The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Jan. 17–18, 2019, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Approved the 2019/20 proposed budget for presentation to locals.
2. Approved, for presentation to the 2019 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA), a resolution setting the annual fee payable by a full-time, active member at $1,257, effective Sept. 1.
3. Approved, for presentation to the 2019 ARA, a resolution setting the annual fee payable by an associate member at $188.50, effective Sept. 1.
4. Approved the names of two recipients of honorary membership in the Association, which is reserved for members and other persons who have given meritorious service to the teaching profession, to the Association or to the advancement of education.
5. In accordance with bylaw 70, authorized that voting for the 2019 Calgary City byelection be conducted by electronic ballot and set March 19 as the date for the announcement of the voting results.
6. Approved that the Election Rules Appeal Panel selected for the 2019 ATA general election also serve as the appeal panel for the 2019 Calgary City byelection.
7. Amended the Administrative Guidelines to establish rules in the event a byelection runs concurrently with an ATA general election.
8. Amended the specialist council grant structure to remove the bonus for membership increase and reallocate these funds to the per-member grant.
9. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of one charge of unprofessional conduct for using physical force on a student, causing the student to fall and hit their head on the floor, thus failing to provide a safe environment and failing to treat the student with dignity and respect. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a declaration of ineligibility for membership in the Association for a period of one year and a recommendation to the minister of education to suspend the teacher’s teaching certificate for a period of one year.
10. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for sending written notification, via email, indicating the teacher’s intent to terminate their contract, leaving the teaching position without mutual consent and failing to provide 30-days notice as required in section 108(1) of the School Act and article 9 of the Code of Professional Conduct, thus failing to fulfill the teacher’s contractual obligations and failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a letter of reprimand and a fine of $200. Failure to pay the fine within the 90-day period would result in the teacher being declared ineligible for membership in the Association.
11. Approved, for submission to the 2019 ARA, two resolutions that the Association adopt and implement the Teaching Quality Standard, the Leadership Quality Standard and the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard and that the terms Teaching Quality Standard, Leadership Quality Standard and Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard be inserted into all Association policies referencing professional practice standards as appropriate.
12. Approved that the national, provincial, Métis, Treaty 6 and Franco-Albertan flags be permanently placed on display at the entrance of Barnett House. ❚