COUNCIL OF ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES (CAR)
MEETING MINUTES
Monday December 13, 2021
Virtual Zoom meeting
4:30 p.m.
1. Call to Order: Land Acknowledgement, Prayer and Pledge
Land Acknowledgment
We recognize and deeply appreciate the historic connection of Ontario’s Indigenous peoples, and the contribution that Metis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening our province, and our country as a whole. As settlers, this recognition of the contributions and historic importance of Indigenous peoples must also be clearly and overtly connected to our collective commitment to make the promise and the challenge of Truth and Reconciliation real in our communities.
Prayer
Creator God, we praise you, the source of all life. Renew our faith and guide us in our ministry as Catholic teachers. Let us touch the hearts and minds of those with whom we work.
Lord Jesus, share with us your counsel so we may choose knowledge over ignorance, wisdom over waste, peace over injustice, community over isolation and service over domination.
Holy Spirit, nurture our growth. Inspire us to give birth to the creative powers within us. Let us come to the fullness of life promised in the Gospel. Amen.
Pledge
I pledge to work for the goal of Christian Education, which is to co-operate with Divine Grace in forming the true and perfect Christian.
I promise to obey the rules and regulations of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association and to fulfill my duties as a member.
4:35
2. Consideration of Agenda:
Motion 1: Carol Knight/ Simon Dallimore
“That the agenda of the CAR Meeting of Monday December 13, 2021
be accepted as amended.”
CARRIED
3. Consideration of Minutes:
- Minutes of previous CAR Meeting(s)
Motion 2:
Aaron Stemmler/ Jeannette Cowen
“That the minutes of the Council of Association Representatives Meeting of
Monday October 18, 2021 be accepted as received.”
CARRIED
- Minutes of previous Unit Executive Meeting(s)
Minutes of the Unit Executive Meeting of November 29, 2021 are provided for information purposes.
4. APPOINTMENT OF STEERING COMMITTEE: Carol Knight/ Sonia Diniz
5. REPORT OF THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Simon Dallimore
4:40
6. SPECIAL GUEST: Andrea Snyder – Board mental health lead
4:45
7. MEMBERS CONCERNS: Amy Brillinger-Tuka
The president is going to discuss some information from the board. Principals have been informed that Chromebooks need to be prepared. The board will decide by Wednesday about coming back after the break.
Dr. Wong from public health stated that schools will stay open after Christmas. The board is preparing out of an abondance of caution.
The VP Elementary is going to update the unit about Co-Vid. The VP explained the protocol for kindergarten to grade 6. The class will be sent home and the teacher will stay in school to teach the class synchronously. The first day can be asynchronous and then the rest will be synchronous. If the teacher is not vaccinated, they need to quarantine. If this happens, please email the unit. In grade 7-8, all fully vaccinated students can stay in the classroom and the face-to-face learning will continue. Unvaccinated students will learn from home and the students will complete the work via LMS.
Omicron variant is different. If a student has Omicron variant, then the whole class might be sent home. Board will create memo soon. If a teacher’s child is a close contact, then the entire household will quarantine.
If your child is sent home because of Co-vid, the teacher still needs to come to school to teach their class. Teachers can use IDEL leave. However, this is an unpaid leave. Teachers need to self-assess each day and if a teacher has a symptom, then they need to stay home and use a sick day.
The board is working on a memo about the Omicron Variant.
Q: What about closing schools? Has the board decided about how they are going to handle this situation?
A: The director is the one who makes the decision based on sufficient staff. Students need to stay in their original classrooms.
Q: What about special education?
A: The unit believes that special education classes will continue.
Q: What if students lie and are not completing the screening?
A: It is based on an honor system. The first two weeks after the break students will need parents to sign their forms.
Q: Report cards in Kindergarten: Planning time teachers want to know about the expectations about report cards?
A: The board wants teachers to collaborate to complete the kindergarten report card. The planning time teacher should be able to write in their comments.
Q: What about test results coming back after vacation?
A: The unit believes that these teachers take vacation at their own risk. The expectation is that the teacher needs to deal with this with HR. The unit will try to help but it is a board mandate.
Q: Concerns about unfilled positions. There is a lack of help. What is the school board doing about this?
A: The unit realizes that we are short staff, and a lot of schools are impacted by fail-to-fill. The board is in tough about getting people to take unfilled positions. The unit does file grievances for these fail-to-fill. Teachers can refuse unsafe work if they see fit.
Q: What about French teachers being used to payback missed planning times?
A: Talk to your administrator about this issue. Administrating blocks are used to pay back planning time. However, OECTA does not agree with this.
Q: If a retired teacher comes in for a LTO, who is responsible for training the teacher on trillium?
A: The administrator needs to help the teacher with Trillium. The teacher on leave should not enter the comments.
Q: Fail-to-fills: Is there any plan for missed planning time?
A: Teachers will be paid for their missed planning time in a pro-rated manner.
Q: Are rapid test available for teachers?
A: No. They will not be available, but a trustee is going to bring it forward to the board.
5:05
8. UNIT EXECUTIVE OFFICERS REPORTS
(i) Report of the Treasurer: Mark Devlin
- Budget update
- Bank Balance
- Update on Surplus Account
The treasurer referenced his report. The unit has opened a reserve account and has complete the first transaction of 200,000 to the reserve account.
5:15
(ii) Report of the President: Patrick Etmanski
- Government Relations visit to January CAR
- PAC update
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Steve Bryson – congratulations
- Provincial AGM
- Teacher awards
- Retirement workshops
- Staff rep roles
- Update on survey
- Catholic Community Foundation request
The President referenced his report. In January, provincial will send a person to talk about election and politics. The President congratulated Mr. Bryson for winning the Prime Minister Award. Members need to complete survey if they want to be a delegate for Provincial AGM. Survey monkey will also be used for teacher awards. Retirement workshops will be in February and links will be sent out in January. Staff Reps are meant to be an advocate for members, but members need to be encouraged to talk to their administrator for themselves. The President asked for each school to have a OECTA bulletin board. The Catholic Community Foundation asked about the pay deduction for the foundation.
Motion 3:
No will of the House.
“That the CAR approves the distribution of information about payroll deduction for the Catholic Community Foundation.”
The members do not trust this foundation.
5:25
- Report of the VP Occasional: Jeannette Cowen
- Hiring
- Crediting OTs with experience
- Grievance status
- LTO Evaluation
- Terminated as an OT
- Fail to Fill
- Retired OTs; i.e. anyone collecting a pension while doing OT work
- Past (within last five years) and future maternity impacts
- Payroll
The VP Occasional referenced her report. The TSL elementary teachers are out of redundancy. The board will post more permanents. RDO sections will now be permanent, and the unit counted these sections to pull people out of redundancy for secondary. However, there might be redundancies in secondary. LTO teachers will not be paid in the middle of January. Experience is being recognized for LTOs. TSL teachers will be moved on to the permanent payroll system. SEB was not paid out but will be paid out soon. If you have daily OTs that are missing planning time, these teachers need to go to the boards websites and fill out the missed planning form to be paid for their missed planning time.
Q: Resurrection TSL teachers have not heard of letters?
A: The letters should have been sent out last week.
5:30
- Report of the VP Secondary: Dave Geraghty
- Labour Management
- Secondary model
- Health and safety
- Staffing
The VP Secondary referenced his report. Parent-teacher interviews have changed. The teachers can book off times according to their teaching schedule. Another issue is the pivot to regular semester. Secondary teachers might see a regular semester second term. Teachers are worried about staffing and lunch times. There are a lot of question marks connected to this pivot. This could impact scheduling issues for teachers teaching at two schools. Hybrid is another issue. Our board has decided to start night school at St. Louis. Day school students can complete courses (Civics and Careers) at St. Louis as well. Omicron is another issue.
5:35
(v) Report of the VP Elementary: Simon Dallimore
- School Visits
- School Lunches
- IPAC visits
- Health and Safety Concerns
- Safe Schools/Violent Incident Reports
- Fail to Fills
- Planning Time/Lunch Time
- Self-Screening
- Up-Coming Dates
The VP Elementary referenced his report. Article 9 leave deadline is March 1st, 2021. Pilot project deadline is in February.
Q: What is the response to the fail-to-fill issue?
A: Board admitted they need to improve their hiring practice. The unit has given them a variety of suggestions.
Q: Is there going to be an option to work from home if we are to teach online after break?
A: We don’t have an answer yet.
5:40
9. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Amy Brillinger-Tuka
Beginning Teachers Heather Poje-Fascinato
Building Sonia Diniz
Equity Inclusion and Diversity Patrick Etmanski
Finance Mary Diemert
Health & Safety Dorothea Kruger
Human Rights Julyanna Cinti
Legislation Jeannette Cowen
Nominations
Political Advisory Kyle Sutter
Professional Development Michael Kearns
Recognition Leann Minutillo
Spiritual Aaron Stemmler
Social Marilyn Lajeunesse
Status of Women
5:50
10. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT: Chris Stockie
The Health and Safety Rep has no report. Co-vid is a major focus, and the new Omicron variant is worrisome. Epidemic of bad behavior by parents and students. Please complete a safe school form if students or parents are being inappropriate or crude. Teachers do not deserve to be harassed.
Q: When should air filters be cleaned for air filters?
A: The air filters need to be changed regularly by custodians.
6:05
11. LABOUR COUNCIL REPORT: Aaron Stemmler
N/A
6:10
12. NEW BUSINESS: Amy Brillinger-Tuka
6:15
13. ADJOURNMENT: Amy Brillinger-Tuka
Motion 4:
“That the meeting be adjourned at 6:07 P.M.
Next Meeting dates:
Association Representatives
Monday January 24, 2022
Hybrid (protocol dependent)
4:30 p.m.
Unit Executive
Monday January 10, 2022
Hybrid (protocol dependent)
4:30 p.m.