Dear RETTA members,

As you know, we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation with the spread of COVID-19. There are concerns and anxiety surrounding questions we all have. I will try to address some of the concerns that I’ve been hearing over the last couple days.
On March13th the Province has elected to close schools as of March 23rd. Three weeks of closure inclusive of Spring Break. Students will be out of class and teachers will be expected to report to work. This is a decision by the Province of Manitoba. The Division is following their marching orders from the province. That said, it won’t stop me from voicing concerns of our membership to the Division. I am in consistent contact with the MTS President and Vice President, as well as Kelly Barkman expressing the concerns of our members regarding the closure.

Many of you have concerns and questions around the topic of travel during spring break. While the division itself cannot dictate your activities during spring break, I urge you to stay current and follow any travel advisories that have been issued by Manitoba Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Manitoba Teachers’ Society is currently working on what would happen in the different scenarios regarding travel during spring break. What I can be more certain about is this; if you were to be placed in quarantine and have a medical certificate from the health organization that placed you there stating such, you would not suffer loss of pay.

My colleagues, I wish I had more answers for you. We don’t know what lies ahead but I can tell you that I will do everything in my power to keep you informed. If you have questions or concerns, please direct them to me and I will do my best to answer them or to find the answers for you.
More information from MTS can be found at http://www.mbteach.org/mtscms/2020/03/12/what-you-need-to-know/

Take care of yourselves, and each other. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns: cdarazsi@retta.ca

– Chris