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Substitute Teachers

Eligibility for Service

To access the services of the Association, a substitute teacher must first become an active member of the Association. Active membership is automatically granted to a substitute teacher the first time during a school year that he or she is employed as a substitute. The substitute teacher remains an active member until the end of the school year or until he or she is no longer on the approved substitute roster of the school board, whichever occurs first.

Direct Services

As an active member, a substitute teacher is eligible to receive the following direct services:

  • Copies of The ATA News and The ATA Magazine
  • Upon request, copies of Association monographs and pamphlets
  • The right to borrow materials from the ATA library
  • Advice and consultation on all issues related to employment
  • Consultation on Employment Insurance and help in launching appeals
  • Legal advice and assistance in dealing with criminal charges that may arise in the course of teaching

Indirect Services

In addition, substitute teachers receive a number of indirect services:

  • Eligibility to participate in specialist councils, teachers' conventions and local professional development activities
  • Access to ATA scholarships and fellowships
  • Representation through the collective bargaining process
  • Eligibility to be a delegate at the Annual Representative Assembly, Summer Conference and regional conferences
  • Eligibility to serve on committees at the local level
  • Eligibility to serve on ATA committees at the provincial level, to become an ATA instructor or consultant, and to represent the ATA on the committees of external organizations

Networking

To help foster a sense of community among substitute teachers in the province, the Association undertakes the following activities:

  • Encourages substitute teachers to establish substitute teachers' groups at the local level to address the specific needs of the teachers involved.
  • Maintains a standing committee at the provincial level that acts as a forum for substitute teachers' concerns.
  • Organizes an annual conference for substitute teachers. 

Substitute Teachers Appreciation Week

Each year, the Association designates one week as Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week. In 2009/10 this week is scheduled for 2010 03 15-19. Locals and schools are encouraged to organize events during this week that recognize the valuable contributions of substitute teachers.

Substitute Teachers Annual Conference

Each year, the Association organizes a conference for substitute teachers. The 2010 conference takes place in Edmonton on October 29(eve)-30 at Barnett House. There is no further information available at this time.

Substitute Teachers' Monograph

The ATA publishes a monograph entitled Substitute Teachers (Professional Replacements): Integration into the School System, which explores such topics of interest to substitute teachers as their contractual and membership status, their legal liability and the ATA services available to them.