PRESIDENT'S JOURNAL

Members’ Voices – Council of District Representatives Calls

Regular contact with members is key to fulfilling CPCO’s mandate of service and advocacy. Perhaps the most important contact is discussion with the Council of District Representatives.

The members of the Council of District Representatives (CDRs) are appointed/elected to the position by the local principal/vice-principal associations.  These reps attend meetings on your behalf with the Executive Council in Toronto in November and February to receive information and reports on CPCO business, as well as to provide input on issues and express local concerns. CDRs are in turn responsible to report pertinent information back to their local associations.

District reps play a vital role in informing the President of current issues facing principals and vice-principals in the province through the Fall CDR teleconferences. I have completed most of the calls to individual association reps, and sincerely appreciate the time that these individuals took out of their hectic schedules to speak with me. I was impressed by their knowledge of issues at the local level and their passion and commitment to serve their colleagues.

While boards and associations vary in size and structure and have unique concerns, I found that many issues facing principals and vice-principals are the same regardless of board/school size and geographic location.  When asked what CPCO services are valued most by the members, CDRs routinely responded legal services, professional learning, communications, LTD benefits, the president’s visit, and the personal availability of the president or executive director to counsel members.

When CDRs were asked to identify concerns, a few recurring items were noted.

Ministry related
- School Effectiveness Framework
- Learning to 18/Student Success
- Bill 212/Safe Schools
- Special Education legislation
- TPA/NTIP
- Principal/Vice-principal Performance Appraisal
- Job Protection

Board related
- Professional Learning Communities
- Assessment & Evaluation
- Data & School Improvement
- Health & Safety
- Impact of Collective Agreements – supervision, on-calls, staffing, transfers, PD
- ARACs and Declining Enrolment
- Mentoring & Coaching
- Principals & Vice-principals in Board Office positions
- Workload!

CPCO related
- Members’ awareness of CPCO
- Succession planning of the organization

CPCO has been intentional about raising the awareness of each of your concerns with our partner groups and to solicit their support where possible. We will continue to use the data gathered from CDR calls, member calls, surveys and the president’s visits to provide specific examples when meeting with government officials in the months ahead. 

I will continue to keep you informed of our advocacy efforts in my journal, my visits to your associations and through the meetings with your Council of District Representatives.  The next CDR meeting is Nov. 21-22. The agenda for the meeting is posted in this week’s e-zine and on the CPCO website. You are encouraged to pass on any of your concerns or questions to your CDR.

Upcoming Events

November 17-18 - CODE Education For All Summit

If you would like to comment or provide feedback on the President’s Journal, please contact Joan Duckitt at president@cpco.on.ca.