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Allison McCaffrey
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September 2021
Welcome Back Colleagues, A very warm welcome back to everyone! On behalf of the Calgary Catholic Teachers’ Local 55 of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, it is my hope that you had a summer filled with warmth, surrounded by those that you love and were able to find the time to participate in activities that brought you joy and allowed you to recharge. Many of you probably couldn’t sleep last night with the excitement of seeing your students today. Each fall brings renewal and a reminder of our love of teaching and the joy of being with our students. Though we all wish we could say that COVID-19 is in our rear-view mirror, sadly we are still living with it. Please know that your safety is our top priority at both the Local and Provincial level. Both organizations have been advocating to the government for a detailed return to school plan but have received very little response. In the absence of a robust plan from the government, it is reassuring that the additional measures of masking and parental notification are being implemented by the District to keep our school communities safe. All of us at the Local collectively tip our hats to the hard work involved in this year’s re-entry of students. We understand that this work is extremely difficult and we want you to know that your efforts are seen and appreciated. Much has been going on at the Local to prepare for this coming school year. Our Executive have met to plan programming for their committees, our office staff are hard at work supporting our members and Teacher Employment Services located at SARO (Southern Alberta Regional Office of ATA) have been taking calls to support teachers with their back-to-school questions regarding the collective agreement. Your Local Executive has reached out to a Human Resources expert to assist with recruiting and hiring for the role of an Executive Assistant, previously held by Mr. Mike McFarland until his recent retirement. More information, as details are firmed up, will be posted on our website on the process for filling this position. Advocacy for our members is at the forefront of the work we do at the Local. We are in challenging times and the Local is here to help support and encourage every teacher to engage with educational stakeholders to bring attention to the issues that most affect our students, our colleagues and ourselves (e.g., curriculum, pensions, Catholic Education, etc.). We will be providing additional information on ways you can get involved and suggestions on how you can actively support your profession at our monthly CSR meetings. Our first meeting is being held on September 28th. You can also follow us on any of our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook or Twitter) @atalocal55. Feel free to contact us to discuss any issue or concern at (403) 265-2678. Enjoy these first staggered entry days and may God bless you with a safe and successful year in your school. Allison McCaffrey President Calgary Catholic Teachers’ ATA Local 55 |
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