NLTA Executive Notes - December 4-5, 2025

NLTA EXECUTIVE NOTES

December 4-5, 2025

Your Provincial Executive met in St. John’s on December 4, 2025, followed by a Joint Council Meeting on December 5. Executive Notes is a summary of discussions and decisions that occurred at these meetings.

For further information contact any member of Provincial Executive or the NLTA staff person as indicated.

President’s Report

Since the last meeting of Provincial Executive, the President has participated in several events and attended meetings in his capacity as President, including a CTF/FCE Board of Directors Meeting, a series of touchpoint virtual sessions with Branch Presidents and an introductory meeting with the new Minister of Education. President Lambe also participated in Branch Leadership Seminars, a SIC Leadership Training session and the MUN Induction Ceremony. The President gave several media interviews on various topics, including the newly elected provincial government and support for Alberta teachers. The full President’s report is available here.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President.

Provincial Executive Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the October 17 and November 24, 2025, Provincial Executive meeting, as adopted during the December 4, 2025, Provincial Executive meeting, are available here.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Business from Standing Committees

Table Officers

The NLTA will donate $2,000 to Sharing our Cultures to support their programming for 2025-26.
The NLTA will provide $1,000 to Education International in response to their call to action to support teachers and students in Palestine.
The NLTA will provide $500 to Education International in response to their urgent action appeal following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
The Spring Provincial Executive meeting will be held in Corner Brook.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Communications, Membership Engagement and Political Action Committee

Education Week 2026 will take place February 8-14, 2026, with the theme Learn! Teach! Inspire!/Apprendre! Enseigner! Inspirer! The NLTA will also implement the Education Week School Participation Program, providing direct support to schools during Education Week. More information about the program will be provided to School Reps in the coming weeks.
The NLTA will launch a Political Action Campaign, including promotional material such as buttons, stickers and other items, to support the Association’s ongoing advocacy efforts.

For further information contact Lynette Snook, Chair of the Communications, Membership Engagement and Political Action Committee, or Jennifer Tulk, Communications Officer.

Membership Benefits and Services Committee

The NLTA will consider providing accommodations for participants attending Branch Leadership Seminars, New Teacher Conferences, or Substitute Teacher Conferences who live outside the host community and when the event concludes after sunset; or provide taxi chits to those who live within the host community.
The model branch by-laws will be amended to include the option to have a TLA Representative as a member of the Branch Executive.

For further information contact Russell Stockley, Chair of the Membership Benefits and Services Committee, or Bob Johnston, Administrative Officer.

Professional Issues Committee

The NLTA will form a new Reading Specialist Special Interest Council.

For further information contact Marie-Chantal Hurley, Chair of the Professional Issues Committee, or Jamie Kieley or Dave Locke, Administrative Officers.

Executive Motions

The NLTA will explore ways to provide support and guidance to members who are international hires, including, but not limited to, advocating for the employer to implement similar measures.
The NLTA will contract LAT49 to complete a building condition assessment of 3 Kenmount Road.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Discussion Topics

The following topics were reviewed and discussed by Provincial Executive: Resignations from term/permanent positions and exit interviews; solidarity talking points for NLTA leaders; and emergency supply replacing TLAs.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Darlene Johnson, Assistant Executive Director.

• • • • JOINT COUNCIL • • • •

Association Priorities

Updates on the NLTA Priorities for 2025-27 were provided to the Provincial Executive and Branch Presidents for review, questions and comment. The priorities are: Workload Concerns (including Class Size, Composition, and Allocations); Services for Members (Protection, Well-Being, and Collective Bargaining); Retention, Recruitment, and Resourcing; Solidarity (Engagement, Education, and Communication); and Advocacy on and Response to Government Initiatives. The Association priorities are available here.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Advisory Motions

The following advisory motions were carried by Joint Council and will be considered by Provincial Executive:

That the NLTA consider offering school administration, particularly new administration, an information seminar, either in-person or virtually, detailing their roles and the collective agreement.
That the NLTA consider expanding the NLTA Employee Assistance Program to include dependents of members.
That the NLTA lobby NLSchools and the DOE to ensure funding equity for Janitorial Staff across all Families of Schools.
That the NLTA investigate reports that Teaching and Learning Assistants (TLAs) are being denied coverage during Professional Learning, and lobby NLSchools to authorize substitute coverage for these absences whenever replacement staff are available.
That the NLTA lobby NLSchools to provide Professional Learning to all Administrators and support services department heads (both newly appointed and incumbent) regarding the roles and responsibilities of Teaching and Learning Assistants (TLAs/TLASS) and update the TLA Handbook.
That the NLTA consider ways to use the calendar as a communication tool to help improve membership engagement as well as decrease the font size on the dates to leave more space for teachers to write their own notes in them.
That the NLTA lobby the employer to install air conditioning in schools and classrooms that are too hot and/or humid.
That the NLTA Collective Bargaining Committee consider for inclusion in the next round of opening proposals that administrators receive compensation or time off in lieu for work required before the official September start date.
That the NLTA lobby the employer to prioritize the provision of appropriate French Immersion and Core French instructional assessment resources as well as IRT support.
That the NLTA consider adding to the next round a provision for subs to equitably access sick time.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Policy Changes Since March 2025

Joint Council approved several changes in NLTA policy. These policies provide direction for continuity of decisions and guidelines to those who take positions on behalf of the Association. The amended policies include Employee Assistance Program, and Professional Development Fund.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.

Other Business

The following topics were reviewed and discussed by Joint Council: Substitute teacher information; TLA information; department employees and vacancies; barriers to Substitute teachers accessing sick leave; and workload concerns and inadequate resource support for French immersion teachers.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Darlene Johnson, Assistant Executive Director.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of Provincial Executive is scheduled for January 30-31, 2026.

The next meeting of Joint Council is scheduled for March 6-7, 2026.

For further information contact Dale Lambe, President, or Ian Crewe, Executive Director.