HALIFAX, May 17, 2012 /CNW/ - The Nova Scotia Teachers Union is celebrating its 91st Annual Council this coming long weekend, May 18 to 20, at the Harbourfront Marriott.
Approximately 400 voting delegates, alternate delegates, visitors and guests will attend. Council sessions start at 7:30 p.m. Friday and finish Sunday afternoon. Delegates will debate and vote on more than 100 resolutions, many relating to changes teachers say will increase their ability to support their students' diverse needs.
This will be one of NSTU president Alexis Allen's last official duties before she leaves her post July 31. Nova Scotia's 10, 000 union members will vote for one of three people running for president in an electronic vote May 23.
| Media are welcome to cover Annual Council at the following times: | |||
| Friday May 18 | - | 4:30 - 7:15 p.m. | Registration |
| 7:30 - 8:15 p.m. | Opening Session | ||
| 8:15 - 8:30 p.m. | Book Launch - Conflict and Collegiality, History of the NSTU, 1984-2012 by Paul McCormick | ||
| Saturday, May 19 | - | 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. | Photo op of delegate voting |
| 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. | Delegates available for interviews | ||
| Sunday, May 20 | - | Mid-afternoon - time TBA | Debate and vote on resolutions |
| *Please call if interested in the Sunday session, as time is dependent on when closed session ends and open session begins. | |||
A 22-page document with complete Annual Council resolutions is available electronically. Attached to this document is a short list of resolutions of interest.
Resolutions of interest:
Be It Resolved That the Nova Scotia Teachers Union condemn the provincial government for its failure to understand the increasingly complex and diverse nature of today's classrooms as well its failure to recognize the progressive and professional contribution to education in Nova Scotia provided by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union
2012-33 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU lobby the Department of Education to remove, from the FTE ratio, all non-classroom positions (such as Guidance and Specialists) when calculating student-teacher ratios. (Lunenburg County)
2012-34 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU lobby the Department of Education to support teachers so that more focus can be put on instruction and less time on data collection. (Pictou)
2012-35 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU work with the Department of Education and School Boards to lobby for the inclusion of subject specific teachers in the preparation of any new curriculum guides or in the revision of existing curriculum documents. (Provincial Executive)
2012-36 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU urge the Department of Education to reduce the number of terms and reporting periods at the elementary level from three to two.
2012-37 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU lobby the Department of Education/School Boards to ensure that all materials and/or resources required to implement Board or Department of Education program initiatives (English and French) be provided to the member prior to the implementation process. In addition, any materials requiring preparation by the member will be done through adequate release time, funded through Board departmental budgets, during the instructional day.(Kings)
2012-38 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU lobby the Department of Education to create a policy in the Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling document stating there be at least one Guidance Counsellor position per school, filled by a trained Guidance Counsellor. (Kings)
2012-39 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU strongly urge the Department of Education to create a functional, meaningful and equitable Gradebook comment bank for all subjects in the public school program. (Northside-Victoria)
2012-40 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU urge the Department of Education to further revisit the Curriculum outcomes for early elementary and to make the necessary adjustments in light of the introduction of 4 year old students into Grade Primary. (Northside-Victoria)
2012-41 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU ask the Department of Education to reduce the number of Curriculum outcomes for courses in the public school program that have in excess of 100 outcomes per school year. (Northside-Victoria)
2012-95 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU call upon the Government of Nova Scotia to fulfill its' commitment to inclusive education and to thereby fund public schools at a level where the needs of all students can be adequately met. (Northside-Victoria)
2012-96 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU call upon the Department of Education to fund specialized IPP mentors in each school board to help teachers with the creation of IPP's. (Northside-Victoria)
2012-97 BE IT RESOLVED THAT an evaluation of the Student Information System software (PowerSchool) be created by the Department of Education and all research data be available to the NSTU for review. (Richmond)
2012-98 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU strongly urge the Department of Education to impose and enforce a cap on the size for all P-6 classes, with a maximum of 25 for single grade classrooms and 20 for multi-grade classrooms. (Inverness)
2012-99 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NSTU endeavour to partner with the Department of Education and School Boards to develop the structure and process of professional development opportunities with respect to all future Provincial initiatives. (Provincial Executive)
Mary Jane Webber, NSTU Public Relations Coordinator
Cell: 497-0194, email: [email protected]
Share this article