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SANDY GILLIS, the Local President's Messages - September, October, November, December, 2009, January, February and March, 2010
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: (March 18, 2010)
Greetings everyone and my how time slips sway!
Here we are nearing Spring Break and enjoying the opportunity to say a special “thank you” to the substitute teachers who grace our classrooms. One of our key characteristics, hospitality, is highlighted every time a substitute is welcomed to our school. Let us all make sure that every guest teacher we receive in our buildings is indeed, welcomed and feels that they have an important role in the life of our schools.
This is not the easiest job in our District and so I offer the following as gentle reminders because we get so caught up in the busyness of the day. At the beginning of each year, we should make sure to update our profile so that any change of assignment is listed. Any new substitute will welcome knowing where to park, which entrance is open and at what time, how to get classroom keys, any special information regarding staffroom or classroom routines that will help the day go smoothly. Upon arrival, any of us in the building should take the time to give them a heads up on any special happenings throughout the day and check to make sure that all is well when the opportunity presents itself. In the staffrooms, please make sure to include them in table talk so that they do not feel like an observer.
In closing, I hope you are paying attention to this Intercom. There is an opportunity for little surprise...The first email I receive letting me know of the “typo” in my last Intercom message will receive a gift from me before Spring Break.
Take extra care of each other during this stressful time $$~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:
(March 11, 2010)
Hi everyone! A couple of things to consider…
As we drive around the city, we see all of our schools advertising report cards and dates for demos of learning. If only there was some way for our parents to see the hours upon hours of preparation that went into the comments that describe the learning that has occurred in this past reporting period!
I never cease to be amazed at the amount of energy that goes into conversations by staff about the kids who “just don't seem to get it" and the worry that “perhaps we could just could have done more". The amazing professionalism of our teachers who never give up on students is accentuated during our reporting times and I am concerned about our teachers who are doing more and more with less human resources to support them. Another thing that would amaze all parent bodies is the collaboration, caring and teamwork that is so evident as staffs take care of each other by assisting with a bit of coverage, tech help or advice when their peers encounter the inevitable difficulties that occur at every site.
Billboards and newspaper inserts announcing a plethora of programs designed to entice students and parents to "come and see" are everywhere we look these days as we all go about the business of filling every possible seat in our buildings for the coming year. When I ask parents why they come to us, they give reasons like: “we like the discipline; we like the ‘feeling’ in the building; there is something special here but I can't put my finger on it or, I don't know how to explain it but is special.” I often think that if, during canning season, we were able to capture the "special feeling” and spread it around the community, there would be no need for expensive advertising. It is incumbent on each of us to put words to the 'special' part or our Catholic schools as we become more competitive in this day and age. We might do well to remember that whenever there is competition there are winners and losers! Dare I say that it is what staffs do throughout this district in their individual sites that makes the Catholic school special. Is it that teachers are living out their faith on a daily basis and modeling God's love to all they encounter that creates the feeling experienced by those who enter our buildings? Keep talking, keep praying, and continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: (March 4, 2010)
Greetings and Happy “Post Convention and Olympics!”
Our convention was considered “one of the best” by many who dropped by our booth last week and the usual convention buzz added to the great atmosphere that is created when friends and co- workers connect during this special time of our teacher year. A huge thank you to all GETCA workers!
In this special edition of our Intercom, I am drawing on some words from Fr. Max Oliva, a recent speaker to the administrators of our district. His talks were inspirational as he spoke to the beatitudes in the workplace and the leader’s role in caring for those entrusted to our care. Once a month he writes a newsletter which is received by thousands in the workplace and we can only hope that his words have a trickle down effect in transforming our world.
This month, he looks at the fifth commandment, “You shall not kill,” and while it has huge significance to the American workplace it is easily applied to our Alberta advantage. He writes on the commandment in light of the effect on the human spirit, relationships and family life when people lose their jobs and ability to provide for those they love and care for. As we meet with our MLAs in the coming weeks, we could mention that as decisions are being made in the legislature, the conversation could take a different course. Have them insert Alberta in the quote attached and if health care continues to be privatized, then the rest of the quote will apply directly to us as well.
Pfeffer writes: “Layoffs literally kill people. In the United States, when you lose your job, you lose your health insurance, unless you can afford to temporarily maintain it under the pricey COBRA provisions. Studies consistently show a connection between not having health insurance and individual mortality rates.”
In addition, when people lose their jobs their sense of self-worth takes a serious ‘hit’. They get angry and depressed. “Lay Off the Layoffs: Why Downsizing is Bad for Business ,” by Jeffrey Pfeffer (Newsweek, February 15, 2010) I will have Fr. Max’s article for school reps at our next Council meeting.
In many of our school communities we have families who are still suffering from the impact of last year’s massive cutbacks and we see the effects on the “spirit”. The quiet of this Lenten season gives us time to keep these families in our minds and be aware of each other’s deeper needs as we go about the hustle and bustle of the school day. In our “busyness,’ may we find time to take the extra moment needed to ask “How are you doing?”... And mean it. ☺
Take care of each other
~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: (February 18, 2010)
Hi everyone!
I am hoping that our Family Day weekend provided you with lots of snooze time:) We certainly hit the week running with you all preparing for Lent by flipping pancakes on Tuesday and distributing ashes on Wednesday. This Lenten season gives us yet another time to reflect on our relationship with each other and our God. In preparation, I have been spending time going over the words of Jerry Goebel, whose message offers a tremendous amount of wisdom that we can apply directly to our everyday working lives. Jerry’s invitation to use “intentional courtesy” as our modus operandi would certainly change many of our workplaces, especially if we did so with the kindness of heart that he referred to so often.
On Tuesday I had the pleasure of joining in with all the admin folk of our District to listen to Father Max Oliva speak to the beatitudes and how to use them to foster effective relationships as we go about our ministry in our community and to each other. I am sure his book will be in our staffrooms and I encourage you all to take a peek and see how the ideas therein could be used as discussions with our staffs. There can be no better use of our time than looking at how we are doing with each other as we are all on a quest for integrity in our lives. Father Max spoke to the fourth beatitude and I quote him: “Blessed are single hearted; for they shall see God.” The matching virtue in attainment of this is integrity. “Integrity comes from the Latin ‘integer’, which means wholeness, completeness. Some opposites: a divided heart, duplicitous, lack of transparency, misleading. Each is deadly to keeping communication open clear and flowing.” Let us be truly mindful of each other for we know that working together toward a common purpose allows us to serve others in a manner that honours our calling. For all you do for each other and our Local...Thank you! Continue to care deeply for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (February 11, 2010)
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all doing well and have had time to mull over some of the thoughts of our Faith Development Day speaker, Jerry Goebel. The day continues to be that wonderful mid-year experience when we meet and greet colleagues we have not seen since Opening Mass. In a district our size, these special days provide us the opportunity to see folks we have worked with in the past and for a few moments “relive the memories". The generosity of everyone at the Offertory is another clear sign of how we care for others. Way to go! To the planning committee and to all staff who gave so much time in preparation of all that we experienced, our heartfelt thanks for a wonderful, uplifting day. :)
Random Acts of Kindness Week is upon us and we might spread the “Goebel words” of intentional courtesy to our students as we make kindness the basis of all our actions. The celebration of Valentine’s Day this weekend affords us another time to think about how even better we would all be if our efforts to be in right relationship with each other and our environment became our raison d'être.
Continue to care for and be gentle with each other. ~Sandy
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Message from the President (February 4, 2010)
Hello everyone,
We have just completed two successive evenings of pre-retirement seminars at Barnett House which were very well attended by teachers of all ages! Our ATA pension consultant, Heather Johnston, and her presenters were both knowledgeable and engaging and the amount of information they shared with us was staggering! While the greater emphasis was on imminent retirement and covered such topics as: planning for retirement, schedules, benefits and plan options, there was significant financial information that our newest teachers should be aware of.
I asked a random number of participants about the benefit of offering a financial session to all of our teachers and the positive response was unanimous.
Please stay tuned for further details on such an information evening that will be open to as many as the auditorium at Barnett can accommodate!
A special thank you goes out to both Marcel and Elizabeth Evaristo who gave of their time to be greeters for us and to everyone who made the two evenings a success.
Our Kathy is away to a Western Staff conference in Winnipeg this week and we wish her safe travels and a productive work week. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Ethical Organization.” I am sure she will come away with some valuable insights and will share these with our Executive and Council upon her return.
Our local is the special place it is because of the efforts of so many and the support of you all.
Take care,
Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: (January 28, 2010)
Hello everyone,
One of our parents commented yesterday how long January seems and that parent was very high in his praise of teachers’ patience at this time of year. The anticipation of travel to the warmer climes is mentioned at least once a day and I am sure this is a common wish for us all as we traverse the ruts of our various communities in getting to work each day.
It is wonderful to be able to take a look at the happenings in a school and see how varied an experience it is for everyone involved. Teachers in our Catholic schools have the job of bringing the world into their classrooms and helping our students sift through the news of the day and view it through a religious and moral lens. (No small task). The disaster of Haiti has spurred everyone to reach out in special ways to help raise funds for the massive relief that is going to be needed for many years to come. Stories of loss, joy, relief, sorrow and violence in Haiti fill the newscasts and not since the Marshall Plan in 1947 has the world seen a concerted effort to rebuild a country from the ground up. Our students and our staffs should consider making notes on their role in this massive effort for you are “making history” that will be retold in the next century.
I am making this point because I believe that all you teachers should congratulate yourselves and each other for the work you are doing in addition to your scheduled duties. A first class education is being delivered by all of you and yet, with all the preparation and follow up that this involves, you still make time for the numerous clubs, activities and teams that you have taken on at the school. This level of dedication feeds the myth that “teachers don’t eat”. :)
Teachers of our Catholic Local...you are amazing!
Take care of each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: (January 21, 2010)
Hi everyone,
The week-long coverage of the disaster in Haiti propels people around the world to look at the situation in that broken country with new eyes. The rubble has uncovered, for all who wish to see, the injustice that has been in effect since the 1800s. The crippling effects of abject poverty is now staring us in the face and the astounding effect is that the people who have been serving the poor of Haiti all these years now look to the future with a renewed sense of hope. Out of the ashes……
I would like to frame this catastrophe with reference to our upcoming Faith Development Day. Our pre-activity prayer seems almost predestined in its call to service to the poor and marginalized. Our opening prayer, gospel, reflection and individual commitment cards all reference the gospel call to service to all in need. As a community we are doing marvelous works. No listing required. :)
As we move towards our special day, let us remind ourselves of some past FDD events. Years ago Father Pepin, who worked with street folk in Montreal, reminded us that the gifts these people give to us often outweigh the gifts we give to them. Remember his “handkerchief” story? Father Riechers (Build Bethlehem Everywhere), through his own story, taught us that living through disappointment, pain and loss are just simply the facts of the human condition and our dealing with such things brings out the best and the worst in us. (his line after a joke… ….”Write it down!”) Sister Claire’s message is as true now as it was then: “If you are among us unfaithfully you do us great harm”. She begged us to reflect on this and use it as a mantra in all our relationships. Sister José Hobday spent her day chiding us about our use of clocks and our disrespect for time. She asked us to be present to everyone when they come into our lives and give them the gift of our time — a good thing to remind ourselves of when we seem to be spinning out of control in our hectic lives. John Shea brought us the power of story and how we use story and parable to bring the things we cannot fully explain to life. His simple wisdom is still there in every one of his books. Father Ron Rolheiser’s ability to peel away the layers of scripture offer us endless opportunities to see how we can be faithful to the gospel and, in doing so, explain the same to the students in our care. Last year Sister Kovats brought social justice to us in most practical ways and this year Jerry Goebel will experience the hospitality that we extend to all visitors.
I know that this is only my perspective on this day but I hope that we all embrace the time together as a sign of our solidarity. On behalf of all our members, I extend a huge thank you to our religion department personnel and their committee who work so hard to bring everything together for this day. Continue to care for each other ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
(January 14, 2010) ...Greetings everyone!
As teachers we are forever planning for the next class, special event and numerous other things that can distract us from enjoying what is right in front of us at the “present” time. With the optimism that comes from a bit of warmer weather and the joy of a New Year might I suggest we all make a conscious effort to notice that being in right relationship with our peers is critical in sustaining us through the tough
times. Space is limited. Continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(January 7, 2010)
Greetings everyone and though repetitious, Happy New Year! We entered our Christmas break with a lot of energy and some very positive happenings at the local level. Our turkey drive was a huge success and our hats are off to all school representatives who took the initiative to bring the idea back to you just days before the Christmas holidays. Through your remarkable generosity, we donated $2125 to the Food Bank. Your huge hearts are responsible for making so many more lives bearable at Christmas time and we recognize that this event was just one of the many that are carried out at your respectivesites to reach out to the poor of our communities. You are all amazing...no wonder you are teachers! As we begin 2010, we see things occurring on the political front that may have effects on us that might not be exactly positive or uplifting. The crossing of the house by two MLAs, the upcoming cabinet shuffle and its ensuing effects are but three things to be aware of. Please stay tuned to the news and the papers to see how things evolve in the next little while. I am urging us all to keep the pressure on by writing, phoning, or emailing our MLAs and Members of the Opposition in the next week to let them all know that cuts to education are unacceptable and uncalled for. I believe it is imperative to keep the pressure on and not be distracted by the rhetoric that we are all familiar with when it comes to discussions about education in this province. As we begin this year, please continue to care for each other and sustain the communities you have all worked so hard to build and maintain. The students in our care are so fortunate to have you as their caring leaders.
Every blessing,
Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. . . . (December 10, 2009) Greetings one and all!
Celebrations abound throughout our schools. I had the pleasure of attending three such events and take this golden opportunity to extend congratulations and thanks to the teachers who have given hundreds of hours to support their students. At J.H. Picard, Jonathan Shields directed a very talented group of students in the play "Eurydice”. From the reception at the entrance by Michelle Dupuis and the rest of her team to the final curtain everything spoke of hospitality and community. While sitting there, I only wished that our provincial leaders could experience first hand the extra time that is freely given to the students in our care. I know that our two trustees who were in attendance will spread the good word. The second event was a dinner theatre experience at Louis St. Laurent. The lead teacher for the play “Pippen: Life and Times” was Vernon Slipetz whose efforts with the students there delighted all in attendance. The warm and kind reception by Brian Novosel, Duwayne Lang and their supporting cast of teachers make our Catholic schools the inviting places that they are. At my own school, Natalyia Rozhdestvensky had our parent body enjoy the sights and sounds of the production of the “Unfriendly Beasts”. She is now preparing for a production at St. Timothy with double the number of children. Natalyia represents many of the music teachers with shared school responsibilities who give so much to the community. Wonderful things are happening in our schools as a direct result of the gifts of teacher time and talent. With all this I want to highlight the professionalism of all the teachers in every school who support our colleagues who make students ready for their respective ‘big night” at this time of year. Well done everyone!
The second week of Advent finds us in a deep freeze with no end in sight! As we light the Advent candles, we are reminded of the birth of our spiritual light that is celebrated every year at this time. “Out of the darkness” has a whole new dimension to us in this northern hemisphere and thus adds a lovely meaning to our Advent prayer. For all of us I pray: as we light the candles, may we continue to share our light of faith with those around us. In our school communities may we be a source of strength to our co- workers, students and parents. May the timeless promise of the Christ Child be ours. Merry Christmas everyone and continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (December 3, 2009)
I hope you are all surviving this time of preparation and finding some time for yourselves in spite of all the work demands. Along with the excitement of the season, we, in schools, are keenly aware of the needs around us as it seems that the season of Christmas heightens the desperation and sadness of many of the children and families we work with. As they bring the tensions of home to us, be assured that the gift of patience and the many acts of kindness you, the teachers of our Local, carry out are deeply appreciated. You are simply awesome!
Amidst the busyness of our lives, I am urging everyone once again to make sure you have logged on to stopthecuts.ca and made your views known to our leaders. Please don't accept the premise of this government’s logic that we need to cut budgets to education and health. Let our voice be heard that education is an expensive venture and the children of this province deserve to receive the best we have to offer. When we as educators examine spending, we can easily make the case for huge increases to the educational budget in order to improve facilities andclassroom conditions in every jurisdiction.
We will be sending our minister a little gift as a reminder of our stop the cuts initiative and when this initiative hits the schools this coming week, please take the five seconds necessary to make sure the task gets done. Remember: “Cuts to education funding erase more than just deficits!” Your school rep will have more information in this week’s mailing.
Continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (November 19, 2009)
Greetings everyone!
I had the pleasure of speaking to a representative of the Veterans’ Association this past week and he wanted to let teachers in our District know how much the veterans and present day troops appreciate the efforts of our teachers every Remembrance Day. Many were invited to be part of celebrations last week and were overjoyed by being in the presence of our children and staffs as we remembered the fallen and prayed for peace. Great job folks!
This Wednesday the Greater Edmonton Alliance is organizing a meeting at St. Theresa’s Church in Millwoods. This is the public launch of the sustainable works cooperative. It is a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping families reduce utility bills and creating green jobs by lessening the environmental impact. The plan is to have 100 homes retrofitted in the greater Edmonton area in the coming years. Several public figures will be speaking including Mayor Stephen Mandel and the representative from EPCOR. Since our Local is a member of the Alliance, we encourage as many members as possible to attend.
You will soon be receiving Stop the Cuts banners at your sites and I encourage you to display them prominently. Let your parent body know the importance of logging on to stopthecuts.ca and adding their names to the growing list of Albertans who have real concerns about cuts to our education system. This is also a good time to check with each other and encourage all who have not yet gone to the site to do so. It only takes a minute to get this done and, hopefully, we can all add our names along with our 40,000 peers across the province. This is one of the easiest initiatives we have ever taken on so please add your voice in an attempt to get our government to secure proper educational funding for the future.
This reporting period is in full swing and it is the time when every word we as teachers write is scrutinized closely. Being a diagnostician and reporting our findings clearly to parents is one of the most critical jobs we do . . .hence the stress. There is little we can do except support each other so I encourage everyone to spread the gift of calmness in the staffroom. Make sure to drop in on your peers’ workplace and ask “How are things going?" A reassuring smile and pat on the back can go a long way :)
Stay well and take care of each other ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (November 12, 2009)
Hi everyone
This week we find ourselves sandwiched between two very important events: Catholic Education Sunday and Remembrance Day. At first glance they might appear to have little in common and I may be stretching things, but the fact that we live free and have access to our Catholic system of education could very well be one of the results of thousands of people giving their lives in global conflict in the preservation of freedom for us all.
There is no need to list the advantages and benefits of working in a Catholic system, since any of us within Edmonton Catholic could do justice to such a list. In our schools we celebrate Remembrance Day every year and we always add a religious flavor to it that is not replicated in other school systems. In adding one of our Church’s prayers for the dead, we honour the fallen in a special way...lest we forget.
This past week I attended a conference on the topic of Character Education which seems to be gathering a lot of ground in our province. The benefits of such a program are self-evident and all I want to say is that within our Catholic schools, this whole idea should be reflected in the way we teach anyway. The presenters emphasized that Character Education should not to be seen as an add-on but as something that is “infused” in the regular curriculum and in the life of the school. Hey! This sounds rather familiar, but like our Characters of Catholic Education and Core Values, anything of this nature has to be intentional and lived out by everyone. (Great staff conversation starter!) I am thinking of changing the sign outside our school this month and announcing to the public that “Character Education is Catholic Education!”
Last Wednesday night, our round table discussions regarding budget and cuts to education were very well attended. On behalf of our Executive, I send sincere thanks to everyone who came together to make their views known to District senior administration.
Many of our staffs are being affected by the flu, so please take every precaution to care for yourself and each other. We pray for one our teaching peers in Calgary Public who died as a result of H1N1 last week. We also pray for her husband who teaches in Calgary Catholic.
~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (November 5, 2009)
Greetings Fellow Teachers:
As more meetings are attended and items acted upon, we need to look around and congratulate each other on the amazing amount of work that is done in our schools! At every level there are seemingly countless tasks taken on and carried out with careful attention to detail. Given the extraordinary complexity of our classrooms, I am astounded by the “extras” that are provided for the students in our care. The clubs, teams, bands, choirs, travel, concert preparation, community gatherings, Parent Council activities, along with the work done at our Local, are just a few of the things that give color and timbre to our Catholic school communities. In addition to all of this, we are also asked to be cognizant of the political and economic forces that are bearing down upon us. To overcome the feeling of powerlessness, it is imperative that all teachers in the province make their voices heard! The easiest way is to visit stopthecuts.ca and add your name to the list. Let our decision makers know that a 300 million dollar hit to education will be extremely detrimental to the children of our province and, as their advocates, we protest in the strongest manner. We are part of a group of 40,000 Alberta teachers whose working conditions will be greatly affected by such cuts. Speak now and speak loudly!
Take a quick look around your staff room this week and give someone a high five, pat on the back, or a warm hug. Let them know how grateful we are to be working together as community in this great enterprise. Take care of each other. ~Sandy
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Message from the President..October 29/09
What makes a leader in our Local?
At time of writing, we await the results of our by-election for Vice President of our Local. As I reflect on the role of leadership, I commend both Azza and Greg for offering themselves for this role, knowing that taking this on is an additional responsibility to those they already have in their schools and within the District. The invitation to leadership is fraught with many challenges, not the least of which is the scrutiny of our peers. In our teaching world, we have our Professional Code of Conduct to govern our behavior and, as Catholic leaders, we acknowledge the fact that we are called to an even deeper level that is reflective of our religious beliefs.
The characteristic of integrity articulated by Reverend Ron Nuzzi says that a person of integrity is one who is the same in any forum: whether that place be at home, school, church or favorite coffee house. In caring for the members of our Local, I believe that I speak for the whole of your Executive when I say that we all want to be known as people of integrity who will work diligently to represent the teachers of Edmonton Catholic in every way we can and take every opportunity to celebrate the good news that takes place in our schools day in and day out.
This coming week, we are all encouraged to publicly celebrate the good news of Catholic education in our province and wherever possible take advantage of any situation to speak clearly in support of Catholic schools. Continue to care for each other.
-Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (October 22, 2009):
Greetings everyone
Last night’s Council meeting was one of celebration and good news. Carol Henderson, our new ATA president, gave a great update on the ongoing happenings between us and government. We are very grateful for her gift of time to us, given her hectic schedule and the number of items she has to deal with on behalf of all teachers. Thank-you, Carol!
Our “Hot for Teachers” team was in attendance and a huge thank-you to Chris Ferguson for his presentation on the Dragon Boat Race. Good news continued to flavour the evening as Rhonda Nixon was congratulated on receiving the ATA doctoral fellowship by our District Representative, Markiana Hryschuk. Amber Nicholson presented a cheque for over seven thousand dollars to Sandra Danco of the WIN House. Kyle Porter representing REMEC, presented an award of merit to Amber Nicholson for her outstanding work in the area of social justice in the local, her school, and the greater Edmonton community.
Please note this as well: Our superintendent Joan Carr and your Local are supplying five substitute afternoons each this Thursday so that ten of our high school Math and Science teachers can attend a symposium to support our president Carol when she speaks to the elimination of the written response portion of the diploma exam.
Last night we had 131 of our peers in attendance. This outpouring of support for the Local is indicative of the support we give each other in our schools. Please thank your school representatives for their gift of time on your behalf. As we travel together in these times of political and economic unrest, let us be mindful that together we work in the most wonderful profession. The added benefit of working within our Catholic context gives us the freedom to express our work in terms of vocation. To be able to meet the inclusive educational needs of the poor and marginalized adds a deep and abiding dimension to our work which we should never take for granted.
Good luck to our VP candidates as they now await the results of the voting that takes place this coming week. Continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT . (October 15, 2009)
Greetings teachers:
Here’s hoping that everyone had a most restful and thankful weekend with family and friends. We have an exciting month ahead as we look forward to a by-election for a new Vice President. The position was created as Wayne Prokopiw became Chair of our Economic Policy Committee (EPC). Please make sure to look at the posters distributed to all sites about our two candidates and cast a vote during voting week. Your school representative will be bringing back details of the speeches which will be held on the evening of October 20th.
In November, the District will be submitting a brief to government regarding cutbacks and claw backs. The parents’ group met with board representatives at St Joseph’s on October 1st and, in November, we will be asking as many of our school representatives and other teachers to join us at Barnett House for an hour or so of table talk in order to get our teachers’ views presented as well. There will be more to follow so please stay in touch with your school rep for date and time.
Our October Council meeting will be one of celebration. All committee reports will be written and we will be honored by a visit from our new ATA president, Carol Henderson, who will address Council for the first time.
All principals and our Kathy are away this week for the annual Leadership Academy in Jasper. We wish them safe travel and lots of good learning.
Blessings to all, Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (October 8, 2009)
Greetings everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!
As we approach Thanksgiving weekend and consider all that is happening around us politically and economically, one wonders about the “thanks” part of the aforementioned phrase! A long litany could be recorded of the number of decisions recently made by our leaders that affect the most vulnerable of our province in a profound negative way. As teachers, I believe we are asked to be the Voice for all who cannot speak for themselves and take every opportunity to make our views known. Too often we hear from our peers “What can I (we) do against this behemoth?” If we have this sense of powerlessness then just imagine the sense of hopelessness and despair that the vulnerable must have…if they could speak. So, what to do? As a Catholic community of faith, we latch on to the fact that we are the Easter people who believe that prayer, reinforced by consistent action will affect change where it is most needed. Let’s get to it J, we know how to do it.
I thumbed through a book last week entitled “14,000 things to be thankful for” and I am sure that collectively we could easily add an appendage of 14, 000 more. May I begin by saying how thankful I am to represent our teachers who enrich and inspire the lives of our 33,408 students? 13,999 to go……..
Happy World Teachers’ Day and continue to care for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (September 24, 2009)
Happy Autumn everyone.
Our fall season begins with the ATA’s Beginning Teachers’ Conference at the Fantasyland Hotel. New teachers from Edmonton Catholic Schools were invited by our Local to an opening get together before the conference began on Thursday evening. The group was given an overview of our mentorship program and had a chance to meet and greet before heading over to the conference. This professional development opportunity has earned the highest praise for the sessions offered in the past and this year will be no exception. Participants receive valuable information and encouragement as they begin their journey in the most prized of careers! I ask that our school reps ensure that their admin team is aware of this event and encourage our new teachers to attend (September 24-26).
With the promise of a sunny and cool weekend ahead, make sure to book some walk time in our wonderful river valley system and enjoy the smells and color of this awesome time of year.
Blessings to you all, Sandy
The world is charged with the grandeur of God. (Gerard Manley Hopkins)
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (September 17, 2009)
Tempis fugit! It amazing that we are nearing October already. My greetings begin with a huge thank you to all who attended Opening Mass and contributed so generously ($7,331) to the collection for WIN House. Thank you as well to all who are members of Council this year as school representatives. There were a large number of new teachers at our first meeting of the year and the energy and enthusiasm in the room was most rewarding. Please take a moment to thank the person or persons on your staff who have volunteered for this responsible position on your behalf. This is going to be an incredible year for our Local thanks to your involvement!
While there are so many conversations in our staff rooms and offices about impending claw backs to education, cutbacks, and budget reviews, let us all be very mindful of each other and be particularly sensitive to our colleagues who are experiencing huge amounts of stress and worry. May I suggest that we put some of our “worry energy” into a phone call or letter to our MLAs letting them know that our children should not be made to suffer for decisions that are made far from the classrooms of this province.
We seem to be always living in “interesting” times but thank heaven we share a faith community that offers us a spiritual lens to view social justice matters with respect for the dignity of persons as central to all our decisions.
Continue to care deeply for each other. ~Sandy
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (September 10, 2009)
Welcome back to another year of surprises, new faces and the joy of connecting with students and staff. I hope the summer break refreshed the body and mind.
We begin this school year with renewed optimism for ourselves, our families and our students and because we “teach,” we model this optimism for our students on a daily basis despite the economic and social turmoil facing the province and world. Within our faith context we are possibly the only voices of hope that our children will hear this year thus deepening our commitment to the valuable societal work that we do!
It is critical for all of us to take care of each other in our places of work. I realize that this is our practice, but it is necessary to have it said on occasion so that we are continually aware of our need for a strong and supportive community as we practice our craft.
Have a terrific 2009-2010.
Sandy, Amy, Patti, Wayne, Pina, Jonathan, Rob, Azza, Amber, Kyle, Kathy, and Jan
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