The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Peace = Future

The UN’s International Day of Peace, September 21, provides an opportunity for people to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. Established by a UN resolution in 1981, the first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982. Since then, Peace Day has grown to include millions of people around the world. Each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate. This year’s theme is “Peace, Youth and Development.” The slogan is “Peace = Future.” Information about Peace Day is available online: www.peaceoneday.org, internationaldayofpeace.org.

Litter is disgusting

What do a set of false teeth, a disco ball and 367,010 cigarette butts have in common? Read on to find out. This year’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup takes place September 18–26. The national conservation program encourages Canadians to remove litter from local shorelines, thus protecting our oceans and waterways. The program, which began in 1994 with a handful of volunteers, now involves more than 700 registered cleanup sites across Canada, 70 of which are in Alberta. In 2009, nearly 161,000 kg of litter was removed from a cumulative distance of 2,500 km of shoreline, which is equivalent to the approximate distance between Vancouver and the Manitoba/Ontario border. In Alberta, more than 4,300 people removed 16,400 kg of litter. Some of the more unusual items were a bottle with a message in it that read “Please don’t litter,” a set of false teeth, a living room set, a canoe made from duct tape, a wedding dress, a disco ball, a hotel safe, a toboggan, a mini trampoline and a clothesline complete with poles and pins. For information and to register for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, visit www.shorelinecleanup.ca.

Has someone in your school been touched by cancer?

The Youth Relay for Life Program is a Canadian Cancer Society initiative giving students an opportunity to join with their families and friends in celebrating cancer survivors, remembering loved ones touched by cancer and raising awareness about preventing and curing cancer. Schools are invited to host a Relay for Life event. It is a chance for staff and students to participate in fun activities and honour those who have survived cancer or who have died from cancer. It is also an educational opportunity to learn more about cancer, its early detection, screening and prevention. For information, visit www.cancer.ca/albertayouthrelay or contact Colin Edington. Telephone: 403-303-3519; e-mail: relayforlifeyouth@cancer.ab.ca.

ACT NOW to activate your specialist council membership

Active members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association are entitled to a complimentary membership in the specialist council of their choice. Teachers must activate their membership each year. To activate your membership, log in to TNET by clicking on the login link in the blue bar at the top of the Association’s webpage, then follow the Specialist Council Membership link under Your ATA Tools.

Bring the world to your classroom

BRIDGES: Student Speakers for Global Awareness is a free educational program operated by University of Alberta International. The BRIDGES program, now in its 18th year, links the valuable resource pool of U of A international students from around the world with grade schools to enhance the prescribed curriculum or to broaden students’ horizons. Schools and communities receive first-hand perspectives on countries and global issues. The volunteers, who have come from around the world to study at the university, share their experience and knowledge on life in other cultures and countries. The program is relevant to the Alberta social studies curriculum and is also an excellent resource for second language classes, food studies, religious studies and other programs. For information, contact BRIDGES by e-mail: Bridges@international.ualberta.ca.

Ignite change now

A new teaching resource for Alberta high school social studies gives students opportunities to explore active citizenship and to take action. The resource Ignite Change Now—Youth Action Toolkit is free to teachers through the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights. The resource features a 10-lesson unit plan, a video and a toolkit for planning and implementing activities. The resource helps teachers and students move from ideas about citizenship to real engagement in such activities as volunteering, fundraising, promoting issues and influencing positive change. For more information about this resource or programs offered by the Centre, contact the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, 7723 85 Street, Edmonton, AB T6C 3B4. Telephone: 780-453-2638; fax: 780-454-1519; e-mail: info@jhcentre.org; Facebook: John Humphrey Centre; website: www.johnhumphreycentre.org.

Forgotten Voices conference to discuss Asian holocaust

“Forgotten Voices: An International Conference on the Asian Holocaust (1931–1945)” will be held at Lister Centre, U of A, Edmonton, Friday, September 24 (4:30–8:30 p.m.) and Saturday, September 25 (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). Speakers from China, Japan, Korea, Canada and the U.S. will be featured. Topics are the Nanking Massacre, forced labour, military sexual slavery, chemical and biological human experimentation, abandoned chemical weapons, and current-day Japanese denial. A registration fee of $60 includes lunch and resource materials. For information, visit http://edmontonalpha.org. The Edmonton Association for Learning and Preserving the History of WWII in Asia (Edmonton ALPHA) was established in 2008. Through the dedication of volunteers and supporters, Edmonton ALPHA promotes the awareness of the history of WWII atrocities in Asia through various educational initiatives.

School Board Elections 2010
Call for teacher-candidates’ photos

The September 21, 2010, ATA News will feature teachers seeking election as school trustees in Alberta.

The ATA News has traditionally profiled active teachers on approved leaves of absence and retired teachers who are seeking trusteeship. In order to ensure that as many teacher-candidates as possible receive coverage, ATA locals are asked to encourage active teachers on approved leaves of absence who are seeking trusteeship to submit to the ATA News by September 13, 2010, a photograph along with their name, the name of the school board in which they are seeking election and the name of the school in which they teach. Retired teachers are eligible to submit the same information, provided they are life members of the Association.

Send photographs and supporting information to Raymond Gariepy, Managing Editor, ATA News, Barnett House, 11010 142 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 2R1. E-mail: raymond.gariepy@ata.ab.ca.