December 11th, 2013

As you may be aware, the Waterloo Region District School Board’s school year calendar has designated December 20, 2013, as a Professional Development Day. Students will not be at school on this day. For those families who have children attending the Before And After School Programs, those programs will be operating as usual from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Traditionally, teaching staff participate in professional learning activities on days such as December 20, 2013. However, based on direction provided by the Ministry of Education, permanent contract teachers in both our elementary and secondary schools as well as teachers who work at the Education Centre, will be taking December 20th as an unpaid day and therefore will not be at work on that day.

Principals and vice-principals must also take an unpaid day. In some instances, principals and vice-principals will choose December 20th as an unpaid day and will also not be present in their schools. In other cases, administrators will choose to take an unpaid day at another time and will be at their school on December 20th.

December 20th, is a regular paid work day for all other staff including Long Term Occasional teachers. Staff attending work on December 20th may either be participating in professional learning activities offered through the board or be performing their normal work related duties at their regular place of work. By way of example, all Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECE) not working in the Extended Day Program will be participating in a full day Professional Development session off-site. Child and Youth Workers assigned to elementary schools and Educational Assistants currently working in a kindergarten assignment and not working in the Extended Day Program will be attending a full day Professional Development session off-site. All other paraprofessionals will participate in self-directed activities that may include but are not limited to, on-line professional reading materials, development of student related programming and preparation of materials for specific student needs.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to meet the needs of our students, as well as agreements in place with our employee groups and the Government of Ontario.