With elementary school extracurricular activities back, Dave Pineau is going to be busy at work this long weekend.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario announced Tuesday evening they were advising teachers to resume extracurricular activities because of progress made in talks with the provincial government.
“Everybody’s excited. The extra work is going to be welcomed,” said Pineau, activities director for Lakehead Public Schools and the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.
“We’re excited there’s opportunities going forward for students.”
The union’s decision comes a month after the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation lifted similar job sanctions.
Pineau said basketball and the Creative Movements Jamboree were casualties of the sanctions and they were lifted in time to salvage the annual wrestling and three-pitch tournaments as well as track and field.
With three months left in the school year, it’s going to be a packed schedule.
“I think we have something going every day from the beginning of April until the end of June,” said Pineau.
“It’s going to be busy.”
In a released issued by the ETFO, president Sam Hammond said the union has been in meaningful discussions with the government since February.
“Talks are continuing and we are now confident that the government has demonstrated a commitment to dealing with concrete items of importance to our members.”
