Education Matters Online
Feature

Volume 2, Issue 3: March 3, 2004

Things are certainly different here than they were in Thames Valley. Sure, I work well with the people on the "third floor" and everything. Since I’ve been heavily involved at the provincial level for a number of years now, I already know them quite well. But it’s no Industrial Road, I must say. And I’m a rookie here. That’s a role I’m definitely not used to. A humbling experience. A whole new set of routines. Even the simplest thing is difficult right now. It’s been a while since I’ve had to ask simple questions like "How do I make a phone call?" and "Where can I get a copy of the Education Act?" And here’s one I’m definitely going to have to get used to. "Who do I call to get Word installed on my computer?" I was the guy in the know, the office technical support guy. How do I adjust to this turn of events? Oh well, I’ll handle it somehow.

There are certainly enough things about this position to make it exciting. For example, today was my first opportunity to be "duty officer." Imagine, I was the person who got to field any miscellaneous call that came to the provincial office today. And there were a few! It was one thing serving the 2,000+ members in Thames Valley, but now it’s the 50,000+ members of the province. A bit of a change in scale. And I’m in a portfolio that, although it contains many of the same elements that I dealt with in D11, such as Workplace Representative Training, now also contains a number of duties that I have not had much opportunity to experience in many years if at all, such as curriculum review and Ministry partnerships. It has indeed been an exciting opportunity to learn new things and brush up on old knowledge.

To all of you with whom I have worked over the years, I thank you for all that you have given me, for you have taught me much. Whether we agreed or not, you helped me to become a more capable advocate for the educational workers of Ontario. I look forward to continuing to serve in that capacity at the provincial level.

Let us not take thought for our separate interests, but let us help one another.
(OSSTF Motto)

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