Loading...
The Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-04-05, Page 12Page 12—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, April, 5, 1978 What parents should know We, the parents of Huron County Secondary School students, want to know what issues are so important that they are depriving our teen-agers of their education. We have asked that the contract proposals be printed along with last year's contract, so that we may understand the problems causing the stalemate in negotiations: There are two items yet to be settled: 1. Teacher Workload; 2. Sick Leave Credit Gratuity. TEACHER WORKLOAD Last Year's Contract (1) The Board shall endeavour to achieve the following guidelines. (a) Maximum Pupil Period Contacts (P.-P.C's) (This means the total number of students a teacher sees in a day.) Advanced (5 year courses) 175 General (4 year course) 155 Technical- 140 Special Education 100 (b) Maximum Class Size Advanced and Commercial (typing and business machines only) -'30 students General . and Open (including other Commercial subjects - 25 students Technical, Home Economics practical and Special Education Academic - 20 students Special Education practical - 15 students (c) Lesson Preparations The Board shall endeavour to maintain an average of three lesson preparations per cycle per teacher. (d) Assigned Time 75 percent instructional, 25 percent .preparation and marking., (e) Appeals Where exceptions to the above guidelines exist on September '30th, -the- teacher involved shall be made aware, by the principal, of the factors causing the ex- ception. If the teacher is not satisfied with the ex- planation he -she may appeal to the Appeal and Review Committee. (2) Branch Affiliate Members (hereafter called teachers) shall not cover classes for other teachers who are absent except on an emergency basis as determined by the principal. When any one teacher has covered 6 classes, the principal will inform the Board and the teacher will be reimbursed in the amount paid to a qualified teacher. Latest Board Offer Delete the Guidelines and Replace with the following: (a) A Workload Committee comprised of one trustee - appointed by the Board - one teacher -appointed by District 45 OSSTF Executive Council one principal - appointed by Huron Co. Secondary School Principals Association - one senior administrator -appointed by the Director of Education will monitor the workload distribution and will submit reports, and -or recom- mendations to the Director of Education in May and October and, where necessary, through him to the Board. (b) Any teacher who feels that he has been treated unfairly in the assignment of workload may complain in succession to his Principal, Superintendent, and Director of Education. In the settlement of such complaints the decision of the Director of Education, after consultation with the Workload Committee, shall be final an'd binding. Notwithstanding the. provisions of this section, if the Director of Education does not render a decision within 30 days of being made aware of the complaint, the complainant may invoke the provisions of .Articles 8 & 9. Board Policy Statement Re Workload Within the limits imposed by the approved pupil - teacher ratio, the Board will strike to equalize the workload in its secondary schools through preparation of a "Workload Guideline" By March 1st each year the Director of Education will issue to each secondary school principal, for use in preparing his timetable, a "Workload Guideline" which (1) has been deveSloped in co-operation with representatives of the teachers, Board, Headmasters' Association, and the senior administration; (2) takes into account, as far as possible, for each teacher (a) the total number of students taught (b) the size of each class or section (c) the nature of the program offered in the depart- ment (d) the number of lesson preparations and the amount of student work to be marked (e) the level of difficulty of the subject(s) (f) the degree of involvement with other school ac- tivities (3) attempts to prevent individual teachers from being responsible for unusually large numbers of students; and (4) provides reasonable amounts of non -teaching time for administration, preparation, marking, and super- vision. (5) incorporates provision for a teacher to request a review of his workload, through hierarchical stages, to the Board, Latest Teacher Proposal (a) Pupil Period Contacts (PPC's) No teacher's PPC's -shall exceed the following guidelines: Students taking Advanced Credits- 180 (in- cluding typing and business machines) Students' taking General Credits - 155 (including other commercial subjects) Students taking Technical Credits - 140 (including Family Studies practical, Special Education Academic & Remedial) Students taking Special Education Credits - 100 (b) Average Class Size No teacher's average class shall exceed the following guidelines : Advanced 30 students General 25 students Technical 20 students Special Education Practical ' 15 students (c) Lesson Preparations The Board shall make every effort to maintain an average of three lesson preparations per cycle per teacher. (d) Assigned Time (1) The Board shall make every effort to have the maximum teaching timetable load for a teacher not exceed 75 percent of his full possible timetable. (Note The lunch period is not to be considered as part of the timetable.) Example: 6 periods for a one -day 8 period cycle Example: 6 periods for a two-day 8 period cycle (ii) The remainder of the periods on a _teacher's timetable shall be designated as: (a) administration, or (b) preparation and marking Note: Administration periods and preparation and marking periods may be reassigned by the principal as set forth in 13:03 (g): (iii) It is understood that as of September 30 in the contract year, the -number of teachers teaching in excess of 75 percent of a full possible timetable shall not exceed the number doing so as of that date in the previous contract year. (e), Occasional Teaching Teachers shall not cover classes for other members who are absent except on an emergency basis as determined by the principal. A record of classes covered by each teacherwill be maintained ..by the principal. When any one teacher has covered 6 classes, the prin- cipal will inform the Board and the teacher will be reimbursed in the amount -paid per day to a qualified teacher. (f) Workload Grievances (i) No grievance on the subject of workload may be initiated prior to September 30 in any school year.. (ii) Notwithstanding Article 8 - Grievance Procedure, no grievance shall be lodged by any teacher prior to September 30, 1978 in regard to any alleged violation of 13.03. (iii) Notwithstanding Article 8 -.Grievance Procedure, no grievance shall be lodged by a teacher in regard to any alleged violation of 13.03 (a) or 13.03 (b) unless the alleged violation encompasses both 13.03 and 13.03 (b) (g) Workload Committee (i) A Workload Committee shall be established which shall consist of: 2 trustees appointed by the Board 2 teachers appointed by the Branch Affiliate 2 principals or vice -principals appointed by the Headmasters' Association The Director of Education or his designate (ii) The Workload Committee. shall monitor the workload of each teacher and may make recom- mendations for changes in such workload through the Director of Education to the Board between May 1 and September 30 of each calendar year. Last Year's Contract A teacher who has completed 12 years service in Huron County schools and who is eligible for a pension under the provisions of the Teachers' Superannuation Act shall be entitled to,the payment of a gratuity on termination of employment. Latest Board Offer A teacher who has completed 12 years service in Huron County schools shall be entitled to the payment of a gratuity on termination of employment provided that he .(1) is eligible for a pension under the provisions of the Teachers' Superannuation Act and has attained the age of 50 years. OR (2) is in receipt of a pension under the provisions of the Teachers' Superannuation Act including, without limitingthe generality of the foregoing, a disability pension. Latest Teacher Proposal (same as last year's con- tract) 'A teacher who has completed 12 years service in Huron County school('and who is eligible for a pension under the provisions of the Teachers' Superannuation Act shall be entitled to the payment of a gratuity on termination of employment. Parents ask•*!.... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 school year and were able to resolve four problems amicably. It ceased to operate when the. committee was faced with a problem which involved differences in basic philosophy. 3. How many classes are now over the guidelines suggested in the 1976-77. contract? Do you feel this number is serious enough to prolong this strike? BOARD: The number of teachers in the county . (i) in, excess of average class size of 30 - 3 (ii) in excess of 180 PPC's - 1; 155 PPC's - 10; 140 PPC's - 0; 100 PPC's - (iii) in excess of average class size -I-- PPC's -1 No. TEACHERS: The number �f classes now over the guidelines is no longer relevant because no changes could be made at this point in the school year. What is important is that there be guidelines for the coming school year so that we do not return to the great inequities which existed prior to our having workload protection in the agreement. 4. Why is the board so op- posed to the class size, pupil period contact, etc. details - while the teachers are so opposed to a workload committee. Could not both proposals accomplish the same aim? BOARD: The Board is opposed to fixed, inflexible absolutes. The Board is also of the opinion that they and not the teachers were elected to manage the school system of Huron County through its administrators. If the teachers were to use the •committee approach objectively, then the con- tinued high quality of education can be maintained. Unfortunately this Federation demand is really a "job security" issue and little else. TEACHERS: The Board must give its . reasons for opposing ' • workload guidelines. The teachers do not object -to a workload committee but they see its function as monitoring rather than establishing guidelines. We feel that it is the Board's responsibility to set down workload guidelines so that all teachers in the county will be treated in the same way. The Board's most recent offer of a Board policy (changeable at any time by them) offers a date of March 1 in each year for establishing guidelines. In other words, no guidelines this year, but maybe for next year; that is, for theMschool year Beginning September 1979. 5. in regard to .sick leave gratuity, the only difference between the Board proposal and the teacher position is the addition of "has attained the age of 50 years". Why is this point so important? BOARD: . The original in- tent of this clause was to be a pay out for a retiring teacher, not a cash out provision.