PRAIRIE SPIRIT TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
For the 2020-2021 school year, the Prairie Spirit School Division and the Prairie Spirit Teachers’ Association LINC have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to clarify changes to access and benefits regarding leaves of absence.
In regards to clauses 12.5.9, 12.8.10 and 12.10.7 of the current Prairie Spirit Collective Agreement, the maximum allowable carry-over of earned days off and personal days with pay to the next academic school year is increased from three (3) days to five (5) days.
Information for the Education Bursary is now available on the Education Bursary page. The deadline for applications is Saturday, January 9, 2021.
Melissa Murray has joined our executive this year as Communications Chair and we now have a twitter account to share ideas and all the amazing things our teachers are doing in their classrooms. You can find us at @PSTAteachers
The PSTA is currently looking for members to fill a few vacancies on our committees. Our Social Committee has been vacant for a few years and the PSTA Executive would like to appoint someone for this position. We also have two ad hoc committees that are open to all members: the LGBTQ Committee and the Teacher Wellness Committee. If you are interested in joining either of these committees, please contact Scott Woods-Fehr.
Our first remote General Assembly from a technical standpoint was a success but we want to hear from you. Watch for a survey from our PD Committee to hear what you thought about the format and sessions offered.
We had hoped to offer videos of the afternoon presentations for members to view at a later date, but were unable to save and store copies of the presentations.
Two of our own PSTA Councillors, Amy Korver and Amy Orth have spent the last year researching the experience of female administrators in Saskatchewan. By interviewing female administrators in Prairie Spirit and Prairie South School Division, Korver and Orth were able to better understand the challenges these educational leaders in Saskatchewan face and provide recommendations to address the explicit and implicit gender discrimination from colleagues, parents and students. You can read more about their work in the September STF Bulletin and the read their report on our website when it is available.
If you called the STF this September, you have hopefully noticed a more direct and prompt response to your questions as the STF launched the new Member Support Centre to address member concerns. After a 2018 survey found 36% of members identified a need to reduce response times and the number of transfers when calling with an inquiry, the federation began designing a more efficient system of case management and call tracking. After one of the five centre’s representatives collect some information they are now better equipped to connect you with the person best suited to address your questions. When you do have to wait on hold, you are now given the option of a call back.
Our current Local Agreement expired on Aug 31st, 2020, but will remain in place until we have negotiated and signed a new agreement. Unfortunately, our negations were put on hold with the closure of schools in Spring. With School Board Elections this November, it is likely negotiations will begin after Christmas break.
In addition to the surveys used last year to gather feedback about the current agreement, we want to learn more about how our members’ of the local agreement has been impacted by COVID and Return to School plans. The LINC team will be sending a short survey to SSLs every 2 weeks focused on one section or theme to gather feedback. We want to know how COVID has impacted prep time, supervision, and blended learning.
In the meantime, our LINC is collaborating with PSSD to review implementation of the agreement, identify areas that have been affected by COVID, and address issues that arise. If you have questions or comments related to the Local Agreement, please contact our LINC Chair, Brian Knowles, or PSTA President, Scott Woods-Fehr.
Kim Cooper and Brian Knowles spoke to the STF Bulletin about our Special Project Grant supporting teacher wellness. You can read about it in the STF Bulletin or on the STF website.
The Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation has put together a document, “School Re-opening Advisory”.
You can find it in your inbox or on the at STF website. The document contains important information about quarantine leave, refusal to work, and duty to accommodate.
If you have any questions or concerns now or in the future, please contact your PSTA President, Scott Woods-Fehr or call the STF Member Support Centre at (306) 373-1660