Volume 81 • Number 9 • May 20, 2015

Dueck gives candid address – Page 3 • Morgan encouraged by improved relations – Page 4 • Arbos awards – Page 6

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Once the much-anticipatedresults for the election ofPresident of the Saskat -chewan Teachers’ Federationhad been published at theAnnual Meeting of Council, it was obvious the appetitefor change among many ofthe councillors had beenactualized.

For several moments theone missing ingredient wasan appearance by PatrickMaze, who as of July 1 willbe entrusted to assume theposition following this year’selections, after havingreceived the most votesamong three candidates (cur-rent President Colin Keesshad withdrawn just prior tothe opening day speeches).

After he had a few mo-ments to catch his breath,Maze readily acknowledgedhe was feeling a sense ofrelief, if not some trepidation,in the aftermath of havinglaid out an ambitious planin his campaign speech theprevious day.

“I think it’s time to start anew chapter for the STF,where we as an organizationget back to the business ofrepresenting teachers. Therehave been so many issuesthat we have been facing inthe last couple of years that Ithink Council has decidedthey want to move forward ina new direction, and so fromthat perspective, I guess it’s aturning point. I think I havea lot to offer and I hope to beable to deliver on a differentapproach,” Maze suggested.

The current full-time presi-dent of the Regina PublicSchool Teachers’ Associationsaid, similar to his campaignspeech, that his stated prior -ity is to make sure the voiceof teachers is heard, mostlythrough Council.

He allowed that there aredoubtlessly complexities andextenuating circumstances,but added that “some of thedirection Council has setshould have been easier toact on, but it seems to me wedebate them too much whenwe just need to make it

happen and don’t be afraid. Iwould like to see us take moredecisive action in the future.”

According to Maze, thefrustration he has referencedis shared by many membersof Council, adding that in hisopinion a lot of damage hasbeen done in the last coupleof years, “and teachers arestill dealing with the falloutand it’s still in their memory,and we need to work hard toregain their trust and makeit right so that when we talkto external stakeholders, weare speaking as the voiceof teachers.”

Despite his desire fora new approach, Mazedescribes himself as a con-sensus builder, alluding inparticular to the knowledgehe has gained regarding gov-ernance work, having beeninvolved as a board memberat the University of Reginafor the past five years.

“I like to think of myself asan active listener and thenmake decisions based onwhat you hear. I think, asan organization, we couldstrengthen our governancemodel and have a greaterunderstanding of the roles andresponsibilities. We need tofind a balance and be able toask the difficult questions andto be sure we are accountable.”

Although there have beensome murmurs of issuesbetween the Executive andsenior administrative staff,Maze alluded specificallyto Executive Director GwenDueck’s “incredible corporateknowledge and an incredibleskill set that we need as

an organization and I amvery respectful of her role,and absolutely we can worktogether.”

Maze added that as muchas he campaigned against thestatus quo, “the organizationis definitely not irretrievablybroken, but we need to gainback the confidence and trustof the members.”

In addition to buildinggreater unity at Council, hesaid there also needs to bea renewed commitment tolistening to teachers, albeitrealizing there is a verydiverse membership.

“But we have to realizethat many of the challengesand frustrations we are feel-ing are the same across theprovince and they are inevery classroom. That’s whywe need to re-connect withteachers to make sure theirvoice is heard and represent-ed. That comes down to bettercommunication between theFederation and the classroomteacher,” he insisted.

Maze acknowledged thatby nature he can be quiteimpetuous and impatient,noting in particular hisfrustration with the in-creased workload for teacherswithout commensurate remu-neration. In his view hewould have favoured a firmerresponse from the STF.

“That’s been a stumblingblock for teachers and it’s anexample of the elephant inthe room. In instances likethat I believe we need to be astronger voice for teachers.”

Having served less than ayear on the Executive in

2010, Maze said the experi-ence definitely gave himinsight into the realities ofthe challenges that lie ahead.

“I know the members of theExecutive are all classroomteachers and it’s a tough job,and I want to make it clearthat we owe them a lot ofrespect for the work they havedone in often tough circum-stances,” he said, while addingthat he would dearly love tosee greater involvement in theFederation by rank-and-fileclassroom teachers.

“We have to be eternallyvigilant, but I think to somedegree it’s just become amatter of teachers having too

many pressures being put onthem and seeing the setbackswe have experienced.”

Maze admitted that he’sthe sort of person who seeksnew challenges every fewyears, although he said, iron-ically, what he professes tomiss the most is being in theclassroom–he has taught atboth the elementary and highschool levels.

“I know there will be pres-sure with this job, but I alsoknow there will be a lotof support and it’s not like Iwill have the weight of theworld on my shoulders. It’sjust a matter of doing whatyou can.” n

palpable frustration amongthose attending Council, andthe agenda was set forprimarily a clean slate.

Patrick Maze of ReginaPublic, who was not currentlyon the Executive, emergedwith more than double thevotes of incumbents RandyCline and Christopher Keyesin the election for Presidentto thereby set the tone forwhat was to come.

Fellow Regina (Catholic)councillor Debbie Ward fol-

lowed the trend when she waselected as Vice-President. Asthe only non-current Executivemember, Ward had been incompetition against four cur-rent Executive members,including Vice-PresidentRandy Cline, who finishedthird before then ultimatelymanaging to secure one of sixtwo-year term vacancies asmembers of the Executive.

That same appetite forsweeping change continuedwhen it came to filling the six

Executive vacancies, asincumbents Murray Guest,Christopher Keyes and MikeMarkesteyn were all unsuc-cessful in their re-electionbids. Cline and Brent Keenof Northwest did manage toretain their places, however.

The new members of theExecutive are: Denise BeaudinAnaquod of Regina Catholic,Benjamin Goby of Regina Pub-lic, Nathan Bromm of SouthEast Cornerstone and Saman-tha Becotte of Lloydminster.Meanwhile, they will be joinedby Dwayne Jeffery of Lloyd-minster and Sonja Susut ofPrairie South, both of whomwere elected to serve two-yearterms at the 2014 AnnualMeeting of Council. Theirterms expire on June 30, 2016.

Steven Boucher of Christthe Teacher and WendyLazarou of Regina Publicwere elected to the Profes-sional Ethics Committee,while Neal Boutin of Chinookand Amy Orth of PrairieSpirit were elected to theProfessional CompetencyCommittee, and MichealHagel of Tri-West and Na-dine Jennison of Horizonwere elected to the CollectiveInterests Committee. n

Maze’s election as President of STF represents desire for change

An overwhelming desire forchange was clearly the orderof the day as councillors casttheir ballots at the AnnualMeeting of Council.

Historically at least, in-cumbents usually tended tofare quite well when it cameto elections, but this year,with an unusually high num-ber of candidates seekingterms on the SaskatchewanTeachers’ Federation Execu-tive, all bets were off. That,combined with a sense of

There were an unprecedented number of candidates for the STF Executive who gathered for theirrespective pre-election speeches during opening day of the Annual Meeting of Council.

Newly elected Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President PatrickMaze vowed to listen to teachers, which he had a chance to doimmediately after results were posted.

Newcomers dominate in Council elections

Don Rempel, President ofthe League of EducationalAdministrators, Directorsand Superintendents, took abrief stroll down memorylane at the outset of hisspeech to the Annual Meet-ing of Council.

Rempel indicated it was 20years ago since he had lastbeen to Council, when he wasa classroom teacher andcouncillor himself.

“I know that a tremendousamount of work occurs eachyear to engage teachers andto prepare for annual Counciland that this is a time whenthe Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation takes care of a lotof important business. I knowfrom experience the impor-tance of establishing goodgovernance, a strong strate-gic direction and effectiveoversight of services to yourmember teachers of Sask -atchewan,” he said.

Rempel was quite clearlyhere to praise teachers,adding that he wanted torecognize the tremendousopportunities provided to thestudents of Saskatchewan’spublicly funded educationsystem that have come aboutbecause of the hard work anddedication of teachers.

“With the tremendouschanges we see in society andthe increasing demandsplaced upon our sector, teach-ers remain charged withpreparing our students tohave the skills and abilitiesto be able to achieve and be

successful in the world oftomorrow.”

From his vantage point,Rempel is acutely aware ofthe pace of change that hasbecome commonplace in pub-lic education in recent years,adding that not all changecomes from within the educa-tion sector itself.

“Some of the changesteachers have undertaken re-cently, such as moving to anoutcomes-based approach toplanning for instruction,have required a significantchange in the way that teach-ers do their jobs. But changesuch as curriculum renewaldoesn’t always come fromwithin the education sector;often changes in society suchas the impact of technologyand the use of social media,greater diversity, and effortsfor our most disadvantagedcitizens and advocacy of spe-cial interest move quicklyinto our schools and class-rooms today. It feels liketeachers have regularly beenrequired to change their dailypractices and classroom poli-cies, and all too often itseems that they are asked tochange behaviours well be-fore new beliefs can be fullyformed and validated withevidence. This can lead to afeeling of discomfort which isfelt most intensely earlywithin the change process,”Rempel acknowledged.

“I do not think that teach-ers give themselves enoughcredit as the leaders of posi-

tive educational change andteachers certainly have notbeen duly recognized,respected and valued fortheir efforts to change assess-ment practices, to differenti-ate instruction, to manageclassrooms which provideopportunities for direct in-struction to an increasinglydiverse group of learners. Itis amazing to see our class-rooms as caring environ-ments with high expectationsof students; classrooms inwhich talented teachers areworking with and besidestudents to provide rich acad-emic feedback and positive“feed-forward” to maximizeeach student’s school timeand potential,” he added.

According to Rempel, hesuggested that we are at apoint in which teachers needto be recognized and takecredit for the work they do toadvance positive changes in

classroom practices andschool policies, which signifi-cantly benefits students.

“I also feel that we are ata time in our province when,as has so often been the casein our history, it is oftenour teachers who push oureducational leaders and ourgovernors as advocates forour schools and our schoolsystem to serve as a mecha-nism for social justice andequity,” he added.

Rempel indicated thatspecifically he has beenworking over the last 18months as part of a leader-ship group on the EducationSector Strategic Plan, 2015-2016 Hoshin Plan: FollowingTheir Voices, which aimsto better serve the FirstNations and Métis studentsof our province.

“I have been impressedwith the way in which teach-ers and school leaders ap-proach improving outcomesfor our Indigenous studentsas the moral imperative ofour time, one which requiresthe system to recognizeinstitutionalized policies,practices and beliefs, whichcontinue to act as barriersand to have an exclusionaryimpact on our First Nationand Métis students. I alsorecognize that teachers asadvocates in educationalchange are often confrontedby those in our school com-munities who will vigorouslydefend the status quo.” n

Page 2 • Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015

In her speech to the AnnualMeeting of Council, CanadianTeachers’ Federation Presi-dent Dianne Woloschuk paint-ed a fairly gloomy picture ofhow public education is faringin other areas of the world.

She also made it abundant-ly clear to councillors that,while not as pervasive withinour own borders, there aretroubling indications thatsome of the trends in jurisdic-tions such as the UnitedStates, in particular, havealso managed to gain at leasta foothold in Canada as well.

It is her assertion that theeconomic disparity is one ofthe main reasons for the glob-al problems that face educa-tion now and in the future. Inparticular, the CTF Presidentsaid this is the sort of climatethat can lead to privatizationof public education.

“We live in an uncertainworld. Economic crises, politi-cal upheavals and armedconflicts are much in thenews. Last summer, theOrganisation for EconomicCo-operation and Develop-ment reported that, in mostOECD countries, the gap be-tween rich and poor is thehighest it’s been in 30 years.The November 2014 Toronto-Dominion economic specialreport indicated that global-ization and technologicalchange are pushing towards aless fair Canada and a less fairworld. These are deeply chal-lenging trends, politically andeconomically. Trends in publiceducation are no less challeng-ing,” Woloschuk maintained.

“Many teachers are famil-iar with the Global EducationReform Movement, the clus-ter of neo-liberal educationpolicies that purport toimprove student learning:

competition and comparisons,school rankings, standard-ized testing and data collec-tion, a narrowed curriculum,increased instructional time,loss of local authority, andtechnology, not pedagogy, asthe key driver for improve-ment. In countries whereGERM policies are entrenched,the long-term outcome isn’t im-provement, but privatization.”

According to Woloschuk,the United States is a com-pelling example. Publicschools are being replaced bycharter schools, which don’thave to account for their ex-penditures of public fundsand can admit only the stu-dents they want. Poor andstruggling students are oftenrelegated to the impoverishedpublic schools, and inequitiesare growing.

“The decades-long politicsof austerity has meant that,though student diversity andneeds are growing, schooldivisions are often under-funded. This means cutsto teaching positions,teacher-librarians, supportstaff–any programs deemednon-essential. Edu-business-es, however, are thriving.For example, last year Pear-son Education concluded a$1 billion contract for testingservices with the governmentof New Mexico alone.

“Wall Street investors havecome to view public educationas a promising market andschools as businesses. Creat-ing profits means cuttingcosts by hiring unqualifiedteachers; funding lawsuitsthat end teacher tenure anddue process laws so teachersare easier to fire; usingstandardized test results toevaluate teachers, thenimplementing merit pay;

replacing teachers withlaptops and software; andturning the teacher into a“facilitator,” [in other words]de-professionalization. LastNovember, the MichiganState Court of Appeals ruledthat the State has no legalresponsibility to provide aquality education to children.The State of Michigan hand-ed the Highland Park SchoolDivision to a private for-prof-it charter school operatorwith no track record ofimproving schools. Teachers’salaries dropped from$65,000 a year to $36,000,”Woloschuk said.

“American teacher organi-zations like the NationalEducation Association andthe American Federation ofTeachers have been subjectedto legislative changes thatmake it difficult for themto retain their members andcollect membership fees.These laws are meant toweaken their organizationand divide teachers.”

Against this backdrop,Woloschuk said that while we(Canada) are not the UnitedStates, and that there is stillstrong support for publiclyfunded public education here,we are feeling the effects ofGERM policies, though theymay look different dependingon the province.

She went on to cite specificexamples of which many areonly too familiar.

“In British Columbia, thepublicly funded educationsystem is being starved,while funding to privateschools increases. B.C.teacher salaries, which usedto be among the highest inthe country, are among thelowest. Austerity in NewBrunswick means 250 teach-

Canadian Teachers’ Federation President Dianne Woloschuk makesa point during her impassioned speech to the Annual Meeting ofCouncil as she outlined the many challenges.

Woloschuk warns that global trends could come to Canada

ers cut next fall (three percent of the teaching force)with more to come the follow-ing year. In Alberta, eventhe Alberta School BoardsAssociation announced pub-licly that school boards canno longer operate the schoolsproperly with the latest deepcuts to education because ofslumping oil prices.”

Woloschuk’s cross-Canadasnapshot with regards torecent collective bargainingmakes for sober reading, oras she said herself, the collec-tive bargaining environmentis more than difficult:B.C.–three months of strike/lockout–seven per cent oversix years. Alberta is in yearfour of a legislated agree-ment, 0–0–0–2, with anew three-year governmentmandate of zero announcedpublicly, not at the bargain-ing table, prior to the

election. After a two-yearwage freeze and sick-leavestrips, Ontario teachers arebeing offered net–zero. Infact, the Ontario SecondarySchool Teachers’ Federationbegan strike action justthis week.

“These are a few examplesof the GERM in action inCanada, and I invite you toconsider how these policieshave affected you as a Saska-tchewan teacher. Certainly,teachers across the countryare very concerned aboutde-professionalization andpunishing workloads, whileintensified student needsmake the classroom morecomplex and challengingevery year.”

As if to lighten the moodslightly, Woloschuk pointedout that there are also posi-tive signs on the horizonborne out of this troublingtrend in public education.

She referred to parents inB.C. who mobilized to sup-port striking teachers lastfall. And just last week, tensof thousands of parents inNew York state refused toallow their children to writethe annual standardizedEnglish language arts exam.At some school districts,abstention levels reached 80per cent. Recent SupremeCourt of Canada decisionshave affirmed that freedom ofassociation under The Cana-dian Charter of Rights andFreedoms includes the rightto unionize, bargain collec-tively and strike.

Woloschuk assured thosein attendance that throughthe Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation membership inCTF, Saskatchewan teachersare among 30 million teach-ers worldwide who belong toEducation International, theglobal organization of nation-al teacher organizations. Lastyear, EI ran the Unite forQuality Education globalcampaign aimed at keepingpublic education public.Through that campaign,the discourse around “afford-able” education and “low-feeprivate schools” changed to“free, universal, inclusive,public” education for allchildren.

“CTF is working hard toseize every opportunity toraise the teacher voice and toensure that the ‘improve-ment’ agenda really is aboutimprovement, not aboutprivatization, and that theteacher voice is well heard,”Woloschuk summed up. n

Rempel praises contribution of teachers to improving provincial education system

Don Rempel

Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015 • Page 3

Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation Executive Direc-tor Gwen Dueck prefaced herannual address to the AnnualMeeting of Council by sug-gesting “what you will heartoday is remarkably differentthan any speech you haveheard me deliver during my[seven-year] tenure in thisrole–simply because this yearhas been remarkably differ-ent than any other yearwe have encountered in thehistory of the Federation.”

And Dueck did not fail todeliver as she chronicled theturbulent past year with ano-holds-barred approachthat in many ways chal-lenged those in attendance toreflect on not only externalforces that have made lifedifficult for teachers, but alsosome of their own complicityas a result of their actions.

“This has been a year ofsome incredible challenges,but more importantly, ithas also been a year ofincredible accomplishmentsfor the Federation. I havepersonally witnessed thelimitless strength of teach-ers,” Dueck said.

Specifically, she cited thosethat she has had the greathonour to work with aroundthe Executive boardroomtable; others who are workingon behalf of their professionin their local associations,their schools and their schoolcommunities; and still others,carrying out the day-to-daywork of the Federation asmembers of the senior admin-istrative staff.

“The invisible bond fromwhich this strength is drawnis the knowledge that eachand every one, irrespective ofcurrent role, be it classroomteacher, local associationleader, STF Executive mem-ber or senior administrativestaff member, is a teacher,”she underscored.

According to Dueck, thecommon denominator amongthese folks is that at theheart of our individual andcollective efforts is a shareddesire to raise the statusof the teaching profession; toattain for teachers a greatervoice in education affairs;and to secure for teachers,conditions that will supportthem providing the bestpossible service to thestudents entrusted to ourcollective care.

“In spite of the challengeswe have experienced thisyear, both internally andexternally, every day theFederation has attended tothe important work it is man-dated to do on behalf ofteachers,” she said, addingthat part of the address is notonly to reflect but also toforeshadow what the Federa-tion needs to attend to.

Referencing the AnnualMeeting of Council Reportsdocument, Dueck said it con-tained detailed accountsof the important work theFederation has undertakenduring this past year onbehalf of teachers and theteaching profession, on behalfof the students we serve andon behalf of the public educa-tion system in Saskatchewan,“where children are the heartand teachers are the soul.”

Dueck spoke specificallyof the undertaking with edu-cation partners of what isanticipated to be the ground-breaking work of the TaskForce on Teacher Time,which began its work on

April 22 under the chairman-ship of Andy Sims. “The time-line for the Task Force isfirm, the commitment of theappointed members to theTask Force is strong and theexpectations of teachers thatreal and credible solutionswill be implemented as aresult of this work are high.”

Dueck also highlighted thetenacious contribution of theExecutive and staff–on behalfof teachers–in the formationof the Saskatchewan Profes-sional Teachers RegulatoryBoard, which is expected totransition into operation overthe coming months.

“An inordinate amount ofwork has helped us to movethis endeavour beyond thedisappointingly predictablerecommendations containedin the 2013 report, authoredby Dr. Kendel, toward a prin-cipled and robust system ofself-regulation that honoursthe public trust and raisesthe status of the teachingprofession. We remain com-mitted to working with thetransition committee over thenext year as the RegulatoryBoard becomes operational.

“We can and should beproud that the transitioncommittee achieved whatwas committed to in theMemorandum of Agreementsigned last May–a teacher-led, uniquely Saskatchewanstructure that strengthensthe current system withoutimposing unreasonableburdens on teachers.”

According to Dueck, theprocess of establishing theSPTRB is a sterling exampleof how–even when things areborne out of controversy–theFederation perseveres, work-ing collaboratively with thepartners in education to findreal and lasting solutionsthat reflect the shared valueswe hold in the province.

“Anyone who questions theprofessional commitment ofteachers and their desire towork collaboratively in theeducation sector need only toexamine how the Federationset aside its deep disappoint-ment and frustration at howthis regulatory review cameabout to work tirelessly withour partners to create anentity that–if it is managedand regulated well–in accor-dance with its legislatedmandate, will serve thisprovince for generations tocome,” she underscored.

Taking direct aim at someof the characterization of the

STF by those on the outsidelooking in, Dueck said, “I amgoing to describe for you theFederation as it exists today–not as others in the main-stream media or socialmedia, for that matter, wouldlike to portray it.

“The Saskatchewan Teach-ers’ Federation is a powerfulprofessional organization inthis province propelled by thestrength, courage, commitmentand dedication of teachers.

“This year we have dealtwith many distractions,expending an inordinateamount of time, energy and hu-man resources on matters thatare not congruent with themission of this organization.”

Dueck went further byadding that, “I would suggestthat the Federation shouldnot and cannot be defined bythose who want to diminishit, described by those whowant to divide it or driven bythose who want to malign it.”

Dueck reminded those inattendance, including thosewho have suggested therehas been a sense of discon-nect between teachers andthe Federation, that betweenmeetings of Council thisgoverning body entrusts thework of the Federation tothe Executive, comprised ofleaders who act in good faithand make decisions basedon the best interests ofthe profession.

“This complex governancestructure of the Federationwith its various checks and bal-ances has remained relativelyconsistent over time. Council’spower has always been to bringdefinition to the Federation’sshared governance modelthrough the establishment ofbylaws and policies.

“This is a significant role,and with that comes the

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Executive Director Gwen Dueckwas more blunt than normal in her characterization of the past yearin review for councillors.

weight of responsibility fordetermining how the Federa-tion will be perceived andrespected, both internallyand externally. Just as it hasalways been, the decisionsthat Council makes willimpact the Federation of thefuture–the Federation thenext generation of teacherswill inherit.”

Dueck also did not shyaway from the debate sur-rounding roles and responsi-bilities, emphasizing that“it’s not a question of who hasmore power in this organiza-tion. Shared leadership andresponsibility rests with all ofthe governing bodies in thisorganization as well as withthe staff who dedicate theirlives to fulfilling the mandatewe have been given.”

In her address, Dueck ac-knowledged the fact thatsome of the issues the Feder-ation has had to deal withrecently have been largelyself-inflicted.

“Regretfully, some of thecurrent myths being toldabout the Federation are try-ing to distract and divide uson those very questions aboutpower. Some of these voicespit teacher against teacher,Executive against Council,local association against localassociation, membershipagainst staff and the Federa-tion against other partners inthe sector. It is time for us tocreate alternate discourses.”

Dueck drew attention to thefact that there are hopefulsigns regarding re-establish-ment of better relationshipswith other education partners,noting her conviction thatthose teachers in this roomand in the classrooms acrossthe province want strongrelationships between andamong all of the partners ineducation.

“Teachers have noticed andappreciate the attempts by thegovernment to re-engage withteachers, through the Federa-tion, before important educa-tion decisions are made. Butwe have more work to do. Wehope and expect that the gov-ernment will recognize thatwithout the Federation at thetable, the voice of teachers islost, along with generations ofknowledge and expertiseabout the realities of teachingand learning.

“Likewise, the Federationhas a continued commitmentto work closely with schoolboards, locally and provincial-ly, to establish, implement andsustain the educational initia-tives and directions set by theMinistry,” she added.

Dueck reminded council-lors that the SaskatchewanTeachers’ Federation is apowerful professional organi-zation determined to moveforward with dignity and

integrity. “This organizationwas built on teacher leader-ship, sustained by teacherleadership and will bepropelled forward by teacherleadership–thoughtful, ethi-cal, transparent and respon-sible teacher leadership.”

Dueck reaffirmed the needfor a strong, unified organiza-tion, noting that compromisetakes not only courage butalso an innate understandingthat what is best for thecollective supersedes possibleself-interest.

“I can think of no betterexample of this than thewhole world of social mediaand the way it impacts ourdaily lives in so many ways.There seems to be a generalacceptance that it is all rightto air one’s unfiltered viewswithout any regard for how itmight be perceived by others.

“Naively and erroneously,there are some who seem tothink that these conversa-tions are in some way privateand that this is an acceptableforum for debate anddialogue, but nothing couldbe further from the truth. Wewant our students to experi-ence safety and respect, sowhy would we not want thatfor ourselves as well?”

Again referencing the past,while contemplating thefuture, Dueck said notions offairness and equity under-pinned the very formation ofthe Federation. These are notmerely laudable, but funda-mental causes that the Federa-tion has always believedin, even when it requiredconsiderable diligence andpatience to advance the cause.

“Unanimous agreementwithin the membership oncertain critical topics is utopi-an thinking, but that shouldnot stand in the way of usworking together as a collec-tive to strengthen possiblyfrayed relationships thatoccur when outside influ-ences impact teachers’ dailylives in a negative way. Letus leave these myths ofbrokenness to those outsidethis honourable profession.

“Those of us who believepassionately in what we doneed to strengthen our com-mitments to working togeth-er to find the sometimeselusive solutions to the issuesthat we face. It means every-one in this room needs toassume their own personalresponsibility in workingtogether for the commongood,” Dueck said.

As if to corroborate the con-tents of her address, it wasgreeted by a standing ovationand rapturous applause bymany, while others weredecidedly more lukewarm. n

Although thereweren’t as manysmall group ses-sions as some yearsdue to an overallbusy schedule atCouncil, they remainan integral part ofthe discussion thatteachers engage induring the event.Here Verne Barbermakes a point whiletablemates eitherlisten or make notesin response.

Dueck addresses challenges, realities in candid Council address

Page 4 • Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015

In her first speech to theAnnual Meeting of Council,Saskatchewan School BoardsAssociation President ConnieBailey took a page out ofpredecessor Janet Foord’sbook when she extolled thevirtues of the historic collabo-rative relationship betweenteachers and school boards inthe province.

“School board trustees andteachers have a long historyof working together towardthe shared goal of ensuringsuccess for the studentsof our province,” Baileyemphasized.

“Boards of education areproud of the partnerships

and collaboration in theeducation sector–all of usstriving for the best possibleeducational opportunitiesand outcomes for all studentsin our province,” she added.

Bailey shared with council-lors that 2015 has beenproclaimed “the year of theschool trustee” in Saskat -chewan to acknowledge andhonour the SSBA’s 100-yearhistory of supporting studentachievement and success.

“Local autonomy and gov-ernance have been thefoundations of educationsince–and even before–Saskatchewan officially be-came a province. Local people

came together to build aschool, form a school boardand hire a teacher to educatethe children in the communi-ty,” Bailey said.

“The work of the SSBA andits member boards remainsdeeply rooted in the beliefthat every child in Sask -atchewan, regardless ofwhere they live or their per-sonal circumstances, musthave the resources andsupports they need to achieveand succeed,” she said.

“Boards of education recog-nize and appreciate theimportant work of the thou-sands of teachers acrossSaskatchewan–teachers whohave a most crucial role inensuring the success of thestudents of our province.

“You have our sincerethanks for your efforts tosupport the achievement ofstudents, and boards ofeducation want to continueworking with you in the ser-vice of students,” Bailey said.

Bailey referenced the re-port of the Joint Committeeon Student and Teacher Time

Education Minister Don Morgan and Saskatchewan School BoardsAssociation President Connie Bailey listen to presentations by fellowspeakers during opening day of the Annual Meeting of Council.

Editorial

So what does it really mean?It would be your call which of the phrases might be

more applicable in this case: fortune favours the brave orbe careful what you wish for if you’re in the other camp.

Clearly at this year’s Annual Meeting of Council therewere two distinct groups, and when the votes had beentabulated in the elections, it wasn’t so much the winds ofchange as a typhoon.

So it was with the one-two combination of Regina-based educators Patrick Maze and Debbie Wardemerging as President and Vice-President, while someconnected with the current Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation Executive collectively drew the short straw.Subsequently the carnage extended to the voting for theremaining members of the Executive where the patternlargely continued for incumbents.

Those 200-plus teachers attending from throughout theprovince were in no mood for the status quo or opting tofavour the option of experience and moderation that wasbeing served up as an alternative. Unlike past years, itwas hardly a matter of following the natural order.

Those who quite intentionally chose to advocatestrongly for an overhaul in terms of how things had beendone in the last year or two were the ones who resonatedwith councillors who were feeling frustrated and, bytheir characterization at least, somewhat out of the loop.

Theirs was not so much a message of renewal ortweaking the current way of doing business as it wasasking those who were casting ballots to contemplatea whole new approach–that they were promised wouldinclude more of their influence in future decisions aswell as vowing to improve communication between theFederation and its members.

Pardon me if I’m being the devil’s advocate here andsuggest a voice of caution–and it’s not because I amunwilling to acknowledge the need for a change if that’swhat the majority craves.

Sure it’s great for councillors to have this euphoricfeeling that they are now going to see a tangible newdirection and how, now that they have spoken, thingsare going to improve.

Let’s go with that notion for a moment, but at the sametime perspective is also required here. Perhaps the meresound of the big picture smacks of an unwillingnessto embrace change, but people, let’s not kid ourselvesthat in the grand scheme of things, the Federation, andcertainly Council, don’t ultimately hold the cards when itcomes to the majority of education-related issues.

There is the inescapable factor of government first andforemost. Trust me they aren’t likely to suddenly rollover and offer everything up on a plate for teachersbecause there are new folks in positions of supposedpower. Not a chance!

By all means we can hope for renewal and perhapsimproved relationships between the teachers and theFederation, but it would be incongruous to suggest thosewho had sacrificed so much of their own time, and ironi-cally their own reputations, in recent years weren’ttrying to do the very same thing for the collective. Timewill tell how this great swell of change will turn out, butinescapably it’s easier to be the ones calling for changethan to actually facilitate such.

The Saskatchewan Bulletin is published10 times during the school year by theSaskatchewan Teachers’ Federation.Contributions to the Bulletin are wel-come and will be used when possible.Al l material is subject to edit ing.Requests for coverage by Bulletin staffshould be received at least threeweeks before the event.

Editor: Jens Nielsen

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064493Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses To:

Editorial Office 2317 Arlington Avenue Saskatoon SK S7J 2H8Tel: 306-373-1660/1-800-667-7762Fax: 306-374-1122Email: bulletin@stf.sk.ca

©2015. For permission to reprint, pleasecontact the editorial office. Indexed in theCanadian Education Index ISSN 0036-4886Member of the Canadian Educational PressAssociation and the Educational PressAssociation of AmericaReturn postage guaranteed.

as another success resultingfrom building relationshipsin recent months.

“It is so important that wecontinue to work collab -oratively as a sector onimplementing the recommen-dations of that report. Itshould be noted that some ofthe recommendations aredirected toward local boardand teacher processes. This isa challenge to all of usand meeting it starts withengagement. It is importantto examine what opportuni-ties have been undertakenrecently and what plans arein place to more deliberatelyengage with teachers.”

Bailey summed up herpresentation by acknowledg-ing that, while much haschanged during our organiza-tion’s 100-year history,change will continue in thefuture, “but our history hasshown us that workingtogether–building relation-ships to build success–is theway to address the manyand diverse challenges thatwe face.” n

Education Minister DonMorgan readily acknowl-edged when he assumed theportfolio 18 months ago, rela-tions with the province’steachers were at a fairly lowebb due in large part to whathad been a particularly acri-monious previous round ofprovincial collective bargain-ing, which had seen the first-ever time teachers hadengaged in job action.

In an interview followinghis address to the AnnualMeeting of Council he said,while he couldn’t pinpoint anexact turning point for athawing in relations, Morgansaid it had been a priority forthe government “and we stillconsider this a start andthere is more work to do torepair those relationships.”

Morgan suggested it wassignificant that Premier BradWall had reached out to teach-ers by personally visiting class-rooms and talking to teachersin the summer of 2013. Sincethen Morgan has also visitedclassrooms and he said it hadbeen an eye-opening, enlight-ening experience.

“That’s the best thing youcan do is to spend timesitting in the back of a class-room and watch what goes onand the appetite for learning.It’s easy to be an armchairquarterback and everyonehas their own opinion ofeducation, but ultimately youneed to experience it for your-self to gain an appreciationfor what it is teachers doevery day.”

In his address Morgan alsooffered that over the past

year, progress has been madein the positive workingrelationships with sectorpartners, including the Sask -atchewan Teachers’ Federa-tion, and the distance wehave come to work togetherfor the benefit of teachersand, ultimately, the students.

“Our relationship is ex-tremely valuable to meetingthe priorities and goals out-lined in the Education SectorStrategic Plan. The Ministryhas also been focusing onlistening to teachers and iscontinuing to provide themwith the respect we all knowthey deserve. We have madeprogress; we still have a longways to go.”

As an example of his com-ment in the subsequent inter-view that the job of the Min-istry is to support teachers, hereferenced the reallocation offunding to Supports forLearning, as opposed to beingtargeted for standardized test-ing, as was the original intent.

“Based on what you toldus, we know this funding isan important way to provideadditional frontline resourcesthat support students wherethey need it most.

“And your input was neces-sary as school divisions deter-mined how to invest thatfunding. Student and teachervoices are essential to im-proving education outcomesfor Saskatchewan students,”Morgan stated.

According to the Minister,it was through conversationswith students, parents andteachers during the StudentFirst engagements we

learned that alternativepathways to graduation areimportant. He added that thegovernment fully supportsthis and is committed toexpanding alternative path-ways for high school studentsin 2015.

“Our government respectsthe critical role of Saskat -chewan teachers and themany challenges they face inaddressing the diverse andcomplex needs of students inrural, urban and northernareas of the province. That iswhy your input is so impor-tant to the direction we takewith the Education SectorStrategic Plan.”

Morgan assured those inattendance that, in spite ofchallenging economic times,education remains a priorityfor government, referringto this year’s budget, inparticular.

“As you likely know, the2015-16 budget provides a 2.8per cent increase in educa-tion spending compared tolast year, including nearly$1.87 billion in total schooldivision operating funding,which is an increase of 2.9per cent.

“The budget also provides a$150 million increase in capi-tal for PreK-12 schools, mak-ing this the largest allocationfor school construction andrenovation in our province'shistory,” he added.

Morgan indicated there iscurrently an opportunity toallow ourselves to take a clos-er look at what we do andevaluate what we do as itrelates to our shared goals.“And if we need to give our-

selves permission to stop andre-evaluate the things thataren't helping us to reachthose goals, we should neverhesitate to admit thingsaren't working as well asthey should and if we need tomake changes.

“Now, more than ever, weneed to look toward the fu-ture and ensure that we arepreparing Saskatchewan stu-dents for both the opportuni-ties and the challenges theywill face–and we can't do thatwithout you,” he said.

Morgan acknowledged thatmany teachers are experienc-ing increased demands bothin and outside the classroom.

“This is an issue we takeseriously and are going tocontinue to address, which iswhy the Ministry, along withthe Saskatchewan SchoolBoards Association and theSTF, participated in a JointCommittee on Student andTeacher Time. It is complexand we will proceed cautious-ly with the consultations. Asa result of the work donebetween October and Janu-ary, a joint report wasreleased in February and wehave agreed to the creation ofa Task Force on Teacher Time.

“This nine-person TaskForce, made up of STF, SSBAand government members,will play a critical role in ad-dressing teacher time andworkload intensification.However, we recognize thatthis is just the beginning andmore work needs to be doneto address these issues. In or-der to do that, it's vital thatwe involve teachers and ourpartners at every step of theway. When education part-ners listen to and respect oneanother, the positive out-comes benefit teachers andthe sector for years to come,”he said. n

Morgan cites key role of relationships

Bailey sees collaboration as important for future

Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015 • Page 5

As Saskatchewan Teach-ers’ Federation PresidentColin Keess said, annuallythe President addresses theAnnual Meeting of Counciland reports on the work ofthe Federation and particu-larly the work of the STFExecutive and its committeesover the past year.

“As with previous years, ithas been a very busy year,not only in terms of the ongo-ing governance of the organi-zation, but also in terms ofour advocacy efforts ona number of issues in publiceducation, and students’ andteachers’ lives today.

“Leadership, vision, fidu-ciary responsibility, steward-ship and advocacy are keyresponsibilities of the STFExecutive in fulfilling its roleof managing and regulatingthe affairs of the Federation.”

According to Keess, “in ourleadership role, the STFExecutive provides thestrategic direction to achievethe Federation’s missionand vision. When makingdecisions, the Executive con-siders the provincewide orbig picture, and bases ourdecision-making on what isin the best interest of theentire membership and witha view to protect the publicinterest, and promote thecommon good of publiclyfunded education and theteaching profession.

“As an Executive, we fulfilour stewardship role with thebest of intentions and to thebest of our abilities withinthe changing context of theorganization and the educa-tion sector.”

Speaking to those in atten-dance, Keess pointed out thatthey represented the gamutof the teaching professionfrom university teacher can-didates right through tosuperannuated teachers.

He indicated that the Exec-utive constantly finds itselfhaving to respond to trendsin an always-changing envi-ronment, with the focus beingon moving forward.

“It’s often a coming togeth-er of different visions andthat makes us richer,” hesaid, adding that it’s all partof an evolving role for theFederation.

Keess said this year’s workof the Executive falls underthree main categories: vision-ing and strategic planning;governance; and advocacyand representation.

“This past year, the Execu-tive Visioning and StrategicPlanning Committee hascontinued its focus on thedevelopment of vision, mis-sion and value statementsand renewing the strategicplan for the Federation. Thecurrent strategic planningprocess has been informed byongoing consultations and

discussions with individualsand groups of members, a re-view of existing data and anenterprise risk managementprocess that was conductedDeloitte. With the hard workof the Committee and manyothers, it is anticipated thatthe new strategic plan willbe approved by the STF Exec-utive as a whole in June2015,” he explained.

Prefacing the extensivegovernance work of the Exec-utive, Keess insisted, “it’sexciting work, and not mun-dane as some might believe.”

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President Colin Keess deliversthe President’s Address in which he touched on a number ofinitiatives that the Federation has been involved in.

Nevertheless, his colleaguesdidn’t seem convinced.

“The Executive GovernanceCommittee is tasked withdeveloping and maintainingawareness of, commitment toand practice of all aspects ofgood governance with theSTF Executive and withinthe Federation as a whole.In its work, the Committeeregularly develops and re-views Executive policies thatexpress the principles of goodgovernance and guide processfor the Executive and, insome cases, board decision-making and the implementa-tion of decisions.

“The Committee alsoreviews the governance rela-tionships between andamongst the STF Executive,the pension and benefit planboards, the Council, localassociations, members andstaff of the Federation. Itstudies the principles andpractices of good governancefor not-for-profit organiza-tions and makes recommen-dations for the considerationof the Executive as a whole.”

Keess noted that the workof the governance committeethis year has been focused intwo main areas: bylaw reviewand the development of com-mon foundational polices forthe STF Executive andboards of the Federation.

“The STF Executive, whilefocused on our role as stew-ards and trustees of theFederation, also plays a sig-nificant role in advocating forthe well-being, interests andrights of students and teach-ers at many tables. In ourExecutive role, we advancethe Federation’s policy-basedbeliefs and goals of teacherswith elected officials andothers in the education com-munity and beyond. Themain purpose of our efforts isto express the collective voiceof the membership on educa-tion and issues affecting theteaching profession.

“In 2014-15, a key advocacyfocus of STF Executive mem-bers was provincial collectivebargaining. Robust discus-sion occurred at every step ofthe process prior to makingmany challenging decisions.In all of our work and deci-sion-making, we were guidedby the proposals and resolu-tions adopted by Council, andongoing analysis of thecurrent context and opportu-nities present during negotia-tions,” Keess said.

Referring to the somewhatcontentious provincial collec-tive bargaining process andultimate outcome, Keess said

the STF Executive took thestrong advice of the concilia-tion board to accept theTerms of Settlement outlinedin its final report. In theboard’s and the Executive’sview, they saw no possibilityof agreement on any termsmore favourable to eitherparty and believed that therecommended terms repre-sented the best agreementpossible given the circum-stances and the interests ofall parties.

On yet another matter, heoutlined how, in late Febru-ary, the STF Executive tookpart in a meeting with theeducational partners regard-ing the work of the JointCommittee on Student andTeacher Time and an inter-pretive session on the Concil-iation Board Report and the2013-2017 Provincial Collec-tive Bargaining Agreement.The meeting was attended bylocal association presidents,vice-presidents, school divi-sion board chairs and vice-chairs, CEOs, SaskatchewanSchool Boards AssociationExecutive and staff, as wellas STF Executive and staff.

“As a group, we engaged indiscussion around the reportof the Joint Committee onStudent and Teacher Timewith a particular focus on therecommendations and actionplan. Participants were alsoprovided with the opportuni-ty to delve into the Concilia-tion Board Report and askquestions regarding theimplementation of theProvincial Collective Bar-gaining Agreement.”

Keess also touched on howthe STF Executive membershave provided ongoing feed-back on the Education SectorStrategic Plan with anemphasis on promoting moremeaningful teacher engage-ment in the process.

“Most recently, in February2015, STF Executive mem-bers participated in a full-dayConnecting the Dots feedbacksession facilitated by theMinistry of Education as partof the Education SectorStrategic Plan stakeholderengagement process. Thesession provided an opportu-nity for Executive membersto share their perspectiveswith Ministry officials andschool division leaders tostrengthen the plan.

“In February 2015, the STFExecutive participated in ajoint meeting with the Sask -atchewan School BoardsAssociation Executive. Thetwo parties came together, asthey do from time to time, tostrengthen relationships anddiscuss current issues ofimportance in the educationsector,” he said, adding thatrespectful relationships amongthe partners are critical.

“Through all of these en-gagement opportunities witheducational partners, wehave continued to advocateon behalf of teachers and theteaching profession, empha-sizing the need for the time,resources and supports teach-ers require to be successful.

“Though at times very diffi-cult decisions were required,we, as STF Executive mem-bers, have approached ourresponsibilities of leadership,vision, fiduciary responsibili-ty, stewardship and advocacywith the best of intentions, tothe best of our abilities andin the best interest ofthe entire membership,” heemphasized. n

Gordon Hamilton was morethan happy to share withthose attending the AnnualMeeting of Council what theTeachers’ Bargaining Commit-tee experienced during provin-cial collective bargaining.

As a lawyer with a richhistory of labour negotiations(for both sides), there waslittle doubt Hamilton wassuccinctly direct and nothesitant to engage inthe bare-knuckle arena thatsometimes passes for collec-tive bargaining.

He gave councillors theunvarnished, first-personaccount of why the mostrecent round of provincialcollective bargaining had re-sulted in both the Teachers’Bargaining Committee andthe Government-Trustee Bar-gaining Committee agreeingto the terms contained in theConciliation Board Report.

While there was consider-able grumbling amongmembers of the teaching pro-fession that they were notafforded the chance to vote onthe agreement, Hamiltonmade it abundantly clearthat time was of the essencein what had become a quicklyshifting economic landscapeinfluenced greatly by the sud-den drop in oil price revenuesfor the provincial coffers.

“It was a very crazy perfectstorm and it was the onlyreasonable choice we had.I prefer to be standing infront of you with what wemanaged to get as opposed toanswering questions as towhy we took it back to themembership for a vote giventhe very tight time frame. Inhindsight it was a very toughround of provincial bargain-ing, but overall we came outunscathed and without jeop-ardizing students, or teach-ers’ livelihood,” Hamiltonsaid in referring to the nearlyeight per cent, four-yearagreement achieved.

Corroborating what concili-ation board chairperson Andy

Sims had stated in an earlierinterview with the Sask -atchewan Bulletin, Hamiltonassured councillors this wasthe best deal possible againstthe backdrop of the provincialgovernment’s impending pub-lic service wage freeze.

“We didn’t know abouttomorrow and the govern-ment couldn’t promise itwould be there in a week.That’s the spot we were inand it was made very clearthe government wasn’t goingto come with any more mon-ey. The gut check for us waslooking around at the land-scape,” Hamilton said inreference to an extensivecomparative analysis.

He assured councillorsthat the SaskatchewanTeachers’ Federation andthe Teachers’ BargainingCommittee had done exten-sive homework and thatevery proposal presented hadbeen thoroughly researched.

“We did manage to getthem to re-evaluate theirposition, but basically theirrole was to hold fast andthere was very little room forthem to move. It took muchlonger than we had anticipat-ed or wanted,” he said. n

Hamilton underscores the real risksbargaining vote held for committee

Council information availableResolutions and notices of motion that were passed, referredor tabled at this year’s Saskatchewan Teachers’ FederationAnnual Meeting of Council are posted on the Federationwebsite at www.stf.sk.ca > Who We Are > Council.

Results for resolutions that refer to collective bargaining issuesor processes are intended for Federation members only andare posted on the For Members section of the Federationwebsite at www.stf.sk.ca > For Members > Council.

Resolutions and notices of motion that appeared in the 2015Elections and Resolutions Information booklet but do notappear here were defeated.

Gordon Hamilton offered his usual frank and to-the-point assess-ment in reviewing the provincial collective bargaining process.

Keess touches all the bases in reviewing busy year for STF

Page 6 • Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015

One of the recurringthemes in today’s publiceducation realm is increas-ingly that of social justice.While that tends to cover asignificantly wide scope,there is no arguing that thisyear’s three recipients ofthe Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation Arbos awardshave all embodied thisthroughout their respectivecareers as educators.

Dianne Woloschuk, Patri-cia Prowse and StarlaGrebinski are the latestnames to be added to thisprestigious roll of honourfollowing this year’s AnnualMeeting of Council.

The consummate profes-sional, Dianne Woloschukhas proven time and againthrough her dedication, herclarity of purpose and herhumility, that the interestsof her fellow teachers arealways at the forefront ofher mind.

Throughout her career,Woloschuk has been a shin-ing example of leadership forthe profession, including inher current role as Presidentof the Canadian Teachers’Federation. It is thereforefitting that she is the recipi-ent of the Arbos for Contribu-tions to the ProfessionalOrganization.

Prior to assuming her roleas President with the nation-al organization, she servedfor three years as CTF Vice-President and is completing atwo-year term as President ofthe organization.

During her term at thehelm, Woloschuk has guidedthe CTF through manychallenges with integrity andoutstanding leadership.While attending to the gover-nance work of the CTF, shehas also written and spokenpassionately about importantsocial justice issues such aschild poverty, gender-basedviolence and access topublicly funded education.

Prior to embarking on herrole with the CTF, Woloschukhad been President ofthe Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation from 2007 to 2011,which had been the culmina-tion of her involvementprovincially and locally.

She served as secretary,communications chair, vice-president and councillor withher local association inSaskatoon before joining theSTF Executive, serving firstas an Executive member from2004 to 2007 and thenas President.

Joining the STF Executivein the midst of a period ofsignificant governance re-newal, Woloschuk helped tosteer the Federation throughthe implementation ofthe recommendations of theGovernance of the TeachingProfession in Saskatchewan:The Final Report of theGovernance Review Commit-tee, major revisions to Feder-ation bylaws and the passageof The Teachers’ FederationAct, 2006. This work ensuredthe Federation had a gover-nance structure which wasrobust and responsive to theneeds of the membership.Throughout this process,Woloschuk immersed herselfin the work and along theway acquired deep knowledgeof governance practices,while acting as a steadyingforce guiding this complexand multi-faceted work.

With a teaching career that

began in 1977, Woloschukhas provided more than 35years of service as a dedicat-ed and passionate educator inboth rural and urban schoolsin Saskatchewan, mostrecently with the GreaterSaskatoon Catholic SchoolDivision.

Woloschuk obtained abachelor of education degreein 1977 and a bachelor of artsdegree in 1998 with great distinction and majors inEnglish and French from theUniversity of Regina. Shewent on to obtain a master’sdegree in education from theUniversity of Saskatchewanin 2004.

While leadership is oftena difficult balancing act,Patricia Prowse is one ofthose individuals who makesit look easy regardless of thesize of the task. As a resultProwse is the latest recipientof the Arbos for Distin-guished Support of Educationand the Teaching Profession.

Her leadership style, aswell as her unmistakable pas-sion for teaching and learn-ing, and students, was nevermore evident than in her roleas a Student First advisorwith the Ministry of Educa-tion. Along with recentlyretired Royal CanadianMounted Police AssistantCommissioner Russ Mirasty,the two participated in anambitious provincewideengagement session to gatherfeedback from students,parents and caregivers, teach-ers and the broader educationsector on how to improve theeducation system.

Their work has been widelylauded by all public educa-tion stakeholders, and any-one who has had the chanceto hear either of the two talkabout their experiences can’thelp but be motivated andhopeful that their discussionguide will be adopted by theMinistry in the years aheadas a way to honour thestories they heard.

Prowse offered a whole-hearted approach to thiswork, which respected all theparties involved and madeeach participant feel valued.The result of this work wassomething to which theteachers of Saskatchewancould feel a connection, in nosmall part thanks to theauthentic way in which

dedication have been recog-nized by many differentorganizations. She hasreceived the SaskatchewanSchool-Based Administrators’Award for the DistinguishedAdministrator of the Year in2003 and the CanadianAssociation of Principals’ Dis-tinguished Principal of theYear Award in 2004. In 2013she received the YWCAWomen of Distinction Leader-ship and Management Awardand the Saskatoon Fire andProtective Services ShieldAward for comunity service.

Passionate, visionary, com-mitted, supportive–through-out her career Starla Grebin-ski has embodied so many ofthe attributes we know trulygreat teachers possess. Shehas shown through actionand dedication that teacherscan make a difference in thelives of their students andthe community as a whole.Her tireless devotion to herstudents and the communi-ties in which they live makesher the ideal choice for theArbos for Contributions toEducation and the TeachingProfession.

Grebinski has given 31years of service to the schoolsof Regina through both theRegina Public and Catholicschool systems. Since 2006she has been the principal ofSacred Heart CommunitySchool, a school which serves

an area of Regina dubbed byMaclean’s magazine in Janu-ary 2007 as “Canada’s worstneighbourhood.”

Recognizing that this com-munity was so much morethan a negative headline,Grebinski set out to provide apositive focus for the stu-dents of her school by imple-menting the AcceleratedReading Program as a sup-plement to the regular cur-riculum. Through monthlyreading nights and a renewedfocus on working alongsideparents and grandparentsand welcoming their partici-pation in the school, the pro-gram encourages students toread. As a result of her innov-ative work, the students ofSacred Heart CommunitySchool have shown increasedattendance, a significant im-provement in reading and theschool is recognized as a safeplace for students to learn.

It is this commitment toensuring that each daystudents are given the bestchance to learn and grow in asafe and caring environment,and for the exceptional exam-ple of leadership and commit-ment she provides in carryingout the important work thatembodies the very best of theteaching profession.

Grebinski has receivednumerous awards and recog-nition for her leadership andcommitment to education,including a Learning Partner-ship Award for Canada’s Out-standing Principals in 2013,Saskatchewan Reading Coun-cil’s 2014 Administrator’sAward and being named aPaul Harris Fellow by theRotary Club of Regina Oskayain 2014. She has soughtto share her expertise withothers through her involve-ment with a number of specialsubject councils, and throughconference presentations andspeaking engagements at theUniversity of Regina.

Her passion for equityand social justice led herto suggest changes to theSaskatchewan Teachers’Retirement Plan to providemore equitable benefits tomembers accessing parentingleave and to pursue thesechanges through resolutionsto the Annual Meeting ofCouncil in the 1990s.

Grebinski attended theUniversity of Regina, whereshe earned a bachelor ofeducation degree in 1983 anda master’s of education inadministration in 2005. n

Social justice, equity are hallmarks for Arbos recipients

It was a night to savour for the most recent Arbos award recipients as (from left) Patricia Prowse, Starla Grebinski and Dianne Woloschuk prepared for the event to follow.

Show of handsVoting on the numerous resolutions and notices of motion in the small group sessions helps setthe stage for the final day plenary session at the STF Annual Meeting of Council.

Prowse and Mirasty ap-proached it.

Currently back in her roleas superintendent of educa-tion with Saskatoon PublicSchools, Prowse has 34 yearsof experience as a teacher, aschool-based administratorand a central office adminis-trator. Some of her accom-plishments have includedstrategic work on FirstNations, Inuit and Métiseducation, and the Safe,Caring and Accepting Schoolsprogram. She has also takena leadership role in imple-menting the use of a ViolenceThreat Risk Assessmentmodel and the developmentof many different community-based partnerships.

As a Federation member,Prowse had a vital role inthe creation of professionaldevelopment modules forprincipals and served on theSaskatchewan School-BasedAdministrators’ ProfessionalDevelopment Program Steer-ing Committee from 2001 to2005. Her work as a commit-tee member and facilitatorenriched the experience ofso many Saskatchewanprincipals.

Prowse holds a bachelor ofarts in psychology, a bachelorof education degree and amaster’s of education in ad-ministration, all from theUniversity of Saskatchewan.

Her commitment and

Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015 • Page 7

The Saskatchewan Bulletin accepts paid advertising believed to be of specific interest to Saskatchewan teachers. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that all advertisements are accurate, the publishers are not responsible for the content of any advertisement appearing in this publication.

Wondering what approaches Saskatchewan teachers are trying in their classrooms?

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November 20, 2015

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Debbie Pushor, University of Saskatchewan, will share her passion for designed research in which parents, educators and university personnel work together as co-researchers.

Concurrent Sessions and Poster Display

Nine interactive sessions and posters focusing on classroom-based explorations into teaching and learning.

Featured Presentation Topics

• Elementary and secondary Cree language. • Techniques to improve student engagement:

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$20 (includes GST, continental breakfast andhot lunch).

Registration and Information

Visit the McDowell Foundation website atwww.mcdowellfoundation.ca.

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Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation2317 Arlington Avenue, Saskatoon

GrowthOPPORTUNITIES

Professional

Embedding Formative Assessment Into Professional LearningJuly 13, 2015Part of the Facilitator Series, this day connects embeddedformative assessment and evaluation to a context of professional learning in order to better understand whereparticipants are at, allowing facilitators to respond appro-priately to learner needs. Target Audience: Professionallearning leaders/facilitators.

Planning and Organizing Professional Learning ExperiencesJuly 14, 2015Part of the Facilitator Series, this day provides processes,structures and practice in planning and organizing profes-sional learning opportunities that enhance teacher under-standing and empowers teachers to implement new ideas.Target Audience: Professional learning leaders/facilitators.

Designing Instruction in HumanitiesJuly 16, 2015This session will provide teachers with an opportunity todevelop a teaching and learning plan in the humanities.Target Audience: All grade levels.

Responding to Diversity: Differentiated InstructionJuly 16-17, 2015This workshop will enhance teacher ability to respond tothe diversity of students in classrooms by increasing understanding of culturally responsive pedagogy, differenti-ated instruction and assessment strategies. Target Audience: All educators.

Making Learning Visible in Kindergarten ClassroomsJuly 17, 2015Network with other kindergarten educators to deepen yourunderstanding of the Kindergarten curriculum and ChildrenFirst: A Resource for Kindergarten, while exploring ways toplan holistically, to honour family, community and culture,while including opportunities for project work, wonder andtechnology. Target Audience: Kindergarten teachers.

Important ChangesThis month, we are excited to unveil the new look for the Professional Growth

Opportunities program available to members. In addition to the new look, several

changes have been applied to summer programming and the registration process

for professional growth opportunities. For complete details, visit www.stf.sk.ca.

Cognitive Coaching – Days 1-4July 20-23, 2015The seminar will support teachers in developing communi-cation skills and in supporting others in their journeys ofpersonal and professional growth. Target Audience: Alleducators.

Structures for Differentiating Elementary MathematicsJuly 20, 2015Design your mathematics classroom structure to create adifferentiated learning experience without creating individu-alized learning programs for every child. Target Audience:Grades 1-5 teachers.

Structures for Differentiating Middle Years MathematicsJuly 21, 2015Explore the use of responsive stations as structures thatallow for individualized learning of middle years mathemat-ics without individualized planning. Target Audience: Grades 6-10 math teachers.

Strategies for English Language LearnersJuly 22, 2015Teachers of English language learners will discuss ways toincorporate their students into regular classes using differ-entiation strategies. Target Audience: Teachers teachinggrades 3-12 with English language learners.

Taking Environmental Science Out of the ClassroomJuly 23, 2015This session will provide teachers with an opportunity todevelop hands-on outdoor experiences for EnvironmentalScience 20. Target Audience: Environmental Science 20teachers.

Technology in Math Foundations and Pre-CalculusJuly 24, 2015Explore the use of technology within grades 10-12 mathfoundations and pre-calculus to enhance student under-standing of key mathematical ideas. Target Audience:Math foundations and pre-calculus teachers.

Multi-Graded Mathematics InstructionJuly 27, 2015Design your multi-graded mathematics classroom to meetthe needs of two curricula without requiring separate unitand lesson plans for each. Target Audience: Grades 1-9mathematics teachers.

Multi-Graded English Language ArtsJuly 28, 2015This workshop will support English language arts teachersin multi-graded classrooms. Target Audience: Teachers ofEnglish language arts in a multi-graded setting fromgrades 3-9.

Comprehension Strategies in all Subject AreasJuly 29, 2015Learn about a variety of teaching techniques that help stu-dents use comprehension strategies to understand ideasin all subject areas. Target Audience: Middle year andhigh school teachers.

Let’s Blend – Using Technology toDifferentiate in a Mathematics ClassroomJuly 30, 2015Plan for using technology in a meaningful way to enhancestudent learning in a blended mathematics classroom envi-ronment. Target Audience: Grades 3-8 math educators.

Inquiry LearningAugust 4-5, 2015This session will provide opportunities to plan for an inquiryclassroom by identifying a variety of strategies to developand deepen thinking skills and discuss assessment strate-gies. Target Audience: Elementary, middle and highschool teachers.

Developing Conceptual Understanding and Fluency with Place Value and AddingAugust 10, 2015Examine a learning progression, along with assessmentand instructional strategies, to assist learners to develop adeep understanding of place value and addition and sub-traction. Target Audience: Kindergarten-grade 9 mathteachers, resource teachers and learning coaches.

Developing Conceptual Understanding and Fluency With Multiplication and DivisionAugust 11, 2015Examine a learning progression, along with assessmentand instructional strategies, to assist learners to develop adeep understanding of multiplication and division. TargetAudience: Grades 3-9 mathematics teachers, resourceteachers and learning coaches.

Using the Smart Board to Enhance LearningAugust 12, 2015This one-day session will introduce teachers to the basicfeatures of a Smart Board and provide them with an oppor-tunity to practice using Smart Notebook to build interactivelessons. Target Audience: All educators who wish todevelop a basic understanding of how to use the SmartBoard.

Developing a Conceptual Understanding of FractionsAugust 13-14, 2015Create a learning progression, along with assessment andinstructional strategies, to assist learners to develop adeep understanding of fractions and fraction operations.Target Audience: Grades 3-10 mathematics teachers,resource teachers and learning coaches.

July 13 - August 14

For more information about these sessions or to register, visit our website:

www.stf.sk.ca

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Page 8 • Saskatchewan Bulletin • May 20, 2015

An opportunity to share your experiences

with your Federation!

Coming May/June 2015Member Survey

Watch for your emailed invitation to participate.

Harry Dahl Scholarships: Two $1000 scholarships forAcademics and Transitions. Deadline is May 31, 2015Yes I Can Awards: deadline is June 15, 2015. Awards onSunday, Sept. 20, 2015 @ the German Cultural Centre from2-4:00pmSafe and Caring Schools: CSSN Provincial Safe SchoolsConference: Monday, October 26, 2015 in ReginaMindfulness in the Classroom & Zones of RegulationWorkshop: Friday, October 30, 2015 @ the German CulturalCentre from 9-4:00 in Saskatoon, SK (PBIS Workshop comingin 2016)

www.saskcec.ca

Taking Your Place in theProfessional CommunityA Conference for Beginning Teachers

Monday and Tuesday, October 19 and 20, 2015Radisson Hotel – Saskatoon

Monday and Tuesday, October 24 and 25, 2015Travelodge South – Regina

Accreditation 2015

To assist in meeting the accreditation policyrequirements, the Saskatchewan Teachers’Federation is offering the following seminars.

These seminars will support teachers in meeting therequirements for accreditation for the first or secondsemester of the 2015-16 school year.

Saskatoon:Initial — Monday-Friday, July 6-10Renewal/Second — Monday-Wednesday, July 6-8

Regina:Initial — Monday-Friday, August 10-14Renewal/Second — Monday-Wednesday, August 10-12