OECTA

OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers have reached a tentative agreement at the provincial table. This has been a challenging year for all in labour negotiations and we are pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached.

Details of the tentative agreement will be shared following ratification. We are appreciative of the efforts of our bargaining team and Crown partners, and the representatives of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association.

Sincerely,
Thunder Bay Catholic

Dear Parents and Guardians,

OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers will hold a one-day province wide strike on Thursday, March 5th.

All Elementary schools, Senior Elementary schools, Secondary schools and Alternative Education programs will be closed to students on Thursday, March 5th.

Parents and Guardians are asked to arrange alternate childcare arrangements during this walkout. Clients of before and after school daycares should contact their daycare provider for information regarding hours of operation and services that may be provided during this one-day strike.

This one-day, full withdrawal of services is in addition to the sanctions that began on January 13, 2020 and amended effective February 11, 2020, which will continue following the one-day full withdrawal.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

We have been informed that OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the Union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers has suspended the rotating one-day full withdrawal of service scheduled for Tuesday, February 25th.

All Elementary, Senior Elementary, Secondary schools and Alternative Education programs will be OPEN to students and staff on Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Sanctions that began on January 13, 2020, which were amended effective February 11, 2020, will continue in all Catholic district school boards.

The Board respects the Union’s right to strike, and remains hopeful a negotiated settlement will occur between the Provincial Bargaining Parties.

In addition to this Friday’s province-wide walkout (Friday, February 21), OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the Union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers have announced that if an agreement is not reached their members will participate in a full withdrawal of services on Tuesday, February 25. OECTA will hold rotating walk-outs next week across the province.

Unless OECTA withdraws its strike notice, all TBCDSB schools and programs will be closed to students on:

• Friday, February 21, 2020

• Tuesday, February 25, 2020

We ask parents and guardians of our students to arrange care for their child as a contingency plan if these strikes take place.

The Board respects the Union’s right to strike, and remains hopeful a negotiated settlement will occur between the Provincial Bargaining Parties.

Our Board was informed yesterday that our elementary and secondary teachers represented by OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association) and our Designated Early Childhood Educators, our Student Support Persons and our Attendance Counsellors represented by OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation) will be participating in a provincial one-day walkout with two other major education unions on Friday, February 21, 2020.

All Elementary schools, Senior Elementary schools, Secondary schools and Alternative Education programs will be closed to students on Friday, February 21.

Parents and Guardians are asked to arrange alternate childcare arrangements during this walkout. Clients of before and after school daycares should contact their daycare provider for information regarding hours of operation and services that may be provided during this one-day strike.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our Board was informed on Tuesday February 5, 2020, that OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers, will enhance job action on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, unless a tentative agreement is reached with the government and OCSTA (Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association).

OECTA job actions will now include the following:

• Within a 300-minute instructional day, all OECTA members will do only their scheduled teaching and supervision assignments and will not agree to, or participate in, any additions/modifications to their schedule with the exception of assemblies and/or liturgies during their regular instructional time.

• This includes the internal/on-call coverage of another teacher’s class – such coverage will be the responsibility of administration.

• Occasional teachers will only take on the scheduled timetable of the absent teacher they are replacing.

• The length of the instructional day for OECTA members not assigned to a school (i.e. Consultants, special assignment Elementary Unit members at the board office, Resource Teachers, etc.) shall be 300 minutes. Such members will ensure that they take their full and uninterrupted lunch break, which is not included within the 300 minutes.

• OECTA Members will NOT miss or reschedule their planning or preparation time unless it is missed because the member was on a voluntary out-of-school activity, for example on a school trip.

• OECTA Members will NOT act in the capacity of a Teacher Designate, Teacher In-charge or equivalent, nor accept any further delegation of authority.
  
• Beginning February 11, 2020, OECTA Members will NOT accept the duties of acting administrators. OECTA members in this role prior to February 11 may continue to act in this role until the assignment ends.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT accept any delegation of authority in the absence of a principal or vice-principal.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT disperse their students to other classrooms when they are absent.

• OECTA Members will NOT accept students dispersed from the classroom of an absent teacher during instructional time.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT complete any tasks related to the OSR.

• OECTA Members will NOT participate in certification training for Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs outside the 300-minute instructional day.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT collect or distribute paperwork that is generated by the Ministry of Education, the school board, or the school administration (e.g. exam schedules, timetables schedules, department reports, submissions for newsletters, web sites, blogs, etc.), nor will OECTA members produce said paperwork.

• OECTA Members will only complete paperwork that directly impacts the needs of individual students (e.g. IEPs, student behavioral plans, etc.).
  
• Course selection forms will be processed as per usual practice.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT use their own money to purchase materials or resources for their students, the classroom, the school, or the board.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT perform teaching or assigned work outside of the 194 school days, even if entitled to or offered lieu days in return.
  
• OECTA Members will NOT attend any meetings, with the following exceptions:
  
  
  • Those that deal with Special Education, NTIP, or TPA. These meetings must be scheduled during the 300-minute instructional day.
    
  • Parent-teacher interviews/meetings etc. will continue as per past practice.
    
  • Joint Health and Safety meetings and inspections, and Joint Staffing meetings, both board and school level, continue as per past practice.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,
Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

OECTA, the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers, and OSSTF, the union representing our Designated Early Childhood Educators, Student Support Persons and Attendance Counsellors, will hold a one-day strike on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020.

All Elementary schools, Senior Elementary schools, Secondary schools and Alternative Education programs are CLOSED to students.

OECTA and OSSTF have notified us that they will be setting up information pickets outside of Pope John Paul II School, Bishop E.Q. Jennings School, St. Bernard School and the James Street Government Building between 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Parents are asked to arrange alternate childcare arrangements during this one-day strike. Clients of before and after school daycares should contact their daycare provider for information regarding hours of operation and services that may be provided during this one-day strike.

School closures are necessary, as we cannot provide a safe and equitable learning environment for all students. The Board respects the Union’s right to strike and remains hopeful that a negotiated settlement will occur between the Provincial Bargaining Parties.

We will provide further updates to our school communities and partners when information becomes available. Please continue to check our Facebook and website for further information.

Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Yesterday, the Union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers (OECTA) served a Notice of Strike Action outlining a full withdrawal of services in the form of a one-day strike on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020. This action is in addition to the sanctions currently in place.

Unless OECTA withdraws its strike notice, all TBCDSB schools and programs will be closed to students on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020. We ask parents and guardians of our students to arrange care for their child as a contingency plan if this one-day strike takes place.

OECTA is also planning information pickets before and after school on Monday, February 3rd, 2020.

The Board respects the Union’s right to strike and remains hopeful this strike may be avoided by a negotiated settlement between the Provincial bargaining parties. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Dear Parents and Guardians,

OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association) the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers will hold a one-day strike on Tuesday, January 21st. All Elementary schools, Senior Elementary schools, Secondary schools and Alternative Education programs will be closed to students on Tuesday, January 21.

OECTA has notified us that they will be setting up information pickets outside of St. Bernard School, Pope John Paul II School , Bishop E.Q. Jennings School and James Street Government Building between 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Parents are asked to arrange alternate childcare arrangements during this walkout. Clients of before and after school daycares should contact their daycare provider for information regarding hours of operation and services that may be provided during this one-day strike.School closures are necessary, as we cannot provide a safe and equitable learning environment for all students. The Board respects the Union’s right to strike and remains hopeful this walkout may be avoided by a negotiated settlement between the Provincial Bargaining Parties.

We will provide further updates to our school communities and partners when information becomes available. Please continue to check our Facebook and website pages for updates. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our Board was informed today that on Friday January 17, OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers will hold information pickets before and after school.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This afternoon, the Union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers (OECTA) served a Notice of Strike Action outlining a full withdrawal of services in the form of a one-day strike on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. This action is in addition to the sanctions currently in place.

Unless OECTA withdraws its strike notice, all TBCDSB schools and programs will be closed to students on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. We ask parents and guardians of our students to arrange care for their child as a contingency plan if this one-day strike takes place.

The Board respects the Union’s right to strike and remains hopeful this strike may be avoided by a negotiated settlement between the Provincial bargaining parties. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,
Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

RE: Postponement of the Semester 1 Grade 9 Applied and Academic EQAO Mathematics Assessment

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Students in the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board will not be participating in the EQAO Grade 9 Math Assessment this January. All students who are enrolled in Semester 1 Grade 9 Applied or Grade 9 Academic Mathematics courses are normally required to take the EQAO Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment. EQAO measures students' achievement in Mathematics in relation to Ontario curriculum expectations.

Due to job action, Teachers and Student Support Persons will not participate in EQAO preparation or testing. The labour sanctions limit the implementation and administration of the test. Teachers will continue to work through the completion of the Grade 9 Mathematics curriculum as Semester 1 comes to an end. In a statement issued on January 8, the Minister of Education said that students who do not take the EQAO Grade 9 Math Assessment in January will need to take the test in June. The Board will await further direction from the Ministry.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Regarding EQAO (Grade Nine Math Assessment), currently OECTA is still in the process of bargaining. If an agreement is not reached, sanctions will begin January 13th and a decision will be made whether or not we will postpone the assessment.

Please continue to check our social media pages and website for further updates.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our Board was informed on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, that OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association), the union representing our Elementary, Secondary and Occasional Teachers, will begin job action on Monday, January 13, 2020, unless a tentative agreement is reached with the government and OCSTA (Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association).

OECTA job actions will include the following:

1. Information Pickets: OECTA members shall hold information pickets before and after school on Monday, January 13 to inform parents about the job action.

2. Report Cards: OECTA members shall not participate in the preparation and input of report card comments, including learning skills.

• Members shall input marks only on the report cards;
• Kindergarten teachers shall only input one sentence per frame;
• OECTA members in secondary schools shall not prepare progress report cards.

3. Data Entry: OECTA members shall not enter diagnostic testing data in school board system.

4. EQAO: OECTA members shall not participate in any EQAO-related activities, including field testing, marking, administrative duties, test preparation, and administration of the test.

5. Ministry of Education Initiatives: OECTA will not attend or participate in any meetings, and/or undertake tasks related to any Ministry of Education Initiative.

• OECTA members shall not conduct or submit any student assessment data for any purpose other than their own personal student assessment.

6. Meetings: OECTA members shall not attend staff meetings, department meetings, divisional meetings, Ministry or board in-services, or any other such activity.

7. Professional Development (PD) Days: OECTA members will engage in self-directed professional development activities on PD Days. Members must report to their regularly assigned workplace on any PD Days that occur during the job action, and determine how to use that time to best meet their professional development needs.

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board understands and respects the right to strike. The Board is committed to providing the very best instruction to our students throughout the bargaining process. Our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools while maintaining caring learning environments for all students and staff.

Sincerely,

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board