Committees
For all standing committees, except the Nominations Committee, the person to chair the committee shall be selected from committee members who are not a member of the Unit Executive, who have prior experience with the committee and who are not already the Chair of two other committees.
If no member is available as above to chair the committee, the Unit Executive member who is the liaison to the committee will serve as the Chair.
Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity
Chairperson: Patrick Lisi
Exec Liaison: Patrick Lisi
-gender, sexual orientation and mental or physical equity, diversity, and inclusion;
-recommend actions to ensure barrier free and discrimination free workplaces;
-assist our students to recognize and appreciate the contributions of people of different races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and mental or physical abilities;
-support and promote school-based projects that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion;
-provide workshops and assist in the development of local school-based committees to address the concerns of members based on equity, diversity, and inclusion in order to; empower teachers to create safe spaces, provide feedback to existing resources, search out and provide resources.
Beginning Teachers
Chairperson: Jessica Elias
Exec Liaison: Ted Mukhar
-Promote the involvement and participation of beginning teachers in the Association;
-Address the needs and concerns of beginning teachers;
-Review the beginning teachers’ programs, resources, structures, policies and procedures at the local level;
-To support beginning teachers in their professional and union endeavours.
Finance
Chairperson: Mark Devlin
Exec Liaison: Mark Devlin
-monitor expenditures of the Unit;
-formulate a proposed balanced budget based on:
-the review of previous budget;
-the review of financial statements;
-the solicitation of spending estimates from Officers and Committees of the Unit;
-the goals and priorities established by the Unit;
-receive budget proposals for incorporation in the budget to be approved “In Principle” at the Unit Annual General Meeting;
-review the budget approved “In Principle” and formulate a final budget to be approved at the Fall General Meeting;
-monitor the investments and securities of the Unit;
-provide input/guidance to Committees on all financial concerns affecting the spending of Committee monies.
Health and Safety
Chairperson: Patrick Etmanski
Exec Liaison: David Geraghty
-Be informed of issues, trends and problems in the area of occupational health and safety and the workplace environment;
-Identify members’ needs and to recommend actions that the Unit should pursue to address these needs;
-Inform the members of all aspects pertaining to occupations health and safety and the workplace environment;
-Advise the Unit in matters pertaining to occupational health and safety and workplace environmental issues that require attention;
-Present such health and safety seminars, conferences and workshops as needed and directed by the Provincial Executive.
Human Rights
Chairperson: Julyanna Martin
Exec Liaison: Maria Sousa-Rovers
-Inform all members of the current trends, issues and problems as they pertain to equal opportunities for members based on race, creed, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and mental or physical ability;
-Recommend actions to ensure barrier free and discrimination free workplaces;
-Assist our students to recognize and appreciate the contributions of people of different races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and mental or physical abilities;
-Support and promote school based projects that highlight human rights and social justice issues;
-Provide workshops and assist in the development of local committees to address the concerns of members based on race, creed, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and mental or physical abilities.
Legislation
Chairperson: Jeannette Cowen
Exec Liaison: Jeannette Cowen
-Study all matters pertaining to the Unit Constitution, By-laws, Policies or Procedures and report on such matters to the Annual General Meeting;
-Monitor and advise the Executive Council on the effects of all changes proposed to the local Constitution, By-Laws, Policies and Procedures, in light of the Handbook;
-Promote member awareness of the Unit, Provincial Association and OTF Constitution, By-laws, Policies and Procedures and legislation affecting education;
-Review the Unit Constitution By-laws, Policies and Procedures;
-Make recommendations annually or as deemed necessary, on changes that could expedite or align the business of the Unit with actual practice;
-Consider submissions from any body within the Unit;
-Seek, receive and direct all resolutions, submitted for consideration at the Provincial Association Annual General Meeting;
-Maintain a current copy of the Unit Constitution, By-laws, Policies and Procedures.
Nominations
Chairperson: Patrick Etmanski
Exec Liaison:
-Be composed of members appointed by the UE and subsequently ratified by the Council of Association Representatives, with the Past President as Chair;
-Review and revise the standing practices for election of all elected Unit executive and Bargaining Unit executive positions;
-Present proposed standing practices for election to the Council of Association Representatives for ratification
Ensure the ratified standing practices for election are publicly available to all members, once ratified by the Council of Association Representatives
-Ensure compliance with the standing rules for elections
-Educate members on the roles and duties of any Unit and Bargaining Unit elected position
-Members of the Nomination Committee forfeit their right to stand for an elected position of the Unit executive or Bargaining Unit executive in the immediate elections, except for the Unit President who is an ex-officio member of all committees
Political Advisory
Chairperson: Marc Koechl
Exec Liaison: Kyle Sutter
-Establish contact with local politicians;
-Establish contact with outside agencies and teacher organizations;
-Monitor issues relevant to education in Ontario and in particular to Catholic Education;
-Report to the ETO and Executive Council pertinent facts and recommendations for action;
-Take direction from the ETO and Executive Council, regarding political issues;
-Establish ad hoc committees as required, to pursue specific individual issues.
Professional Development
Chairperson: Nikki Goodyear
Exec Liaison: Nikki Goodyear
-Plan local workshops for members subject to the approval of the Executive Council;
-Review and select all Young Authors / Best Practice submissions;
-Participate in the planning and operation of Professional Activity Day(s) allocated to the Unit;
-Liaise and co-operate with the Board and other educational groups regarding workshops and local professional development activities;
-Distribute funding as per established criteria for: i) workshops, ii) conferences, iii) seminars, iv) other professional development;
-Review the established criteria for distribution of funds.
Recognition
Chairperson: Kristine Perez
Exec Liaison: Kristine Perez
-Establish awards, bursaries and grants;
-Set the criteria for awards, bursaries and grants subject to the approval of Executive Council;
-Review the established criteria for distribution of funds;
-Establish procedures for presentation of awards, bursaries and grants;
-Publicize criteria, applications, nominations and the presentation of all awards, bursaries and grants;
-Receive and treat all information from nominations and applications as confidential;
-Select recipients of awards, bursaries and grants based upon established criteria;
-Consider requests for donations according to established criteria;
-Receive no less than five percent and no greater than seven percent of the Unit’s Fee Return for distribution on a yearly basis.
Social
Chairperson: Marc Koechl
Exec Liaison: Marilyn Lajeunesse
-Planning social functions for members;
-Implementing plans for social functions after receiving approval of the Executive Council.
Spiritual Development
Chairperson: Shane Pereira Garza
Exec Liaison: Aaron Stemmler
-Support the spiritual growth of members by planning and implementing spiritual activities and celebration;
-Develop a long range plan for the spiritual development of members.
Status of Women
Chairperson: Amy Brillinger-Tuka
Exec Liaison: Carol Knight
-Advise the Executive on ways to enhance the status of women in society, both nationally and internationally;
-Develop recommendations for the Executive to assist the unit in establishing programs to educate members about international women’s issues;
Make recommendations to the Executive for possible action related to the status of women;
-Make recommendations to the Executive on outreach to community-based women’s organizations;
-Inform all members of the current trends, issues, and problems as they pertain to the status of women locally, nationally and internationally;
-Support, promote local, national and international organizations and causes that advance women’s issues