The Ontario Teachers' Federation Teacher Voice on Assessment Survey is now active.  The survey can now be accessed online at www.surveymonkey.com/tva . 

The survey will be active until Friday, March 19, 2010. All secondary school teachers should have received a letter from OTF inviting them to complete the survey if they are currently teaching courses involving student assessment and evaluation. OTF sent out the invitation letters to all worksites on January 27, 2010 asking the workplace OSSTF/FEESO representative, to distribute them to all teacher members at their work site. If the invitation letters have not been received please contact OTF directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

OSSTF/FEESO is an active participant in this survey and we encourage all teacher members to complete the survey. The information entered into the survey cannot be linked to any individuals or schools so we are asking all respondents to be as frank as possible. The completion time for the survey is approximately 20 minutes but some extra time may be required if respondents want to add more details in the comments section of the survey. The more complete the information that is collected through the survey the more relevant to all educational workers will be the resources that come out of the research phase of the project.

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) continues its campaign to stop Bill C-391, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act and is coordinating a focused lobbying effort that starts at the beginning of March and runs for the next few months. The goal is to work through CLC affiliates and their members to put pressure each week on two identified MPs who voted for Bill C-391 last fall, one Conservative and one Opposition member. Union members, especially constituents, are asked to contact the designated MPs by email, letter, phone calls, and where possible, in person.

Lobbying will centre on one particular issue at a time with a total of five different messages overall. The first will be on preventing violence against women and coincide with International Women’s Day (IWD). The CLC statement for IWD also concentrates on Bill C-391. Later topics concern worker safety, crime prevention and safer communities, safety and security for gun owners and comparing the gun registry to registering cars.

The campaign is called Wrong Move! Scrapping Canada’s long gun registry is the wrong thing to do. Fact sheets are now posted on the CLC website at www.canadianlabour.ca/action-center/keep-our-communities-safe. Each week, the Action Centre will also feature a direct link for sending emails to the designated government and opposition MPs. This link can be found at: www.canadianlabour.ca/action-center . All materials are also available on the CLC website in French.

The Ontario Health Coalition is holding a series of public hearings concerning Small, Rural and Northern Hospitals.  These consultations are intended to provide a meaningful opportunity for residents to express their views on hospital restructuring and how they and their communities are affected by closures and cuts to services. After last April’s rally at Queen’s Park which drew over 1000 protesters from around the province, the Minister of Health did announce a Panel on Rural and Northern Health Care. However, no provision was made for public consultations until after the panel made its recommendations to the Minister.

One of these hearings will be held in Cobourg on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30pm at the Lion's Centre on Elgin Street.  This is an opportunity for members of the community to listen to a panel of experts, make a written submission or make an oral presentation.  Details are in the OHC Flyer located under the DOCUMENTS tab in the Information for Teachers section of this website.

As advertised in our latest edition of our "One For All" newsletter, OSSTF District 14 will be hosting another Retirement Workshop, presented by Ruth Kirkham from OSSTF Provincial Office.  The workshop will take place on Monday, April 26 at 5:00pm at OSSTF District 14 Office.

Ruth will give a slightly shorter version of her workshop that she has presented at past OSSTF Professional Development Days here in our District.  This workshop is ideal for anyone who may be retiring in the next year or sometime in the next ten years, or even beyond.  It's never too late to prepare.

Space is limited.  Call District Office or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve you spot today.  Spouses are also invited to attend.  Light refreshments will also be available at the workshop.  The workshop is free of charge

The Northern Chapter of Teachers for Kids will be holding their Auction on Friday April 30th at Trentwinds.  Earlier this year OSSTF District 14 endorsed TFK as our charity of choice.  This is the charity that supports our students in our schools.   As the major fundraiser for the organization, we will be there!  Auction items will be advertized on this website nearer to the event, but right now the committee is still in the process of collecting items.

Right now the organizing committee is collecting items to use for the Auction.  If you want to regift that extra Slapchop, Abdominizer or new HDTV received at Christmas Jane Kelly will be glad to take the selected item off your hands.   If your staff is not flush with items worthy of auction, perhaps there is a group of you that can offer a service?  Your imagination is your only limit.    

Donation forms will be in your schools very soon, but you can email Jane Kelly directly and share your ideas or concept gift.  The more teachers we have involved in the event, the more students we will eventually be able to support here in our community.

No role too small! 

TFK welcomes all teachers that wish to get involved with the work of organizing this event, and others throughout the year.  If you are interested in guaranteeing success for this event, please call or email Jane Kelly  (743 7373 ext 132), or contact the District Office. (705 748 3444)

The District 14 Political Action / Excellence in Education Committee would like to announce that they are now accepting nominations for Excellence in Education Awards, and is offering funding for Special Projects done by our members in their schools.

The Excellence in Education Awards are aimed to recognize adults in our education community who normally would not receive recognition.  These include Teachers, Support Staff and Community Members.  Students are not eligible for this award.  Nomination Forms need to be completed and submitted District Office by April 20, 2010.  Award criteria and nomination forms are available on our website or from your Branch President.  Awards will be handed out at the Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2010.

The PAC / EiE Special Project Fund is available to members to help support a special, one time event that enhances the school community.  These projects may include art festivals, anniversary event, production of a CD or book, bringing in a special guest speaker, or any other similar activities which OSSTF District 14 members make a contribution to.  Application Forms are available on this website or from your Branch President.  Forms are due to District Office by April 15, 2010.

The OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Council Nominations Committee invites members who are interested in contributing to the work of the Federation by serving on a Provincial Committee or Council to consider making an application.

The committees and councils which require new members include: Benevolent Council, Certification Council, Collective Bargaining Committee, Comité des Services en Langue Française, Communications/Political Action Committee, Educational Services Committee, Finance Committee, Human Rights Committee, Parliamentary and Constitution Council, and Status of Women Committee.

To learn more about these councils and committees or to submit an application, follow the link to the Provincial Council webpage .  Applications can be submitted online, via fax or by mail.  Completed applications must be submitted to Provincial Office by March 1, 2010.

The Provincial Educational Services Committee is hosting its next biennial conference – “Tools & Toys…Technology in Education"  The 2010 Conference will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton-Toronto Airport, 655 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario from Wednesday, October 27- Friday, October 29, 2010. It will focus on the varied impact of technology upon educational settings in Ontario.

We are currently seeking proposals for workshops, highlighting new and innovative processes, technologies, techniques, and tools. All educational workers and related professionals are invited to submit a workshop application form relating to the theme of the conference. Suggested topics with respect to technology include:

• educating students;
• providing professional development for effective technology use;
• social networking;
• technology in the workplace;
• technology to improve student achievement;
• assistive technologies;
• wonders of technology in education;
• the use & abuse of technology;
• understanding terminology.

 If you have a workshop topic which you believe would be appropriate for consideration, please submit / fax your fully completed APPLICATION FORM no later than April 9, 2010 to:

Anne Marie Sutton, Conference Secretary, 60 Mobile Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M4A 2P3;  (Tel) 416-751-8300, ext. 326 or 1-800-267-7867 / (Fax) 416-751-7079