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PEC Points: Council endorses VP Regal for CTF candidacy

April 30, 2019 Audrey Dutka, ATA News Staff

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held April 4–5, 2019, at Barnett House in Edmonton

  1. Approved the disbursement of the $3,500 earmarked for international assistance and allocated $6,500 from contingency to the Idai Solidarity Fund to support teachers, their families and school communities affected by ­Cyclone Idai.
  2. Authorized the co-ordinator of Teacher Welfare to write a letter of ­censure to a teacher identified as ­having communicated with their ­employer during a closed meeting of the ­bargaining unit.
  3. Due to concerns related to health, security and programming, cancelled the ATA Masulita, Uganda Professional Development Project, effective immediately, and offered the remaining funds for the project to the Uganda National Teachers’ Union for professional development opportunities for its members.
  4. Authorized the president to write a letter to the minister of education urging him to increase or expand French immersion course offerings at the senior high level delivered through distance education, blended learning and/or online learning.
  5. Unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Jenny Regal for the position of vice-president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
  6. Named Tim Jeffares to the executive staff of the Association, with initial placement in Member Services/Government (Professional Discipline), effective June 1.
  7. Authorized the executive secretary to negotiate and conclude an agreement with the University of Alberta for the part-time secondment of a Member Services executive staff officer, with compensation being directed toward securing additional casual staff services in the Member Services program area to maintain service to members.
  8. Extended the competition deadline for the position of executive staff officer, Teacher Welfare and named three members of Council to a staff selection committee for the position.
  9. Approved for submission to the ­Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) resolutions urging that the CTF lobby the Government of Canada to allow wellness spending accounts to be tax exempt in the same manner as health spending accounts, lobby the Government of Canada to advocate for the right to clean drinking water in all Canadian communities and prioritize poverty ­reduction in CTF’s advocacy efforts.
  10. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for failing to treat a pupil with dignity and respect and be considerate of the student’s circumstances and failing to act in a manner that maintains the honour and dignity of the profession. The teacher slapped a student in the face after the student spit in the teacher’s face, thus contravening articles 4 and 18 of the Code of Professional Conduct. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand and a fine of $200 for charge one and a letter of severe reprimand for charge two.
  11. Amended the Administrative Guidelines to clarify that field members must be members holding the highest level of membership available to them (active or associate membership under Bylaw 4) in order to serve on Association committees and to represent the Association on external committees.
  12. Awarded the Alberta Teachers’ Association Doctoral Fellowships in Education, the John Mazurek Memorial—Morgex Insurance Scholarship and the Nadene M Thomas Graduate Research Bursary.
  13. Approved the names of 21 teachers for addition to the Association Instructor name bank and approved the names of five teachers to the Association ­Administrator Instructor name bank.
  14. Changed the Committee on First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education from ad hoc to standing committee status, changed its name to the Indigenous Education Committee and approved bridge funding to sustain the Indigenous Advisory Circle for 2019/20.
  15. Changed the name of the School Administrator Issues and Concerns Committee to the School Leader Issues and Concerns Committee. ❚

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