Your Provincial ETFO ID Card/Apple Card

Your Provincial ETFO ID Card / Apple Card

In order to register for Provincial ETFO conferences, participate in any online votes and qualify for the Edvantage discounts, need to have your ETFO membership number.  Your ETFO ID number is found on the front of your membership card just beneath your name.  If you have misplaced your membership card, call the Provincial office at 1-888-838-3836 anytime between 8 AM and 5 PM and ask for Member Records.

 

Did you know that your ETFO apple ID card gives you access to “Edvantage”/ www.edvantage.ca - a rewards program for the exclusive use of those in the education field with discounts from more than 40 partners such as:

·         Apple
·         Alamo Car Rental
·         Baka Mobile – discounts for Bell
·         BMO – Mastercard with 17.5% interest
·         CAA - $15 dollars off membership
·         Campus discount magazines
·         Canada’s Wonderland - discounts
·         CarCost - car purchasing service
·         CarStar Collision and Glass
·         Core Learning educational materials
·         Dignity Memorial
·         Dulux Paint discounts
·         Educator’s Financial Group
·         Electronics for Less - appliances, entertainment etc.
·         Enterprise Rent a Car – 9 % discount
·         Execulink internet
·         Niagara Hotel and Waterpark discounts
·         FTD Florists
·         Goodlife Fitness
·         Great Wolfe Lodge
·         H & R Block
·         Hakim Optical
·         Listen up Canada
·         National Car Rental
·         Nutcracker Suite Gift Baskets
·         Ontario Teachers’ Insurance Plan
·         Ontario Snow Resorts Association
·         Ortho Car
·         Park Hyatt
·         Park ‘n Fly
·         Perkopolis
·         Roots
·         Scholars Education
·         Soft Moc
·         The Brick
·         Tip Top Tailors
·         Toronto FC and Toronto Raptors
·         Via Rail
·         Young Drivers
·         21^st Century Travel Insurance  

    Local Meetings
   We look forward to hosting 75 members at our First Professional Development Event of the school year at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn tomorrow afternoon from 4:30 - 7:30 PM.  Space for this PD was limited to 75 participants which was reached quickly.  We do have several members on a waiting list, so if you do have to cancel for any reason, please edit your registration on the website and/or contact our office by email (mail@etfotvot.com) or telephone 519-641-3936 so that another member can take your place.

    Registration is open for the Fall General Meeting which will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at the Elm Hurst Inn in Ingersoll.  Come enjoy a fabulous dinner (included) and door prizes including three $200 gift cards.

     Members are encouraged to bring along donations in support of Merrymount Children's Centre.

     For registration and notice of constitutional amendments check out the members section of www.etfotvot.com.

Be in the Know

Be in the Know

This is a bargaining year. For up to the date information about the current round of negotiations and articles of interest to all members visit http://www.etfocb.ca/

The Connected Communities project is comprised of a series of new online sessions with a team of teacher experts.  Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education, online sessions will take the form of webcasts, webinars and online communities of learners designed to support teaching and learning in mathematics and technology-enabled learning.

The project begins with nine webinars, run by members for members, during the month of November on topics such as: developing rich problem-solving, communication, getting comfortable with mathematics, using technology across the curriculum, gamification, google docs and apps, 21st century learners, iPads/iPods and media for learning.

Registration is available in both PDF and RTF formats.  Please fax your completed form to ETFO-AQ at 416-355-6753.  For more information visit the ETFO website or email Janet Millar Grant at jmillargrant@etfo.org.

Take a few minutes to check the TVOT Local Website.  This is your career and profession, be informed.  The majority of our members have registered accounts on the TVOT Local Website, there is still a small minority of our membership that have not yet registered- please go online and register today.  If you experience any problems or have any questions, we are always available at the office to walk you through the steps.  Please use your personal email address as it is inappropriate to use the Board's First Class to contact the Union; nor is it private.

There are still several spots available for our upcoming PD event on October 30th, at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn from 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm.  Interview Skills for Occasional Teachers is being presented by Sylvia Van Campen.   Dinner will be served and there is no charge to members.


  

Focus Group Sessions, LTO Grids and upcoming PD

Focus Group Opportunity:
Just to let members know that ETFO Provincial is working with NOW Communications and Viewpoints Research to conduct focus group sessions on ETFO "branding" in London on October 29th.  ETFO members will be randomly selected from our membership database of Thames Valley members.  If you are contacted, we urge you to accept this opportunity - your input will be greatly valued!

New Grid for LTOs:
To find the new grid for LTOs log in to the TVDSB Employee Portal and from the top, select Organizational Support Services > Human Resources > Teaching Staff - Elementary (from the side panel) > Collective Agreements > MOU - Elementary Equalization Grid for September 2014.
To find the daily rate, divide the annual salary shown on the grid.  This figure includes the 4% vacation pay.

Upcoming PD Event that you requested:
Join us on Thursday, October 30, 2014 from 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn, for an evening of Interview Preparation Skills!  Learn how to anticipate questions and promote  your professional strengths and accomplishments during a teaching interview.  Registration for this event is available via the etfotvot website at www.etfotvot.com.  Space is limited, avoid disappointment.

Pocket Calendars and Newsletters have been mailed out. 

Passing of Ken Beckett

It is with great sadness that the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers' Local notes the passing of Ken Beckett, Local President 1998-2000.  Ken spent his teaching career advocating for Teachers and later Occasional Teachers.  Ken had the difficult task of amalgamating the Collective Agreements from Elgin, London, Middlesex and Oxford into our first Thames Valley Agreement.  He was generous with his advice and mentored many into leadership positions with the Union.  He will be missed.

Pocket Calendars and Newsletters:  We have experienced delays out of our control in mailing the Pocket Calendars and Newsletters to our members.  We have been informed they will be mailed this week.  Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

Upcoming Professional Development Event:  Join us on Thursday, October 30, 2014, from 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm, at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn, for an evening of Interview Preparation Skills!  Learn how to anticipate questions and promote your professional strengths and accomplishments during a teaching interview.  Registration for this requested Professional Development will be open shortly at www.etfotvot.com.
 

Two Upcoming ETFO Provincial Conference Oppportunities

ETFO Provincial’s ICT Conference: Technology for Teachers is the first of two conferences funded by the Ministry of Education. The conference will take place at the ETFO Office in Toronto and OISE/UT on November 28-29, 2014. The target audience is members interested in learning about new technology and online resources to engage today’s students. The conference includes two keynote speakers: Michelle Derosier will highlight how technology can create social change and lawyer, Robyn White, who will speak about the importance of practicing caution when communicating electronically.

Presentations of technology projects from across the province will be shared on Friday while Saturday workshops will provide hands-on opportunities to learn more about SMART Boards, iPads, Google Drive, programming, Minecraft, Social Networking and various online resources. This will be an exciting learning and networking opportunity for members from across the province. The application form is highlighted on the ETFO home page at www.etfo.ca.

The registration fee is $75 and covers the cost of conference materials, travel, meals and release time.  Deadline for applications is October 13th but register early as spaces are limited. Successful applicants will be notified by email prior to October 24.  Details are available at www.etfo.ca.


ETFO Provincial's Thriving in a Challenging Workplace: Good Health and Well-being is being offered November 25-26, 2014 at the ETFO Office in Toronto. Topics will include mental health issues, healthy eating, incorporating physical exercise into your daily routine, stress reduction, voice care, conflict resolution etc.

The deadline for registration is October 21, 2014. The registration fee is $50 and covers the cost of conference materials, travel, meals and release time. Details are available at www.etfo.ca.