After $39K retreat scandal, school board officials to staff: Please donate some pay

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Thames Valley District school board officials have asked teachers and other employees to donate some of their pay to support programs – leaving one education analyst “in complete shock” amid a Queen’s Park audit that followed a $39,000 executives’ retreat.

Employees got an email on Wednesday from board administration asking for voluntary payroll deductions to support the Thames Valley Education Foundation, which aids students by providing emergency aid, resources and programs. The money would come right off pay cheques, while the provincial government is probing the board’s finances.

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“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Debbie Kasman, an education analyst, consultant and veteran educator who has worked at the Ministry of Education.

Craig Smith heads the Thames Valley local of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. He said given the board’s current circumstances, the plea is “tone deaf.”

“I think the timing and optics are terrible,“ he said. “People will not delineate between the Thames Valley Foundation and the Thames Valley District school board – we have had questions from our members who are insulted. But it’s not because it’s new, it’s because of the timing.”

The email ask states the money taken off pay cheques will have “a direct impact on students,” including scholarships and emergency financial requests. A school board spokesperson says the email is sent out to employees every year and “the need for basic necessities, like food and clothing has never been higher.”

One long-time teacher, who did not want to be identified for fear of professional retribution, said the timing of the email is particularly galling given the audit and the recent $39,000, three-day retreat to the Toronto Blue Jays stadium hotel by school board brass amid a $7.6-million board budget deficit.

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“Every teacher in this, and other Ontario boards, spends hundreds of dollars of their own money to make classes run,” the teacher said. ”Asking teachers to take a payroll (deduction) to support students is one of the most insulting things I have read.

“On a daily basis, teachers fund student learning.”

The Queen’s Park audit comes after double-digit pay increases to 17 of Thames Valley’s top administrators last year, ranging from 12 to 33 per cent. Mark Fisher, then the education director, got a 15 per cent raise.

Fisher went on a paid leave of absence earlier this month shortly after The Free Press reported on the three-day August retreat by 18 senior board officials at the hotel inside Rogers Centre in Toronto. Rooms range from $374 to $1,199 a night, hotel staff say, and they Blue Jays played on all three dates, against Cincinnati.

The board has since made public the full tab of the retreat, more than $39,000.

The board’s budget is roughly $1.2 billion. Its deficit, $7.6 million, has been reduced by roughly $11 million through cuts that included 58 elementary-school and 24 high-school teaching positions along with 17 early childhood educator jobs and four positions in speech and psychological services. The budget for student field trips was also cut in half, to $500,000.

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An education ministry spokesperson has said the ongoing audit will dive into the board’s financial operations.

HRivers@postmedia.com

READ THE EMAIL TO THAMES VALLEY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD STAFF

Dear Staff,

At the heart of every success story in our schools, there is a dedicated Educator, Custodian, Administrator, Support Staff, Superintendent, and faculty member guiding the way. No matter what your job title is at Thames Valley, you are the driving force behind the growth, creativity, and accomplishments of students and the board.

But beyond the classroom, there’s an additional way to make an even bigger impact: Support Thames Valley Education Foundation’s payroll deduction.

Why Give Through Payroll Deduction?

Direct Impact on Students: Your contributions directly fund programs and resources that enhance students’ educational experiences. From emergency financial requests to scholarships, your support makes opportunities possible.

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Easy and Flexible: If half of the Thames Valley staff gave only $5/pay, we could raise $500,000 which would allow us to support all students requests and initiatives.

Support for Fellow Educators: The Foundation also provides grants and resources to support schools, helping bring innovative ideas into the classroom and further enrich the learning environment for students.

How to Get Started

Signing up for payroll deduction is simple and takes 3 minutes. Just visit the Employee Portal (click TVEF Foundation, Payroll Deduction) to begin making a difference today. Whether you choose to give $5, $10, or more per pay, every dollar will directly support Thames Valley students.

Your Role Beyond the Classroom

Every day, you help shape the lives of students. By supporting TVEF through Payroll Deduction, you extend your influence beyond the classroom, ensuring that schools remain places of opportunity, innovation, and excellence for all. Together, we can ensure each student’s unique potential is strengthened.

Thank you for all that you do and for considering this impactful way to support Thames Valley students and schools.

Thank you,

Thames Valley Education Foundation

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