. Reimbursement for
receipts no older than 60 days.
All TVOT Occasional Teachers have confidential access
to the TVDSB Employee and Family Assistance through Telus Health.
Registration is open for Fall 2026 ETFO AQ courses!
Registration closes of Sept. 22nd. Register early to avoid
disappointment.
Remember, if you have worked as an Occasional Teacher for a
minimum of 12 months or longer you can apply for our Local TVOT Professional
Learning Development Fund (form found in Documents on our website etfotvot.com). We give full reimbursement for all ETFO AQ courses
(pre-approval required)!
Gear up
for fall with fresh arrivals from Columbia, SOREL, Mountain Hardwear, and prAna - all available at 40% off
retail pricing.
To access the store, simply show the attached invite on your phone or bring a
printed copy, along with proof of affiliation. You are welcome to bring up
to four guests per visit. This offer is for store access (not valid online).
ETFO Thames Valley - Occasional Teachers Access Dates:
September 18th - October 11th
A Belated:
(Sept 14th – Sept 25th)
Upcoming:
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Wed Sept. 9th, 2026
Welcome back! The blog is returning from summer rest and will be posted on
Wednesdays.
MANDATORY
TRAINING, ETFO OT Conference, Red for Ed. t-shirts and More!
URGENT: If you still have not completed your 2025-2026
Mandatory Training that was due August 31st, 2026, please
do so asap. Completion of Mandatory Training is a condition of
employment and must be completed yearly.
If you do not have Red for Ed. t-shirt and would like one,
please e-mail: mail@etfotvot.com We
still have various sizes up to 4XL.
An OT must work a minimum of 10 full days per school year to
remain on the TVDSB OT List! In order to count as a pensionable year an OT must
work more than 10 days in a school year.
Daily OTs and those in LTOs of 0.5 FTE or less are entitled
to two days of paid PD! Remember 0.5 days must be reserved for Mandatory
Training available each spring. There
will be online, in-person and self-directed options – stay tuned!
Are
you interested in getting more involved with your TVOT Local? Are you interested in meeting a couple times a
year to share your opinions, expertise and help guide the Local with its
professional learning planning? You might be interested in joining our PD
Committee! If you are interested in joining, please e-mail us at: mail@etfotvot.com
Registration is open for Fall 2026 ETFO AQ courses!
Registration closes of Sept. 22nd. Register early to avoid
disappointment.
Remember, if you have worked as an Occasional Teacher for a
minimum of 12 months or longer you can apply for our Local TVOT Professional
Learning Development Fund (form found in Documents on our website etfotvot.com). We give full reimbursement for all ETFO AQ courses
(pre-approval required)!
Keep Informed! Make sure Provincial ETFO has an updated non-work email and a mobile or home phone number so that you can receive information about our central bargaining and details of any strike votes or job actions. Use the QR code below or this link to ensure you are kept in the loop -https://www.etfo.ca/resources/update-member-information-formor - https://bit.ly/ETFO-member-update
______________________________
Dear Thames Valley Staff,
You may be aware of recent incidents involving the theft and vandalism of Pride flags at schools in our region, including schools within our own board. These are not isolated acts of mischief. They are targeted, hate-motivated acts. I am writing this message to let 2SLGBTQIA+ staff know you are seen, you are valued, and you belong here fully.
Thames Valley's commitment to every student and employee who walks through our doors is unwavering. That is true on the easiest days, and it is equally true now.
We know that for many of you, this moment may have stirred up feelings that go well beyond these specific incidents, and we do not take that lightly. Our responsibility is to keep working to make Thames Valley a place where you do not have to carry that weight alone.
If you or a colleague feels unsafe or targeted, please reach out. You are not alone in this. Incidents can be reported to your supervisor, and if for any reason that does not feel like the right path, you can also contact your superintendent or Jeff Beynon, Superintendent of Safe Schools and Wellbeing. If you need personal support, please remember that we have the Employee Assistance Program. All reports will be taken seriously and escalated appropriately. Law enforcement is actively investigating the incidents that have occurred.
To support students, please continue to check in with them. Some will be watching closely to see how the adults around them respond. Your calm, affirming presence matters. If students bring it up, name it honestly, acknowledge that these acts are harmful, and affirm that our schools need to be safe and welcoming spaces for everyone.
Pride Month is about visibility and belonging, and those things are alive in our schools because of the people in them. Thank you for the care you bring to students every day, and especially right now.
Sincerely,
Bill Tucker
_________________________
Don't Forget These Important Deadlines -
June 26, 4PM - mandatory online training modules are due. Here are the 16 modules that must be completed:
July 4, 4 PM - claims for missed prep periods must be submitted for payment
July 31 - QECO ratings must be submitted for retroactive salary adjustment for LTOs in 2025 - 2026
July 31 - deadline to submit proof of post-certification teaching experience for grid placement for LTOs in 2025 - 2026
August 31 - deadline to submit annual Offence Declaration (regardless of whether you submitted a vulnerable sector check)
September 2,3 - PA Days: LTOs will attend; N.B., there may be paid PD opportunities for daily OTs those days so check your TVDSB emails for more information
September 8, classes begin
_______________________
___________________________________
CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER: A reminder that your Local ETFO TVOT Office will be closed after Friday June 26th and will re-open when school resumes in September. We do however check our etfotvot@gmail.com emails on a weekly basis.
Should an emergency occur where members require assistance from ETFO Provincial, you can contact them at 1-888-838-3836.
________________
Time to Say Farewell -
It was more than twenty-five years ago, when I stepped into
the role of your Local President. The
Thames Valley District School Board had just been created by amalgamation and
this new Local was negotiating its first Collective Agreement. As a former
Middlesex OT, I had not been unionized so my days would be filled with additional duties for a daily rate of $137 whether I replaced the same
Teacher for 1 day or for 30 days. The prospect of bargaining for better (and in
my case, any) terms and conditions of employment was irresistible. It was an ordeal but with only eight minutes until
the strike deadline, we reached our first Collective Agreement with TVDSB. What had seemed unachievable, became reality
because of the collective determination and support of our membership. (And our
daily rate increased to $155.)
As President, I have been the public face of our Local, but incredible teams have been working here on your behalf, two of whom will also be retiring this month:
Many
of you recognize that Nancy Springer has been with our Local since 2003,
serving as your Vice President for most of those years, before taking on the
duties of Treasurer and now, Executive at Large.Nancy has been an unwavering advocate for our
members, a passionate supporter of LTOs experiencing difficulty in their assignments
and always empathetic to the needs of our membership. In short, Nancy has been instrumental
to every success this Local has achieved.
Hard
to believe but Debbie Laxer has been our Administrative Assistant for 15 years.It has been Debbie’s kind and patient voice that greets you when you call or visit the office, and Debbie who registers members
at our events and responds to inquiries about our Resource Rebate and PLDF
programs. Behind the scenes, it has been Debbie who has organized our events, helped
us manage our books and generally kept the affairs of this busy Local in order.
TVOT has been fortunate to have had two such devoted and competent people, committed the needs of our membership. On your behalf, I thank both Nancy and Debbie for their dedication and I wish them both much happiness as they embark on their next chapters.
So this is my final Wednesday Blog. I never imagined the profound impact this experience would have on my life but I will treasure the memory of these years and the friendships I have made along the way. Thank you to the members for the trust you have placed in me for it has truly been an honour to serve you and I wish the incoming team, tremendous success.
- You may be aware that there are not likely to be permanent elementary teaching positions posted this summer as TVDSB is still facing declining enrolment. Hopefully things will improve once registration is complete in September.
- For LTOs where interviews will be required, posting will be available from June 29 until July 2nd with interviews from July 3-7.
- For LTOs that will be filled by central placement, the posting period will be from August 4-10 with placements taking place the week of August 11. HR will make these calls from 8:30am - 12:30pm and from 1:30pm - 4:00pm.
- Elementary OTs must teach a total of 10 days and complete the annual Offence Declaration and the mandatory online training in order to remain on the OTE List for September
- All schools in TVDSB will be on a balanced day schedule this coming school year
- Keep these important dates for TVOT members in mind:
June 26, 4PM - mandatory online training modules are due
July 4, 4 PM - claims for missed prep periods must be submitted for payment
July 31 - QECO ratings must be submitted for retroactive salary adjustment for LTOs in 2025 - 2026
July 31 - deadline to submit proof of post-certification teaching experience for grid placement for LTOs in 2025 - 2026
August 31 - deadline to submit annual Offence Declaration (regardless of whether you submitted a vulnerable sector check)
September 2,3 - PA Days for LTOs to attend
September 8, classes begin
____________
___________________________________
As I clean out my files, here is another perspective for consideration -
If you have been following the local news, you are aware that TVDSB has been facing declining enrolment. For that reason, the TVOT Local does not expect a large number of postings for permanent positions, unless there is a boost in attendance come September.
That being said, here is the information from TVDSB regarding LTO postings (also available in TVDSB Outlook):
_________________________________________
If Travelling Internationally -
Be aware that employees of TVDSB who travel outside of Canada generally cannot access their Board emails. To ensure access, employees must notify the Board's IT Help Desk at least 7 days in advance in order to minimize complications with TVDSB's multifactor authentication.
To do this:
1) From the TVDSB Employee Portal log-in page, select "Help Hub Help Desk"
2) Log-in with "Sign-in Using Office365 (SSO)"
3) You may be asked to sign-in with your Board Outlook account, TV#####@tvdsb.ca
4) Once in, type into the search bar: Request login access for travel outside of Canada
5) Select appropriate link for cellphones and enter the required information (Supervisor for this purpose is
Important -
- This must be done at least 7 days prior to leaving the country.
- If you are already outside of the country, call the Help Hub at 519-452-2005 but you must be able to receive texts to your Board registered cellphone.
______________
1) Mandatory Training: In order to receive a 1/2 day of pay for the Mandatory Training found in the Employee Portal, it must be fully completed by Friday, June 26th, 2026 at 4pm. Your Annual Offence Declaration and all Mandatory Training modules must be completed by August 31 prior to returning to work. Completion will be unpaid if the modules are submitted after 4PM, June 26/26.
If you are a teacher-retiree working as an Occasional Teacher and the Board's paid mandatory training may affect your pension, then it is suggested that you complete the mandatory training (a condition of employment) on your own time during the summer months.
2) Annual Offence Declaration - Even if you have been contacted by TVDSB about completing a vulnerable sector check or criminal and judicial matters check in the 2025-2026
school year, you are required to complete the Offence Declaration by August
31st, 2026. Look for the link in the TVDSB Employee Portal -
3) Submit Your Claim - Occasional Teachers in daily and long-term assignments "...who are not able to receive their preparation payback period in the course of their assignment will be entitled to money in lieu." (per Letter of Understanding #5)
The deadline to submit a claim for this current school year is July 2/26 at 4 PM. Here is the link that was also sent via TVDSB's Outlook - https://forms.office.com/r/AG8wNG36YJ
TVOT members can also claim for lost prep where an Occasional Teacher is hired for a vacancy for preparation time or meeting coverage, and that Occasional Teacher does not receive a forty (40) minute preparation time period. The forty (40) minute preparation time will be scheduled as early in the day as possible based on the schedule of events requiring coverage. (per Article L18.03 (b))
4)July 31st is the deadline to submit a QECO (Qualifications Rating Statement) rating to HR, if you were in a LTO this school year and want to be compensated retroactively to properly reflect to your qualifications. QECO accepts online applications at www.qeco.on.ca . The process can take several weeks so send your receipt to Jessica Fox in HR at j.fox@tvdsb.ca to show that the process is underway.
5) The deadline for LTOs to submit a claim for other post-certification teaching is July 31.For proof of post-certification teaching experienceoutside of TVDSB, the Board requires a letter on official letterhead, stating the nature of your employment, the dates of employment and notes of any leaves taken during that time. The TVOT Collective Agreement provides that international teaching and daily OT work in Canada are recognized for grid placement.
6) To remain on the TVDSB elementary OT List, members must teach a total of 10 days per school year. This number is pro-rated for those who were on leave for part of the year or who were recently hired to the list. Participation in paid PD and the completion of the mandatory training module, count as time worked for all purposes including pension and Employment Insurance.
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Special Strategies Just for OTs - Ronald Morrish, Educational Behaviour Consultant
Speak, walk and teach with confidence. Act like you have been teaching for 10 years using a firm voice, not a loud voice.
Approach each lesson with enthusiasm. No student gets excited about learning something that the Teacher is not excited about teaching.
Remember that students engaged in learning are not engaged in misbehaving. Engagement is your single best prevention technique.
Assume the absent Teacher has left no activities or plans. Come prepared to teach all day with your own materials - an "emergency" kit covering different grades and subjects. Many activities can be integrated to include multiple subjects and topics. Be over-prepared.
Start with an intriguing activity that captures the attention of the students.
Reinforce appropriate behaviour far more than you scold inappropriate behaviour.
Effective Teachers use their voice primarily to maintain the flow of the lesson. Behaviour is dealt with mostly through non-verbal techniques: prompts, cues, active supervision, redirection etc. The classroom environment tends to break down when the Teacher's voice is constantly on student behaviour rather than on learning.
As much as possible, keep your problems in the classroom. You want to present yourself in a way that creates a positive opinion with Administration. Sending every misbehaving student to the office won't get you where you want to go.
Celebrate
the end of the school year with a bonus offer from (please
tag @OTIP on Facebook, @OTIP_Insurance on X, or @otip_insurance
on Instagram here)! For the month of June, receive a $30 gift
card of your choice when you get a car, home or leisure insurance quote. Get a
quote: https://bit.ly/4uVH1cp
MORE THAN
BOOKS! All members of TVOT can receive up to $75 per school year for
resources they wish to purchase for their elementary OT practice: books,
kits, workbooks, etc. Forms are at etfotvot.com. Single use. Reimbursement for
receipts no older than 60 days.
