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District/Unit Presidents’ HANDBOOK July 2016
District/Unit Presidents’ HANDBOOK
July 2016
Table of Contents SECTION
PAGE
A. Introduction 1
B. Attributes of an Effective Leader 2
C. Governance
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Provincial a) Principles of Governance 3 b) Districts 3 c) Sources of information 3 District/Unit a) Constitution 4 b) District policies, procedures and operational guidelines 4 c) District Privacy Code 5 d) Fiduciary responsibilities 5
D. Provincial Financial Support
5-7
District grants 5 Retirement Planning Workshops 5 Project – Service to Others 6 Provincial Scholarships 7
E. Membership in RTO/ERO
7-8
Membership categories, fees, application forms 7 Membership information and services for Districts 8 Member recruitment 8
F. Provincial Awards and Recognition
9
Founding Member Award 9 Distinguished Member Award 9
G. Provincial Resources
10-13
Materials from the Provincial Office 10 Provincial website 10 Members’ Centre 11 Staff resources 11
H. List of Appendices
A – Provincial Resources Chart B – Acknowledgement, Waiver & Release Form C – Insurance Coverage Summary
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A. Introduction The District Presidents’ Handbook was created in 2009 by a committee* established by the Provincial Executive, representative of District Presidents, the Provincial Executive and senior staff. This is the fourth revision. The handbook is intended as a resource and guide to both new and experienced District/Unit Presidents, and those aspiring to this position. It is meant to be shared with members of the District/Unit Executives and passed on from Presidents to their successors. The handbook references other RTO/ERO resource documents and should be used in conjunction with these resources. RTO/ERO Provincial Office 18 Spadina Road, Suite 300 Toronto, Ontario M5R 2S7 Phone: 416-962-9463/1-800-361-9888 www.rto-ero.org PLEASE NOTE: 1. A PDF version of the Handbook is available in the Member’ Centre of the provincial
website, www.rto-ero.org. 2. This Handbook is reviewed on a periodic basis. Suggestions for changes are encouraged and
welcomed. Please forward these to Simon Leibovitz, Chief Administrative Officer, [email protected].
*Arnold Hull, District 8, London-Middlesex, CHAIR Mary Alice Marchand, District 33, Chatham-Kent Bill Menagh, District 16, Toronto Margaret Couture, Second Vice-President, Provincial Executive Simon Leibovitz, Chief Administrative Officer
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B. Attributes of an Effective Leader
Displays honesty and integrity Listens to others Communicates with others Attracts people to join and participate Takes time to know people Looks for the best in people Makes people feel valued Treats people with respect Makes people feel comfortable Works to develop the best in people, through empowerment Believes people want to be great Sees strengths in differences Capitalizes on, and values, diversity Solicits other points of view Appreciates every contributor Sees the whole picture Asks many questions Knows where to find the answers Helps people see the future Acts in ways that reflect the spoken words Acknowledges using praise and encourages Demonstrates enthusiasm
“What we have to learn, we learn by doing.”
~ Aristotle
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C. Governance 1. PROVINCIAL
a) Principles of Governance
RTO/ERO is a democratic organization whereby its business at both the Provincial and District/Unit levels is governed by the provincial constitution, by-laws, and policies. Presidents have a responsibility to ensure that all District/Unit business and activities are carried out accordingly. Additionally, general practices developed for the efficient provision of services are also codified, such as newsletter routines, website maintenance, and goodwill practices. Presidents should be guided by these resources, as well as by the assistance offered by provincial and local committee and Executive members.
b) Districts RTO/ERO is divided into 48 Districts - 46 in Ontario and two in British Columbia. Some Districts are divided into Units to better serve members in municipalities separated by large distances. See map of the Districts; http://www.rto-ero.org/district-map-1 Contact information also is provided on the District’s President and Vice-Presidents; http://www.rto-ero.org/district-contact-list-0
c) Sources of Information The provincial website, www.rto-ero.org, is a valuable source of information on RTO/ERO’s governance procedures and policies, including the structure and operation of the organization. A listing of members of the Provincial Executive, Standing and Executive Committees, as well as RTO/ERO’s Privacy Code are available on the public site. The Members’ Centre of the website contains electronic versions of significant RTO/ERO materials in both English and French related to governance such as the Provincial Constitution, By-Laws and Policies. See section G for further information on resources available from the Provincial Office, as well as Appendix A – Provincial Resources Chart.
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2. DISTRICT/UNIT INFORMATION
a) Constitution In addition to the Provincial Constitution, By-Laws and Policies, Districts are governed by a local District Executive in accordance with a District Constitution. This local document, submitted to the provincial Constitution Committee for regular review, is based on the Provincial Model District Constitution while reflecting the uniqueness of each District.
b) District Policies, Procedures and Operational Guidelines Each District is encouraged to develop its own governance principles such as policies, procedures and operational guidelines that facilitate the efficient and consistent operation of the District, especially when Executive members leave office or a position and others assume the role. These could be contained within an Operational Handbook. Topics that may be considered include:
• District Committee Financial Report Form • Newsletter and Website Advertising Policy • Guidelines for Awards or Scholarships offered by the District • Guidelines outlining responsibilities related to social activities • District/Unit Calendar of Events
o Meetings – Regular, Committee and Ad-Hoc Committees o Social and recreational events o Retirement Planning Workshops and other Recruitment initiatives o Submission deadline dates, including:
Project Service to Others – Applications for Projects RTO/ERO Scholarship Program Applications Resolutions for Spring and Fall Senates Applications for RTO/ERO sponsored Retirement Planning Workshops A revised or new District Constitution for review by the Provincial
Constitution Committee • Newsletter production process (issues/year, printer, mail routines, software) • Communications network, indicating how information from the Provincial Office received
by District Executive members is to be efficiently shared with the Newsletter Editor and Webmaster for timely distribution to members
• Recruitment practices and procedures • Local Goodwill policies and practices • Membership routines (e.g. welcome letter, recruitment materials) • Financial fiduciary responsibilities such as:
o Accounting and auditing practices o Procedures for establishing a budget o Guidelines for allocating funds o District banking information – institutions, locations, account numbers, contacts
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• Travel Committee procedures that should include the “Acknowledgement, Waiver & Release Form”, Appendix “B”. Districts should also wish to refer to the “RTO/ERO Insurance Coverage Summary”, Appendix “C” for further information.
• Contact information such as listing the District/Unit members of the Executive, contiguous or regional District/Unit presidents, and current municipal, provincial and federal politicians within the geographical area of the District/Unit
c) District Privacy Code
Districts should adopt a privacy code that applies to all members of the District/Unit Executives in order to ensure the appropriate collection, use and disclosure of membership information, as outlined in the Provincial Privacy Code. This includes the proper distribution, storage and disposal of such information.
d) Fiduciary Responsibilities As RTO/ERO is a corporation, it has legal and fiduciary responsibilities to members. Similarly, Districts should uphold the principles of fiduciary responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
e) Communication with the Provincial Executive/Provincial Committees From time to time, members may wish to contact the Provincial Executive and/or provincial committees regarding issues within their purview. The Provincial Executive has established a protocol that in such instances, the members wishing to do so should inform their District President, as a courtesy.
D. Provincial Financial Support In accordance with the Provincial Constitution, Districts receive grants for basic and special activities. Presidents are reminded that included in the District grants are amounts for recruitment and goodwill and thus the expectation of the Provincial Executive and Provincial Office staff that Districts will expend appropriate amounts in these areas. District Grants are allotted each January in accordance with Bylaw #2 in the Provincial Constitution.
1. RETIREMENT PLANNING WORKSHOPS (RPWs)
Each year, Districts apply to the Provincial Office for funding for the presentation of Retirement Planning Workshops (RPWs). Expenses will be reimbursed at a base amount of $250, plus $10 for each participant attending, with a minimum grant of $500 and a maximum grant of $2,250. It is expected that Districts that provide meals will charge participants accordingly. As an incentive, Districts may consider reimbursing potential members in whole or in part for those attending RPWs.
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Please note where Districts distributes material from another organization which competes with the RTO/ERO Insurance Plans, or invite a competitor to present insurance coverage other than RTO/ERO’s Insurance Plans, the District will be ineligible for provincial funding. The Provincial Office will partially fund, with approval from the Member Services Committee, Districts for Board-sponsored retirement planning workshops where the Board has invited a competitor. Throughout 2015, Provincial Office will be providing an iPad Mini as the draw item for each RPW, and $5 Tim Horton’s gift cards for each RPW attendee. Furthermore, the RPW manual expense of $8 per manual is covered by the Provincial Office. Please ensure that unused manuals are returned, so that they can be used for the next workshop. 2. PROJECT – SERVICE TO OTHERS PROGRAM
The background, application process and funding guidelines for the Project –Service to Others Program (PSOP) are outlined below. Yearly funding and approval for projects lies with the Provincial Project – Service to Others Committee (PSTO). The PSTO reviews applications that have been submitted by Districts. In order to submit an application for project funding, a District will hold a District Executive meeting, review project submissions and, if appropriate, approve one project, ensure that the project is presented on the current PSTO Application form with appropriate signoffs and submit the application to the PSTO by the deadline date. The intent of the PSOP is to raise the profile of retired teachers and other education workers by visibly demonstrating to those still actively employed and to the public-at-large that their retired colleagues care about their communities and about public education, and are willing to do something to help those who need assistance. Potential projects could be in any form that supports the goals of the PSOP) as outlined below. • To provide financial assistance to education-related and other community projects. • To facilitate member participation in education and/or community projects. • To promote District/Unit participation in local, provincial and overseas
educational/community projects. • To demonstrate to potential RTO/ERO members that RTO/ERO is a dynamic organization to
which they should consider belonging when they retire. • Through their Districts, individuals or groups apply to the Provincial Project –Service to Others
Committee for funding. Such applications shall be limited to a maximum of 5 pages (10 pages if double sided) of attachments, in addition to the application itself.
• A District may submit no more than one proposal for submission to the Provincial Committee in any year.
• The maximum grant for a project is $4000. A project may be supplemented by contributions from other sources. Funding for a project is awarded on a one-time basis.
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• A District that has received funding, must submit an interim report by November of the same year and a final report at the conclusion of the project to be eligible to apply for the funding of future projects.
• In addition to the written report, a display at an RTO/ERO Senate may be arranged to allow other RTO/ERO members to view approved projects.
3. PROVINCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
RTO/ERO operates a Scholarship Program that annually awards up to 25 individual scholarships of $1,000 each. These scholarships are intended to encourage and provide financial assistance to applicants who are enrolled in the last year/semester of their program. Scholarships are awarded on a one-time basis. • In the case of teaching programs, applicant is enrolled in the last year of a program that will
directly lead to a career in teaching in Canada and the completion of the program provides the applicant with teaching credentials that are recognized by the appropriate provincial teacher regulatory body.
• In the case of all other programs, applicant is enrolled in the last year/semester of a program that is recognized at a Canadian Publicly-Funded College or University.
• To be eligible, a student must be a resident, Canadian citizen or a landed immigrant and must also be child; daughter-in-law; grandchild; grandnephew; grandniece; niece; nephew; step-child; or son-in-law of an RTO/ERO member.
Consideration shall be given to gender, geographical distribution and language balance based on the proportionality of the information contained in the applications reviewed. The PSTO Committee (Scholarships) reviews all eligible applications on or before the end of April of each year and all applicants will be notified of the findings of the Committee by the end of the first week of June.
E. Membership in RTO/ERO Eligibility for membership in RTO/ERO, as well as the Rights and Privileges of Members, is determined by and outlined in the Provincial Constitution. 1. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES, FEES AND APPLICATION FORMS The majority of members in the organization are deemed to be Full Members – retired teachers, vice-principals, principals, superintendents, and directors receiving a pension from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP). There are several Associate Member categories, including surviving spouses of Full and Associate Members, school board and office administrative support staff, and college and university faculty. For more information see the chart “Membership Rights and Privileges/Fee Structure” http://www.rto-ero.org/sites/default/files/RIGHTS_AND_PRIVILEGES_CHART_May_2014_ENG.pdf , or contact the Membership Department at the Provincial Office for clarification.
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The membership fee for Full Members is based upon a retiree’s gross pension and is deducted annually by OTPP each January from one’s annual pension and remitted to RTO/ERO. Fees for Associate Members vary, depending upon one’s status at the time of application and are remitted directly to the Provincial Office by cheque or electronic submissions. During the initial year of membership, the fees for both Full and Associate Members are pro-rated according to the month in which they enroll. Refer to the RTO/ERO Membership Application Form for further information. The Application Form allows new members to select one District/Unit of their choice. If members do not make a choice, they are assigned to the District of the municipality in which they reside. Members may live in a municipality covered by one District but choose to belong to a different District, perhaps one in which they worked prior to retirement. 2. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION AND SERVICES FOR DISTRICTS The Provincial Office maintains membership information and produces reports for District Presidents and Membership Coordinators. Membership lists are sent semi-annually, in February and August. This information also may be requested at any time. The following information is available upon request, with at least two to three weeks’ notice, from Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Newsletter Editors, Webmasters, and Goodwill Chairs:
• District members’ labels, in postal code or alpha order • List of deceased members in a District • List of members – by age, language, municipality, name • Membership count, by District and Province • Information Kits • Membership and Health brochures and application forms
3. MEMBER RECRUITMENT
Districts actively recruit new members, primarily under the leadership of their Recruitment and/or Membership Chairs and committee members. Promotional and recruitment resources, including brochures and a video, are available from the Provincial Office. Please refer to the District Recruitment Toolkit, compiled and reviewed regularly by the Member Services Committee. The Toolkit is can be viewed in the Members’ Centre of the provincial website under “District/Unit Resources – For Recruitment Reps” https://www.rto-ero.org/recruitment-reps
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F. Provincial Awards At the Provincial level, there are two main awards, recognizing both a Founding Member and Distinguished Members, as outlined below. Based upon submissions, recommendations will be made by the Provincial Awards Committee and selected by the Provincial Executive. Nominations must reach the Provincial Office no later than June 1.
1. FOUNDING MEMBER AWARD
• The RTO/ERO Founding Member Award is presented to a member in recognition of outstanding voluntary contributions to the work of RTO/ERO at the provincial level; no more than one Award is presented per year.
• To retain the prestige associated with the Award, its presentation is at the discretion of the Provincial Executive and is not necessarily presented on an annual basis.
• Current/Past Presidents and Executive Directors are not eligible to be nominated for the Founding Member Award.
• RTO/ERO members who are still actively serving in any capacity at the Provincial level are not eligible for nomination for the Founding Member Award.
• Nominations previously submitted do not carry over to the next year; a District, however, may resubmit a nomination if it wishes.
• A candidate for receipt of the Award is chosen by the Provincial Executive. • The Award is presented at the Annual Senate Meeting dinner and consists of a framed
certificate, and a donation of $500 to the charitable organization of the recipient’s choice. 2. DISTINGUISHED MEMBER AWARD
• Nominees for the Provincial Award will be selected in recognition of their outstanding
and/or long term contributions to the work of RTO/ERO at the Provincial and/or District level.
• Three RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Awards may be granted annually. • Awards will be presented as part of the business of the Fall Senate Meeting. • Nominations are not held over from year to year, but may be resubmitted. • Nominations must be submitted to the Provincial Office by email or using the online
application. • Current Members of the Provincial Executive, Current Members of Provincial Standing and
Executive Committees and the Incumbent Executive Director are ineligible for nomination by Districts for the RTO/ERO Distinguished Member Award.
• There is also a three-year ineligibility period for Past Members of Provincial Executive, Past Members of Provincial Standing and Executive Committees, and Past Executive Directors.
• The Distinguished Member Award will comprise a plaque, a donation of $350 to a charity of each recipient’s choice, and an invitation to attend the October Senate meeting.
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G. Provincial Resources
1. MATERIALS FROM THE PROVINCIAL OFFICE • Information Kits • Renaissance • Liaison Newsletter* • Tax Tips • Political Advocacy Manual • Treasurer’s Manual • Fact Sheets • Recruitment Toolkit • Provincial Constitution • Website Legal Primer • Public Relations Primer
*To sign up for Liaison: send your name, District name/number, and membership number (if applicable) to [email protected]. Add [email protected] to your email contacts so the e-newsletter doesn’t end up in your spam folder. To read previous issues, visit http://www.rto-ero.org/liaison-newsletter. Note: you must be logged into the Members’ Centre to view this page).
2. PROVINCIAL WEBSITE • Joining RTO/ERO – brochure and application form • Group Insurance Plans – brochure and application form • Project – Service to Others: community projects, scholarships • Provincial Office Information – staff, hours, directions • History of RTO/ERO; Mission and Vision Statements • Governance Information – Provincial Executive and Senate • Travel Information • Promotional Items supplied by Souvenir Canada • Job and Volunteer Opportunities • RTO/ERO Foundation
MEMBER CENTRE (www.rto-ero.org)
• Information from Provincial Committees • Fact Sheets • Recruitment Toolkit • Renaissance; Health Matters and Liaison Newsletters • Retirement Planning Workshops (RPWs) • Senate Reports • Tax Tips
Please note: To register for the first time, follow these instructions: Step 1: To log onto the Members’ Centre for the first time, go to the following link to receive a temporary password: http://ero-rto.org/members_center/password Step 2: Check your inbox and or your junk mailbox for the password and then go back to http://ero-rto.org/members_center and login using your membership ID and temporary password. Step 3: Once logged in, change your password immediately by clicking on EDIT PROFILE at the top right corner of your screen. If you have any questions about the Members’ Centre, please call us at 1-800-361-9888 or 416-962-9463 or email: [email protected].
3. STAFF RESOURCES Management Jim Grieve, Executive Director [email protected] Simon Leibovitz, Chief Administrative Officer [email protected] Ewa Romanski, Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Lori MacDonald-Blundon, Pension and Benefits Officer [email protected] Sylvia Link, Director of Marketing and Communications [email protected] Pauline Duquette-Newman, Coordinator of French Language Services and Member Services [email protected] Charles Tabone, Manager, Information Technology [email protected] Kim Brathwaite, Manager, Marketing and Communications [email protected] Monica Depta, CRM Project Manager [email protected] Muriel Howden, Executive Assistant and Senior Outreach Advisor [email protected] Adina Nedelcu, Manager of Financial Reporting [email protected] Marzena Wspanialy, Network/Systems Administrator [email protected]
Administrative Support Staff Melanie Adriano [email protected] Andrea Holz [email protected] Eliza Ives [email protected] Gail Knox [email protected] Susannah Maxcy [email protected] Kelly MacDonald [email protected] Wilma Pereira [email protected] Clara Rodriguez [email protected] Liz Timms [email protected] Dianne Vezeau [email protected] Francine Viau [email protected] Topics of Interest Accounting Queries Liz Timms, Melanie Adriano, Adina Nedelcu Advertising Susannah Maxcy Awards Wilma Periera Change of Address Kelly MacDonald Communications Committee Susannah Maxcy Constitution Wilma Pereira District Grants Ewa Romanski District Websites Charles Tabone Francophone Issues Pauline Duquette-Newman Governance Jim Grieve, Simon Leibovitz Group Insurance Clara Rodriguez, Eliza Ives, Lori MacDonald-Blundon Health Matters Newsletter Eliza Ives, Clara Rodriguez Health Services & Insurance Committee Clara Rodriguez Insurance Ewa Romanski Members’ Centre Access Susannah Maxcy, Pauline Duquette-Newman Membership Database Dianne Vezeau, Kelly MacDonald Membership Questions Dianne Vezeau, Kelly MacDonald, Pauline Duquette-Newman Member Services Committee Wilma Pereira Pension Questions Lori MacDonald-Blundon Pension Retirement Concerns Committee Gail Knox Political Advocacy Simon Leibovitz, Gail Knox Political Advocacy Committee Gail Knox Project STO Gail Knox Provincial Executive Muriel Howden, Wilma Pereira Provincial Website Charles Tabone, Marzena Wspanialy Reception Andrea Holz, Francine Viau Recognition Certificates Kelly MacDonald Recruitment Simon Leibovitz Renaissance Kim Brathwaite, Simon Leibovitz, Susannah Maxcy RPWs Gail Knox, Lori MacDonald-Blundon
Scholarships Gail Knox Senate Agenda Muriel Howden, Wilma Pereira Senate Organization Kim Brathwaite, Pauline Duquette-Newman Translation Pauline Duquette-Newman
