Updated class schedules for ongoing STF sanctions

Dear parents and caregivers, 

As previously communicated, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation began ongoing work-to-rule job sanctions starting April 8. These include: 

• Teachers will report to school and provide professional services no more than 15 minutes prior to the start of the school day and no later than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the school day; 
• No extracurricular activities; and 
• Withdrawal of noon lunch supervision. This includes in the school and on school grounds. 

As a school division, our contingency plans have needed to be flexible to provide high-quality Catholic education while ensuring student safety. We are aware that none of these contingencies can replace regular and typical programing that we have come to expect outside of sanctions. 

Moving forward, in an effort to increase the time students are in class receiving instruction, the following changes will be made. 

High Schools 

• Starting Wednesday, April 10, 2024, until further notice.
  • Classes will return to regular full-day schedules.
  • Schools will open only 15 minutes before period 1 begins and close 15 minutes after period 5 ends.
• Schools will be closed during the lunch break.
• Special education buses and taxis will be available in the morning and at noon only.
• Saskatoon Transit schedules will not change. 

Elementary Schools in Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman 

• Starting Wednesday, April 10, teachers will be instructing and presenting new content throughout the instructional day since many students are able to return in the afternoons to receive this instruction.
  • Administration continues to evaluate elementary school contingency plans, as we are aware that not all students are able to return to class in the afternoon. This planning is complex, and division administration will make sure that any changes that may occur are clearly communicated to families.
• It is important to note that in solidarity with the STF withdrawing noon supervision, other unions who represent non-teaching staff at schools have also asked that their members not take any additional supervision shifts left vacant by STF’s sanctions. This leaves 40 out-of-scope personnel to cover the roughly 300 people needed daily to supervise students. We have also been informed that parent volunteers at lunch is proving to be unsustainable in other communities, as there are not enough parents that are able to provide the ongoing service. 

We are aware that families who paid a noon lunch supervision fee paid for a service you are currently not receiving. Once a collective agreement between the STF and the government has been negotiated and sanctions come to an end, the division will review the missed days and communicate plans to compensate families who paid the fee. 

Sanctions will remain in place until further notice. We will provide updates via direct communication through Edsby and/or School Bundle messenger (emails from noreply-gscs@schoolbundle.ca, listed as Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, or text or voice messages from 1-306-400-6811), updates on our website (www.gscs.ca), and on our Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.  

We respect the bargaining process and STF’s right to take job action. Our primary focus will remain offering high-quality Catholic education in a safe and secure school environment for students. 

If you have specific questions about school operations, please contact your school principal. 

Sincerely,
François Rivard,
Director of Education