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Education Minister Stephen Lecce

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Unions Concerned Over Education Minister’s Comments

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Teachers and education workers love engaging in extracurricular activities with the kids, but they are doing so on their own time.

That’s the message from Laura Walton, the President of CUPE’s (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) in reaction to Monday’s announcement from the province.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce laid out the Plan to Catch Up which includes a return to in-person learning, on time, and with all the experiences students need and deserve like sports, clubs and field trips.

“Insisting (in extracurricular activities returning) is interesting because I think insisting is what communities and families and students, as well as education workers, have been doing in insisting that there is a safe, secure and successful school year with funding that comes with it,” Walton told Acadia News Tuesday.

The province and several education boards continue to negotiate for a new contract with the current deal set to expire on Wednesday, August 31st.

According to a report released in the spring, education workers are the lowest paid in the sector, earning on average only $39,000 a year.

Minister Lecce was also asked about legislating teachers and education workers back on the job if a new deal can’t be reached?

“We have landed deals with every single union in this province, as difficult as it was, we got to the finish line,” said Lecce Monday. “The message (that I have) to the teacher unions and the education workers is you have a willing partner in this government to sit down (and) hammer out a deal that is fair for the workers and is good for the children of this province.”

Walton is treading lightly when it comes to talks about forcing those in education back to work.

“For a party that claims and that won (an election) off of a platform of ‘we are the party of the worker’, it seems very interesting to me and almost contradictory that this party would then turn around and contemplate removing the right to free collective bargaining,” Walton mentioned.

OSBCU represents 55,000 members of CUPE who work in the public, Catholic, English, and French school systems.

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Lecce Wants Deal That’s Good For Kids, Workers

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The provincial government says it wants to put kids first and get them back in class on time.

The education minister unveiled the plan to play catch-up following two years of interrupted learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a return to in-person learning, on time, and with all the experiences students need and deserve like sports, clubs and field trips.

“Without disruption to their lives, be it from the negotiations or otherwise, we need these kids to be in school. We know it’s important for their mental and physical health,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce Monday.

Negotiations for a new contract between the province and several education boards continue with the current deal set to expire on Wednesday, August 31st.

Lecce told reporters that all parties should have one focus during the negotiations, adding “(We need) to hammer out a deal that is good for kids, that keeps them in school, that restores the student experience and that puts them first in our decision making be it as the unions, as school board trustees or as the government.”

The Plan to Catch Up has five key components:

  1. Getting kids back in classrooms in September, on time, with a full school experience that includes extra-curriculars like clubs, band, and field trips
  2. New tutoring supports to fill gaps in learning
  3. Preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow
  4. Providing more money to build schools and improve education
  5. Helping students with funding for mental health supports

Lecce promised that schools will stay open to in-person learning, even if the province sees another wave of COVID-19 in the fall.

He also vowed that a deal will get done and that the government will not legislate teachers back to work.

“We have landed deals with every single union in this province, as difficult as it was, we got to the finish line,” he said. “The message (that I have) to the teacher unions and the education workers is you have a willing partner in this government to sit down (and) hammer out a deal that is fair for the workers and is good for the children of this province.”

The opposition NDP and Education Critic Marit Stiles claimed that every last dollar was a re-announcement of the old, inadequate plan.

“This funding wasn’t good enough when the Conservative government announced it months ago, and it’s not good enough today,” Stiles added. “Teachers and education workers volunteer to coach sports or lead clubs because they love their students. The way to ensure they continue to do that volunteer work is by paying them fairly, and investing in lower class sizes and more supports for students.”

Late Monday Acadia News received a statement from Laura Walton, the President of CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU):

“In frontline education workers’ negotiations with the government and school board trustees this summer, workers are fighting for what students need in the classroom to succeed and what we need to do our jobs even better – plus what we need to survive with super-high inflation.

“It’s within Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce’s power to avoid more disruption for students this fall by getting a deal done with education workers this August that addresses structural underfunding, understaffing, and unsustainably low wages.

“Our bargaining demands, if met, would fix these systemic problems to meet students’ needs and create good jobs for education workers – twin goals that will benefit all communities throughout the province.”

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COVID-19 Outbreak Reporting Changes Coming

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The province is changing the way that parents are notified of a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

Ahead of the return of in-class learning on Monday, January 17th, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said Wednesday that any notification will go out when approximately 30 per cent of students in the school are absent.

It will come in the form of a joint letter from the local medical officer of health and the principal.

Moore stressed that the threshold will not automatically trigger a school closure, but a pivot to remote learning could be considered.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled two COVID-19 rapid tests will be provided to each student and staff member, which equals 3.9 million rapid tests to school boards across Ontario.

An additional 1.2 million rapid tests are expected to be distributed during the week of January 24.

On Tuesday Ontario unveiled the elimination of reporting cases and only utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests for students and staff who become symptomatic at school.

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Ontario Measures For Return To In-Person Learning

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Gearing up for the resumption of in-class learning next week.

In a emailed statement to Acadia News, a spokesperson for the Education Minister stressed that there are improvements to ventilation, personal protective equipment and vaccinations coming from Queen’s Park:

We have now shipped 9.1 million non-fitted N95 masks for staff and over 4 million three-ply masks for students, and will regularly send new shipments over the coming weeks and months, with masking being mandatory within Ontario schools.

We have accelerated access to booster shots for education and child care staff by standing up over 10 more clinics in the past several days alone, in addition to providing access through mass-vaccination sites, pharmacies and other dedicated clinics.

We are deploying an additional 3,000 standalone HEPA filter units to schools boards on top of the existing 70,000 HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices already in schools.

We are continuing take home PCR testing eligibility for symptomatic elementary and secondary students, and education staff, and are working to make more rapid antigen tests available to schools and child care centres.

The province unveiled changes Tuesday in the schools, which includes the elimination of reporting cases and only utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests for students and staff who become symptomatic at school.

In the meantime, Ontario’s Health Minister is explaining some of the rationales for re-opening the province’s schools next week.

Christine Elliott says part of it was to get the teachers ready.

“One thing that we did need was extra time in order to be able to have the teachers be able to come in for their second dose and in some cases their booster doses as well,” says Elliott.

Elliott adds they were waiting for the rapid tests and the PPE to arrive before they re-opened the schools.

“We also needed to get the rapid tests in from the federal government. They are just starting to come in now. We’ve also received millions more in masks…the N95, unfitted masks that are going into schools. So some of it we just needed a bit more time to get those provisions in place.”

Elliott says they are taking every step they possibly can take to make sure schools are safe for the children to return to.

Stephen Lecce is expected to unveil more alongside the Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore on Wednesday.

(With Files From Tim Davidson: Kenora)

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January 5th Back To School

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Delaying the start to in-person learning in 2022.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced Thursday that the start of the 2022 calendar will be on Wednesday, January 5th.

Moore said the province put the two day delay in to allow time to deploy additional safety measures, including non-fit-tested N95 masks for staff in schools and licensed child care settings in addition to a supply of high-quality three-ply cloth masks.

School boards will also get an additional 3,000 standalone HEPA filter units.

Only low-contact indoor sports and safe extra-curricular activities will be permitted when schools return.

Capacity Limits

The province is also further restricting capacity limits to indoor areas of the following setting as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, December 31st:

  • Spectator areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities (e.g., sporting events)
  • Concert venues
  • Theatres

Testing, Isolation Requirements

Ontario will also only provide publicly-funded polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for high-risk individuals who are symptomatic and/or are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, including for the purposes of confirming a COVID-19 diagnosis to begin treatment, and workers and residents in the highest risk settings, as well as vulnerable populations.

Those who have a positive result from a rapid antigen test will no longer be required or encouraged to get a confirmatory PCR or rapid molecular test.

Individuals with COVID-19 who are vaccinated, as well as children under 12, will be required to isolate for five days following the onset of symptoms. Their household contacts are also required to isolate with them. These individuals can end isolation after five days if their symptoms are improved for at least 24 hours and all public health and safety measures, such as masking and physical distancing, are followed. Non-household contacts are required to self-monitor for ten days.

Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or immunocompromised will be required to isolate for 10 days.

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Province Announces More Money For Skills Training

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The Ford government is really pushing the skilled trades.

Labor Minister Monte McNaughton says another 90 million dollars is for students for training in the skilled trades.

“Starting next year we will host skills trades career fairs all across Ontario to reach more youth,” says McNaughton.

“Our pre-apprenticeship training program will also see an increase to 28 million dollars annually to provide free training particularly for marginalized youth, women and indigenous peoples.”

McNaughton says they are good-paying jobs with pensions and benefits, but there is a shortage of skilled workers in the province.

Education minister Stephen Lecce says there is a big demand for these workers.

“The need for the skilled trades is expected to grow with Ontario projected to need more than 100 thousand additional workers including skilled tradespeople in the construction sector to meet the needs of the economy in the coming years.”

Lecce says the demand for skilled workers is expected to be high for the next five years.

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Ontario To Supply Period Products To Youth

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A landmark move is happening for the province of Ontario to help end period poverty among youth.

An announcement today was made by the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, that the Ministry has partnered with Shoppers Drug Mart and will be supplying period products for those who have a monthly menstrual cycle starting this fall.

The pharmacy will be providing pads and dispensers to all school boards across Ontario. Over the course of the next three years all school boards in the province will be receiving 18 million products through 1200 dispensers. School boards will then decide which schools will be getting dispensers; mostly high schools, as well as some elementary and middle schools will also benefit based on their local needs.

Currently there are 1 in 7 individuals (13-21 years old) who get a period that struggle to afford appropriate period products as well as 63 per cent have missed an activity because of their period.

Ontario follows in the footsteps of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and British Columbia to provide period products to students for free.

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Ontario Looking To Improve Residential School Teachings

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The provincial government is promising to better educate youth on the history of residential schools, and the contributions of Indigenous peoples.

While students are taught about the topic currently, many are arguing there needs to be more of a focus on the history of residential schools, especially after the harrowing grave site discoveries over the past month.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Tuesday they are focusing on improving the curriculum, to better represent Canada’s history.

“It is quite obvious Canada must continue on in our obligation to reconciliation to Indigenous, First Nation, Inuit, and Metis people,” added Lecce. “We have more work to do in this respect, there’s just no doubt about it.”

Lecce goes on to explain that this is being done in collaboration with Indigenous leaders.

“We’ve been consulting and working with Indigenous Elders, to learn how we can further strengthen mandatory learning throughout the elementary panel, so that in the earlier years when we learn about their history and culture, we can have a better understanding of their contributions.”

Students in Ontario begin learning about the residential schools in the fourth grade, with education continuing up until the end of high school.

Lecce declined to comment when asked why the Truth and Reconciliation Writing Sessions were cancelled in 2018.

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Parents Getting Another Helping Hand

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Parents in the province will get another financial helping hand in April.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled the brand new Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit Wednesday, which will provide payments of $400 per child and $500 for a child with special needs.

If you previously signed up for the Support for Learners payments, you can expect direct deposits starting on April 26th. For parents that did not apply for the program, more details will be available soon on how to get your name in for the funds starting on May 3rd.

The money was included in the 2021 Budget last week.

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April Break Will Go Ahead: Lecce

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The re-scheduled spring break in Ontario will go ahead for the week of April 12th.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the break, which was delayed back on March 11th, will not be touched on the advice of Ontario’s top doctor.

Lecce also indicates that the government is planning to step up safety protocols when students and staff return to in-class learning.

On Monday Premier Doug Ford told reporters that he couldn’t give a direct answer on whether the break would be postponed or altered.

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