Message from K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams
I want to thank all members for their hard work and continued support for B.C. students. There are many questions about September and each district will function a little differently. We will continue to update you as we get more information.
In solidarity and safety,
Warren Williams
K-12 Presidents Council President
View the bulletin.
This document, prepared by CUPE National, answers some of the common questions about employer obligations and the duty to accommodate workers during COVID.
View the French version.
Message from K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams
I’d like to thank everyone for their role in B.C.’s K-12 restart this week. All schools were open on June 1 and 60,000 students attended.
For the most part, things went well with the re-opening of in-class instruction this week.
Some districts are still having issues around PPEs.
All sites should have their joint Health and Safety Committees up and running. This is our first line to address safety concerns if your district is not following the recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer.
Contact your local if you need help to address your issues. This is our opportunity to see how we are able to work together in the ‘new normal’ and be ready for September.
During this month all classes have limited capacity with alternating schedules. Children of essential service workers and students who need additional support will continue to be able to access full-time classroom instruction.
Thanks to everyone who sent in member pics. Stay tuned for the video coming soon.
In solidarity and safety,
Warren Williams
K-12 Presidents Council President
View the bulletin.
Age Structured Modelling (Self-isolation)
Age Structured Modelling (Susceptibility of children)
Message from K-12 Presidents Council President Warren Williams
As many K-12 CUPE members will be back in classrooms on June 1, it’s important to recognize the work we have all done to enable re-opening our province under the guidance of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonny Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.
B.C. had two of the first cases of COVID-19. During our peak at the end of April, B.C. had just over 700 cases of infection. Now we are well under 300 active cases. Not only have we flattened the curve, we’ve curved it downwards.
B.C. took a scientific approach and the science that produced these very good results is the same science that is guiding our restart.
The PHO has lifted restrictions that are not needed at this time. They will continue to keep us up-to-date. This is a new virus and we’re learning more every day. As we get more information we may need to adapt what we’re doing.
In the meantime let’s continue doing our part by washing our hands frequently and maintaining two metres of physical distancing where possible.
In solidarity and safety,
Warren Williams
K-12 Presidents Council President
View the bulletin
CAMPBELL RIVER—CUPE 723, representing K-12 support staff in Campbell River, recently donated $5,000 to their local food bank. Local President Andrea Craddock said that members felt “incredibly fortunate” to be working while many people faced layoffs or business closures.
CUPE 723 members have been tireless in their efforts to provide support during the pandemic crisis. While education assistants and youth care workers delivered food hampers to more than 200 families on a weekly basis and provided emergency childcare for health care workers, custodial staff deep cleaned all schools to provide a higher level of sanitation and monitored everyone entering and exiting school facilities, bus drivers were redeployed to do maintenance work, and maintenance workers put in 12 hour days to install safety barriers and provide structural modifications to keep up with school safety protocols. At the same time, clerical staff and EAs worked from home to make sure that students were provided with online education and check-ins.
“We recognized the increased need for families struggling throughout our SD 72 community and beyond,” said Craddock, noting there are a lot of worthy organizations that help people in times of need. They chose the food bank because food is such a basic need for everybody, and the Local knew demand on the food bank would increase “exponentially” during the COVID-19 crisis.
Money budgeted for local members to attend conferences and training was redirected to where it would best serve communities in their time of need, added Craddock. The executive, hoping to get everyone on board with the community spirit, put out a challenge to the Campbell River Teachers Association (CRDTA) and the Campbell River Principals and Vice Principals Association (CRPVPA) to meet their donation so there could be one big donation to the food bank.
The challenge was met, with teachers topping it up by an additional $1,000. Craddock, Laird Ruehlen from the CRPVPA and CRDTA President Dave Harper presented cheques totalling $16,000 to Deb Willis, manager of the Campbell River Food Bank on May 11.
“This initiative felt like a way for the SD 72 team to give back and reinforce the care and concern we have for all families during this difficult time,” Craddock said. “We are all in this together.”
CUPE 723 represents 340 members, who provide a wide variety of services that support students in Campbell River. They include instructional support staff (i.e. education assistants, Indigenous support workers and Strong Start), custodians, trades, maintenance, grounds, clerical, IT, administrative support, lunch-hour supervisors and child and youth care workers.
Read the story in the Campbell River Mirror.