As in past years, our 2013 School Board Conference will cover a wide variety of topics relevant to Directors of Education, Trustees, Supervisory Officers and Human Resources Practitioners. We will take you first on a “whirlwind tour” of recent developments in labour and education law. This will be followed by two plenary sessions on critical issues concerning human rights and provincial bargaining in the school board environment. Following a buffet lunch, we will invite you to attend two afternoon workshops of your choice.
New This Year
We are pleased to offer a Pension Session, which provides an overview of the role of the TPP, the Board and the statutory framework in which they operate. The session will also address the key issues that generate disputes and how to avoid them. In order to accommodate those of you who are strictly involved in this area of School Board management, this session, as well as being offered as an afternoon workshop choice, is also being offered as a standalone option.
Agenda
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8:30
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Registration and Continental Breakfast
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9:00
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Opening Remarks
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9:10
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Whirlwind Tour
A fast-paced review of a wide variety of recent and pending cases, legislative initiatives and general scuttlebutt from the school board sector and beyond. |
10:15
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Refreshment Break
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10:30
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Plenary Session on Human Rights
Lauri A. Reesor and Andrew N. Zabrovsky
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Whether in their capacity as employers or their role as service providers, school boards have always been at the cutting edge of developments in human rights law. Our plenary session will explore current issues and the best practices necessary to manage them effectively. |
11:00
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Plenary Session on Bill 122 – The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2013
Dolores M. Barbini and Michael A. Hines
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On October 22, 2013, the Government tabled its long-awaited provincial bargaining legislation, Bill 122 – The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2013. We will analyze its strengths and weaknesses, identifying the challenges and opportunities that it presents to school boards acting individually and collectively. |
11:50
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Guest Speaker
Ian McFarlane, Executive Director, Ontario Principals’ Council
Our Guest Speaker possesses a wealth of knowledge derived from his experiences as a teacher and a school administrator. As we look ahead to what will surely be a ground-breaking round of negotiations, don’t miss this opportunity to consider the issues from this critical perspective. |
12:10
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Luncheon
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1:15
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Afternoon Workshop – Session “A” (Choose one)
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OPTION 1: Living with the MOUs
Dolores M. Barbini
The various Memoranda of Understanding between the government, federations and unions introduced many significant changes to school board collective agreements. In some cases, these have been followed by overlapping regulatory changes. This workshop is designed to help practitioners navigate the mine fields on key issues such as hiring practices, sick leave, maternity benefits and job security. |
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OPTION 2: Governance Issues
Michael A. Hines
Whether it’s conflict of interest, misuse of in camera sessions, duties of confidentiality or trustees trying to “discipline” one another, there is always something interesting going on in the boardroom. Join us for the legal “take” on current issues. |
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OPTION 3: Discipline and Discharge Update
Tom Moutsatsos and Andrew N. Zabrovsky
This session will tell you what you need to know at each stage in the discipline or discharge of a teacher or other unionized staff member. We’ll cover investigations, grounds for discharge and the interaction of the board’s processes with related proceedings such as CAS and OCT investigations and the criminal justice process. |
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OPTION 4: TPP Workshop
Sean M. Sells (Hicks Morley), Mariana MacIntosh (Legal Counsel Pension Law and Policy Group, OTPPB) and Michael McAllister (Director of Employer Relations and Pension Services, OTPPB)
This workshop will provide an overview of the role of the TPP, the Board and the statutory framework in which they operate. The session will also address the key issues that generate disputes and how to avoid them. |
2:10
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Refreshment Break
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2:25
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Afternoon Workshop – Session “B” (Choose one)
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OPTION 1: Bill 55, the PSFA and Your Non-Union Employees
Michael A. Hines and Paul E. Broad
Have you thought about your non-union employees lately? This workshop will explore the gaps in the PSFA that provide opportunities for enhancements to current terms and conditions of employment and will analyze the controversial provisions of the Strong Action for Ontario Act, 2012 (“Bill 55”) as they apply to school board “executives”. |
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OPTION 2: Pregnancy and Family Status Issues
Dolores M. Barbini and Amanda E. Lawrence
An update on the recent decisions that address the complicated concepts of discrimination and accommodation on the basis of pregnancy and family status. |
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OPTION 3: Labour Law Update
Vincent M. Panetta and Dianne E. Jozefacki
We will bring you up to speed on recent arbitration and OLRB decisions, both within and outside the school board sector. |
3:20
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