The employer is field testing the new call out service next week. It is the expectation of the employer that the new call out system will be in place and 'up to speed' as of January 5th, 2009.
So, here are the parameters:
1. You call the call out system (soon you'll also be able to do it online too!).
2. You do NOT call your own TTOC (if you do, you'll end up paying their salary out of yours!)
3. The Call out personnel will be working 6 AM - 2:30 PM. They will contact and hire all TTOCs.
4. The Call out personnel will email AO's daily with who has been booked for whom.
5. You are never to call the 'system' to confirm a booking.
6. Admin are not to hire TTOCs directly either. They call the call out system too!
7. TTOCs will need to take responsibility for updating their preferences. (having a specialty may mean you are not considered for other work...)
8. Call out is rotational, off one list. TTOCs need to make themselves available to answer the phone.
9. TTOCs will no longer be contacted at night for work - mornings will be busy for TTOCs!!!!
Friday, December 12, 2008
FSA vote outcome
As announced yesterday - by fax to all schools (funny how some of those faxes have not made it into staff rooms....).
19,027 teachers voted 'YES' while 3,370 voted 'NO'.
22,397 votes cast, 84.95% in support of action. A pretty solid backing, I'd say!
19,027 teachers voted 'YES' while 3,370 voted 'NO'.
22,397 votes cast, 84.95% in support of action. A pretty solid backing, I'd say!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
December School Board meeting
Last night saw the first school board meeting of the newly elected (and acclaimed) SD5 board of school trustees. The meeting was held in Cranbrook, at the board office. It was called to order at 7:00 PM. there were refreshments afterward. It was a late night.
The meeting began with the swearing in ceremony. Then a chair was elected. Chris Johns (Cranbrook trustee) was nominated, as was Frank Lento (Fernie trustee). Trustee Lento won the election by secret ballot. Throughout the rest of the meeting Mr. Lento showed his skills and experience as a participant in various boards. He did a great job of keeping the meeting going and of 'calling a spade a spade'.
A decision was made to continue holding the public meetings at 5 PM (not 7 PM), due to the resulting late nights that a 7 PM start time resulted in for trustees, combined with the very low public participation in board meetings (the unspoken comment being that since no one shows up anyway, why make all of us have really late nights?).
Trustee Casey (Cranbrook) was elected as the BCSTA councillor, and Trustee Mildenberger was elected as the alternate. Trustee Bellina was elected as the BCPSEA rep, and Trustee Ellis was elected as the alternate. The various local committees will be selected by the trustees over the next few weeks.
The Superintendent of Schools (Bill Gook) had a long and detailed report, in which he touched base on the district accountability contract (areas of success, areas needing improvement), the planned 'EduData' report that will be expected of teachers (to identify and track 'at risk students'). He also discussed how the employer has to 'increase the capacity' of teachers in the area of assessment for learning. The core driving message seemed to be "what can we do to improve achievement?"
Superintendent Gook also referenced the FSA testing regime. He admitted it was very political, and that it had a limited applicability as far as reliability of data. He made mention of dropping participation rates and the effect that had on district percentages (because the percentages are all calculated 'over the total enrollment' not 'over the number of children who took the test'. A telling quote from the Superintendent was "we use FSA results with a grain of salt."
The monthly trustee bouquets again revolved around what a good job they are doing, and what a good job administration does. Once again, there was very little (only a passing reference to actually) the hard work being done day in and day out by CUPE and teachers in the district - the very people who do the trench work day in and day out. Children? No, they were never mentioned....
The next board meeting will be in Jaffray (school library) on Tuesday January 13th @ 5:00 PM.
The meeting began with the swearing in ceremony. Then a chair was elected. Chris Johns (Cranbrook trustee) was nominated, as was Frank Lento (Fernie trustee). Trustee Lento won the election by secret ballot. Throughout the rest of the meeting Mr. Lento showed his skills and experience as a participant in various boards. He did a great job of keeping the meeting going and of 'calling a spade a spade'.
A decision was made to continue holding the public meetings at 5 PM (not 7 PM), due to the resulting late nights that a 7 PM start time resulted in for trustees, combined with the very low public participation in board meetings (the unspoken comment being that since no one shows up anyway, why make all of us have really late nights?).
Trustee Casey (Cranbrook) was elected as the BCSTA councillor, and Trustee Mildenberger was elected as the alternate. Trustee Bellina was elected as the BCPSEA rep, and Trustee Ellis was elected as the alternate. The various local committees will be selected by the trustees over the next few weeks.
The Superintendent of Schools (Bill Gook) had a long and detailed report, in which he touched base on the district accountability contract (areas of success, areas needing improvement), the planned 'EduData' report that will be expected of teachers (to identify and track 'at risk students'). He also discussed how the employer has to 'increase the capacity' of teachers in the area of assessment for learning. The core driving message seemed to be "what can we do to improve achievement?"
Superintendent Gook also referenced the FSA testing regime. He admitted it was very political, and that it had a limited applicability as far as reliability of data. He made mention of dropping participation rates and the effect that had on district percentages (because the percentages are all calculated 'over the total enrollment' not 'over the number of children who took the test'. A telling quote from the Superintendent was "we use FSA results with a grain of salt."
The monthly trustee bouquets again revolved around what a good job they are doing, and what a good job administration does. Once again, there was very little (only a passing reference to actually) the hard work being done day in and day out by CUPE and teachers in the district - the very people who do the trench work day in and day out. Children? No, they were never mentioned....
The next board meeting will be in Jaffray (school library) on Tuesday January 13th @ 5:00 PM.
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