Background
The Division recognizes its mandate to provide quality education services to students enrolled in a variety of schools and programs operated by the Board within a fiscally responsible framework on both a system wide and school-by-school basis.
There are times when the Division finds it necessary to reduce the number of support staff (Non-Teacher Staff) in a school, department, program, site, facility and/or Division as a whole.
For further clarity, this Administrative Procedure applies to Division Non-Teacher Staff in the positions they hold in the applicable employee category at the time this Administrative Procedure is applied.
Support Staff (Non-Teacher) Employee Categories
The positions held by Non-Teacher Staff include (but are not limited to) the following employee categories:
| administrative assistants (school-based) | bus aides |
| educational assistants, library assistants, therapy assistants (non-certified), parents as teachers, support worker | bus drivers |
| cafeteria assistants | mechanics |
| central office support staff | transportation assistant |
| colony & rural kindergarten lead educational assistants | technology technicians |
| custodians | technology system analyst |
| Indigenous cultural liaison | maintenance assistant |
| certified OTA & SLPA | maintenance technicians |
| theatre technicians | maintenance journeypersons |
| wellness mentors, cultural liaison | speech language pathologist |
| occupational therapist | educational psychologist |
Reduction Criteria
Criteria that may give rise to a need for Non-Teacher Staff reduction by the Division include either singly, or in combination, either current or projected, may include (but are not limited to):
- Student enrolments, current and/or projected;
- Changes in non-teaching staff/student ratios;
- Population pattern changes;
- Provincial and/or local financial support for education;
- Funding from all sources;
- Division budget estimates;
- Program reduction or program changes;
- Changes in the function or number of existing physical facilities;
- Changes in transportation requirements;
- Other factors which the Division considers relevant.
At the discretion of the Superintendent, or designate, this administrative procedure will be applied to either a particular school, department, program, site, facility or the Division as a whole.
Procedures
- In the event it is determined that a reduction of Non-Teacher Staff is warranted, the Division will endeavour to reduce through voluntary attrition by virtue of:
- Voluntary resignation;
- Voluntary retirement;
- Voluntary leave of absence; or
- Voluntary changes in employment status (i.e. full-time to part-time).
- If the reduction cannot be fully achieved through voluntary attrition, the Division may, in its discretion, endeavour to reduce through transfer of Non-Teacher Staff to other assignments provided the staff member has the required qualifications and/or experience.
- Non-Teacher staff who decline a transfer will be offered a leave of absence or they can decide to resign or retire.
- If reductions cannot be fully achieved through voluntary attrition and transfer to other assignments, the Division will reduce through termination of contracts of employment. Seniority (i.e. years of service) with the Division will be the determining criterion. Seniority is determined based on the starting date of the employee in their current position within the applicable employee category.
- A Non-Teacher Staff member who will be the subject of a termination under this Administrative Procedure shall be provided a minimum of two weeks' written notice or salary in lieu of, and provided with a Record of Employment.
- If a position is created or becomes available, the Division will fill the position by the following process:
- Increase employment status (i.e. part-time to full-time), or
- Return from voluntary leave of absence.
- If the position remains open, the job will be posted on the Division website and filled through an open competition.
Reference: Education Act Employment Standards Code