etfo - anual report 2009

2009 rePort to the AnnUAl MeetinG e l e m e n ta ry t e ac h e r s ’ f e d e r at i o n o f o n ta r i o Table of ConTenTs 1 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG ThE ElEMEnTARY TEAChERS’ FEDERATIOn OF OnTARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PRESIDEnT’S REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2009 3 GEnERAl SECRETARY’S REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ETFO MEMBER SuRVEY 2008-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ThE lEGISlATIVE YEAR In REVIEw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 InSIDE ETFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Equity and women’s Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Professional Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Protective Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Political Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 40 ETFO humanity Fund Enhanced Professional Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 OuTSIDE ETFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 ETFO and The Canadian Teachers’ Federation . . . . . 47 ETFO and The labour Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 ETFO in The Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 2009 ETFO AwARD RECIPIEnTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 2008 - 2009 ETFO STAnDInG COMMITTEES . . . . 53 2007-2009 ETFO EXECuTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 2008 - 2009 ETFO lOCAl PRESIDEnTS . . . . . . . . . 57 ETFO STAFF JunE 30, 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 2 The elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) represents 73,000 public elementary school teachers and education workers across Ontario. It is the largest teacher federation in Canada. ETFO members work in more than 2,600 schools across the province. They teach, support, and inspire almost one million children ranging in age from four to 14 years. Approved each year by the Annual Meeting, the following priorities guide the activities and initiatives undertaken by the Federation: E to protect the collective bargaining rights of all members; E to defend publicly-funded public education; E to serve the needs of the membership; E to provide for the professional development of members; E to promote social justice in the areas of anti-poverty, non-violence, and equity; E to support international assistance and cooperation; E to promote the care and protection of the environment; E to actively engage members in the Federation; E to promote and protect the health and safety of members. PresidenT’s rePorT 3 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl our fighT for fairness and equaliTy History has shown us that the fight for fairness and equality is a struggle that is never easy. Our fight for fairness and equality for elementary students and ETFO members is such a struggle. Over the past twelve months we have witnessed how titanic our struggle is and how much the world can change. Over those months we have seen the current provincial government take what can only be called a hard right turn in its public education policy, not only in how they dealt with collective bargaining but by the “student achievement” agenda they have adopted. At our August 2008 Annual Meeting, the Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne, was asked when elementary teachers could expect to be respected equally to secondary teachers. Her response, and here I quote directly, was that “elementary teachers are valued equally, but how that value is measured can be different.” What was then a confusing response was made crystal clear in the months ahead. MEETInG 2009 The Premier’s Public Threat The Premier himself offered the first clarification of these cryptic words on the first day of school. His public threat, that the government intended to remove the salary incentives that were potentially available unless an agreement was signed by November 30th, was a public statement that he believed that public elementary teachers only cared about money; that elementary teachers would abandon their principles and that fear and greed would ultimately rule the day. During visits to almost every local in Ontario from September to December, I explained how little difference a 1 percent salary increase would make in our members’ working lives, compared to the 115 hours more they teach each year than a secondary teacher; compared to the additional time our members spend on report cards; or compared to the size of Junior/ Intermediate classes, the inequities in preparation time, and all the other demands placed on elementary teachers. Equally important, I listened to our members concerns as the global economic crisis unfolded around us all. At the end of November, the government approached us to resume talks with the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and the November 30 deadline was extended to December 5. We returned to the table only after assurances by the Minister of Education herself that her government would support our tentative financial plan if OPSBA would agree to it. elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 4 The ETFO Proposal Working within the government’s financial parameters, we developed a proposal that would support our members and invest in our students, our communities, and our province. The proposal that we crafted offered the best strategy to address the working conditions priorities of our members, the need to protect the careers of members facing job losses due to declining enrolment, and the need to accommodate the current economic climate in the communities in which our members live and work. Our proposal would have created 1,500 additional elementary teaching positions across the province, at no additional cost to government, to address teachers’ workload issues. And, it would have meant that no ETFO member would have received less in-pocket salary over the four years of the agreement than any other teacher. We openly acknowledged that in putting forward this proposal our grid rates at the end of the four years would have been less in relation to those of other teachers. Although the government conceded that our proposal was workable, it was rejected by OPSBA, who then countered with a proposal that demanded strips to our collective agreements, including language that would have given principals control over teachers’ preparation time. OPSBA in essence held hostage the salary being offered by the government to their regressive and unparalleled demands to accept strips to our collective agreements. The process chosen by Minister Wynne provided OPSBA with the ability to try to extort at the provincial discussion table concessions they had never attempted anywhere else. Needless to say, our answer was no and we resumed our focus on local bargaining, telling the boards that we expected to see full proposals by February 13. A Toxic Environment was Ensured The death knell for ethical and constructive negotiations came on February 10, when the Education Minister presented us with a take-it-or-leave-it proposal with a two-day deadline. Within hours of handing us the document, she made its contents public, thereby ensuring a toxic environment for any further negotiations. After meeting with local presidents, the ETFO provincial Executive concluded unanimously that the government’s proposal, which contained a reduced salary increase (10 percent versus 12 percent over four years) but none of OPSBA contract strips, was the best that could be realized for our members considering the deteriorating economic conditions in Ontario. On February 12, ETFO accepted the deal despite the flawed process from which it came. In signing this agreement we also acknowledged the utter contempt the McGuinty government has demonstrated for elementary teachers and students, their refusal to address the gap in funding they perpetuate between the elementary and secondary panels, and the disdain they have shown for free collective bargaining. Government Punishes Elementary Students The government’s final offer matched the wage increases ETFO had proposed in December, but did not use the $130 million freed up by our proposal to create 1,500 teaching jobs in Ontario communities. The message that comes from this should be clear to everyone. In its efforts to punish elementary teachers for not signing earlier, the government was also punishing elementary students. What a legacy for a Liberal government that has positioned itself as a champion of public education. With this toxic environment behind us, we concentrated our efforts on securing local collective agreements. At the end of the day, the 2008-2012 settlements for both elementary teachers and occasional teachers were comparable to those achieved in 2004-2008. This is no small accomplishment, considering the unprecedented and unwarranted intrusion of OPSBA and the provincial government in the collective bargaining process. The task ahead is to protect the gains we have made in our collective agreements. If we are complacent and allow breaches to our agreements to be ignored, our efforts over the past year will have been wasted. From our experience in the recent round of negotiations, we can be sure that some boards and their representatives will take every opportunity to undermine any rights that we ignore and are not prepared to defend. We must be vigilant to ensure this does not happen. 5 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 The Student Achievement Agenda As the year unfolded the government continued to advance its “student achievement” agenda, an agenda that is centered on the results of EQAO testing. After a governance review of school boards, legislation was passed that will allow the government to take over a school board that fails to meet its “student achievement” targets as measured by its EQAO results. Even more alarming was the creation by the Ministry of Education of their School Information Finder website. The website was created with the expressed purpose of allowing and encouraging parents to compare EQAO scores with schools having similar demographic backgrounds. Despite unanimous condemnation and a call for its dismantling from all of the education stakeholders, the Minister and her government have steadfastly refused to disable the site or to even acknowledge the legitimacy of the concerns that have been expressed. In June the long awaited report on Early Childhood Education written by Dr Charles Pascal was made public. While the report calls on the government to invest a billion dollars, it utterly fails to acknowledge the professionalism of kindergarten teachers and instead implies, by the staffing model recommended, that Early Childhood Educators can do the job of qualified teachers. If implemented, students in junior and senior kindergarten full-day programs will only be assigned a teacher half time. ETFO will do all in its power to oppose such a plan, which throws away the chance for the best possible educational experience for students while at the same time denigrating the professional skills of teachers. elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 6 Public Education Tied to Political Expediency The events over the past year have taught us a great deal. Foremost among the lessons we have learned is the extent to which public education is tied to political expediency. The continuation of onerous working conditions for elementary teachers is justified by many factors, including shifting economic conditions, misguided demands for education accountability, and unending ‘innovations’ in how public education is delivered. ETFO’s response to these challenges has not and will not change. We will continue to be an advocate for public education and fight for the fairness and equality that is long overdue for both elementary students and teachers. We will continue to educate our members on how the province’s funding gap maintains working conditions that are demeaning and unacceptable to elementary teachers and how significant the elimination of the gap will be to them professionally and personally. Closing the funding gap is an honorable and important objective for our federation. It is about nothing less than ensuring that the necessary funding for elementary education is in place and continually available to shape the citizens of tomorrow. We will continue to challenge this government’s narrow focus on what they see as student achievement. A school is more than simply a test score. The obsession with EQAO results negates what public education should be about. The government’s School Information Finder, by labeling schools and communities along demographic and socio-economic lines, is the very antithesis of what we believe. The recommendations of the Pascal report and what it means for the future of Kindergarten and the teaching profession in Ontario will not go unchallenged in the year ahead. Solidarity Is Our Greatest Strength As the largest teacher federation in Ontario, we have the resources, the people, and the resolve to take on these challenges. By working together, and recognizing that our solidarity is our greatest strength, we can shape the public education system that elementary students deserve, that elementary teachers are demanding, and that ultimately the future of Ontario needs. David Clegg President general seCreTary’s rePorT 7 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl eTfo: The seCond deCade begins Our Roots Many ETFO members have fond memories of the Federation of Women Teachers’ Associations of Ontario (FWTAO) and the Ontario Public School Teachers’ Federation (OPSTF), the two organizations that came together in 1998 to create ETFO. However, for more than half of our members ETFO is the only teacher federation they have known. That alone speaks to the tremendous change that we experienced in our first decade. Over that period ETFO grew in influence and in sophistication. Our membership increased and we became the number one teacher federation in Canada. The federations that preceded ETFO had a long proud history of fighting for elementary teachers and for public education. ETFO has continued that tradition. Our challenge, as we move into the second decade, is to ensure that elementary teachers are respected and fully equal partners in the public education system. MEETInG 2009 The lost Years Some members lived through and remember vividly the turmoil of the years Mike Harris and Ernie Eves led Conservative governments in this province and their attacks on teachers and their federations. For others these are events from a history book, something they did not personally experience. From either perspective it is clear that wrenching resources from public education to fund tax cuts for the well-to-do was a tremendous disservice to Ontario’s children and public education. A new Approach Even our newest members will appreciate the change in climate that occurred in 2003. With the election of the McGuinty Liberals we have experienced a government with a more positive commitment to the social and educational welfare of Ontario citizens. Teachers and their federations are more readily seen as partners in the education system. The government has provided increased resources for education, reduced class sizes in some elementary grades, and has shown its commitment to teacher professionalism through the allocation of targeted funding to ETFO for the development and delivery of professional development programs for teachers. But we’re not there yet. elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 8 Three Challenges for This Government ClOSE ThE GAP Even though the importance of early learning is widely recognized, elementary schools still place a distant second in our education system when it comes to funding: the funding the government provides annually for each elementary student is more than $700 a year less than what it provides for secondary students. This is a historical inequity. For years it was assumed that secondary education was more important and deserved higher levels of financial support. What we know today about the importance of early learning should make increased support for elementary education a given. It is not something teachers and parents should have to fight for. PROVIDE Full DAY KInDERGARTEn TAuGhT BY TEAChERS In SChOOlS Research shows that it is children’s learning experience in the early years that sets the foundation for lifelong academic success. During the 2007 election campaign, the Premier committed to creating full-day kindergarten programs beginning in 2010. Most voters believed that meant an extension of the current programs located in schools and taught by qualified teachers. The government appears to be considering a lesser model that does not include teachers working with children for the full day. The singular benefit of a program that is not staffed by fully qualified teachers is that it is cheaper; on all other counts it is inferior. There is a very real concern that if a government believes kindergarten programs can be delivered by non teachers, it will have the same belief for many other components of the education system. Such an approach will eventually erode both the professionalism of the act and art of teaching and the very quality of public education in our province. We will continue to work with the government to implement a high quality education program for early learners that respects their educational needs and is delivered by teachers. DISCOnTInuE STAnDARDIzED TESTInG – SAMPlE TESTInG wIll DO ThE JOB The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) was originally established to monitor the implementation of curriculum in schools. Today it is being used for little other than to rank schools. While the testing regime has been of minimal value to teachers in the classroom it has been a major benefit for the real estate industry. Now, with the advent of the Ontario government’s School Information Finder website, EQAO results and other data are being used to rank communities as well. The mere existence of this website harkens back to the lost years. Our children should not be the pawns in this kind of game. The old adage that says if you want to know how your child is doing in school ask the teacher is still as true today as it ever was. Teachers do not provide a snapshot in time of one dimension of a child’s learning; teachers provide a long term overview of the progress that is being made on a range of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that parents expect their children to develop in school. Most people would feel that it is reasonable for the government to monitor the effectiveness of curriculum implementation; statisticians tell us that can be done reliably with random sample testing. There is no need to test every student; the resources that this consumes could be used much more effectively in classrooms. Taking a new approach will also relieve the undue stress the EQAO tests create for a great many students, teachers, and 9 parents and restore the hundreds of hours of instructional time lost to the administration of the tests. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 Four Challenges for ETFO wORK TO IMPROVE ThE EDuCATIOn OF ChIlDREn In POVERTY To its credit the provincial government has made a significant impact on learning in this province with its focus on literacy and numeracy and its support for teacher professional learning. We know that the work of the classroom teacher is the critical factor for student success. While schools can’t do it all, giving them resources that specifically benefit the children of poor families can make a significant difference. For example, funding for school nutrition programs is essential, because we know that the hungry student can’t learn. In addition there must be funding to give families access to such health care services as dental and vision care, speech therapy, and psychological services – services that more affluent families can more easily provide for their children. Elementary schools need the funding to provide arts and physical education specialists and teacher librarians, so that children of poor families have access to programs and opportunities that more affluent families pay for out of pocket. It means providing funding that gives teachers increased preparation time to prepare differentiated lessons, that allows smaller Junior and Intermediate classes, and that gives teachers time to reach out to and work with parents. The foundation for student success is laid in the early years of a child’s life. Ensuring that the resources are available is essential for a province that wants to leverage the skills and talents of all of its young citizens and make them into the most productive members of society they can be. The Federation must work with the provincial government to ensure that the funding is realized. Elementary teachers must make every effort to support their students to break the cycle of poverty. EnSuRE ADhEREnCE TO ThE 2008-2012 COllECTIVE AGREEMEnTS The provincial agreement that ETFO accepted contains important provisions that enhance our members’ professionalism. Unlike agreements signed by other federations, the ETFO agreement does not contain a preamble that ties collective agreement provisions to student success and increasing confidence in public education. For ETFO members, the current requirements under Regulation 298 remain in force: teachers must be in the school for 15 minutes before class in the morning and five minutes before class in the afternoon, but how they use those minutes is based on their own professional judgment. The agreement acknowledges that teachers as professionals have a right to control their own preparation time. Local agreements include improvements in supervision time, preparation time, and other working conditions that benefit both students and teachers. For many decades, elementary teachers have been treated with less respect than their secondary counterparts, perhaps because they are largely women, perhaps because they have chosen to teach young children. While good progress was made in many areas, the Minister chose to penalize public elementary teachers. The reason is known to her alone; the result, public elementary teachers will work through this contract with a salary that is 2 elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 10 percent below that of every other teacher in Ontario. No similar loss in compensation will be experienced by the government representatives or employer representatives who were party to the negotiations. The challenge now is for ETFO members and locals to ensure that employers fully honour their obligations under the new collective agreements. The collective agreement provisions that promise improved working conditions will only be realized in practice if members ensure that they are adhered to. IMPROVE wORKInG RElATIOnShIPS In SChOOlS Good relationships are key if schools are to be successful, and ETFO members have a role to play. The best way to improve relations in any work site is to ensure that a respectful and collegial relationship exists between and among administrators and teachers. Ensuring that collective agreement provisions are adhered to is the key to maintaining a professional atmosphere within the school. Maintaining good relationships and fulfilling the requirements of the collective agreement are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are complementary. Many administrators understand how to ensure that the collective agreement is respected and maintain excellent relationships with their staff. They accomplish this by involving staff in problem-solving and decision-making, and by recognizing that a collective agreement is a legally binding document with which they must comply. TEAChERS MuST lEAD In ThEIR SChOOlS While principals have a number of legal and administrative roles within the school, that does not necessarily mean that they are or should be the sole educational leader in the school. Groups of teachers who are experienced in curriculum design and implementation, knowledgeable in behavior management issues, and effective instructors are better placed to make many of the educational decisions that need to be made in the school. Effective principals will acknowledge and support such a collegial approach to leadership. Tremendous leadership potential exists within our membership: people with the skills and ability to make a difference not only in their own classrooms but also in their schools and communities. Enthusiastic, Vital, Proud, and Diverse We are an organization brimming with enthusiasm and vitality, justifiable pride, and diverse interests. Our foremost goal is the welfare of our members. At the same time, we recognize that Ontario’s children are its greatest asset. We are working hard to ensure that they receive the lessons, supports, and resources they need to lead productive lives in a civil society. This annual report provides an overview of the wide range of programs and services that our federation provides for its members, as well as our work in the broader community. I encourage you to read about our work, think about our goals, and join us in building a brighter future for Ontario’s citizens. Gene Lewis General Secretary eTfo member surVey 2008-2009 Every year, ETFO distributes their comprehensive survey to all of its members asking them to provide information on years of service, grades taught, professional qualifications, and other characteristics. At the time the data for this report was compiled, ETFO had received responses from more than 35,000 members, representing almost 50 percent of the ETFO membership. This information gained through this survey is used to inform decisions the federation makes about programs and activities and to predict future needs. MEMBERS* 2001-2002 Teachers Occ. Teachers ESP/PSP/ECE Total 51 ,49 1 1 2 ,7 7 9 229 6 4 ,49 9 2002-2003 51 ,0 2 3 1 3,7 9 7 2 55 6 5,0 7 5 2003-2004 51 ,1 1 7 1 5,8 1 3 3 34 6 7, 2 64 2004-2005 52 ,754 1 6,1 37 307 69,098 2005-2006 53,470 1 7, 2 43 334 71 ,047 2006-2007 54,659 1 8 ,556 288 73,503 2007-2008 55,41 6 1 9,495 2 94 75, 2 05 2008-2009 55,146 2 0,5 41 281 75,968 11 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl Part-time work Only 11 percent of teacher members work parttime. The overwhelming majority, 88 percent, work full-time. Only 3 percent of male teachers work part-time while 13 percent of female teachers work part-time. Part-time work among male members has decreased slightly from last year, while the percentage of women teachers who work part-time is unchanged. MEETInG 2009 *The same member may have multiple membership types. Gender Over the past nine years, the percentage of ETFO members who are women has remained stable at approximately 80 percent. Age Forty-three percent of teacher members are between the ages of 45 and 54. Twenty- five percent are under 35. Over the past nine years, the percentage of members in the 45-54 age category has decreased from 43 percent to 28 percent, while the percentage in the 55-64 age category and the 25-34 age category has increased from six percent to 13 percent and from 24 percent to 27 percent respectively. SEPTEMBER 3, 2008 Teachers Demand Fairness for Elementary Students elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 12 The age distribution among occasional teachers and ESP/PSP members is quite different. Seventy percent of occasional teachers are over the age of 45, 41 percent are over 55, and 17 percent are under 35. The percentage of occasional teacher members in the 45-54 age category has decreased from 29 percent to 11 percent over the past nine years. Among ESP/PSP members, 38 percent are over 45 and 27 percent are under 35. Only 36 percent of ETFO members reported that they did not have a specialist certificate. Over 34 percent of the teacher members reported that they had one specialist certificate and over 17 percent had two certificates. The most common specialist certificate (held by 21 percent of the members) was for special education. Sixty-six percent of ETFO members have a QECO (Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario) rating of A4 and another 22 percent have an A3 rating. Qualifications ETFO members are well-trained and well-qualified for teaching in elementary classrooms. Approximately 78 percent of members reported that they hold a B.A., slightly more than 80 percent hold a B.Ed, and 12 percent hold a master’s degree. Years of Experience Nineteen percent of teacher members have less than five years of experience, 38 percent have less than 11 years of experience, and only 6 percent have more than 30 years experience. TEAChER MEMBERS – YEARS OF EXPERIEnCE 2008/2009 VS 2000/2001 30% 20% 10% 4% 0% <1 1% 1-4 5-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 19% 31% 2000/2001 2008/2009 15% 16% 17% 15% 16% 12% 14% 10% 13% 7% 6% 4% 31 + years OCCASIOnAl TEAChER MEMBERS – YEARS OF EXPERIEnCE 2008/2009 VS 2002/2003 32% 30% 20% 10% 0% <1 1-4 5-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31 + 7% 7% 17% 9% 11% 7% 5% 5% 4% 5% 4% 10% 6% 2002/2003 2008/2009 31% 28% years SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 Teachers Call for End to Standardized Testing ESP/PSP MEMBERS – YEARS OF EXPERIEnCE 2008/2009 VS 2002/2003 30% 20% 10% 2% 0% <1 1% 1-4 5-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 29% 23% 17% 16% 9% 11% 16% 9% 12% 4% 2% 26-30 1% 31 + 4% 29% 2002/2003 2008/2009 13 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 years Similar to age distribution, the experience levels of occasional teachers and ESP/PSP members are quite different. Thirty-nine percent of occasional teacher members have less than five years experience, 50 percent have less than 11 years experience, and 28 percent have more than 30 years experience. For ESP/PSP members, 24 percent have less than five years experience, 53 percent have less than 11 years experience, and only 4 percent have more than 30 years experience. common triple grade is “triple combined gradeother”, with two percent of the members. Grade 6/7/8 was the second highest with 1 percent. Survey results indicate there are gender differences in grades taught. Ten percent of women members reported teaching grade one, while only 4 percent of men members teach the same grade. By contrast, 17 percent of men members teach grade 8, compared with only 7 percent of women members. These percentages remain unchanged from last year. Grades Taught Not surprisingly, ETFO teacher members are evenly distributed among Grades 1-8, while only 4 percent of members teach Junior Kindergarten and 4 percent teach Senior Kindergarten. Approximately 36 percent of teacher members reported that they taught a combined grade. The most common combined grade is JK/SK, with 10 percent of members teaching that grade. Overall, 6 percent of the members reported that they taught in a triple combined grade. The most Self-Identification Only .3 percent of teacher members report being aboriginal. The percentages for occasional teacher and ESP/PSP members are .5 percent and two percent. One percent of teacher members and .4 percent of occasional teacher members report being disabled. One percent of teacher members and 1 percent of occasional teacher members identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered. The highest percentages of self-identification were for racial minority, with 4 percent of teacher members and 5 percent of occasional teacher members indicating they were in that category. SEPTEMBER 18, 2008 Teachers Use Award-Winning Play to Target Social Issues elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 14 Activities Outside Teaching Similar to other professionals, teachers and occasional teacher have responsibilities and pursue activities that are outside of the teaching profession. The majority of ETFO’s teacher members (60 percent) have at least one dependent child. Of these members, 32 percent had at least one dependent child under the age of 12. Fewer occasional teacher members reported having children compared with teacher members. Over 64 percent of occasional teacher members reported not having a dependent child. Eight percent of teacher members reported that they were caring for a parent or dependent, compared with 10 percent for occasional teachers. Despite their professional and personal responsibilities, ETFO members still find time to be active outside work and home. Almost 66 percent of teacher members reported that they were active in the community, with the most common activity being volunteer work (37 percent). OCTOBER 3, 2008 Local Teachers Have New Resource to Teach Native Studies The legislaTiVe year in reView September September 2 – On the first day of the school year, Premier Dalton McGuinty interferes in the collective bargaining process by publicly stating that teachers should take the government’s “reasonable” offer, which he termed especially appealing “in the context of rough economic seas”. September 22 – The Legislature reconvened following the summer break. Prior to the commencement of the session, Premier McGuinty made a few minor adjustments to his Cabinet, including assigning Sandra Pupatello to the new Ministry of International Trade. The appointment was part of the government’s response to significant job losses in the manufacturing sector and a general downturn in the economy. 15 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl November November 4 – The Minister of Education announced the establishment of the Governance Review Committee to study school board governance, including the role of school boards, trustees, and directors of education. November 27 – The Minister of Education issued an ultimatum through the media regarding the November 30th deadline for ETFO to sign a provincial framework agreement with OPSBA. She indicated the offer of a 12.55 percent salary increase over four years was still on the table despite the significant economic changes. MEETInG 2009 December December 3 – The Minister of Education announced that the government had met its target for class size reduction and that 90 percent of primary classes had 20 or fewer students and that all junior kindergarten to grade 3 classes had 23 or fewer students. December 10 – During Question Period MPP Rosario Marchese asked the Minister of Education to indicate whether the ETFO proposal tabled during the previous week’s provincial discussions regarding elementary negotiations was within the government’s financial parameters for four-year collective agreements. The minister side-stepped the question by saying only proposals agreeable to both sides would be within the government’s parameters. December 11 – The Minister of Education released a report on gender violence prepared by the Safe Schools Action Team headed by Liberal MPPs Liz October October 16 – During Question Period, NDP Education Critic Rosario Marchese raised the government’s failure to address elementary funding issues in order to open the way for a provincial collective bargaining framework agreement between ETFO and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA). He asked Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne to sit down with the elementary teachers and resume negotiations. October 22 – Finance Minister Dwight Duncan released the government’s fall economic statement. He announced a $500 million deficit for 2008 and a series of restraint measures including a $61 million reduction in the $304 school renewal budget for 2008-2009. NOVEMBER 5, 2008 ETFO Symposium Will Benefit Children Living in Poverty elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 16 Sandals and Leeanna Pendergast. The minister indicated the government would be working with her education partners to revise the curriculum to ensure gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behavior are discussed in class and addressed by school staff. The Legislature adjourned for its winter break. February 25 – Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews introduced Bill 152, the Poverty Reduction Act, 2009, legislation aimed at committing the government to a long-term strategy and timelines to reduce poverty. February 26 – The Minister of Education announced that, starting in the fall of 2009, a new policy for environmental education would be in place that would ensure that environmental education is embedded throughout the elementary and secondary curriculum. The Legislature adjourned. January January 25 – The Premier called MPPs back to Queen’s Park for an emergency session to deal with legislation to address the protracted dispute between York University and CUPE Local 3903 that represents York contract faculty and teaching assistants. January 29 – The Legislature adjourned after passing legislation that sent outstanding issues related to the York-CUPE contract talks to binding arbitration. March March 2 – The Legislature reconvened. March 5 – Liberal candidate Rick Johnson scored a victory over PC candidate John Tory in the Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock by-election. Mr. Johnson resigned his position as past-president of OPSBA to run as a candidate. March 7 – The Ontario NDP elected MPP Andrea Horwath as its new leader following Howard Hampton’s decision to step down. She edged out fellow caucus members Gilles Bisson, Michael Prue, and Peter Tabuns and is the provincial party’s first female leader. March 9 – The Minister of Education announced that the provincial graduation rate had increased for the fourth consecutive year: to 77 percent from 68 percent five years ago. March 12 – The Minister of Education introduced Bill 157, the Keep Our Kids Safe at School Act, 2009. February February 4 – The Premier announced March 5 as the date for the by-election in the riding of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. Conservative MPP Laurie Scott had resigned earlier to provide the opportunity for PC Leader John Tory to win a seat after his failed election bid against Kathleen Wynne in October 2007. February 10 – Minister Wynne presents a take it or leave it ultimatum to both ETFO and OPSBA and schedules a news conference hours later to take the proposal and process into the media. February 12 – ETFO President David Clegg announced the federation had agreed to accept the Minister of Education’s funding proposal for a provincial framework for local collective agreements. The Provincial Framework did not include the contract strips OPSBA had tabled earlier. February 18 – The Legislature reconvened for its four-week mid-winter session. DECEMBER 6, 2008 Boards Scuttle Provincial Framework Talks 17 The legislation proposed to require school staff to report to the principal any serious incident for which suspensions or expulsions must be considered. It also proposed to require staff to intervene to address inappropriate student behaviour and require principals to inform parents and guardians of children who are victims of school-related violent incidents. March 20 – The Minister of Education released the report of the Declining Enrolment Working Group. The report recommended that the ministry: adopt a multi-year plan to help school boards adjust to enrolment declines; encourage a broader community use of schools; and require public and Catholic boards having the same boundaries to consider shared use of facilities and resources. March 25 – Bill 152, Poverty Reduction Act, 2009, received Second Reading. March 26 – The Minister of Finance tabled the 2009 provincial Budget. The Budget forecasted a $1.8 billion deficit for the year reflecting a $2.6 billion revenue decline since the fall. March 27 – The Ministry of Education released the details of the 2009-2010 Grants for Student Needs. The education funding increased by an additional $592 million or 3.1 percent. Because of declining enrolment, per pupil funding will increase to an estimated $10,450 in 2009-2010, an increase of 4.1 percent. Within the overall education spending, a number of budget lines were decreased, including those for textbooks and learning materials, classroom computers, school transportation, and staff development. groups that comprise the minister’s Education Partnership Table, the minister agreed to remove the shopping bag, but not the site pending consultations on the issue. April 6 – The Minister of Education released a new resource document entitled Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy. In addition to outlining plans to establish school board policies and guidelines for inclusive education, she announced new courses in gender studies and equity would be available in schools September 2011. April 7 – Bill 157, the Keep Our Kids Safe at School Act, 2009, received Second Reading. April 20 – Minister of Labour Peter Fonseca introduced Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace), 2009. The legislation proposes to require employers to develop a workplace harassment policy. If passed, it will also give employees the right to remove themselves from the workplace if they believe they are at risk of imminent danger due to violence. April 22 – The Minister of Education released the report of the Governance Review Committee. The recommendations pertain to focusing school boards’ attention and resources more closely on student achievement and setting minimum standards of conduct for trustees. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 May May 4 – President David Clegg participated in the legislative hearings on Bill 157, Keep Our Kids Safe at School Act, 2009. May 5 – The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Peter Fonseca introduced Bill 175, the Ontario Mobility Act, 2009. The bill is aimed at reducing barriers confronting workers from other provinces. If passed, it would affect over 40 trades and professional groups including teachers. April April 4 – The Ministry of Education launched the School Information Finder website complete with a “shopping bag” tool that encouraged visitors to the site to compare three schools at a time in terms of the schools’ respective EQAO scores and demographic profile. After unanimous opposition from the provincial education stakeholder DECEMBER 18, 2008 ETFO Proposal Meets Government’s Financial Parameters elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 18 May 6 – Bill 152, Poverty Reduction Act, 2009, received Third Reading and Royal Assent. May 7 – The Minister of Education introduced Bill 177, the Student Achievement and School Board Governance Act, 2009. The bill closely follows the report of the Governance Review Committee. It proposes that school boards be required to develop and maintain multi-year student achievement plans and report on the success of the plans to employees and the public. May 12 – ETFO executive members, local leaders, and staff participated in the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care’s Queen’s Park lobby day. May 13 – The Standing Committee on Social Policy reported Bill 157 with amendments which addressed, in part, issues raised by the ETFO presentation. June June 1 – Bill 157 received Third Reading. June 3 – EQAO reported that 85 percent of this year’s Grade 10 students who wrote the Grade 10 literacy test were successful. June 4 – The Legislature adjourned for the summer. June 5 – Bill 157 received Royal Assent. It will take effect on February 1, 2010. June 15 – Dr. Charles Pascal released his report on establishing full-day kindergarten and creating a more comprehensive and integrated system of children’s services. Although the report contained a number of positive proposals, ETFO was strongly critical of the proposed staffing model for the full-day programs that would involve two ECE staff and only a half-time teacher. June 24 – The Premier announced a minor cabinet shuffle. All the key ministers remain in place, including the Minister of Education. JANUARY 8, 2009 Elementary Teachers Set Critical Deadline for Contract Negotiations inside eTfo 19 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl fairness achieved through proactive measures that result in equality for all”. MEETInG 2009 EQuITY AnD wOMEn’S SERVICES ETFO members understand that an equitable and inclusive education system can be achieved through principles of respectful interaction, commitment to human rights, and harnessing our personal and collective power to address systemic injustices. Our goals are to be responsive to the diverse needs of our membership and to be a positive influence for change in society. Teachers and educational workers play critical roles in fostering a positive climate for inclusion and developing strategies to address forms of oppression. Part of our responsibility is also communicating effectively about the reasons for our equity endeavors. The programs offered through Equity and Women’s Services (EWS) illustrate ETFO’s commitment to women’s equality and broad-based equity concerns. Programs are geared to member needs, and include initiatives for members who face subtle and overt discrimination: women, racialized and Aboriginal members, members with a disability, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members. Issues of poverty and class are also addressed. Programs are developed and offered in the context of ETFO’s constitutional object “to promote social justice in the areas of anti-poverty, nonviolence and equity,” and in the spirit of the definition of “equity” adopted by the ETFO Executive: “ETFO recognizes that we live in a society characterized by individual and systemic discrimination against particular groups. Within this context, ETFO defines equity as In 2003, a comprehensive policy on social justice and equity was adopted by delegates at the ETFO Annual Meeting. These principles are incorporated into the work in all the service areas of ETFO and extended to locals. Following are some examples of the range of publications and programs offered by Equity and Women’s Services in 2008-09. I. MulTI-MEDIA RESOuRCES FOR STuDEnTS, MEMBERS, AnD COMMunITIES Building understanding About Classism This pamphlet was created to assist in building an increased understanding and awareness of issues that relate to socio-economic class, class bias, and classism. It is also intended to help members be more prepared to challenge classism and increase their own understanding of how class issues impact students and families in their schools. Connections: A Kindergarten to Grade 8 Resource for Everyone Interested in understanding Gender-Related Issues, and working for Social Justice This new curriculum resource features focus topics such as ‘Ability’, ‘Human Rights’, and ‘Overcoming Adversity’. The Creative Pieces section includes personal stories that relate to themes such as ‘Belonging’, and ‘Politics and Leadership’. Our work in Progress: Social Justice and Equity DVD Our Work In Progress: Social Justice and Equity is a DVD designed to promote the programs and ser- JANUARY 27, 2009 Government Investment in Library Books Puts Cart Before the Horse elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 20 vices of ETFO, with a focus on social justice and equity programs, including women’s programs. Racism hurts Posters, stories, and lesson plans for primary, junior, and intermediate divisions were sent to schools in September. The activities include a range of social justice topics. Roots of Equality Roots of Equality is a grade 1-8 resource, containing lesson plans to help educators foster students’ healthy, equal relationships, and raise awareness of violence against women. ETFO partnered with Springtide Resources and the Ontario Women’s Directorate to produce the resource, accompanying materials, and to develop a workshop. See Ability, not Disability This bookmark is designed to increase awareness about disability issues. we’re Erasing Prejudice for Good This collection of classroom resources on a range of broad-based equity issues is currently being updated. The new collection will be called Social Justice Begins With Me. women’s history Month Poster: Canadian women working for Peace and Justice ETFO acknowledged the contributions of women to peace initiatives in Canadian society and internationally with a new poster for Women’s History Month in October, 2008. The overall objective of the course is to empower women from marginalized groups to understand and negotiate their way through ETFO’s structures and culture so that ETFO can benefit from their rich and diverse experiences in a variety of leadership roles within the union. Leaders for Tomorrow was a featured cover story in the spring 2009 issue of Our Times: Canada’s Independent Labour Magazine. Social Justice and Equity Chair Training Chairpersons of local social justice and equity committees attended this session at the fall Leadership Training event. Dr. Susan Dion, an associate professor at the Faculty of Education at York University, facilitated opportunities for personal reflection and interactive sessions around the topic of ‘ethical learning’ about Aboriginal peoples. Status of women Chair Training ETFO provides training and resources for chairpersons of local Status of Women committees. Each fall, a workshop for members who are new to the role is offered at the fall Leadership Training event. Members receive the resource binder for Status Chairs and have an opportunity to discuss their responsibilities with each other, with experienced Status Chairs, and with staff. Chairpersons are also invited to attend …and still we rise, ETFO’s conference for women held in February, enabling them to network and discuss ongoing local work. Building Capacity, Building Bridges: Equity Conference for women Fifty-five women members attended this conference, which began with performances by singer/ songwriter, Faith Nolan, and Motion, the Dub Poet. Tina Lopes, an organizational development consultant, facilitator, and mediator was the guest speaker. In addition, there were six equity elective workshops provided. II. lEADERShIP DEVElOPMEnT leaders for Tomorrow This was the fifth year for the Leaders for Tomorrow course. This year-long, intensive program involves women ETFO members who selfidentify as Aboriginal, disabled, lesbian/bisexual/ transgender, and/or racial minority. FEBRUARY 10, 2009 Education Minister Creates a Poisoned Environment for Negotiations next Steps Supporting women’s Involvement A reunion of ETFO women members who have taken the Leaders for Tomorrow program in its first four years was held in April, 2009, allowing current participants to network with members from their locals or regions and identify potential mentors, and for the entire group to discuss opportunities and barriers to women’s leadership in ETFO. Islamophobia Education is a crucial part of creating a global community that values and promotes respect, diversity, and peace. This workshop, which can be designed for a variety of audiences including students, union representatives, and educators, provides information and encourages dialogue among participants through the use of scenarios and other interactive exercises Media Awareness The focus of this workshop is to teach junior and intermediate students to become critical and informed consumers of mass media. Lesson plans are linked to the Ontario curriculum. Roots of Equality This workshop introduces members to the Roots of Equality resource, designed to help foster students’ healthy, equal relationships, and raise awareness of violence against women. Lesson plans for grades 1-8 explore the following themes: Family, Friends, School, Community Connections, and Media. we’re Erasing Prejudice for Good/Respecting Cultures and honouring Differences/Effaçons les préjugés pour de bon This workshop uses children’s literature to address several social justice issues, such as classism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, and anti-semitism. The goal is to provide educators and students with a viable method of acquiring skills and knowledge to successfully navigate in a diverse world. Professional learning Communities wP Three Professional Learning Community programs for women members were held. The programs provide opportunities for members to work individually and collaboratively, building their knowledge and skills around the complexities of working within and across differences. In the first session (October to December, 2008), partici- 21 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 III. wORKShOPS, COnFEREnCES, AnD PROFESSIOnAl lEARnInG COMMunITIES Equity workshops Equity and Women’s Services workshops provide equity training to all members, in formats that can be modified for after-school meetings, professional development days, or weekend conferences. Forty-three equity workshops were delivered in 2008-2009, in 25 locals throughout the province. The following Equity Workshops were available in 2008-2009: Beyond the Breakfast Program This workshop explores commonly held myths about living in poverty. The impact of poverty on school performance is examined, and educators are introduced to strategies to support students in and beyond the classroom. Imagine a world That Is Free From Fear This workshop presents ETFO’s K-8 curriculum resource that addresses issues relating to homophobia and heterosexism. Themes include pride and self-respect, safe schools and safe communities, antibullying and conflict resolution, and relationships. FEBRUARY 12, 2009 ETFO Agrees to Accept Minister’s Funding Proposal elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 22 pants explored issues relating to identity, white privilege, and pedagogy and how these intersect and influence our practice. The second group (January to March, 2009) explored stories of immigrant educators and/or their teaching practices within culturally diverse schools, and the third session (March to April, 2009) focused on communication. Social Justice Professional learning Communities ETFO members need opportunities to continue to build their professional knowledge related to social justice and equity by exploring current research. Two sessions were held this year. The first (October to December, 2008) invited participants to explore the construction of our multiple identities and issues of privilege, including heterosexual, class, and racial. The second (February to April, 2009) focused on the challenges of taking on leadership roles around issues of equity and becoming an ally. Racism: Stop It! national Film Board Training Program Seventeen ETFO members from the Greater Toronto Area attended two training programs in November 2008 at the National Film Board’s Mediatheque office in Toronto. A third program, co-sponsored by the Lakehead Elementary Teacher Local, was held in December, 2008 in Thunder Bay. ...and still we rise women’s Conference wP About 500 women attended the event that offered 25 spaces for women across the country. This ninth annual conference was planned around the theme, “Connecting Caring Citizens in Schools and Communities”. In developing the theme of care, four leadership strands were emphasized: social justice advocacy, health and well-being, curriculum, and strategies for success. Keynote speakers included Margaret Trudeau and Rona Maynard, a former editor of Chatelaine Magazine . Visions new Teacher leadership Training wP This conference, for women teachers in their first five years of teaching, was held in Ottawa in May, 2009. Forty-one members attended. The exploration of strategies for addressing equity issues while establishing and sustaining healthy communities was facilitated by Andrea Morrison and grounded in school/community models by Monica Walters Field. Race Relations Retreats/Initiatives wP A provincial retreat was held in May in Toronto. The program provided current information regarding the Ministry’s Equity and Inclusion Strategy as well as training for three new EWS equity workshops – racism hurts, Disability Issues, and Connections. Media and Critical Discourse Analysis A workshop was developed to educate members about critical discourse analysis as a tool for understanding how racism is reproduced in text, conversations, and film. IV. ADVOCACY, PARTnERShIPS, AnD SuPPORT Disability Issues EWS consulted on the Initial Proposed Standard for Accessible Communication that was developed by the Ontario Government (Standards Development Committee) in the fall. Feedback was submitted about the proposed standards and the impact and feasibility of compliance in terms of our organization. Aboriginal Festival 2008 In November, 2008, ETFO participated in the Canadian Aboriginal Festival’s Education Day for the ninth year. ETFO had an information booth, and a large tent with a performance stage, where members of ETFO’s Aboriginal Standing Committee performed an original Readers’ Theatre MARCH 3, 2009 Ranking of Schools Reduces Education to a Simple Numbers Game script, and presented curriculum documents for primary, junior, and intermediate panels, based on the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers. Antiracist Multicultural Education network of Ontario (AMEnO) ETFO supports AMENO’s work throughout the year, and sponsored their Equity Summit Forum on the topic of Inclusive Leadership in May, 2009. ETFO also hosted a display table at the forum and provided each participant with an equity-oriented resource, while staff and members participated as panelists in the program. Empowering women Through Music wP The goal of the workshops is to allow the women prisoners, through music, to express positive ideas about themselves and the world. The songs have lyrics that heal, nurture, and allow for personal growth. lEAF (women’s legal Education and Action Fund) Persons Day Breakfast ETFO was a Patron Sponsor of the annual LEAF Persons Day Breakfast in October, 2008. lGBT Issues in Education ETFO was pleased to sponsor a panel of educators, policymakers, researchers, and students responding to EGALE Canada’s (Equality For Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) First National Climate Survey on Homophobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools. The event was entitled, “School Safety for Whom? The Reality of Homophobic and Transphobic Violence in Canadian Schools”. Pride Events ETFO was also proud to support this year’s 25th Annual Candlelight AIDS Vigil. ETFO hosted a booth during the annual Pride Parade in Toronto, in partnership with locals. ETFO has also created a downloadable PRIDE KIT with resources and materials. Springtide Resources ETFO has partnered with Springtide Resources for many years, and this partnership has informed our Breaking the Silence program, the creation of the Roots of Equality resources, and the Woman Abuse Affects Our Children program. local Anti-Racist Education/Equity Committees EWS continues to work with locals for anti-racist initiatives by providing funds to support ongoing local professional development opportunities or by assisting with planning events. Take Back the night wP September is recognized for Take Back The Night activities across Canada. Events are designed to highlight the issue of violence against women, and as a reminder that safety issues for women and children are significant concerns in society today. working with Equity-Seeking Community Groups wP This program is a partnership with locals, through their Equity Committee(s), focusing on support for women in their community. Up to $2,000 is provided for initiatives with an equity and social justice emphasis (e.g., Status of Women, Anti-Racist Education, Human Rights, and Equity Committees, etc). This year, six initiatives have received funds, including projects addressing eating disorders with young girls; a life choices conference for 300 grade 7 girls; a rape crisis center bowlarama; providing backpacks for women in shelters; a storefront drop-in centre for disadvantaged women; and a fundraiser for “sistering” services for marginalized and homeless women. 23 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 MARCH 3, 2009 Pay Equity Continues to Be an Elusive Goal for Many Women elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 24 white Ribbon Campaign ETFO is working with the White Ribbon Campaign to develop a resource for teachers addressing issues pertaining to violence against women and gender based issues. The resource will include a guide outlining the logistics of organizing conferences for boys and girls. The resource will be launched in the fall of 2009 and there are four pilot boys’ conferences planned for next year. PROFESSIOnAl SERVICES The strength of ETFO is its members – the teachers and education workers in the public elementary schools across Ontario. The mandate of Professional Services is to foster a strong, professionally competent, active membership, an effective leadership, and to maximize the visibility and credibility for the federation. lEADERShIP PROGRAMS Fall leadership Training ETFO’s Leadership 2008 event was held September 25-26 and had effective communication as the focus. The workshops were designed to provide local leaders with the necessary tools they need to be successful in their various roles. Over 270 local leaders including presidents, executive members, and chairs of professional learning, political action, status, and social justice committees attended this event. ETFO union School The third ETFO Union School was met with enthusiastic response by the participants. Local leaders from across the province participated in the intensive three-part program to enhance their leadership skills, knowledge, and effectiveness. Two faceto-face sessions were supplemented by an online learning component and a practicum assignment. Elaine Bernard, Executive Director, Harvard Trade Union Program, provided a stimulating start to the first session in her keynote “Why Unions Matter”. She followed up with a comprehensive workshop during the second session that will assist leaders in putting these ideas into practice. Participants completed a self-report inventory prior to the first session and through follow-up workshops practiced emotional and social competencies widely recognized as key to one’s success. They experienced the realities of being an ETFO leader through in-depth discussion of case studies, participated in a simulation of a typical day in the local office, and completed a practicum assignment that allowed them to apply the skills presented in a practical way. local leadership Training Since this program began ETFO staff has delivered over 84 customized training sessions for local leaders. The programs are modified to meet the unique needs of the local and can be as short as half a day or as long as two days. The sessions focus on identifying the local’s core objectives, reviewing the local’s current programs, and developing programs, activities, and processes that assist the executive in implementing the identified objectives. All of this work is undertaken with the aim of increasing member engagement in the Union. These sessions provide an opportunity for the local executive to develop a key focus and build a sense of team as they work towards their shared goal. COnFEREnCES healthy hearts and Minds Regional Conference This conference was held in partnership with the Hamilton-Wentworth Teacher Local at McMaster University on April 3 and 4. Keynote speakers included Dr. Glenn DiPasquale, Dr. Karyn Gordon, and Dr. Lynne Beal, specialists in the areas of children’s’ mental health and emotional wellness. Friday evening opened with a musical presentation by Glenn Marais called the Power of One. A special dramatic reading was also included on the MARCH 6, 2009 ETFO Condemns Systemic Attach Against Equality Rights of Women Saturday in support of the arts and their link to emotional health by the Roseneath Theatre Group. The reading was based on the play, The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh by Chris Craddock and offered teachers an entertaining and informative look at the realities and life experiences of an 11-year-old girl with ADHD. The conference workshops focused on many issues involving children’s mental and emotional health. The presentations provided a healthy balance of theory, statistics, and practical strategies to support today’s teachers and students in their classrooms. leading Educators Actively Developing (l .E .A .D .): The Challenge of Change ETFO offers an annual professional learning opportunity for members who are consultants, coordinators, facilitators, coaches, and system-wide teacher leaders. The Leading Educators Actively Developing (L.E.A.D): The Challenge of Change conference took place on April 23-24, with 41 ETFO members in attendance. Educational consultant Kathleen Bocchino led the participants through a series of activities reflecting on the change process, being a change agent, and impacting the day-to-day challenges faced by teachers. Practical strategies and protocols for understanding change and resistance were shared. The members who attended this program support most of our other members in their professional learning. This was an excellent opportunity for them to focus on their own professional learning and connect with other members in similar roles across the province. Information and Communication Technology Conference In May, ETFO hosted a provincial ICT Conference at the University Of Ontario Institute Of Technology. Eighty participants attended workshops on using software to enhance the curriculum, supporting students with special needs, web design, podcasting, addressing environmental concerns, and more. Financial Management Conference for women ETFO hosted a financial management conference for women on December 5-6, 2008, which featured an opening plenary session with television host Gail Vaz-Oxlade. Workshops were facilitated by members and professionals from the financial industry. This program was oversubscribed. Participants were provided with a forum to achieve an increased comfort level with various aspects of financial management. COuRSES Principal’s Qualification Program In cooperation with four district school boards, Professional Services ran Parts I and II of the Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) in 20082009 in Halton, Peel, Upper Grand, and York Region. Enrollment in this program has grown by 83 percent in three years. Unlike other PQPs, these courses include ETFO presentations on collective bargaining and professional relations issues, covering such topics as collective agreements, grievances, supervision/ evaluation of teachers, role of principal, duty to accommodate, human rights complaints, and College of Teachers investigations. Including this type of practical content in the curriculum is one way the ETFO program is distinct from the other PQP providers and ensures future school administrators are well aware of ETFO and the rights of teachers. 25 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 MARCH 26, 2009 Millions of Dollars in Ontario Budget a Waste of Scarce Resources elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 26 Special Education AQ Courses ETFO offered the Special Education Part 1 AQ course in partnership with the Simcoe and Lambton Kent locals. Accreditation was received from the Ontario College of Teachers for the ETFO Special Education Part 2 Additional Qualifications course. Teaching Combined Grades AQ Course ETFO received accreditation as the provider of the new Teaching Combined Grades, single session Additional Qualification Course and will be running the course in summer 2009 in partnership with the York Region local. Kindergarten AQ Course As of September 2008, the Childhood Education AQ course was renamed Kindergarten AQ. All candidates who held qualifications in Childhood Education will hold an equivalency for the Kindergarten AQ. ETFO ran the course in the following locals: Greater Essex, Upper Grand, Upper Canada (two locations), Peel, Durham, and Algoma. ETFO Credit Courses ETFO provided 124 credit courses to 1,774 participants during 2008-2009. The courses were offered throughout the province for teachers and occasional teachers in 21 ETFO Locals. The 2009 ETFO Credit Course Instructor Training was held in July at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. Instructor candidates were trained in the following ETFO credit courses: Behavioral, Academic, and Social Interventions for the Classroom and Reading Across the Curriculum. ETFO has a complement of 59 instructors offering courses across the province. As of May 26, there were 36 credit courses scheduled in 11 locations during July and August. Aboriginal Education Summer Course ETFO offered a three-day summer course in Brantford, focused on contemporary and historical Aboriginal issues. Participants from across Ontario had an opportunity to visit a number of sites, as well as learn about the Ministry’s focus on Aboriginal education, connections to the Ontario curriculum, and aboriginal education resources. wORKShOPS Supporing Students with Special needs in the Regular Class This two-part workshop, designed for all teachers, was presented in three locals over the 20082009 school year. As the number of special needs students in the regular classroom increases, it is essential that classroom teachers are supported in providing appropriate program. This workshop series focused on knowing your students and providing instruction based on their needs. Teachers had an opportunity to implement ideas and suggestions in their classrooms between workshop sessions. new Teacher Series: Strategies for Surviving while Smiling This four-part series was presented in five locals this year. Participants explored the components of an effective learning environment and strategies for creating these environments in their classrooms. They considered ways to create a caring, learning classroom by connecting with the student, the parent, and the curriculum, and strategies to encourage students to become self-directed and responsible learners. The course also focused MARCH 26, 2009 York Region Occasional Teachers Accept Four-Year Deal on ways to build a safe learning environment by addressing equity issues and effective classroom management. Presenter’s Palette The two-day training workshop was held in January. The program was for members who want to explore leadership opportunities within ETFO and are interested in developing and presenting curriculum sessions for colleagues. Components included: developing a dynamic workshop description and workshop, enhancing facilitation skills, and tips for presentations. Participants were involved in the preparation of a workshop for possible presentation at a local, regional, or provincial activity. It is expected participants will apply for various professional development leadership opportunities in ETFO. Classroom Management for the Occasional Teacher This program provides occasional teacher locals with a cost-sharing opportunity to access a classroom management program based on the new ETFO resource – I am the Teacher. The continuation of the classroom management workshop series for occasional teachers meets an immediate need for professional learning for occasional teachers by providing effective classroom management strategies and opportunities to network with other occasional teachers. In all, 20 locals participated in the program. OT Professional learning Project Using funding from the Ministry of Education, ETFO developed three workshops that were available to all of our occasional teacher locals this year. Focusing on literacy, numeracy, and differentiated instruction, the three workshops provided OTs with current pedagogy, and a variety of instructional strategies. Each attendee received a professional resource to further expand their professional knowledge. More than 2,500 OTs attended these workshops. Presenters on the Road The Presenters on the Road program offers a wide variety of workshops that are designed for members by members. ETFO locals chose and cosponsored workshops for teachers in their local. The program underwent a major revision during the 2008-2009 year. The program will continue to address subject areas and issues critical to teachers and their work, both as classroom teachers and other role specific assignments. New and experienced program presenters were trained at the ETFO provincial office for the 2009-2010 program year. new Member welcome Program This the tenth year ETFO has offered a program to welcome new members and help them understand ETFO programs, supports, and opportunities for involvement. The program includes a presentation by one of ETFO’s released officers. The Welcome to ETFO book was distributed to over 2,000 new members in 31 locals in 2008-2009. Federation Days at Faculties of Education ETFO made 18 presentations to teacher candidates at all 13 Ontario faculties of education. A PowerPoint presentation, delivered by the ETFO First Vice-President, outlines the governance and work of the organization. Teacher candidates receive lists of local presidents and a flash drive containing important ETFO information including Your Union, Your Profession, Your Future and other ETFO resources and publications. ETFO has a federation day traveling kit that outlines the work of the organization and showcases ETFO teacher resources. Instant Recall Instant RECALL (Respecting the Expertise and Contributions of the Adult Learner to Leadership) is a coaching workshop designed to provide ETFO members with the basic skills necessary to engage in a coaching relationship. The two-day workshop 27 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 1, 2009 Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teachers Vote Yes elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 28 addresses how to coach adult learners, acquiring a basic inventory of coaching skills, working with adult learners and understanding the coaching process. ETFO Book Clubs ETFO locals are able to access ETFO Book Club resources on-line to provide professional development opportunities for members in their own local. ETFO Book Club resources including 11 Facilitator Guides, “Tips and Tricks,” and templates, are currently available for downloading on the ETFO website. ETFO Book Clubs provide an excellent opportunity for our members to enhance their professional knowledge and practice. Participants attend four, two-hour sessions that focus on specific chapters of the 11 books introduced below, consider strategies they can try in their classroom, and reflect on and share their experiences within a community of learners. Book Club titles include; Classroom Management That Works; Punished by Rewards; ETFO Special Education Handbook; The Arts Go To School; Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom; Making Math Happen in the Junior Years; Making Math Happen in the Primary Years; Professional Learning to Reshape Teaching; Worms, Shadows and Whirlpools; Teaching for Deep Understanding; and Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Writing in the Content Areas. Communities of Practice ETFO continues to work on blended learning communities covering a variety of topics whose primary goal is to facilitate knowledge creation and sharing. All of these communities: Reflections on Practice, Global Education Curriculum Inquiry Project, Teaching for Deep Understanding, and Innoteach are both process and product oriented. Participants produce learned objects, teacher planning units, or action research studies that are then made available to the wider ETFO community. They also acquire new technological skills and learn new ways to collaborate. ETFO Staff is developing training sessions for e-moderators to improve the skill sets of teachers who facilitate these communities. ETFO Staff presented the result of research work on the skills of e-moderators to 100 participants at the ASCD Conference in March, 2009. Knowledge Mobilization website ETFO is developing a Knowledge Mobilization Website where ETFO members who have completed masters or doctoral theses can share their knowledge. These researchers will engage participants in discussions about their research. Other additions to the website will include synopses of meaningful research for teachers, and links to significant research studies of interest to elementary classroom teachers. Special Education On-line Communities The Special Education Network, an on-line community for special education teachers across the province, was established during the 2008-2009 school year. This site allows members in a special education role to network, share resources and ideas, and learn from each other. The Special Education Consultant On-line Community continued during the 2008-2009 school year. This community provides an on-line forum specifically for special education consultants/coordinators/facilitators, allowing members in these roles from across the province to come together electronically to learn from each other, problem solve, and share resources and ideas. SPECIAl PROJECTS Reflections of Me The Body Image Project is now an integrated curriculum resource for teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Issues of body image and self esteem are a growing problem and begin at very early ages. ETFO was a major contributor to a national conference on body image issues through the National Eating Disorders Information Centre (NEDIC). Shades of Grey was held on May 11 and APRIL 8, 2009 Peel is First Teacher Local to Reach Tentative Agreement 29 12. ETFO sponsored two sessions – one an overview of our project and the other on implementation of the project in schools. ETFO has received a prestigious award from the Canadian Medical Association recognizing Reflections of Me…The Body Image Project as an important community resource. Through African Eyes As a follow up to the support in early childhood education provided to key educators from Bénin in March of 2008, ETFO Staff spent time in Bénin providing in-service. Work on reviewing their early years curriculum occurred over the winter and spring. ETFO assisted in the development of a plan to implement the new curriculum. Work continues on curriculum revision, resource development, and the creation of professional leaning models. A request for financial support has already been requested of the Locals. Meetings have been held with CODE (Canadian Organization for Development Through Education), Dr. Stewart Shanker, an international researcher in early years’ education, and other officials at the Bénin Embassy. wORKInG wITh OThER ORGAnIzATIOnS Teacher learning and leadership Progam This Ministry program provides for extensive teacher leadership as teachers pursue their independent learning goals and receive funding, opportunities, and resources to share the results of their learning with other teachers. Staff from Professional Services were heavily involved in working with other affiliate staff and Ministry staff in this program. Candidates for the upcoming year were chosen and the program was reviewed. Staff presented two workshops on reflective practice (one in English and one in French) at the TLLP Symposium on May 7 and 8. CTF (Green Street) Under the direction of Green Street, Engaging in Our Communities as Global Citizens is a citizenship education initiative centered on the values of the environment, democracy, peace, and solidarity. It is targeted for intermediate teachers – Grades 6-8. The Canadian Teachers’ Federation adapted classroom materials, developed in 2005 by the Centrals des syndicates du Québec, for use in a bilingual version of the workshop. ETFO and CTF partnered to deliver the workshop and the accompanying classroom materials to pilot locals throughout the province. The workshop series is funded by Green Street through the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. A total of 12 locals participated in the pilot project. One Million Acts of Green As part of the Green Street partnership ETFO was asked to participate in the creation of a public service announcement that was aired during the launch of CBC’s One Million Acts of Green. ETFO members and their classes participated in the PSA that was broadcast to a national audience. ADVOCACY Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) ETFO and the affiliates are lobbying the broader educational community and the government to highlight and inform the issues surrounding EQAO and to recommend “A New Vision for Student Assessment in Ontario Schools” which promotes random sample testing. To date, the position paper has been presented to a wide circle of stakeholder groups. Feedback and opinions have been gathered and the position REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 10, 2009 Durham is Second Teacher Local to Reach Tentative Agreement elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 30 paper has been modified several times to accommodate new information and opinions. Research on the concise history of EQAO in Ontario and an in-depth impact analysis from a union perspective have been initiated to support ETFO in tying all the EQAO strands of work together. This research will also be very beneficial in working with parents to help develop a better understanding of our opposition to standardized testing. Staff continues to attend the Assessment Advisory Committee meetings and provides ETFO input at each meeting relating to the agenda items. Growing Success – Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting: Improving Student learning (AER) ETFO staff has been involved in the Ministry’s initiative to align the wide variety of assessment, evaluation, and reporting policies that exist in Ontario into one Kindergarten to Grade 12 policy document. Growing Success – assessment, evaluation and reporting: improving student learning (AER) has been developed to provide greater consistency in assessment policies between and within the boards across the province. ETFO staff was involved in the first and second round of the consultation process. The goal for this process is to develop a consensus for policy that will include the views expressed by all stakeholders who have participated in the project since its inception. ETFO will be represented during all stages of the process and looks forward to the development of a policy statement that will be appropriate for all groups involved, especially the students of Ontario. learning to 18 working Table ETFO staff have continued to participate on the Ministry of Education’s Learning to 18 Working Table. The mandate continues to be advisory in nature where stakeholder groups are given an opportunity to provide input and feedback on various initiatives that impact Grades 7-12. Although the majority of topics discussed are directly related to secondary schools and students, ETFO’s attendance ensures that issues related to elementary members and students are represented. Coaching for Math Gains ETFO staff participated on the Ministry of Education’s Coaching for Math GAINS advisory panel. The mandate of the panel is to provide feedback to the Ministry of Education on the coaching math initiative targeted for Grades 7-10. Various stakeholders are represented including teacher federations, principal and supervisory associations, and representatives from various post-secondary institutions and mathematics associations. This year, ETFO voiced concern over the possible coaching of elementary teachers by secondary teachers, with the focus being on math processes rather than the math content elementary teachers are responsible for. There is a need for union representation at both the local and regional level related to the implementation of this initiative. literacy and numeracy working Table ETFO staff have continued to participate on the Ministry of Education’s Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat’s (LNS) Literacy and Numeracy Working Table. The mandate of the working table is to provide feedback to the Secretariat regarding initiatives and issues for JK-Grade 6 in Literacy and Numeracy. Various stakeholders are represented including teacher federations, parent groups, principal and supervisory associations, and representatives from various colleges and universities and community partners. This year, ETFO has APRIL 19, 2009 Teachers and Occasional Teachers in Keewatin-Patricia Reach Deals 31 raised significant concerns regarding the School Effectiveness Framework, OFIP, and the impact of District Review teams on teachers. Recognizing that some members have been asked to participate on District Review teams, an advisory was created which articulates ETFO’s message to members that they cannot evaluate or report on other members. To raise concerns and highlight issues regarding the implementation of LNS initiatives, ETFO staff met with the senior officials at the LNS. The issues raised were clustered into five categories: stress and workload; elimination of professional autonomy; curriculum issues; sense of constant evaluation; and student-focused issues. ETFO staff will continue to review issues related to the LNS initiatives and communicate them in a timely fashion to local presidents and members OTF Teacher Education workgroup The OTF Teacher Education Workgroup met every month during the school year. The Committee, comprised of representatives from all the OTF affiliates, examines issues surrounding teacher education in the province. The focus this year was on issues of labour mobility, the agreement on internal trade and its impact on the teacher certification system in Ontario, the work of the local teacher education liaison committees, the practicum, and associate teaching. The Committee was also responsible for planning the annual joint symposium held with the Ontario Association of Deans of Education in January. COMMunICATInG wITh MEMBERS Voice Members received five issues of Voice in 20082009. Circulation surpassed 76,000 copies for the first time during this year. The magazine is mailed directly to the homes of members, distributed to students at faculties of education across the province, and sent to a variety of interested education professionals and media representatives. There were two special issues – October and June. The October issue celebrated ETFO’s anniversary. Staff and members looked at how programs and services have developed over the past decade. The issue featured a large number of historical photos. Teacher leadership was the focus of the June issue. Articles highlighted the leadership roles members are taking on in the classroom, their board, their federation, and community, as well as internationally. The issue was made possible by funding for professional learning provided by the Ministry of Education. An unusual number of members responded to the features in the April issue, which highlighted Project Overseas. Members, inspired by what they read, wrote to ask for information about Project Overseas and how they could get involved. A feature article described the use of technology to link First Nations students across Toronto. The curriculum insert, Lessons for a Social Justice Curriculum, was drawn from the ETFO resource, Connections. Electronic Communications ETFO’s e-communications strategy continued to evolve this year with the addition of a large amount of dynamic content and some exciting new initiatives. The ETFO website The ETFO website, www.etfo.ca, continues to grow in terms of the amount and type of content, and usage. The website is a dynamic online presence delivering the most current information to members, partners, the media, and the public— particularly important during a year in which new collective agreements were negotiated. The site incorporates interactive technologies such as online surveys, forms and petitions; an e-mail campaign tool; a podcast; webcasts; photo albums; and RSS feeds for regularly updated content types such as media releases, Stewards’ Mailings, and PRS Matters bulletins. 10th REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 20, 2009 Superior-Greenstone Occasional Teachers Have Tentative Deal elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 32 ETFO’s use of web-based multimedia objects also increased this year. Immediately following each of the major developments in negotiations, video addresses and news conferences by the president were streamed from the ETFO home page and distributed via our podcast feed. A variety of other ETFO-produced videos were also streamed from the site. Following the announcement by OTF in September that the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan would be adopting conditional indexing to deal with a funding deficit, a webcast combining detailed slides and video was produced to explain the changes to members. Similar webcasts were recently released by Professional Relations Services on topics such as TPA for Experienced Teachers and Pregnancy and Parental Leaves. The website has seen a sharp increase in page requests by users this year. Last year, our website had 6,000 – 8,000 page requests per day on a typical weekday during the school year. During the height of negotiations, page requests regularly topped 20,000 per day, peaking at over 40,000 per day after the breakdown of provincial negotiations in early December. On February 12—the day that ETFO announced its acceptance of Minister Wynne’s final offer for a Provincial Discussion Table Agreement, page requests surpassed 80,000. Escalating bandwidth use and attendant charges also reflect this increased level of traffic to www.etfo.ca. @ETFO/FEEO e-newsletter The e-Newsletter was published bi-weekly during the 2008-2009 school year and was regularly received by over 18,000 members. New subscriptions to the publication continue to be received on a regular basis via an on-line form on the website home page. Twenty-seven issues of the e-Newsletter were published during the year, up from 18 last year due to the release of special editions related to negotiations. ETFO Microsites This year the web team has begun supporting a variety of ETFO programs with ‘microsite’ development. Microsites are small websites that are separate from an organization’s main website. They provide a unique look and web address for a program’s content, and a more prominent presence on the internet than it might otherwise get as part of the parent site. ETFO Team Sites ETFO’s use of secure team sites has continued to grow this year. Team sites come equipped with a variety of collaborative tools such as document libraries, chat rooms, discussion forums, surveys, lists, and picture libraries. The team site platform was upgraded last summer to simplify the login process, and to allow users to manage their own accounts. Supporting locals with websites and Content This year the ETFO Website Team worked with a corporate partner, Union Communications, to provide locals with the option to purchase an inexpensive website template based on an opensource Content Management System (CMS). The Wordpress CMS provides an easy-to-use administrative interface which allows non-technical staff to update website pages and latest news, create interactive forms, add multimedia elements, and manage site organization. Locals that participated in the Websites4Locals program received six hours of on-line training from provincial office staff, which has allowed them to independently create and update their website content. COMMunICATInG wITh ThE PuBlIC Establishing a positive profile for public elementary teachers and for the Federation is essential to the success of the Federation, the morale of our members, and the credibility of our issues. ETFO communicates with the public in a variety of ways, including news releases on emerging issues and key developments (i.e., contract APRIL 20, 2009 Durham Teachers First to Approve FourYear Deal 33 negotiations), radio and TV ads, print campaigns, billboard advertising and much more. Throughout the year, and more intensely when key issues arise, ETFO communications staff use a variety of communications tools noted above to tell the ‘ETFO story’ in order to positively position the federation and its members with its various publics. An overview of some key initiatives undertaken during the past year follows below. Media Relations Supporting Collective Bargaining Reaching out to the public through the media became increasingly important during 2008-2009 given the challenges presented to the Federation during the collective bargaining process. On the very first day of school, Premier McGuinty set the tone for government communications that would follow in the months ahead. In an attempt to divert public attention from the importance of the funding gap, he implied that salary was the one and only issue for teachers. The heightened media and public interest in negotiations that was generated by the Premier’s comments gave ETFO the opportunity to aggressively explain its position to the public through media interviews with President Clegg. The result was front page coverage of the gap issue across the province. In the following months, ETFO maintained the focus on the gap issue and clarified its involvement in provincial framework discussions through an aggressive media relations campaign. From September to December, ETFO issued a number of news releases to respond to ‘miss-information’ sent to the media by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association regarding ETFO’s involvement in the Provincial Discussion Table talks. On January 8, ETFO held a news conference at provincial office to announce a deadline for contract negotiations with local school boards. This was followed by a news conference on February 12 to announce ETFO’s acceptance of the Minister of Education’s funding proposal that established the framework for local contract negotiations. From September to February, President Clegg met with local media in briefing sessions that coincided with membership meetings held across the province. The result was earned media in most daily newspapers in the province, as well as coverage in local television, radio, and other print media. In many instances, media coverage resulting from local media included newspaper editorials that offered a negative view of ETFO’s position. Communications staff responded with letters to the editor, giving ETFO an additional forum to expand on key issues, particularly the funding gap and its implications for student learning. Media relations efforts during March to May focused on the daily distribution of local and provincial news releases announcing progress on local contract negotiations. Issues Advertising Collective bargaining communications during 2008-2009 were supported by a number of local and provincial advertising initiatives. In October, a ‘Close the Gap’ ad ran in the World Teachers’ Day supplement in the Toronto Star to highlight messages that would be featured in collective bargaining communications in the months ahead. In December, a full-page ad explaining how the ETFO proposal tabled during Provincial Discussion Table talks would benefit public elementary education in Ontario ran in all Ontario daily newspapers. The ad urged readers to call REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 22, 2009 Kawartha Pine Ridge Elementary Teachers Sign Tentative Deal elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 34 their public school board trustees to voice their concerns. During negotiations with local school boards, ads were developed to explain the impact of large class sizes in grades 4-8. Media Relations Supporting Special Issues/ Campaigns News releases, media invitations, and media lists were sent to sixteen ETFO Locals in September to support local communications for the tenweek tour of the award winning play Danny, King of the Basement. The play was sponsored by the Federation to help elementary students and teachers understand and cope with social issues such as child and family poverty. Communications for ETFO’s Summer Academy included the development of more than 40 news releases to support Locals hosting one or more Summer Academy courses during July and August. A ‘media tips’ document was also prepared and sent to Summer Academy Location Managers to assist them in their discussions with local media. News releases and letters to the editor were also developed during the year to provide ETFO input on specific issues, including full-day kindergarten, the Ontario government’s ‘School Information Finder’, standardized testing, the Ontario Budget, the elimination of rotary based instruction, equal rights for women, LGBT issues, and child poverty. noticeable shift. For only the second time in our history, we entered into a province-wide, fouryear bargaining cycle. This process was far different from the last provincial framework, in that despite assurances from the Minister that there would be no imposed deadlines for provincial discussions, no strips to collective agreements, and no attempt to overturn arbitration decisions, each of these assurances were disregarded. It was a year of considerable drama in collective bargaining, and, in far too many locals, of questionable tactics on the management side. It was a year in which the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, with the complicity of the Ministry of Education, tried but failed to strip teacher collective agreements of existing rights. Specifically, since the last round of bargaining boards have been eager to gain greater control over teacher preparation time, to impose larger amounts of supervision time, to wrest professional autonomy away from ETFO members, and to overturn arbitration awards that have upheld members’ rights. In late November, ETFO was approached by the Minister to resume talks with OPSBA, with the November 30 deadline extended to December 5. It was during those discussions that ETFO tabled a proposal, which redirected some of the government’s financial commitment enshrined in other framework agreements to create 1,500 additional teacher positions beyond the increased jobs created in other framework agreements. OPSBA refused to consider the ETFO proposal, and countered with a new proposal which while containing monetary enhancements, would also have enacted significant contract strips. PROTECTIVE SERVICES COllECTIVE BARGAInInG negotiations Once the previous government centralized funding and synchronized the expiry dates for teacher and occasional teacher collective agreements, the cadence of the bargaining cycle underwent a APRIL 23, 2009 Superior-Greenstone Teachers Ratify Agreement 35 In February, the Minister tabled a ‘take it or leave it’ framework proposal with reduced salary increase (2 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 3 percent as opposed to 3/3/3/3) but no contract strips. A special Presidents’ meeting was convened and subsequent to the input of the Presidents, the Executive voted unanimously to accept this Provincial Discussion Table Agreement (PDTA). The PDTA included a deadline of March 31st, later extended to April 24th, for all teacher and occasional teacher locals to negotiate collective agreements. The 2008-2012 Settlements Overall, the 2008-2012 settlements for both teachers and occasional teachers were comparable to those achieved in 2004-2008. This is a remarkable achievement for local bargaining teams, considering that reaching the earlier settlements required widespread work-to-rule strikes among teachers and even – a very rare occurrence – a strike by an occasional teacher local. ETFO educational and professional support personnel locals were covered by a PDTA reached in November. Among other enhancements, this settlement provided salary increases of 3 percent per year over the four-year collective agreements, an increase to seven hours per day in the hours of work available to education assistants, increases in funding for professional development and training, and increases in funding for insured benefits. In addition to these big-ticket monetary items, there were numerous improvements in local issues. For teacher members, the new settlements yielded an overall increase of 10.4 percent, compared to 10.6 percent for the 2004-2008 agreements. As with the 2004-2008 agreements, an increase of 40 minutes of preparation time per fiveday cycle will be phased in over four years, bringing the total to 240 minutes. This will result in funding for an additional 1,504 teaching positions. While junior and intermediate classes remain far too crowded, by the end of the agreements, there will be an additional 431 teachers in these grades. In 2012, there will also be funding for 144 Grade 7 & 8 student success teachers and literacy and numeracy coaches – the kind of assistance intermediate teachers have long sought. As well, there is now a “hard cap” of 80 minutes of supervision time per week for all teachers. Staff meetings will now be held to an average of no more than one per month, and cannot exceed 75 minutes in length. Teachers are expected, but are not required, to attend staff meetings. Beginning in September there will be one PA day for assessment and report card completion, rising to two in the following year. Finally, the PDTA included funding for professional development. Locals were particularly successful in the area of insured benefits. A certain amount of provincial funding was made available through the PDTA; but in addition, several locals were able to bargain enhanced funding. In most cases, the specific enhancements to benefit plans (e.g., improvements in dental coverage or a decrease in the premium share members were required to pay) were negotiated at the bargaining table. In a few locals, a committee has been struck to decide how to allocate the additional funds. In addition to the items negotiated centrally under the PDTA, many locals made significant progress in the following areas: • Calculation of experience for grid placement • Language around category change • Personal, family-related and compassionate leaves • Leaves related to military service • Transfer, surplus and redundancy processes • Health and safety issues, including Fifth Disease • Report card provisions • Union release time • Representation rights (such as the right to have a union representative present in disciplinary situations) • Eight hours per day for Employment Insurance purposes • Language around Supplemental EI Benefits for pregnancy/parental leaves REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 23, 2009 Waterloo Region Teachers Sign Tentative Deal elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 36 For the first time, occasional teachers were also part of a central agreement. Locals used the available funding under the PDTA in various ways, and at the end of the day, most increases fell into the 14-17 percent range. In the previous round, most had fallen into the 10-16 percent range. In other issues related to compensation, 11 occasional teacher locals reduced the days required to achieve long-term status, 13 locals made improvements in the way teaching experience is calculated for grid placement, 15 locals made improvements in insured benefits, and 14 more locals moved to eight hours for Employment Insurance purposes. As well, significant progress was made in many locals in: • Report card language • Family-related, compassionate, personal and sick leave provisions • Language around access to permanent teaching jobs • Language on the occasional teacher list and call-out procedures • Health and safety • Access to information • Leave for union business and representation rights • Professional development funds Training The 2007 -2008 school year was one of intensive preparation among local bargaining teams for negotiations. This year, the focus of provincial and local training shifted to mobilizing member support for bargaining. Mobilization was the theme of a collective bargaining provincial conference held in October, which also included sessions on education finance, working conditions for elementary and secondary teachers, and using the ETFO web site. Mobilization and member education were the focus of numerous steward training workshops during the year. Grievances As usual, our grievance caseload included a significant number of disputes involving discipline and termination, denial of leaves, management encroachment into preparation time (e.g., Professional Learning Communities and OFIP), union rights, and abuses of management rights. We have noticed some interesting trends - such as the awarding of monetary damages, in some cases quite significant, for abuses such as harassment and racial discrimination. health and Safety There has been an increase in the number of both work refusals and Ministry work orders in school boards. This may be part of a growing awareness that schools are not (and indeed have never been) model workplaces with respect to health and safety. The Union has continued to promote health and safety awareness. For example, in an effort to increase our pool of women members with Levels I and II designation, 27 teacher and occasional teacher women members completed training. This will enable them to take advantage of Workers’ Health and Safety Centre Instructor training in future. The Year Ahead The gains we made in this round were only possible because of strong member support. Our challenge now moves to enforcement, whose success also rests, ultimately and always, with the individual member. There are disadvantages to lengthy collective agreements, such as a more limited opportunity to respond to emerging issues. There are also advantages, including breathing room to APRIL 24, 2009 Ottawa-Carleton Teachers Strike Tentative Deal carry out enforcement initiatives in a more targeted and strategic manner. The coming school year will witness intensive training and member education at both the provincial and local levels of ETFO. An informed an engaged membership is the most powerful weapon any union can possess. PROFESSIOnAl RElATIOnS SERVICES Staff in Professional Relations Services (PRS) advise individual members, groups of members, stewards and local leaders on a variety of issues and challenges which arise in the workplace. A PRS staff person is on call daily to provide assistance with issues such as: Teacher Performance Appraisal The Teacher Performance Appraisal (TPA) process is a complex web of procedural steps which sometimes lead to heightened scrutiny, criticism, and stress. PRS staff assist members to understand the process, and provide assistance to teachers undergoing TPA. Where appropriate, staff attend TPA meetings, assist in the development of Improvement Plans and counsel teachers who face unsuccessful ratings. Staff advise members who are faced with termination and resignation options as a result of the TPA process. College of Teachers Complaints and reports to the College may be filed by members of the College, members of the public, or school boards that are complying with mandatory or optional reporting requirements under the Ontario College of Teachers’ Act and the Education Act. PRS staff advise on appropriate responses to complaints, and coordinate the preparation of legal defenses with legal counsel in response to Investigation Committee proceedings, Fitness to Practice proceedings, or Discipline Committee proceedings. Staff also liaise with College of Teachers officials to provide input on procedures and policies adopted by the College and lobby for changes to legislation. Safe Schools/harassment and Abuse of Authority There is increasing awareness of personal harassment/abuse of authority in the school setting. PRS staff have noted a rise in the number of harassment and bullying complaints. Staff assist members in filing complaints under Board policy, defend members against complaints, negotiate resolutions, and protect members’ workplace rights and health and safety. All members have the right to be free from violence in their workplaces. Staff provide options and constructive solutions for these problems. This year, staff have been actively involved in overseeing the government’s activities on the safe schools front, beginning with the implementation of Bill 212 (Amendments to the Education Act with respect to Behaviour, Discipline and Safety). Bill 157 (Keeping Our Kids Safe at School Act) is now law. Bill 168 (Recommendations for Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act: Violence and Harassment in the Workplace) is now before the legislature. ETFO has been active in providing input to government on proposed legislation, preparing briefs on issues, and in lobbying. PRS staff prepare VOICE articles, workshops for members, and briefs for presentation to government around increased protection from all forms of violence, including cyberbullying and harassment. human Rights Violations/workplace Accommodations PRS staff counsel members who are complainants or respondents under Board policies governing Human Rights Code violations and assist in finding constructive resolutions. Often, discrimination on the basis of disability is involved and our members need workplace accommodations, whether through re-assignment, transfers, reduced workloads, the provision of assistive devices, etc. Staff negotiate workplace accommodations and can assist with the transfer or re-assignment process, along with the provision of appropriate medical 37 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 24, 2009 Niagara Teachers Say Yes to Tentative Deal elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 38 documentation. Over the past year PRS staff have counseled members facing, or lodging allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, and other grounds prohibited under the Human Rights Code. CAS Complaints and Investigations/Criminal Charges CAS complaints have become an occupational hazard and are on the increase. The process is extremely stressful for members, and staff assist in coordinating the legal response and strategy, as well as helping members cope with the process. Similarly, allegations of criminal misconduct such as assault, sexual assault, or sexual abuse of students require urgent and immediate intervention by PRS staff in coordination with legal counsel. CAS and police complaints are often closely linked to College of Teachers investigations and employment repercussions. Staff counsel members on how to respond, when to remain silent and how to exercise their right to do so, and how to address the legal issues facing them when such complaints are filed. long Term Disability (lTD) Our LTD caseload remains high as we continue to assist members with information, legal services, and assistance in appealing claims that have been unfairly denied by the insurer. workplace Safety and Insurance Board (wSIB) There has been a very significant increase in both calls and claims related to WSIB. The provincial office has done a considerable amount of outreach work this year to inform members about their rights when facing illness or injury connected with the workplace. There has also been a massive internal reorganization at the WSIB itself, resulting in an even greater emphasis on return-to-work initiatives as opposed to benefit payments. PRS Matters and Articles in VOICE PRS staff prepare materials throughout the year to keep members informed about legal and professional issues. Topics covered in 2008 – 2009 included cyberbullying, accessing Professional Relations Services, the hidden dangers of electronic communications, use of restraint, stress in the classroom and WSIB, defamatory websites and social networking sites, and the teacher performance appraisal process for experienced teachers. These articles are available on ETFO’s website. Planning and Programming Course This course is available to members experiencing difficulties in the area of planning and who have been working with PRS staff. Participants may be members who have received unsatisfactory performance appraisals, who are “on review,” or who have been assigned to a division they have not taught before. The course is intended to assist teachers with planning, by using Ministry curriculum documents, classroom management strategies, and techniques for building positive relationships with staff and parents. The course is offered at the provincial office, and locally upon request. workshops and Conferences Our focus in workshops and conferences is to prevent professional problems before they arise by informing members of their rights and obligations. Workshops also address recent changes to education legislation. PRS staff respond to requests from stewards, local leaders, individual members, and faculties of education to address a variety of professional issues. Workshops on harassment, bullying and APRIL 25, 2009 Hamilton-Wentworth Teachers Ink Tentative Agreement 39 abuse of authority, dealing with difficult situations, professionalism, workplace accommodations, performance appraisal, parent-teacher relationships, professional boundaries, safe schools, the Ontario College of Teachers, allegations of assault, and pregnancy and parental leaves were presented throughout the year. This past year as well 85 members attended a conference titled “Stay Calm & Carry on – Stress Management” which dealt with difficult workplace issues, life transitions, and financial challenges. This year our two-part “Perils of Perfectionism” workshop drew 40 participants, while the twopart “The Anger Within” was offered twice, for a total of 80 participants. Finally, staff offered leadership development workshops at the ETFO PQP courses, Leaders for Tomorrow, Union School, and Fall Leadership. his support for elementary teachers and a commitment on the part of his government to address the funding gap. Ultimately, while Ministry representatives expressed support, OPSBA refused to accept the ETFO proposal, wanting instead to impose a framework that stripped collective agreements of teacher working conditions and rights. Full-Day Kindergarten Following the broad distribution of the ETFO position paper and pamphlet on full-day kindergarten within the education community and at Queen’s Park, the federation developed a DVD that highlights the importance of a play-based kindergarten program and of staffing the programs with qualified teachers. The resource was distributed to MPPs, education stakeholder organizations, school boards, and schools and posted on the ETFO website. Locals and teacher representatives on school councils were asked to use the resources to communicate to members, parents, and the broader public. President David Clegg promoted the federation’s policies at policy forums and through the media. Dr. Pascal released his report on June 15, 2009. The report contains a number of positive proposals for a new vision of delivering children’s services. However, the proposed staffing model which calls for the major involvement of early childhood educator (ECE) staff and a diminished role for teachers, will not provide the high-quality full-day kindergarten learning experience that Premier McGuinty promised and that parents expect for their children. ETFO does not support this staffing model and will continue to lobby the government regarding the importance of including a qualified teacher throughout the school day in any future full-day program for four- and five-year olds. School Information Finder ETFO joined with a broad coalition of education stakeholder organizations to lobby the provincial government to discontinue its School Information REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 POlITICAl ACTIOn ETFO began the school year with two key issues: closing the funding gap for elementary education and promoting the federation’s policies on fullday kindergarten in anticipation of the report of Dr. Charles Pascal, the premier’s early learning advisor. Close the Gap Campaign In late November and early December, as talks with Government and OPSBA continued, ETFO tabled a proposal which would redirect part of the government funding for salary increases to create 1,500 additional jobs. Creating these new jobs would increase the projected number of teachers added to the system over the four years to 2,500 positions, ensuring reduced class sizes and further time for teachers to address student and program needs. The proposal would have supported the goal of increasing teacher preparation time while also enriching the program provided to students. A significant component of ETFO’s proposal was a requested letter from the Premier indicating APRIL 25, 2009 Toronto Teachers Approve Tentative Agreement elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 40 Finder website that provides EQAO results on a school-by-school basis along with background information related to students’ socioeconomic status and racial and cultural background. The government has indicated a willingness to change what’s posted on the site, but not to remove it. women in Politics Conference ETFO held its second Women in Politics Conference in April. Participants included ETFO women members from across the province interested in expanding their involvement in the political process or exploring what would be involved in taking part in their first political campaign. Keynote speakers included Marie Wilson from the Washington-based Whitehouse Project and Dr. Sylvia Bashevkin, a Canadian political science professor who has written extensively about women in politics. Former PC Education Minister Janet Ecker made a presentation on behalf of Equal Voice, the national organization devoted to increasing the number of women elected to public office. A panel of politicians speaking about their experiences included Liberal MPP Linda Jeffrey, PC MPP Joyce Savoline, NDP leader Andrea Horwath, and Alejandra Bravo from the Maytree Foundation. Child Care lobby ETFO executive members, staff, and two local vicepresidents participated in the June 12 Queen’s Park lobby day sponsored by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. The lobby focused on the need for increased funding for child care to avoid cuts to programs and to expand child care spaces across the province. A number of locals also participated in constituency meetings organized by the coalition. Social Justice Advocacy ETFO actively supported the Coalition for Social Justice, the Equal Pay Coalition, and the Twenty Five in Five poverty reduction campaign. At the federal level, the federation continued to work on issues related to gender equality, child care, and improving the welfare of Aboriginal communities. ETFO representatives also participated in the Canadian Teachers’ Federation lobby day at the House of Commons in April. In June, VicePresident Barbara Burkett participated in the hearings held by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Reducing Poverty. ETFO huMAnITY FunD ETFO’s Humanity Fund has been in existence for over seven years. The board of directors includes representatives of all the locals that have negotiated member contributions to the Humanity Fund with their boards. This year the ETFO Humanity Fund supported the CTF Trust, Mozambique teacher training. Two ETFO members participated in the Mozambique project as volunteers. The Fund supported children in Haiti through both Medecins Sans Frontiere and the Red Cross. The Fund donated money to Pencils for Kids, War Child Canada, Jamaican Self-Help, and the Canadian Institute of Cultural Affairs. The Stephen Lewis Foundation is Humanity Fund’s signature charity and receives over half of the Fund’s donations annually. It is clear that more and more organizations are learning about the ETFO Humanity Fund. The number of requests and expressions of interest we have received this year is double that of previous years. The board of the ETFO Humanity Fund encourages any local that is not currently a member of the fund to work with their members and their boards to join the fund. There are so many worthy projects appealing to us for funds, projects we do not have the resources to support. Every new local that joins the fund expands ETFO’s ability to help those in need, here in Canada and around the world. APRIL 28, 2009 Algoma Teachers Ink Tentative Agreement 41 Thank you to every ETFO member who has supported the ETFO Humanity Fund. The need for your contribution only grows each year. The series highlighted a variety of assessment tools and strategies, provided suggestions on how to gather classroom data for feedback and reporting, and explored strategies for using classroom assessment data to inform instruction. It provided members with a toolbox of assessment strategies and information that can be used to reflect on their classroom programs. The workshops also created an `ETFO space’ for discussion about some of the challenges that classroom teachers face with respect to assessment practices. An impact analysis research study is currently underway to help us understand the extent of learning by the members in attendance. The research includes pre- and post-session surveys, focus groups, and observation of sessions. Global Education Curriculum Inquiry Project The Global Education Curriculum Inquiry Project is a joint initiative between ETFO and OISE/UT where a group of teachers work in a community of practice combining face-to-face meetings and facilitated online learning to collaboratively revise lesson plans and thematic units. The second meeting of the Global Education Curriculum Inquiry Project took place on December 5th and December 6th, 2008. Global education unit and lesson plans were outlined and discussions were held on the focus of the units. The lesson plans and units were field-tested during the winter of 2008 and participants discussed their learning on-line. Finalized units and lesson plans will be edited and posted on the ETFO website by the fall of 2009. Innoteach The Innoteach Project engaged teachers who had innovative practices in sharing one or more learning objects (e.g., lesson plan or multi-media resource) with other ETFO members. They used a critical friends group on-line process to discuss their learning object and listen to suggestions and ideas from colleagues on how to improve it. They also used a wiki to document their learning. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 EnhAnCED PROFESSIOnAl DEVElOPMEnT ETFO has continued to provide additional professional learning for our members during the 200809 year thanks to the more than $10 million in grants from the Ministry of Education. These programs have continued to allow ETFO to support teacher-directed, site-based professional development through the ETFO Poverty and Education Project and the Teachers Learning Together Project. Other new and exciting initiatives were implemented such as a three-part series on classroom assessment, a special education community of learners, and a global education project. Members have continually reported that these programs have provided them with meaningful and practical learning opportunities of the highest caliber. The following is an overview of the projects undertaken this year. Classroom Assessment Series Throughout the year, ETFO offered, in collaboration with teacher locals, a three-part workshop series that focused on elementary classroom assessment. The series ran in 20 teacher locals. Two of the sessions took place with release time provided during the instructional day and the third session took place after school. Each local could register a maximum of 25 participants. APRIL 29, 2009 Ratified Agreements Cover 2,800 Occasional Teachers elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 42 The project was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 participants met on November 3rd and November 4th and made final revisions to their learning objects and prepared a storyboard to document the phases and challenges of putting their learned object into practice. Participants were then filmed. Phase 2 of the project began in January with a new cohort group. Two participants from Phase1 facilitated the new cohort. The same online process was followed and participants collaboratively revised their learning objects in response to peer review. The second session of Phase 2 occurred on June 5th and 6th with teachers storyboarding and videotaping their learning objects. All video clips and learning objects from Phase 1 and 2 will be posted to an Innoteach site on the ETFO website early in the fall of 2009. Poverty Projects Poverty has a tremendous impact on children’s ability to learn. Teachers see the effects of poverty in their classrooms every day. The root causes of poverty are factors over which schools have little control. However research shows that schools and teachers can make a difference. For the past two years, ETFO’s Poverty and Education Projects have been providing members with professional learning opportunities to help them address the needs of students facing socioeconomic challenges in their classrooms. The goal of ETFO’s work on poverty and education is to educate members and in turn, the broader community about the reality of poverty and its impacts on education. ETFO’s programs and resources for members include: the DVD, One in Six; the play “Danny, King of the Basement”; related professional learning including a new three-part series entitled “Possibilities”; and the June 2008 special edition of VOICE. ETFO’s poverty projects have touched every part of the province, in hundreds of schools, in every district school board. ETFO’s work is ongoing, but already there have been positive changes in schools across the province. ETFO continues to build partnerships and to find creative educational solutions that minimize income as a determinant of student achievement. Danny, King of the Basement ETFO sponsored a second ten-week tour of David S. Craig’s play, Danny, King of the Basement in 2008-09. This award-winning play continued to be the catalyst for school-based projects. The play has been performed for over 300 schools, touching the lives of about 100,000 children. Over these two years, 31 schools were selected in consultation with the director of education and the local ETFO president to become “Danny schools”. Each school received a performance of the play, pre- and post play support, and workshops by the actors in classrooms. In addition, each “Danny school” was given a grant of $10,000, 20 release days, and a training session for the lead teacher and school principal to develop school-based projects which addressed needs in their own schools communities. Projects focused on building community, and addressing physical needs in the school, as well as pedagogical and social needs. Many of the “Danny” projects from 2007-2008 were highlighted at the November 2008 Poverty and Education Symposium and in the special edition of ETFO VOICE . Poverty and Education Symposium In November 2008, ETFO hosted a national symposium on Poverty and Education which attracted over 300 participants. The symposium brought together participants from ETFO’s “Danny” and “Anti-Poverty Incentive Schools” to share their projects. Feedback from the school administrators, community activists, and representatives from government and faculties of education who attended the symposium was overwhelmingly positive. Keynote speakers and professional devel- APRIL 29, 2009 Waterloo Region Teachers Ratify Collective Agreement 43 opment workshops explored the complexity of poverty issues and how they impact learning. Topics ranged from reducing barriers to learning to building resilience among students affected by poverty. Delegates heard three keynote addresses from renowned educators. Dr. Avis Glaze, former head of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, reinforced the importance of teaching the whole child while American sociologist and professor at New York University, Dr. Pedro Noguera, stressed the importance of knowing your students, and building relationships with children and their families while also setting high expectations for students. Dr. Charles Ungerleider from British Columbia, spoke about recommended classroom practices for struggling students but also stressed the need to improve the academic success of children in poverty. Failing to do so, undermines public education, said Dr. Ungerleider, because opponents use these students’ lack of success to indict the whole system. Poverty Series and Resource ETFO piloted a new three-part professional development series entitled, “Possibilities: Poverty Issues in Schools” in five school boards across the province. Each board, in consultation with the local ETFO president selected up to five schools to participate. Each school sent five teachers and one administrator to the series. The series helped deepen educators’ understanding, sensitivity, and collective efficacy as well as refined pro-active strategies and programs to support students perceived as “at-risk”. A classroom resource is in development that describes practical strategies individual teachers can integrate into their planning and instruction to support students who are affected by poverty. This new resource will be available in late 2009. Poverty Research in Schools Most of the North American literature on poverty and schooling is U.S. based and describes U.S. schools. ETFO has contracted with researchers at Brock University and OISE/UT to conduct research to help shed light on the situation in Ontario. There have been three main aspects to the research: • The impact of the “Danny, King of the Basement” projects • Case studies of schools working on initiatives related to poverty and education • The impact of the “Possibilities” series of workshops The case study research will be compiled into a publication to be released in 2009. Special Edition of Voice A special edition of Voice entitled Poverty and Learning was published in June 2008, highlighting the work that ETFO and its members have been doing to improve the possibilities of academic success for all students. This issue examined the professional learning that took place through ETFO’s Poverty and Education projects. The articles examined what educators can do to improve the outcomes for children in Ontario schools. This special edition provided a sample of the many school-based projects made possible by the anti-poverty incentive funding grants. Research by Dr. Joe Flessa, Dr. Darlene Ciufetelli Parker, and Heather Becker was also featured, describing the first phase of their poverty and education research in Ontario schools. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 APRIL 30, 2009 Over 9,000 More Teachers Have New Collective Agreements elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 44 Nutrition for School Learning Nutrition in schools is becoming a bigger challenge with food costs escalating due to higher grain and fuel costs. Many of ETFO’s Education and Poverty schools are located in areas affected by recent layoffs or high unemployment. In 200809, ETFO initiated a voluntary “direct-to-school pilot project – “Nutrition for School Learning”, in partnership with the Grocery Foundation, a “not-for-profit” foundation. Public donations enable the foundation to purchase commodities such as milk and fruit for schools. The project provides elementary schools involved in ETFO’s Education and Poverty project with food vouchers which they can redeem at local food retailers. This partnership allowed schools to stretch their dollars farther to help alleviate hunger in their communities. Plans are to expand the project next year to service more needy schools across Ontario. Poverty Website Work is underway to develop a section of the ETFO website dedicated to the Poverty and Education Project. The website will tell the stories of schools involved in the projects and provide a forum for sharing the strategies they utilized to support students from poverty in their schools and classrooms. Members will be able to access articles, ETFO resources, a summary of ETFO research projects, and videoclips of speakers from ETFO’s Poverty Symposium. Special Education Teachers: Community of learners Twenty members in special education roles participated in the ETFO Special Education Teachers: Community of Learners project during the 20082009 school year. This project focused on building knowledge and understanding of differentiated instruction (DI) and developing skills to work collaboratively with teacher colleagues to support students with special needs in the regular classroom. Participants came together for three face-to-face sessions during the year to learn more about DI and coaching through facilitated sessions. Throughout the year, participants worked online in collaborative home teams to support their learning. The online component of the project allowed for continual support and reflection as participants worked through a project on DI with a partner classroom teacher. Presentations on the projects were made at the final face-to-face session. This was a successful project that enabled members to engage in self-directed professional learning in a supportive environment. Summer Academy 2009 Once again this year, ETFO offered an enhanced Summer Academy program providing 85 three-day courses to members across the province. Course topics included: grade specific sessions, classroom management, planning, special education, assessment, occasional teaching, and many others. The courses, offered in partnership with many locals and some district school boards, provided a balance of theory and practical strategies that help support members as they prepare for teaching in the fall. The courses also provided an outstanding opportunity for ETFO to reinforce its policies and positions on many issues including standardized testing, mandatory curriculum, combined grades, classroom assessment, and social justice. Teachers learning Together The Teachers Learning Together (TLT) program was created by ETFO two years ago to support members and their professional learning through team action research projects. Action research is a model of professional learning which supports teachers as they seek to discover answers to questions or issues they may have regarding their classroom practice. Action research gives teachers an opportunity to choose the learning they want to explore, which is job-embedded and connected to their classroom. Approximately 200 members engaged in the project with the support of 12 university faculty members. MAY 1, 2009 Three Teacher Locals Ratify Collective Agreements for 4,500 Teachers 45 Based on the success of the first phase of the project, it was extended into the 2008 - 2009 school year. This unique TLT program has continued to connect classroom teachers, occasional teachers, consultants, ETFO staff, and faculty members from five universities (Trent, Nipissing, Brock, OISE/UT, and Windsor). In the second phase the team action research projects had a specific focus on mathematics. Teacher teams through the ETFO Teachers Learning Together Math Project have been given the opportunity to: • connect with colleagues; • expand their mathematical content knowledge; • reflect on effective mathematics instruction; • take risks; and • implement their new learning in their classrooms to support students. Teachers Learning Together Celebration Symposium In October, 2008, ETFO held a Celebration Symposium for the teacher teams involved in the first phase of the initiative. It was a powerful day of sharing action research projects as well as the case study research the university teams had done during the school year. Members in attendance found it to be a very gratifying and inspiring event. The symposium for the second year of the project will be held in November of 2009. Teachers Learning Together Action Research Guide Each teacher and university faculty member received the “Teachers Learning Together Action Research Resource Guide”, which was written specifically for the TLT project and reviewed by ETFO staff and our university partners. It was created to support teachers through their action research journey. The guide contains templates, suggestions for the different stages of Action Research, as well as tips and strategies. A CD was also developed which provides writable PDF versions of every line master in the guide that the teams can use during the year to support their projects. Through the first phase of the project, participants reported that the data collection and analysis stages of Action Research were the most challenging and required additional support. New sections on data collection and analysis were developed to provide resources and ideas for members as they work through these phases of action research. This guide is currently being revised and will be published in 2010 for purchase through Shop ETFO. Teachers Learning Together Research A pre and post teacher survey was completed by all participants in both phases of the project. The survey addressed five variables related to participation in the TLT project: • teacher attitudes towards research • teacher attitudes to collaboration • effects on teacher efficacy • teachers attitudes and beliefs moderated by teachers’ prior experience with research, culture of school, and/or professional backgrounds • were there stages of action research that were perceived as more important than others? Fifteen case studies were completed by our university partners to provide research on the benefits and challenges of teacher-directed action research projects. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 MAY 4, 2009 Ontario North East Teachers Have New Collective Agreements elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 46 Teachers Learning Together Website A Teachers Learning Together website provides a forum for all participants to share successes, ask questions, and learn together in an online format. There are regional sections to support the university team and their regions in communicating with teacher teams. Webcasts of the keynotes at previous symposia and also further webcasts on data collection and analysis are posted on the website for teacher team use during the project. Teams are able to use this website throughout the school year, during team meetings, or individually. The website highlights and provides information, supports, and more details on the different stages of action research. This website will be enhanced during the upcoming school year and will be made available on ETFO’s public website for members across the province to support them if they chose to participate in action research. Teaching for Deep understanding Institute and Supports A writing team of ten teachers was brought together in early January 2009 to outline the framework for curriculum units that respect the theory and principles of teaching for deep understanding. The team set the template for writing curriculum units in literacy, numeracy, social studies, science, and the arts, determined the process for collaboratively writing on-line, and outlined the specifications for a workshop on teaching for deep understanding. Working as a collaborative online community of practice during the winter, the team wrote and modified the curriculum units and the accompanying teacher development workshop. The writers came together for the final time this spring to revise the units and to prepare a workshop on Teaching for Deep Understanding as an offering for the Summer Academy, 2009. The curriculum units will be posted on the ETFO website by November 2009. Program Evaluation and Impact Analysis Ministry funding for the special professional development projects has given ETFO an enhanced opportunity for learning through research. Over the past year, ETFO worked with researchers from a number of universities to provide further understandings of the impact of a number of our projects. The projects include various aspects of the Poverty and Education Project, the Summer Academy, Classroom Management for Occasional Teachers, the classroom assessment series, and the Teachers Learning Together project. ETFO has also contracted with researchers to conduct an overall review of the whole program, looking at the impact on ETFO members, the relationships ETFO has established with various partners, and the changed view of ETFO by various education stakeholders. This research is unique in its depth and breadth. It will provide ETFO with insights on the provision of professional learning for members, on various models of professional development, and how to extend member learning. The research findings will inform decisions about future professional learning opportunities for ETFO members. ETFO is also making formal presentations at various conferences and writing articles for numerous professional journals to share the findings and help inform the broader educational community about the impact of the ETFO programs, the characteristics of effective professional learning, and to tell the story of how a teacher union effectively and successfully supports their members. MAY 5, 2009 Three Teacher Locals Ratify Collective Agreements for 5,400 Teachers ouTside eTfo 47 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl ETFO AnD ThE CAnADIAn TEAChERS’ FEDERATIOn ETFO is the largest affiliate of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF). It proudly participates actively in the work of CTF. In July 2007, Emily Noble became the president of CTF and the national spokesperson for 276,000 teachers across Canada. ETFO members were proud that one of their own was the national spokesperson for Canadian teachers. (Note: Mary-Lou Donnelly from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union succeeded Noble in July, 2009.) ETFO President David Clegg and General Secretary Gene Lewis represent ETFO on the CTF Board of Directors. PROJECT OVERSEAS Since 1962, Canadian teachers have been making a difference in the professional lives of teachers in developing countries through Project Overseas. Teachers involved with Project Overseas work with teacher organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East to offer professional development programs to teachers. In turn, these teachers learn and grow as professionals. ETFO is sponsoring twelve Project Overseas participants this year: • Catherine Barry and Yasmin Khan, both from ETT, are going to Guyana. • Olive Creary-Stachell and Linda DiCesare, both from ETT, are going to Saint Vincent. Linda is the team leader. • Janet Fuchek, Lakehead Teacher Local, and Allyson Taché, ETT, are going to Guinea. • • • • • Allyson is the team leader. Rheba Gillespie, ETT, is going to Dominica. Kimberly Gringhuis and Angie Ortlieb, both from ETT, are going to Sierra Leone. Angie is the team leader. Esther Lauzon, Simcoe County Teachers Local, is going to Ghana. Patricia Munroe, Toronto Occasional Teacher Local, is going to Mongolia. Melissa Rabess, ETT, is going to Uganda. MEETInG 2009 CTF is sponsoring an additional ETFO member, Denise Edwards, ETT, who is going to Uganda as team leader. Again this year, ETFO held a one-day session for returning Project Overseas participants. Janice Gregg, a former member of the International Assistance Committee and previous participant in Project Overseas facilitated the day. Returning participants discussed their experiences overseas and the ways in which they will bring the experience back home. Several Project Overseas participants contributed to the April issue of Voice. Following the distribution of the magazine, a number of ETFO members indicated an interest in participating in the coming year. CTF TRuST FunD Mary-Lou Donnelly, CTF President, serves as Chairperson of the CTF Trust Fund. Through the CTF Trust Fund, ETFO contributes to • the Caribbean Women Teachers’ Network Program to provide leadership training, trade union education, and professional development; MAY 7, 2009 Rainbow Elementary Teachers Ratify Collective Agreement elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 48 • the Federation of Mongolian Education and Science Unions to provide assistance to Mongolian English/ESL teachers through professional development; • the Northern African Women’s Network to strengthen the leadership capacity of women; • the Pan African Teachers’ Centre to train teachers to write books and to publish the books; • the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation Women’s Network to train women to be leaders in their own organizations; • the West African Women in Education Network to improve the status of women teachers and increase their union leadership opportunities; and • the Association of South East Asian Nations to continue to promote the greater involvement of women in their teacher organizations. In addition, ETFO through the CTF Trust provides overseas scholarships to women and girls in Sierra Leone, India, Mongolia, Africa, and the Caribbean. ETFO AnD RIGhT TO PlAY Two years ago, ETFO entered into a partnership with Right to Play. Right to Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Under this partnership ETFO has supported staff members going to Dubai and to Cambodia to work with local agencies in furthering the goals of the organization. Staff members have continued to work with Right to Play to develop resources for projects abroad. In Cambodia, Wendy Matthews continues her work training teachers with the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation (MJP) in the only millennium village outside Africa. Through African EYEs:The Bénin Project – An International Partnership to Promote Early Years Education is another collaborative project in which ETFO and Right to Play are participating. In September 2008, ETFO staff members Anne Rodrigue and Joan Littleford travelled to West Africa with Right to Play. Their role was to help the Bénin Ministry of Education, and Right to Play, Bénin work with early years educators, principals, and superintendants to implement a national early childhood curriculum for children ages 3 to 6 years. The implementation of an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Curriculum in Bénin is not a short-term project. In order for Bénin’s initiative to take hold and to serve as a model for other SubSaharan African nations, sustainable sources of funding are needed. ETFO funding is supporting the program by working with the Ministry, the government of Bénin, Right to Play and providing funding to secure resources for teachers. But funding alone is not enough. The following projects have been identified as priorities: • designing a follow-up in-servicing model for inspectors, facilitators, and teachers on best practices in teaching reading, writing, and mathematics in early years education; • bringing key Bénin policy makers to Toronto for additional training, to work with Dr. Stuart Shanker and the Harris Foundation on current brain research, and to attend a national conference on early child development in New Brunswick; • developing and revising Bénin early years curriculum documents; MAY 11, 209 4,700 Occasional Teachers Have New Collective Agreements 49 • beginning the creation of a Big Book Project with the Bénin teacher union and Bénin teachers to provide Bénin early years classrooms with shared reading resources that are culturally and environmentally respectful; and, • continuing work to develop a Bénin ECE Research Centre. At the May 2009 Representative Council, the Through African EYes project was presented to local presidents. Locals have been invited to participate by funding math and science resource kits and supporting the Big Book Project. tell and hear the stories of people and communities hurt by job loss and service cuts in Ontario. ETFO locals participated in events held in these communities. CAnADIAn lABOuR COnGRESS ETFO President David Clegg sits on the executive board of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). In that role he advances the issues relating to public education in Canada and shares the work ETFO does in its locals and in members’ classrooms. ETFO members work every day with other unionists and with the children of other unionists. Participating at the CLC benefits our members and the students they teach. Like the OFL the CLC has been active this year fighting for more jobs, help for workers and industries hurt by the recession, and improved employment insurance benefits. Rallies have been held across the country. Many ETFO locals participate in one or more of their local labour councils. These councils are the face of organized labour in the community. In the annual survey ETFO conducts in locals to assess participation in political action, public relations, and related activities, ETFO locals report that they are members of labour councils, donate to local strikes, participate in Labour Day activities, participate in the Day of Mourning, and contribute broadly to local labour council programs and projects. REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 ETFO AnD ThE lABOuR MOVEMEnT OnTARIO FEDERATIOn OF lABOuR President David Clegg and Vice-president Barbara Burkett are vice-presidents of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). Together they bring ETFO’s issues and advice to the labour table and ensure that elementary teachers are actively engaged in the labour movement in Ontario. ETFO officers and staff members work with the staff of other unions on a number of OFL committees including the Women’s Committee, the Persons with Disabilities Committee, and the Education Committee. This past year the OFL has been actively involved in the campaign for better child care, working with other labour and community organizations to gain government support for universal, public, accessible child care. Since the onset of the recession, the OFL, together with other labour groups, has been actively engaged in efforts to ensure that both the federal and provincial governments respond to the needs of unemployed workers and communities devastated by the loss of manufacturing. The OFL’s Drive to Work campaign travelled through more than 50 towns and cities in June to ETFO In ThE COMMunITY ETFO as an organization and ETFO members individually made significant contributions to the community this past year. As is clear from this report, ETFO used its resources to support high-quality public education. ETFO members work daily to ensure that elementary students in MAY 11, 2009 A Thousand Grand Erie Elementary Teachers Have New Contract elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 50 Ontario receive the best possible education. But ETFO’s sense of community responsibility doesn’t end there. Many organizations benefit from ETFO’s generosity, both human and material. Some of these organizations are in Ontario; some are abroad. ETFO makes annual donations to organizations that support women and children abroad. This year, in addition to the donations made to CTF, described above, ETFO made a donation to Hope for Rwanda’s Children’s Fund, to provide scholarships for girls and women in that country. ETFO also provides scholarships for teachers in the Women’s Wing of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers. ETFO, through MATCH International, provides support for the HIV/AIDS Media and Community Education Program, implemented by the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA). The program has been developed to raise awareness of the causes, effects, and prevention of HIV/AIDS to the population of eight Caribbean islands. This project will affect over 1,000 youth directly with one million reached indirectly. Through CODE (Canadian Organization for Development Through Education), ETFO is providing funds for the Children’s Book Project – Providing a Sustainable Literate Environment in Tanzania. Every year ETFO donates $15,000 to organizations whose goals are to improve the status of women and/or girls in Ontario or Canada. This year, donations were made to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, the Canadian Women’s Health Network, the National Congress of Black Women Foundation, the Older Women’s Network, the Retired Women Teachers of Ontario, Willow Breast Cancer Support and Resource Centre, and the Women’s College Research Institute. ETFO made donations to 87 women’s crisis centres across Ontario. Donations include $500 to the crisis centre, or a start-up grant of $2500 for new centres being established or existing centres undergoing major renovations resulting in significant additional capacity. ETFO locals are asked to make matching financial or in-kind contributions. ETFO provincially is a member of the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice, the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, among others. Across the province our locals work with their community organizations to improve the lives of us all. And our members, in their communities, do the same in their own ways. Together we are committed to a better future for the children we teach. MAY 12, 2009 Teachers Seek Inclusion of LGBT Issues in Elementary Curriculum 2009 eTfo award reCiPienTs 51 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl ABORIGInAl wOMEn In EDuCATIOn BuRSARY – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Tanya leary Allison lynn lisa Michano Carla Vincent york region Teacher local non-eTfo member non-eTfo member non-eTfo member ETFO BuRSARIES – DESIGnATED GROuPS (Persons with a disability, visible minorities, Aboriginal persons, lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender persons) Brenda Alouache Deena Douara nicole luinenburg non-eTfo member non-eTfo member non-eTfo member MEETInG 2009 Christopher Stewart non-eTfo member ARTS AnD CulTuRE AwARD Charles heller Peel Teacher local ETFO BuRSARIES – wOMEn’S PROGRAM (Women with a disability, visible women minorities, Aboriginal women, lesbian, bisexual, transgender women) Mary Ampomah Kara Cherland Suzy DeJesus natalie Gavin elementary Teachers of Toronto non-eTfo member Peel Teacher local non-eTfo member BEV SASKOlEY AnTI-RACIST SChOlARShIP AwARD Allina lee elementary Teachers of Toronto CuRRICuluM DEVElOPMEnT AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Marina Cohen york region Teacher local hEAlTh AnD SAFETY ACTIVIST AwARD DOCTORAl SChOlARShIP AwARD Antonino Giambrone elementary Teachers of Toronto Adam wadon elementary Teachers of Toronto hOnORARY lIFE MEMBERShIP AwARD DOCTORAl SChOlARShIP AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Jana Duncan rainbow Teacher local Regine Baker Robert Blackwood Val Duhaime Anna huston Margaret Taylor york region Teacher local upper grand Teacher local Peel occasional Teacher local upper Canada Teacher local Trillium lakelands Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto Keewatin-Patricia occasional Teacher local Alan Stanley Jordyne williams Amy wilson larissa woods Elizabeth Young Kawartha Pine ridge Teacher local york region Teacher local waterloo region Teacher local Thames Valley Teacher local ottawa-Carleton Teacher local non-eTfo member non-eTfo member non-eTfo member non-eTfo member eTfo executive staff ETFO BuRSARIES (for sons and daughters of ETFO members) Daniel Feldberg Valerie-lyn Foster Caitlin henderson Robyn hogan Yasmine Kherraji Tamara Mervin Shannon Smith huMAnITARIAn AwARD FOR An ETFO MEMBER Shannon Bailey (Creedon) Keewatin-Patricia Teacher local InnOVATIVE PROJECTS On BEhAlF OF ChIlDREn lIVInG In POVERTY The hamilton-wentworth Council of home and School Associations lOCAl lEADERShIP AwARD James McCormack waterloo region Teacher local MAY 14, 2009 Over 12,000 More Elementary Teachers Have New Collective Agreements elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 52 MASTER’S SChOlARShIP Kevin Auckland Amy Jensen Angie Ortlieb Ken Overeem Valence Young Thames Valley Teacher local hamilton-wentworth Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto Thames Valley Teacher local renfrew County Teacher local OCCASIOnAl TEAChER OF ThE YEAR AwARD Allison Belyea limestone occasional Teacher local OuTSTAnDInG ROlE MODEl FOR wOMEn – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Dorothy Ramsay simcoe County Teacher local MASTER’S SChOlARShIP – wOMEn’S PROGRAM zaiba Beg Melissa Jensen Karen naik Tammy Pearce Peel Teacher local simcoe County Teacher local york region Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto upper grand Teacher local wRITER’S AwARD (Published) Kimberly Peters durham Teacher local Tasleem ladak-haidari wRITER’S AwARD (Unpublished) R .J .Carter Peel Teacher local MulTI-MEDIA AwARD Daniel Grant york region Teacher local wRITER’S AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM (published) Shernett Martin elementary Teachers of Toronto MulTI-MEDIA AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Rebecca Codack Peel Teacher local wRITER’S AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM (unpublished) Karen Fisk hastings-Prince edward Teacher local nEw TEAChER OF ThE YEAR AwARD Ricardo Rodriguez elementary Teachers of Toronto nEwSlETTER EDITOR’S AwARD (multi-sheet category) John Payne waterloo region Teacher local wOMEn wORKInG In SOCIAl ACTIVISM On BEhAlF OF wOMEn AnD ChIlDREn AwARD – wOMEn’S PROGRAM Sister Christine leyser nEwSlETTER EDITOR’S AwARD (single-sheet category) Shazilla (Shelly) Jan Peel occasional Teacher local MAY 15, 2009 Algoma Occasional Teachers Ratify Collective Agreement 2008 - 2009 eTfo sTanding CommiTTees 53 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG Aboriginal Education Committee larry Beardy leslie Fallaize Darline Pomeroy Debbie white Keewatin-Patricia Teacher local durham Teacher local Kawartha Pine ridge Teacher local Peel Teacher local Disability Issues Committee Cheryl MacMillan Adam Peer Tina Rodway Aviva Rosenberg leigh Ann wheeler niagara Teacher local Peel Teacher local durham Teacher local Peel Teacher local Kawartha Pine ridge Teacher local 2009 Charlotte neckoway lakehead occasional Teacher local Annual Meeting Committee Gail King Ruth Mackie Ann Pharazyn Pamela Rogers Sharlene Smith simcoe County Teacher local rainy river Teacher local lambton Kent Teacher local hamilton-wentworth Teacher local lakehead Teacher local Early Years Committee Shan Cardinali lotje hives Corinne Scarfo Ron Vine Peel Teacher local near north Teacher local lakehead Teacher local lakehead Teacher local hamilton-wentworth Teacher local Margaret Mapley-Jackson Anti-Racist Education Committee Sadhna Bablani Racchpal Gill Azmina Mohamed zubeda Patel nilmini Ratwatte york region Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto york region occasional Teacher local Peel Teacher local Peel Teacher local Environmental Committee Ron Ballentine Antonella Ciampa Valerie Inksetter Todd Rimmington halton Teacher local greater essex County Teacher local hamilton-wentworth Teacher local niagara Teacher local Antonino Giambrone elementary Teachers of Toronto Awards Committee Inta Aldridge Sheri Birch Bayley Sherrie Guthrie Dave livingstone John neville hamilton-wentworth Teacher local simcoe County Teacher local ottawa-Carleton Teacher local ontario north east occasional Teacher local lambton Kent Teacher local French as a Second language Committee Diana Andrews Bruno Dallaire Mario Spagnuolo elementary Teachers of Toronto ontario north east Teacher local grand erie Teacher local algoma Teacher local greater essex County Teacher local Rose huysentruyt-Closs Barbara-Ann Sutherland human Rights Committee Collective Bargaining Committee Mark hachmer David Mclaren Darlene Mead Michaela Murphy Steve Prowse Trillium lakelands Teacher local limestone occasional Teacher local algoma Teacher local renfrew County Teacher local upper Canada Teacher local Sumona Roy Michael Thomas Alice Assor-Chandler halton Teacher local Karen Cow hastings-Prince edward occasional Teacher local Rochelle Coombs-Paulus elementary Teachers of Toronto hamilton-wentworth Teacher local Thames Valley Teacher local MAY 21, 2009 Niagara Occasional Teachers Ratify Collective Agreement elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 54 Intermediate Division Committee Susan Gardner Dave henderson Michelle hudon lorellie Munson walter Onyskiw ottawa-Carleton Teacher local hastings-Prince edward Teacher local hamilton-wentworth Teacher local york region Teacher local limestone occasional Teacher local Occupational health and Safety Committee Jacalyn Beveridge lesly Kapush Melissa Timm Colin wackett Valence Young Toronto occasional Teacher local lakehead Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto york region Teacher local renfrew County Teacher local Pension Committee International Assistance Committee wes Delve Catherine Inglis Adrianna Knight Johanna lanfranco Maribeth williams york region Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto halton Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto lakehead Teacher local Sharon Preston Monica Rusnak Ralph Savage Ella Turnbull Marina howlett upper grand occasional Teacher local rainy river Teacher local ontario north east Teacher local grand erie occasional Teacher local upper grand Teacher local lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Members Committee Jensen Caughlin Gordon Dunbar Shawn Forth livia Resendes Jason Schwartz Thames Valley Teacher local upper grand Teacher local Trillium lakelands Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto Thames Valley Teacher local Political Action Committee Kari lowry Pierre Martin Dorothy Ramsay Jane Roberts Craig Smith upper grand Teacher local hastings-Prince edward Teacher local simcoe County Teacher local limestone Teacher local Thames Valley Teacher local new Members Committee Mark Carter Randy Drexler Jennifer Gray Patricia heath Amy Stepanek niagara occasional Teacher local greater essex County Teacher local Keewatin-Patricia Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto simcoe County Teacher local Professional Development/ Curriculum Committee Shannon Bailey Michael Beetham Janet Fraser Steven Stenman Teri Jane Thayer Keewatin-Patricia Teacher local waterloo region Teacher local ottawa-Carleton Teacher local limestone Teacher local limestone Teacher local Occasional Teachers Committee Ross haley Diana hricsovszky Mary Karchemny Susan Rauscher Betty lou Twiddy bluewater occasional Teacher local Peel occasional Teacher local waterloo region occasional Teacher local halton occasional Teacher local york region occasional Teacher local Professional Relations and Discipline Committee Barb Balderston nancy hutcheson Ron Rivait Kurt uriarte Debi wells bluewater Teacher local waterloo region Teacher local lambton Kent Teacher local Peel Teacher local limestone Teacher local JUNE 2, 2009 Government Must not Ignore Education of Children Living in Poverty 55 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl Special Education Committee Tia J . Aitken Gundi Barbour leslie Blais Ann l . George Sylvia van Campen elementary Teachers of Toronto upper grand Teacher local rainbow Teacher local renfrew County Teacher local upper Canada occasional Teacher local Teacher Education/Faculty liaison Committee Judith Arai Marie Clarke Tim Cunningham Doris Duni Jacquie hawken Michelle Maker Gina Marcon Frank McCavitt nancy Meehan Judy Perkes Sara Pidgen John whitman near north Teacher local lakehead Teacher local Peel Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto ottawa-Carleton Teacher local Kawartha Pine ridge Teacher local greater essex County Teacher local Thames Valley Teacher local hamilton-wentworth occasional Teacher local waterloo region Teacher local rainbow Teacher local durham Teacher local MEETInG 2009 Status of women Committee Janice Balesic linda Di Cesare lee-Ann Matteau Jane nicholson Susan Ritchie Peel Teacher local elementary Teachers of Toronto algoma Teacher local lambton Kent Teacher local algoma Teacher local Charlotte McMaster limestone Teacher local JUNE 5, 2009 Public Education is Collateral Damage in School Information Finder elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 56 David Clegg - President 2007-2009 eTfo eXeCuTiVe Doug Cook - Executive Member upper grand Teacher local Diane Dewing - Executive Member upper Canada occasional Teacher local Rachel Gencey - Executive Member durham Teacher local Martin long - Executive Member elementary Teachers of Toronto local Mike lumb - Executive Member limestone Teacher local Rian Mclaughlin - Executive Member hamilton-wentworth occasional Teacher local Shelly Jan - Executive Member David Clegg President york region Teacher local Sam hammond - First Vice-President hamilton-wentworth Teacher local Barbara Burkett - Vice-President ontario north east Teacher local hilda watkins - Vice-President & OTF Table Officer greater essex County Teacher local Peel occasional Teacher local Deb . St . Amant - Executive Member Kawartha Pine ridge Teacher local Susan Swackhammer - Executive Member grand erie Teacher local Maureen weinberger - Executive Member Sam Hammond First Vice-President Barbara Burkett Vice-President Hilda Watkins Vice-President & OTF Table Officer halton Teacher local Doug Cook Executive Member Diane Dewing Executive Member Rachel Gencey Executive Member Martin Long Executive Member Mike Lumb Executive Member Rian McLaughlin Executive Member Shelly Jan Executive Member Deb. St. Amant Executive Member Susan Swackhammer Executive Member Maureen Weinberger Executive Member 2008 - 2009 eTfo loCal PresidenTs 57 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl Algoma occasional Teacher local Teacher local Peter Mead Vel liut hamilton-wentworth Occasional Teacher local Teacher local MEETInG Rian Mclaughlin lisa hammond 2009 Avon Maitland occasional Teacher local Teacher local Kim Finlayson Merlin leis hastings-Prince Edward occasional Teacher local Teacher local Bill Edwards Karen Fisk Bluewater occasional Teacher local Teacher local Kathy McCarrel nancy lawler James Bay Teacher local Jennifer Knight Kawartha Pine Ridge Durham occasional Teacher local Teacher local Ingrid Thompson Rachel Gencey occasional Teacher local Teacher local Marsha Jones David wing Keewatin-Patricia Grand Erie occasional Teacher local Teacher local Joseph-Ralph Savage Susan Swackhammer occasional Teacher local Teacher local Robert Calder Anne Saltel lakehead Greater Essex County occasional Teacher local Teacher local Catherine Cocchio Adelina Cecchin occasional Teacher local Teacher local nancy nix Ellen Chambers Picard lambton Kent halton occasional Teacher local Teacher local Al Bero Maureen weinberger occasional Teacher local Teacher local Jan Christensen Ron Rivait limestone occasional Teacher local Teacher local Ken Gee Mike lumb near north occasional Teacher local Teacher local Jan heinonen nancy Kilgour elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 58 niagara occasional Teacher local Teacher local Gary Anderson Sharon Aloian Superior-Greenstone occasional Teacher local Teacher local Artie Cooper Colleen lemieux Ontario north East occasional Teacher local Teacher local Dave livingston lorri Spaans Thames Valley occasional Teacher local Teacher local Terry Card Phillip Mack Toronto Ottawa-Carleton occasional Teacher local Teacher local David wildman Peter Giuliani occasional Teacher local Teacher local Marion Mutton Martin long Trillium lakelands Peel occasional Teacher local Teacher local Shazilla Shelly Jan Tim Cunningham occasional Teacher local Teacher local John McClelland Steve Colliver upper Canada Rainbow occasional Teacher local Teacher local lynda Eldridge Barb Blasutti occasional Teacher local Teacher local Diane Dewing louise lanctôt upper Grand Rainy River esP local occasional Teacher local Teacher local Jackie Dupuis-Brandli Mickey Christiansen Sharon Preston occasional Teacher local Teacher local Marina howlett Ruth Mclean waterloo Region occasional Teacher local Mary Karchemny James McCormack Teacher local Renfrew County esP local occasional Teacher local PsP local Teacher local Suzanne Pilkington David Cresswell John Bradley Alice Paige York Region occasional Teacher local Teacher local Betty lou Twiddy nadia Ciacci Simcoe County occasional Teacher local Teacher local Bob Blackwood Janet Bigham JUNE 15, 2009 Full-Day Kindergarten Best Delivered by Certified Teachers eTfo sTaff ACCOunTInG/BuDGET/ shopETFO Gamini Abeyasinghe Massimo Ascenzi Aida Azarakhsh Cindy Chen Franca DiMeo Andrea Francis Michael humphries Ping Xie ADMInISTRATIOn/ InTERnAl SERVICES Ruth Alam Jo-Anne Alzner Karen Ayotte lynda Beebe Jennifer Dunham Priya Fernando Gene lewis Gloria McManus June Miller Molly ng Kathy Pigeon lindsey Provan Marilies Rettig Janice Rogers nancy Romain Olesia Romanko Pauline Scott lorraine Stewart Ravi Thavanayagapathy Trish Titcombe OFFICE OPERATIOnS Jill Annette Gary Brookes Pauline lanthier Maryna leuchanka wayne Mitchell Bernard Rolston Jackie Seccombe FEES RECOnCIlIATIOn/ MEMBER RECORDS/ COnFEREnCE TEAM Valerie lewis nirmal lutchmedial Dale Moorcroft James Points nicole Thomson Doris Yue EQuITY AnD wOMEn’S SERVICES Susy Costa Althea Jensen Jacqueline Karsemeyer Belinda longe Kalpana Makan Sherry Ramrattan Smith Elizabeth Strater nicole Tighe Carol zavitz PROFESSIOnAl SERVICES (PFS) Carol Aldover nancy Baldree Jane Bennett Adele Bertram Johanna Brand Cynthia Chorzepa Ruth Dawson Jerry DeQuetteville Maria Fernandez Cecile Gauthier Jim Giles Bonnie Gul Jason Johnston Joanne languay Joan littleford Victoria loveday Kruti Macwan Samira Maherali Yu-Ming Matsuura (also PTS) Stephen Mau Pat McAdie Vivian McCaffrey Melanie McClelland Janet Millar Grant Jennifer Mitchell (also PTS) Mary Morison Joanne Myers Vitusha Oberoi Dennis Peter Mona Renzone Anne Rodrigue linda Rowatt leigh-Anne Shaw larry Skory Donna Strachan Sharon Sweeney Marie Trojetto Krista walford 59 June 30, 2009 PROTECTIVE SERVICES Ahlam Abd-Al-Sttar Susan Ansara Diane Balanyk-Mcneil Pat Balyk Mary Bricco Christine Brown Evelyn Doucett Mark Fallis Valentina Fetterly Kulsum haji Derek hulse David Kendall Colleen lee Kathleen loftus Bill Martin lynn McClean Joyce McClelland Jim McMahon (also PFS) Adele Miskelly nadine Moore Sharon O’halloran Erin Orida Sharron Raymond Rosemary Scheffer Susan Thede harold Vigoda Jim white Michel wong REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETInG 2009 TEChnOlOGY AnD COMPuTER SERVICES Tania Bogachova Carol henry Jo-Ann Scott Theresa Varey JUNE 26, 2009 Summertime is Learning Time for Elementary Teachers elemenTary TeaChers’ federaTion of onTario 60 REPORT TO ThE AnnuAl MEETIn G 2009 480 University AvenUe sUite 1000 toronto, on - M5G 1v2 P: 416-962-3836 toll free: 1-888-838-3836 f: 416-642-2424 www.etfo.cA