The Bulletin, Vol. 40, No. 1 September/October 1996 from the NL ...

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESDIRECTION TO TEACHERS"As noted in the NLTA position statement on teacher participation in extra-curricular activities, theAssociation is asking members to resume their involvement in extra-curricular activities without thenecessity of signing a contract."The following is being provided as direction to all members who volunteer their services in extracurricularactivities.Teachers may volunteer for any and all extra-curricular activities as per Article 29.02 of the ProvincialCollective Agreement.At the point of beginning your involvement in that activity, make it clear to the school administration and tothe students involved in the activity (in writing, if possible) that any part of the activity which requires yourabsence from school during school hours will only be undertaken by you if a substitute teacher is providedby the school board to assume your duties during that absence.When and if such a required absence from school during school hours is imminent because of yourinvolvement in the activity (e.g., an upcoming tournament, inter-school competition, student conference,etc.) request from your school board that the necessary release time be provided with the accompanyingprovision of a substitute.If approval for the release time with a substitute is given, proceed with the activity which takes you out ofschool during school hours.If such approval is not given, or if approval for the release time is given on the condition that no substitutebe provided, immediately advise the school administration, the school board and the students involved in theactivity that this aspect of the activity cannot go ahead and give the reason why.Under no circumstances is any member to request a colleague to take on additional duty in order toaccommodate the member's absence from school for the purpose of undertaking any work-related activities,be those activities curricular, extra-curricular or related to inservice.We still have a remaining difficulty with the lack of availability for "discretionary" leave under theCollective Agreement (e.g., family emergencies 18.03, professional leave 18.04, reasons deemed valid bythe school board 18.08). It is the NLTA position that if a teacher is granted leave, a substitute must beprovided. If a member requires such leave, the procedure is to request the leave from the school board. If theleave is granted only under the condition that arrangements be made within the school to cover, memberscan make such arrangements but also should notify NLTA that no substitute was provided. The Associationwill grieve all such refusals to provide substitute teachers.The Association is requesting that members continue to act in a professional and collegial manner byassisting one another if release time is required for personal reasons or for Association-related activities.These are areas where we should continue to support one another as usual.As indicated above, members are not to request colleagues to fill in so they can be absent for work-relatedactivities. If a circumstance occurs whereby a teacher is directed to fill in for an absent colleague, werecommend that, to avoid situations of insubordination, the teachers so affected do as directed and contact