Principals have received information about the parent demand for this program and reorganizing schools to the extent required. Our position is that class size and composition limits apply to the elementary blended learning groups. The blended transition groups will mostly be assigned at each school from the staff at that school. In small schools or where there is low demand for the blended transition model, there may be some groups organized in a “regional cohort” that draws from more than one school. We understand that the intention at this point is that on Jan. 1, 2021 all students and teachers would return to their schools and classes would be reorganized; however, presumably this would be dependent on the Covid situation.
Many have asked how decisions get made about who will work in the blended transition program. Principals do have the right to assign work; for example, they usually decide who will teach split classes or which blocks of a course, and so it is in the case of assigning the blended program staffing, which are still classes, even though of course this blended transition model is not something we have seen before. At some schools, many teachers are interested in working in the blended program, but at others, someone may get assigned who would prefer a regular class assignment. However, in our collective agreement we have the right to Staff Committee, which has the mandate to advise administrators on most decisions at the school level, so the committee should be meeting to discuss this the assignment process. The process and considerations for this staffing should be shared transparently with the staff.
Please contact us if the process at your school seems problematic.
Leave a reply