GET INVOLVED!

The best way for ETFO members to impact the June provincial election is through our participation. Check out ETFO's first video in our series on the election. Find out how you can make a difference and vote to build better schools:

YOUR HEALTH

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has assessed Ontario's provincial status as "Yellow - Influenza-related activity is at elevated seasonal levels" but in some areas it is even more widespread. Influenza can result in symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, headache and muscle aches, and can sometimes lead to more severe complications such as pneumonia or death.

Your school board should be taking additional precautions by increasing their cleaning protocols for commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, light switches, phones and keyboards.

You can help to prevent transmission by modelling proper hygiene techniques and staying home from work if necessary. You may also want to discuss the flu vaccine with your doctor.  

Here is a link to one website with the latest updates on the spread of influenza in your area: http://diseases.canada.ca/flu-maps/.

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

ETFO is seeking members interested in sharing their knowledge and experience with other members.

• Summer Academy 2018. We are seeking course leaders who would be interested in leading three-day professional development courses throughout July and August at various locations across Ontario. Apply by March 9.
• ICT Conference for Women. We are seeking women course leaders for the Information and Communication Technology Conference to be held on June 1 and 2, 2018 at the ETFO Provincial Office and OISE, University of Toronto. Apply by March 5.
• Making a Difference. We are seeking program developers for a new professional learning opportunity: "Making a Difference - Supporting Positive Behaviour in Elementary Classrooms." Apply by March 19.

NEW WEBSITE

We have released a new micro-site! ETFO Connected Communities features 16 webinars from the 2016-17 school year on topics related to Mathematics, Kindergarten and technology-enabled learning.

Check it out at www.etfoconnected.ca.

PRS MATTERS

FOR MEMBERS

• ETFO Online Book Clubs, April 1-28. Participate in four weekly online sessions, approximately two hours in length, designed to build your professional knowledge and classroom practice. Registration closes February 23.
• Caring for the Whole Child: A Student Well-Being Conference, Toronto, April 19-20. We know that students are made up of more than their achievement data. Student well-being and mental health are critical pieces in working in today's classrooms. Register by March 2.
• Workplace Violence: A Growing Concern, Toronto, April 14. This conference will provide participants with foundational learning of ETFO's workplace violence strategy, what to do if you have experienced or witnessed workplace violence, and more. Registration closes March 9.
• Seeing, Engaging and Empowering the Learner in Kindergarten, Mississauga, April 13-14. This conference will allow members to explore effective practices and pedagogy in Kindergarten and enhance teacher and DECE knowledge about content and exemplary practices. Register by February 28.
• Re-Think, Re-Connect, Re-Imagine: Thinking about ourselves, our schools and our communities. Reflecting on White privilege. If you have taken the Re-Thinking White Privilege workshop offered through Equity and Women's Services (EWS), then you may be interested in this new book club. This PD opportunity is provided through ETFO and your local. For more information, please visit the ETFO website.
• FNMI Education Symposium - Inuit 101, Toronto, April 7. Learn about Inuit worldviews and traditional practices, Canada's relationship with the Inuit, land claim agreements and much more. Registration closes March 4.
• An Introduction to Collective Bargaining, Toronto, April 21. This conference is for members interested in getting involved in the 2019 round of negotiations and discovering how strong collective agreements create fair workplaces. Register by March 15.
• Effective Negotiation Skills for Women Leaders, Part 2, Toronto, April 26-27. This two-day intensive workshop builds on the skills gained in Effective Negotiations Skills for Women Leaders, Part 1 offered by ETFO in previous years. Registration closes March 15.
• Social Justice and Equity Conference for Male Educators, Toronto, May 4-5. For male members interested in developing  an understanding of some of the causes and impacts of systemic marginalization in our public education system. Register by March 12.

NEW VIDEO

The third and final video in ETFO's three-part series on workplace violence focuses on violence-related injuries and illnesses and the important steps that members must take when they occur.

The full series can be viewed on the ETFO website.

GET INVOLVED!

There is an immediate opening for a member  from the Near North/Nipissing region interested in serving on the Teacher Education Liaison Committee. We are also seeking applications for all committees for the 2018-2020 term. If interested please complete the online application form by March 1st.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS & LIMITS

Thinking of using a copyright-protected work in your classroom? First, find out if you need permission from the copyright owner.

The Copyright Decision Tool helps teachers decide, with just a few clicks, whether "fair dealing" permits classroom use of print materials, artistic works, or audiovisual materials without getting copyright permission.

It takes 30 seconds on www.CopyrightDecisionTool.ca to have your copyright and fair-dealing questions answered.

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