OSSTF District 18
Teachers' Bargaining Unit
Information for
Members
PD Application
Interested in completing some independent Professional Development?
If you are a member of the D18 Teachers' Bargaining Unit (TBU) you are eligible to apply for reimbursement for independent Professional Development opportunities. Just click on the application link below and follow these steps:
1. If you do not already have a PDF copy or picture the receipt, please create one. A PDF can be created by scanning the receipt or by printing the receipt to 'PDF' in your printer settings.
2. Complete the application link below.
If you need any help with this process, or have any questions, please speak to your Branch Ed. Services Officers. If your Branch does not have an Ed. Services Officer, please contact Tara DeBrouwer, the TBU's Ed. Services Officer at tara.debrouwer@d18.osstf.ca.
A few reminders when applying for Professional Development Reimbursement:
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You may apply more than once per school year, up to the annual maximum amount
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Your annual maximum amount is pro-rated to the FTE
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The annual maximum for a 6/6 FTE Teacher for 2023/24 is $500.00
So what constitutes 'Professional Development'?
The funds used to support member's independent professional development have been negotiated as part of our Collective Agreement, with the understanding that they are to support members with the work they have been hired to do.
As such, these funds can be accessed by members to support professional development for curriculum which they are certified to teach as per their Ontario College of Teachers Certificate.
As a guide:
This fund can be used to cover registration fees only for:
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teacher-directed PD
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PD events that are designed to enhance the teachers' professional practice
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PD related to the teacher's qualified subject areas, with a primary focus on education/educating others
This fund cannot be used for:
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Board, Principal or School required PD
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PD that the Board or School has asked a teacher to do in order to develop a new course
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AQs, ABQs, or any other type of University/College course for which a tax receipt is generated
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Courses that lead to a pay increase, such as a Masters program
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Membership fees, travel, accommodation or food
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Licensing fees
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PD materials, such as books, unless included in the registration fee
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Educational streaming platforms like MasterClass
We provide reimbursement for PD which is:
• teacher-selected
• designed to develop teachers as teachers
Any concerns about whether a PD opportunity is covered should be discussed with the Educational Services representative at your school.
2023/24 PD Reimbursement Application Form
If you attempt to access the PD Application form from a ugcloud account, you will receive an error message. This is due to a security policy in place on ugcloud accounts.
Please log into a personal Google account in order to fill out the form. If you do not have one, you might consider borrowing a friend's account, or you will need to create one. Here are instructions on how to do this using an existing email account: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/27441?hl=en
NOTE: APPLICATIONS FOR REIMBURSEMENT ARE DUE BY MAY 31st EACH YEAR
If you pre-pay for a PD opportunity that will take place over the course of the summer, you may either apply for PD funds from the school year prior to the opportunity taking place (by May 31st), or you may apply for PD funds in the following school year.
Looking for a Professional Development Opportunity? Check out the conferences and resources made available by these organizations:
OSSTF Professional Development / Training
Teaching Strategies for Students with Special Needs
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Provincial OSSTF Awards, Scholarships, Grants, and Bursaries for members and their families.
OSSTF Provincial offers bursaries and awards that may be used by members to further their studies, including studies that lead to a post-graduate degree or certification. While you're there, be sure to check out the Financial Assistance Awards for Further Education page.