Teachers to make own decision on volunteering

As the new school year begins, it will once again be up to individual teachers to decide whether they want to take part in the voluntary extras that so often depend on their participation.

That has always been the practice, but last year as the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and the provincial government hit an impasse in collective bargaining, the teachers followed a work-to-rule campaign, affecting many of those programs.

When Stephen McNeil’s Liberal government imposed a contract on the teachers, work to rule ended but many did not take up the voluntary positions again.

This year, the Halifax Regional School Board has hired Mary Veinotte to help facilitate the organization of sports participation for Grades 6-9 and physical education for Grade Primary-12.

It’s a brand new position that the Halifax board created in the wake of last year’s work action.

“Obviously, it was super important to the public that school sports continue,” Veinotte said on Tuesday. “They wanted something in place that would help to alleviate the strain on phys ed teachers but also ensure that the opportunities would be there for students.”

Veinotte sees the job as being a support system as some teachers are still extremely passionate about participating, whether co-ordinating or coaching sports.

“Some have come to me already saying that they still wish to do so, so I’ll be more of a support for them if they need help with booking fields, scheduling different teams and referees and that sort of thing that normally, in the run of a day, that they might not have time to do.”

Veinotte has 15 years of junior high phys ed experience. She was also on the executive of the Metro Junior High Athletic Association, was a NSSAF regional co-ordinator for junior highs and played junior high sports in Guysborough County.

One of the resources she has put in place is a junior high athletics website off the Halifax board’s page (https://www. hrsb.ca/about-our-schools/students/junior-high-sports). She’s also created a twitter account (@hrsb_jhsports) that can help provide information to parents.

Liette Doucet, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said it does alleviate some of the pressure that a volunteer teacher would face in that role.

“However, I know that coaches will still be needed,” she said.

Beyond the hiring of Veinotte, Doucet said individual teachers will be making their own decisions on volunteer extra duties.

“I know a lot of teachers, especially after last year … have to look at their work-life balance.”