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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 13, 2015 | 8 `Parents deserve to know what's at stake' -- OECTA president by Kathy Yanchus Metroland West Media Negotiations between Ontario Catholic teachers and the provincial government were set to resume yesterday (Wednesday) after talks broke down early last month. The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), the union representing 50,000 Catholic teachers, including those in Halton,, said it would be back at the bargaining table yesterday and today after Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne voiced her desire to avoid labour chaos in the fall. Dr. Vanessa Milich & Associates Family Dental Care Encouraging Healthy and Happy Smiles Caring for Oakville Families for 10 years Welcoming New Patients Evening and Saturday Appointments Queensbury Dental 905.849.8449 Dundas St. Oakmead n Trafalgar Rd. River Oaks Blvd. Upper Middle Rd. Sixth Line 1534 Queensbury Cres., Oakville (on Upper Middle Rd., just west of Trafalgar Rd.) www.queensburydentalclinic.com QEW Martindale In July, OECTA requested a no board report. Its members have been without a contract for more than a year and will be in a legal strike position on Monday. Should a deal not be reached this summer, Halton's Catholic teachers have said they will withdraw all voluntary services on the first day of school, to include no participation in extracurriculars or parent-teacher nights. The Halton Catholic District School Board is encouraged by the resumption of collective bargaining, said Joe O'Hara, executive officer, Human Resources Services. "And we are hopeful that an agreement can reached with all parties prior to the start of the new school year," he said. With the new round of talks scheduled, OECTA launched a new website, Teachersmatter. ca, to inform parents of the issues. "Parents deserve to know what's at stake in these negotiations," said OECTA president Ann Hawkins. "The way teachers are treated by the Liberal government and elected trustees affects students and the quality of public education in Ontario. The way teachers are treated by the Liberal government and elected trustees affects students and the quality of public education in Ontario. Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Associaiton president Ann Hawkins "We hope Teachersmatter.ca will help parents understand that there's more at stake here than a labour disruption. We all want to reach a deal, but not at any cost to public education." Issues of concern to teachers include class size and control over prep time. "Our bargaining team is well aware that teachers get excited about school start-up every September and it is our goal to agree to terms with ministry/board officials so that teachers can do so under normal conditions this September 2. As always, I am hopeful that we can achieve a settlement during these scheduled talks," said Keith Boyd, president, OECTA Halton Secondary unit. www.oakville.ca ND TION A EATI CREA RECR S, RE RKS, PA PARK URE LTUR CU CULT Fall & er Wintd Gui e ow Downt ac Enjo s and mance perfor Fall and Winter registration opens this Saturday! Pick up your Parks, Recreation and Culture guide today. Our fall and winter program line-up for all ages and abilities is available at your fingertips via our interactive online guide or pick up your copy at town facilities. E ? 016 2015-2 LTURE DAYS LTURE iendly ATE CU ily-fr ! CELEBR y free fam tivities CU LOVE mes alive! ver. ville co n Oak side co See in p. 132 rs GET A rks, harbou more! Pa s and garden OORS OUTD trails, , CTIVE p. 145 gust 15 ts: Au Residen ptember 11 s: Se e.ca Senior oakvill TER REGIS ONLIN Registration opens: Residents: August 15 at 9 a.m. Seniors Services: September 11 at 9 a.m. To register online you will need a family PIN and personal ID number. Please visit oakville.ca to create your registration account and to learn more about our wide range of registered and drop-in programs. Do you have a registration question? Call 905-338-4250 or email iris@oakville.ca. Renewing our urban forest We're helping our woodlands regrow after the impact of Emerald Ash Borer The town is following best forest management practices to remove dead and dying ash trees to reduce the risk to the public and to help our woodlands regrow. Beginning the week of August 24, as weather and ground conditions permit, tree removals will begin in: The Parkway ­ 1 Joshua Creek Trail (North) East Joshua Creek Trail ­ 2 (North) The Parkway ­ 2 Woodlands and trails, or portions of them, will be temporarily closed as tree removals take place. Town staff will be available at the information tent at the Parkway ­1 woodland parking lot on Bayshire Drive, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, August 24 and Tuesday, August 25. The town will be removing trees from all 280 woodlands over the next 10-plus years. For a map or for more information, visit oakville.ca or contact ServiceOakville at serviceoakville@oakville.ca or 905-845-6601. Ash tree removals begin in town woodlands Temporary trail closures expected The town is a leader in Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) management and continues to treat municipal ash trees on streets and in parks to protect them against the invasive insect. However, EAB has had a devastating effect on our woodlands. Most, if not all of the town's 43,000 woodland ash trees are now dead or dying.