The Role of School Representative
The role of the NLTA school representative is an essential one within the NLTA organization. Through an effective school representative system, a channel of communication opens between every NLTA member and the branch president, the branch executive, the provincial executive and the provincial president of our Association. The school representative is often the most informed person on the school staff with respect to NLTA matters. It is this basic linkage that gives our Association its strength.
As school representative you should make contact with your branch executive members or branch president for any assistance you may need as you carry out the role as school representative.
The Duties of a School Representative are:
- Attend all branch meetings and encourage all NLTA members on your staff to attend general meetings in order to ensure that your school is represented and well informed. Preview meeting agendas, poll the staff on issues to be dealt with at the meeting, bring concerns to the meeting and return with suggested directions and additional information. If you cannot attend, you should make sure someone from your staff acts on your behalf.
- Maintain an NLTA Bulletin Board in a prominent area of the staff room. When you receive correspondence, please distribute and/or post a copy.
- Request time on the agenda of staff meetings for staff discussions regarding concerns which may need to be conveyed to your branch executive and for reporting on items from your branch executive, branch meetings or the provincial office.
- Assist the branch with the smooth operation of all branch functions. Some of your main duties are:
- receive and distribute all information concerning meetings, socials, etc.;
- as directed by your branch executive, ensure a communications network (e.g., a telephone tree or email group) is established for immediate communications when necessary to all NLTA members in your school;
- assist the branch in conducting its branch registration by providing a school staff list to the branch executive early in the school year;
- promote and assist in voting, ensuring information is available and that members have NLTA contact information to have questions/issues addressed;
- assist the branch in conducting the registration of substitute teachers who usually substitute in your school. (Your branch president has a registration form to be used for this purpose.Maintain contact with them by alerting them about upcoming meetings and other information;
- be aware of calendar deadlines. Post notices and/or remind people of upcoming deadlines re application for NLTA awards, scholarships, etc.;
- aid in selection of delegates and in the discussion of resolutions for submission to BGM (Convention) from your branch;
- prepare and organize your school’s participation in Janeway Day in the Schools (if applicable);
- provide information on all branch and provincial activities to your school staff on Education Week activities (if applicable);
- collect and submit articles for The Bulletin. Make your staff aware of sections of The Bulletin for reporting school or branch news, such as “In The Classroom”, “On Location” and “Hats Off”;
- assist new NLTA members in your school to become involved with and informed about your branch and the NLTA;
- be familiar with the various branch executive members and their duties.
Communications from Provincial Office
All communications from the NLTA provincial office to the membership which are distributed through mailing to the schools will be mailed in a bulk envelope addressed to the “NLTA School Representative” at the school address. Included in each mailing is a form listing the items enclosed and to whom they should be distributed. It is the responsibility of the school representative to ensure that each NLTA member is supplied with their copy. The school representative should provide the material directly to each member, leave it on each member’s individual desk/workspace or place it in each member’s mailbox (if provided).
At the beginning of the school year, it is recommended that you introduce yourself to the school secretary and inform them that all items received at the school which are addressed to the “NLTA School Representative” should be forwarded to you.
All school representatives are part of a school rep email group and whenever possible, updates are sent to you through this group. It is important that you provide us with an up-to-date email address and inform us when any changes take place to your address.
Information on the services and programs of the NLTA can be found on the NLTA website, www.nlta.nl.ca.
