Oct. 24th Rally, Call Doug , Prep Payback and More!

 

Wed Sept. 23^rd, 2026

 

 

The daily Occasional Teacher rate in TVDSB is $278.39 plus 4% which is shown on a separate line of your pay stub, for a total per diem of $289.53.  Find the grid for LTOs at the back of our Collective Agreement, available at www.etfotvot.com or on the TVDSB site.

 How do I remain on the Occasional Teacher List? (Removal found in L6.08 of our Local collective agreement)

·        Be in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers

·        Work at least 10 elementary days (not including leaves)

·        Keep my information up-to-date (change of name, address and/or phone number). Update in Employee Portal.

 

 

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.

 

Where is the OT Group I’ve heard about?

 

 

The Occasional Teacher Elementary on TVDSB's Outlook is where the Board posts information specific to OTs such as LTO vacancies and PD announcement. The Local encourages members to add this group so that these messages appear directly in your inbox. 

Here is how to add the group:

1) Sign into your TVDSB Outlook account and on the left side, scroll down to the bottom and click "Go to Groups". On your phone there is a round logo at the top left of screen. Click and “Groups” is at bottom/

2) "Occasional Teacher Elementary" should appear, so open this.

3) Once you are there, you will find 3 horizontal dots at the top. Click them and either "Add to Favorites" (visible when you click the group tab) or "Follow in Inbox" (which allows group emails to come to your personal inbox directly).

               

                             Stay tuned!                

If you have any missed prep periods, please record the: date, school, assignment, number of minutes lost, principal’s name.

 

 

Doug Ford says Ontarians shouldn’t be buying products from the U.S.

So why is Ford’s government funnelling $66 million in Ontario education funding to a U.S. company for classroom supplies?

That doesn’t add up.

The decision to select Staples to provide school supplies for Ontario public schools continues the Ford government’s broader pattern of privatization, centralization and the erosion of public services.

Doug Ford says that when something is going sideways, Ontarians should give him a call. So, let’s take him up on it.

Call Doug Ford. Tell him Ontario’s education dollars should support Ontario communities — not U.S. profits – and be available to all educators.

416-325-7635

DAY of ACTION, Columbia, EFAP, Professional Judgement and more!

 

Wed. Sept. 16th, 2026

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. 22^nd. 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 14^th – Sept 25^th)

Upcoming:

 

Wed Sept. 9^th, 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 31^st, 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. 22^nd. 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)!

 

Video Message from ETFO; Keep Informed; Message from Director Tucker; Upcoming Deadlines; Columbia Store Invitation; OT Office

 

To Members from ETFO Provincial - 

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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-form or - https://bit.ly/ETFO-member-update

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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

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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

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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. 

Sincere regards,

Terry Card, Local President

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