FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2002

School Board awaits direction from mediator
Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board remains optimistic that a settlement with its elementary teachers will be reached.

The Board is awaiting direction from Ministry of Labour appointed mediator Bruce Janisse. “It was Mr. Janisse who the parties had worked through in the two days of conciliation,” say Chris Salt, Superintendent of Operations/Human Resources. “Our next step is subject to the call from him.”

The Board is disappointed that the local executive of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario misrepresented the Board’s final offer and, in recent media reports, inflated the percentage increase given to the director of education.

The Board believes that the last offer made to its elementary teachers is a good one and exceeds, in percentage increase, what has already been accepted by secondary school teachers in this jurisdiction.

Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board values its relationship with its teachers and recognizes their dedication in ensuring an excellent education is provided to all of its students and will continue to make every effort to reach a settlement.

Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 54 schools serving over 18,900 students and employing 1,083 teachers. The district covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Bancroft to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west. The 2002-2003 operating budget is $133.9 million.

For information contact :
• Chris Salt, Superintendent of Human Resources/Operations, 966-1170 x2281
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, 966-1170 x2354