The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Jan. 14– 15, 2016, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Approved the 2016/17 proposed budget for presentation to locals.
2. Approved, for presentation to the 2016 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA), a resolution setting the annual fee payable by a full-time, active member at $1,260, effective Sept. 1, 2016.
3. Approved, for presentation to the 2016 ARA, a resolution setting the annual fee payable by an associate member at $189, effective Sept.1, 2016.
4. Approved the names of two recipients of honorary membership in the Association, which is reserved for members and other persons who have given meritorious service to the teaching profession, to the Association or to the advancement of education.
5. Approved the name of one recipient of the Public Education Award, which recognizes individuals or groups that have given outstanding support to public education in Alberta other than through teaching.
6. Further to the Public Education Collective Bargaining Act, which came into force on Jan. 1, 2016, established a Central Table Bargaining Committee and approved its terms of reference; determined the process for identifying matters that the Association would want to bargain at a central table, and for developing an opening position on central table matters; and approved protocols for structures and processes related to implementation of the bi-level bargaining.
7. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional charges for criticizing a colleague’s professional competence or professional reputation in a letter to a variety of education stakeholders, contrary to section 13 and/or section 14 of the Code of Professional Conduct; for making comments at a public meeting critical of a colleague’s professional competence or professional reputation that were not made in confidence to proper officials, contrary to section 13 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and for making comments at a public meeting critical of a colleague’s professional competence or professional reputation that were not made in confidence to proper officials, contrary to section 13 of the Code of Professional Conduct. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of reprimand to address the first charge and another letter of reprimand to address both the second and third charges.
8. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of four charges of unprofessional conduct for failing to fulfill the teacher’s contractual obligations to the teacher’s school jurisdiction by leaving the teacher’s school and being absent without authorization, contrary to section 9 of the Code of Professional Conduct; for failing to fulfill the teacher’s contractual obligations to the teacher’s school jurisdiction by leaving the teacher’s school and being absent without authorization, contrary to section 9 of the Code of Professional Conduct; for failing to treat a student with dignity and respect and consideration of the student’s circumstances, contrary to section 4 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and for failing to follow lawful orders of the board by continuing to coach football to students and/or by continuing to tutor students and/or by failing to attend meetings as directed by the deputy superintendent, contrary to section 23(1) of the Teaching Profession Act. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand to address each charge.
9. Reconvened the Committee on Future SARO (Southern Alberta Regional Office) Building Needs to fulfill its terms of reference and to report to Council on a regular basis, with costs allocated from Contingency.
10. Approved Council’s position on 1 new resolution, 4 resolutions previously referred to the Resolutions Committee and 79 resolutions arising from the decennial review of long-range policy on administration of schools and on education finance.
11. Approved a report on two resolutions referred by the 2015 ARA.
12. Approved in principle and referred to the Resolutions Committee for processing for the 2016 ARA resolutions urging teacher preparation institutions to ensure that the history and content of First Nations treaties and Métis settlement agreements are incorporated into teacher preparation programs; directing the Association to develop a comprehensive professional development program to support teachers to engage in the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada; and urging the minister of education to ensure that school boards establish policies and regulations to provide staff with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe employment environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging as set out in section 45.1 of the School Act.
13. Approved in principle and referred to the Resolutions Committee for processing for the 2016 ARA resolutions amending a long-range policy and a current directive on First Nations, Métis and Inuit education.
14. Approved a frame of reference for Livingstone Range School Division No. 68 teachers’ Economic Policy Committee.
15. Authorized the attendance of two Council members and one executive staff officer at the Canadian Teachers’ Federation Women’s Issues Symposium, scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 1, 2016, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
16. Authorized the attendance of up to three Council members at the Alberta Rural Education Symposium, scheduled for March 6–8, 2016, in Banff.
17. Approved dates of key Association-sponsored meetings and Council meetings for the 2016/17 school year.
18. Named a field member to represent Greater Black Gold Teachers’ Local No. 8 on the Edmonton Area Field Experiences Committee. ❚