Convention Attendance Guidelines
- All teachers have a legal as well as a professional obligation to attend the annual teachers’ convention to which they have been assigned as stated in the School Act.
- A charge of unprofessional conduct under Association discipline bylaws may be lodged against a teacher who fails to attend the teachers’ convention. School boards also have the right to deduct pay from teachers absent from a convention without authorization or reason and, in fact, have done so.
- Employers, school staff, Association subgroups and individual teachers shall not organize other school or district activities that conflict with annual teachers’ conventions. Any such other activities that are scheduled may be contrary to the School Act.
- Notwithstanding teacher rights under collective agreements, teachers are expected and urged to consider convention dates as a professional priority in planning for the school year and as a link to their Teacher Professional Growth Plans.
- Notwithstanding the professional and statutory obligation to attend their annual teachers’ conventions, in exceptional circumstances teachers may be absent from the annual convention according to the following criteria.
Requests by a Teacher to the Employer
Medical, bereavement, personal and other leave entitlements fall under the collective agreement and should be handled in the usual employer/employee relationship.
Requests by a Teacher to the Convention Attendance Committee
Alternate Professional Development Activities
- Teachers may request permission to attend alternate professional development activities. Requests must be submitted, in writing, to the appropriate Convention Attendance Committee. Such requests must be made at least six weeks prior to the convention. Teachers failing to request permission from their Convention Attendance Committee may be subject to investigation and sanctions under the Code of Professional Conduct.
- For approval of requests by a teacher to be absent from convention responsibilities, the following minimum criteria must be met:
- an organized professional development activity that exceeds those provided at convention
- an extraordinary professional development opportunity that could not be accessed by the teacher at another time
- a relevant professional development session not included in the convention program that will enhance professional practice.
- The Convention Attendance Committee has the authority to grant permission for a teacher to be absent from convention. The Convention Attendance Committee will advise the teacher of its decision in writing. Teachers may appeal a decision of the committee to the Convention Board to render a final decision.
- An example of an appropriate request would include a one-time attendance at a national or international conference which addresses the emergent professional needs of the teacher.
- Although worthy enterprizes, school trips such as ski trips, field trips, voluntary participation in other activities (eg, coaching) and school board-facilitated activities (eg, job fairs) do not qualify as professional development activities. Any member in an educational context counselling and directing a colleague to be absent from convention is liable to sanctions under the Code of Professional Conduct.
Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA)
The Alberta Teachers’ Association is providing the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) with a Letter of Accommodation regarding the release of teacher coaches from their convention attendance obligations. Such releases apply only to teacher coaches from the Northeast Teachers’ Convention Association (NETCA) involved with teams reaching the rural wrestling finals and teacher coaches from the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention Association (GETCA) involved with teams reaching the provincial wrestling finals.
Diploma Examinations
Due to recent changes to diploma examination schedules, no conflicts are anticipated with marking exams since all written portions are scheduled to be marked prior to convention dates.