Internationally-trained educators hold hiring consultation session with TCDSB

Internationally-trained educators hold hiring consultation session with TCDSB

From left: TCDSB Trustee Garry Tanuan, HR Superintendent Gary Poole, HR Senior Manager Bessie Gruppuso and PTAC President Tony A. San Juan, posed after the TCDSB Hiring Consultation Forum at the Catholic Education Centre, North York on June 25, 2013.

In purposeful pursuit of placement and assignment as a Catholic teacher within a school board, 45 internationally-trained teachers have had a productive consultation meeting with senior officers of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) on June 25, 2013. The 2 and 1/2 hour event, conducted at the Board’s Catholic Education Centre on Sheppard Avenue, North York, was conveniently arranged by Mr.Garry Tanuan , TCDSB Trustee, Ward 8 of Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario as part of  his proactive community outreach initiative.

The meaningful presentation was presided over by Mr. Gary Poole, OCT, Superintendent of Human Resources and Miss Bessie Gruppuso, Senior Manager of Human Resources. The 2 senior officers, through a question-and- answer approach, explained and clarified the Board’s hiring practices and placement procedures, the current teacher hiring situation as well as the “processes and  policies relating to employment” in accordance to the changes of “OECTA memorandum of understanding, Bill 115(“Putting Students First Act”) and Regulation 274/12” of the Ontario Ministry of Education. As well,  the present  teacher supply-and- demand market impacting hiring challenges and post- teacher education was covered during the exchange.

The successful town- hall – type meeting , for the first time in history, was proposed and organized by the Philippine Teachers Association of Canada (PTAC), spearheaded by its president, Tony A. San Juan, OCT, in effective consultation and coordination with TCDSB Trustee G. Tanuan and Human Resources Superintendent G. Poole.

A total of 45 participants joined the consultation- orientation session, comprised  of 32 Ontario Certified Teachers(OCTs) of which twenty-six are members of PTAC while 7 are non-PTAC members(other nationalities).The remaining 12 attendees are on “in -progress OCT certification” process.

In acknowledgement , Rohian Furtado, a teacher -applicant expressed the group’s appreciation describing the event : “Awesome! Hats off ! The information threw light on many things and gave an insight into the realities.”  Further, she hoped that “we will be at least one step closer to an interview after this session. We are in the focus now. I believe that God has His ways of helping His people who put their trust in Him. You have been the instruments that God is using for His plans.” San Juan in his closing remarks thanked also the TCDSB officers and the school trustee and expressed the hope that “this kind of dialogue and forum between the Board and teacher-applicants be continued” as necessary as possible.

(PRESS RELEASE Tony A. San Juan, OCT)