Announcements
Local Annual Meeting
Local Annual Meeting Flyer – PDF
Proposed Amendments to the Constitution – PDF
Please login to the secure area of this website to view these documents.
Celebrate Black History Month!
Mois de L’Histoire des Noirs 2025: ADA, the 2025 ETFO Black History Month poster, offers a stunning visual that reflects the brilliance and resourcefulness of African Canadians.
The central image evokes traditional African mask-making practices in which ancestral faces are carved into wood. This mask, created with approximately 6,500 pieces of LEGO, features angular forms that add new, futuristic textures to the age-old practice.
The image honours trailblazer Ada Kelly Whitney of Windsor, the first Black person to teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario.
For more information, visit ETFO’s Black History Month page.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, an international memorial day that commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews by Nazi Germany.
January 27 was chosen in commemoration of the date that Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945.
December 6: The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women takes place every year on December 6.
We remember and name the 14 women killed in Montreal in 1989. The day is also about speaking out and taking action against gender-based violence and misogyny in all forms in our classrooms, schools, and communities.
From November 25 to December 10, we also recognize the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This day and campaign started in 1991 to call out and speak up on gender-based violence, and to renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
In 1992, the United Nations designated December 3 the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Observed annually, this day acknowledges the contributions made by people with disabilities, raises awareness of disability as a lived experience, and identifies the actions needed to create an inclusive world.
This year, a book list was developed to facilitate awareness about increasing the representation of people with disabilities. Find the list on our website.
How much did Ford cut from your local schools?
The PC government has cut $1,500 in funding, per student, since 2018. What does that mean for the schools near you?
Building Better Schools has a new search tool that will show you just how much money is missing from your school because of the cuts.
Share the tool with anyone who needs to see the local impact of cuts. Use the social share buttons or print out a flyer with the local details.
CBC School Challenge: New classroom activity empowers students to address food insecurity
As part of CBC’s annual campaign Make the Season Kind, Daily Bread Food Bank, Feed Ontario, and food banks across the province have partnered with the ETFO to launch the CBC School Challenge.
This engaging challenge will not only spark meaningful conversations about social justice, poverty, and food access, but also empower students to think critically and creatively about real-world issues. Not only will students gain valuable knowledge, but your class will also have a chance to earn recognition for their hard work with three outstanding submissions selected per division. Sign up here!
Holocaust Education Week
Observed since 1982, Holocaust Education Week is an internationally recognized week honouring the survivors of the Holocaust and commemorating those murdered by the Nazis. The week is observed annually during the first week of November (November 4 – 10 in 2024).
In 1939, the MS St. Louis carried Jewish German passengers fleeing the Nazi state to Cuba, where most were denied entry. Under Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Canadian government chose not to admit the passengers to Canada, a decision rooted in a persistent climate of antisemitic exclusion.
For more information on the MS St. Louis, visit Antisemitism on etfo.ca.
Be part of ETFO’s 2024 Listening Tour meetings
ETFO is holding membership meetings across the province this fall. The Listening Tour is an opportunity for members to share your experiences in the workplace and discuss which issues are most important to you.
ETFO-YR’s meeting is November 19, 2024. See the flyer in the Steward email/mailing for location and time.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your fellow ETFO members and share your ideas.
Recognizing World Teachers’ Day on October 5
World Teachers’ Day is a time to acknowledge the invaluable work done by teachers daily in classrooms across the country.
As we honour their invaluable contributions and their critical role in supporting future leaders, ETFO also renews its commitment to ensuring that every teacher is supported, respected, and empowered to continue this vital work.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for meaningful dialogue, reflection and education on the relationships of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. It’s also a reminder of the Indigenous injustices and systemic inequities that persist today.
THERE IS SO MUCH FOR US TO CELEBRATE!
Nominate and Apply for an ETFO Award, Bursary or Scholarship!
Click here to view/download the flyer.
President’s Message
September offers us a new beginning and an opportunity to reset the collision course in Ontario politics. To kick start this year and the union’s political work to ensure the Ford government is replaced in the next election, ETFO’s president asks, “Are you ready to make a difference?!”
WATCH this video to hear from ETFO President Karen Brown.
Coming soon: Membership meetings this fall
During the fall, ETFO will be holding membership meetings across the province.
This will be an opportunity for members to share your experiences in the workplace and to discuss what issues are most important to you.
Additional information about these meetings will be provided in the coming weeks, stay tuned.
Women’s History Month Poster
October is Women’s History Month in Canada. This year’s poster celebrates women educators as union activists advocating for better working conditions and advancing women’s issues.
We continue to build on this history in our ongoing efforts to foster a diverse women’s movement in which all women belong.
ETFO / OTF Awards Committee Applications
ETFO members are invited to submit an application to apply to serve on the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) Awards Committee for a two-year term commencing September 1, 2024.
Each year, OTF’s Awards Committee meets to establish and review the criteria for the Teaching Awards and other Awards.
OTF Standing Committees are named in their Bylaws and are made up of a teacher representative from each of the affiliated bodies. The committees report to the Board of Governors, where their recommendations may be approved or rejected, referred back to the committee for further study, or referred to the affiliated bodies for their approval before final acceptance by the OTF.
The ETFO Executive will consider the applications and make the appointment by motion of the Executive. The successful candidate will be notified at the conclusion of the Executive meeting in which the appointment is made
Applications should be emailed to Kathy Pigeon at kpigeon@etfo.org
Applications from interested members will be accepted until
Friday, September 27, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
Please login to the Member’s Secure Area to access the Application – Click here
Take Back the Night York Region- Save the Date!
September 19, 2024, Richmond Hill
Details to be announced
Get ready to celebrate solidarity on Labour Day!
Solidarity is our strength, and on Labour Day, events across the province bring workers together to meet, build connections, and celebrate the gains that have been won through labour solidarity.
Labour Day is only a few weeks away, so save the date and find an event in a community near you. The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) has prepared a handy event listing that includes times and locations across the province.
Pedagogy and Professional Judgement: The Kindergarten team
Starting in September 2024, classroom teachers have a
professional responsibility to administer the first early reading screener. Between the start of the school year and November 20, students in year two of Kindergarten and in grades 1 and 2 will be screened annually.
Learn more about how the Kindergarten team can use their
combined professional judgement to support students in a new resource: Pedagogy and Professional Judgement: The Kindergarten Team.
This resource is part of a series called Pedagogy and Professional Judgement, where you can find more great information. Check it out!
Catch up on events from the 2024 ETFO Annual Meeting!
ETFO Annual Meeting was held from August 12 to15. With more than 600 delegates receiving reports and voting on motions, the Annual Meeting sets the stage for the coming year at ETFO.
Catch up on the events of the meeting, read about award winners, and view photos on ETFO’s annual meeting blog. You can also listen to President Karen Brown’s opening speech on ETFO’s Elementary podcast. Check out ETFO’s largest yearly event!