1. Named Peter T. Kalis, a principal in Grande Prairie Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 28, to the position of executive staff officer, Teacher Welfare, effective August 1, 2010.
2. Declared in effect amendments to the General Bylaws as contained in Electoral Ballots 1, 4, 5 and 6 of 2009 as adopted by the 2010 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA). Electoral Ballot 1 allows the returning officers to use a draw to break a tie in an election for the position of table officer or district representative, Electoral Ballot 4 allows the Association to publish in the ATA News the names of teachers who elect associate membership or non-membership, Electoral Ballot 5 allows Council to hold a by-election in the period immediately following a general election in the event of insufficient nominations and Electoral Ballot 6 allows Council to enter into an agreement with an organization to recognize it as a special retired teachers’ local of the Association.
3. Authorized Association delegates (including alternates) to the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF), plus staff designated by the executive secretary, to attend the CTF President’s Forum, scheduled for July 12 and 13, 2010, in Edmonton.
4. Prohibited candidates in provincial Association elections from accepting financial campaign contributions from school boards or other organizations that have political or financial interests in the Association.
5. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in conduct for which the teacher pleaded guilty to an indictable offence and received a conditional discharge and for engaging in unacceptable physical contact with students in a manner that failed to treat the students with dignity and respect. The hearing committee declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association for a period of one year and recommended to the minister of education that the teacher’s teaching certificate be suspended for a period of one year.
6. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for, while in an angry state, yelling at a student and berating the student in a humiliating and demeaning manner, thereby failing to treat the student with dignity and respect and consideration of the student’s circumstances, and for, while in an angry state, yelling at and berating a student within earshot of parents, students and staff attending a Mother’s Day celebration, thereby failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand on each charge.
7. Received a report of the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee regarding Council’s appeal of the decision of a hearing committee on the basis that the penalty was insufficient for the actions. The hearing committee had found a teacher guilty
of three charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in inappropriate electronic communication with a student, beginning an inappropriate relationship with a student that became a sexual relationship during the summer following the student’s graduation and continuing inappropriate electronic communication with a former student after graduation based on the teacher–student relationship established while the student was in school. The hearing committee had imposed the penalty of a letter of reprimand on the first charge, declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association for one year on the second charge and imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand on the third charge. The Professional Conduct Appeal Committee allowed the appeal, amending the penalty for the second charge to include, in addition to the declaration of ineligibility for membership in the Association, a recommendation to the minister of education to suspend the teacher’s teaching certificate for a period of one year, effective February 5, 2010.
8. Extended to December 31, 2010, the deadline for two hearings in accordance with section 31(2) of the Teaching Profession Act.
9. Directed staff, pending a positive review of Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) policy, to initiate efforts with Alberta Education to make the ASBA a partner in Education Week.
10. Approved a frame of reference for Edmonton Islamic Academy teachers’ Economic Policy Committee.
11. Authorized a merger of the Gifted and Talented Education Council with the Special Education Council, effective September 1, 2010.
12. Adopted administrative guidelines regarding corporate sponsorship of specialist council conferences consistent with policy on corporate presence in schools adopted by the 2010 ARA.
13. Awarded grants totalling $20,000 to help fund innovative projects designed to build inclusive learning communities in 18 schools.
14. Directed staff to allocate on an equitable basis to locals requesting additional spaces any spaces in each Summer Conference course remaining after the registration deadline has passed.
15. Directed staff to review the practices and protocols associated with Summer Conference registration and entitlements and to report to Council.
16. Subject to the alignment of Join Together Alberta activities with Association goals and policies, authorized a donation to Public Interest Alberta for support for Join Together Alberta.
17. Authorized an overexpenditure to cover the cost of a Healthy Interactions workshop scheduled for August 2010.
18. Amended administrative guidelines regarding the associate member (bargaining) fee.
19. Amended administrative guidelines regarding discounts applicable to printing labour charges.
20. Amended the frames of reference of the Curriculum Committee and the Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Committee.
21. Disbanded the Educational Accountability Committee with thanks.
22. Disbanded the Committee on Provincial Association Election Practices.
23. Disbanded the Committee on Redistricting and District Representative Workload with thanks.
24. Disbanded the Committee on Subgroup Surpluses with thanks.
25. Named field members to serve on Association committees and to represent the Association on the committees of other organizations in 2010/11.
26. Authorized attendance of members of Council at the Alberta New Democratic Party’s Annual Convention, scheduled for November 5–7, 2010, in Red Deer.
