Limestone Local

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario

Welcome to ETFO Limestone

LABOUR DAY

Limestone teachers joined the Labour Day March and the picnic afterwards in the park. The Kingston and District Labour Council has celebrated labour day for over a century and this year we were pleased to have the support of city councillors Bill Glover, Joyce McLeod-Kane, Rob Hutcheson, Steve Garrison and Vicki Schmolka. Smokey Thomas, the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union addressed the crowd at McBurney Park and Emily Fennell entertained us after the speeches were done. The labour council works very closely with the United Way and donations were collected at the event. Plan on coming next year.

People for Education have Some Suggestions to Improve Public Schools

Last year, schools and parents raised almost $600 million through fundraising and corporate and charitable donations, while over half of Ontario schools charged for art courses at the secondary level. The Ministry’s emphasis on literacy and numeracy is squeezing out the arts and disadvantaging children in poor neighbourhoods. People for Education have released a report in which they outline numerous areas that need attention in the public school system. Read the whole article by clicking on Newsworthy Notes at the right.

The Easiest Way to Protest

It has been dubbed “slacktivism”, but with teachers so busy, it actually makes a bit of sense. There is no need to go to a demonstration, get on a phone tree or write a nasty letter to the editor. All you have to do is click, and sign your name.

The Ministry of Education’s new website has a feature that allows parents to check whether a specific school population is poor or rich, well educated, in need of special education and primarily English speaking. If you feel this is reprehensible, go to People for Education’s website and sign their open letter to Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne. Just click HERE.


ETFO Advisories

Members are advised not to evaluate or report on the classroom practices of other members.

Members are advised not to participate in any EQAO marking exercise of Primary, Junior or Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test.

To read the entire text of the advisories, see Local News at right.