The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Oct. 29–30, 2015, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Named Dan Grassick, a former president of the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention Association, and Nancy Luyckfassel, a principal in Elk Island Public Schools Regional Division, to the two positions of executive staff officer, Professional Development, effective January 1, 2016.
2. Named Dave Matson, a teacher in Foothills School Division, to the position of executive staff officer, Member Services, effective January 1, 2016.
3. Named Sean Brown, a teacher in Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School District, to the position of executive staff officer, Teacher Welfare, effective December 1, 2015.
4. Set February 12, 2016, as the date of the Edmonton District by-election necessitated by the resignation of Sean Brown.
5. Received the report of an appeal committee, which denied Council’s appeal of the order of a hearing committee on the grounds of insufficient penalty. The hearing committee had found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in an inappropriate Twitter conversation, which included comments of a sexual nature, with a young person who had previously been the teacher’s student and, in so doing, failing to treat the student with dignity and respect and for engaging in an inappropriate Twitter conversation, which included comments of a sexual nature, with a young person who had previously been the teacher’s student and, in so doing, failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. To address both charges, the hearing committee had imposed the penalty of a single letter of severe reprimand.
6. Established a Committee on the Renovation and Expansion of Barnett House.
7. Approved in principle and referred to Finance Committee for review and costing a proposed list of programs on which the Association should focus in 2016/17.
8. Approved, with amendments, Guidelines for Collective Bargaining 2016.
9. Amended the frame of reference of the Teacher Welfare Services Committee.
10. Approved the name of one teacher for addition to the Curriculum name bank, which is used as a source of appointments to Alberta Education program, curriculum and student evaluation committees as the need arises.
11. Authorized the attendance of up to six Council members at the Parkland Institute Annual Fall Conference, scheduled for November 20–22, 2015, in Edmonton.
12. Approved an increase of one in the complement of intermediate staff allocated to Operations (Human Resources), effective January 1, 2016.
13. Named field members to fill vacancies on Association committees. ❚