Halton Highlights - April Issue

Halton Highlights

April 2017 - Volume 6

Photo by Marilyn Reaume

Amor y Grace. Love and Grace school.

Happy Easter to you and yours.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
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2345678

• Arbitration HEU Exectutive
• HCDSB Board Meeting 4:30 p.m.
Meeting 7:30 pm

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
22
Palm Sunday Joint PD/Joint Staff • Meeting with SAC Reports • Teacher Good Friday
Committee Director sent to teachers Transfer Round
Meeting via Board Email
• Maternity/ #1 Begins
Paternal Leave •Oakville District

Workshop Labour Council
HEU Office Meeting
4:30-6:00 p.m.

16 17 18 19 20 21

Easter Sunday Easter Monday • Step II Health & Safety • Staff/CBC Rep
Happy Easter! Meeting
Grievance Rep Training
• Teacher
Meetings 4:30-6:00 p.m. Transfer Round

• HCDSB Board #1 Closes

Meeting 7:30 p.m.

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

HEU Bursary EAP Committee • OTIP PA DAY
forms sent out Meeting Retirement
Workshop
HCDSB Students HEU Office OECTA Tech Summit OECTA Tech Summit
Awards of 4:30-6:00 pm
Excellence • HR to Review
Round #1
Applications

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In Memoriam April 2017

Our sincere sympathy and prayers go out to the following members,
as well as to their family and friends:

Stjepan (Steve) Miljan, father of Steven Miljan, an elementary teacher at Our Lady of Peace Catholic
Elementary School in Oakville, passed away on Monday, February 6, 2017.

James John Maher, father of Trish Maher, a Grade 1 teacher at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School
in Burlington, and of Rob Maher, an occasional secondary teacher of our board, passed away on
Tuesday, February 7, 2017.

Branko Mihalic, father of Julie Marinic, a Grade 4/5 teacher at Our Lady of Peace Catholic
Elementary School in Oakville, passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

Donald Reaume, father of Marilyn Reaume, a Grade 2 teacher at St. Timothy Catholic Elementary
School in Burlington, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2017.

Joseph Dobrowolski, father of Lorraine Tabrizi, a Grade 6 teacher at St. Vincent Catholic Elementary
School in Oakville, passed away on Friday, March 24, 2017.

Nina March, President, Halton Elementary OECTA

2017 Young Authors’ Award, Local Winners

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our local, Young Authors’
Awards Committee who met on March 1, 2017, to review English and
French submissions.

After much deliberating over all the wonderful poems, short stories, plays and
non-fiction pieces, the committee was able to finalize a list of local winners.
Congratulations to all our local authors for their fine work.

Thank you also to all teachers who submitted the original pieces of writing from
their students. Participation certificates have been sent to school sites for all our
Young Authors. The local winners will receive plaques in June.

Congratulations to our 2017 Young Authors’ Local Winners

School OECTA Rep Teacher Grade/Category Winners

English Soleil Molera
Valentina
Lumen Christi Anna Emanuele Anne MacIsaac JK/SK Nonfiction Novielli
St. Andrew Kelly Stephens Debbie Ramelli 1-2 Short Story Olivia Dyras
Ula Sapa
St. Anne Anna Emanuele Christina Guinto 1-2 Poem Anthony
St. Matthew Nancy Hoult Lori Ann Ciolek 1-2 Nonfiction Silvestri
Holy Rosary Tatiana Smith Brad McKay 3-4 Short Story Angelo
DeSimone
St. Andrew Kelly Stephens J. Hough 3-4 Nonfiction Leah Lim-Tran

St. Andrew Kelly Stephens Brandon Smith 5-6 Short Story Emma Ka
St. Andrew Kelly Stephens 5-6 Poem
St. Andrew Kelly Stephens Lesley 5-6 Nonfiction Christina
Holy Rosary Tatiana Smith Degenhardt 7-8 Short Story Bucur
Diane Hedelko- Karolina
Sandos Sustrova
Kim Janjevich Deepa George

St. Peter Jen Ongaro L.Dorer 7-8 Poem Zach Hamm
Leanne Skinner Shelagh Adams 7-8 Nonfiction
Holy Rosary Natalie Maletic
Lisa Romaniw Patricia Magille 5-6 Short Story
French Catriona
Anne Marie Christina Otshudi- 7-8 Short Story Nguyen
St. Joseph DiLeonardo Ananago Evelyn Cai

St. Marguerite Anne Marie Christina Otshudi- 7-8 Nonfiction
D’Youville DiLeonardo Ananago
St. Marguerite
D’Youville

2017 Teacher Transfer Rounds Dates

Round 1 Elementary

Post April 13
Close April 20
Round 2
May 2
Post May 5
Close
Round 3 May 15
May 18
Post
May 31
Close June 5
Round 4

Post
Close

OECTA, Halton Elementary Members Are Going to a Blue Jays Game!
Our Blue Jays event was so successful last year that we are doing it again.
We will be going to the game on Saturday, September 9, 2017: Blue Jays vs Detroit Tigers.
On May 24, 2017, the Unit will be offering Blue Jays tickets to members at a subsidized cost.

More information about purchasing tickets wil be offiering Blue Jays tickets to members at a sudsidzed cost.

Halton Elementary Unit Bursaries for Children of our HEU Members

The Halton E lementary Unit will award ten (10), $500 post-secondary student bursaries to
children of our members this year. At our Unit AGM in May, ten bursary recipients will be
randomly drawn from all the HEU bursary applications received. Application information and
criteria will be sent to member personal emails on April 24, 2017.

OECTA, HEU Advocacy Award
The Educator of the Year Award has been renamed and revised on the recommendation of the
2015-2016 Educator of the Year Award Committee and approved by members on October 27,
2016 at our Unit General Meeting #1. The HEU Advocacy Award criteria and nomination forms
will be sent to member emails on April 10, 2017.

Canadian Teachers Federation – Online Lesson Plans on Truth and Reconciliation
On March 27, 2017, the CTF sent out the following message to members:
If you’re a registered Imagineaction teacher, simply “sign in” at www.imagine-action.ca and click
on “Teacher resources” (bottom left column) and then select Truth and Reconciliation: What
is it about? NEW.

You can choose between the elementary or secondary lesson plans (or both!), the discussion
questions, as well as a list of references and resources.

If you’re a registered Imagineaction teacher, simply “sign in” at www.imagine-action.ca and click
on “Teacher resources” (bottom left column) and then select Truth and Reconciliation: What
is it about? NEW.
You can choose between the elementary or secondary lesson plans (or both!), the discussion
questions, as well as a list of references and resources.
If you’re not yet registered as an Imagineaction teacher, visit www.imagine-action.ca and follow
the instructions. It’s simple and free. Join the 2,500+ teachers already registered with
Imagineaction!

On behalf of the Halton Elementary Unit Executive, I would like to wish you and your family a
blessed Easter.

Nina March, President, Halton Elementary OECTA
[email protected]

Tara’s Topic of the Month-Tampon Tuesday, April 2017

In 2009, CTV London aired a news segment on food banks. While touring one, they noticed
that there were no feminine hygiene products in the non-food section of the food bank. As a
response, CTV London created the rst-ever Tampon Tuesday in April 2009. To gain entry to the
event, participants were required to donate one package of feminine hygiene products.

This past March, Nina and I had the pleasure of attending Tampon Tuesday in Oakville with two
large bags full of feminine hygiene products and a $250 donation, courtesy of the Status of
Women/Human Rights Committee. Sponsored by the United Way and The Oakville District
Labour Council, all donations collected on March 7, 2017, went to local shelters and charities to help those in need.

This event made me realize that when we donate to local food banks and charities, feminine hygiene products are
often overlooked. We often fail to realize just how expensive these products are and how much of a necessity hey
are for women. Yet, many are unable to walk into a store and a ord them monthly.

Due to the cost of feminine care products, some women must choose between
purchasing these products or food for their family. For women who are unable
to a ord feminine products, the result could be lost wages and absence from
work during their monthly cycle.

This Lenten season, if you participate in a food drive or donate to your local
food bank or charity, I encourage you to look past the obvious and to also think
of the non-food items that are needed daily, such as feminine hygiene products
and diapers, which are another necessity many cannot a ord. Together, we can
help make a positive impact on the daily lives of those in need.

Yours in Solidarity,
Tara Hambly HEU 1st Vice-President

Health and Safety Minute

Spring Cleaning

Spring is an excellent time to declutter and reorganize our workplace to support the health and safety of ourselves
and our students. A few important reminders below will help you maintain a healthy environment for yourself and
others:

1. Heavy and bulky items should not be stored on the tops of shelves or cupboards because of their weight. Items
and shelving may fall, creating a risk for those in the classroom.

2. Plastic containers or boxes are better for storage because they minimize dust collection and rodent infestation.

3. Be sure to maintain 18 inches of clearance around all sides of sprinkler heads.

4. Any shelving that may tip must be properly secured to walls.

5. Combustible materials are not permitted to hang from, suspend from, or attach to any ceilings, including in
hallways, stairwells, or classrooms.

6. All exits must be clear and accessible at all times.

7. Finally, remember that only board-issued cleaning products are to be used in the school.

Health and Safety Rep. Reminders

JHSC must meet quarterly. The following reports are to be reviewed at each meeting:

- Monthly Inspection Reports
- Safe Schools Reporting Forms
- WSIB forms
- Accident/Incident forms

Krista Hutchinson
OECTA, Health and Safety Chairperson and HEU Treasurer

Quick Tips... Quick Tips
for
For assistance: Managing
• Acknowledge the issue and offer to work together to Stress

develop solutions Access OECTA Resources
• Consult the OECTA resource Healthy Tips for Teachers
For teaching and professional
found on OECTA website resources, visit www.oecta.on.ca.
• Contact your local OECTA unit office Login to the Members' Centre.
• Contact your EAP provider
• See your doctor if stress is impacting your health Can’t Login?
• Access your plan (e.g., massage, counselling etc.)
Don't get stressed! If you can't
For prevention: remember your login, just call the
• Acknowledge an issue and offer to work together to provincial office and ask for
Membership Services
develop solutions
• Avoid relationships that cross professional boundaries Remember:
• Be proactive rather than reactive
• Diffuse rather than provoke a situation You cannot always control the
• Consider what is worth pursuing and what can be left actions of others (parents, students
or situations) but you can control
alone how you react to them. Build
• Practice a healthy lifestyle - walk, jog, run, bike ride, strategies that work for you every
day!
practice yoga, etc.
• Ensure you take a break - an uninterrupted lunch Ontario English Catholic Teachers'
Association 65 St. Clair Avenue East
guarantees this
• Do something you like. Often when we feel stressed we Toronto, ON M4T 2Y8
416-925-2493 or 1-800-268-7230
avoid the things we enjoy.
catholicteachers.ca

Are components of your career
causing you to feel stressed?

Students and Parents:
Be confident that you are a professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience
that you bring to your teaching every day.

Create and maintain positive relationships. Your interactions with parents and students
should always be professional, ensuring proper boundaries are maintained.

Referring back to current curriculum documentsand board policies ensures sound
practice, and continues to empower you when dealing with students and parents.

If a situation is causing you stress:
• Remain calm
• Speak to colleagues about the strategies you intend to use, as they may have
encountered this situation in the past
• If you feel harassed, refer the student/parent to your school administrator
• Before going into a meeting with a parent, ensure you have full disclosure
about the concerns, and have discussed the matter with the administrator
about the context before the meeting
• Ensure you document all of your concerns/interactions
• Remove yourself from a meeting if you feel it is unproductive

Key OECTA Resources:
◆ Positive, Professional Parent Teacher Relationships
◆ Electronic Communications, Appropriate and Professional Use

Administration:
Everyone in the school has a job to do and the principal’s/vice-principal’s role is to
oversee the school, its staff and operations. Early in the year, establish a relationship
with your principal/vice-principal to share good news as well as any challenges.

If the pace and frequency of new initiatives, or dealing with difficult people is causing
you stress in your relationship with administration, consider:

• Maintaining professionalism in all situations(e.g., tone of an email)
• Discussing a situation with one or two trusted colleagues for support and

perspective
• Documenting incidents that cause you concern
• Contacting your local OECTA office for advice
Asking the association representative in your school to attend a meeting
with administration to discuss your concerns and find an acceptable solution

Key OECTA Resource:
◆ Relationships: Appropriate and Professional

Curriculum:
There is no doubt that education has become a results-oriented enterprise and
curriculum is in a constant state of flux. You may feel stressed trying to cope with all of
the changes. Remember to:

• Set reasonable goals for yourself
• Prioritize tasks into two groups; necessary if time permits, and need to

do/nice to do.
• Consider establishing a professional learning community with a few

colleagues. Together you can explore new documents or initiatives.
Sharing the task lightens the load.

Research the myriad of resources and options available for self-paced learning to stay
current.

Key OECTA and other Resources:
• Quick Tips for Completing the Elementary Progress Report Card
• Guide to Report Cards/Progress Reports for Elementary and Secondary: Q &
As.
• Guide to the Individual Education Plan
• AQ courses
• Ministry EDUGAINS – www.edugains.ca
• webinars, blogs, and social media, etc.

Colleagues:
Remember that schools are a microcosm of society. You cannot be friends with
everyone and you should not share your personal business with everyone. Establish
a professional relationship with your colleagues. Be aware that, at times, colleagues
may unintentionally overstep professional boundaries. If this occurs:

• Step away from the situation
• Listen without interruption
• Talk to someone to gain perspective
• Wait 24 hours before responding to a situation with a colleague
• Maintain professionalism at all times

Key OECTA Resource:
◆ Relationships: Appropriate and Professional

Occasional Teachers’ Updates

By T Heytens

1) Please check for permanent and long-term
postings on the Apply to Education Website at
www.applytoeducation.ca. The window to apply is
usually three to five days with a 4:00 p.m. closing.
Therefore, please visit the site at least once per
week.

To apply to assignments that are thirty days or
less in length, you do not have to be on the long-term list.

2) OECTA registration for Summer 2017 courses
opens on April 6 and closes on June 2. Courses start
July 4 and end July 28. Please check the website at
www.oecta.ca for course selections.

Good luck to those beginning their Spring courses on April 3.

Song of the Season

“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under
heaven.”

When you read this line, does your mind automatically follow it by singing
“turn, turn, turn”? Did you know that this is not the karaoke version of a
Byrds’ classic song, but, in fact, a line from scripture? (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Christmas carols aside, you can find scripture’s influence in many pop
culture songs. Test your music and bible know-how with these hits both
classic and current:

1. Genesis 6:9 inspired “The Unicorn” by the Irish Rovers
2. Genesis 11 inspired “Babel” by Mumford and Sons
3. Psalm 46:10 inspired “Be Still” by Kelly Clarkson
4. Ephesians 6:10 inspired “I Wish You Well” by Mariah Carey
5. Luke 15 11:32 inspired “The River” by Good Charlotte
6. Ruth 1:16 inspired “Where You Lead” by Carole King
7. Psalm 137: 1-4 inspired “The Rivers of Babylon” by Boney M
8. Psalm 40 inspired “40” by U2
9. Matthew 6:12 inspired “Forgive the Father” by Lauryn Hill
10. Matthew 5:14-15 inspired “Eyes Open” by Taylor Swift

Jill Mercer
Counsellor, Halton Elementary Unit Executive

2017 AGM

Thank you to our 2017
AGM Delegates

Celebrating HEU Catholic Teachers

Hope For Haiti

By Marilyn Reaume

Six-year-old Sohn was a sick
little boy in an ailing country. I
followed Joanna to the
missionary room searching for
children’s Tylenol in a bin
marked “Analgesics,” which
I’d labelled the day before.
We’d been sorting medicines,
everything from band-aids and
antibacterial creams to
antibiotics and malaria pills,
donated by charitable folks
from the town where we live.

Short days ago, I was at

home raking the autumn

leaves in my sprawling

Marilyn Reaume (L) is seen collecting food containers backyard, drinking copious glasses of filtered
from students at Love and Grace School in Haiti. water, and teaching in a high-tech suburban

school, in a clean, wealthy neighbourhood, but this was a world away. I was one of a group of

seven Canadians who had travelled to Haiti to offer some hope.

With Tylenol in hand, we walked the half block from Love and Grace School to the humble
home of Sohn and his worried mother. From the doorway, I noticed Sohn lying listless on the
bed at the back of the tiny dwelling.

His mother greeted us in Creole and accepted the medicine with obvious relief. She seemed
unusually anxious about his fever, but I soon discovered the reason why. She had lost Sohn’s
brother only months before, and we had brought her hope for her son’s recovery.

Two days later he returned to school, running and jumping, fully restored to a happy, lively little
boy. I wish I could say his odds were high to remain healthy, but unfortunately, I can’t.

“Children die here every day from contaminated

water,” said Joanna Baumgartner, the founder

and mission coordinator of Be The Hope For
Haiti. That’s why one of the projects for this
mission was installing a water purification

system.

Joanna’s husband Joe, along with two other
volunteers, a retired engineer and a millwright
from Dofasco, gave their time and expertise to
install three taps in the courtyard of the school.

Some of the rudimentary medicines are sorted and
stored for use.

Joanna posted the exciting news on the
charity’s Facebook page, relaying, “… for the
first time these kids can quench their thirst in
the oppressive heat … safely.”

I remember the day. Kids filed out of their
classrooms and rushed over in a frenzy to grab
one of the many empty water bottles we were
filling at the taps. They’d never seen free-
flowing water at their school before, and they
didn’t yet realize there would be a never-ending
supply.

This water was safe, but unfortunately, they
were still reliant on the well. Reymondson
followed me to the back of the school with a
bucket of contaminated well water. We would
need it to water the newly planted vegetable
garden. He’s a strong, 16-year-old boy and a
hard worker, who is coming to water the seeds
before school, in the morning, and again after
school.

Reymondon fills the container with We were excited to see sprouts a mere six days
well water for the drip system in the after planting. It’s not the best soil, but the drip
lines set up by Joanna’s daughter, Carrie, are functioning well,
vegetable garden. and there’s optimism for a good yield of okra, zucchini,
carrots, and beans. It will supplement the rice and eggs fed
three times a week to the children in five schools in the area.

Malnutrition is a huge issue in Haiti, and the prospect of vegetables is encouraging.
Once we returned to Canada, Reymondson was left in charge of growing and harvesting the
vegetables. He’s delighted to be learning this skill and earning some much-needed money.

The teachers at the school earn $4 per
day, when Stephanie arrived from Seattle
with Mary Kay products for the ladies, it
was a real treat. She was visiting her
sponsored child as well as her friends,
Dedra and Chavez, an amazing couple
that minister to the 650 schoolchildren
and many community members in the
city of Ouanaminthe, which borders the
Dominican Republic.

Dedra and Stephanie with some of the Stephanie is making it her mission to
teachers of Love and Grace School in Haiti. convince her Mary Kay sales reps to
sponsor all 65 students at one of the
satellite schools. She’s currently up to 25 sponsored
children and, no doubt, her photos and videos of the

kids have compelled a few more.

The lucky ones who are sponsored are receiving food more often than the others; three times a
week instead of twice. I was thrilled to hand over $400 in toonies collected by my students back
in Burlington, which will help buy some extra food. Many of the Canadian kids also gave gently-
used Barbies and toy cars, candy and balloons, and were so thrilled when I recently showed
them photos of radiant children in receipt of their gifts.

However, they also realized Haitian children live very different lives, lacking many of the things
we take for granted here in Canada, including opportunities to make a good living.

With job skills in mind, Joanna’s eyes lit up
when I told her I knew how to sew. There is a
garment factory nearby, so she decided to begin
by introducing hand-sewing with the hope that
down the road a half dozen sewing machines
might be donated to the school.

I prepared a sewing lesson, not knowing what it
would be like to teach under Haitian conditions.
At the satellite school, I was hot and sweaty and
found it hard to thread the needle in the dim light.
Some students needed my help, but it was
difficult to move around in the cramped
classroom where up to six children sat together
at a makeshift desk.

However, back at the main school, two of the

volunteers, Joe and Paul, were busy installing

lights and fans in every classroom, thanks to a

new generator from Lancaster Industries in Fort

Erie. The generator was named “Paul” in honour

of the donor’s deceased brother. A Haitian woman cooks over a

On our last day in Haiti, we made a big show of charcoal and wood fire.

turning on the power amid a grand celebration of

excited staff and students. I will never again take for granted the luxuries of electric lights and

cooling fans.

Haitians are a kind people. It warmed my heart to see school children, who were eating the only
meal they would receive for two days, giving away some of their rice, passing it on container lids
to hungry, less fortunate kids outside the school windows.

A big brother begged me for just one more balloon for his younger sister, and a little girl given a
stuffed kangaroo thanked me so profusely. It brought tears to my eyes to see such gratitude.
It was sad to witness such poverty, but immeasurably rewarding to be a small contributor to
improving difficult lives.

Kudos to Joanna and her family and to all the volunteers whose kind hearts reached out to the
people of Haiti. We met some of their physical needs with clean water, lights, fans, medicines,
and a vegetable garden, but clearly what they need above all is hope for a better future.

Thank you to Denise Oakie, who made
us aware of this amazing story.

Students of Love and Grace school participate in a sewing lesson.
The Unit would like to continue to highlight the great initiatives that Halton Elementary Catholic
teachers are involved in relating to social justice and community outreach. These can be
activities that are conducted at school or in your personal time.
To send a submission, please email the following details to [email protected]:
• Name of Teacher
• School Location
• Personal email or personal phone number to contact
• Is this a school or personal initiative?
• The details of the social justice/community outreach project
• If possible, a picture
Please provide submissions no later than the 15th of each month.





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