I have just heard of the arbitrator's decision on the objections raised by BCPSEA to our Bill 33 grievances for the previous 2 years. In short all objections were overruled and we now proceed to hearings on the merits of the grievance, starting in late November.
Keep the faith folks....
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Max Turyk "The truth and nothing but the truth"
The school district did enter into negotiations with the City of Fernie to sell Max Turyk. A property evaluation was done and an offer was made. In the end, the Board of School Trustees did not sell the school to the city (or to anyone else).
Given the number of pre-school aged children I've seen around town, and combine that with the number of expecting mothers in Fernie, I suspect the classroom space may once again be needed.
However, who knows what the next board of trustees will decide?
On a related topic.... who is going to run for school trustee in the 'valley'?
Given the number of pre-school aged children I've seen around town, and combine that with the number of expecting mothers in Fernie, I suspect the classroom space may once again be needed.
However, who knows what the next board of trustees will decide?
On a related topic.... who is going to run for school trustee in the 'valley'?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Request for members to sit on SD5 committees
All applications need to be in the FDTA office before 4:30 Tuesday September 16th, 2008
1. Elementary Math IRP implementation
2. Secondary English IRP implementation
3. French Immersion/Language Programs steering committee.
Get involved, have a say.
Steve
1. Elementary Math IRP implementation
2. Secondary English IRP implementation
3. French Immersion/Language Programs steering committee.
Get involved, have a say.
Steve
Highlights from the September Staff Rep / Exec Meeting
**Make sure your Staff Rep has an FDTA meeting in your school to discuss these items and more!!!****
1. Bill 33 updates (this year AND the last two years worth of work). Plus all the forms YOU get to fill out (in previous years, others did this for you).
2. A reminder that we need members to apply for SD5 committees, and to do this through the union. Watch the faxes coming into your school.
3. The FDTA and local bargaining.
4. Planned executive and general meeting dates for this year.
5. School staff concerns over technology - let your staff reps know so they can tell me!!!
6. Postings - over 120 since July 1st - good luck keeping track!!
1. Bill 33 updates (this year AND the last two years worth of work). Plus all the forms YOU get to fill out (in previous years, others did this for you).
2. A reminder that we need members to apply for SD5 committees, and to do this through the union. Watch the faxes coming into your school.
3. The FDTA and local bargaining.
4. Planned executive and general meeting dates for this year.
5. School staff concerns over technology - let your staff reps know so they can tell me!!!
6. Postings - over 120 since July 1st - good luck keeping track!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
First Staff Rep/Exec meeting of the new school year...
Yessiree bob...today is the day...4:30, FDTA office. Coffee, tea and donuts are on the association.
We're going to look at SURT dates and topics, Bill 33 plans, FSA plans, the FDTA proposed budget....including a fee increase.... "be there or be square".
We're going to look at SURT dates and topics, Bill 33 plans, FSA plans, the FDTA proposed budget....including a fee increase.... "be there or be square".
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Teachers’ Pension Plan members: purchase of service opportunities
By purchasing your ‘service’ missed due to leaves, you can increase your service in the plan.
-There are deadlines to apply for a purchase of service.
-In some cases, employers share the cost of the purchase (for example, maternity and parental leaves of absence).
-There is no cost to increase contributory service by claiming credit for child-rearing time.
-Plan members can use our online estimators to do a pension or purchase cost estimate to find out if it’s advantageous to purchase service.
-Plan members must apply to purchase service before they terminate their employment with the employer. If you return to work with another school district, you will not be eligible to purchase service from the prior district where you terminated your employment.
Information about purchasing service is available to members on the plan’s website. If you have questions about the information in this bulletin, please contact the plan.
Leave with full pay:
Your leave is with full pay. While you are on leave, your contributions to the pension plan will continue and you will be credited with pensionable service as if you had continued to work.
Leave with partial pay:
Your leave is with partial pay. While you are on leave, your contributions to the plan and pensionable service will be reduced in proportion to your salary. For example, if you receive half your regular pay during a leave, you accumulate half the pensionable service.
You can increase the value of your pension by purchasing the pensionable service you were not credited with. The deadline to purchase this service is the earlier of five years from the end of the leave, or the date you terminate your current employment. See the Purchasing Leaves of Absence fact sheet, available on the plan’s website at tpp.pensionsbc.ca, for more information.
Leave without pay:
Your leave is without pay. While you are on leave, you will not make contributions to the plan and you will not be credited with contributory or pensionable service.
You can increase the value of your pension by purchasing the pensionable service you were not credited with. The deadline to purchase this service is the earlier of five years from the end of the leave, or the date you terminate your current employment. See the Purchasing Leaves of Absence fact sheet, available on the plan’s website at tpp.pensionsbc.ca, for more information.
-There are deadlines to apply for a purchase of service.
-In some cases, employers share the cost of the purchase (for example, maternity and parental leaves of absence).
-There is no cost to increase contributory service by claiming credit for child-rearing time.
-Plan members can use our online estimators to do a pension or purchase cost estimate to find out if it’s advantageous to purchase service.
-Plan members must apply to purchase service before they terminate their employment with the employer. If you return to work with another school district, you will not be eligible to purchase service from the prior district where you terminated your employment.
Information about purchasing service is available to members on the plan’s website. If you have questions about the information in this bulletin, please contact the plan.
Leave with full pay:
Your leave is with full pay. While you are on leave, your contributions to the pension plan will continue and you will be credited with pensionable service as if you had continued to work.
Leave with partial pay:
Your leave is with partial pay. While you are on leave, your contributions to the plan and pensionable service will be reduced in proportion to your salary. For example, if you receive half your regular pay during a leave, you accumulate half the pensionable service.
You can increase the value of your pension by purchasing the pensionable service you were not credited with. The deadline to purchase this service is the earlier of five years from the end of the leave, or the date you terminate your current employment. See the Purchasing Leaves of Absence fact sheet, available on the plan’s website at tpp.pensionsbc.ca, for more information.
Leave without pay:
Your leave is without pay. While you are on leave, you will not make contributions to the plan and you will not be credited with contributory or pensionable service.
You can increase the value of your pension by purchasing the pensionable service you were not credited with. The deadline to purchase this service is the earlier of five years from the end of the leave, or the date you terminate your current employment. See the Purchasing Leaves of Absence fact sheet, available on the plan’s website at tpp.pensionsbc.ca, for more information.
Trustee philosophy...
With trustee elections quickly approaching, we should be canvassing our communities to find 'education friendly' candidates to run for trustee. Here are some desired 'positions' that we should be looking for in our trustees:
Candidates for trustee need to:
1. Support teacher professionalism.
2. Encourage positive, productive relations with teachers.
3. Support local democratic governance of public education.
4. Work to prevent privatization of education in all forms:
5. Support and work towards;
a) a fully funded public education system,
b) improvements in class size and composition limits,,
c) adequate services and funding for students with special needs,
d) elimination of standardized data collection other than randomized sampling, including Foundation Skills Assessment Tests
6. Oppose;
a) contracting out of education services and support services,
b) P3s,
c) school fees,
d) magnet schools,
e) commercialization and corporate advertising in the schools,
f) erosion of teacher professionalism,
g) site-based management of schools,
7. Support the Charter for Public Education.
8. Promote social justice and equity in the schools.
9. Ensure equitable hiring practices across race, gender, sexual orientation, and culture.
10. Oppose military recruiting in the schools.
11. Are willing and able to speak out publicly on these issues.
12. Support K-12 schooling in each community.
13. Support face-to-face instruction in our schools.
14. Support local bargaining.
Candidates for trustee need to:
1. Support teacher professionalism.
2. Encourage positive, productive relations with teachers.
3. Support local democratic governance of public education.
4. Work to prevent privatization of education in all forms:
5. Support and work towards;
a) a fully funded public education system,
b) improvements in class size and composition limits,,
c) adequate services and funding for students with special needs,
d) elimination of standardized data collection other than randomized sampling, including Foundation Skills Assessment Tests
6. Oppose;
a) contracting out of education services and support services,
b) P3s,
c) school fees,
d) magnet schools,
e) commercialization and corporate advertising in the schools,
f) erosion of teacher professionalism,
g) site-based management of schools,
7. Support the Charter for Public Education.
8. Promote social justice and equity in the schools.
9. Ensure equitable hiring practices across race, gender, sexual orientation, and culture.
10. Oppose military recruiting in the schools.
11. Are willing and able to speak out publicly on these issues.
12. Support K-12 schooling in each community.
13. Support face-to-face instruction in our schools.
14. Support local bargaining.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Welcome back....
The title says it all.
Your school staff rep should have received this year's package on Bill 33 Consent/Consult meetings. Hopefully they'll hold a union meeting with you before the end of the day Wednesday.
Going to press is the first edition of "The Union" for this school year. Hopefully it'll be in schools by the end of the day Thursday.
Many postings remain unfilled. Other positions have been filled, and the employer is waiting for the successful candidate to be offered (and to accept) the work.
The district is up to T118 so far (since July 1st, 2008) - a lot of 'fractional work' is out there this year!!!!
Got a question? Try asking your school staff rep before you call the office.
See you soon,
Steve
Your school staff rep should have received this year's package on Bill 33 Consent/Consult meetings. Hopefully they'll hold a union meeting with you before the end of the day Wednesday.
Going to press is the first edition of "The Union" for this school year. Hopefully it'll be in schools by the end of the day Thursday.
Many postings remain unfilled. Other positions have been filled, and the employer is waiting for the successful candidate to be offered (and to accept) the work.
The district is up to T118 so far (since July 1st, 2008) - a lot of 'fractional work' is out there this year!!!!
Got a question? Try asking your school staff rep before you call the office.
See you soon,
Steve
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