School Leaders and continuous designations - changes in the province

The last round of Central Table Bargaining achieved significant changes for school leader designations. Previously, contract terms for assistant principals or vice-principals varied throughout the province. Many assistant or vice-principals never achieved continuing designations; some were only offered one-year contracts to be reviewed annually. The Mediator’s Recommended Terms of Settlement, ratified on June 10, 2022, included provisions for assistant and vice-principal continuing designations. 


Effective September 1, 2023, a teacher designated as an assistant or vice-principal shall enter into a series of term contracts for a period of up to five (5) years. Up to two (2) of these five years may be on a probationary basis. Following the term contract maximum of five (5) years, inclusive of the maximum two (2) years probationary period, the Division must decide whether or not the designation will continue, and if it continues, it is deemed to be a continuing designation. 
 
Any current assistant or vice-principal who has had a term contract(s) for a term(s) of a total of less than five years on September 1, 2023, may continue under the term contract until the total number of years designated as an assistant or vice-principal is five years. 


This means that, if you are an assistant or vice-principal under contract for less than five years, your contract can continue, but a decision must be made regarding continuous designations before the five-year mark. 
 
If you are an assistant or vice-principal under contract for more than five years, your evaluations, if required, must be completed in the spring 2023 in order to adhere to the timeline prescribed in the Mediator’s Recommended Terms of Settlement. Be sure to request your evaluation to be completed before the end of the 2022/23 school year so that you can secure your continuing administrative designation for September 2023.
 
Further Mediator’s Recommended Terms of Settlement provide that: ​

For any current assistant or vice-principal who is on a term contract(s) for a period of five years or more as of September 1, 2023, the Division may extend the temporary contract for one additional year and must decide by January 1, 2024 whether or not the designation will continue, and if it continues, it is deemed to be a continuing designation. If the designation is not continued, it will expire at the conclusion of the term provided in the term contract, unless it is otherwise terminated in accordance with the express provisions of the term contract.
 
Thus, if you are on a term contract(s) for five years or longer by September 2023, your division can extend this contract for one additional year. This would be a temporary contract, and the decision to extend or end the contract would have to be provided by January 1, 2024. 


WORTH SHARING

The Mediator’s Recommended Terms of Settlement included provisions for assistant and vice-principal continuing designations. If you are an assistant or vice-principal, be sure to inquire into your eligibility for a continuing designation. If you have any questions, contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208. #WEAREATA