Alternate Professional Development Activity 2010

Alternate PD Timeline:

• Request forms for Alternate PD will be accepted on-line starting November 4th.
• Deadline to submit Alternate PD requests - Dec. 20th -- DEADLINE IS NOW PAST!
• Those not contacted regarding a request for Alternate PD by January 6, 2010, please contact NCTCA Past President, Bob Draginda at bob.draginda@nctca.ab.ca

I. Convention Attendance - Please see information.

A. Teachers have a legal, as well as professional obligation to attend their annual teachers' convention. Teachers are paid for the two convention days because these days are defined in Section 78 of the School Act as part of the school year. As well, the ATA, through convention associations, has the responsibility for authorizing, planning conducting and evaluating annual teachers' conventions for its members.

B. Discipline charges can and have been brought against teachers who fail to attend their annual teachers' convention.

II. Alternate Professional Development Activities

Notwithstanding the obligation to attend their annual teachers' convention, teachers may request permission to be absent from the annual convention to attend alternative professional development activities scheduled at the same time. The following procedures are to be followed.

A. Criteria

1. Without limiting the power of the convention attendance committee or the convention board, possible criteria for judging requests are:

a. The activity must be an organized professional development activity. (This excludes professional reading, discussion with colleagues, school meetings, university courses, etc.)

b. The activity must be an extraordinary professional development opportunity that could not be accessed by the teacher at another time.

c. The alternative activity must have some relevant professional development session not included in the convention program.

d. School trips such as ski trips or field trips, although worthy enterprises, do not qualify as professional development activities.

B. Requests

1. The Past President shall appoint two other Executive members, other than the President, who shall become the Convention Attendance Committee as outlined in the Constitution.

2. Requests to attend alternative professional development activities must be submitted in writing, to the Past President. The Past President should receive such requests by January 5th. (Please use online form for all applications)

3. The Convention Attendance Committee will rule on each request and inform the teacher of its decision as soon as possible. A written reply advising of acceptance or nonacceptance will be sent and the nonacceptance will include a brief statement of rationale.

4. A copy of the request and decision of the Convention Attendance Committee shall be sent to the appropriate superintendent.

C. Appeals

1. The Appeals Committee shall consist of the President and two other Executive members who were not on the Convention Attendance Committee.

2. The teacher may appeal the decision of the Convention Attendance Committee to the Appeal Committee within ten (10) days of receipt of the decision of the Convention Attendance Committee.

3. A teacher appealing the decision of the Convention Attendance Committee to the Appeal Committee shall submit reasons in writing.

4. The decision of the Appeal Committee is final.

5. A copy of the request and decision of the Appeal Committee shall be sent to the appropriate superintendent.

III. Provincial ASAA Finals

The ATA and the Alberta Schools' Athletic Association have agreed to the following procedure for releasing teacher coaches from their convention attendance obligations. Such releases only apply to teacher coaches involved with teams reaching the Provincial ASAA Finals.

A. The ASAA will inform the ATA of its schedule of events by the end of September.

B. The ATA staff officer responsible for the conventions will analyze the schedule and notify convention associations of any potential conflict of date between the ATA conventions and ASAA provincial finals.

C. The ASAA will notify all zones to avoid local convention dates for zone playoffs.

D. Teacher coaches of teams reaching the provincial finals will request the minimum time required for traveling to competitions when these conflict with conventions.

E. The Convention Attendance Committee will receive and verify all requests from teacher coaches to be absent from convention to fulfill their coaching responsibilities.

F. The ASAA will avoid, whenever possible, the assignment of teachers to officiate at provincial finals when these conflict with the annual teacher conventions.

IV. Diploma Examinations

A. The Convention Attendance Committee would grant permission for teachers to be absent from convention for the purposes of marking diploma exams. The Examinations Branch, beginning 1999, will alternate the dates for marking the Humanities and the Math and Science Diploma exams, therefore decreasing the chances of a teacher marking two consecutive years.

B. The teacher who has been selected to mark diploma exams must still apply for alternate professional development activity.

V. Other Absences from Convention

A. Other legitimate absences from convention such as illness, compassionate leave, medical appointments, etc. must be dealt with following the usual procedures as outlined in the collective agreement. For these matters, the convention days must be treated as regular teaching days for attendance purposes.