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PAGE 10 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JUNE 20,2001 Teachers' groups say new act raises new problems Province is seeking an end to disruption of students' education: Ecker BY MIKE RUTA Staff Writer DURHAM - The proposed 'Stability and Excellence in Education Act* came under fire from teachers when introduced introduced recently. But, in an interview, Education Minister Minister Janet Ecker fired right back, defending defending the legislation. The three-part act would formalize changes to the definition of teaching time for high school educators, endorsed endorsed by the government after recommendations recommendations from an advisory panel that examined possible solutions to the lack of extracurricular activities in Ontario. As well, the act would require certified certified teachers to complete 14 professional professional development courses every five years or lose their ability to teach, and make all future collective agreements between teachers and school boards three years in length. "Our board would be delighted to have three-year agreements," says Bob Willsher, Clarington trustee and board chairman for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. However, he adds, "Unless the government government will provide stable funding for those three years," it is difficult to negotiate negotiate a contract for that long a time frame. "If the Province is willing to guarantee a level of funding, we can sit down with our employees." Ms. Ecker said the Province is not interfering interfering in collective bargaining, but seeking an end to disruption of students' education, noting boards in the past have been able to negotiate multi-year agreements. "We have had too many situations where there have been annual labour dismptions to students' education," she said. "That's riot fair to kids. Parents have said very clearly that has to stop." As for funding those three-year deals, Ms. Ecker said boards and unions have the same flexibility they had before to work out agreements. "It's important to recognize school boards have a good sense of how much money they're going to get from year to year, that's one advantage of the (funding) (funding) formula," she said. Larry Capstick, chairman of the Ontario Ontario College of Teachers, in a press release release said the recertification piçgramÿisj being rushed- intoimplemeiiÿljtijroï |i "It is unrealistic to expect that this program that ties teacher 1 i cëïi sing' to"j completion of professional development can be successfully launched by Sep-1 JANET ECKER 'It's a challenge, no question.' tcniber. The government is demanding that in a little over two months, with no clear funding commitments from the Ministry of Education related to implementation implementation or maintenance, the college puts in place a recertification program for 40,000 classroom teachers - one third of teachers in publicly-funded schools." Mr. Capstick said there is a massive amount of work involved in setting up the program. And, beyond putting it in place, he said the college will have to keep track of where each teacher is in ternis of their five-year cycle, inform teachers who have not completed the requirements requirements as the deadline approaches that they may be suspended, and refer cases where teachers do not fulfil the requirements requirements to a disciplinary process. But Ms. Ecker said many of the programs programs teachers are currently taking are already in place, citing summer institutes institutes and courses offered through school boards as examples. She added, "The College already tracks teachers, that's their job. The timing timing is based on advice from their staff." She noted the five-year recertification schedule was a recommendation of the 1995 Royal Commission on Learning report, endorsed by all political parties. Ms. Page said while the changes to the teaching time definition "will have a positive effect" its late introduction in the context of the coming school year means a scramble for school boards and teachers. "It's a challenge, no question," Ms. Ecker acknowledged. "But that's why we've been working with the principals' groups and the school boards." She said there's no reason why afterschool afterschool activities should not be in place for September. -- Files by Jacquie Mclnnes ■I SINGER Courtice Water Pollution Control Plant EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR ENGINEERING CONSULTANT WORKS DEPARTMENT PUBLIC NOTICE The Regional Municipality of Durham is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified consulting engineers to provide detailed submissions outlining their capabilities capabilities to undertake design and delivery of the Courtice Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) project. An Environmental Assessment has been completed to permit the construction construction of a 272,760 mVd (60 MIGD) facility. The Region's current Official Plan requirements suggest that a 136,680 nv'/d (30 MIGD) plant will be required on the selected site in Courtice, cast of Oshawa, to meet projected growth during the life of the plan. This project is to be phased over a twenty-year period, with the first works scheduled for completion in spring 2005. The estimated capital cost of the works to be included in the design is in order of $ 100M. Tbc scope of the engineering services required and other relevant information arc available on the Durham Region's web site: www.rcgion.durbam.on.ca (under News Flash). The EOI shall include the following information: • Identification of Respondent; • Corporate and Wastewater Project Experience Information (inch references); • Project Organizational Structure and Key Personnel (Role in the Project, Years of experience with this firm and other firms, Education: Degree(s)/Year/ Specialization). Please note that no substitution of firms or individuals proposed during the EOI call without written approval by the Region will be permitted; • Team Philosophy (A brief outline indicating the rolcs/rcsponsibilities of the participating participating team members/firms, approach to communication and reporting); • Quality Assurance and Quality Control Capabilities; and • Acknowledgement that the respondent has reviewed and familiarized themselves with the information on the web site. The EOI is intended to solicit interest in the project. Based on an evaluation of the EOI's, the Region intends to invite up to five (5) consultants who will them be asked to respond to a Request for Proposal. Criteria to be used in the evaluation are listed on the Region's web site. The submissions of the EOI should be limited to no more than ten (10) pages, single- ÿded çjopble.-spaqed .(excluding corporate literature^ resumes and references). Five (5) ? , t^^vl^i^latcr than 1:50p.m. on Tucsc^yi Jüly v 17>A6oj the at(entSon_qf Mr. Thom Sloley, P, Eng., at the address below. ft ► e twÿ:< Durham Region Works Department 105 Consumers Drive, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 Telephone: (905) 668-7721 or 1-800-372-1103 www.region.durham.on.ca TABRICLÆND CANADA'S LARGEST eaciiiiui faddip nicTDinnrno FASHION FABRIC DISTRIBUTOR THURSDAY JUNE 21 $I TO SUNDAY JUNE 24 IH 38 HOUR NOTHIN® HE1D BACK-*EVERYTHING GOES! EVERY FABRIC, NOTION, AND DRAPERY ITEM ON SALE NOW!! 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