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.