Convention Attendance Guidelines
The Alberta Teachers’ Association, as a professional organization, strongly values teachers’ conventions and recognizes both the professional and legal obligations that teachers have regarding convention attendance. All teachers should consider this as they approach and participate in the full two days of teachers’ conventions. Convention boards such as the CCTCA develop annual programs that are diverse and engaging to teachers at all levels; provide speakers and workshops from a variety of curriculum areas; and seek to improve the pedagogical knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers.
Convention is only one of a number of interdependent professional development forums which assist teachers in realizing their individual plans for increased professional growth. The CCTCA understands that there are exceptional circumstances in which a teacher may seek to be absent from their annual convention, despite their professional and statutory requirement to be in attendance.
Teachers may request permission to attend alternate professional development activities. Requests must be submitted, in writing, to the CCTCA Alternate PD Committee. Such requests must be made at least six weeks prior to the convention. Teachers failing to request permission from the CCTCA may be subject to investigation and sanctions under the Code of Professional Conduct.
The application deadline for the 2019-2020 school year is Monday January 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM.
All requests received after this point will not be reviewed.
AN ALTERNATE PD REQUEST MAY BE GRANTED IF:
- A teacher has the opportunity to participate in an organized professional development activity that exceeds those provided at convention.
- An extraordinary professional development opportunity is offered concurrently to convention that is not be scheduled at another time.
- A teacher is able to access a relevant professional development session not included in the convention program that will enhance their professional practice.
- A teacher has not been approved for alternate PD within the past three years.
ALTERNATE PD REQUESTS WILL NOT BE GRANTED FOR:
- Travel for supervision of school field trips
- Personal travel
- Business, school, or district meetings during convention
- Officiating sports competitions in any capacity
- Coaching sports/tournaments
- Professional reading
- Colleague discussions
- University courses
- School board-facilitated activities (e.g. job fairs)
- School visitations
- Individual course or unit planning
- Diploma examination marking
- Voluntary participation in other activities
Please note that medical, bereavement, personal and other leave entitlements fall under collective agreements and should be handled in the usual manner between teachers and their employers. A request for Alternate PD is not required. Contact your school board absence/leave administrators.
For more information:
Review the Alberta Teachers' Association attendance policy by clicking here.
To apply for Alternate PD for the 2017 Calgary City Teachers' Convention:
Review all of the information under the Alternate Professional Development menu then download an application form (available below). Complete the form and return it to the CCTCA before Monday January 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM.