Administrators scramble to organize playground supervision

As they shook off the lazy days of summer and rolled into classrooms Tuesday, students might be hard pressed to notice their teachers are on strike.

Teachers cracked open textbooks and dove into lesson plans as expected, but for tasks such as playground supervision or writing report cards, educators are off the job.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not an ideal way to kick off a school year, but the local teachersB次元官网网址� union says  B次元官网网址渢each onlyB次元官网网址� job action is necessary to pressure the government to restore funding for student services.

B次元官网网址淥ur No. 1 main issue is class size and composition. Specialized teachers and special needs programs continue to erode year after year,B次元官网网址� said Patrick Henry, president of the Sooke TeachersB次元官网网址� Association. B次元官网网址淭his (job action) is about restoring services to students.B次元官网网址�

Teachers are ignoring emails and notices distributed by management, among other administrative duties, but they will continue to meet with parents individually and participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports or clubs.

B次元官网网址淭he only difference is teachers are not on a timetable or schedule supplied by administration,B次元官网网址� Henry said. B次元官网网址淎dministrative duties take away from time to teaching. Teachers are going to be focused on teaching kids as much as possible.B次元官网网址�

The most noticeable changes within SD 62 schools could be harried administrators, most who are supervising playgrounds before and after school and during breaks, along with keeping up with day-to-day duties.

Staff from the district office in Langford are also rotating through a dozen schools as playground supervisors.

B次元官网网址淎dministrators have the largest burden,B次元官网网址� said superintendent Jim Cambridge, who pulled playground duty at Poirier elementary in Sooke on Tuesday. B次元官网网址淭he principals and vice-principals have got to do their own work and supervise as well. It will be challenging for those folks.B次元官网网址�

Under the work-to-rule action, teachers will ignore a long list of administrative duties, such as responding to or reading emails or printed materials distributed by administrators, attending meetings called by management, creating and distributing report cards, or directing provincially mandated exams.

John Stubbs Memorial school principal Garry Manhas said it will be hard to get into usual routines of meetings and communication, such as notices sent home with students.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l just try to get information out in a different way,B次元官网网址� Manhas said while keep a watch over elementary kids at recess. B次元官网网址�(Administrators) are in the middle of this. ItB次元官网网址檚 not a place we want to be, but weB次元官网网址檒l do our best to keep things as-is as much as possible.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not business as usual, definitely the schools look and feel different,B次元官网网址� Cambridge remarked. B次元官网网址淏ut principals and vice-principals are doing a great job and minimizing how this looks for parents and the kids.B次元官网网址�

Henry noted that teachers will step in and supervise kids outside of classroom hours when no alternative staff are available. Cambridge said this could be necessary if the job action is prolonged.

The Sooke TeachersB次元官网网址� Association and SD 62 management say they have an excellent working relationship and open lines of communication. Henry said unfortunately, that goodwill doesnB次元官网网址檛 extend to the provincial government.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been 15 years since the teachersB次元官网网址� union and the province hashed out a negotiated contract, he said.

B次元官网网址淭he rest have been imposed, and IB次元官网网址檒l expect theyB次元官网网址檒l do it again. TheyB次元官网网址檒l bring in legislation to impose a contract when they feel itB次元官网网址檚 necessary.B次元官网网址�

The B.C. TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation wants class size and composition restored to collective bargaining rights, which the province stripped in 2002, an action the B.C. Supreme Court has since ruled was illegal.

Teachers also say they are looking for pay parity in line with colleagues across Canada. B.C. teachers on average are paid less than school districts in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and the northern territories, according to the BCTF.

The B.C. Public School EmployersB次元官网网址� Association, the governmentB次元官网网址檚 negotiating arm, argues by its reckoning that B.C. teachers are the fourth best paid in the country and  BCTF compensation demands would sum to more than $ 2 billion B次元官网网址� a claim the union flatly denies.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e talked about a fair settlement for parity across the country,B次元官网网址� Henry said. B次元官网网址淏ut thereB次元官网网址檚 been no proposal with a specific percentage or salary demand.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com