Teachers – Work to Rule

The Limestone District School Board says work to rule campaigns planned by elementary and high school teachers will not have an impact on learning in the classroom.

The Elementary Teachers Federation and Secondary School Teachers Federation are both in negotiations with the province and both unions have received strong strike mandates from their members.

They both announced work to rule campaigns will start on Tuesday of next week if they don’t reach a contract agreement before then.  The job action will include not putting comments on report cards, not participating in standardized testing, and not taking part in unpaid staff meetings outside school hours.

 

Student Fees – Students Win

University Students have won their court battle with the Ontario government over student fees.

Premier Doug Ford’s government had put it into effect what it called the “Student Choice Initiative.”

It allowed students to decide if they wanted to pay fees for things like clubs, campus newspapers, radio stations and other support services.

The Canadian Federation of Students and York Federation of Students won a unanimous court decision that ruled the government’s decision to enact the policy was beyond its legislative authority.

 

Ernestown Secondary – Loud Bang

The Limestone Board says there was no threat to the safety of staff or students at Ernestown Secondary School after what sounded like an explosion or gun shot outside the school.

Staff and students heard the loud bang during lunch hour.

Students were kept inside while police investigate.

The OPP found a burning garbage can outside the school and put out the fire.

 

Pink Shirt Day

It is Pink Shirt Day.  Students are being encouraged to wear pink shirts to school today.

The Limestone District School Board says the idea is to spark conversations around bullying and to promote safe schools and a positive environment.

Pink Shirt Day is the wrap-up of Kindness Week in schools.

 

Petition – Protest – Napanee

The town of Greater Napanee has given a man until Monday to get the homeless people living in trailers off of his property.

Scott Drader has been notified he is once again in violation of the town’s zoning bylaw.  He faced the same situation a year ago.

His makeshift trailer part at 37 Dairy Avenue is occupied by homeless people.

A petition on Change.Org asks the town to give Drader a minor variance to allow a year-round trailer park on the property and a protest is being planned at the site on Monday.

Ford – Flooding

 

Eastern Ontario communities suffering from flooding along the shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are getting support from Premier Doug Ford.  Ford has sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him for help in getting the International Joint Commission to do some about the high water levels.

Fords letter says the cost to municipalities, private landowners and businesses will reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars.  He says he is disappointed the International Joint Commission has not been more responsive to concerns raised by municipalities and individuals.

 

United Way Update

The United Way KFLA campaign only has about $300,000 to go to reach it’s $3,551,000 goal.

The campaign has reached 91% of its goal heading into its final week.

The touchdown breakfast is set for Thursday morning of next week.

Today…St. Lawrence business students will display their projects on United Way agencies and then help kickoff their blitz campaign with a speaker and chili fest.

CFB Kingston will wrap up its United Way Campaign with a BBQ celebration from noon to 2pm at the Thompson Drill Hall.