Minister's statement on BCTF strike

BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils info@bccpac.bc.ca	2:15 PM (2 hours ago)
to BC

STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

2012EDUC0018-000222

March 1, 2012

Ministry of Education 

Minister's statement on BCTF strike 

VICTORIA - Education Minister George Abbott today released a statement 

regarding the decision by the British Columbia Teachers' Federation to 

hold a three-day strike. 

"We are truly disappointed by the union's decision to hold a three-day 

strike beginning next week. A strike of this nature will significantly 

disrupt student learning and creates tremendous concern for parents and 

families. 

"The union is in a legal strike position. Under the order from the Labour 

Relations Board, they are able to fully withdraw for three days, but the 

order is clear that schools are not to be picketed. 

"Parents are encouraged to find child-care arrangements for Monday, 

Tuesday and Wednesday. However, for parents unable to secure alternate 

arrangements, all public schools will be open and students will be cared 

for and supervised. 

"Schools will be staffed by non-unionized school and district personnel. 

Given the LRB order preventing schools from being picketed, we also 

expect all unionized school support staff, such as education assistants, 

to be present as well. While there will be no instructional time, all 

staff will ensure students are supervised in a safe environment. 

"Further, school-based child-care services, such as pre-school and after-

school care, are not affected by the strike. 

"Bill 22 is an important and complex piece of legislation that demands 

careful debate and full understanding by all members of the legislature. 

"Bill 22 sets a cooling-off period and suspends the teachers' union 

strike action while calling on the assistance of a mediator. It also 

implements the $165-million Learning Improvement Fund and other measures 

that will play a fundamental role in the future of education in our 

province. 

"I understand that emotions are running high, and we do not want to 

inflame the situation by acting precipitously and rushing through the 

legislation. 

"We have been working very hard and have put numerous opportunities in 

front of the union to try to work through the difficult issues that 

confront us during a time of collective bargaining. 

"It's unfortunate that rhetoric and name-calling has overtaken a 

thoughtful and constructive approach to resolving the impasse through 

mediation. When mediation begins in the near future, I hope the 

discussion will unfold in a respectful way."

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement

Ministry of Education

250 356-5963 

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect

Popcorn days are here!

Cafe Etico

"If you are interested in our Cafe Etico coffee fundraiser but curious how good the coffee is or just like to enjoy a good cup of Joe in the morning, you are in luck!  This Friday morning, March 2nd during the morning drop off, there will be Cafe Etico coffee and muffins available so you can try a sample before making an order.  We will have order forms available that morning, you can find one on the Garibladi Annex blog or you can simply email Angela Wong-Moon at angelawm@telus.net.  The next order will be placed on Friday March 30th, unless there is a high demand in the next week before Spring Break :) "

Manure Sale

Greetings, Mother Nature is not smiling on our Manure sale, but we are going to try to proceed this weekend amongst the snow/rain combo heading our way. Our goal is to at least get a good chunk of the manure bagged and then sell it later if necessary, given that we won't have the usual walk by traffic. Thanks to all of you who have pre ordered and offered to volunteer, we will have lunch and hot coffee to fend off the cold!

BCCPAC - NewsBytes

NewsBytes

Meaningful Movie screening February 16th

The Hastings North Community Partners Group invites you to join us for a free Meaningful Movie screening February 16th, details are all on the poster below for your convenience.  Please encourage your friends, family and neighbours to come with you to enjoy!  This is great subject matter for local Community Gardeners, so please forward to them for us please, as well as to your other networks.  The Tillicum Community Annex PAC will be operating the concession to help raise funds for their new playground, so please come support them as well!

With thanks,
The Hastings North Community Partners Group (HNCPG)

Big Night out with the Vancouver Giants

Hello Friends and Family,

Would you or anyone you know be interested in tickets to a Giants game? If so, send an email to Rconte@vsb.bc.ca – there are 10 tickets left but can get more if need be. It should be a fun night with lots of pregame activities.

Vancouver Giants vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
At the Pacific Coliseum
Friday March 2
Game Time – 7:30 pm
Pregame Community Celebration – 6:00 pm
Tickets are $15 (normally $18)

Ticket holders have access to a special Pregame Community Celebration with a hockey shoot-out, face painting, hot-dogs and more. See attached flyer for details.

A portion of ticket sales will benefit Hastings East Community School Program Society and the Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre.

Feel free to forward this to anyone who might be interested.

Manure sale February 25/26 and new raised garden beds!

The Garden committee would like to announce that the Garibaldi Manure Sale is planned for the weekend of February 25/26. Cost is 5 dollars per bag with delivery available for a small fee. Order forms will be available the first week of February onwards. We will be seeking volunteers to help shovel and bag and will be supplying volunteers with quality food and beverages plus child minding in exchange for their labour. Please let your neighbors and family know about the sale. Manure is sourced from non-medicated steer raised on HopCott farms in Pitt Meadows.

We will be also building and filling new raised beds in the garden and will need dads or moms to help with the building, filling and some transplanting.

Glimps of the future? A Bicycle Built For School

Wouldn't this be fabulous for schools like ours?

I hope that in a few years our society will figure out the benefits of this and even the legal side of things in North America will become more reasonable.

I would love to see our monkeys traveling to their school trips like this:) (With helmets on - I have witnessed their usefulness!)

The bicycle school bus (BCO in Dutch) is built by Tolkamp Metaalspecials. It fits eleven children and one adult and has eight sets of pedals for kids aged 4 to 12, a driver’s seat and three more seats for those who just want to take in the sights. It is also outfitted with a motor for going up hills, a sound system and a canvas awning for rainy days. The BCO can travel at a top speed of 10 miles per house and, at a price of $15,000 each, costs far less than the typical bus (plus, it comes in other colors besides yellow: green, blue, purple, grey, red).

A total of 25 of the bike buses have been made for use in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, and requests for information have come in from other countries in Europe, North American and South America. As YES! Magazine points out, some 95 percent of Dutch teenagers bike to school at least some time; much of the country’s population is devoted to bikes and to creating an urban infrastructure of bike paths and more.

Would the BCO be viable in other countries?, Co.Exist asked Tolkamp, to which he responded:

“I hope I can sell the bike in the near future to a foreign country and see how people at other countries react on the bike. I think it will work well in other countries, because as more and more people [are] becoming fat and “green living” becomes more important, ideas like this get more popular.”

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/a-bicycle-built-for-school.html#ixzz1loYVLN5j

Cafe Etico Fundraiser - Order Due February 17th

LAST ORDER RAISED $80 FOR THE SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello all,

Coffee (and tea) is a great way to get going in the morning and it tastes even better when you are doing good by drinking it.

Our Cafe etico fundraiser not only provides you with an opportunity to raise money for Garibaldi Annex, but does so in a responsible way with 100% of the profits going to support human rights in Latin America.

Below you will find an order form for etico products.

FOR ALL ORDERS: Please fill out your order and hand it in with a cheque (payable to Garibaldi Annex) or cash to the drop box located in the front office by February 17th. You will be notified by e-mail when your order is available for pick up at the school.


Also below find a copy of the price list which provide details of the dollar amount the school raises with the purchase of each bag.

Thanks in advance for supporting Garibaldi!

Regular Cafe etico order form

(pick-up will be in late February 2012 at Garibaldi)