Glossary of Terms - Surrey Teachers' Association

Whether you’re reading the Collective Agreement, attending an STA meeting, or navigating district resources, this page is here to help. Browse definitions for commonly used terms and acronyms, or jump to Ministry Designations for Students for an overview of the designation categories.

Commonly Used Terms

Term	Expanded Term	Definition
2SLGBTQIA+		Acronym for two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual, while + stands for other ways individuals express their gender and sexuality outside heteronormativity and the gender binary.
Admin	Administrator	Typically, the Principal and/or Vice Principal(s) at a school site.
ADST	Applied Design, Skills & Technologies	A curriculum area in BC schools that teaches students practical skills and problem-solving through hands-on learning in areas like technology, design, and trades.
AGM	Annual General Meeting	The primary governance meeting held each May where members elect the Executive Committee, approve the annual budget, make by-law changes, and set key association policies for the upcoming school year. It serves as a core decision-making body for the local teachers’ union, separate from other general meetings (SGMs) and the broader BCTF AGM.
ASD	Autism Spectrum Disorder	A developmental condition that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour, with support in schools tailored to each student’s strengths and needs.
Bargaining	Bargaining	Ongoing negotiations between the BCTF and the Employer when the Collective Agreement expires and requires renewal. Issues regarding salary, teacher workload, recruitment, and more are discussed.
BASES	Behavioural and Academic Support for Exceptional Students	A Secondary program or team that provides targeted academic and behavioral support to students with special needs to help them succeed in school.
BCBA	Board Certified Behaviour Analyst	A professional trained in applied behavior analysis who assesses and develops behavior support plans, often helping students with autism or other behavioral needs.
BCGEU	BC Government and Service Employees Union	A union that represents many support staff in schools, such as administrative workers, library assistants, and maintenance staff, advocating for their rights and working conditions.
BCPSEA	British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association	The organization that represents all public school districts in BC as the employer, helping negotiate collective agreements and provide guidance on employment and labour relations.
BCTF	BC Teachers’ Federation	The provincial union that represents and advocates for public school teachers in British Columbia.
BCTLA	BC Teacher Librarians’ Association	The provincial specialist association that supports teacher-librarians through professional learning, resources, and advocacy for school libraries.
Benefits		The employer provides the Provincial Extended Health Benefit Plan through Pacific Blue Cross.
Blended		An approach that combines in-person teaching with online or digital learning to provide a mix of instructional methods and flexible learning opportunities.
CA	Collective Agreement	The formal contract between the school district and union outlining working conditions, salary, and benefits.
Challenge/MACC	Multi-Age Cluster Class	This program is designed to provide academic challenges and social-emotional support for highly gifted students in Grades 5, 6 and 7 through an intellectual peer group, and conceptually advanced curriculum.
Convention		The STA convention is the largest teacher-planned conference for teachers in BC held yearly on the first Friday in May. We plan full programs with keynote speakers and workshops for members at several different sites, hosted at schools in our district, and we plan excursions as well.
CRC	Criminal Record Check	A background check conducted by the RCMP to ensure that individuals working with students do not have a criminal history that could pose a risk to children.
CTF	Canadian Teachers’ Federation	The national organization that represents and supports teacher unions across Canada on issues related to education, advocacy, and professional rights.
CUPE	Canadian Union of Public Employees	The union which represents many support staff in BC schools, such as IESW’s, clerical staff, and custodians, advocating for their working conditions and rights.
DEC	District Education Centre	The District Education Centre, which consolidates 27 different District departments from seven different sites, is located at 14033 92nd Ave.
DPA	Daily Physical Activity	A BC school requirement that ensures students engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each school day to support health and well-being.
DPAC	District Parent Advisory Council	A council made up of parent representatives from schools in the district that advises the school district on parent perspectives and supports parent engagement.
EC	Executive Committee	The STA Executive Committee are the Directors of the Association, ensuring that members’ rights are protected, concerns are addressed, and the Association runs effectively. Elected annually by members, this diverse team brings experience from various educational roles across Surrey.
ELL	English Language Learner	A student whose first language is not English and who is learning English while developing academic skills in school.
Employer		Can have two different meanings; either our School District or, more broadly, the Ministry of Education through the BCPSEA.
ESS	Employee Self Service	An on-line, web accessible view of your human resources and payroll information, including pay statements, T4 statements, and entitlement balances/usage details. It provides employee access to log absences, view/change absences, and apply for postings.
FOIPPA	Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act	A law in BC that sets rules for how public organizations, including schools, collect, use, and protect personal information.
Forced Transfer		Refers to an employee on a continuing assignment being designated for transfer because of a shift or decline in the enrollment in a school or subject area.
FSA	Foundation Skills Assessment	A province-wide test in BC for students in grades 4 and 7 that measures basic skills in reading, writing, and numeracy to help guide learning.
FTE	Full-Time Equivalent	A way to measure the workload of staff or students, where 1.0 FTE represents a full-time position or course load so 0.2 would represent 1 full day of teaching.
FTTO	Full-Time Table Officer	Full-time table officers are elected members of the STA who are released from their teaching assignments to manage the day-to-day affairs of the union office and oversee specific roles and responsibilities.
Grievance		A formal complaint by the STA or an individual member alleging a violation, misinterpretation, or improper application of the Collective Agreement or associated laws/rights. It’s a structured dispute resolution process to resolve conflicts over employment terms and conditions.
HR	Human Resources	This District department provides core human resource services and processes, including recruitment processes, employee documentation and record-keeping, benefits management, health and safety management, contract interpretation and negotiation, communication of human resource policies, dispatch of casual employees, conflict management and dispute resolution, and assistance in change management and reallocation of resources.
IB	International Baccalaureate	An internationally recognized educational program that offers challenging academic courses and emphasizes critical thinking, global awareness, and inquiry-based learning.
IEP	Individual Education Plan	A personalized plan developed for a student with special learning needs, outlining goals, accommodations, and strategies to support their learning success.
IESW/EA	Individual Education Support Worker (formerly Education Assistant)	A CUPE school staff member who supports students’ learning and development, often working one-on-one or in small groups under the guidance of a teacher.
IMS/IT	Information Management Services/Information Technology	The department which manages the district’s information and communication technology needs, from computers in classrooms to business, student, and library application systems.
In The Book		Certain positions require specialized education and experience. By providing evidence of the correct coursework, fulfilling the prerequisites and criteria, teachers can be added to the district qualified book in order to apply for specialized positions. The following jobs are some which require special qualifications: teacher librarian, music teacher, gifted/challenge, learner support teacher etc.
IST	Integration Support Teacher	A teacher who helps students with diverse learning needs fully participate in regular classrooms by providing academic, social, and behavioural support.
Job Action		A bargaining tool that can be used when the Union and the Employer are unable to reach a Collective Agreement through negotiations.
Job Sharing		Refers to two employees who elect to share a full-time position. Normally, the position will be shared 60/40 or 50/50.
LD	Learning Disability	A neurological condition that affects how a student processes, understands, or uses information, often requiring specialized support in learning.
LOA	Leave of Absence	A period of time when a teacher is officially away from work, approved by the school or district, for reasons such as health, family, or personal matters.
LOP	Letter of Permission	A Letter of Permission is a special permit that allows someone to teach without a teaching certificate in a particular school district for up to one school year. It is only to be used when a certified teacher is not available to fill a vacant position.
LOU	Letter of Understanding	A written agreement between the school district and employees or unions that clarifies or outlines specific terms, conditions, or arrangements within or pertaining to the Collective Agreement.
LST	Learner Support Team	A teacher who works with students who need extra help with learning, supporting classroom teachers and providing specialized instruction or strategies.
MCFD	Ministry of Child and Family Development	The provincial government ministry in BC that provides services and support for children, youth, and families, including child protection and family programs.
NID	Non-Instructional Day	A school day when students do not attend classes so that teachers and staff can participate in professional development, planning, or meetings.
PAC	Parent Advisory Council	The parent group at an individual school that supports school activities, represents parent voices, and works with staff to enhance the school community.
PEN	Personal Education Number	A unique number assigned to each student in BC that tracks their education records throughout their school years.
Prep	Preparation Time	Full-time elementary teachers shall be entitled to a minimum of one hundred (120) minutes per week for purposes of preparation. Full-time secondary teachers shall be entitled to a minimum of twelve and one-half percent (12.5%) of total instructional time when averaged over the school year, for purposes of preparation.
Pro-D	Professional Development	The process of personal growth through programs, services and activities designed to enable members, individually or collectively, to enhance professional practice.
PSA	Provincial Specialist Association	A group for educators focused on a specific subject or area (like Math, English, or School Psychology) to share ideas, develop curriculum, host conferences, and offer professional development.
REC	Resource and Education Centre	REC is located directly adjacent of the District Education Centre. It is home to Learning Resources Services and Surrey Academy of Innovative Learning (SAIL).
Remedy		Teachers of classes that do not comply with class size and composition provisions will become eligible to receive a monthly remedy for non-compliance in the form of accumulated minutes to be used towards things like additional prep time.
SBT	School Based Team	A group of teachers, specialists, and support staff who meet to plan and coordinate support for students with diverse learning needs.
SD/District	Surrey School District #36	Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District currently has the largest student enrolment in British Columbia and serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock and the rural area of Barnston Island.
SD	Social Development	Programs or support in schools that help students build social skills, emotional well-being, and positive relationships with peers and adults.
Seniority		An employee’s aggregate length of service with the employer as determined in accordance with the provisions Collective Agreement.
SIP	Salary Indemnity Plan	Available to BCTF members who are disabled, by illness or injury, from performing their normal employment duties and have exhausted all of their sick leave.
SLP	Speech Language Pathologist	A professional who assesses, diagnoses, and supports students with speech, language, communication, or swallowing difficulties.
SOGI	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	Resources and tools used by teachers in our school district to promote understanding and acceptance of every member of our community, regardless of race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
STA	Surrey Teachers’ Association	A union of professionals representing public school teachers, speech and language pathologists, school psychologists, teachers-on-call, adult education teachers, and summer school teachers.
STARA	Staff Representative Assembly	Oversees the decisions of the Executive Committee as a superior decision-making body.
TL	Teacher Librarian	A contract teacher who manages the school library and collaborates with classroom teachers to support student learning, research skills, and literacy development.
TQS	Teacher Qualification Service	The BC organization that evaluates and certifies teachers’ qualifications, ensuring they meet the standards to teach in the province.
TRB	Teacher Regulation Branch	The BC branch that regulates teachers, handling certification, professional standards, and disciplinary matters to ensure teacher competence and conduct.
UDL	Universal Design for Learning	An educational framework that plans lessons and materials to meet the diverse learning needs of all students by providing multiple ways to access, engage with, and demonstrate learning.
WCB	Workers’ Compensation Board	The organization that provides support, benefits, and insurance to employees who are injured or become ill because of their work.
WHMIS	Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System	The Canadian system that provides information, training, and labeling to safely handle and work with hazardous materials in the workplace, including schools.

Ministry Designations for Students

Designation	Description
A	Students who are physically dependant/have multiple needs.
B	Students who are deaf/blind.
C	Students who have moderate to profound intellectual disabilities.
D	Students with physical disability/chronic health impairments.
E	Students with visual impairments.
F	Students who are deaf/hard of hearing.
G	Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
H	Students with intensive behaviour/serious mental health.
K	Students who have mild intellectual disabilities.
P	Students who are gifted.
Q	Students who have a learning disability.
R	Students who need moderate behaviour support.