October 7, 2022
Words of Wisdom
“Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”
Have a quote you would like to submit for next week’s Staff Update? Click here to share the words of wisdom that inspired you most recently.
UTS Network Access and Electronic Monitoring Policy
As required by the Employment Standards Act, UTS has introduced a new policy on electronic monitoring in the workplace.
All staff should review the new UTS Network Access and Electronic Monitoring Policy which can also be found on the “Policies & Procedures” page of the Staff Portal under “Information Technology and Intellectual Property” section.
This policy governs the School’s access to data on its information technology network that the school provides to employees and other users to perform work.
If you have any questions, please contact Lily McGregor.
Eureka Fellows Co-Design Innovation Funding
UTS staff who are interested in conducting a small-scale research study to innovate on their practice are invited to submit an application for Eureka Fellows Co-Design Innovation Funding (CDIF).
The deadline to apply for the CDIF has been extended to Friday October 14, 2022. Please see the call for applications here.
If you have any questions, please email Kim MacKinnon (kim.mackinnon@utschools.ca) or speak with Cresencia Fong.
OISE MT Candidates
A reminder that OISE Master of Teaching (MT) candidates are on-site at UTS most Thursdays.
A portion of their day will be devoted to open doors classroom visits. The expectation is that the MT candidates are welcome to visit any UTS classroom during those periods. However, teachers may opt out as needed (e.g., students are writing a test, students are away on a field trip) using the open doors sign up sheet that is circulated each Wednesday via all staff email.
See original Principal communication about the OISE MT’s on site.
If you have any questions, please email Kim MacKinnon (kim.mackinnon@utschools.ca) or speak with Cresencia Fong.
Gegi
Gegi is a knowledge hub supporting successful self-advocacy for gender expression and gender identity human rights in Ontario K-12 schools.
Visit the bilingual website here.
Please note, this page has resources for educators, see “Tip Sheets”.
Parent Updates
New in this update you will find information on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) for M4-S6 students, an upcoming mental health research initiative at UTS involving therapy dogs, reporting absences during the school year, a sign-up form for the Parent Volunteer Group and more.
COVID-19 Case Counter
UTS reported 4 confirmed COVID-19 cases among in-person staff and students during the week of October 3-7.
These numbers are updated every Thursday and can be found here in this document.
Silver Lining
Every week, we will close the Staff Update with a little silver lining that highlights the lighter side of life. So far the theme has been pet photos, but any cheerful content is welcome! This week’s share comes from Negar Shayan.
Thanks to Negar for this week’s Silver Lining. Submit Silver Linings here or in the Staff Updates Google Doc.
