March Membership Meeting; Membership Survey; Red 4 Ed T-shirts; Fifth Disease; ETFO Scholarships and Bursaries

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The date is set - March 4, 2026 from 4:30pm to 7:00pm.

Join us for a March Membership Meeting and dinner at the Lamplighter Inn in London.

To register, email us at mail@etfotvot.com or call the office at 519-641-3936.

There will be door prizes and those who register and attend will receive $15 gas money. We also hope to have the Red 4 Ed t-shirts ready for distribution at the meeting.

Next week's Blog will contain the proposed constitutional amendments and menu.

We look forward to meeting you!

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You Can Win! 

Five lucky members who complete our Local's Membership Survey will each win a $100 gift card.  

The survey closes February 17/26 at noon so 

click here to participate - http://www.surveyshare.com/s/AYAWNEC

We value your input and participation!

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Free Red for Ed T-Shirts

The response has been great from both the Teacher and Occasional Teachers' Locals. If you are interested in wearing a "Red for Education" on Mondays alongside the permanent Teachers of Thames Valley, please let us know so that we can order accordingly.

The T-shirts are 100% cotton and unisex. 

If you are interested in receiving a shirt, please contact us at mail@etfotvot.com and indicate your preference as sizes range from S - 6XL. 

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Are you Immune to Fifth Disease?

The TVOT Local urges members who may become pregnant to check in advance to see if they have immunity to Fifth Disease as women in the first half of their pregnancy are most vulnerable to complications if they become infected.

Schools with outbreaks should post notices at the school and on TVARRIS but the disease is contagious well before symptoms become apparent. In TVDSB, employee absences due to an outbreak of Fifth Disease are deducted from your sick leave entitlement. 

For more information about the TVDSB policy related to Fifth Disease go to http://www.tvdsb.ca/files/filesystem/FifthDiseaseIP.pdf

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ETFO Provincial's Scholarship and Bursary Programme offers financial assistance to members and non-members entering faculties of education; members studying at the graduate level and members upgrading their qualifications at publicly funded universities/institutions in Ontario. This includes bursaries for members of designated groups, including Black and Indigenous educators and bursaries for children of ETFO members.

The application deadline is April 30th. For more information and application details, click on https://www.etfo.ca/about-us/awards-scholarships/etfo-scholarships-and-bursaries

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The International Day of Pink is Wednesday, April 8/26 and this year's theme is "Solidarity in Every Shade".

ETFO Provincial is offering pink T-shirts to commemorate this day. The deadline to order is February 27/27 and here is the link https://shop.etfo.ca/collections/clothing

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For 50 years, Educators Financial Group has been offering financial planning and a wide selection of investing and lending products and services exclusively to education members and their families. It is this strong history that has enabled them to become the education community’s financial specialist — empowering educators to achieve their financial goals.

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Win $100 with the TVOT Survey; Red 4 Ed shirt? Additional Membership Meeting March 4/26; Smaller Class Size Petition;

 

You Could Win!

Your TVOT Local is holding a random draw from those members who complete our Membership Survey. 

Five lucky members will each win a $100 gift card so please take a few minutes to help us better meet your needs. 

The survey closes February 17/26 at noon. Winners will be announced and contacted later that same day. 

Click on this link to participate - http://www.surveyshare.com/s/AYAWNEC

System only accepts one survey per member.

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Free T Shirt  - Are You Interested?

Your TVOT Local is considering purchasing these T-shirts with our logo added, for members who would like to wear "Red for Education" on Mondays alongside the permanent Teachers of Thames Valley.

These unisex shirts are 100% cotton with compacted yarn to minimize shrinkage. If you are interested in receiving a shirt, please contact us at mail@etfotvot.com and indicate your preference as sizes range from S - 6XL. We will notify members if there is enough interest to proceed with the order.

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NOTICE: 
Additional Membership Meeting and Dinner on Wednesday, March 4/26

After a detailed review of our Local's Constitution, the TVOT Executive has decided to hold an after school membership meeting on March 4, 2026 to present these amendments to the membership. 

We invite TVOT members to enjoy a lovely dinner, meet other Occasional Teachers and bring forward their concerns.

The meeting will begin at 4:30 PM at the Lamplighter Inn in London. Look for further details and notice of the amendments in our Wednesday Blog next week.

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ETFO Provincial has begun their petition campaign for smaller class sizes. ETFO Teacher stewards will have copies available at school for OTs to add their signature (Queens Park does not accept electronic petitions) so don't miss this chance to affect the change we need in our schools. 

Did you know that Clara Brenton PS has lost $3,052.56 per student in funding since 2018. That's more than a $2 million dollars no longer available to support students at Clara Brenton. To see how funding cuts have hurt the schools in TVDSB click on https://www.buildingbetterschools.ca/education_cuts_tracker

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Resource Rebates; More Paid PD; Smaller Classes BIG DIFFERENCE Petition; ETFO Women's Day T-shirts; ETFO Awards Program- Deadline; ETFO Conferences and Webinar

 

Resource Rebates - Remember that TVOT members may submit a claim for up to $75 to be used to purchase professional book(s) or resources related to their elementary professional needs. Members may submit one claim/school year using the form which is available to members who register on our Local  website www.etfotvot.com .

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More Paid PD - Were you aware that TVOT members can participate in paid PD anytime, and from anywhere? Check out what TVDSB is offering for online professional development at https://stafflearninghub.tvdsb.ca/d2l/home/13821 and follow the directions so that you are paid on completion of the module. Further information is available in the Staff Development section of the Staff Hub.

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Please sign the Petition! TVOT members are being encouraged to seek out the ETFO Petitions that Stewards are collecting at their schools. This is part of ETFO's bargaining campaign for reduced class sizes, and completed petitions will be submitted to Queen's Park by Provincial ETFO, in support of the next round of negotiations. Click here for more information - https://etfocb.ca/

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Provincial ETFO's tee-shirts celebrating  International Women's Day are now on sale. To purchase  one click on https://shop.etfo.ca/collections/clothing

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Deadline is Approaching!

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Join an Webinar hosted by the Ontario Teachers' Federation. Find out more at https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/learning/otf-connects/webinars/

OTF Connects webinars Les webinaires de FEO

January/Janvier 2026

Elementary Money Math Made Simple (en anglais seulement) Date: January 22, 2026 Time: 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. REGISTER NOW Explore the world of money through some practical approaches that align with the financial literary strand in Mathematics. Join the Bank of Canada Museum for this informative presentation and learn all about saving and spending, budgeting and investing and calculating and converting change. You’ll be provided with multiple entry points into financial literacy and money for Grades K-6, including interactive lesson plans, activities, and even an escape room! Meet your Presenter Heather Montgomery is a long-time museum educator who has a passion for inquiry-learning and making economics fun. She designed the Bank of Canada Museum’s successful on-site school programs and has worked on many lesson plans including learning about bank notes, money and math, and inflation.

Next up !

It Starts with Words…Commemorating the Holocaust (en anglais seulement) Date: January 27, 2026 Time: 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. REGISTER NOW January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorates the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. In this webinar you will be guided through Liberation75’s new 3-module classroom-ready student program, Surviving the Holocaust, By Chance Alone: Max Eisen’s Story. Designed to support Holocaust curriculum in Ontario classrooms, this program can be integrated into a variety of grades and subject areas. Participants will be introduced to both student and teacher resources that are included in the program. Meet your Presenter Melissa Mikel recently earned her Doctoral Degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in rural Ontario, before serving as Director of Education with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies in Toronto for sixteen years. In this capacity, Dr. Mikel created and implemented extensive programming on topics of the Holocaust, antisemitism, and racism for thousands of students, educators, law enforcement personnel, and other professionals from diverse sectors across Canada. She is currently the director of scholarships for the 30 Birds Foundation and works as a consultant with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and Liberation75. ____________________________ 2026 OTIP Teaching Awards— Nominations now open! There are three categories of awards: elementary teacher, secondary teacher and beginning teacher (in the first five years of teaching). A teacher may be nominated by anyone—professional colleagues, students, parents, or the general public. Winners will receive a personal award of $1,000 and a Certificate of Recognition. The Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) and the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) are proud co-sponsors of the OTIP Teaching Awards. For many years, these awards have recognized the excellence of our teachers in publicly funded education.   The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2026. To nominate or for further information, visit teachingawards.ca.

Nothing less than a half-day; Education Act and Teachers; Job Integrity; LTOs and NTIP; Paid PD on January 30th PA Day; A Members' Guide to AI; Bell Let's Talk Day;

 

1) The minimum pay a daily OT will receive is for a half-day. Remuneration will be pro-rated for assignments that exceed a half-day / 150 minutes. (Article L7.03) N.B. Those who teach in secondary as well, cannot exceed one full day by teaching partial assignments in both panels. (Article L7.04)

2) The Education Act requires all Teachers to "...be present in the classroom or teaching area and ensure that the teaching area is ready for the reception of pupils at least 15 minutes before the commencement of classes in the school in the morning and where applicable, 5 minutes before the commencement of classes in the school in the afternoon."

3) Being a member of ETFO means you never have to stand alone! Your TVOT Local is here to support you and to advocate for you. Contact us with questions or concerns at 519-641-3936 or by email at mail@etfotvot.com .

4)  A daily OT who accepts an assignment, shall be placed in that assignment UNLESS they have accepted a non-classroom job in which case they can be re-assigned when there is a vacant classroom position at the school. (Article L16.07)

5) LTOs who are participating in NTIP, do not participate in the Teacher Performance Appraisal elements of the program, submitting long-range plans, observations etc., as these requirements are only for permanent Teachers.

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Friday, January 30th is a PA day and TVDSB is offering an opportunity for daily OTs to participate in PD sessions and be paid as if they were teaching.

Half-day sessions are still available for the following:

- Diving into Equity in Your Role

- Anti-Sex Trafficking: Why Education Matters

- Math Scope & Sequence: A Digital Toolkit for OTs

- Physical Education on the Go: Ideas for OTs

For information about these sessions, and to register, log into the Employee Portal and click on "Conference/Session Registration where you will find "Elementary/Dual Occasional Teacher PD". It's your negotiated opportunity to Earn While You Learn on a day when you normally would lose the chance to work.

N.B. - These sessions are for daily OTs and those in LTOs of .5 or less FTE.

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You dedicate your life to helping others, and (please tag @OTIP on Facebook, @OTIP_Insurance on X, or @otip_insurance on Instagram here) dedicates theirs to protecting you with complete insurance solutions built for the education community. Get a quote to receive a $20 gift card: https://bit.ly/4j1DOTf

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As of this year, Bell will have donated $194 million for mental health initiatives through the Bell Let's Talk campaign.

Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to download the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit and Conversation Guides and share your own actions using #BellLetsTalk.

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Click on the link to tell Provincial ETFO your story about smaller class sizes - https://etfocb.ca/tell-us-your-class-size-story/

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About TVARRIS; Paid PD Opportunities; ETFO Legal Assistance; LTOs and Inclement Weather; ETFO Provincial Award Applications

 

1) TVARRIS glitches are most prevalent when members are using the mobile app. TVDSB recommends members use the web browser on their phones instead, and the Local thanks the many members who reported this issue to us so that we could bring the matter to the attention of the Board.

2) The TVARRIS job number determines who will be paid - the OT with the job number when they arrive at school, will always be the person who is paid so be certain that the Teacher who requested you, inputs the absence into the system, or you may be disappointed to find someone else has picked up the job.

3) When job-shopping, members will only see jobs that are available from the schools they have selected in their TVARRIS profile so OTs may wish to make themselves more widely available. Consider the many county schools just outside the city - they are often gems!

4) The September Apple iOS 26 release has new screening features which may affect OTs receiving calls from TVARRIS  so we encourage members to add the TVARRIS number to your Contacts: 1-888-209-3162

5) An OT who has cancelled a previously accepted job may not accept another job for that same day without first contacting the TVARRIS Coordinator. (No more than 3 occurrences per school year).

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- TVDSB automatically deducts the annual Ontario College of Teachers' (OCT) fee from the salary of those who are in a long-term assignment at the beginning of each January so check you upcoming pay stub to ensure. OCT fees are due in January.

- TVDSB only requires daily OTs to teach 10 days per school year in order to remain on the elementary OT List. 

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Start the new year with an extra $100 in your pocket when you open and invest in a new RRSP, TFSA, FHSA, or non-registered account* at (please tag @Educators Financial Group on Facebook or @EducatorsFG on X/Instagram). Invest in your future today: https://bit.ly/44H8WS7. #EFGtips

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LTOs and Snow Days: Just a reminder to those in long-term assignments that if necessary, they can access an "Act of Nature" day if it is unsafe to drive - 

Article L9.04(b) Act of Nature – A Long-Term Occasional Teacher who is unavoidably absent due to a local act of nature over which no one has control may be granted up to three (3) school days leave per school year with no deduction of sick leave. A Teacher may apply in writing to the Superintendent of Human Resources or designate for an increase in the maximum allowable days under this section. It is understood and agreed that a “local act of nature” is an act of nature that occurs within the geographic area between the Teacher’s home address and the school or worksite of said Teacher.

It is understood as agreed to under the Central Letter of Agreement #7 that the combined maximum number of days for care days and act of nature days is five (5) days per school year. The days shall not be used for the purpose of sick leave nor shall they be accumulated from year to year.

Please also note - 

Article L10.01: INCLEMENT WEATHER - A Long-Term Occasional Teacher or a Short-Term Occasional Teacher who is delayed by local weather and/or road conditions but arrives at school as soon as possible during the regular school hours of that day will not have a salary deduction made. It is the Occasional Teacher’s responsibility to notify the Principal, Supervisor or designate of the situation as soon as possible. “Local” means within the geographic area between the Occasional Teacher’s home address and the school or worksite of said Occasional Teacher.

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