Moose Jaw’s two school divisions have issued letters to staff and families discussing the upcoming one-day teachers’ strike and how that will affect school operations that day.
The union also plans to hold an online parent-and-caregiver information night on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. STF president Samantha Becotte will provide information about the status of contract negotiations, STF proposals, the potential for further teacher job action and the state of education in Saskatchewan.
“The last thing any teacher wants is for negotiations to impact the school year, so we are exhausting every possible option to get government back to the table,” said Becotte. “At every turn, teachers have said that committees are getting us nowhere on these urgent issues, and a new deal must include items to address class size and complexity.
“Government remains intransigent, even after conciliation,” she added. “This is not bargaining; they are making decisions based on politics and student learning is suffering for it.”
The STF also informed 27 provincial school divisions that federation members would withdraw all professional and voluntary services for the entire day. Furthermore, STF members would not report to nor enter their place of work.
Prairie South School Division (PSSD) and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division issued similar letters to their respective communities after the union announced the one-day strike.
Ryan Boughen, director of education for PSSD, wrote that all division schools would be closed on Jan. 16, which meant parents should ensure that their kids do not attend school that day. Moreover, the division was cancelling all school-related activities, which would resume on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
“While we hope for a timely resolution on this issue, it is important to remember that this is a provincial dispute arising from provincial bargaining,” Boughen said. “As such, we are continuing to work with all our employees to manage this job action in a safe and responsible manner that minimizes the impact on students.”
The education director encouraged anyone with questions to call the division office at 306-694-1200.
Ward Strueby, director of education for Holy Trinity, said on Jan. 16, all division schools would be closed for students, all transportation would be cancelled, all extracurricular events would be cancelled, and parents would not need to report their children’s absences.
“I wish to assure you the safety of our students remains our top priority for our contingency planning. We are fully committed to keeping you informed,” he said. “You can expect timely and clear communication shared via Edsby, our website, and email. Our goal is to ensure that you have the information you require when you need it.”
Strueby recognized that this time could be unsettling for people, while the board and senior administration understood the importance of the collective bargaining process and their role to support students, families, and staff who contributed to “the incredible HTCSD team.”
The division intends to work openly and collaboratively to find solutions during times of disruption and to make decisions that align with a high-quality Catholic education that is faith-based, student-centred, and results-oriented, he continued.
“I encourage everyone to remain hopeful, considerate and resilient. I again thank you for choosing and giving your children the gift of a Catholic education,” Strueby added. “All of us at Holy Trinity Catholic School Division wish you a prosperous new year.”
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