Professional Learning Committee

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Professional Learning Committee

Committee Members

  • Jennifer Muir-Birtles, Chair ETFO-YR
  • Jennifer Smalley Higgs, President Ex-Officio
  • Debra Besner, Armadale PS
  • Tatiana Davydova, Milliken Mills PS
  • Sarah Gibson-Neve, Oscar Peterson PS
  • Donna Holmeshaw, MacLeod’s Landing PS
  • Kelly McDowell, Glad Park PS
  • Marilena Murgan, Rick Hansen PS
  • Christine Sonevski, Glad Park PS
  • Daniela Tessaro, Johnny Lombardi PS

Workshop Registration Policy:

ETFO-YR Fair Distribution Policy (email registration with no required payment):

  1. For all registration requests received by 3pm on the (anticipated) 6th (sixth) day after the flyer has been picked up by the Board courier, names will be drawn by lottery; otherwise registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The cut-off date for the lottery shall be clearly indicated on the flyer

  2. For professional learning workshops (with release time), preference will be given to those members who have not already attended a release-time workshop in the current school year.

  3. Successful applicants and applicants on the waiting list will be notified.

PL FUNDING

ETFO-YR provides funding for the Professional Learning of its members, according to ETFO-YR Policies on Financial Assistance to Members. Funding Assistance is available in 2 different categories: ETFO-sponsored PL, and non-ETFO PL. Funding for ETFO-sponsored PL can be applied for once per school year (July 1 – June 30) and covers registration up to $300 (no expenses or supply coverage). Non-ETFO funding assistance is limited: up to $300 to cover the cost of registration only (no expenses or supply coverage), and you can receive non-ETFO funding assistance once every two (2) years.

PLEASE NOTE that in both categories, the application for funding assistance must be received by ETFO-YR BEFORE the PL activity is completed. Also, please be aware that ETFO-YR will not provide funding assistance for AQ courses with a registration cost of less than $500.

PLEASE NOTE that ETFO-YR:

  • shall not provide PL Funding Assistance for PL Opportunities offered by the OPC;
  • shall not provide funding assistance for any AQ courses with a registration cost less than $500; and
  • shall not provide funding assistance for AQ courses where members receive or are provided with a subsidy from another organization (this includes AQ’s where members can apply for the OTF AQ subsidy).

Funding Assistance for ETFO-Sponsored PL:

Print the (2024-2025) Application for Financial Sponsorship to Attend ETFO PL form

Send the completed form to the ETFO-YR office in Aurora by Board courier, email jmuirbirtles@etfo-yr.on.ca or by fax (905-727-2637), ATTN: Jennifer Muir Birtles. Your application will be processed and a letter will be sent to you by Board courier indicating the status of your application. Your application will be processed and a letter will be sent to you by Board courier indicating the status of your application.

Funding Assistance for non-ETFO-Sponsored PD:

Print the (2024-2025) Application for Funding Assistance to attend a non-ETFO-Sponsored PL form.

You will need to submit this completed form, along with a copy of the conference/workshop registration (showing price, date, title, etc.). Please note that the application form MUST be signed by your principal (he or she MUST indicate what, if any, monies you are receiving from the school, even if the answer is $0) in order for your application to be processed (this proves that you have asked the Board for PD funds).

Send the 2 forms listed above to the ETFO-YR office in Aurora by Board courier, email jmuirbirtles@etfo-yr.on.ca or by fax (905-727-2637), ATTN: Jennifer Muir Birtles. Your application will be processed and a letter will be sent to you by Board courier indicating the status of your application. Your application will be processed and a letter will be sent to you by Board courier indicating the status of your application.

New ETFO-YR Member Lunch Programme

ETFO-YR Stewards have the opportunity to treat new ETFO-YR members to lunch. Information about the programme, and the application form can be found in the Local Stewards Binder Insert.

ETFO-YR Workshops

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Write to Read Workshop – with Larry Swartz
Info/Registration Details
Registration Closed

Thursday, November 7, 2024

ETFO’s Retirement and Pension Planning Workshop (4:45-6:45pm)
Info/Registration Details
Registration Closed

Friday, November 8, 2024

ETFO’s Primary Inspire & Inquire Workshop
Info/Registration Details
Registration Closed

Friday, November 29, 2024

ETFO’s Language Curriculum Workshop
Info/Registration Details

Friday, December 6, 2024

ETFO Workshop- Addressing Challenging Behaviours Through Effective Classroom Management & POTR: Active Body, Healthy Mind
Info/Registration Details

Monday, December 16, 2024

Fostering Self Regulation & Documenting and Communicating in Kindergarten Workshop
Info/Registration Details

Provincial Events

Professional Learning Events

Visions Program

December 3-4, 2024
April 1-2, 2025

This exciting program is for women members in their first five years. Visions focuses on building participants’ knowledge of ETFO’s organization and governance, the broader labour movement, and opportunities for activism.

The program is grounded within a feminist and anti-oppressive framework.

View the flyer.

Registration closes on October 18, 2024.

2024-25 Information Communication Technology Conference

December 6-7, 2024

Members interested in exploring technology tools and apps to enhance student learning are invited to register for the upcoming Information Communication Technology Conference.

This conference will be held in person in Toronto.

View the flyer.

Registration closes on October 23, 2024 at noon.

Conscious Classrooms Responding to Gender-Based Violence (WP)

December 12-13, 2024

This women’s program addresses gender-based violence (GBV) within school communities through a trauma-informed lens.

This conference is open to women members who are first-time participants or who have not attended Conscious Classrooms within the last five years. View the flyer.

Registration closes on October 18, 2024.

Become a Presenter on the Road!

Presenters on the Road (POTR) offers quality workshops in partnership with ETFO locals across the province. All workshops are developed by members for members. 

We are looking for new workshops to expand our existing POTR catalogue. Have a great idea you want to share? Learn how to apply.

For more information, please contact Tara Zwolinski.

ETFO PLEY

Rethinking outdoor learning, new on etfopley.ca

ETFO’s Professional Learning in the Early Years (PLEY) website offers a wealth of professional learning materials in a fresh, user-friendly design.

The latest resources is a new PLEY Chat on rethinking outdoor learning. It features members talking about how outdoor learning provides a rich and dynamic context for children to learn and grow, fostering their development across multiple domains, nurturing a connection to nature and offering a springboard to engage in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Dive into a diverse array of videos, peruse our photo gallery, and embark on virtual classroom tours.

Visit etfopley.ca today!

Assessment website new content alert!

We’ve added some great videos to the Assessment for Learning section of the ETFO Members Sharing in Assessment website.

The new videos complement the numerous assessment tools and professional materials available to members on this user-friendly and easy-to-navigate site. Visit etfoassessment.ca today.

ETFO AQ

ETFO AQ Course Registration
Winter 2025

ETFO AQ courses provide classroom resources, instructional strategies, and tools for educators. 

Check with your board about any subsidies that might be available to you for AQ courses, which cover a range of topics such as mathematics, environmental education, teaching students with communication needs (autism spectrum disorder), as well as courses related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Knowledge to support teachers as they integrate Indigenous Knowledge across various curriculums.

Winter registration opens on October 22. Visit etfo-aq.ca to register.

ETFO Resources

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