April —2019—Volume 7 Contact info:

The Town Centre, Unit D4-800 Rosser Ave

Brandon, MB R7A 6N5 Phone: (204)-729-3141

Email: office@btateach.com Deadline for submissions for next issue: May 10/19

A Century of Solidarity….. The Manitoba Government is conducting a K-12 Education Review. 10 public workshops will be held as part of the public consultation process. The workshops, led by facilitators, are an opportunity to get more information, provide feedback, or take part in round-table discussions. The Brandon workshop is scheduled for May 9th at 6:00 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Suites. You must register to attend through the following link:

https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/educationreview/consultation.html

Individuals that would like to present their perspectives and recommendations at a public hearing must submit a formal brief to the commission. Selected individuals and groups will be invited to present to the commission. However all briefs will be posted on the commission’s website. The dates for these presentations will be in June 2019.

Written submissions are to be submitted via email at: K12educationcommission@gov.mb.ca These submissions can be as short or as long as deemed necessary and are to be submitted by May 30, 2019.

There is also an online survey that can be completed by anyone: parent, grandparent, business owner, taxpayer, and teacher. (Please note: if you chose to participate as a teacher, the survey will ask for your Teaching Certificate Number). General public survey: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/education-review-public/ Teacher survey: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/education-review-teacher/

We hope you will give serious consideration to participating in this process. It’s crucial for citizens to tell the Manitoba K-12 Education Review about their concerns, hopes and vision for public education in this province.

Input from educators is important. You know the needs of your students best. The following article, from The Manitoba Teacher demonstrates how teachers actively engaged in the process can make a difference . As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, we can reflect on the impact teachers can have when they make their voices heard.

- BTA President, Peter Buehler

Brandon Teachers Beat Back Proposal to Lengthen School Day by 30 Minutes (Manitoba Teachers Society Magazine—2008—Volume 86-5)

Brandon public school teachers have fought back a move by the division to increase the work day by 30 minutes.

“We think this is a huge victory,” says Sherilyn Bambridge, president of the Brandon Teachers’ Association. “We really seemed to have the sentiments of the public on this issue.”

The issue arose last fall when the school division began pondering ways in which it could accommodate new phys-ed requirements. One of the options was to lengthen the high school day by 30 minutes. And that sparked discussion about how it could be applied to all grades.

Brandon teachers were not consulted in the preparation of the options related to the phys-ed requirements and only became aware of what was being considered when a survey was sent to schools.

Deadline for submissions to the Joint BTA/BSD PD Fund

THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019

Please review the funding criteria before forwarding your application.

NOTE: Documents and criteria can be found at:

Divisional Documents: https://portal.bsd.ca/Documents/BSD-BTA%20Joint%20PD%20Forms Portal Group – BSD/BTA PD: https://portal.bsd.ca/Groups/bsdbtapd/pages/default.aspx BTA website: http://www.btateach.com/btateach/docs.html

Please submit your PD applications to:

office@btateach.com

Celebrating 100 Years!

Green Acres School Orchestra Alexandra School Gentlemen’s Ocarina Orchestra Conductor—Robert J Coates Conductor—Dilys Davies 1962 1952

Please note the following important dates: April 25, 2019 BTA Council Meeting 4:15 p.m.—Vincent Massey April 28, 2019 Brandon & District Labour Council Day of Mourning 2:00 p.m.—City Hall May 2, 2019 DEADLINE—Joint PD Applications May 4, 2019 Write to the Review 9:00 a.m.—U of M Campus May 9, 2019 K-12 Education Workshop (Brandon) 6:00 p.m.—Clarion Hotel & Suites May 16, 2019 BTA Quiz Night 7:00 p.m.—The 40 May 23-25, 2019 MTS AGM Winnipeg, MB May 28, 2019 BTA AGM 4:15 p.m.—Victoria Inn June 6, 2019 BTA Retirement Event 7:00 p.m.—Victoria Inn June 14, 2019 District Labour Council Dinner

Manitoba Teachers Society 1-800-665-0584

MTS Disability Benefits Plan

1-866-504-9373

Educator Assistance Program Louise Lamont, Western Region

153—13th Street, Brandon 1-800-555-9336

Council of School Leaders (COSL)

1-204-837-3044 cosl@mbteach.org

TRAF

Rm 330, Johnson Terminal 25 Forks Market Rd, Winnipeg

1-800-782-0714

Certification Branch Box 700, Russell, R0J 1W0

1-800-667-2378

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Grand Salon A

Victoria Inn, Brandon

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 4:15 p.m.

Note: Agenda Items to include:

• Honouring 25 year long service teachers;

• Life Membership Proposal

• Setting the budget & dues for the 2019-2020 year

Please note: A quorum is essential at this meeting. (Minimum—15% of the general membership)

We hope to see you

there!

Canadian workers are dying because of accidents on the job and conditions in the workplace.

April 28th is a day to remember those hurt and killed on the job.

Mourn the loss of our fellow workers, and fight for safe and health workplaces.

All are invited to attend.

Day of Mourning

Flag Raising Ceremony April 28, 2019—2:00 p.m.

Brandon City Hall—Main Foyer

What can you find on the BTA website? The BTA launched a revised website effective January 1st. The information can now be updated on a regular basis by the Association’s Executive Assistant. Information is current and relevant. The following is a snapshot of the information you can find on your Association website.

Landing Page • Objectives of the Association; • Contact Us link; • Bulletins/Posters for upcoming events; • Picture Gallery of recently held events

Documents Page • Downloadable Documents such as:

BTA Constitution BTA Dental Plan Booklet BTA/BSD Collective Agreement Maternity/Parental Leave Information Preferred Pharmacy Network Information TRAF Parent/Adoption Leave

• Downloadable Forms such as:

BSD Interrupted Prep Time Tracking Form BTA Expense Form BTA/MTS Leave Notification Form Joint PD Criteria and Application Form Nomination forms for Life Membership/Nomination Forms for BTA Executive Request for Financial Support cont’d on page5

….cont’d from Page 4

Calendar Page • Important Dates in the Association Calendar such as:

BTA Council Meeting dates BTA Annual General Meeting date Retirement Event and info for potential retirees Upcoming deadline for submitting Joint PD

Applications Other events hosted by MTS such as upcoming

Maternity/Paternal Leave Benefits Seminar

About Us Page

• Who serves on the BTA Executive? • Who are the Committee Chairs? • Who are the School Reps? All of this information can be found on the “About Us” Page on the Website.

News Page This is a new and dynamic page where you can find information on upcoming events, announcements and the current year’s BTA BUZZ Newsletters. This page is updated on a regular basis so you’ll want to check here often to see what’s happening in the Brandon Teachers’ Association.

Social Page The Social Page is home to the BTA Twitter Account. A page set-up for social media this page could be expanded to include other social media platforms. Is there something you would like to see added to this page?

Cont’d on page 6

...cont’d from page 6

Contact Us Page The Contact Us page allows you to contact the Association at any time by simply completing the form. All questions go to the BTA Office email account and are then directed to the appropriate individual to answer your question. There is also a Contact Us button on every page of the website .

LIFT Page The website also has a page dedicated to the BTA LIFT Conference. This page will provide information that will include:

• when the Committee is accepting session proposals; • when the Committee is no longer accepting

proposals; • the brochure of sessions when it is available • a link to MTS to register for LIFT • any other information the LIFT Committee would like to share

We hope the membership finds this new and improved website informative and useful. Your feedback is always appreciated.

MEMO

BTA MEMBERS WHO PLAN TO RETIRE IN JUNE 2018

BTA Cocktail Reception—Thursday, June 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Victoria Inn (Imperial Ballroom) If you are planning on retiring at the end of this school year, please contact Sheri Bailey, Executive Assistant, as soon as possible so that you will be included in this event. Please note that each retiree will receive a letter enclosing 2 complimentary tickets to the reception, information on the purchase of any additional reception tickets for family and friends, as well as information regarding your choice of a retirement gift. Retirees are asked to forward a biography to the Office of the BTA as soon as possible. This information is published in a booklet which will serve as an introduction of each retiree. The booklet is distributed at the reception and a copy is also kept in the Association Office. Sheri Bailey—204-729-3141 or email: office@btateach.com

Cont’d on Page 7... ….Cont’d from Page 1 The survey asked teachers about the need to meet the needs of such courses as music and phys-ed. It then ended with a question asking teachers if they would agree to extend the school day by 30 minutes. Bambridge and the teachers; association, with help from The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, immediately began mobilizing, contacting all members to ensure that they did not fill out the survey, obviously designed to pay the way for the lengthening of the school day. Teachers began sending emails and letters to school board trustees and the survey was quickly pulled. The idea of extending the school day, however, was still alive and more than 90 teachers showed up at the next school board meeting to oppose the idea. In the meantime, Bambridge contacted every trustee individually to explain the association’s position. “We needed to show them why this was a bad idea,” she says, citing numerous problems from day care and after-school programs to bus pick-up and drop-off schedules and, of course, adding to teacher workload. While workload was an important issue, it wasn’t emphasized in the association’s campaign. In fact, the issue touched on so many areas, it went beyond just the length of a teacher’s workday. Faced with the opposition, the school board then decided to increase the day by 12 minutes, cutting back the time students had to change classes between periods. Students themselves timed how long it took them to get from class to class and found it couldn’t be done in the time allotted under the new plan. Many students got onside, opposing the plan as well. Petitions went to the school board, one signed by every high school teacher. The association ran an ad in the Brandon newspaper and Bambridge was doing a series of interviews with the media. And letters and emails were being sent from teachers, students and parents to trustees. “They did not receive one letter in support of extending the school day,” says Bambridge. The proposal went to a vote at a January school board meeting attended by more than 50 teachers and a dozen students. The board defeated the proposal 5-4 and indicated it would strike a committee, including teachers this time, to look at the needs of the division and possible solutions. The meeting at which the idea finally went down in flames left some teachers shaking their heads after a least some trustees admitted the whole issue was handled poorly. I think the process has been atrocious,” trustee Brian Mayes was quoted as saying in the Brandon Sun. “I don’t think we know what the hell we’re voting on.” Trustee Linda Ross echoed the sentiments: “This has been a fiasco.”

MTS LIFE SPEAK Wellness Platform

Did you know that MTS has launched a digital wellness platform?

LifeSpeak provides MTS members and their families with instant access to expert advice and confidential information when and where they need it. It will be available 247 from your smartphone, laptop or tablet.

Access is anonymous and confidential.