Happy Holidays to you all!

The past three months have flown, and the holiday season is upon us. There are several things happening that take place every year around this time. Winter is trying to decide if it wants to take a firm hold and settle in for the next number of months. Checking the condition of the driveway has become a part of my morning routine. Schools have transitioned from preparing for report cards and parent conferences to preparing for holiday concerts. The Bombers win another Grey Cup! Okay, so maybe that last one doesn’t happen every year. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to a well deserved and restful holiday break!

The past few months have been very busy and many of the events that we have been preparing for are upon us;
The constitutional challenge against Bill 28 (The Public Services Sustainability Act) is currently before the court and will conclude in mid-February.
The Louis Riel Teachers’ Association (LRTA) arbitration hearing has recently concluded. We are hoping for a decision in the next few months.
The Pembina Trails Teachers’ Association arbitration hearing is scheduled for April, 2020.
The K-12 Education Review should be released in the next couple of months.
The province is planning a $25 million “Teacher Idea Fund”. No word yet on how that will play out.
The province has also committed to changing how education in Manitoba is funded, divorcing school taxes from property taxes. Also no word yet on how that billion dollar shortfall will be replaced.

Questions that still remain are plentiful; will there be amalgamations and what will that look like? Is provincial bargaining on the way and how do we ensure that teachers are treated fairly across the whole province? What’s happening with pensions and should we be worried?

With so much uncertainty and change happening in our chosen field, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. While I do encourage you to stay informed and aware of what’s happening, as well as have some good conversations with family members about education, I implore you to take a couple weeks and simply recharge. Whether that means you catch up on sleep, indulge in too much food, spend time spoiling your loved ones with attention and gifts, or maybe travel somewhere warmer than here (that shouldn’t be hard to find!). Take the time to take care of yourself and those you love. At the end of the day, that’s what matters most.

And when we come back in January, we will be ready.

– Chris