CANDIDATE FOR PSTA PRESIDENT: Scott Woods-Fehr
My name is Scott Woods-Fehr and I am seeking your vote to represent you as PSTA President for another two years.
Two years ago, I submitted my nomination form for the position of PSTA President. After serving as an STF Councillor on the PSTA Executive for 11 years, I felt I had a good understanding of the role of President and I was ready to apply my experience and skills in a new challenging position. With the support of a strong PSTA Executive and my previous experience, I was excited and prepared to represent Prairie Spirit teachers. And then the COVID pandemic changed everything. Previous questions and requests for support around professional and assigned time, prep time, and leaves were ongoing but suddenly a large portion of requests for support focused on new concerns like blended learning, quarantine leave, safety measures, and vaccination policies.
The PSTA Executive has had many successes in the past two years as we transitioned our General Assembly, Executive and Representative Meetings and elections online. And my tech skills and passion for technology have been assets. I have made the operations of the PSTA more efficient with tech features to increase quality of communication and overall transparency including online claim forms and email money transfers to reimburse members and transparent with an updated website where I have posted our governance documents to make them more easily accessible to PSTA members.
Since my term began in July 2020, I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for collaboration between the PSTA and PSSD leaders. I am reminded that the only way the PSTA can accomplish our goals and support teachers is through positive collaboration with our Senior Administrative Staff in the division office. When it was apparent teachers would not be using personal leave days for trips and family obligations, I had the opportunity to work with Superintendent of Human Resources, Jon Yellowlees to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to allow teachers to carryover an additional 2 personal leave days to the next year. The number of days a teacher can carryover is outlined in our LINC Agreement so it was an area we have a shared voice with the Division in the direction and implementation of our Agreement. There have also been times when a decision is outside of the responsibilities of the PSTA and we need to lean on the strength of our positive relationship with Prairie Spirit Administrative Staff and the Prairie Spirit School Board.
I have learned that sometimes even with a positive collaborative relationship, the PSTA is unable to do more than investigate, understand the rationale and share the concerns of teachers we represent. The sudden introduction of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation led to a school calendar change to include an unanticipated holiday where requirements for assigned time and instructional time left few options to address the calendar change. The division had to move a day-in-lieu from this spring to accommodate the new holiday and understandably, many teachers were unhappy with the decision. I did my best to help concerned teachers understand the complexities surrounding calendar development. And I shared concerns of teachers with our Director of Education and Human Resources Superintendent so they understood the impact this change had on teachers and how significant the loss of a day-in-lieu after evenings of interviews is to teachers especially in the context of educating in a pandemic.
As PSTA President, I pledge to continue to maintain the positive and open relationship the PSTA has developed with our board and division staff. At the same time, I will continue to advocate for the needs of teachers with a strong voice. My experience in a variety of K-12 classroom settings, as a special education teacher, and in small and large schools has allowed me to understand the different positions and perspectives of teachers across our division.
The work of the PSTA is incredibly important for the future of our profession and I thank you for putting your trust in me as your representative and hope to have the opportunity to continue to represent you locally and provincially. I hope you will consider my name when you vote for PSTA President.