TSTN In Iso - Vol 2.

January 2020

In this edition you will find information regarding:

Recent Board News
Lunar New Year
Benefit/Pension Updates
Mentor@TDSB
Printing Resources
Professional Library Services
Policy Consultation & Secondary Program Review

Recent Board News

We will be setting aside a section in our monthly communications regarding current and relevant Board news. Please note that live webcasts are available online during Board Meetings, and Board decisions are posted on the public Boardroom website. Bookmark these sites today and visit regularly for updates!

Operating Budget

Preparing an operating budget of about $3.4 billion is no small task; it’s nearly 1.5 times the amount of the entire Province of PEI’s! On an annual basis, staff work tirelessly with Trustees, Executives, and teams cross-departmentally to build a balanced budget that supports TDSB’s commitment to equity and the achievement & well-being of students.

As we are heading into budget season, a comprehensive plan has been developed including objectives and timelines for the process. School Boards across Ontario face unique challenges this year with balancing their operating budgets because of millions of dollars in funding reductions by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The budget impacts us all, so please take a moment to review the materials in hopes of building a better understanding of how the 2019-20 budget aligns with the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

Coronavirus – Information

A letter from the Ontario Ministry of Health was circulated in regards to the new Coronavirus that is receiving significant media attention – please review when possible. The symptoms of this coronavirus, which can include fever and cough, are similar to other respiratory infections, including influenza.

Among the suggestions provided by the Chief Medical Officer of Health are:

Get a yearly influenza vaccination, available from clinics and pharmacies (for flu only);
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze;
If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or arm; and
If you or your family members are ill, stay home.

As further updates are received, we will ensure this is communicated with all Schedule II employees.

TDSB Staff Retirement Reception

The TDSB Staff Retirement Reception for 2020 will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2020 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm at The Old Mill Inn – 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto, ON M8X 1G5 (at the Old Mill Station on the Bloor Subway Line – Line 2). If you are planning on retiring this year, please mark this date in your calendar!

In order to ensure you receive an invitation to this year’s function, your retirement letter should reach the appropriate Employee Services’ office by May 15, 2020.

Lunar New Year

2020 is a year of the Rat, starting from January 25th, 2020 and lasting until February 11th, 2021.

The Rat is the first of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which the animals arrived to his party. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride across the river. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox, becoming first. Clever Rat!

Recent years of the Rat are: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020.

Wishing everyone celebrating a very happy Lunar New Year! All the best in the year to come!
新年快樂 - Xin nian kuai le! (“Shin nee-an kwai le” - Happy Chinese New Year!)

Benefits/Pension Updates

Here are some friendly reminders and updates in regards to our Benefits & Pension plans.

Benefits

Our benefit year runs by school year instead of by calendar year – meaning most maximums per benefit year will reset on September 1, 2020. In addition, effective January 1, 2020, our benefit plans improved! Please see the chart below:

The Healthcare Spending Account (HCSA) was also implemented January 1, 2020 (last item in the chart). This is a $750 allocation per employee (including claims for the spouse and/or dependent children) which is like a bank account that can be used to pay for or top up coverage for certain healthcare, visioncare, and dentalcare expenses that aren’t covered elsewhere. (Eligible expenses must qualify as a medical expense tax credit under the Income Tax Act (Canada).) It can also be used to offset markup and/or dispensing fee costs. Please review the HCSA flyer for more detailed information.

Pension

As a reminder, there was a Comprehensive Plan Review conducted by the OMERS Sponsors Corporation in 2018. As a result of this review, the 35-year cap was removed. Currently, if an employee reaches 35 years of credited service, their enrolment in the OMERS Pension Plan ceases and no further contributions are required; even if the employee continues to work for an OMERS employer. This change now removes this cap on credited service such that an employee will continue to contribute to and earn service in the OMERS Pension Plan for as long as he/she is employed by an OMERS employer.

This plan change is effective January 1, 2021. Please note that if an employee has reached the 35-year cap on or before December 31, 2020, they will continue to be subject to the cap on a go-forward basis. Please refer to the OMERS FAQ for additional information.

Mentor@TDSB!

Are you a Schedule II Manager or Supervisor? Become a Mentor to support Aspiring and New Leaders and help shape the mentoring culture in TDSB!

Mentors help mentees set goals, access networks of like-minded colleagues, build confidence and learn about the knowledge, skills and competencies an individual needs to successful lead in the TDSB. The mentoring relationship is also immensely rewarding for mentors. It allows them to gain insight into the challenges facing aspiring and newly appointed leaders, reflect on their own work and share their wealth of knowledge and expertise. The Mentor-Coach Information Guide provides additional information as well as the link to the application form.

Timeline

January 2020, to February 13, 2020

Review the mentor-coach information, register for a webinar and schedule a meeting with your Senior Manager or Executive Officer to discuss your interest in becoming a mentor.

February 14, 2020, by 4:00 pm

Submit your completed application form to the Professional Learning Unit at LeadershipAndLearning@tdsb.on.ca

Information Webinar

Interested in becoming a Mentor-Coach and want more information? Register for a Mentor-Coach Information Webinar.

DATES Friday, February 7, 2020

TIME 10:00am – 11:00am

KEY to Learn Registration https://bit.ly/35qTI2C

If you have any questions, please contact Rita Simmons or Heather Carr.

Printing Resources

Do you know the true cost of printing? The TDSB Printing department is here to help!

Allow our professional team to free up valuable teacher and office staffing resources by looking after your printing needs – we’re here to help! The TDSB Printing department provides high resolution colour and black & white printing with quick turnaround and delivery via our TDSB couriers.

Our services include: business cards, flyers, newsletters, certificates, awards, School and Department custom letterhead and envelopes, note pads, workbooks, tickets (numbered), concert/event brochures, pamphlets, catalogues, labels, swag (great for motivational events!) and much, much more! Here is a link to our catalogue.

For further information or receive a quote please visit our website or contact Peter Stangl at 416-395-4560 or Richard McLaughlin at 416-397-3291. You can also email us at: printing@tdsb.on.ca. We look forward to working with you!

“I keep hearing music coming from the printer. I think the paper is jamming.”

Professional Library Services

Professional eBooks and Books for your 2020 Reading Resolutions

Read eBooks online or borrow a print book to support your New Year's 'Reading Resolutions' - pick a hot new title from our January New Books List (10 seconds to load). Topics include Curiosity, Leadership, Intersectionality, Safety, Math, Matter, Mindfulness and MORE!

The New Book List link takes you into the Library Catalogue, where you can Login to access eBooks and to ‘Reserve’ print items to be sent to your TDSB Location for a 3-week loan. We also offer access to hundreds of eJournals on all educational topics, just let us know if you’d like us to search and send you links on your topic, search directly yourself (see EBSCO and SAGE at http://bit.ly/tdsbStaffVL), or use one of our 120+ reading lists on TDSB topics.

If you have any questions or want us to make suggestions or place Reserves for you please just Contact Us by email, text, phone or chat! Feedback welcome!

Policy Consultation & Secondary Program Review

As recently shared by Kavita Chhiba, TSTN has been asked to make our membership aware of the Secondary Program Review and the draft Policy on Optional Attendance. To ensure all students have equitable access to programs and opportunities, as close to home as possible, the TDSB is undertaking a review of secondary schools. The Board is also reviewing the Optional Attendance Policy (P013), which affects schools from K-12, as part of this process; this policy allows students to apply to schools other than their home address designated school. Please follow this link to view the policy and participate in the survey. Please note this closes effective February 3, 2020.

Often, many Schedule II employees can feel slightly removed from the school level or learning environment. This is a great opportunity to engage in an important process for policy consultation, and make a real impact on the success of our students.

December 2019

TSTN Message for the Holidays

On behalf of the TSTN Executive, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their work during the past year. We have made strides in many areas including the Schedule II Terms & Conditions document, Performance Review process, and regular communications to our TSTN colleagues through newsletters and our updated new look TSTN website.

We look forward to working together in the coming year and as always, if you have feedback and/or questions, please connect with us at TSTN@tdsb.on.ca.

Wishing you and your families a safe and healthy holiday season and best wishes for a wonderful 2020!

If you have the opportunity to attend one of the TDSB’s celebrations, Berner Trail P.S. will be performing at 140 Borough Drive on Wednesday, December 18 at 2:30 pm.

For those who had the pleasure of attending the performances at Civic Centre last week, or at 5050 Yonge this morning, we understand that the choirs from John G Althouse MS and Avondale Alternative P.S. were wonderful!

Happy Holidays!
From Your TSTN Executive

Antonio, Ciara, Cindy, Hellen, Kim, Meera, Nancy, Nicole, Pallavi, Ralf, Rita, Ronnie, Sharon & Steph

Recent Board News

TDSB United Way Campaign
November saw the kick off of the TDSB’s annual United Way campaign – and it continues to be a huge success! Poverty in the GTA can sometimes be hard to see, but over 116,000 individuals and families are struggling in our communities. Each day, TDSB staff contribute in countless ways to improve the well-being of our students – but some students need support beyond what our schools can provide.

Did you know? United Way supports over 32 agencies and 50 programs in 122 schools across the TDSB! These students and their families benefit immensely from the programs and initiatives of the United Way – which is why we count on our employees to participate in our annual TDSB United Way campaign.

Programs like Success Beyond Youth, a six-week summer program, where 110 new Grade 9 students participated this past summer to prepare them for a successful transition into secondary school, or Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Toronto’s In-School Mentoring Program that provides elementary school aged children with an adult or youth mentor to provide personalized support and nurturing opportunities, would not be possible in our schools without the support of the United Way.

Please visit the TDSB United Way website on TDSBweb to read all about the 2019 campaign!

TDSB Approves 10-Year Planning Strategy

Trustees with the TDSB have approved the Board’s Long-Term Program & Accommodation Strategy (LTPAS). The strategy, which outlines program and student accommodation studies to be conducted over the next ten years, allows the TDSB to develop plan to balance enrolment and increase access to programs and opportunities for all students.

“In a city that is constantly changing, long-term planning and adaptability is critical. By identifying gaps and needs across the Board now and in the future, we can better support students and ensure they have access to great programs and opportunities.”

-Robin Pilkey, Chair – TDSB

Please click here to read the news article and to explore further information.

Engaged TDSB students ‘are more excited about their learning’ – by John Malloy

Dr. John Malloy wrote an article for Toronto.com about student engagement, global learning, and the evolution of education.

“Today’s students are growing up in an entirely connected world. With constant access to information at their fingertips, they are more aware of – and arguable more passionate about – local and global issues than any other generation has been. They are digitally fluent, seamlessly moving between platforms and easily learning new tools, and they have a constant appetite for dynamic and relevant information…”

[Read the full article on Toronto.com]

Bon Voyage Hellen!

Hellen De Paula is an integral member of our TSTN Executive team and has helped coordinate some of our most exciting & successful events. Hellen began a 4 over 5 leave effective December 6, 2019, filled with many exciting travel plans. We look forward to hearing about her new adventures throughout the year – she will be missed!

All the best, Hellen!

Communication Strategies

Communication is the key to Service Excellence – being able to communicate effectively can improve productivity and enhance team building. In every aspect of our jobs, we are required to communicate in many different mediums, including in person, over the phone or email, and with our students, staff and members of the public. In fact, many customer relations firms believe that the days of service being call-centric are over – with the proliferation of channels like chat, email, SMS, and social media, people are using more pathways than ever to reach out, resolve their issues, or provide feedback. People have, on average, a choice of nine channels available to engage with organizations!

We are also seeing an increase in instances where conversations are recorded, emails are archived or social media posts are screen-captured for later use. Expecting that in most business interactions you may be recorded is quickly becoming the new normal. Luckily, we have some excellent tips, pointers and etiquette to share with you – and an excellent TDSB Communications Team to support you! Our Senior Team always wants employees to feel like they can give real answers to questions – it simply means that in some cases, you may need to work with our Communications and/or Legal teams to ensure the message is clear.

Here are some Best Practices for Business Communications which can be found on our TDSB Communications website:

Excellent client communication is timely, courteous, accurate, fair and solutions-oriented. These qualities will guide all our business communications, whether by telephone, in writing, or in person.
Respect the confidentiality of the person you are serving.
Be honest. Don’t make promises you cannot deliver.
Demonstrate empathy for the client even if you cannot fully resolve their issue.
Be sure to stay positive and focused on finding a resolution, even when dealing with a difficult situation.

And here are some Social Media etiquette tips:

Separate business & personal accounts (where applicable).
Share thoughtfully – what you post becomes a representation of you!
Be nice to your peers – stay poised and respond respectfully.
Give credit! Social medial is a recycling bin of content.
Avoid reactive communication – try to ensure your posts or tweets are well thought-out.
Ask yourself – “Will I be okay with absolutely anyone seeing this?”
Determine if your message is appropriate for a social portal, or if it would be best communicated another way.

For additional communication strategies, please view/download the Communications guide (PDF).
(sources: TDSB Communications Services, destinationCRM.com, outboundengine.com, hootsuite.com, forbes.com)

Wishing everyone a safe, happy & healthy holiday season!

October 2019

Recent Board News

Moving forward, we will be setting aside a section in our monthly communications regarding current and relevant Board news. Please note that live webcasts are available online during Board Meetings, and Board decisions are posted on the public Boardroom website. Bookmark these sites today and visit regularly for updates!

Public Organizational Chart
For your reference, please click here to view and/or download the most recent public Senior Organizational Structure Chart, that was shared at the August 28, 2019 Board Meeting.

Compliance Training 2019/20

All Schedule II staff should have received an email regarding the 2019/20 Compliance Training. In case you did not receive it, please click on the link for the Training Matrix, which outlines the Board’s compliance training obligations that are required for all employee groups. If you have additional questions, more information is available on the TDSBweb Compliance Training webpage.

Training Opportunities

Do you feel you need a refresher with SAP Financial? Good News! If you currently have SAP access, the SAP Training Department is now offering “drop-in” working sessions for all TDSB staff. Assistance will be available with all CRO, LPO, purchase requisitions, work cycle, reporting, and SAP Financial issues.

Dates and locations are available in Key to Learn, as is Registration.

United Way

TDSB has launched its annual United Way campaign. If you are interested in participating, you can find a complete list and calendar of events, photos, and other information by visiting the TDSB United Way website.

Benefit Plan Design Changes from ONE-T

An update was sent out from ONE-T about some improvements to the CAEAS-ECAB benefits plan for active members as of January 1, 2020. Please see the full newsletter available on www.myTSTN.com/news.

For questions on these improvements, or for enrolment and eligibility issues, please contact Cowan at 1-888-330-4010, by email at one-t@cowangroup.ca or visit Cowan’s Member Access site. For Health and Dental coverage and claims-related questions, please contact Great West Life at 1-866-800-8086 or visit GroupNet for Plan Members.

OMERS Retirement Planning Information Session – November 20, 2019

Please join us for this informative session on Retirement Planning on November 20, 2019 at Stephen Leacock CI (Auditorium) from 8:00 to 10:00 am. Dan Avola from OMERS will answer questions and provide information regarding your pension. Topics include:

How your OMERS pension is calculated
How the OMERS bridge benefit works
How your OMERS pension is protected from inflation
How the OMERS Fund is performing
How buying or transferring service can increase your future pension and may help you retire sooner
How Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) work
How OMERS survivor benefit entitlement is determined

Additional information is available at https://www.mytstn.com/events. If you are interested in attending, please register on KEY to Learn – spots are limited!

Schedule II – Operation: Interview

We are continuing our ongoing series where we interview one member of Schedule II from a different department each month, in an effort to get to know more about each other and the diverse work we do! Interested in participating? Please email us at TSTN@tdsb.on.ca and include your name, job title, and contact information.

At first, I’m worried that my interviewee won’t take me seriously in my Hallowe’en Unicorn hood – complete with silver horn and rainbow felt mane – but when she enters the room with a light-hearted laugh, I know she’s got a good sense of humor. (Our interview did take place on Hallowe’en, in case anyone was a little concerned – this wasn’t my normal workplace attire.) And over the course of the next hour, my interview with Martyna Adamczyk is spattered with laughter as we discuss her work, what it was like growing up in Poland, and what she’s excited about – all while snacking on sugar-coated pumpkin gummies.

Martyna is an Assistant Staffing Administrator (“slash Superstar” she jokes, making me promise not to put that in the article. Oops, sorry Martyna… J) in the Secondary Teaching area of Employee Services. She works out of 5050 Yonge Street, on the second floor, and describes the aspect of her job she enjoys the most “working with my team – they’re really funny!” I am fortunate enough to work in the same area as her, and we see each other daily. We often stop to chat about our most recent Netflix true-crime obsession, or recommend books to each other. This sounds very cosmopolitan, but to be fair, sometimes I just show her pictures of my cats.

(Read the full profile on myTSTN.com)

September 2019

Update on Labour Action

On Thursday, labour action information sessions were held for Principals, Vice Principals and Business Managers; thank you to everyone who was able to attend. If you were not able to do so, please ensure that you connect with your Manager/Senior Manager for the contingency plans that were distributed at the sessions.

TSTN has been involved in preparing the contingency plans and Q&As to address issues and advise on protocols that may arise during possible labour disruptions. We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners in Employee Services and the Senior Team to ensure that your concerns are being addressed and that resources are made available to assist you during this time.

Whether you’ve experienced a job action like this before or if it’s your first time, we recognize that this will be a challenging time for many of you; it is important to realize we can lean on and support each other. In the spirit of well-being for all, self-care is very important – if you need help, please reach out to your supervisor, any one of us at TSTN, or the Employee and Family Assistance Program (online at www.worklifehealth.com or by phone at 1-844-880-9137).

As this process moves on, it is the hope that matters will be resolved in a mutually beneficial way. Be assured that TSTN is here to support you when you need us as we work together to move forward.

For additional information, please contact Ronnie Lebi at Ronnie.Lebi@tdsb.on.ca.

School Opening – A Rousing Success!

Schools opened on September 3rd this year and good news stories poured in from all over the city! Samuel Hearne Middle School in Scarborough had a visit from CP24 and Principal Joe Romano said he was ‘excited for kids to make their way through the halls once again.’ The first day was a busy day – but a great one!

“There’s always a caring adult in our building. There is always someone there who is always wanting to do something positive.”

--Principal Joe Romano

Across the city at Chalkfarm Public School, the students had a very exciting opportunity to meet Fred VanVleet from the Toronto Raptors on September 10th! In partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto, he distributed 250 backpacks that were filled with school supplies to the students. Fred’s visit to Chalkfarm was ‘apparently a surprise for the keen pupils’… now if we could only get him to 5050! We The North (York Civic Centre)!

SHMS Source, CPS Source

Do you have a TDSB good news story that we could share with our membership? Send us an email at TSTN@tdsb.on.ca and it could be included in an upcoming bulletin!

Service Excellence

Congratulations to the 61 Business & School Operations Unit teams who completed the 2018-2019 first cycle of the TDSB Service Excellence program!

We recognize this first cycle was very challenging - adopting new ways of reflecting and assessing your own work, figuring out how to organize your team to get ready for service improvements and, for many, actually implementing new processes and/or practices. Your commitment to learn, engage and improve demonstrates you are on the journey to excellence!

The Cycle 1 target for all teams was to complete the cycle - 92% of teams achieved or exceeded this target! See the graph below to see the overall certification results.

We are now entering cycle 2 (2019-2020) with 67 unit teams on board, and look forward to supporting teams as they begin their cycle two improvements. If you’d like to get involved with your service improvement team, please speak to your manager. For any information or questions please contact Arlene Winsborrow, Manager, Service Excellence, arlene.winsborrow@tdsb.on.ca, or Erin Wood, Sustainability Officer, erin.wood@tdsb.on.ca.

Save the Date – OMERS Information Session

TSTN will be hosting a Retirement Planning Workshop with representatives from OMERS on November 20, 2019. Details regarding registration and time will be forthcoming. Save the date!

United Way 2019 – Rocks the Walk

The TDSB Unit Way campaign is back this year and there is a request for 4 or 5 volunteers to assist in the coordination of the 2019 campaign – TDSB Rocks the Walk events at 5050 Yonge Street. The focus for the campaign this year is health and well-being and staff are encouraged to get outside for a 20-minute walk through the neighbourhood, for the duration of this year’s campaign. If you are interested in providing assistance as a volunteer for these events, please send an email to susanna.siou@tdsb.on.ca and gillian.venning@tdsb.on.ca by Friday, September 27th.

Responsibilities:

Arrive to 5050 lobby approximately 15 minutes before each walk (dates/time listed below) to register participants;
Participate in weekly 20 minute walks;
Encourage your colleagues to do the same; and
Assist with the Weekly Draw – all participant names are entered in the weekly draw and there are 10 winners each week.

Walk dates:

Monday, November 4 – campaign launch and walk – 11:30 am
Friday, November 15 – 11:45 am
Friday, November 22 – 11:45 am
Friday, November 29 – final walk and campaign closing events – 11:45 am

Schedule II – Operation: Interview

In this bulletin, we’re introducing a new section where we interview one member of Schedule II from a different department each month, in an effort to get to know more about each other and the diverse work we do! Interested in participating? Please email us at TSTN@tdsb.on.ca and include your name, job title, and contact information.

“I’m free whenever you are!”

My inbox pings with a message and I can’t help but smile as I click to open Skype. Despite our initial interview time being delayed by a meeting running long (according to my subject, a “typical workday for me is mostly meetings, most of the time I’m in meetings” – I hear you, pal), the message I receive is still somehow upbeat and encouraging. In fact, I think those sentiments also sum up the man himself.

As Skype plays its cheerful ringtone, I wait for the screen to fill with the image of another office, across the city, and with the face of my interviewee for this profile – Mr. Ronnie Lebi, Manager of Application Administration. I couldn’t make it out to his home base at 140 Borough to conduct the interview, so we’re meeting in the digital landscape, which, given his role in the IT department, is serendipitously fitting.

Ronnie’s workspace is typical of most TDSB offices; grey-beige walls, L-shaped desk, and a filing cabinet decorated with a smattering of magnets. A framed picture with splashes of orange, yellow, and black hangs on the wall behind him, and a T-shirt is pinned proudly to his adjacent wall – but more on that later.

“I’m on the fourth floor, the penthouse,” he jokes, when I ask him where he’s located. It’s at this point I have to confess I’ve only been to 140 Borough once, and it was to visit the basement (which, granted, was very nice despite the fact I got very, very lost). “It’s actually a cool building, it was designed by the same architect that designed the North York Public Library,” he tells me.

(Read the full profile on myTSTN.com)

July/August 2019

TSTN – President’s Message

On behalf of the TSTN Executive, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all Schedule II to the 2019/20 school year.

As the new school year begins, I want to let you know about the great work that is happening behind the scenes at the TSTN Executive. The executive is comprised of a group of 15 dynamic individuals from many disciplines across the board (see www.mytstn.com for a complete list). Some new initiatives the executive have been busy with: new and improved TSTN website; monthly newsletter; breakfast sessions with guest speakers; regular meetings with Director and Associate Directors; and outreach to external organizations to name a few.

The TSTN is almost at 50% enrolment and we would like to continue to grow the network’s membership so we can offer more programs to our members. Growing our membership will allow us to be more flexible and broaden what we can offer in terms of support, including external representation. The advantages are numerous when we have full membership and I encourage you to reach out to any TSTN Executive if you would like more information or connect with a TSTN member in your work area and ask about the benefits of network membership. The cost is $50.00 per year and is tax deductible.

Looking ahead, we continue to work on our Terms & Conditions and our goal is to have the process completed and ready to present to you by the next AGM in 2020. In addition, we are planning some events and trying something new - offering smaller sessions at a few locations across the TDSB. We will share the calendar of events with you on our updated website (www.mytstn.com) so you can book your schedule and plan to attend.

As always, we invite your feedback to our TSTN mailbox.

Ciara Behan
President, TSTN

TSTN – Director’s Message

Hello and welcome to the 2019-20 school year! This summer has been incredibly busy, but I hope that you enjoyed some quality time with your family and friends, and you’re re-energized for the year ahead.

I am proud of your hard work and your on-going support as we prepare for changes and challenges due to recent budget reductions. Despite these obstacles, I remain confident that by working together we can continue to achieve our number one goal of providing students with quality programs and services that support high levels of achievement and well-being. Also, please know that we will do our very best to ensure everyone is well prepared for any changes that may directly impact them.

Thank you for your understanding and for all that you do to support our students and school communities. Each and every one of you play a role in upholding one of the best public school systems in the world, and I look forward to the new school year ahead.

Thank you.

John Malloy

Director of Education

Leadership and Learning for Business and Operations Staff

There are a variety of ways that staff can participate in professional learning. Staff can engage in on the job learning, learning with and through others, participate in a Community of Learning and Practice (CoLP), lead a team with a Team Check-in or register for a professional learning opportunity. You decide what learning best suits your needs!

Click here for the Fall 2019 Professional Learning Outline.

Need more information?

Contact one of the following members of the Professional Learning, Training and Leadership Development Unit:

MANAGER: Rita Simmons: rita.simmons@tdsb.on.ca

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING LEADERS:

Sahil Sharma: sahil.sharma@tdsb.on.ca
Heather Carr: heather.carr@tdsb.on.ca

New Edvantage Offers

Edvantage’s exclusive promotions are available to all members of TSTN. Visit the Edvantage website (https://www.edvantage.ca/) for more deals!

Statutory Holidays – Reminder

Many staff members will be looking ahead and planning the remainder of their vacation time for the year. To assist, we have listed below the remaining statutory holidays for 2019:

Monday, September 2, 2019 – Labour Day
Monday, October 14, 2019 – Thanksgiving
Wednesday, December 25, 2019 – Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26, 2019 – Boxing Day
Friday, December 27, 2019 – In Lieu of Remembrance Day
(Wednesday, January 1, 2020 – New Year’s Day)

June 2019

TSTN Year in Review

This year, we are proud to announce that our membership has grown by almost 100 new members.

We now have 370 active members who can benefit from everything TSTN has to offer. We owe this in part to our successful partnership with the Payroll Department, who helped us implement payroll deduction – no more cheques are needed as membership dues can be deducted right off your pay each year. It’s easier than ever to be a member!

We also hope that you had a chance to come out to our two professional breakfast sessions this year. These are excellent opportunities to network, learn about important priorities happening Board-wide, and to participate in engaging professional learning (all while enjoying a delicious breakfast!).

Current Initiatives

Wellbeing Survey – Please keep an eye on your inbox for an upcoming Schedule II Health & Wellbeing survey that is currently being developed. This will help your TSTN Executive understand the needs in our system and help us drive future monthly discussions with the Director and Senior Staff.

Employee Appraisal Process – TSTN is also currently working with Employee Services to update the Employee Appraisal and Performance Management process. A dedicated team of ES staff, TSTN representatives, the Associate Director’s Office and the Professional Learning group have assembled to modernize and standardize the Employee Appraisal Process for Schedule II employees. We will continue to provide updates as we make further progress.

Schedule II Staffing & TDSB Budget – The 2019/2020 budget was passed on Wednesday, June 19th and many departments are still working through the impact from these changes and how they will affect both school-based and central support staff. Your TSTN Executive is meeting regularly with the Director, Associate Directors, and Executive Superintendent of Employee Services to understand who in Schedule II may be impacted and to help build a structure to work through any changes. We will continue to share information as soon as it becomes available.

Have you recently experienced excellent service from a Schedule II Business and School Operations staff member?

Peer recognition is a meaningful and authentic way to show appreciation for the work of a colleague. The Random Acts of Service Excellence (RASE) recognition program was launched by the Service Excellence Team as a way to celebrate and recognize the great work happening in Business and School Operations departments in the TDSB.

Consider acknowledging a Schedule II staff member with a RASE recognition! It only takes a moment, will brighten that person’s day and helps build a service excellence culture.

Click on this link to submit a RASE for a Schedule II colleague. Once received and reviewed, the Service Excellence Team will send the employee a congratulatory email recognizing their excellent work and we’ll publish their RASE on our website (with consent).

Send a RASE today!

Any questions, please contact Erin Wood (erin.wood@tdsb.on.ca).

Acquire New Skills and Develop a Growth Mindset with e-Learning!

Skillport provides TDSB staff with flexible learning opportunities to continually gain new skills and knowledge.

Whether you want to learn to manage your time, lead a team, or be more proficient on the computer, there is content for you!

Choose from a wide range of topics, including Personal Development, Leadership, Communication & Interpersonal Skills, or Computer Skills – including MS Office and Google Apps.

Available online at http://tdsb.skillport.com or via the ‘Skillport’ app on iOS or Android!

Useful Links

Retirement Planning – Employee Services has made available the Retirement Planning Guide & Roadmap for all employees. This brings many of the key issues and points of consideration together in one place. The Guide provides employees who are thinking of retirement with important dates and information on what action they need to take and where they can get help.

Services for Employees – EFAP

All full-time TDSB employees are eligible to use the services of Morneau Shepell, your Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), which provides you with immediate and confidential help for any work, health or life concern. There is no cost to you or your family to use your EFAP and no one, including your employer, will know that you have used the program unless you choose to tell them.

Some solutions offered by your EFAP are:

Achieving well-being (stress, mental health concerns, grief and loss)
Managing relationships and family (separation/divorce, parenting)
Dealing with workplace challenges (stress, performance, work-life balance)
Tackling addictions (alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling)
Finding child and elder care resources (child care, nursing/retirement homes)
Getting legal advice (family law, separation/divorce, custody)
Receiving financial advice (debt management, bankruptcy, retirement)
Improving nutrition (weight management, diabetes)
Focusing on your physical health (identifying conditions, improving sleep)

You can access your EFAP 24/7 by phone, web, or mobile app.

1-844-880-9142 / www.workhealthlife.com / Download the ‘My EAP’ app

May 2019

Welcome to the TSTN May 2019 Review! On a monthly basis, we will send a snapshot of what we (TSTN Executive) have been working on, on behalf of the TSTN membership.

Firstly, we would like to introduce the TSTN Executive (roles and committee membership). Please click here to connect names to faces. Following our AGM on April 17, 2019, we have a full complement of sixteen (16) Executives.

At our regular meetings with the Director and Associate Directors, we have addressed the recent fires at both the Jones Avenue Adult Centre and the York Memorial/Trethewey locations that displaced many TSTN members. We have asked for support through this difficult time for those affected and will continue to work through some options that may help mitigate the stress these unfortunate circumstances have caused.

Additionally, we have been actively working with team members to update the Terms and Conditions for Schedule II Employees (otherwise known as the purple book). We hope to be able to present a final version for approval by the membership in the next few months.

Our goals for 2019/2020 are to complete the following:

Schedule II Terms & Conditions
Bylaws & Constitution
Incorporate the TSTN
Develop bi-annual Breakfast Sessions

We encourage you to check our website regularly at www.myTSTN.com to keep up to date on current news and events and we invite you to send an email to TSTN@tdsb.on.ca anytime with suggestions and/or comments.