Teaching at the School Board

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FACTS CONCERNING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES...... 1

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION...... 2 Schools...... 2 Classrooms...... 2 Curriculum...... 3

LIVING CONDITIONS ...... 4 Lodging...... 4 Food...... 4 Services...... 4

FRINGE BENEFITS...... 5

REMUNERATION...... 5 Regular salary scales...... 5

ISOLATION AND REMOTENESS PREMIUM ...... 6

TRANSPORTATION...... 6

OUTINGS...... 7

APPENDIX A...... 8 Services in Cree communities...... 8

FACTS CONCERNING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES

NAME AND ADDRESS OF SCHOOLS POPU- LANGUAGES OF ENROLMENT LATION INSTRUCTION PRIM. SEC. ÉCOLE 2 088 Cree / French / 345 160 WASKAGANISHWaskaganish, English Baie James Québec, J0M 1PO (819) 895-8819 ÉCOLE WABANNUATAO 563 Cree / French / 130 55 EEYOUEastmain, Baie James English Québec, J0M 1P0 (819) 977-0244

ÉCOLE MAQUATUA 1 126 Cree / English 160 123 EEYOUWemindji, Baie James Québec, J0M 1L0 (819) 978-0389

ÉCOLE VOYAGEUR MEMORIAL 2 849 Cree / French / 428 198 Mistissini, Québec English G0W 1C0 (418) 923-3485

ÉCOLE BADABIN 701 Cree / English 176 56 EEYOUWhapmagoostui, Baie James Québec, J0M 1G0 (819) 929-3428

ÉCOLE W.J.H. 1 514 Cree / French / 236 109 MEMORIALWaswanipi, Québec English J0Y 3C0 (819) 753-2583

ÉCOLE EEYOU 3 176 Cree / French / 644 284 , Baie James English Québec, J0M 1E0 (819) 855-2855 ÉCOLE LUKE METTAWESKUM 557 Cree / French / 98 66 , Baie James English Québec, J0Y 3B0 (819) 673-2536

ÉCOLE OUJE-BOUGOUMOUOuje- bougoumou, G0W 3C0 (418) 748-7711

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A collective agreement between the Cree School Board and the Association de l'enseignement du Nouveau-Québec (CEQ) specifies the working conditions applicable to teachers. These working conditions are very similar to the conditions applicable to teachers in other school boards in Québec.

The following summary outlines the working conditions that are particular to the Cree School Board, current salary scales for teachers in the regular sector as well as general information on Northern Québec.

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION

Schools

$ Each community has one or two schools where children receive instruction at the preschool, elementary and secondary levels. Not all grades of secondary instruction are offered in every community.

$ The average school size is 350 pupils. Schools have been built recently and are equipped with a gymnasium, library, audiovisual equipment, fax machine, etc.

$ The Cree School Board has delegated many powers to schools, including hiring of personnel. Persons who play an active role at the school level are:

-the School Committee, composed of elected parents; this Comittee makes recommandations concerning assignment of personnel; -the Community Education Administrator, who is a Cree responsible for the school's administration; -the principal, who is responsible for the pedagogical organization of the school.

$ Approximately 45% of the teaching staff are .

Classrooms

$ The maximum number of pupils per group is lower than the provincial norms:

- preschool 18 pupils - kindergarten 23 pupils - elementary (1st grade) 23 pupils - elementary (other grades) 27 pupils - secondary 30 pupils

$ There often are split classes (multi-level).

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Teaching at the Cree School Board

Curriculum

$ Cree is the language of instruction at the preschool level, kindergarten and Grade 1. Depending on the community, Cree is the language of instruction up to Grade 3. In most communities, the parents choose English or French as the language of instruction of their child as of Grade 4.

$ Cree culture and language are taught at the elementary and secondary levels by Cree teachers.

$ By virtue of the James Bay Agreement the Cree School Board may develop or adapt programs to reflect Cree culture, customs and values. Teachers must apply these programs.

LIST OF CREE PROGRAMS IN APPLICATION:

- - Cree culture - Preschool & elementary 1st cycle in Cree - Geography program adapted for sec. III

Furthermore, other programs are being tried out in certain communities.

$ The Board applies the "régime pédagogique" of the Ministry of Education.

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Teaching at the Cree School Board

LIVING CONDITIONS

Lodging

The Board has a good stock of residential units that have been built or renovated recently. These units, located within minutes of the schools, are offered to teachers hired outside the communities .

$ Rent is charged according to the number of bedrooms:

- 1 bedroom: $126/month - 2 bedrooms: $162/month - 3 bedrooms: $202/month - 4 bedrooms: $240/month

$ Units are allocated according to the Board's housing policy. Seniority and number of dependants are the main factors.

$ Units are entirely furnished (including stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer), and rent covers heating and electricity.

$ Exceptionally, teachers may be required to share a unit. Rent is then divided equally among the teachers sharing the unit.

$ Teachers should bring their own personal belonging including dishes, bedding and other favourite appliances (television, sound system, micro wave oven, etc).

$ The benefit related to subsidized housing is taxable. However, a special tax deduction is granted to people who reside in a northern community for a continuous period of 6 months or more, over one or two fiscal years. Food

Every community has one or more stores which offer basic food items.

$ Fresh food is expensive and not always available.

$ Teachers working in , , , and Nemaska are reimbursed for food transportation expenses. The annual maximums are:

- 727 kg per adult or child 12 years old or over - 384 kg per child under 12 years old

$ Food may be ordered from any supply centre. However, the Board reimburses the least costly mode of transportation (road, air freight or parcel post). In the case of transportation by road, the Board reimburses the equivalent of the cost from Val d'Or.

Services

A list of services available in each Cree community is found in Appendix A.

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FRINGE BENEFITS

Employees at the Cree School Board enjoy similar fringe benefits as those offered by other school boards in Québec.

$ Health insurance plan $ Life insurance plan $ Sick-leave days $ Salary insurance plan $ Maternity, paternity and adoption leaves and parental leaves of absence $ Leaves without salary $ Sabbatical leaves with differed salary

REMUNERATION

Negotiations are presently under way to extend the collective agreement until June 2000. The following salary scales are in effect as of 101st day of the 1997-98 school year.

Salary scales include all workdays, legal holidays and days of vacation.

Regular Salary Scales

SALARY SCAOLES IN EFFECT AS OF 101st DAY OF THE 1997-98 SCHOOL YEAR

Exper. 14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years 18 years 19 years 20 years Step or less 1 26 246 28 164 30 222 32 465 34 874 37 510 41 716 2 26 990 28 965 31 110 33 422 35 898 38 615 42 821

3 27 760 29 821 31 992 34 376 36 968 39 736 43 942 4 28 574 30 667 32 934 35 387 38 059 40 917 45 123

5 29 390 31 564 33 881 36 437 39 179 42 172 46 378 6 30 222 32 465 34 874 37 510 40 317 43 419 47 625 7 31 110 33 422 35 898 38 615 41 548 44 732 48 938

8 31 992 34 376 36 968 39 736 42 783 46 072 50 278 9 328934 35 387 38 059 40 917 44 068 47 493 51 699 10 33 881 36 437 39 179 42 172 45 392 48 936 53 141 11 34 874 37 510 40 317 43 419 46 751 50 447 54 653 12 35 898 38 615 41 548 44 732 48 192 51 973 56 179 13 36 968 39 736 42 783 46 072 49 656 53 599 57 805 14 38 059 40 917 44 068 47 493 51 195 55 260 59 466 15 39 179 42 172 45 392 48 936 52 787 56 979 61 185

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ISOLATION AND REMOTENESS PREMIUM

Teachers working in a Cree community receive an annual premium. The level of premiums is determined by the location of the community (sector), the number of dependants and the duration of assignment.

ANNUAL PREMIUM IN EFFECT AS OF THE 101ST DAY OF 1997-98 SCHOOL YEAR Sector With dependant(s) No dependant Sector I: Mistissini, Chisasibi, Whapmagoostui, Waswanipi, Ouje-Bougoumou $9,717 $6,075 Sector II: Wemindji, Eastmain, $12,636 $7,169 Waskaganish, Nemaska

$ The premium "with dependant(s)" is granted provided the people reside with the teacher in the community. An exception is made in the case of a child who attends a secondary school outside the community if no secondary school is available in the community.

$ In the case where both spouses are entitled to the annual premium, only one spouse can receive the premium "with dependant(s)" if there is another dependant. If not, both claim the premium under "no dependant".

$ This premium is taxable.

TRANSPORTATION

The Board assumes the following expenses incurred by every teacher, and his or her dependants, recruted from more than 50km:

$ transportation expenses for the teacher and dependants;

$ the cost of transporting the teacher's personal belongings and those of his or her dependants up to a maximum of: - 228 kg per adult and child 12 years old or over - 137 kg per child under 12 years old

$ the cost of transporting the teacher's furniture other than the furniture provided by the Board (TV etc.)

$ the cost of storing the teacher's furniture, if need be. Teachers must pay the insurance costs related to the storage.

These costs are assumed by the Board at the beginning and end of the teacher's assignment. However, if the teacher leaves within 60 days of the beginning of the assignment, he or she is responsible for the costs.

*In case of the teacher recruited from outside Quebec, the Board reimburses the transport costs between Montreal and the place of assignment.

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Teaching at the Cree School Board

OUTINGS

The teacher recruited more than 50 km from his or her place of assignment is entitled to 3 return trip per year between his or her place of assignment and point of departure at the time of hiring. The terms and conditions pertaining to outings are specified in the Board's policy on outings.

$ These trips are by plane (chartered in some cases), or by car or other means of transportation for those communities linked up to the provincial road network. These trips are taken: - at the beginning and end of the school year - during the Christmas break -during the spring goose break (varies from one community to another).

$ A teacher may request that one of his or her outings be used by his or her spouse or child to visit him or her.

$ The teacher has to pay income tax on the monetary value of his or her third outing as well as on the third outing of his or her dependants.

If interested in teaching with the Cree School Board, please send resumes to:

Personnel Services Cree School Board 203, Main Street Mistissini, Quebec G0W 1C0 or fax to: (418) 923-2073 or e-mail: [email protected] related Websites:

www.cscree.qc.ca www.nation.mistissini.qc.ca www.ouje.ca

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Teaching at the Cree School Board

APPENDIX A

SERVICES IN THE CREE COMMUNITIES

Chis- East- Nem- Mist- Wask- Was- Wem- Whap- Ouje- asibi main aska issini aganish wanipi indji magoostui bougoumou T T T T T T T T T Running water T T T T T T T T T Sewers T T T T T T T T T Electricity T T T T T T T T T Garbage disposal T T T T T T T T Fire station T T T T T T T T T Police services T T T T T T T Road access T T T T T T T T T Winter road access T Hospital T T T T T T T T T Health clinic T T T Regular flights by jet airplane T T T T T T Regular flights by propeller plane T T T T Charter base for the bush T T T T T T T T T Telephone T T T T T T Bank T T T T T T T T T TV/radio via satellite T T T T T T T Local radio shows T T T T T T Hotel & motel T T T T T T Other lodging T T T T T T T T T Restaurant & snack bar T T T T T Northern Store T T T Coop store T T T T T T T T T Other stores T T T T T T T T T Arts & crafts coop.

English school Sec. V Sec. V Sec. I Sec. III Sec. V Sec. II Sec. IV Sec. V Sec. IV

French school Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. V Sec. IV T T T T T T T T T Post office

Church 2 1 1 3 4 2 1 2 1 T T T T T T T Indoor rink T T T T T T Ski-Doo parts & repairs T T T T T T Taxi T T T T T T T T T Gas station T T T T T T Garage (public) T Bakery T T T T T Social Club/Com-munity hall

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