Discussions

loeog said "   Sept. 7 Labour Day // are you serious, school hasn't started     Sept. 25 K-12 Professional Development Day // day 1 in 4 months     Oct. 12 Thanksgiving // are you serious, miss turkey day     Oct. 23 Professional Development Day // day 2 in 4 months     Nov. 6 K-8 Administration Day ?// not sure what this is     Nov. 11 Remembrance Day // are you serious     Nov. 20 K-12 Parent/Teacher Conferences // what good every comes from supporting your kids. "

I wasn't going to respond to any of this but someone has started about some of the registered days above and moving PD to be joined together AND I have read that someone suggests to educate.  
 
1. October 23rd is a PD day that is actually a matter of Legislation by the Provincial Government in which all public schools in the Province are closed for what is called Small Area Groups of Educators or SAGE. It is an opportunity for teachers to get PD in one of many specific areas like Math, Social Studies, Early Education, Middle Years, Reading Council. There is a large list found on the Teachers Website at mbteach.org. It is also good to note that the Brandon Teachers also offer PD session under the term LIFT. Not sure what it stands for.  
 
2. Provincial Legislation dictates the total number of days that schools are opened in a year, when school officially starts and when it officially closes and states that 10 of those must be for Administration and PD of which 5 must be PD. SAGE is one of those PD Days.  
Admin Days are used usually at the first day of the school year and last day for opening and closing needs, Parent Teacher reporting and the last is used as a separation between high school semesters. Now those days can be different in each and every division.  
 
3. PD Days. Except for SAGE, each division is responsible for organizing and establishing PD Days for their teachers. In some cases, 2 or more divisions may coordinate their days to host a Large Keynote Speaker but mostly, Divisions organize their own days that may include an all division PD or individual school PD. These are mostly Based on Divisional Needs OR Plans.  
 
4. Can you string all the PD days together and have the 5 days together? Except for SAGE as it is a Provincial Mandated date in October, sure. If that is what you want the Division to consider, than get a parent group together and make a presentation to your school board. Parents have the right to do this and if it is something that you feel is important. Talk to your Parent Advisory Councils (PAC) that should be in each school or even the Provincial body.  
 
5. Admin Days. Can these be strung together? Depends what you want those days to represent. It is actually interesting to note that the Legislation states a minimum of 5 days MUST be for PD but that doesn't mean that there can be more. They just come from the 5 Admin Days as legislation currently reads.  
 
6. Days such as Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Xmas and Boxing Day, New Years' Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Louis Reil Day: These days are stat days that most public employees get. I know that aside from Xmas, there are people that work those days but many of those get it as time and a half or double-triple time. I wasn't sure by the post if the person who wrote those is stating that schools should be opened or not.  
I will say if I had my way schools would be opened for Remembrance Day if it fell on a week day. Why? Then I would know that every child would at least be involved in some sort of Remembrance on that Day. As it is now, Legislation prevents schools from being opened if Remembrance Day falls on a weekday.  
As well, if Remembrance Day falls on the weekend, very few if any public school divisions shut down on the Friday or Monday unlike most Provincial and Federal government offices and buildings.  
 
Lets face it. All jobs are tough in some aspect. Teachers deal with children that are great and a pain just like a sales person. The Farmer has great seasons and bad seasons and the Dairy farmer I am sure has times when the cows are being difficult that he wonders why? Why stay in this job? Because you have to love what you are doing.  
 
If anyone becomes a teacher because they believe they get summers off and only work 9 to 3:30, they don't stay in the profession. Those teachers are usually gone because this job is more demanding than those benefits. But are there teachers that should not be doing the job: I am sure there are just like any other profession in the province. Just please, don't assume that the whole profession sucks because you have a problem with an aspect. I don't believe that parents would be happy if Teachers started a post that stated ALL PARENTS ARE POOR AT BEING PARENTS.

ruralmb said "    loeog said "   Sept. 7 Labour Day // are you serious, school hasn't started     Sept. 25 K-12 Professional Development Day // day 1 in 4 months     Oct. 12 Thanksgiving // are you serious, miss turkey day     Oct. 23 Professional Development Day // day 2 in 4 months     Nov. 6 K-8 Administration Day ?// not sure what this is     Nov. 11 Remembrance Day // are you serious     Nov. 20 K-12 Parent/Teacher Conferences // what good every comes from supporting your kids. " I wasn't going to respond to any of this but someone has started about some of the registered days above and moving PD to be joined together AND I have read that someone suggests to educate.     1. October 23rd is a PD day that is actually a matter of Legislation by the Provincial Government in which all public schools in the Province are closed for what is called Small Area Groups of Educators or SAGE. It is an opportunity for teachers to get PD in one of many specific areas like Math, Social Studies, Early Education, Middle Years, Reading Council. There is a large list found on the Teachers Website at mbteach.org. It is also good to note that the Brandon Teachers also offer PD session under the term LIFT. Not sure what it stands for.     2. Provincial Legislation dictates the total number of days that schools are opened in a year, when school officially starts and when it officially closes and states that 10 of those must be for Administration and PD of which 5 must be PD. SAGE is one of those PD Days.   Admin Days are used usually at the first day of the school year and last day for opening and closing needs, Parent Teacher reporting and the last is used as a separation between high school semesters. Now those days can be different in each and every division.     3. PD Days. Except for SAGE, each division is responsible for organizing and establishing PD Days for their teachers. In some cases, 2 or more divisions may coordinate their days to host a Large Keynote Speaker but mostly, Divisions organize their own days that may include an all division PD or individual school PD. These are mostly Based on Divisional Needs OR Plans.     4. Can you string all the PD days together and have the 5 days together? Except for SAGE as it is a Provincial Mandated date in October, sure. If that is what you want the Division to consider, than get a parent group together and make a presentation to your school board. Parents have the right to do this and if it is something that you feel is important. Talk to your Parent Advisory Councils (PAC) that should be in each school or even the Provincial body.     5. Admin Days. Can these be strung together? Depends what you want those days to represent. It is actually interesting to note that the Legislation states a minimum of 5 days MUST be for PD but that doesn't mean that there can be more. They just come from the 5 Admin Days as legislation currently reads.     6. Days such as Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Xmas and Boxing Day, New Years' Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Louis Reil Day: These days are stat days that most public employees get. I know that aside from Xmas, there are people that work those days but many of those get it as time and a half or double-triple time. I wasn't sure by the post if the person who wrote those is stating that schools should be opened or not.   I will say if I had my way schools would be opened for Remembrance Day if it fell on a week day. Why? Then I would know that every child would at least be involved in some sort of Remembrance on that Day. As it is now, Legislation prevents schools from being opened if Remembrance Day falls on a weekday.   As well, if Remembrance Day falls on the weekend, very few if any public school divisions shut down on the Friday or Monday unlike most Provincial and Federal government offices and buildings.     Lets face it. All jobs are tough in some aspect. Teachers deal with children that are great and a pain just like a sales person. The Farmer has great seasons and bad seasons and the Dairy farmer I am sure has times when the cows are being difficult that he wonders why? Why stay in this job? Because you have to love what you are doing.     If anyone becomes a teacher because they believe they get summers off and only work 9 to 3:30, they don't stay in the profession. Those teachers are usually gone because this job is more demanding than those benefits. But are there teachers that should not be doing the job: I am sure there are just like any other profession in the province. Just please, don't assume that the whole profession sucks because you have a problem with an aspect. I don't believe that parents would be happy if Teachers started a post that stated ALL PARENTS ARE POOR AT BEING PARENTS. "

thanks for the education and i agree with what you said, if we as parents or citizens believe in a change then we should be advocating for one  
 
im curious why oct 23rd was picked as a provincial pd day, some things do make sense to be a group education but i do wonder why it is that particular day, not that it matters just curious

ruralmb said "    loeog said "   Sept. 7 Labour Day // are you serious, school hasn't started     Sept. 25 K-12 Professional Development Day // day 1 in 4 months     Oct. 12 Thanksgiving // are you serious, miss turkey day     Oct. 23 Professional Development Day // day 2 in 4 months     Nov. 6 K-8 Administration Day ?// not sure what this is     Nov. 11 Remembrance Day // are you serious     Nov. 20 K-12 Parent/Teacher Conferences // what good every comes from supporting your kids. " I wasn't going to respond to any of this but someone has started about some of the registered days above and moving PD to be joined together AND I have read that someone suggests to educate.     1. October 23rd is a PD day that is actually a matter of Legislation by the Provincial Government in which all public schools in the Province are closed for what is called Small Area Groups of Educators or SAGE. It is an opportunity for teachers to get PD in one of many specific areas like Math, Social Studies, Early Education, Middle Years, Reading Council. There is a large list found on the Teachers Website at mbteach.org. It is also good to note that the Brandon Teachers also offer PD session under the term LIFT. Not sure what it stands for.     2. Provincial Legislation dictates the total number of days that schools are opened in a year, when school officially starts and when it officially closes and states that 10 of those must be for Administration and PD of which 5 must be PD. SAGE is one of those PD Days.   Admin Days are used usually at the first day of the school year and last day for opening and closing needs, Parent Teacher reporting and the last is used as a separation between high school semesters. Now those days can be different in each and every division.     3. PD Days. Except for SAGE, each division is responsible for organizing and establishing PD Days for their teachers. In some cases, 2 or more divisions may coordinate their days to host a Large Keynote Speaker but mostly, Divisions organize their own days that may include an all division PD or individual school PD. These are mostly Based on Divisional Needs OR Plans.     4. Can you string all the PD days together and have the 5 days together? Except for SAGE as it is a Provincial Mandated date in October, sure. If that is what you want the Division to consider, than get a parent group together and make a presentation to your school board. Parents have the right to do this and if it is something that you feel is important. Talk to your Parent Advisory Councils (PAC) that should be in each school or even the Provincial body.     5. Admin Days. Can these be strung together? Depends what you want those days to represent. It is actually interesting to note that the Legislation states a minimum of 5 days MUST be for PD but that doesn't mean that there can be more. They just come from the 5 Admin Days as legislation currently reads.     6. Days such as Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Xmas and Boxing Day, New Years' Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Louis Reil Day: These days are stat days that most public employees get. I know that aside from Xmas, there are people that work those days but many of those get it as time and a half or double-triple time. I wasn't sure by the post if the person who wrote those is stating that schools should be opened or not.   I will say if I had my way schools would be opened for Remembrance Day if it fell on a week day. Why? Then I would know that every child would at least be involved in some sort of Remembrance on that Day. As it is now, Legislation prevents schools from being opened if Remembrance Day falls on a weekday.   As well, if Remembrance Day falls on the weekend, very few if any public school divisions shut down on the Friday or Monday unlike most Provincial and Federal government offices and buildings.     Lets face it. All jobs are tough in some aspect. Teachers deal with children that are great and a pain just like a sales person. The Farmer has great seasons and bad seasons and the Dairy farmer I am sure has times when the cows are being difficult that he wonders why? Why stay in this job? Because you have to love what you are doing.     If anyone becomes a teacher because they believe they get summers off and only work 9 to 3:30, they don't stay in the profession. Those teachers are usually gone because this job is more demanding than those benefits. But are there teachers that should not be doing the job: I am sure there are just like any other profession in the province. Just please, don't assume that the whole profession sucks because you have a problem with an aspect. I don't believe that parents would be happy if Teachers started a post that stated ALL PARENTS ARE POOR AT BEING PARENTS. "

Very well written. Great respond/post to the comments and conversation in this thread.

Three of those days are holidays that most people have off.... Parents teachers and children alike. School officially started on October 8th technically. Parent teacher conference days are actually significant and important days to have.... I for one like to hear what my kids are doing and see there work. The few days that are left as actual pd days are useful for teachers. The kids are supposed to be in school for a set number of days. So as long as that is met I don't see why the days off is a big deal. If there were no days off people would be complaining.... It's a lose lose situation.

I would actually like to see this happen, I think it is possible that we could get more out of PD if we could focus on it for a few days in a row, plan multiple speakers and sessions so that 2 days are spent in a large conference and the rest are planned for smaller areas or instruction, certain regions or within the schools or divisions.  
 
I prefer not to have the week disrupted because we have a routine, and it is difficult to miss a lot of Mondays or a lot of Fridays. Students may end up getting fewer hours of instructional time if their class falls on a Monday or Friday each week and those are often missed because of long weekends.  
 
If there was a full week off, it is easier for parents to organize and manage child care and easier for teachers to organize their schedules as well instead of always disrupting week after week for a day off here and there. Trust me, I don't like it any more than parents do! I am a parent, too so just like anyone else I need to find a place for my kids when they are off school and we have to be there for PD or admin days.  
 
There isn't much that can be done about the admin days, as pointed out they are usually for report cards or P/T conferences so they have to occur at the end of a term or semester.  
 
I do enjoy reading through these threads and sifting through all the complaining and defending to actually find suggestions and possible solutions. I am sure there are reasons why it might not work but it is a very interesting idea.

Attend parent council meetings and you would find out exactly what they need these days for. I attend mine and know exactly what they are doing at the Pd days. It is sad to say hardly anyone attends them I think there is maybe 7 of us in total that go in a over 350 students school.

gracie22 said "Attend parent council meetings and you would find out exactly what they need these days for. I attend mine and know exactly what they are doing at the Pd days. It is sad to say hardly anyone attends them I think there is maybe 7 of us in total that go in a over 350 students school. "

Not everyone can make the time for parent council, and not everyone has the desire to participate in these kinds of things either. I am thankful for the parents at our school that put the time in and have the desire to be a part of our parent council. It is not an area that I feel I could contribute very well to. I participate in other area's at our school.  
 
If parents really want to know what their child's teacher is doing on those off days, I'm sure they are free to ask. I am sure most teacher's would be happy to fill parents in on what they spend their PD and admin. days doing, and how it will benefit their child's education.