Message From YTA President, Katherine Mackwood
| As the first days of school are upon us I know you have prepared your mindsets, classrooms, and programs to help students learn as well as enhance the quality of their lives.
As your new President, I too have prepared my mindset, office and agenda for the coming year. My attitude is one of cautious optimism. In my opinion, the climate in education needs to be stabilized. Stabilization can start with developing a renewed partnership with the Department of Education. Not a junior/senior partnership, but a partnership that truly reflects the values of the professionals responsible for educating Yukon children.
Seeking advice or information from individual members is not collaboration or consultation with the Yukon Teachers’ Association. It is my goal to work with the Department of Education in establishing a partnership that develops a “made in Yukon” infrastructure. |
Recognizing what may work in other jurisdictions, it is my goal to work with the Department to develop Yukon solutions for Yukon educators and Yukon students. Transplanted ideas stripped of Yukon connections do not make good medicine. Transplants are often rejected. I believe we can avoid rejection by thoughtful collaboration.The Yukon Teachers’ Association, as a professional organization of educators, promotes and advances public education, safeguards standards of professional practice, serves as the advocate for its members, and bargains collectively for salaries and working conditions for Teachers, Administrators, Educational Assistants, First Nation Language Instructors, and Remedial Tutors. It is the YTA’s top priority to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract that addresses issues put forward by members in the 2008 fall survey. Your Negotiations Committee and Bargaining Team will be back working on your behalf in early September. The office staff has already started. Main table negotiations are scheduled for September 14th and 15th. Our colleagues on the Negotiations Committee have volunteered many hours of service to you and the Association. They will continue to do so until a contract is ratified. An active membership is crucial to the success of our organization and consequently the well-being of our members and Yukon students. Your new Executive Committee, elected at last spring’s Annual General Meeting has already begun its regular schedule of bi-weekly meetings. I have asked my colleagues to develop an annual plan that focuses on 3 or 4 priorities. If you have some suggestions regarding issues that we should focus our energies on for this school year, please forward them to me at:
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Your input would be most welcome.
One issue that I believe we should address sooner than later is Education Leave. I don’t want a repeat of last year’s unilateral action by the Department. I have asked Peter Menzies, Chair of the Membership Committee to work with me and others to begin with the revision of the Education Leave criteria. We have included this item as part of our collective bargaining proposals. We have had positive discussions with the employer towards a more collaborative approach that meets both our needs.
We all have our work cut out for us this year. I know it will not be easy, but nothing worth having is. It is our responsibility as educators to ensure the Yukon education system evolves and improves by reflecting what is important to her people, not what is important to outside mindsets and political agendas. I was advised to pick my battles wisely. Can you think of any battle more important than the education of our children?
I look forward to the challenges in the coming year. I believe sincere, respectful collaboration will result in a unique education system that is unsurpassed.
Respectfully,
Katherine Mackwood
President, Yukon Teachers’ Association
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