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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 12, 2013 | 10 Halton public teachers not using sick days before losing them by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff Despite worry that Ontario schools are struggling to hire supply teachers to cover for a record number of classroom teachers taking sick days before they lose them, Halton seems immune to the trend. The Halton District School Board issued a statement after a Toronto Star story reported teachers may be using remaining sick days as the end of the school year draws near because they can no longer bank them. The ability to bank sick days was removed from teachers when the provincial government forced contracts on them under Bill 115. Board executive officer of human resources Debra McFadden reported teacher sick leave usage is down this year over last. McFadden said there is a spike in sick day usage in warmer months; however, even that spike is lower this year than last. "Between April and May of last year, our absences in elementary went up 19 per cent. From April to May in 2013, they went up 13 per cent," she said. In secondary, the increase in absenteeism went up 16 per cent in April and May of 2012 and it was 11 per cent this year. McFadden credits her staff for implementing the new plan forced on teachers with the current contract. Teacher sick days were cut from 20 to 11 per year and teachers lost the right to bank them. "It has been a very, very difficult plan to implement, but we are seeing success," McFadden said. During the contract talks, some individuals feared if teachers lost the ability to bank sick days, they would choose to use them up, rather than lose them. The Halton Catholic District School Board doesn't have April and May data available, but says its overall teacher sick day usage is down. From September to February of this year, elementary teachers used an average of 6.5 sick days this year, compared to 7.2 a year ago. In secondary, teachers used an average of 5.61 sick days this year, compared to 6.4 for the same time period a year ago. Furthermore, the school board said its absence rates have been decreasing and their schools are not struggling to fill teacher vacancies right now. Unlike the public board teachers, Catholic board teachers had not been receiving a payout for unused sick days at retirement. www.oakville.ca Emerald Ash Borer Information Open House Learn more about the town's EAB management plan and treatment options. Join us: Thursday, June 20, 2013, 7 to 9 p.m. Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, 2302 Bridge Road Healthy public ash trees on streets and in parks across Oakville are being injected with TreeAzin® to protect them against the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Dead and high-risk trees are being removed from streets, parks and woodlands for public safety and to curb the spread of EAB. With 80 per cent of Oakville's ash trees located on private property, it's important for residents to make an informed decision about the fate of their ash trees. Join us at our Open House where forestry staff will be on site to answer your questions. For more information, contact ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601, serviceoakville@oakville.ca or visit oakville.ca Who says camp is just for kids? Not us! Join us: Seniors Sizzlers Camp Day Wednesday, June 19 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coronation Park Featuring Inukshuk making, drumming circle, heritage crafts, giant board games, caricature artist, and much more. Don't miss the closing campfire ceremonies with the Colborne Guit-gang! Lunch is available to purchase from a BBQ vendor or pack a picnic. Bring a lawn chair, sunscreen and your friends, family, neighbours and grandkids. Everyone welcome! Call 905-815-5960 or 905-815-5966 for more information. Event will take place rain or shine. Questions or comments, contact our project team: Midtown EA Project Team, Town of Oakville, 1225 Trafalgar Road Oakville ON L6H 0H3. midtownea@oakville.ca. 905-815-6060 Suzette Shiu, P.Eng., Consultant Project Manager, Cole Engineering Group Ltd., 70 Valleywood Drive, Markham, ON L3R 4T5. OakvilleTMP@ColeEngineering.ca. 905-940-6161, ext. 436 Information will be collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. Public open house Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study Midtown Oakville June 19, 2013 Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Trafalgar Room 7 p.m. -- Presentation 7:30 p.m. -- Alternative solutions available for public comment Your Input is Important! The Town of Oakville appreciates your feedback and ideas and we encourage you to get involved. This is the second open house for this study. At this open house, the project team will present the project details, review study findings, address public comments and concerns and ask for your input on the alternative solutions presented. You will have an opportunity to have your say on how we change and improve our transportation system within Midtown Oakville -- getting us closer to our goal of being the most livable town in Canada. The Town of Oakville is initiating this Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) Study to determine a practical, long-term strategy to guide the development of the transportation and municipal stormwater network needed to support the planned growth in Midtown Oakville to 2031. Midtown Oakville is an urban growth centre identified in the province's Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe -- Places to Grow, and further defined in the town's Livable Oakville Plan. The area is required to accommodate approximately 20,000 residents and jobs by 2031. It is also identified as a mobility hub in The Big Move, Metrolinx's regional transportation plan. This Class EA Study will consider a diverse range of options to satisfy future growth demands, including but not limited to: · Public transit system and network improvements · Active transportation (pedestrian and cycling) network improvements · Travel demand management requirements · Land use planning policies · Municipal road network improvements · Municipal drainage network improvements This project is a continuation of Switching Gears (the town's Transportation Master Plan study) to define the preferred design of the transportation and municipal drainage network components, and their related property requirements, in Midtown Oakville. To receive updated study information, please email midtownea@oakville.ca to be added to our mailing list.