The Local has reached an agreement with the Board to establish trial Recurring OT assignments at several schools to provide consistent coverage when designated Teachers in Charge (TICs) cover for their Principals at Principal meetings.

Successful applicants will receive right of first refusal for qualifying TIC absences. Where multiple teachers are identified as acting TICs at a school, the assignment may cover absences for any of those teachers. All assignments will be awarded based on Occasional Teacher seniority, provided applicants hold at least one of the qualifications specified in the posting. If the successful applicant is unavailable, the absence will be filled through EasyConnect as usual.

These assignments cover TIC-related absences only; other absences, such as illness or sports-related absences, will continue to be filled through EasyConnect.

Recurring OT assignments are not LTO assignments. Holding one does not prevent members from applying for or accepting LTO positions.

The trial arrangement will remain in effect until June 30, 2027. Members are encouraged to contact the Local Office with any questions or feedback.

AOTL reminds you to ensure your QECO Statement of Evaluation is up to date, as it determines salary grid placement for both permanent and long-term occasional (LTO) positions.

You can apply for upgrading advice or re-evaluation annually, including for qualifications earned outside Ontario.

Important Deadlines

• New employees: You have 60 calendar days from your date of hire to provide your QECO statement (or proof of application) to HR. If you submit proof of application, you must then provide your QECO statement within 14 days of receiving it.
  
  
• Existing employees seeking a category upgrade: If you have completed a course and wish to move to a higher category, you must submit a new QECO statement (or proof of application) to ADSB before October 31. If you submit proof of application, you must then provide your upgraded QECO statement to HR within 14 days of receiving it.

Don’t miss the deadlines! If you are in a LTO assignment and meet the applicable timelines, your salary adjustment will be retroactive to the beginning of your assignment. If you miss the deadlines, the adjustment will take effect in the month following HR’s receipt of your QECO documentation.

If you’ve recently completed additional qualifications, now is a good time to check whether you’re eligible for a category upgrade.

Saturday, October 31
Delta Hotel, SSM
8:30 Breakfast, business to follow

Join us for breakfast, a few updates from AOTL, and a chance to catch up with your fellow occasional teachers. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions, share your thoughts, and find out what’s happening with your union.

Resolutions for the 2027 ETFO Annual Meeting should be submitted to Ryan by October 17.

We offer mileage to anyone travelling into Sault Ste. Marie, and we’ll arrange free accommodations for anyone driving more than 125 km to get here.

And breakfast is on us! Just please RSVP before October 24 so we know how many people to expect.

Members of your union Executive visited Ben R. McMullin PS to bring Red For Ed treats on the province-wide Day of Action and a solidarity message.

We’re looking for a few members who would like to lend their ideas, meet some colleagues, and help make things happen in our local!

We have spots available on three committees:

• Professional Learning – Help us plan workshops and learning opportunities for our members.
• Member Engagement – Help plan social events and other ways to bring our members together.
• Equity & Status of Women – Help us promote equity, inclusion, and issues that matter to our members.

You don’t need to have committee experience, and you don’t have to know exactly what you can contribute. If you have an idea, an interest, or simply want to get more involved, we’d love to hear from you.

Committee work is a great way to have your voice heard, connect with other members, and help shape what our local does.

Interested? Please reach out to Ryan at ac.lt1793899774oa@se1793899774rp1793899774.

On Wednesday, September 16, ETFO members will join teachers and education workers across Ontario for a province-wide Day of Action to defend publicly funded education.

How can I participate?
Wear red, join your colleagues and all education workers at your site for a group photo, and flood social media with #OntEdUnited and #Red4Ed to show our collective strength! Use ETFO’s online submission form to send in your photos.

Together with OSSTF, OECTA, AEFO, OSBCU, OPSEU, EWAO, and OCEW, we represent more than 275,000 workers. We are united in demanding properly funded and fully staffed schools, better learning and working conditions, and real respect for the people who make public education possible.

The Ford government is counting on division. We are standing together.

As the end of the school year draws closer, please turn your attention to any instances of missed preps during the school year.

Daily OTs

Please fill out this form anytime you miss a regularly scheduled prep period while on a daily assignment. A link to this form is always available on our website.

Our grievance on this issue is scheduled for arbitration on April 22, 2027. Let us know about your missed preps to be included for possible remedy.

LTO Teachers

Use the Timesheet for Prep Payback to claim payment for the days you missed prep and did not receive in-person prep payback. Claim these days at the end of your assignment, or at the end of the school year, whichever is sooner.

ADSB will soon be contacting employees regarding recent legislation requiring all school board employees to complete a new Police Record Check every five years. Deadlines to comply will be based on the employee’s birth month.

We encourage members to wait for further information from ADSB regarding the application process and how to submit documentation to Human Resources.

The nomination period for positions on our 2025-2027 Local Executive has now closed. The following candidates have been elected by acclamation:

• Ryan Geick – President
• Sue Geick – Vice President
• Erika Vecchio – Treasurer
• Kim Whitmore – Secretary
• Pam Miller – Member at Large

We thank these members for stepping forward to serve in leadership roles, and we look forward to their contributions in the coming term.

Thank you to Nichole Stewart Murray for serving as Elections Chair.