Delegates - Attendance Policy

GETCA Convention Policy Regarding Attendance

1. Convention Attendance

1.1 Requests from members of the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention to be absent from the annual convention to attend an alternate professional development activity shall meet all three of the following criteria:

• the activity cannot be attended at another time
• the activity is related to the teacher's current teaching assignment and/or professional growth plan
• is a legitimate professional development activity

1.2 Requests from coaches to be absent shall be granted if their team is participating in an Alberta Athletic Provincial Final.

1.3 Members who are ill or absent through provision of their collective agreement shall follow established practices in their school division in reporting an absence or receiving permission for a leave.

1.4 Alternate leave during convention will be granted no more than once every two years.

1.5 Members making a request for leave shall be notified of the decision of the Attendance and Alternate Leave Committee in writing. Those teachers whose requests have been denied may appeal to the Executive of the Greater Edmonton Teachers' Convention Association.

1.6 Requests to be absent shall be made in writing to the Chair of the GETCA Attendance and Alternate Leave Committee.

1.7 The superintendent and respective ATA local shall be given the names of those teachers who have been granted permission to be absent from the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention.

1.8 The Chair of the GETCA Atendance and Alternate Leave Committee shall receive written requests to investigate cases of nonattendance.

ATA Convention Attendance Guidelines and Flowchart

Convention Attendance Guidelines

1. All teachers have a legal as well as a professional obligation to attend the annual teachers’ convention to which they have been assigned as stated in the School Act.
2. A charge of unprofessional conduct under Association discipline bylaws may be lodged against a teacher who fails to attend the teachers’ convention. School boards also have the right to deduct pay from teachers absent from a convention without authorization or reason and, in fact, have done so.
3. Employers, school staff, Association subgroups and individual teachers shall not organize other school or district activities that conflict with annual teachers’ conventions. Any such other activities that are scheduled may be contrary to the School Act.
4. Notwithstanding teacher rights under collective agreements, teachers are expected and urged to consider convention dates as a professional priority in planning for the school year and as a link to their Teacher Professional Growth Plans.
5. Notwithstanding the professional and statutory obligation to attend their annual teachers’ conventions, in exceptional circumstances teachers may be absent from the annual convention according to the following criteria.