SD 20 superintendent says classes over as of Monday
By Contributor
The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), the union representing teachers, has informed the school district that they will be engaged in a full day study session on Monday, June 16th, followed by full scale withdrawal of teaching services starting Tuesday, June 17, 2014. This means that, unless a settlement is reached prior to Monday, all SD20 schools will be closed for instruction starting Monday, June 16, 2014 until further notice.
While schools will be physically open starting Monday, June 16, 2014 there will be no instruction. For safety reasons I ask that parents keep all children home from school starting Monday, June 16, 2014 until further notice. School busses will not be running starting on Monday, June 16, 2014.
Given the uncertainty of this situation, students will be removing all personal possessions from the school on Friday, June 13, 2014. Please bring all library books to school on Friday and return them to the library. Textbooks will be collected on Friday for all grades except grade 10-12 provincially examinable courses. Students will be writing provincial exams as originally scheduled between June 18th and 24th. Please check your school’s website for a copy of the grade 10-12 provincial exam schedule. Students usually attending our alternate schools in Castlegar will write their provincial exams at Stanley Humphries while students attending Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre in Trail will write at KCLC. Students with provincial exams are asked to return those textbooks when they come to write the exam. Students will be provided an entrance into the school that will not be picketed during the times of provincial exams. We are awaiting a ruling from the Labour Relations Board as districts have requested that transportation service be deemed an essential service for those specific provincial exam times. You can expect further communication from me regarding transportation to/from grade 10-12 provincial exams.
The Labour Relations Board has ruled that grade 12 teachers must submit all grade 12 final marks to the district. This will allow us to provide a report card for grade 12 courses. I continue to be in communication with the Local President of the Kootenay-Columbia Teacher’s Union (KCTU) regarding what information will be provided for grades K-11. You can expect further communication from me on this matter over the coming days.
Graduation ceremonies run by the district scheduled on Friday, June 13, 2014 for J. Lloyd Crowe Secondary School and Stanley Humphries Secondary School are proceeding as scheduled. We thank all the volunteers for their help to ensure these important celebrations proceed.
Please continue to listen to our local media for updates on the bargaining. Hopefully an agreement will be reached prior to Monday. Should an agreement be reached prior to the end of the school year, I will be in contact.
Thank you for your continued patience. I know that you share our desire to return to normal operations as quickly as possible and that this dispute will be concluded quickly. In the meantime, we will do our best to keep you informed in a timely manner.
For further information and updates please check the district website – www.sd20.bc.ca.
Sincerely,
Greg Luterbach
Superintendent of Schools
