In response to teacher requests, the Learning Department will facilitate a series of lunch hour webinars for teachers. There are 100 spaces open for each session, which we expect will be plenty, and these are available to anyone who wishes to take part. Each session is 30 minutes or less and may involve some time for questions. If you wish to request a new topic, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For each session, please log on a few minutes ahead of time and set up your audio (Tools--> Audio--> Audio Set Up Wizard) and make sure that your computer has loaded all the files needed for your participation. There might be some technical glitches for the first two tries, but we'll get past them. The following plans have been made so far...please click on the links to join each session

Here are the easy steps on How to Join a Webinar.

 If you have trouble viewing an archived webinar, follow these steps:

Verify these settings... before opening your browser.

Open your Control Panel

Open the "Java" ("Java 32-bit") - May have to switch to View-> Small Icons (Top Right)

Click "Advanced" tab

Click + beside "JNLP File/MIME Association"

Select "Always Allow"

Sometimes the site will not load, so use Ctrl + F5 to force a reload

The November Board Highlights are now available!

November Board Highlights

Members from the Board, Division staff and PSTA Committee gathered last night to celebrate the official signing of the new LINC Bargaining Agreement.

The amended agreement is the result of the June 11th negotiations, which were focused on the language in the agreement and not monetary in nature - a first for everyone at the table.  "Conversations like this are unique, and don't happen often" says Ryan Boughen, Superintendent of Human Resources.  "This speaks volumes about the relationship between the Division and the Prairie South Teachers Association."

The Board approved the revisions to the contract, which clarified the language in the agreement.  This not only makes it easier for both parties to administer the agreement, it ensures everyone is on the same page, interpreting content the same way and communicating it clearly.

Read the agreement here: LINC agreement 2012-2013

100 Years of Loss and the Project of Heart

"I am excited to educate teachers so that students will have a different perspective and world view about First Nations and Métis people" - Charlene Bearhead, the Program Manager for the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation (Native Counseling Services of Alberta)

Charlene Bearhead spent the day of June 13 with many of the Prairie South School Division teachers, counselors from SIAST, as well as a few members from Holy Trinity School Division. Charlene was sharing the "100 years of Loss" kit and gave an overview of the Project of Heart. The day consisted of raising awareness and teaching about the history and legacy of residential schools.

The kit has many tools for the classrooms, but more specifically, it has an extraordinary teacher-friendly guide that has grade specific reproducible pages that would complement the First Nations and Métis outcomes.

Charlene will be joining Prairie South Schools again on September 26, 2012. Please email if you are interested in attending.  You can view the Prospectus for the workshop here: 100 years of loss Prospectus or click here for more information and to visit the Legacy of Hope website. 

Vivian Gauvin, First Nations and Métis Consultant

The 100 Years of Hope exhibit is also coming to the Moose Jaw Art Gallery from mid-October to mid-November! 

Prairie South School Division was created in 2006 from the amalgamation of seven legacy school divisions. In 2010, a variety of issues surfaced that indicated a need to re-evaluate our operations in light of education changes. School administrators and staffs expressed concern regarding the growing number of education initiatives, provincial mandates to report student learning and consequent responsibility to improve student achievement. As a result, the Central Administrative Council (CAC) and Administrators' Quad Chairs began to research options that would support our learning in how to handle this work. Discussions were held with Dr. Douglas Reeves and Dr. Connie Kamm from the Leadership and Learning Center who were then invited to submit a proposal. Dr. Connie Kamm met with the CAC one day in August and two days in December of 2010 to refine the proposal and to develop direction for the initiative.

A Design Team, formed in January 2011, was comprised of an array of fifty stakeholders including teachers, administrators, trustees, and members of School Community Councils and the Central Administrative Council. The Design Team met for eight days, between February and May 2011, to synthesize their understanding of system-wide change as represented within this Comprehensive Learning framework (CLf) document.

The purpose of the CLf is to build the capacity of Prairie South School Division as a learning organization for continuous improvement. It will serve as a constructive tool to ensure that outstanding teaching, learning, and leading are demonstrated, supported, and celebrated through:

• inclusion of both the Division-Wide Performance Indicators and the School Indicators that guide the division and school Learning Improvement Plans (LIPs)

• analysis of relevant assessment evidence and other pertinent information, with the ultimate goal of improving instruction as a direct connection to improved academic achievement for all students

• development and implementation of research-based, effective educational practices, and

• establishment of a communication plan among students, parents, staff, Board of Trustees and the community.

Download the CLf here Comprehensive Learning Framework (CLf)

I am pleased to announce that a new collective agreement for the term September 1 2009 to August 31st 2012 was signed Friday March 30th. A number of items are now in effect. The new agreement will be posted to both the Prairie South and the CUPE websites. Here are some of the highlights:

* Return of Service (ROS) – is effective September 1 2011. The ability to earn up to 4 paid days in recognition of service outside of employees' regular working hours directly involving students (e.g. sports, drama, choir, yearbook). Previous maximum was 3 paid days after 180 hours of service. Employees can now access 3 paid days after 150 hours of service.

* Seniority – The accumulation, maintenance and loss are now all in one place in the agreement.

* Layoff process was made simpler and easier to administer

* Posting - the employer can use previous applicants to competitions rather than having to repost

* Project work – we now can participate in government programs.

* Discipline – new language on progressive discipline was agreed to.

* Workplace flexibility (e.g. job sharing, administrative assistant flex time)

* Boiler checks – we eliminated the need for boiler checks except those required by legislation.

* Overpayments – underpayments – language and time limits now in the agreement.

* Immediate Family definition – made crystal clear.

* Employees required to use their personal phone or cell phone for employer business will be reimbursed for long-distance charges (as is the current practice).

* Administrative Assistants in rural areas provided an additional $400 per year (up from $200) if required to travel using their own vehicle effective September 1st - 2011

* New provision providing a top-up for employees on maternity leave up to 95% of normal weekly earnings for a period of 12 weeks commencing the date of delivery.

* 10-month Administrative Assistants can earn up to three days off for voluntary administrative time worked outside of their assigned days in a school year. Days off can be taken in full or half days and a substitute employee provided, if required.

* New language allowing for job sharing of permanent positions.

* Flex-time can accumulate up to one full day at a time, an increase from one-half day and, in exceptional circumstances, a substitute may be provided for a minimum of one-half day.

* New provision allowing the employee to bump into another position within their classification with a similar work schedule when the employer proposes a significant change (more than two hours) in a shift of an employee's work schedule.

* New language allowing employees to retain union status for up to a 90-day trial period in an out-of-scope position provided they pay union dues.

If anyone has any questions please contact myself or the other bargaining committee members Ryan Boughen or Aline Kirk.

Rory Griffith, MHRM

Manager of Human Resources

Prairie South School Division

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Download the full agreement here: CUPE Agreement

Once again the McDowell Foundation is inviting teachers, administrators, and others involved in public education to apply for funding for teacher-led research projects that enhance publicly funded PreK-12 schools. You'll find more information at the McDowell website.