Please be advised that the OCT fees for 2012 ($138.00) will be deducted on the Feb. 3rd, 2012 pay for members working in LTO assignments.

All other members must pay their fee to OCT directly via the OCT website or by mail notification.  The deadline for payment is April 15, 2012.  More information about this is pasted below from the OCT website www.oct.ca.

Q. Can I pay by credit card?

A. Yes. You can pay by Visa, MasterCard or AMEX by logging onto the College web site at http://www.oct.ca and clicking on the Pay your Membership Fee Online.

You will need your six-digit College registration number. The system will automatically issue a confirmation number as soon as your payment is remitted.

You may also call Client Services at 416-961-8800 or call toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222.

Kathy McCarrel, President

Kathy McCarrel, President

—– Original Message —–

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS FEES

The Ontario College of Teachers membership fee for 2012 is $138.00.

This will be deducted on the FEBRUARY 3, 2012, payroll.

Sandi Wilton
Temporary Payroll Supervisor
Bluewater District School Board
519-363-2014 ext 2127
sandi_wilton@bwdsb.on.ca

For Immediate Release- December 1, 2011

Toronto, ON – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) welcomed the Ontario government’s proposed Accepting Schools Act, saying that it will build on current efforts to create safe schools and address bullying behaviour.

The bill proposes to directly address bullying of all kinds, including bullying related to gender identity and sexual orientation as well as race, ancestry, colour, religion, and disability.

“We particularly welcome the proposals that would more clearly support the role of Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) organizations at the school level,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond.  “We also believe the commitment to provide teachers with the necessary training and resources related to early intervention will have a direct and positive impact in creating a safe school environment for all students.

“By creating legal obligations for school boards to address bullying prevention, intervention, education and discipline- up to and including expulsion of a student- the bill builds on current policy established by the Safe Schools Act,” added Hammond. “It also signals that the government is serious about ending bullying and that bullying is a shared responsibility among school boards, staff, students and parents.”

“We are pleased the government is committed to strengthening reporting responsibilities. We look forward to ensuring the bill will effectively address our members’ longstanding concerns related to timely and effective responses to bullying incidents,” Hammond said.

ETFO, which represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and educational professionals across Ontario, has promoted a Positive Space Campaign with posters and educational resources about LGBT topics for teachers for over a decade.

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For more information, contact:
Valerie Dugale, ETFO Media Relations: Cell: 416-948-0195

Concert Celebration 7:15 pm, admission by donation…Tannis Slimmon in concert.

Division Street United Church 997 4th Ave East Owen Sound

Memorial Service Poster

TORONTO – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) welcomed today’s throne speech by the Ontario government, which puts a priority on public education and public health.

“Ontarians have a government that recognizes that public education and health are fundamental to building a strong future for the province,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond. “These are the foundations for building a strong, productive workforce characterized by innovation and creativity.”

“We appreciate the government’s continuing strong support for the early learning full-day Kindergarten,” added Hammond. “Providing a strong start in life for children is the best way to ensure a bright future for both students and the economic health of the province.”

“It takes courage to make these commitments and we look forward to working with the government to continue building a world class education system,” said Hammond.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and education professionals across the province and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.

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For more information contact:

Valerie Dugale, 1-888-838-3836 x2331

(TORONTO)  The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) today welcomed the announcement that Laurel Broten will be Ontario’s new Minister of Education and Women’s Issues, saying that she brings valuable experience to the expanded portfolio.

“On behalf of our members, I want to congratulate the new minister who brings important experience in childcare, poverty, and women’s issues to her new portfolio,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond.

“Given the recent transfer of child care to the Ministry of Education, Minister Broten’s previous experience as Minister of Children and Youth Services will be an important attribute in addressing the important issues facing full-day kindergarten and child care,” added Hammond.

Broten served as Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues and she was also responsible for the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.

“In the past eight years, the Liberal government has made a significant investment in public education,” said Hammond. “We look forward to working with Minister Broten to continue supporting initiatives such as full-day kindergarten, reduction of class size, more specialist teachers, and increased support for teacher professional learning.”

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and education professionals across the province and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.

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For more information contact:

Valerie Dugale, 1-888-838-3836 x2331 (office),  (416) 948-0195 (cell); vdugale@etfo.org

Deadline to register is Tuesday, October 25th, but best to register early in order to secure your first-choice workshop!

Check out further details about this exciting event by reading the attached poster. Course offerings include: Epi Pen Demo, Classroom Management, Literacy, Numeracy and Differentiated Instruction.

Sign up now using this registration form!
We look forward to seeing you there!

Amanda Quist, P.L. Chair
Marcia Shimoda, 1st V.P.
ETFO Bluewater O.T. Local

ETFO and its members have always been engaged in the political process. This has never been more important given the recent attacks on organized labour at the federal level, and indeed across North America.

We look forward to working with the government over the next few years to put the best interests of students—and our members—forward.

Sam Hammond
ETFO President