RETTA members,

We hope that this summer brought moments of rest for all of you. With a spring, summer and now a new school year like none-other, we all realize that the weeks and months ahead will be filled with many challenges, questions, and concerns.

We want to assure you that your RETTA leadership, and MTS, have been working extremely hard behind the scenes on your behalf, fighting for a safe return to school. We have had several meetings with the division over the summer, MTS has also been having regular meetings with the provincial government, and those meetings continue. In the words of the MTS General Secretary, Danielle Fullan Kolton, this is a time of careful listening, clear communication, continual pivoting, and persistent advocacy. We can do this.

We encourage you to continue to ask questions, share concerns, and access RETTA and MTS resources. The MTS website is updated continually with the latest information available, and we encourage you to visit it often. Something of note is the recent open letter that President James Bedford sent to the Minister of Education, Kelvin Goertzen, insisting that the recent allocation of federal funds to Manitoba be used to ensure safe physical distancing in our schools as well as the hiring of more substitute teachers.

Please do not forget that attention to your wellness is critical. A reminder that MTS offers free, confidential counselling services to all MTS members. Here is more information on the Educator Assistance Program (EAP).

We wish everyone a safe start to the year. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the RETTA office.