NLTA EXECUTIVE NOTES

November 30 - December 1, 2023

Your Provincial Executive met in St. John’s on November 30 followed by a Joint Council Meeting on December 1. Executive Notes is a summary of decisions and discussions that occurred during 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 participated in several events and attended meetings in his capacity as President, including attending the MUN Induction Ceremony, the Kids Eat Smart Radiothon and the Remembrance Day ceremony in St. John’s. President Langdon also attended a Branch Leadership Seminar in Corner Brook and participated in Tentative Agreement Presentations to the membership. The full President’s Report is available here.

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President. 

Business from Standing Committees

Table Officers

• The NLTA will nominate Edwina Wetzel and Steve Brooks for the MUN Faculty of Education Legacy of Leadership Award for their contributions to the K-12 education system.  
• The NLTA will donate $2,500 to Computer for Schools NL. 
• The NLTA will contribute $500 to the Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education.

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President or Stefanie Tuff, Executive Director. 

Communications/Political Action/Membership Engagement Committee

Education Week 2024 will take place March 18-22, 2024, with the theme Planting Positivity/Semer la positivité.

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

Professional Issues Committee

For the 2023-24 school year, funding under the Professional Development Fund can be granted to successful applicants wishing to participate in online/virtual Professional Learning conferences or sessions which are based outside of the province. 

For further information contact Hollis Cull, Chair of the Professional Issues Committee or Darlene Johnson, Administrative Officer. 

Discussion Topics

The following topics were reviewed and discussed by Provincial Executive: Teachers Think Tank, Member Assistance, Communications with SIC and NLTA Committees, Substitute/Replacement Teacher positions, and AI concerns in the classroom.  

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President or Stefanie Tuff, Executive Director. 

Provincial Executive Meeting Minutes

The following resolution was carried at BGM 2023:

That the NLTA email minutes from Provincial Executive meetings, once adopted, to all NLTA members who have provided an email address to the NLTA, as well as to NLTA school representatives. 



As per that resolution, the minutes of the October 20 and November 17, 2023 Provincial Executive meetings, as adopted during the November 30, 2023 Provincial Executive meeting, are available here. 

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President or Stefanie Tuff, Executive Director.

• • • • JOINT COUNCIL • • • •

Association Priorities

Updates on the NLTA Priorities for 2023-25 were provided to the Provincial Executive and Branch Presidents for review, questions and comment. The priorities are: Workload Concerns; Membership Well-being and Protection; Collective Bargaining and Services for Members; Retention, Recruitment and Resources; and, Advocacy on and Response to Government Initiatives. The Association priorities are available here. 

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President or Stefanie Tuff, Executive Director. 

Other Business

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

• That the NLTA lobby NL Schools to recruit more substitutes for TLAs across Newfoundland and Labrador.
• That the NLTA consider adding to the opening proposals for the next round of negotiations a top-up for teachers on maternity/parental leave.
• That the NLTA lobby the government for the following:
• Develop and implement a proactive approach to address complex needs within the classroom, ensuring that resources are allocated strategically to prevent issues before they escalate. 
• Allocate additional resources to meet current needs, with a focus on a comprehensive and proactive support system.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to establish a framework that integrates educational and healthcare systems, to ensure a holistic approach to addressing complex needs.
• Prioritize the placement of Speech-Language Pathologists in schools lacking such support, to ensure that children with communication challenges receive the necessary assistance.
• That the NLTA lobby the employer to top up partial positions to full time.
• That the NLTA lobby the employer to remove the requirement for a sick note when teachers are out due to illness.
• That the NLTA request that the Department of Education stop expecting school staff to be accessible any time that is not during working hours (summer holidays, Christmas holidays, Easter holidays, other holidays during the school year, weekends, and after hours).
• That the NLTA investigate the retention of teachers in hard-to-fill positions and lobby for greater flexibility in hiring protocols to improve recruitment and retention of teachers in these areas.

Provincial Executive Update

Due to a vacancy on Provincial Executive, Lynette Snook, as first alternate, will continue to serve on Provincial Executive until June 2024.

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of Provincial Executive is scheduled for January 26-27, 2024.

For further information contact Trent Langdon, President or Stefanie Tuff, Executive Director.

NLTA Provincial Executive