Good morning, County! Happy Monday!
Well, this week marked our first attempt ever at a virtual Teacher Placement Process, and at the end of what was a pretty busy few days, it seems like the system worked fairly well. We were able to get folks into positions fairly quickly, and members seemed able to have their questions and concerns answered in a timely manner with the three local Presidents taking shifts. We ran into very few logistical issues, and the placements seemed to move along smoothly. Congratulations to all of you who secured positions, and best of luck to you in your new assignments!
Now, for any of you out there who were not eligible for TPP, there should still be ample opportunity for teachers to secure employment. Please keep an eye on MyHRCE, and ensure your resume is up to date. As well, if you are one of those teachers and you have any questions or concerns don’t be shy about reaching out. You can email me at halifaxcountylocal@nstu.ca, or try me on my cell (902) 499-0933.
I know that many of you have been wondering about how COVID is going to impact the governance of the NSTU and what is on and what is not. You should have received a memo last week about how Annual Council is going to unfold this year as a result of the COVID crisis. The plan is to hold Council 2020 on Saturday, October 3rd via virtual zoom meeting. Although it will undoubtedly be different from past years, the fact that it is going ahead at all is a bit of a good news story for our organization.
When it comes to the local, the Provincial Executive has developed a plan whereby local executives will approve a budget for next year that will be in place until we have our AGM. The AGM usually happens in June, but this year it will take place in October. Your local executive approved a working budget at a virtual meeting last Wednesday evening which will be presented to the membership in the fall for consideration.
When it comes to the local elected positions, all terms have been extended until October 31st. Elections for local executive positions will also take place in October at the AGM. When it comes to the local President position, that election will take place by universal suffrage on October 20th. Nominations for all positions are scheduled to open on September 3rd.
As with everything COVID, plans are subject to change, of course, but this is what has been approved for September. The local will be asking the provincial body for some assistance in holding virtual meetings come the fall, where we could easily be looking at one hundred participants.
That’s it for this week, County. Have a great few days and, as always, reach out if you have any particular questions or concerns.