The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Sept. 20–21 at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Authorized Table Officers Committee to approve and report on expenditures, to a maximum of $250,000 from the Special Emergency Fund, for the purpose of creating organizational capacity to manage political and economic uncertainty and prepare for the upcoming provincial election. Noted that a comprehensive election readiness plan would be forthcoming from the Political Engagement Committee for consideration by Council at its meeting of Oct. 25 – 26.
2. Approved the Association’s 2018/19 capital budget.
3. Authorized disbursement of the 2018/19 budget for international cooperation for 12 international goals, including the continuation of Project Overseas, ATA Dominica IT Project Summer Institute and Change for ­Children PD Pilot for Alberta teachers.
4. Directed the Association’s president to write letters to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation in support of its stand against Islamophobia and calling for the resignation of Senator Lynn Beyak.
5. Approved the creation of one FTE intermediate staff position for immediate deployment in the Human ­Resources department of the Association.
6. Approved the amalgamation of the Central East Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association and the Northeast Teachers’ Convention Association into a new convention association named the Northern Rivers Teachers’ Convention Association, effective April 1, 2019.
7. Assigned convention dates of Thursday and Friday ­before Family Day, beginning Feb. 13 – 14, 2020, to the Northern Rivers Teachers’ Convention Association.
8. Appointed Professional Development co-ordinator Mark Swanson as the trustee of the Northern Rivers Teachers’ Convention Association, ­effective immediately.
9. Approved a loan of $25,000 to the Northern Rivers Teachers’ Convention Association to cover the initial association costs until the assets from the two antecedent associations are transferred to the new association.
10. Authorized a one-time $500 donation to the Stony Plain and Parkland Pioneer Museum.
11. Authorized a $500 donation to Canada Without Poverty to support its ongoing work.
12. Authorized up to $3,500 from contingency for a grant-in-aid to assist with the expenses for one member from each local to attend the Association’s 100th anniversary statue dedication taking place on World Teachers’ Day, Oct. 5 at the legislature grounds.
13. Authorized up to $500 from contingency to charter buses to transport staff to and from the legislature grounds to attend the Association’s 100th anniversary statue dedication on Oct. 5.
14. Approved for posting the Standards for Writing and Classifying ATA Administrative and Educational Policy to be used as an interim guideline for the creation of resolutions.
15. Approved for posting as an interim document, in conjunction with the Resolutions Bulletin, the Administrative and Educational Policy of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
16. Approved the frames of reference for the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord Teacher Welfare Committee and the Parkland School Division No 70 Teacher Welfare Committee.
17. Consistent with section 31(2) of the Teaching Profession Act, extended the deadlines for the commencement of four hearings of the Professional Conduct Committee.
18. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional conduct for the inappropriate use of social media to communicate with a student (two charges), and for failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession by dropping a student off a distance from the student’s home in order to avoid detection by the student’s parents. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a single letter of severe reprimand for each charge and fines totalling $1,000.
19. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of one charge of unprofessional conduct for creating one or more fraudulent emails, which cast a negative light on the teacher’s employer. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a letter of severe reprimand and a fine of $2,000.
20. Received notice of the hearing of an appeal before the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee with respect to charges of unprofessional conduct, wherein the accused is appealing the amount of the original fine.
21. Named two additional field members to serve on the Communications, Advocacy and Public Education Committee, one field member to serve on the Curriculum Committee and four field members to serve on the Committee on Understanding Aggression(s) in Alberta Schools and School Communities. ❚

Association administrative guidelines provide for the attendance of observers at selected portions of Council meetings. Association members who are interested in observing selected portions of Council meetings at their own expense are advised to contact their district representative.