Online Q&A: Nursing careers

Thinking of becoming a nurse, but don’t know where to start?

Guest experts for today's Q&A on the nursing profession were Judy Britnell, director of the Learning and Teaching Office at Ryerson University, and Sylvia Rodgers, professional practice leader for nursing at The Scarborough Hospital.

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Q: I am an oncology nurse presently working in the U.S. I graduated from Ryerson's nursing program and spent 15 years working in Ontario. My husband had an opportunity to work in the U.S. so I wrote the NCLEX and found full-time employment here even before my results came back.

It has been seven years now and we would like to return to Canada but there is a lack of full-time positions. I have e-mailed several hospital human resources departments with my resume but have yet to receive acknowledgements - waiting months in most cases. Does my U.S. experience make me less attractive as an applicant?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... I don't believe your U.S. experience makes you a less attractive applicant, in fact I think your 22 years of experience in Canada and the U.S. should make you very attractive. I think maybe you need to reconsider your strategy of e-mailing HR departments. You are more likely to get a response if you apply for specific vacancies rather than just sending out your resume. Try searching the web sites of employers who interest you; most will post available nursing positions. The RNAO web site also has an RN career section where positions are posted. You might also ask yourself if your resume needs a makeover to really showcase your skills and abilities. Remember your cover letter and resume create the first impression so you want it to be a good one. Good luck in your search!

Q: I'm interested in getting into a nursing program and eventually go on to mental health. I noticed Judy has worked specifically in that field. However, I have been discouraged by people saying that my physical well-being would be at risk because of possible violence, and also that eventually being around mental patients over time somehow rubs off on you. How did you find working in the mental health field?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Thanks for this question. I believe that the satisfaction of working with the mentally ill far outweighs the risks. I would hope that the things that rub off from this kind of work are honesty, respect and the satisfaction from seeing someone take small steps towards health. Having a sense of humour doesn't hurt either!

Regarding your physical well-being, there is a strong emphasis today on maintaining a healthy and safe work environment for nurses; this includes protection from physical violence. While there are risks in nursing, it is important that nurses possess the knowledge and skills to minimize those risks. Although I don't work directly with clients at this time, I find that the skills and knowledge that I acquired in my mental nursing background are part of my work and personal life.

Q: I have my BA from the U of T and have recently considered going into nursing. My question is what kind of, and how much more, education would I be looking at in order to enter the nursing field?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Both the University of Toronto and York University in Toronto have a Second Entry Nursing Program for students who have already obtained an undergraduate degree and wish to complete a BScN. The programs can be completed in two years. Contact their nursing programs to find out more.

Q: It appears to me that the colleges are universities are making it more difficult for mature students to enter nursing programs! I am a mature student with an interest in nursing, but despite the fact that I have completed college, I am told that I need to go back to high school to get credits in Grade 12 Chemistry, Grade 12 Biology and Grade 11 math. I am not sure I understand why all this can't be part of the first-year nursing program, if they are so required?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Admission criteria to nursing programs are not flexible with respect to the requirement of completing these courses prior to entry to the first year of a nursing program. It is also required that students obtain at least a 60 per cent in these courses. The entry requirements are necessary because we want to ensure that students are successful in their first year.

Q: There is a university program in Alberta where one can study nursing online, and then arrange practical in one's hometown. Will a program like this one be recognized by the nursing association in Ontario? Will it make any difference once one has passed the Nursing Board Examinations and becomes a RN?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... Let me explain what it takes to become an RN in Ontario. You must meet all the "entry to practice requirements" set by the College of Nurses of Ontario (the regulatory body for both RNs and RPNs). These include successful completion of an approved education program; fluency in English or French; and successful completion of the Canadian Registered Nurse examination, among other things.

Nurses who are educated outside of Ontario must have their education program assessed to make sure it is equivalent with an Ontario baccalaureate nursing program. I don’t know if the Alberta program you refer to meets these requirements so would suggest you contact the College of Nurses for this information.

Q: I am a male with hospital background in an allied field. I am in my early 40s and interested in studying nursing. Is it worth it for me to embark in this career at this age? What would be the reaction of my colleagues, professors and supervisors given my age and gender?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... It is very worthwhile to consider going into nursing. Individuals with life experience can make excellent contributions to the profession of nursing and would be welcomed into the profession.

As for your question about your gender, see our previous answer to a similar question.

Q: I will be starting the Registered Practical Nursing course in September. I am leaving a very secure job with the airlines of 18 years. I am very excited about this new career change, however, I am concerned with jobs available for the RPN.

Some Ontario hospitals do not utilize RPNs at all. Will this new incentive include the RPN or is it just restricted to the RN? As a future nurse, I would like to practise in a hospital, and not be solely restricted to long-term care, or doctors offices or clinics. What is the future of a Registered Practical Nurse? Thank you.

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... It is never too late for a career change. I looked at the work statistics for RPNs in Ontario in 2005 and found that 45.9 per cent were employed in hospitals. This is the largest reported work setting followed by long-term care and the community. These stats are found of the College of Nurses website. For more information about career opportunities for RPNs check out the Registered Practical Nurses Association website. Good luck in your studies.

Q: What career opportunities are there for men to go into nursing? Are hospitals, nurses - even patients - receptive to males in the field?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... Currently about 5 per cent of all nurses are male. This number has been slowly increasing over the years.

The career opportunities for men are pretty much the same as for women, men have just been slow at catching on to the fact that this is a great profession! I can’t speak for male nurses in terms of how they have been received, but can tell you I have always enjoyed having male colleagues on my team.

Q: Where do I start if I want to pursue nursing? How much will it cost?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Start with doing some research about nursing and nursing programs in your local area. There are a  number of websites that would be useful to you e.g., the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario or the College of Nurses of Ontario to learn some general information about nursing.

You might also consder intervieiwng some nurses that you know to find out what kind of work that they have done in their careers. You could also look at the calendars of any university or college nursing programs to find out the admission requirements and costs.

Regarding costs, they do vary. Tuition costs for nursing students in a baccalaureate nursing program are close to $4,000.00 per year. This does not include the costs of living, uniforms books, transportation, etc. There are bursaries and loans available to students to provide financial support.

Q: I was a junior nursing student back in the Philippines with one year to go before graduation. I migrated here last year, and that is why my studies were cut short. Can I continue my studies here in Canada? Will my subjects taken in the Philippines be credited here?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Contact your nursing program of choice at a university or college and ask them to do an evaluation of your previous learning. This will help you identify what's needed for you to complete your nursing education.

Q: What is the difference between the different types of nurses, RN, RPN, practitioner, and what are the differing levels of education required? What kind of marks do you need to get into these programs?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... Good questions - it is often difficult to figure out the differences.

An RN is someone who has completed a baccalaureate degree in nursing and also has passed the RN certification examination. The admission requirements vary slightly from program to program but generally six OAC credits are required with a minimum passing grade of 60 per cent. Because there are often more applications than there are places in a program, the average per cent need to be admitted to a program is often much higher. Consult specific schools for pertinent admission requirements.

An RPN is a Registered Practical Nurse who has completed a program of study at a community college. In Ontario, RPNs are community college graduates. After graduation, they write a national certification examination. Once they successfully complete this exam, they are registered as practical nurses by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). You will require the entrance requirements to a community college. (Contact specific school calendars for pertinent requirements).

There are differences between RNs and RPNs in scope of practice, roles and responsibilities. Generally RNs, because of the more in-depth education, are prepared to care for patients in more complex situations. In an acute-care hospital for example, there are areas like intensive care where all the nurses are RNs. In other areas like orthopedic surgery you might find a mix of RNs and RPNs. Generally the RNs are assigned to the more complex patients and the RPNs to the less complex. While both RNs and RPNs are responsible and accountable for their own practice, they work closely as a team for the best outcomes for their patients.

Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses (Extended Class) with advanced knowledge and decisions-making skills in assessment, diagnosis and health care management. Nurse Practitioners are able to diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries, write prescriptions and order lab tests and x-rays.

Here are some typical admission requirements to a Nurse Practictioner program:

*Applicants must possess an Ontario baccalaureate degree in nursing or the equivalent, with a minimum overall average of 70 per cent;

* must hold a current College of Nurses of Ontario annual registration payment card;

* have the equivalent of a minimum of two years full-time nursing practice within the past five years.

Q: Are nurses worried about a flu pandemic? What would happen to them in such a case? Are they adequately protected, with special masks and gear?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... We are concerned because we know that an influenza pandemic will place a significant strain on the health care system. I think it is important to understand that an influenza pandemic will be a community-acquired illness, not a hospital-acquired illness. This means that nurses will share the same risk as the general public. Anyone who interacts with others in public places such as schools, daycares, restaurants, movie theatres, places of business is vulnerable. Most often transmission of the flu virus takes place before the person shows signs of being sick.

Nurses as health care providers will be affected by the fact that at a time of increased demand for health care, the numbers of available health care workers and support staff will be reduced due to illness. Nurses who are healthy will continue to work. Additional precautions (masks, eye protection, gloves etc.) are helpful when you know you are caring for someone infected with influenza.

Nurses know that the best way to protect both themselves and their patients from any infection is by using routine practices with emphasis on good hand hygiene.

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has developed a pandemic plan for Ontario. RNs are sitting on committees related to pandemic planning at the top levels of provincial government. Many workplaces have developed or are in the process of developing their own plans in preparation. For more information on this topic visit the Ministry of Health website. Nurses, as the largest group of health professionals, are in a position to provide valuable input to pandemic plans and play a key role in public education.

Q: Would you consider going to the United States for a nursing job? Contract work is plentiful in Ontario nursing but finding anything but part-time is often difficult. Is it hard to find a full-time job?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... I have never personally considered going to the U.S. but I do know nurses who started their careers in the States due to shortages of full-time opportunities in Ontario. The current situation is that, on average, it takes six months for a new graduate to find employment and up to two years to find full-time work. This is unacceptable. The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) is a strong advocate for full-time employment for all present nurses and newly graduated nurses who wish to work full time. RNAO has actively promoted what is called “the 70 percent solution.” The goal is to have 70 per cent of RNs working full-time. Progress has been made towards this goal. For more information on this topic, visit the RNAO website.

You may have heard that on Monday, May 8th, Health Minister George Smitherman announced that the Liberal government will guarantee full-time employment for the approximately 4,000 nurses who will graduate in 2007. At this point in time there are few details about how this will happen but it is a step in the right direction.

Q: A career in nursing interests me, but I don't particularly want to work in a hospital setting. What other career options would there be? Would I need hospital experience first before I could explore other options?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... I am delighted that you are interested in a career in nursing. There are a wide variety of career opportunities available to registered nurses that go far beyond the walls of a hospital, including public health, home care, and long term care. Nurses can be found working in industry (occupational health), corrections facilities, schools and even on the streets providing health care to the homeless. Nurses often pick an area of specialty like cancer care, mental health or diabetes or they may focus on a patient group like premature babies or the elderly. There are all kinds of interesting and wonderful roles for nurses in direct practice, education, administration, research and policy development. I often say to nurses that there is no reason ever to get bored in this profession, the opportunities are endless! Hospital experience is not necessarily a prerequisite for pursuing a career in other settings.

Q: It seems to me that the recent Ontario requirements for RNs to graduate from university (with a bachelor's degree) vs. the older system of a 3-year college diploma has actully backfired and limited the opportunity for young people interested in nursing. What do you suggest for a recent high-school graduate who doesn't have the high marks required to meet the minimum requirements of Ontario universities?

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Q: I would like to be a nurse but don't think I have the marks to get into university. Are there any other alternatives?

Answer from Judy Britnell ... The good news is that there are still many opportunities for a young (or not so young) person who wishes to work in the health care sector.
You may wish to explore the opportunities to become a Registered Practical Nurse through an educational program offered at a Community Colleges. Also there are programs to prepare you as a Personal Support Worker.

There were a number of reasons for making the baccalaureate degree a requirement to be a practicing registered nurse in Ontario, not the least of which is the complexity of the nursing role in health care today, but it does not preclude the opportunity for someone who has the interest and the commitment to learning to find a place and make an important contribution to health care and to the health care team.

Q: I'm curious as to how the accelerated programs in the States are received in Canada. Would it be difficult to be licensed in Canada if I got a degree and was licensed in the States?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... I don’t know much about the accelerated programs in the U.S. but I do know that in order to get registered in Ontario you must meet the entry to practice requirements that are in place. Basically, your education would be assessed to ensure equivalence with nursing education here and you would be required to successfully complete the Canadian registered nurse examination. For more information about registration requirements visit the College of Nurses of Ontario website.

Q: Hi. A few years ago after my bachelor's degree, I had the opportunity to enter nursing school at U of T, but chose to attend a graduate program in bioengineering instead. Recently, I began to have thoughts about entering nursing again, and regretted my decision to enter the graduate school. I'm wondering if I enter nursing school after my PhD, how is that looked upon? Would there be any opportunities for someone with such a technical background and the nursing background or would I just have to give up doing anything technical? What type of opportunities if any are available?

Answer from Sylvia Rodgers ... Many individuals enter nursing programs having already completed degrees in other fields of study. It is also not uncommon to find mature students who have made the decision to pursue nursing after working a few, or sometimes many, years in another unrelated line of work. I have met nurses who were accountants, welders, lawyers, tradesman etc. in their first career.

Your question about opportunities to combine your technical expertise and nursing is an interesting one. I don’t know of specific jobs that are available but I do know that the use of technology in health care is on the rise so it makes sense to me that the potential to combine nursing expertise and biomedical engineering should exist. You could be a groundbreaker in this area!

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Sylvia Rodgers

Judy Britnell

About our experts ...

Sylvia Rodgers is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario's nursing program, and for years worked in burn, neurosurgery and critical care units. She taught nursing at George Brown College for nine years, and during that time earned a master's degree in education. Currently, she works with nurses and administrators at The Scarborough Hospital to shape and influence nursing practice. Prior to this, she travelled across the province in a similar role with the College of Nurses of Ontario, which gave her insight into nursing practice in all settings and locations.

Judy Britnell earned her nursing degree from the University of Toronto, and has masters’ degrees from Columbia University (in psychiatric and community mental health nursing) and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (in adult education) and is now working on her PhD. She has worked as a nurse, taught nursing and is currently director of the professional development office for faculty at Ryerson.

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Online Q&A: Education questions

Do you have a question about something going on in your school? Your school board? Wondering how to choose a college or university program, or about living in residence?The Star has gone to the experts to get answers to your questions.

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Q: Many school boards in Ontario are still saying people applying for in-land immigration must be assessed and high fees paid.

The Ontario Ministry of Education changed this policy last year yet almost all the major school boards websites still are giving out incorrect information.

The fees now do not have to paid under the right circumstances even up to the age of 21, for special education students. The Catholic school boards are also giving out incorrect information.

As a result, many kids are not being allowed in school despite the law.

Answer from the Star's education editor ... This is what the experts at the school board say:

First, in response to the question, I need to assume first that ‘in-land immigration’ means that the learners are here and are applying for landed immigrant status.

Bill 194, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, effective September 1, 2005 has made some changes to student eligibility for admission without fees. In many cases, school boards across Ontario work with their admissions officer to determine student eligibility and require documents to be provided. With the provision of these documents, students have access without fees to public education for one year at a time. (If students are not eligible, then they would be required to pay VISA student fees.)

Bill 194 broadens the conditions for admission without fees to now include the following:

a) a student whose biological/adoptive parent is in Canada,

i) under a temporary resident permit issued under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)

ii) awaiting determination of an application for permanent residence in Canada

iii) awaiting determination of an application for a work permit

iv) is authorized to study in Canada as a full-time student at an accredited university, college or institution in Ontario

v) is a Canadian citizen resident in Ontario and who has applied for permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship for the student

vi) teaches at an accredited institution in Ontario in accordance with an agreement with a university outside Ontario.

vii) as a religious worker authorized to work in Canada under clause 186(1) of the Regulations made under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).

The Admissions Officer will require the following documents to determine eligibility:

1. Applicants for permanent resident status:

a) official letter from CIC with file number

b) copy of the application for permanent resident status in a province in Canada other than Quebec, P.E.I. and Alberta with names of all family members

c) copy of the receipt which was submitted with the application

d) proof of relationship of student to parent

e) proof of residency of the family in York Region

f) passport showing date of entry into Canada

2. Dependents of an applicant for a work permit:

a) passport of applicant

b) copy of application for work permit

c) proof of relationship of student to parent

3. Dependents of the holder of a study permit:

a) letter from accredited college or university confirming registration as full-time student
b) passport of parent with valid study permit
c) proof of relationship of student to parent

All persons who qualify for an exemption of the payment of fees under Bill 194 will be issued a letter of acceptance for one year only.  Students will be tracked through the office of the admissions officer.

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Q: I am going into my final year of high school and would eventually apply to Toronto-area colleges for aviation technology. Are there any colleges that offer a program in this field worth recognizing more than others?

Answer from the Star's education editor ... Two great colleges in the Toronto area offer aviation programs:

*Seneca College's School of Aviation and Flight Technology 

*Centennial College's School of Transportation

Since you still have some time before you have to make a decision, I'd recommend contacting the colleges you are interested in, visiting them and talking to students. You could also contact potential employers and ask them if there's a particular course or college program they prefer.

If you are willing to look outside the Toronto area, I highly recommend you visit the Ontario College Application Services website, which lists -- and provides links to -- all the aviation programs in the province.

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Q: My daughter's school only goes to Grade 5. I live in Mississauga and am looking for a good school that offers Grade 6 and up in the Peel District School Board. I would like to know about school ratings, not just EQAO results.

Answer from the Star's education editor ... Boards themselves do not rank or rate schools; instead, they post profiles of all their schools on their website with information about each one's student body, available programs, as well as results from provincial standardized tests (EQAO).

If you go to the Peel board's website, you can access a list of elementary schools and search for a middle or senior public school that best suits your family.

That said, the Fraser Institute issues school reports cards for Ontario schools which do provide an overall "grade" for each one, although these too are based heavily on EQAO results.

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Q: My son's third grade teacher feels he should be assessed for a learning disability. Neither of us are sure as to whether we are dealing with a learning disability as it appears to be borderline. My son's last report card showed a C average in reading and writing (B in the previous term) and a D in math (C in the previous term).

The teacher also said that if assessment shows a disability, he will be "labelled" within the Ontario education system. She has left me with the impression that this would have more of a negative impact on him in the future than a positive. Could you please explain how this "label" would be applied to my son, and what effect it would have on his future education within the system.

Answer from Christopher Carew of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario ... A psychological assessment can be very useful to look at a student’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses in relation to learning, and to suggest ways of teaching that may be more successful, whether or not a learning disability is diagnosed. Such information can be used to create an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the student who needs to be taught in different ways. If it turns out that there are some weaknesses in the psychological processes underlying learning, early intervention is very important to success, and can help prevent frustration and damage to self-esteem. 

When your teacher mentioned “labelling,” she was probably referring to the identification process in the school system called the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC). This is the process that entitles a student to special education support, and ensures that there will be an IEP developed. You as a parent are involved with all the decisions that are made, and there is a mandated yearly review. If your son does need an individualized program, this process can make his academic progress easier, and does not need to limit his options. There are many students with learning disabilities who have gone on to college and university, when they received the right supports.

You can find more information, including online workshops for parents, on the website for the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario.

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Q: How can a principal and other officials in the Toronto District School Board ignore the Ontario Education Act with regards to school councils by attempting to limit the number of parents participating on the school council and then choose, by non-democratic means, the chairperson for the limited council?

The Ontario Education Act has a clear mandate on how school councils should work and what the roles of all participants are. And yet, with all this legislation, these rules are largely ignored by a high percentage of Toronto District Board employees.

Answer from the Toronto District School Board ... Per the Ministry of Education School Councils Guide Council, membership is determined by an annual election process. The regulation sets no maximum number of parents on a council. However, the number of parent members on the council should be stipulated by a school council bylaw or by the board if no bylaw exists.

A principal's involvement and interaction with the school council are key to the council's success. As a member of the school council and leader of the school community, the principal can provide the guidance and support necessary to help the council achieve its goals and be an effective voice for parents. Ontario Regulation 613/00 clearly outlines the principal's role and responsibility in terms of the school council. This role ranges from providing information, developing a school profile, receiving and responding to school council recommendations, attending school council meetings, to ensuring that school councils are put in place.

The chair and co-chair of the council are elected by the council members and must be a parent, or parents, who are not employed by the school board.

The success of school councils require the full participation and collaboration of parents, principals, community representatives, students and other members of the school board. However, it does not always work this way in every school, therefore if there is a concern about a specific school council, the TDSB encourages parents to contact their community school's principal, superintendent of education and/or trustee.

We are continually evaluating the effectiveness of our school councils and welcome any feedback to help facilitate this.

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Q: I will be moving to Toronto next year. For my children's education, can you please provide a listing of private schools in the Greater Toronto area? Any resource material that can also help with selection between the private schools would be most helpful. Thank you.

Answer from the Star's education editor ... There are lots of great websites with information about private schools. Try the Conference of Independent Schools or the Ontario Federation of Independent Schools of Ontario. Also, Our Kids magazine writes alot about private schools and schooling issues, and covers alot of those in the Greater Toronto area.

You can also check out the private school listings on the Ontario Ministry of Education's website, just type in "Toronto" as your search term.

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Q: I need to know the statistics on what accidents are common among preschoolers. Thank you.

Answer from the Hospital for Sick Children ... According to Safe Kids Canada, the most common cause of injury among preschoolers are motor vehicle crashes, falls and drownings. Parents can also find out more information on safety tips according to age and stage.

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Q: Can the Peterborough Bishop demand that Catholic teachers who work for the Peterborough Catholic board be fired if they attend the breakaway church started by Fr. Ed Cacchia, the priest ex-communicated for his support of women's ordination?

Answer from Donna Marie Kennedy, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association ... An employment relationship exists between the Catholic teachers and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. The rights afforded to separate schools and their teachers under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982 and the Constitution Act, 1867, affect this relationship. In particular, "denominational rights issues" could affect the employment of Catholic teachers by any separate school board.

Whether the PVNC Catholic District School Board decides to discipline a teacher for denominational reasons is a matter for the board. How this would be determined is a question best posed to the the PVNC Catholic District School Board. Needless to say OECTA would defend its members disciplined under such circumstances.

From the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic board ... Recently Peterborough Bishop Nicola De Angelis advised the Catholic community that Father Ed Cachia had decided to start a new place of worship and had, in so doing, placed himself outside the Roman Catholic tradition.

This event has created some confusion in the Catholic educational community and has attracted media attention. The school board has been asked whether Catholic teachers who attend Father Ed Cachia's services will be disciplined by the board.

The appetite for controversy is not something that the board will indulge. For our Catholic educational community, this is instead a teaching moment about the nature of Catholic education, the opportunities and challenges it presents to Catholic teachers, parents and students, and what it means to be a Catholic teacher.

From a Catholic perspective, education is neither merely the transmission of knowledge to students nor the development of their cognitive skills. It is the integral formation of the whole person according to the Christian vision of life. As the Vatican has said: "The Catholic school has as its specific duty the complete Christian formation of its pupils …. this integration of faith and life is a part of a life-long process of conversion until the pupil becomes what God wants him/her to be."

The role of the teacher in a Catholic school is of critical importance. Teachers lie at the heart of the educational process. Teaching must be more than a profession; in Catholic terms it ought to be a vocation. Catholic teachers are expected therefore not only to know and teach the Catholic faith, but also to be witnesses to that faith at school and in their personal lives.

This is not to suggest that Catholic teachers can be perfect in their witness. The traditional teachings of the Catholic Church have always recognized that Christians live out their lives in the tension between Christian idealism and human weakness.

The Catholic Bishops of Ontario once wrote that: "All members of the Catholic school community are held to similar standards of faith and morals, but there is obviously a special focus on the teacher.  In every case the ideal includes a buffer zone of compassion and patience, to take shortcomings into account, to respect conscience and avoid pharasaism." On another occasion they said of Catholic teachers that: "It is not necessary to be free of fault and failures to be faithful to the integrity of the process of Catholic education. Otherwise, none of us would dare to be involved."

Recognizing that authentic Catholic education requires committed Catholic teachers, the board has always sought teachers who are committed to their Catholic faith, to developing that faith throughout their professional personal lives, to authentically modelling that faith for their students, and to the transmission of that faith to their students. Our teachers carry out this vocation in a secular world that is less and less hospitable to Catholicism. The board recognizes and celebrates the authentic witness to the faith provided by our teachers.

We need to make it clear that we do not seek to force anyone to do anything that is contrary to his or her own conscience, properly informed after deep reflection. Catholic teachers who choose to attend Father Ed Cachia's services need to consider, in conscience, whether it is both honest to their vocation and appropriate for them to continue to teach in a Catholic school. As a Catholic education community, it is important that we trust that the grace of God will guide us and always be with us.

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Are you looking for the online forum on exam stress? Click here.

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Online Q&A: Safe schools

Stu Auty

Are schools safe? Why does it seem like there are so many lockdowns? What can students or parents do?

Expert Stu Auty, president of the Canadian Safe School Network and a former teacher, counsellor and administrator, was today's guest expert for our education Q&A.

We're no longer taking questions, but will take comments for the next 24 hours.

Q: How to deal with bullying in schools? My son, who was born premature and is small for his age, is teased and bullied at school ALL THE TIME. Teachers know, and the principal knows and nobody wants to do anything about it. They've tried to teach my son to speak up for himself but really that doesn't work. He comes home upset all the time, it's worst at recess.

I've spoken to the teacher and the principal but they don't seem to be doing anything more about it. Why won't teachers and principals do more about bullying? They are the eyes in the classroom and in the playground and I can't believe they can't see what's going on, they choose to ignore it.

A: When you describe your son’s situation, you mention he is bullied all the time, and comes home upset all the time. As a parent, I am sure you will agree that plenty of misbehaviour can occur right under our noses.

When reporting bullying, it helps if you can provide accurate, written details about a specific incident. Ask your son to tell you exactly what and where and when it happened, who saw it and how they reacted to it. Include how your son responded, whether he was frightened, injured, or if his belongings were damaged or stolen. The teacher or administrator will have a much better chance of responding to the written report with concrete details rather than a general report of bullying.

Participate fully in devising a plan to keep your son safe at school and request periodic follow up meetings to ensure that the plan is still working. Keep a record of what action takes place, and follow-up with the school principal and/or your superintendent if the problem continues. Don’t ignore what is happening to your son and insist that it is not ignored by other adults responsible for his safety.

Q: This isn't really a "safe schools" question but a safe kids question. I read somewhere that we should no longer be teaching our kids about "stranger danger" because most sexual abuse/abductions are done by people they know. If that is the case, then what do we teach our children?

A: This really isn’t an “either/or” question. In Ontario schools, the curriculum requires that children at primary school age will be able to recognize, in situations involving others, advances or suggestions that threaten their safety or well being, whether they involve strangers or people they know. Inappropriate touching, invitations to accompany strangers, or other exploitative behaviours are examples of actions that are explained. It is expected that children will master simple strategies to assist them, like seeking assistance from a teacher.

Q: At what age is it okay for children to walk to school without their parents? Is it okay for them to walk to school alone ever?

A: Children mature at different ages and some are able to handle independence at a much earlier age. Many factors come into play, however, that can influence parents’ decisions about allowing their children to walk to school without adult accompaniment. Incidents in the neighborhood, traffic density, safe walking pathways, friends to walk with, etc., all can influence a decision.

At some point parents have to let go and nurture their child’s independence.  Children have to be prepared for this independence, however, with guidelines clearly explained and understood. It is important that unnecessary parental anxiety not be imparted to the child when the big day finally arrives.

Q: Dear Mr. Auty, How are you today? I am so happy this article has been published. I am a teacher candidate at Trent University (have been a teacher in Egypt for six years) and I was very disturbed by the news (CBC) last week when I heard a girl in Grade 2 was sexually assaulted in the bathroom on her way to recess. I called the Toronto Star asking them to write an article about the safety of schools (not looking for recognition - however I am so happy this has been done). People need more awareness however what I feel needs to be done is some kind of follow-up. If you enter any school the principal will pull out a big book of rules and regulation to promote safety in schools. I don't think these rules are good enough or being enforced!

Another thing I noticed is if I Google "Safety in Schools" all I get are articles on bullying. Bullying is an issue, however being protected by predators, criminals and people trying to hurt our children should be the priority. We cannot control the minds of these disturbed individuals however we can certainly frighten them away by having tighter security measures.

Some of the rules that I question are:

* Locked doors during recess

* Monitoring the halls and the bathrooms

* Code words for strangers in the building (this makes me laugh actually, if there was a stranger in the building, someone like my little girl who is in junior kindergarten would never know the difference between that person and a high school teacher!)

Another point is someone who is trying to hurt the students would not walk around the halls where students and teachers can see.

Why don't teacher and students wear names tags? I have an excellent idea which certainly helps the situation. There are companies that produce alarm systems which students can wear around their necks. Senior citizens use them in the form of bracelets in case they fall down and no one is around. This might be expensive but so is 1.2 billion dollars on infrastructure!

I would appreciate if you do not mention my name (for safety reasons) when writing your reponses. I do appreciate your time and effort to see tighter security measures in schools today.

A: Although thousands of children, many as young as three years of age, attend schools safely every day, there are a few incidents where a child is victimized. No one would argue that every child needs to feel safe at school. Creating a flawless security system for schools is a very important, but difficult task. There are many security devices including the safety alert bracelets you suggest, that have been considered by school boards in an effort to ensure the safety of the children.

After all the measures are in place, however, it is the one child who isn’t wearing the bracelet, or the attacker who cunningly devises a way around the security measures, that may threaten the child’s safety.

Creating and maintaining a safe school environment requires a well understood and workable plan, which includes many different strategies and the commitment and support of everyone in the school community to carry it out.

Q: There was a case recently of a child being sexually assaulted in her elementary school washroom when she left class to go to the washroom, alone. This is not the first time I've heard of such a thing happening in a school.

How do these people get into schools? Aren't doors locked? Is there no security? What are schools policy on children going to the washroom alone during class, ie when hallways are empty. Why don't all schools do washroom escorts?

A: Incidents that you have cited happen periodically during the school year. Fortunately, they are not a common occurrence but when they do happen it is particularly traumatizing to children and parents in the community.

It is common practice that most doors are locked during the school day with the exception of the main entrances to the building. Some schools have installed entrance cameras that act much like the concierge in a condo where visitors can be observed and restricted access where necessary. Other schools have engaged parent volunteers who supervise on a rotational basis.

Sadly there is no perfect solution but increased vigilance/supervision on everybody’s part is a high priority, particularly when there has been an occurrence and the intruder has not been apprehended. It is important to establish a positive balance and maintain a safe and comfortable learning environment for children, hopefully with a minimum of intrusive security measures.

Q: The question "are schools safe?" is subject to personal interpretation by the student, staff, parent it is posed to. A safety audit would compile a magnitude of concerns including a variety of concerns and characteristics. I do believe this is a responsibility for all of society which requires taking all steps in ensuring that both the physical, emotional safety for children in school settings is a priority, as well as examining the environmental aspects that ensure safe learning environments exists.

I would like to raise awareness of the Safe Schools Act, which doesn't pay particular attention to environmental threats to youths from labelled carcinogenic agents which can affect their health while learning at school. Much of the focus in the media has been surrounding the ease intruders may have to schools, the implications with this and lockdown policies. These are legitimate concerns that require emergency preparedness plans and procedures to follow in consultation with the parental community. They need to be followed and enforced to be successful.

We do also need to evaluate our school environments and assess the potential for environmental exposures which could be threatening the health of children.

My example is children's exposures to electromagnetic fields. As a parent in the public school system I have learned some hard lessons of how this concept is not being applied responsibly as I advocate for more protective standards in public health due to EMF exposures from sources within a school environment. They do exist and children are being affected. Our government, school boards and child protection agencies lack the leadership to provide the necessary support needed in this matter.

The science researchers and health authorities have agreed and acknowledged the risks to children for electromagnetic field exposure and its link to leukemia. There is a societal benefit in prevention for public health and public safety. We need to take an educated role in public safety for our schools and for our children.

I would like to see further involvement in these discussions from those in the educational sector and why they fail to act when these settings are reported to them and it is known that these exposures compromise the health of children?

Do you feel these risks should be evaluated and communicated to students, staff, parents?

A: I would agree that environmental risks to the health of our children should be evaluated in all areas that could be potentially harmful. Definitive research is of particular importance and where it can be shown that there is a risk to health it would be incumbent upon governments to take action.

Raising awareness to issues of this kind is a valuable contribution and is often the kick start needed by government for further study and action. Exposure to electromagnetic fields is one environmental example that could warrant further examination.

______________

If you have any ideas for future forums, please contact education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

Online Q&A: Miriam Edelson

Are you a parent of a special needs child? Do you need advice or help in securing care, education or other resources? Author, mother and social activist Miriam Edelson was the Star's guest expert in today's online forum.

Edelson is the author of My Journey with Jake: A Memoir of Parenting and Disability, and Battle Cries: Justice for Kids with Special Needs.

Her son, Jake, was born in 1990 with lissencephaly, a serious and rare neurological disorder. He was given just a few years to live but, incredibly, lived to age 13 and even celebrated his bar mitzvah.

We're no longer taking your questions but please send us your comments.

Q: Miriam, our son has been diagnosed being on the spectrum. The waiting lists for services are outrageous. To do this privately will break the bank. What should we do? Although he is not severe, he does have issues. If your child has severe issues, they move them to the front of the line. What happens to the other children who still require services?

A: I understand just how frustrating this can be – you finally get some clarity about what is going on for your child, and then the necessary services aren’t immediately available – if at all. So few of us can bankroll the kinds of treatments that will most benefit our children.

Since we are engaged in a special kind of parenting, we need to develop strong advocacy skills. I would pull out all the stops: Call your municipal, school board and provincial parliament representatives; write them letters; insist on a meeting at their office; never take “no” for an answer; take your son with you. We are not just “cases” or “files” – our children and families have a right to these services and people in public office have to take responsibility for all their constitutents.

Contact the Autism Society of Ontario. It has developed a very effective lobby on behalf of families like yours. It will also provide you a way to meet other parents – by e-mail or telephone – so you can problem-solve jointly.

Q: How does a family with one special needs child find the balance between caring for and tending to that child's at times overwhelming needs, when there are other children in the home, plus a spouse to find time for? Were you able to overcome that?

A: I think this is one of the most challenging issues facing families with special needs kids. Here are a few of the examples I've come across that worked:

* One family found a "siblings" group at the facility through which their autistic child attended school. It was a tremendous support to the non-disabled kids in the family. They had a place to be with others who shared something unusual; their family experience was different than that of their school chums. We need to let school boards and care agencies know that this kind of service is worth funding.

* Another family was able to take advantage of publicly funded respite care from time to time; the child with special needs stayed overnight on occasional weekends, giving the rest of the family a chance to enjoy some less intense time together. I believe strongly that we have to lobby governments to provide more funding for this kind of respite care to support families facing these kinds of challenges.

In “Battle Cries: Justice for Kids with Special Needs” I included a series of narratives from different families across the country and one from a Canadian family living in Sweden. In each chapter, this question of relationships between sisters and brothers is explored. The stories are not sugar-coated and yet, what emerges is a great deal of hope.

Q: Why is it that the schools insist that autistic children move ahead with their class/group even though they are so far behind both socially as well as academically? What do you think of the move to integrate special needs children into "regular" classrooms?

A: In my research with the parents of children who have special needs, I found a wide variety of opinion. Some parents felt that their children did very well in an integrated classroom. Some also mentioned that there were tensions with parents of non-disabled children because teachers were unable to handle the spectrum of children's learning needs.

I also interviewed parents who were convinced that a special classroom or school worked better for their particular child. I conclude that we need to think about "inclusion" rather than the polar opposites of integration v. segregation. In a primary school in Newfoundland, for example, I met parents whose children attended daily a special classroom designed for those called “developmentally delayed.” Non-disabled children from Grades 4, 5 and 6 had regular contact with these kids, read them stories, played with them, and helped with their care as part of their own education. What a creative way to teach respect for "difference" and break down the fears so many of us carry!

I am convinced that not enough resources are devoted to the public school system to fund the teachers' assistants, speech therapists and other professionals who are needed to make the classroom the best it could be for all children. Recently, parents of children with autism have won an important court case in Ontario regarding the right of children over age 6 not to be cut off an effective behavioural therapy. Nonetheless, many children are languishing on waiting lists.

Q: How has having a special needs child changed your life?

A: For me, it has been a very enriching experience and, also, very challenging at an emotional level. I think that when we learn to open our hearts to one child who is "different" it becomes easier to see that "normal" is not a very useful concept. Accepting the child (or adult) as a person, first and foremost, rather than seeing only a disabling condition, marks a significant step forward for parents.

In my book “My Journey with Jake: A Memoir of Parenting and Disability” I chronicled the path I found myself on after giving birth to a beautiful baby boy who had profound disabilities. It’s a very demanding journey, but one I would never trade now. I am a more compassionate person now and far less judgmental of people - we have different needs and abilities, and as human beings we all deserve the best our society and communities can offer.

Q: Ms. Edelson, I am the frustrated mother of an 8-year-old ODD girl. She is bright, articulate and charismatic, but her behavioral issues have eclipsed all her wonderful qualities. She has been to four different schools since JK and I am currently considering removing her for her present placement within the public school system. It is a very small class with a jarring mixture of pupils that do not mesh. Her demeanor has deteriorated in the eight weeks since I enrolled her there.

For Grade 4, in the fall, private school seems to be my only option with a behavioral focus being mandatory. In the meantime I am contemplating homeschooling her for the remainder of the school year. My questions are, firstly do you recommend any Toronto private schools specialized in dealing with ODD? Secondly what are your thoughts about homeschooling her at this point?

I am not certain if my queries fall within the parameters of your forum, but I thought it was worth a try. Many thanks.

A: Trying to find a best-case schooling option for a child and family living with Oppositional Defiance Disorder seems to be quite a challenge. You have clearly devoted a great deal of effort and determination to find an appropriate setting.

While I am not familiar with private schools that specialize in this field, let me pose a few questions that might assist in your decision-making. Are you in contact with the medical facility that provided you with your daughter’s diagnosis? Is there someone there who can make an informed recommendation? Staff at the Bloorview Macmillan Centre in Toronto may be able to guide you to other community resources. Another website that may be helpful, in a general way, is www.conductdisorders.com

Homeschooling, especially if you are concerned that her needs are not well-served at present, is an option some families consider. I would be mindful, as I’m sure you are, that education is so much more than learning a specific curriculum. Homeschooling may be a short-term solution while you investigate other options. Can you build in other activities such as soccer or swim lessons that would ensure your daughter is also in contact with other children her age?

Finally, if you do go this route, make sure you also build in some time for yourself - in such intense parenting situations, we all need regular breaks to keep ourselves at our best. Further information and ideas may be found at an on-line parent discussion group found at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/homeschool_specialneedskidz

Q: I watch my sister and her son, who is physically and mentally challenged, and she is so depressed. I don't really know how to help her. Do you have any ideas you could help me with? Thank you.

A: It is hard to see someone close to you so distressed. Sometimes the best thing you can offer is yourself - just to listen or even better, give her a chance to get away (even briefly!) from a very challenging situation. I have found that when mothers can expect time away away from such intense parenting responsibilities on a regular basis, it can help a great deal. Could you care for nephew from time to time and, perhaps, find a friend or family member who might also volunteer?

You might also explore with your sister the idea of joining a support group in-person or on-line. Can you do some background research and offer that to her so she may consider it? Often a person who is stretched has little extra time or energy to find support for themselves. The web is a terrific resource - if you “Google” children with special needs or your nephew’s specific diagnosis, you’ll find a wealth of information and peer support.

Online Q&A: College strike aftermath

Now that the strike by college teachers is over, do you know how your studies will be affected? How lost time will be made up?

Thanks for joining today's online education forum, featuring representatives from the Seneca College, Centennial College, Mohawk College, Durham College and the College Student Alliance.

We're no longer taking questions but will take your comments for the next 24 hours. Please check back here on Friday for next week's topic and expert.

Q: Does anyone have any information on the rumours of a class action lawsuit?

Tyler Charlebois of the College Student Alliance: In terms of a class action lawsuit to be reimbursed for tuition and expenses, yes college students could file a lawsuit against the colleges, government and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union if they felt that they were not going to be reimbursed.

When the past two faculty strikes happened in 1984 and 1989, the provincial government through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) provided financial assistance for those students who experienced financial hardship.

Q: What can I do if I have a summer job already lined up that starts at the end of April, and the semester is extended beyond that?

Durham College: Students with summer jobs beginning at the end of April are advised to contact their school office to make arrangements to complete their courses.

Q: Hi! I'm a student in the combined Mohawk-McMaster nursing program.  I booked a flight for April 28 to attend a family function in Europe, way back in December '05 when there was a seat sale. My semester was supposed to be done by the end of April. Now, if the semester is extended because of the strike, who will reimburse me for the flight, because the ticket cannot be rescheduled, and it is not possible to get my money back. Travel insurance does not cover this. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Mohawk College President MaryLynn West-Moynes: If this student could send an e-mail directly to me at marylynn.west-moynes@mohawkcollege.ca, we will then quickly work together with program chair Dr. Mary Brown to find the best possible solution.

At Mohawk, we’ve extended the school year by two weeks. The majority of students in the majority of our 101 full-time programs will finish their year by the end of April. Some students in our Apprenticeship and Health Sciences programs - which includes our Mohawk-McMaster Bachelor of Science in Nursing program - will finish their year in early May.

Faculty and staff at Mohawk are working together to ensure the academic requirements of every student’s semester are met and that the academic integrity of every student’s individual program and credential is upheld. This is especially important in nursing.

At the same time, we’re helping students on a case-by-case basis who face extenuating circumstances, whether it’s a booked flight for a family function in Europe, a wedding, the start of a summer job or a lease that expires at the end of month.

At Mohawk, students and learning are at the heart of all we do. Faculty and staff are committed to upholding both commitments in the coming weeks as our students successfully complete their semester.

Q: In a university classroom setting every professor even though s/he is lecturing/teaching a class size of less than 300 students, has many teaching assistants paid to do the work of setting up tutorials, correct assignments, mark assignments and also conduct the exams. The professor walks in, delivers the lecture and continues the research and collects the paycheque. In a college classroom setting, even if the professor is lucky to get one TA in the classroom, the TAs are not allowed to mark the assignments. They are in the class just to facilitate and resolve the issues and difficulties of the students when the class is in progress.

As a result of this, inspite of the lucky presence on one TA, the professor still has to do the marking of the assignments for a class size of say 35 students. And now imagine the professor marking three other assignments for three additional courses being taught per week. For the same class size this would mean a whopping 140 assignments to be marked per week. Add to this the hours needed to prep for the next weeks content and assignments.

Hence, the average hours put in (from my experience) amounts to less than 60 hours/wk rather than the predetermined 44hours/wk (I still can't figure out how the public opinion that a professor puts in only 12 to 14 hours per week came about).

If TAs in colleges are not marking assignments, then what is the need for TAs in a college level setting?

Tyler Charlebois of the College Student Alliance: Firstly, I believe it is very rare in the Ontario community college sector for a professor/faculty member to have a TA (teaching assistant) as those faculty who are doing research or working on new curriculum are normally not teaching a full course load. Currently the average in-class teaching hours are 14 hours per week by Ontario community college faculty.  During the strike it was mentioned that a workload change would result in faculty actually only in the classroom teaching 12 hours per week. 

Q: I am a student of Ryerson University's collaborative Nursing (BScN) program and am currently at the Centennial college site. I wanted to know if the semester will be extended for the same amount of time for which the strike lasted? Would the college teachers be teaching students properly in the same way they were teaching before the strike or will they be rushing through the content?

Our clinical placements require us to be in clinic for about 4-5 weeks, and we lost time from our clinical placement due to the strike. In case of an extended semester, would we still be still going to our previously scheduled clinical placements because some assignments are related to our experience in long term care facility?

Centennial College: The semester will not be extended. All partners of the Ryerson, Centennial and George Brown Collaborative Nursing Degree program believe that maintaining curriculum integrity must be integral to all semester completion plans. We will ensure that all strategies for semester completion will allow nursing students to meet all program and course outcomes in the four years of the Collaborative Nursing Degree program.

Q: I received a letter wanting my tuition fees for next semester by April 3. What is happening with this? Do we have to pay by April 3, as in the letter, or what?

Seneca College: The summer semester at Seneca College will commence on the originally scheduled date, the week of May 8th. New students are encouraged to pay tuition fees by the due date indicated on their invoices in order to hold their program places for the summer term.

Returning students should pay their fees in early April to ensure access to the web registration system for summer term. Students in financial difficulty should visit the financial aid office at their respective campus, where they may qualify for bursary assistance.

Q: Students cannot afford to have an extended semester. I am in my third semester at Seneca College and I have applied for many summer jobs that would require me to start working by the end of April. If the semester is extended who will compensate me for the lost time? What kind of financial help is available?

Seneca College: Academic accommodations will be worked out for students with documented commitments - pre-booked travel/moving plans, employment opportunities - that keep them from being able to attend during the revised semester dates.

Tyler Charlebois of the College Student Alliance: Students across the province can not financially afford for their semester to be extended into the summer period. The College Student Alliance has estimated that for every week the semester is extended into the summer period, all 150,000 college students cumulatively will lose $60 million in lost earnings. That is why in our demand to the provincial government and the colleges we are asking that if the semester is expanded or contracted that students be reimbursed for loss of earnings as a result. 

Q: Is the tuition for students going to be pro-rated for loss of time due to the strike? It appears that a contract was broken and therefore some tuition fees should be given back to the students.

Seneca College: Seneca College has a schedule in place to ensure students have an opportunity to both complete the current semester and meet essential learning outcomes in their respective programs. As a result, there are no plans for pro-rated tuition adjustments. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities is expected to release a policy statement this week.

Tyler Charlebois of the College Student Alliance: The College Student Alliance is currently moving forward with its two demands to see that all students affected by the strike receive pro-rated tuition and mandatory ancillary fee rebates as well as be reimbursed for extraordinary expenses that the students have incurred as a result of the strike. The compensation should include, but not limited to, items such as: additional residence fees, incremental child care costs, loss of earnings, and increased rental expenses, etc. College students have paid for a service that for some over the last three weeks did not receive to no fault of their own. Now they need to be reimbursed for the service they did not and are not going to give back. The CSA has been in contact with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities officials as well the colleges to find out whether or not students will be receiving any compensation/reimbursement.

Online Q&A: Choosing the right university

Have you applied to university, and are wondering how to choose which one to attend? What should you be looking for to make sure it will be a good fit? Today's education forum featured Marisa Modeski, senior liaison officer with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Liaison at Ryerson University.

Modeski is chair of the Ontario Standing Committee on Secondary School Liaison, a committee that collaborates with guidance counsellors to promote university options in the province of Ontario. As a university admissions and marketing professional, she is involved in both the recruitment and admission of prospective university students. She has a degree in journalism from Ryerson.

Q: I am a 30-something student, who wishes to get into the field of medicine. Why am I getting such "negative" feedback? i.e. "It'll never happen, and 'THEY' will not tell you!"

I am learning to settle for second choice in the medical lab/tech-pathology field, but can you tell me, what honest chance do I really have?

A: I’m sorry to learn that you’ve received negative feedback regarding your academic plans. Age is definitely not a deterrent in the admission process. As long as you meet the minimum guidelines and are academically competitive, I would encourage you to pursue your goals.

Q: Is it okay to live at home while going to university? I feel like I might miss out on residence and university life, but am getting some pressure from my parents to go to university close to home. Not really for financial reasons.

A: This is really a personal decision. It’s absolutely acceptable - and economically advantageous - to live at home while attending university. If this is an option that you are considering, I would encourage you to take the initiative to get involved with university groups that are of interest to you. Universities offer a wide range of social, cultural, religious and political groups, clubs and societies, so there are many opportunities for you to fulfill the “university experience” you are searching for. You may want to get involved with your student government, or even your course union. Again, you want to ensure the university that you are considering is a good fit for you, both from an academic and personal perspective.

Q: Hi, I am presently a York university student. I am going to complete my first year in computer engineering by this April. I have applied to McMaster for computer engineering and business degree for the next five years. Can you please let me know if I have made a good choice?

A: There is no right or wrong decision. I assume that you have done your research on McMaster University, and as a result, you feel confident in the program you have applied to. Every university has their own transfer credit/advanced standing policies, so I would encourage you to contact McMaster directly to ascertain what credits you may be eligible to apply for, especially if it is a comparable program.

Post-secondary education has different purposes for people – it could be to engage in higher learning, to prepare for a professional career designation, to find out about personal interests – which, could in fact change several times throughout the academic journey – it depends on the individual. My advice is to enjoy and embrace these experiences as they occur as any additional learning experience is beneficial.

Q: I am from Vancouver, B.C. I have been accepted to York, UBC, Dal., U of T and UA for their respective JD and LLB law programs. I would like to practice in international trade and intellectual property. I am having trouble finding information on which school is the best for IT. Can you please help? Thank you kindly.

A: Sorry, I'm not able to help you on this issue.

Q: I have read the Maclean’s yearly article on picking universities, and have canvassed as many friends as possible for opinions. The magazine may be helpful to those researching out-of-town universities, and friends seem to be biased based on a university's 'reputation.' For example, U of T is regarded as so impersonal and competitive; York, as having lower standards. How do I get an objective assessment? How do I find out how a university's graduates are ranked or regarded by employers? How do I find out the proportion of students are hired after graduation?

A: The Maclean's university rankings edition is definitely a valuable research tool, but it is only one out of many. My advice to you would be to visit and research the individual institutions that you are considering applying to. Every student has their own experiences which are helpful for you in the research process, but those experiences may not be indicative of the university per se.

For the past seven years, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) has produced an Ontario University Graduate Survey which you may find helpful. The survey results describe employment experiences, earnings and skills matching of students from undergraduate university programs in Ontario six months and two years after graduation. You can view the surveys online. Some universities may conduct their own surveys through their alumni departments, which may also assist you in obtaining the answers that you are looking for.

Q: I am interested in pursuing a career in journalism and am hoping to go to your school Ryerson, or Carleton, or maybe one of the colleges.

My question is in regards to Ryerson. I've heard the journalism school is amazing, but that Ryerson itself, you don't get the "university experience" and that there isn't as much school spirit as other schools. Is that true and if so, why is that?

A: I’m not quite sure what you are referring to when you question the lack of “university experience” – but this is what I can tell you about Ryerson, specifically: Before students even begin classes, Ryerson hosts an orientation which introduces them to the more than 75 different social groups to get involved in, including a students’ union, campus newspaper and radio station, a brand new student centre and an underground athletics complex.

There are more than 25 cultural associations as well as events held throughout the year that celebrate the various ethnicities, traditions and customs found in our community.  Students at Ryerson also have the opportunity to engage directly with their class peers and professors - as nearly 60 per cent of first-year classes number 50 or fewer, which, inevitably, promotes camaraderie.

Being located in the heart of Canada’s largest, most diverse, most multicultural city, I can assure you, there is significant student spirit on Ryerson’s campus.

Q: I've applied to the U of T, Queen's and Western. My mom thinks I should go to one of the smaller universities, because the classes at U of T are so large and she thinks I'm going to feel lost. Is there any advantage to smaller universities, or does it just depend on the person?

A: You have applied to exceptional institutions; what you now want to determine is which of those universities is the best fit for you, personally. There are advantages to applying to both small and large institutions.

At a smaller institution, you may find smaller class sizes, greater opportunity to engage with classmates and professors; but that’s not to say that you won’t find that in a larger institution like the University of Toronto. The University of Toronto is Canada’s largest university; however, it comprises three campuses – Scarborough, St. George (downtown Toronto) and Mississauga. At the St. George Campus, every Arts and Science student is a member of a smaller college, which does in fact provide all the advantages of a small university experience. At some universities, in especially large classes, you may have the benefit of tutorials, where you are broken down into smaller groups for discussion purposes.

Every university strives to ensure that its students receive the support required to foster both academic and personal success. My advice for you is to visit each of the institutions you have applied to and to tour the campus and sit in on a first-year class lecture. This may help you to determine which is the best fit for you.

Q:  Hello Ms. Modeski. It seems like there are a million new programs out there to choose from but I'm a little nervous about going into something that doesn't have a lot of history behind it.

What are the benefits to choosing a specialized program as compared to a general degree? My thought is that I can do more with a general degree in the future. Any advice? Thanks

A: This is a fantastic question. Choosing a university and a program that will satisfy both your academic and professional objectives is a big decision. The first element that I would want to stress is to research the program(s) that you are interested in. While there are specialized programs out there, many still provide you with a degree of flexibility through liberal studies and professional elective options (which are interest courses meant to supplement your degree). There are of course, many professional programs offered that are optimal for students who are already sure of their professional destination (i.e. Nursing, Architecture, etc). With any university experience, you will graduate with transferable skills that can be applied to numerous careers. If you want the opportunity to explore different subject-based areas, you may want to research programs that provide you with more flexibility.

New programs are a result of new ideas, uncovered research, innovation, demographic demands - there are numerous advantageous to exploring a new program. I would encourage you not only to research the course content, but to also research the professors that are teaching these programs; they are very established in their field(s) of study.

Good luck with your research!

Q: I am concerned about attending a safe university. How do I know which universities are safe without visiting them?

A: Student safety on campus is a priority with all universities and most provide 24-hour security. On campus, many institutions have programs such as a ‘Walk and Watch’, whereby security will escort students in the evening from one campus destination to another. In addition, many campuses have networks of emergency campus phones. You will also find a strong security presence in the student residences. All these resources are available to you, and are designed to increase your level of personal comfort. The degree to which you choose to access them depends on your own comfort level.

Online Q&A: Chris Bentley

Chris Bentley, Ontario's minister of training, colleges and universities was the guest expert for today's education forum, answering your questions on the province's tuition rates, apprenticeships and the college strike, among other issues.

Q: Is your government concerned with the fact that hundreds of students wishing to become say teachers, or doctors, leave the province because they can't get a space in those programs in an Ontario university? What plans do you have to change our brain drain?

A: Our Reaching Higher plan represents $6.2 billion in new investments for post-secondary education - the largest multi-year investment in Ontario’s higher education system in 40 years. Our plan will ensure that more Ontarians have the opportunity to pursue higher quality postsecondary education that is affordable and accessible. When a province fully maximizes its human potential, it fully maximizes its economic potential and everyone benefits.

We are increasing first-year undergraduate medical enrolment by 23 per cent. This includes the introduction of 104 new first-year medical school spaces, between 2005-06 and 2008-09, and 56 new first-year spaces at Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in 2005-06.

This enrolment expansion includes the creation of new undergraduate medical campuses in 4 communities; St. Catharines and Kitchener-Waterloo (McMaster), Windsor (UWO) and Mississauga (U of T).

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), with campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, is attracting physicians to northern communities. It began admitting 56 students per year in 2005-06.

Our government invested $5M in operating funding and $5M in capital in 2004-05 to increase the number of Family Medicine residency positions at Ontario medical schools by 70 percent, to help the province meet the shortage of family practitioners.

In 2004, our government introduced a new centralized assessment service for international medical graduates known as IMG-Ontario - a service that helps IMGs with training opportunities in Ontario. In 2005-06, we’re continuing to offer 200 training opportunities for our international medical graduates each year – more than double the number of training spots in 2003-04. Education Minister Gerard Kennedy and I agree on our need to ensure that Ontario has a sufficient number of qualified teachers. That is why our government has allocated funding to increase the number of spaces in faculties of education. In December 2003, our government announced funding of $7.5 million to maintain 1,000 spaces for the 2004/05 academic year, and in the May 18, 2004 Provincial Budget, we allocated an additional $7.5 million to provide an additional 1,000 spaces in faculties of education for the 2005/06 academic year. The addition of these spaces maintains funded enrolment in consecutive teacher education programs at 6,500 spaces, and represents a total new investment of $15 million by our government in support of teacher education. Be assured that I will continue to work with Minister Kennedy to support high-quality teacher education in the province.

More generally, under the Reaching Higher plan we are increasing graduate enrolment by 14,000 by 2009-10, a 65 per cent increase. This important increase will ensure more opportunities for advanced education in both research stream and professional stream programs that are vital to Ontario's economic prosperity.

Q: What is your government doing to address the shortage of skilled workers? It seems to me that rather than pouring money into universities you should be sending it to the trades.

A: On November 23, 2005, I signed historic Labour Market Development and Labour Market Partnership Agreements with the federal government.

Together, these two agreements will allow the ministry to integrate labour market programs in Ontario and expand programs to provide more training, apprenticeship and labour market services.

The LMDA will provide Ontario with approximately $580 million annually, and the LMPA funding transferred to Ontario will grow to an annual total of $157 million by 2009-10 to help serve Ontarians. In addition, the federal government will spend an amount growing to $157 million in Ontario through federal labour market programs.

The McGuinty government recognizes the importance of apprenticeship and has made a significant commitment that will ensure Ontario’s apprenticeship system provides Ontario with the skilled workforce needed to compete in today’s economy.

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities has made a commitment to increase the number of new apprenticeship registrations by 7,000 to a total of 26,000 annually in 2007-08.

We are implementing a strategy to increase the number of apprenticeships in the province by encouraging greater participation among both employers and young people. We are bringing our training delivery partners together to promote skilled trades so that students are aware of the full range of rewarding occupations that are available.

Our government has introduced several initiatives to increase access to the skilled trades, including: an Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit; expanding academic upgrading options for early high school leavers; an Apprenticeship Scholarship and Employer Signing Bonus; and an expansion of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and the Pre-apprenticeship Program.

We have also expanded the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program. The Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program combines a college diploma program and apprenticeship training leading to a Certificate of Qualification. Workplace training is an integral and significant component of the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program.

Q: One of the key issues in the current strike is a decline in the quality of applied learning at the colleges (increased class sizes, less classroom time, fewer full-time faculty, equipment shortages, aging infrastructure and equipment). This has been driven by historic underfunding. Why are the provincial funding grants to full-time students in college programs only about 75 per cent of the grants to full-time students in university programs? Is your government planning to correct this funding imbalance between the university and the college systems?

A: Our government has made post-secondary education a priority. This is why our government has invested $6.2 billion through the Reaching Higher Plan, the most significant multi-year investment in Ontario’s higher education system in 40 years.

In 2005-2006, colleges will receive $87.3 million through the new Quality Improvement Fund. We will work in partnership with institutions to achieve results for our increased investment in post-secondary education and provide students with a quality education.

Q: Why is there no policy link between tuition rates and the market demand for graduates? We need more engineers and doctors, yet these programs are among the least affordable. Is that a sensible approach to a skills shortage? Right now, tuition pricing is based on education as a marketable commodity that students buy, but are those price signals working for Ontario?

At my school, the median family income for new medical students jumped from the high $60K to more than $120K after only five or six years of deregulation. I'm sure you can find this kind of data easily enough.

Given the evidence, is it smart policy to limit the recruiting pool for people the province desperately needs? Shouldn't we put the heaviest tuition support into areas with severe labour shortages (nursing, medicine, machinists, etc.) and less support for lower-demand disciplines (fine arts, journalism, etc.)?

The current argument about post-graduate economic rewards seems to limit enrolment to those with the least to gain from access to high-demand professions.

A: The McGuinty government has a plan for providing the highest quality post-secondary education, accessible on the basis of ability to learn, not ability to pay.

For institutions to increase tuition fees at all, they must agree to participate in the Student Access Guarantee, which assures that no qualified Ontario student will be prevented from attending Ontario's public colleges and universities due to lack of financial support programs.

For programs with higher tuition fees, such as medicine, institutions have local student assistance funds available for students to ensure accessibility.

Tuition rates are set by college and university governing boards, and reflect factors such as cost of operating the programs, demand for instructional spaces, high employer demand for graduates and high income for employed graduates.

This is a regulated framework for all publicly funded programs. That means capped, predictable increases for all publicly funded programs.

Within the overall institutional cap of 5 per cent, the new framework allows for tuition fee differentiation based on program and program year. The new tuition fee policy continues to recognize that some programs experience high demand for both program spaces and graduates. Graduate and professional programs are permitted to increase tuition by 8 per cent for students in the first year of their program, and 4 per cent in subsequent years, must meet criteria such as demand for instructional spaces, high employer demand for graduates and high income for employed graduates.

Q: An educated workforce is essential to Ontario's future in this fast-paced and ever changing world, and right now too many students are prevented from attaining a higher education due to the high and increasing tuition fees. If a poor country like Cuba can provide free education for all qualified students right through university, why can't a rich province like Ontario afford to provide free university and college education to all those who show an appropriate aptitude?

A: In 2005-06, the government identified post-secondary education as a priority and announced the Reaching Higher Plan, a plan to improve both the quality and affordability of post-secondary education. The Reaching Higher Plan is based on the principle that post-secondary education benefits society as a whole as well as the individual. It is also based on a goal of providing the highest quality post-secondary education to support Ontario's economy and individual Ontarian's prosperity.To this end, the Reaching Higher Plan includes an investment of $6.2 billion by the end of 2009-10, the biggest single investment in Ontario's post-secondary sector in 40 years. Further, the government's tuition fee policy acknowledges that a post-secondary education provides a significant personal benefit to the student and asks that students make an investment towards their own future. We are asking students to contribute one dollar for every three dollars the government is contributing.

Our government’s recent announcement regarding the new tuition fee policy provides a framework that means the average full time fee increases will be limited to about $200 for university students, and $100 for college students. Furthermore, tuition fee increases must be tied to quality improvements and the student access guarantee that ensures that no qualified student is prevented from seeking a post-secondary education for lack of student assistance programming. Quality improvements and access for students will be ensured through multi-year accountability agreements that every institution will be required to sign.

Q: Are you going to increase the fee for international students as last year? Why so much? This has no relation with the inflation in Toronto or the fee paid by the Canadian student. You are pricing yourself out the market! I let my daughters study in Canada, also to learn about non-European social and economic organization, but unfortunately in Ontario the international students can not work outside the campus and in the university the preference is given to Canadian students. In these conditions my daughters can not have a "full immersion" in the Canadian social life. Why can't international students work part-time in Canada? Is this something your government is willing to address?

A: This tuition fee framework applies only to students eligible for funding from the government of Ontario. Fees for international students are set by the institutions themselves, and are not regulated by us.

The government of Ontario recognizes that international students enrich post-secondary learning experiences in Ontario colleges and universities, and agrees that the ability to work off-campus would lighten the financial burden for international students. That is why we have lobbied the federal government to change this policy since we came into office. The federal government’s April 18, 2005 decision to allow international students to work off-campus had been eagerly anticipated by the Ontario government, universities, colleges, and international students.

On November 28th, 2005, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities announced an agreement with the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada that would allow international students to work off campus while enrolled at an eligible post secondary institution in the province. As part of this agreement and before students can apply for an off-campus work permit, the province was required to sign agreements with each eligible Ontario postsecondary educational institution that wished to participate in the program.

At this time, I am pleased to report that the province has signed agreements with all 47 Ontario colleges and universities. However, exactly when students can begin to apply and work off-campus still unknown as the program is subject to federal funding approval. 

Public updates will be available on the CIC website and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities will also post any new developments.

Q: Is there any relief for past university graduates who are saddled with debt to the banks for their education? What a way to start your life with that around your neck for years to come.

A: There are several government programs available to assist students repay their government loans:

Ontario Student Opportunity Grant: The Ontario Student Opportunity Grant (OSOG) limits Ontario students’ annual repayable Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan debt to $7,000 for a two-term academic year and $10,500 for a three-term academic year. OSOG is applied to the students’ debt when the academic year has been completed and all income provided on the Ontario Student Assistance Program application has been verified with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Interest Relief: Interest relief is available to borrowers who are unable to repay their loans because of low income. Borrowers are eligible for up to 30 months of Interest Relief and an additional 24 months of extended Interest Relief if additional help is required during the five-year period immediately following completion of studies. While receiving Interest Relief, borrowers are not required to make any principal or interest payments on their loans. The provincial and federal governments pay the interest on the borrowers’ behalf. The income thresholds at which borrowers are eligible for interest relief were increased by 5 per cent in 2005-06.

Debt Reduction in Repayment: Borrowers who exhaust interest relief and are still unable to meet their repayment obligations may be eligible for debt reduction. The federal government remits up to $26,000 of students’ Canada Student Loan debt. The first reduction, which occurs after a borrower has been out of school for at least five years, is up to $10,000. If following the first reduction, the borrower is still experiencing financial difficulties, a second reduction of up to $10,000 is available. A final reduction of up to $6,000 may also be granted. Each reduction has to be at least one year apart.

The provincial Debt Reduction in Repayment program implemented in 2004-05, which is similar in design to the federal program, provides up to $8,700 in remission. The first reduction is up to a maximum of $4,300 and the two subsequent reductions are up to a maximum of $2,200 each.

More detailed information on the Ontario Student Opportunity Grant, Interest Relief and Debt Reduction in Repayment programs is available on the OSAP website.

Tax Measures: The Ontario and Canada portions of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan are closely aligned with the Income Tax Act (Canada). Borrowers can claim tax credits against taxable income for interest paid on publicly-subsidized student loans.

Revision of Terms: Typically, borrowers have up to 9 ½ years to repay their student loans.  Borrowers can request a revision of terms through the National Student Loan Service Centre to extend the repayment period for up to 15 years, thereby lowering the required monthly payment.

Q: Why doesn’t the province give us a break on excluding scholarship income from the calculation for the Ontario Health Premium? Because of my scholarship income I have to pay the Ontario Health Premium. This hardly seems fair, wouldn’t you agree?

A: The OHP structure has been carefully designed to be fair and equitable. By calculating the OHP amounts using taxable income, this means that the premium is based on ability to pay, without discriminating between different sources of income.  This ensures that students and people with wage income are treated in the same way, which is fair for everybody. Individuals with income under $20,000 are exempt and, above that, premium levels rise with income.

Every penny of the OHP is being spent on improving our health care system. Having a well functioning system is vital for all Ontarians. Without that system and support, hospitals, clinics, doctors and nurses would not be able to provide quality individual care.

Furthermore, dedicating the revenue collected through the OHP to health spending allows the province to make investments in other programs, such as education. Implementation of the OHP ensures that rising health care costs do not crowd out the funding of other important government programs.

Q: As a faculty member concerned about the inability of both the colleges and OPSEU to reach an agreement after 14 months, I do believe you and your government's lack of leadership on this issue will guarantee the strike will continue. Please tell us exactly when your government will do what is clearly needed: legislate college faculty back to work. If you do indeed care about students, I do think you as the minister responsible need to demonstrate leadership so that this strike can be over by next week. I want to be back in the classroom now, not three weeks from now.

A: Students are everyone's first concern and we are pleased that the colleges have developed a semester completion strategy. At the same time, we want to see faculty back at work and we urge the parties to re-start their discussions. We have highly skilled mediators from the Ministry of Labour ready to help. We believe that the best solution is one worked out by the parties themselves.

Q: When the Mike Harris government was in power, there was some talk of allowing private universities in Ontario. What has happened to those plans? Did any open? What is your government’s position on that issue?

A: In April 2000, the former government announced that it was expanding access to degree programs in Ontario. The Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000 (PSECE Act) was proclaimed in force effective October 1, 2001. A few private organizations have taken advantage of the opportunity to offer degree programs in Ontario.

Q: I recently received my doctoral in political science (public policy) and have a one year contract at a local university. I am teaching third-year public policy classes with class sizes as follows: 123; 134; 223. This is a huge problem and the fact is that universities are not hiring enough faculty to keep class sizes reasonable.  Despite retirements, some universities have imposed hiring freezes. Moreover, they are all relying on sessional or contract instructors to teach core courses in various programs. Sessional instructors receive only about $5,000 per course. This is the job market recent grads are facing and the learning environment that students are experiencing: Instructors passing through the university instructing large classes with little support. I have decided that I will not pursue an academic career under these circumstances and a number of my colleagues who are about to complete their doctorates are trying to plan non-academic careers.

With policy expertise we are fortunate to have options. My question is: Given the importance of education in the new economy, how can your government justify underfunding universities in such a way that the quality of the education is suffering and graduates like me are opting for other types of careers? I appreciate that political scientists generally don't invent things but we do produce students with critical thinking and analytical skills.

A:  Our Reaching Higher Plan represents $6.2 billion in new investments for our colleges and universities over the next five years - the most significant multi-year investment in Ontario’s higher education system in 40 years. This is an investment in Ontario’s future prosperity. It will revitalize Ontario’s higher education and training system for today’s students and future generations. Our investments will help institutions address the very kinds of issues you have identified – each in accordance with local institutional needs and priorities.

In November 2005, the Premier and I announced the new Quality Improvement Fund that will, in addition to other quality improvements, help institutions hire more support staff and faculty so that students have better access to their instructors. In 2005-2006, colleges will receive $87.3 million and universities will receive $124.2 million. To receive funding, colleges and universities will sign accountability agreements that spell out improvements to be made and the results to be achieved. We will work in partnership with institutions to achieve results for our increased investment in post-secondary education. We anticipate that universities and colleges will want to invest in additional faculty and we will be working with our institutions in the coming months to help them achieve this.

Q: Dear Minister Bentley: Are you aware that thousands of skilled, extremely qualified, and dedicated college workers lack benefits, any semblance of job security, are not covered by any employment standards, or by any limits on the amount of work that can be required of them by their superiors? Do you think that this situation, which guarantees insecure, stressed and overworked college staff, is the best route to providing quality education to Ontario's students? Could you explain why your government has not yet moved to give Ontario's 16,000 part-time college employees the right to unionize? (Or at least to legislate some minimum standards to govern their working conditions?) If your government is truly committed to providing quality education to Ontario's post-secondary students, why have you been content to sit by and watch the community college's management force a strike? When will your government step in and take real steps to protect quality education in this province? Thank you for your time.

A: Our government is committed to ensuring college students receive a quality education and all faculty members should be recognized for their hard work and commitment that contribute to this quality education system. There has been, and will continue to be, a substantial investment in colleges and universities through our government's Reaching Higher Plan.

The best solution in a labour dispute is one that is worked out by the parties themselves. We have highly skilled mediators from the Ministry of Labour who are available to assist the parties. We urge the parties to get back to the bargaining table.

Online Q&A: College strike

Wondering how the strike by college teachers and librarians will affect your studies? The school year? Want to know what the main issues are in this dispute? The Star's online education forum is taking your questions and comments and we'll get more answers to you from Tyler Charlebois of the College Student Alliance starting again on Monday, March 20.

For up-to-date information, you can also check out www.collegestrike.com.

Q: Hi. What is the likelihood that the province will have college management take over teaching responsibilities? And is management qualified to teach most of these courses?

A: It is up to the individual colleges how to handle this issue, not the province; but as yet no decision has been made on using managers and replacement workers.

Q: Hi, my daughter is in a collaborative BscNursing program at Trent/Fleming in Peterborough. Parts of her year is being disrupted by the strike. How can she be guaranteed that her she will be able to meet her requirements to complete her year?

A: The colleges have guaranteed that no student will lose his/her school year because of the strike and are to provide more details next week. So stay tuned.

Q: Hey, I am a student of Ryerson University's collaborative Nursing (BScN) program and am currently at Centennial college site. I wanted to know if the semester would be extended for the same amount of time for which the strike lasted? Would the college teachers be teaching students properly in the same way they were teaching before the strike or will they be rushing through the content?

Our clinical placements require us to be in clinic for about 4-5 weeks, we almost wasted 2 weeks of our clinical placement due to the strike. In case of extended semester, would we still be still going to our previously scheduled clinical placements because some assignments are related to our experience in long term care facility.

What happens if I take summer courses with Ryerson university and the college semester gets extended, should I still apply for the summer courses with Ryerson, because the seats might get filled up!

My last question is: Are the teachers getting paid by the college while they are on strike, because it's a loss of students!

A: Colleges are to provide more details next week about how the school year is to be salvaged; otherwise, contact your college's academic vice-president for more details.

And no, teachers are not being paid during the strike. They receive a small strike pay from their union.

Q: Hello! I am a third-year college student, who is expecting to graduate in June. I have heard from many news reports that colleges are creating contingency plans, specifically targeted to graduating students first, then other students. Do colleges expect graduating students to finish their semester on weekends? I, like many other students, use my weekend to work. There is no way that I would be able to not work on the weekend and go to school. My weekend work pays for my gas, insurance, food expenses, as well as other necessary expenses. How is that fair that students would have to finish their classes on the weekend? When I chose to further my studies at a post-secondary institution, I agreed to do my schooling under the original terms: Monday to Friday with varying class times, NOT THE WEEKEND. Why should any student have to make up the time for something that is beyond our control. We did not ask for the strike. I understand that each college is working out a plan that is tailored to its students, but I do not think that any student should be forced to go to school on the weekend. I am concerned that work which has already been submitted, will not be graded appropriately. Have colleges discussed any method for grading students assignments or tests that have been submitted or have they discussed changing marking schemes for assignments or tests that have been missed due to the strike? If the teachers really cared about the students, they would not make it this difficult for us to finish our year. -A disappointed student.

A: Yours is a concern shared by many students. That said, no decision has been made as yet, but colleges are to roll out more specific details next week on their plans to make sure students don't lose the year.

Q: I have been accepted to York University and will be starting in September on the condition that I complete my college diploma. What will happen to my acceptance in the event this strike goes on longer than three weeks? WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT STEPPED IN TO STOP THIS STRIKE?

A: That is a very good question. It's unclear what will happen for students who are transferring from college to university. We're hoping that universities make exceptions and look at the student and the grades that they have. I would confer with your college to make sure you are able to complete your program so that you won't have any troubles with the transition to university. I would consult your college program coordinator or the academic vice-president. Please note there is an announcement tomorrow (Tuesday, March 14) by the colleges regarding the school year, which may help clear things up for students.

The McGuinty government's position is that the colleges and teachers are big boys and girls, and they need to come back to the table on their own and hammer out an agreement. Currently, he says there's still time for the parties to get back to the table and get an agreement that works for everyone.

Q: Hi! As a parent with two boys at college, I would like to know if the strike lasts so that the students have to go in to May, am I expected to pay two more months of room and board? I also wonder about the jobs that they are supposed to start at the beginning of May? By the Q&A I been reading, it seem pretty simple to say we have never lost a semester because of a strike. All I know is nobody seems to give a hoot about the STUDENTS! I think the teachers & government are not worried about what may happen to students, like added costs and jobs. I think the teachers and the government should look to getting together and settle this strike instead off running to the PRESS and blaming each other. All I notice that was resolved so far was the government's 5 per cent tuition increase.

A: No decision has been made as yet to extend the school year.

Regarding added costs, what has been done in the past, is that for those students on financial assistance, allowances are made; colleges have on-campus financial assistance that is available. So students who are having trouble with finances and will have trouble after the strike is completed, they should go to their institution's financial office and apply for more funds to continue with the program.

Q: Hi, I have a question concerning the strike. I'm applying to the Book and Magazine Publishing post-graduate program at Centennial College set to start in September 2006. I had an interview/information session set for March 17th as part of the admissions process. I have been unable to reach the school. I was wondering if there's a way to know if this interview is still going to happen, or if it is cancelled if the strike is still on?

A: I would contact the program co-ordinator, or your key contact person. If you can't reach either, I would go to the vice-president, academic at the college and ask that question.

Q: Everyone keeps talking about what will happen if the strike "drags on." Now, there's talk about weekend classes, which will cause huge problems for many - if not all - college students. I know of myself and many others who will find it absolutely impossible to come in on a Saturday or Sunday for classes.

Does anyone have any idea what exactly is meant by "if the strike drags on"? How long does it have to go before these plans would come into effect? I know that nobody knows for sure what "these plans" are, but does anyone know how much longer things would have to carry on, before they would actually have to start executing some of these plans?

A: What they mean by "if the strike drags on," is if it reaches a point where the academic year is in jeopardy.

The next step - we're likely to learn something tomorrow (Tuesday, March 14) when the colleges are to make an announcement on the school year, if it will be extended, how students will graduate, etc. Each student has different circumstances at different colleges, depending on the program, so there won't be a province-wide solution for how things are going to be handled. It will go institution by institution, program by program, student by student.

Q: Hi! I'm a student in the combined Mohawk-McMaster nursing program. Part of my studies is currently on hold due to this college strike. I booked a flight for April 28 to attend a family function in Europe, way back in December '05 when there was a seat sale. My semester was supposed to be done by the end of April. Now, if the semester is extended because of the strike, who will reimburse me for the flight, because the ticket cannot be rescheduled, and it is not possible to get my money back. Travel insurance does not cover this. Thank you for any help you can give me.

A: It's my suggestion that you contact the dean or vice-president, academic, at your school to speak to them about this. It's an issue that needs to be looked at in more of an indiviual manner, and institutions are able to make special accommodations for unique circumstances.

Q: I would like to know how much notice the public will get after an agreement is made? If I go home for awhile, and hear that the strike is over, how much time do I have to get back to school?

A: The date that classes would resume, in the event of an agreement being reached, would be written in return-to-work protocol, and it would be a date negotiated by the parties and they would get the information out to students. There's no set time, i.e. one or two or three days' notice before classes resume.

That said, it's plausible that if an agreement is reached on a Friday, school would re-open Monday, or if it was mid-week they'd probably give one day's notice before students were required to return to class.

Q: I read on the OPSEU website that there will be information available for the media on Friday (March 10_ at 11:00. It said, however, that there will be an "update" on bargaining provided. If there is currently no bargaining going on, how can there be an update? And will this "update" be televised?

A: Tomorrow morning is an official update on the strike situation. And you're right, there is no bargaining going on between the two sides. As for it being televised, I'm sure one of the local news stations will cover it live.

Q: Can you please tell me how much money the provincial government is saving because of the college strike by OPSEU? Since there are no classes, does the provincial government still pay the colleges? If not, how much are they saving? If the provincial government is paying the colleges, how much are college management saving by not paying salaries?

If the union is forced back to work with legislation and the student year is saved, then is the real issue here how much money the McGuinty government and/or the college management can save before legislating OPSEU back to work? Please let me know and thank you in advance for your assistance.

A: The provincial government isn't saving any money; it has already invested its money in the college sector.

It's true, the colleges are saving by not having to pay out faculty salaries and benefits, but when the faculty do return to work, they'll be getting salary arrangements which will be retroactive to August 31, 2005, which is when their last contract expired. So, in essence, there's not much that's being saved so far by having a faculty strike.

Q: I am in the BSc Nursing Program at Cambrian College in Sudbury. Our class is currently finishing our preceptorship at local hospitals. I have been contacted by college management who state that they may hire another nurse to oversee our placements. Our current clinical coordinator is on strike. Is it legal for management to hire someone outside of management in order to complete our placements? I was under the impression that in a strike position, management are the only ones that can replace teachers if they have the same qualifications.

A: If that's the option the college is looking at, then it can do it. No one has said replacement or "scab" workers are not allowed.

From the outside looking in, the institution is probably trying to ensure that students graduate. You will have someone to monitor and audit, to do the clinical, so that you can be graded and finish the semester.

Q: My son is an international student in a program at Humber. Because of a job lined up when school is out, he is unable to stay past the current end of the year. Should the semester be extended, and he cannot stay, will he lose the entire term? Would he be entitled to a refund?

A: It's my suggestion that you, or your son, contact the dean or vice-president, academic, at Humber and speak to them about this. It's an issue that needs to be looked at in more of an indiviual manner. There are some ways the institution can accommodate for special circumstances for some students.

Q: I wanted to know what is the latest information on the college strike is and if classes will be resumed on MONDAY? And how long will this strike take action!!!!

A: There's no indication how long the strike will last. Currently, the two sides are not at the bargaining table and there's been no indication they are going back. As it stands now, it's not likely students will be going back to school Monday.

Q: The Canadian Federation of Students is greatly concerned about the quality of education and the impact that has been caused by the huge decrease in full-time faculty, increased class sizes, and increased use of part-time instructors. What is the College Student Alliance's position on these issues, and will you make your position public? Do you support OPSEU's drive for quality in the classroom?

A: The College Student Alliance is extremly concerned about all those issues as well. When talking about issue of part-time faculty, that's the result of 15 years of underfunding of the system. We support the hiring of more full-time faculty to improve the quality of education.

We want to make sure that when you look at class sizes in the college system, they are alot better than the university side. You may have hundreds or a thousand students in a lecture hall - you don't get that in a college. The design of our education and curriculum can't be done with classes of that size.

The CSA supports having smaller class sizes where necessary to improve the quality of education and keep the hands-on, interactive nature of those college classes.

Q: I really appreciate this opportunity to ask this question. My son is in an apprenticeship and just started the first schooling portion. He completed one week and one day when the teachers went on strike. What happens now? Does he go back to his apprentice employer? And if he does, what happens to his unemployment? And what are the chances of his courses being started where the strike made them leave off? Or will the college just say "too bad, so sad" and leave these guys to start their eight weeks another time? Thanks for any information you can pass on.

A: The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities has a website devoted to apprenticeships. Also check out this government website for other frequently asked questions. That would be your best bet. Otherwise, check with your son's college for specific information. Before the strike, all of the colleges were working on contingency plans for all programs. Why don't you try contacting your school's academic dean or academic vice-president?

Q: Can students take the colleges to court for lost time, not providing education that was paid for in advance, additional costs such as housing or lost employment opportunities, just to name a few. Has any college ever been sued over this?

A: A class-action suit from the college students could be a possibility, and a direction someone might take, or one thing our organization could do. No Ontario college has ever been sued by students in terms of a strike, but no Ontario college students have lost a school year to a strike; missed time was made up and everything was back to normal. Those strikes, however, were in the fall.

Q: Hi. I'm attending Canadore College in North Bay and am currently in the placement portion of my course in social service/social worker. I am due to graduate this year.

I'm not able to attend my placement at Ontario Works during the strike due to, I presume, the legal issues involved. Will these missed hours have to be made up after the strike, or have I lost this time altogether? Will my not being able to fulfill the required hours in placement jeopardize my completion of the program, resulting in not being able to graduate?

A: Currently, no decision has been set as to whether the school year will be extended or if students will have to redo it next year. It will be looked at institution by institution and program by program, and depending on how long the strike lasts that will also affect the decision.

Field placements are being decided program by program, placement by placement - whether you go or not is different for each one.

Q: Are college students at risk of losing their semester? If this strike continues, at what point will the college education board declare that students cannot compensate for missed classroom time?

A: Currently, the school year is not in jeopardy. When we get to week three, the school year does become in jeopardy. There are some variances per program -  some are on 14 week semesters, some 15 or 16 - but generally week three is seen as the cutoff point.

Q: I am writing to inquire about the OPSEU strike, whether it impacts night classes as well as the full-time students. I am currently enrolled at George Brown College and am quite curious as to whether I will have classes this Thursday evening.

A: Night classes and continuing education classes are most likely taught by part-time faculty, who are not represented by OPSEU, so they are not involved in this strike. Whether night classes are running varies from college to college. I'd recommend conferring with your college, checking its website as to whether night classes are still running.

Q: Hi. My daughter is in the second year of a collaborative nursing program at Ryerson University and George Brown College (it is a university program). One part of students from this program is studying at Ryerson and the other part at George Brown College. They are studying the same subjects and they are all having exams at the same time, and most of these exams are in Ryerson auditoriums.

My question is: What is going to happen to such students? At the particular moment, all Ryerson students from the same program are studying. It is no matter Ryerson or George Brown - we all pay the same tuition. Is it right to keep our children out of school?

A: The George Brown students are obviously out on strike, but when it comes to these unique, hybrid programs, it's very difficult to sort out. There's a similar problem with Guelph-Humber because the majority are taught by college faculty, so they aren't in school either.

Those who are currently taught by the college faculty, they obviously aren't having classes. And it's not like they can go over to Ryerson and do classes there, it doesn't work that way. Everyone is at a disadvantage in the college system right now. When you have a hybrid program and some students are here and some there, there are going to be differences.

Q: Why are the university teacher/professors on strike in the classrooms of Laurentian University (satellite location) at Georgian College in Barrie? Does this not label them as in an illegal strike position? Why are they telling their students they are out because they are in support of the college staff? I have phoned and left my number and e-mail address at Laurentian University/Sudbury with my questions and concerns, as a parent, and have not received a response. I want to know!!!

A: Although the university professors are not represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), because they are teaching on campus, and teaching full-time, it would be my assumption that there was a decision for them not to teach at all. Students in those programs may be taught by university faculty, and college faculty, and there may be a mix. What the school may be saying is that full-time students don't attend class, regardless of who teaches them.

Q: As a college student in the final year of my program, I am of course going to enjoy this strike should it last a couple of days. But, like the rest of the students, I am concerned if it runs any longer and begins to affect our academic year. If our year does become jeopardized, what rights do we have as students in terms of tuition refunds and the financial burdens that may result in a cancelled school year?

A: Currently, it hasn't been decided whether the school year will be extended or cancelled. From our perspective, no students will be charged more if the school year is extended, and financial assistance has been provided in the past to students hurt by a strike through OSAP, giving those who need financial assistance because of an extended school year. In regards to tuition refunds, that hasn't happened because students haven't ever lost the school year in the college system.

Q: Does the government or colleges have any plans to help students, soon-to-be graduates like myself who should be out looking for work but have to complete an extended school year, or even redo the semester? When will the government start thinking about forcing the teachers back to work?

A: Nothing has been decided as yet about the school year. The government is encouraging both sides back to the table. We need the government to do more, to put down an iron fist to say 'get back to the table now,' before we get to a situation where the school year is in jeopardy.

The government will look at back-to-work legislation when the school year is getting close to being jeopardized. College teachers were legislated back to work in 1984 after 23 days.

Q: Do you have any idea when this strike will be finished?

A: No one has any idea at this point how long the strike will last. Previous strikes by Ontario college teachers lasted 20 days (1989), 23 days (1984) and 14 days (1979).

Q: Just wondering what will happen to students who have their second semesters in the summer? Will this semester be moved to the fall?

A: Nothing has been decided as yet regarding the school year. Students are advised to keep in touch with their college for further developments.

Q: What will happen if the strike continues from now until end of semester (April)? Do I get my money back? Or will the semester continue in the summer? Will we need to retake the courses in the new school year?

A: Nothing has been decided regarding the school year. However, no college student has ever lost a school year because of a teacher strike.

Q: When will talks resume? How long can this strike last?

A: There are no plans for talks to resume at the bargaining table as yet. The strike will go on until the two sides reach an agreement -- as has happened in two previous college student strikes -- or through provincial legislation, as happened in the 1984 strike.

Online Q&A: GTA boards/College strike

College strike: We're taking your questions on today's strike by community college teachers. Send in them in now and we'll find an answer for you.

Local school boards: Thanks for joining today's regular education forum, featuring Sheila Ward, chair of the Toronto District School Board as well as representatives from other Greater Toronto boards including the Peel District School Board (thanks to Brian Woodland and Sylvia Link) the York Region District School Board (thanks to Ross Virgo) and the York Catholic District School Board (thanks to Kimberly Hicks).

Q: I would like to know what your school board does to combat bullying? It is a big problem.

Toronto District: We have a number of excellent anti-bullying programs including peace circles, peer mediation, Tribes, Lions-Quest, Second Step, VIP and Future Aces. One of my favorites is called Roots of Empathy, a program started by Mary Gordon, a former staff member of the Toronto Board of Education. Mary’s program is in a number of the schools in my Ward (Toronto Centre Rosedale) and I am so supportive because it changes attitudes of children. It helps them internalize empathetic attitudes and an awareness of the pain that can be caused by rejecting or bullying someone.

Is it a big problem? I don’t know how you define big but from my perspective bullying is not tolerable anywhere anytime so, anytime it happens it is a big problem as far as I am concerned. I know that view is shared universally throughout the board.

York Catholic: York Catholic District School Board implemented anti-bullying initiatives into our elementary curriculum in January 2003. The curriculum has five to seven lessons for each grade from kindergarten through to Grade 8. Units make use of everything from sing-songs in kindergarten to role-playing, case studies, language and drama in the senior grades. In the primary grades, the focus is on feelings, identifying feelings and emotions of the people. In junior grades students learn how to deal with bullying, with a focus on telling somebody when you have been bullied. In the intermediate grades, students learn about gang and riot mentality.

The focus of our anti-bullying initiative is on empowering students, changing behaviours, offering more logical consequences to bullying, and living the gospel values. Teachers receive anti-bullying training, schools work proactively with the bully and the bullied and students are involved in leadership conferences where they learn proactive anti-bullying measures.

At the secondary level, many schools are active in trying to stamp out bullying in their schools. At Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy in Markham, students have started their own bullying hotline and at Cardinal Carter CHS in Aurora, students have started an anti-bullying committee. We know that bullying goes beyond the school playground. That’s why we value our partnerships with the Community Alliance for York Region Education (CAYRE), York Regional Police, York Region Public Health and the York Region District School Board. Tackling bullying needs to be in partnership with parents and the entire community.

York District: Bullying is a big problem in schools, as it is throughout our communities. Through our board's character education initiative, Character Matters, we are seeking to embed universal values like respect, responsibility and empathy throughout the curriculum and all aspects of life in the community.

Our Safe and Supportive Schools Committee provides guidance and information to schools in delivering comprehensive bullying prevention programs like peer-mediation, 'Roots of Empathy' and the Board's highly acclaimed ongoing multiple workshops for students 'Put The Brakes on Bullying' program for elementary students.

We work with York Regional Police Service to deliver programs like Values, Influences & Peers (VIP) program and the 'Empowered Student Partnerships' (ESP) program aimed at building responsible citizenship. Detailed 'appropriate use of technology' agreements signed by students and their parents help prevent and address the incidence of internet bullying. Our Safe Schools Policy and school codes of conduct and Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Policy set out clear expectations of behaviour, not only for students, but for every member of our school community.

Naturally, policies require effective, consistent application and enforcement. Continuing professional development in all facets of bullying prevention is ongoing.

Peel District: Bullying is always a concern — but it is not necessarily a "big problem." In fact, the vast majority of Peel students deserve to, and do, attend schools where they feel safe in a comfortable and secure learning environment.

The Peel board introduces anti-bullying programs to students as early as kindergarten. Roots of Empathy, for example, is a program where students interact with, watch and learn a how a baby develops. Studies show that this type of interaction with babies helps increase empathy in children which reduces bullying as children grow older. More than 27 schools at the Peel board run this program.

The health and physical education program at the Peel board includes a personal injury and safety component that teaches students about the effects of bullying as early as Grade 2. Students are taught how bullying affects others, and are taught anger management strategies to help them cope with their anger.

Schools do a great job at helping students understand about treating others with respect. Students are also taught how to act in the playground so they can interact with their peers in an appropriate and respectful way. Senior students are given leadership opportunities to monitor behaviour in the playground so bullying can be observed and addressed. Special assemblies and school-based initiatives support the creation of a safe learning environment for all students.

These anti-bullying programs are only a few that the Peel board teaches to students up until Grade 12.

Q: How do we create engaging schools - schools in which teachers, students, parents and communities are totally engaged in the business of developing the full potential of every student?

York District: Engaging schools start with a compelling vision centred on students and supporting their success. In York Region District School Board, our common vision is about student literacy, in all its forms. When trustees, administrators, teachers, parents, unions and students all set their sights on helping students read, write and learn effectively, they can begin to build mutual respect, trust and confidence in one another and develop a culture of shared leadership. That means involving everyone in learning and involving every viewpoint in decision-making. Engaging schools invite and welcome differing viewpoints and make sure every voice has a chance to be heard. They find ways to encourage and empower everyone to contribute constructively to decisions. Engaging schools have a steadfast commitment to open communication and learning for everyone. They recognize that everyone can learn but that not everyone learns in the same way or at the same pace. They encourage innovation and adopt practices based on hard data that's derived from careful assessment and evaluation and diligent research. Engaging schools pay particular attention to students whose success and connection to learning may be at risk because of their personal circumstances or special learning needs. Engaging schools are founded on respect, collaborative learning and unwavering devotion to planning and continuous improvement. They are transparent in their operations and demonstrate accountability to the communities they serve. Most importantly, engaging schools are not islands unto themselves. They are connected to and aligned with and supported by the broader vision of the boards to which they belong.

York Catholic: Over the past few years, everyone in our school system – teachers, administrators, staff, parish, parents and students (all the partners!) have worked very hard to collaborate as a team to make our schools the best place for student learning. We developed a new Shared Vision that is alive in all our schools:

"We are a Catholic Learning Community of collaborative partners called to serve one another by being committed to and accountable for quality learning by all, with Jesus as our inspiration."

What it really means to students is that everything we do is designed to make a difference in the classroom. It means that WE’RE NOT successful unless ALL our students are successful – and that means we understand that students learn and achieve at different levels and that they require different programs delivery models and strategies to ensure they’re successful. Besides programs for advanced learning (PACE, International Baccalaureate), we have specialty programs in Global Studies, the Arts (dance, drama, music and theatre), and programs for "at risk" students who, for various reasons, are unable to cope in a regular school setting.

Peel District: At the Peel District School Board, we have a commitment to public involvement in our schools. A child's first teacher is the family, and the family-school-child connection is absolutely critical to school success — the research is overwhelming to support that. But parents are also busy people and there is no single definition of "involvement" in a world where there are often two working and commuting parents.

We believe that involvement needs to start before the child even starts school, so when a parent comes in to the school to register for kindergarten we have an award-winning package of materials that welcomes the parent and the child, provides at-home activities and clearly delivers the message that parent involvement is encouraged. We try to reinforce that message at every point in the journey through school.

The level and kind of involvement is decided by the parents. Some parents choose to volunteer in the classroom at the school, others serve on school council or help out at lunchtime. Others, however, focus their work on their own child—reading each night, helping with homework, keeping informed about the child's progress and making sure they are in contact with the teacher or teachers.

As a board, we try to support that involvement with resources—like our Multilingual Welcome Poster—and by offering specific strategies parents can use to help children be successful. For example, at www.peelschools.org there are hundreds of parent tip sheets and parents can subscribe to a free monthly package of day-by-day tips to support learning at home. Plus, over 1200 Peel board parents attend our parent literacy conference — this year on April one — to help boost learning.

Finally, the very best way to encourage involvement is something we have in place—great principals and excellent teachers and staff committed to student success and open to parent involvement.

Toronto District: I think the vast majority of our schools already do this. For those that may not measure up to your definition of engaging schools, I would suggest that getting parents involved and active in the school makes a huge difference. When parents care and come out and are a force in the school, great things usually happen. Schools where parents are not involved are almost always less successful than we would like.

Q: If the government gave you $20 million tomorrow, what would you spend it on? What are your priorities?

York Catholic: Wow! In a growing school system like ours, this is an easy question to answer. What many people don’t realize is that while the government helps to pay for new school buildings and additions, it doesn’t cover the infrastructure costs associated with new schools – things like library books and other resources for the classroom, the gym and so on. We’d put more money into school resources to benefit students. We’d also put more money into technology. It’s hard to keep up with state of the art trends. Students today are very computer savvy and they need daily access to the new technologies in order to become competitive to today’s global marketplace. We’ve been having some great success with assistive technology for special need students and it would be wonderful to provide even more resources in this area.

Toronto District: What a great question. I’d use it for a number of things. First I would fund a nutrition program at the secondary level – you would be stunned to know how many teens go to school hungry every day because of difficult financial situations in their homes.

Secondly, I would use some of it for more safety monitors and lunchroom supervisors and educational assistants. These people do a fabulous job in our schools and are a very important part of helping kids feel safe and be cared for.

Third, I would use some of it to add itinerant musicians and art teachers and physical education teachers to our schools. And if I had money left over, I would replace textbooks and library books in as many schools as I could.

York District: English-as-a Second-Language training (ESL) is a primary concern for all GTA boards. With tens of thousands of immigrants from all around the world settling in southern Ontario every year, bringing new students up to learning speed in English is an enormous task requiring highly skilled teachers dedicated to the task. Current funding for ESL learning does not adequately cover current needs. Federal support guidelines for ESL learning leave out large segments of our student population with moderate to high ESL needs.

Literacy is an overarching priority requiring continuous funding attention. The Ontario Government's annual Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) and Grade 3, 6 and 9 (EQAO) province-wide test results clearly show that literacy learning needs to be improved. More resources dedicated to literacy are needed both in the schools and to support pre-school programs that focus on early learning and school readiness.

The only way to improve literacy is through professional and leadership development of teachers, support staff, administrators, trustees, and school council representatives. The cost of keeping up with new knowledge, technological development and advances in learning theory is of concern to every school board.

Peel District: The first priority of the Peel District School Board would be to cover the $7 million funding shortfall for busing. After that, the Peel board has made a commitment to strategically invest any new funding it receives in ways that will make the most difference for children and families.

We have a Pathway Schools project that identifies the social risk factors for the community served by each school. We know from extensive research that social risk factors in the community have an impact on children's ability to succeed in school. However, with the right resources, schools can make a difference for children, to make sure all students have a fair opportunity to succeed in school. We already have early years "hubs" and early learning readiness centres in 15 of our Pathway Schools. Any additional funding from the government would be used to expand the services in our Pathways Schools.

Q: A number of the GTA boards have filed deficits this year, citing transportation as one of its cost drivers. For these areas, public transit services almost 100 per cent of this area (at least in Toronto). Wouldn't it make sense for these boards to eliminate transportation service to secondary students? Busing supports education, but there are already tons of buses in the GTA.

York Catholic: York Region is a huge geographical area that requires student busing. Some schools have almost 100 per cent of their students bused, and some of our areas are remote and not served by public transportation.

York Public: York Region District School Board is committed to maintaining a balanced budget. Secondary school students living outside of a local municipal transit service area, and within 3.2 kms of the nearest York Region District School Board secondary school are not entitled to school bus transportation. Students living within a local municipal transit service area and within 4.8 kms of the nearest York Region District School Board secondary school are also required to make their own way to school. More than 80 per cent of York Region's public secondary students make their own way to school each day. Public transit in York Region has recently expanded with the new VIVA Rapid Transit System. Our transportation policy and procedures are currently being reviewed.

Peel District: Public transportation does not cover 100 per cent of many regions in the GTA — including Peel. There is no public bus service, for example, in Caledon. Boards already set distances under which students need to provide their own transportation —and may students do make good use of public transit. In Peel, secondary students will be eligible for busing only if they live more than 4.8 kilometres away from the school.

The busing that is provided is done so very efficiently. In 1997, the Peel board formed a partnership with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic board to operate a joint busing system. This integrated system is managed by a single office. This partnership saves the Peel board $1 million annually, and bus companies have indicated that it is among the most efficient systems in the province.

Of the 41,671 secondary students in Peel, only about 5,877 are provided with busing.

Toronto District: There are many buses and bus routes in the GTA but we know several things about transportation issues: first, TTC bus routes do not always go to where we need them to go and they often have lengthy intervals between buses because the demand during afternoon or mid morning hours doesn’t justify having more frequent buses; secondly, where students have to travel lengthy distances and change buses they opt out in significant numbers; third, busing at the secondary level is primarily used for transporting students to special events, or to a secondary school out of their home area because of space problems, or to accommodate special needs.

Q: My question is for the York Region board. My son is having trouble socially adjusting to a new school (Grade 1) in the York Region after transferring from Peel Region in January 2006. I have spoken to his teacher but receive more complaints about his behaviour than support on how to help him.

Is there any support available at the school level where he is helped to integrate into the school and that I can receive proper feedback about his behaviour and performance?

York District: Support is available in all York Region schools for students facing difficulties adjusting to a new environment. Parents are encouraged to meet with staff to discuss their concerns. Most teachers are sensitive to the needs of newly arriving students and can recommend services, either within the board or in the community, to help with adjustment issues. If parents feel their concerns are not being recognized by the teacher, the principal of the school may be contacted at any time.

Q: My question is for the Peel District School Board. Can you please comment on the increased concerns that parents have over ESL students integrated with regular students. The regular students are being held back and not receiving enough attention due to the number of non-English speaking students in classes. I believe in helping everyone, however, the majority of students are falling behind. Can we not have separate classes for the ESL, and start to integrate them when they are up to speed on the language?

Peel District: Provincial testing clearly shows that "non-ESL" students score well above the provincial average — this is a clear indication that they are not being "held back" by ESL students. In the Peel board, about one in every two new students we register speaks English as a second language. The ESL funding we receive from the government would not enable us to segregate them in separate classrooms — but even if it did, that would be detrimental to their learning. ESL students learn a great deal from hearing other students speaking in English in their regular class. ESL students spend some time working in small groups with ESL teachers and some time in the regular class. In that way, they get the benefit from both types of learning environment. Classroom teachers are also trained and highly skilled in balancing the varying learning needs of all the students in their class.

Q: I would like to know how tax dollars are spent - ie. $7,000 for each of 30 students or $210,000 per classroom. Where do those education dollars go? Clearly they are not being spent in the classroom. Why not?

Toronto District: In answer to the first part of your question, all money spent by the TDSB is either spent directly on the classroom or on supports for the classroom. This is required by law and our budget, which is $2.3 billion is reviewed in detail and annually by the Ministry to make sure we comply.

The second part of your questions is: Is $7,000 enough to provide free lunch, snacks, band lessons, extracurricular sports for all? The answer is no. Most private schools, which are not-for-profit organizations, charge fees ranging from $12,000 to more than $20,000 per year for each student. Why? Because that is what it costs to properly educate a child. We get economies of scale at the TDSB but the real cost per pupil is closer to $9,000 or $10,000.

York Catholic: School boards are very labour intensive organizations; 80 per cent of our school board budget goes to pay salaries and benefits. A major problem for the vast majority of school boards in Ontario is the fact that there is a gap between what we pay teachers and what the government funds. While it’s true that the government has provided more funding to support education, most (if not all) of this new investment is to pay for government prescriptive programs – and NOT to cover this widening salary gap. This gap has to be funded from our other budget areas, and results in less dollars for other necessities.

York District: In York Region District School Board, more than 75 cents of every education dollar allocated by the provincial government is spent on classroom learning and school administration. Other major areas of expenditure include building operation and maintenance, constructing new classrooms and school bus transportation. General administration costs just a fraction of one percent of our total budget. All of our budget information is published on our website.

Peel District: First of all, lots of classes do not have 30 students! Some special education classes may have only 5 0r 6 students, primary class sizes are capped. But even if there is a class of 30, the amount of funding needs to cover all the costs — not just the costs of that class. Obviously, the funding needs to pay for the teacher, classroom materials desks and chairs and the other practical items. The funding also needs to cover, however, the cost of the school — heat, lights, water, maintenance for example.

The funding must also cover all those who support learning inside the school. This would include in-school staff such as the principal and vice-principal, school secretaries, custodians and teaching assistants, for example, but also others who support learning like the psychologist, speech-language pathologist, social workers and others who help children be successful.

There are other costs too - we need to transport students to and from school. There are travel assistants for those children with special needs. There are also staff who make sure people get their pay on time, that bills get dealt with, construction happens on time, resources are available to help staff and communication is supported. But we can never forget that the vast majority of the budget goes directly to support the student in the classroom.

In terms of lunch and extracurricular's and band lessons and snacks — these are never things schools could cover, nor should they be expected to. If, however, a parent cannot afford the basic requirements a child needs to be successful, than the school will step in with the help of partners to make sure there are things like free breakfast programs, snack programs etc. Schools also work very hard, and discretely, to ensure that all students have equity of access to what is offered at the school — no matter what the financial situation is of the child and family.

Q: I want to know who the heck decided that physical education class should be a twice a week or that event. This was by far the worst thing our education system could have done. We need physical activity for our body & mind, especially for young children who may not have the opportunity to participate in after school sports (eg soccer, swimming, hockey etc) We have these so called ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder syndromes) and I don't recall ever hearing these things when I was growing up. Can you please implement this program back to our schools?

Toronto District: I agree on the importance of physical education and physical activity for all children and adults. The TDSB follows the Ministry of Education guidelines and requirements for all parts of the curriculum, including physical education.

York Catholic: The Ministry of Education determines the amount of time allotted for every subject, including in York Catholic DSB’s case for religious education. Depending on whether the student is in primary, junior or intermediate there is a requirement to fulfill 20-40 minutes of physical education twice weekly. The number one issue that makes it difficult for many of our schools to offer daily physical education is gym space limitations. In our larger schools there aren’t enough periods in the day to allow every class to have physical education class, even if we split the gym in half and have two classes in there at once. However, many of our schools have taken on their own initiatives to encourage students to make physical activity a regular component in their lives. For example, St. Charles Garnier in Richmond Hill received 400 free pedometers to calculate walking steps last year. Classes began walking in a greenbelt behind the school. This is an excellent example of schools promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles by encouraging students to walk more. Last fall, the province passed legislation that will require mandatory daily physical activity beginning in the 2006/2007 school year. We are currently working on how we will implement this.

York District: Regular physical activity and exercise is considered by most educators to be important for receptiveness to learning. The Ontario Ministry of Education sets the standard for physical education through the Ontario Curriculum. The government has recently urged school boards to implement 20 minutes of daily vigorous physical activity for every elementary school student. Schools are now searching for ways to make this happen in the context of an already jam-packed school day. Many are adopting time-tabled activity periods or several brief school-wide activity breaks throughout the day. Some schools are involving intermediate students to help lead the activities. The Ministry has promised funding to teach educators how to implement programming successfully in all our schools.

Peel District: In 1998, legislation changed so that students in high school were able to graduate with only one physical education credit, as opposed to three. And elementary schools were not mandated to offer specific hours of physical education to their students.

There are also many ways that physical activity can happen outside of the "official" periods for physical education in schools. The provincial government is now introducing daily physical activity for all students – but that means integrating activities across the curriculum—much as we want children to incorporate physical activity into all aspects of their life. The Peel board is currently developing a plan to implement this new legislation in all of its schools.

Plans include providing schools with more funds to purchase equipment for physical activity and training for teachers. Resources from OPHEA (Ontario Physical Health and Education Association) such as teaching aids, will also be available to help teachers incorporate more physical activity into their students' day.

The Peel board is also interested in increasing the required physical education credits to two instead of one for graduation requirements.

Schools also have major activities to focus on exercise – such as the many Peel schools that participate in international walk to school day and the Terry Fox Run.

Q: I am currently waiting to see if I am accepted into one of the Ontario teacher colleges for September 2006. Should I not be accepted I am considering going to Buffalo to get my Ontario Certification but I am uncertain how a degree from a Buffalo University is regarded by Ontario school boards because I want to teach in Ontario. I was hoping you could advise me as to how do you regard potential teachers with teaching degrees from buffalo are they at any disadvantage? Many thanks, Melissa

Toronto District School Board responds: Melissa, The Ontario College of Teachers is the licensing body for teachers in Ontario. You should call them at 416-961-8800 and ask them to give you guidance as to whether they recognize a degree from Buffalo University. Tell them your plans and ask them to give you a clear answer with respect to becoming accepted as a fully qualified teacher licensed to teach in Ontario with a degree from Buffalo. If you have time, after you have talked by phone, you might send them a letter saying that your understanding of what is required is … (set out what they told you) … and ask them to confirm in writing whether your understanding is correct. Having stuff on paper is often crucial when questions arise about evaluating foreign universities and courses etc and Buffalo is “foreign” by definition, even though we think of them as neighbours.

York Catholic District School Board: We consider potential teachers with degrees from Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY universities equally alongside those graduating from Ontario universities. Due to the limited number of spaces in Ontario universities it’s often difficult for students to get into these teaching programs. For that reason, Buffalo and Niagara universities took advantage several years ago and applied to the Ministry of Education for approval to offer certifications for Ontario teachers. These New York institutions cater to the Ontario market and they do their practice teaching in Ontario. The key is how well a student does in their program and in their practice teaching. We would suggest however, that you do your research WELL. Contact the Ontario College of Teachers to ensure you will meet Ontario standards. Also, research the universities in New York to ensure the programs meet the requirements and standards for teaching in Ontario. Remember that you also have meet New York state requirements to graduate - so do your research. In summary, there is no stigma attached to teaching certifications attained in New York. The key is how well you perform in these programs.

York Region District School Board: Graduates from teachers college in New York must first pass their New York State exams, then apply for certification by the Ontario College of Teachers. While waiting for their Ontario teaching certificate to be granted, qualified teachers are welcome to apply for employment with the York Region District School Board. Our online application process, found on our website allows applicants to update their applications periodically as their certification status changes.

Peel District School Board: The Peel board hires more than 1,000 permanent and casual teachers each year. Since we're growing rapidly, we recruit teachers from across Canada and part of the United States. All teachers we hire must be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers—where you received your teacher training is not a significant consideration. The Peel board does all of its teacher hiring online—go to the "Work in Peel" section of our website, to create your online resume and apply for teaching jobs online. Particularly in demand are teachers with French, ESL, special education and technology qualifications.

Online Q&A: Summer job search

Thanks for joining us for this week's education forum. We're no longer taking questions, but will take your comments for the next 24 hours.

Check back here on Thursday for next week's topic and expert.

If you have any ideas for future forums, please e-mail education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

This week's topic was job hunting: Are you a college or university student home for reading week and starting your summer job search? Are you graduating this year and wondering how to go about searching for a degree-related career? Philip Lim, manager of Ryerson University's career centre, and his team answered your questions.

Q: Would you recommend job agencies or do you feel they are only a temporary solution?

A: It all depends where you are in your career path and what your goals are in securing a job. Job agencies are often great at getting someone working who may be in a "I need a job to pay the bills" type of situation, a "I'm not sure where I am going or what I want" situation, or a situation where the person hasn't been working for a while. These entry jobs can be temporary assignments, something that leads to permanent work or something that helps you get some experience or connections to help you along your career path.

On the flip side, job agencies also have the ability to get you into the ever-growing number of large companies who exclusively use agencies for their hiring ... this can be for positions from entry level right up the ranks to top executives. This is often your only way to get into some these companies, and once there, it is your chance to market your skills and grow and move throughout the organization.

Different agencies may have different focuses - entry level, intermediate positions or top executive searches. Some agencies solely do aggressive, competitive searches for top talent on behalf of their clients. Some agencies serve all levels of placement for a few organizations, and there are now many agencies which specialize in serving only a certain industry (accounting, engineering, etc).

Do your research as to what the agency's focus is, and determine if the experiences you are likely to gain with this agency will be beneficial to your career. Set some goals for yourself along with some time frames and discuss these with your agency to ensure you will be growing professionally in your placements.

Q: This summer I will be returning back home for the three-month summer break. Unlike Toronto, the job opportunities aren't that vast (I live southwest of Owen Sound). The past few summers I have worked as a waitress. Although the tips are good, the job atmosphere isn't. Currently I'm in my second year of public relations at Humber College. I would love to get a job over the summer that would incorporate the skills that I have been trained with over the last four semesters. Any tips?

A: Start researching companies and organizations in your home community and surrounding area to see if they might benefit from hiring a student with PR skills. Publications such as The Canada Student Employment Guide, The Career Directory or Who's Hiring 2005 may give you some leads. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce for a list of companies in and close to your hometown, consult the Yellow Pages, or enlist the assistance of a reference librarian who can point out helpful directories to help you identify potential companies/associations. Talk to friends, family, neighbours to see if they can recommend any organizations you could connect with. Think about how you could use your PR skills to help any business, company or organization, even the restaurant where you have waitressed, to promote and expand their business.

Perhaps you may not be able to locate a PR position in town, but can you snag a contract or work for an organization that you can complete on your own time? Are there any small business or entrepreneurs in your community who might benefit from your knowledge? Is there a government agency or any business or service-oriented organization whose message should be shared with the people that live in your community? Perhaps they may be willing to hire you to be their spokesperson. Think creatively as to who might value the skills you have to offer, and pitch to them.

Q: My son is in Grade 11. I would like him to work during the summer holidays. I don't know where and how to find an appropriate job for him. I need your advice. Thanks, Sam.

A: Finding a summer job requires some searching and research. The more effort put into this search will result in the uncovering of more jobs, enabling your son to have some choice in what he chooses to do rather than limiting his choices to perhaps jobs he may not be interested in. This is an excellent opportunity for your son to explore the various methods employers utilize to post positions, especially jobs in the summer for students.

One important thing to keep in mind is that many employers begin their search for summer help in January and February, so it is very important not to leave this to the beginning of summer. Also, if you are beginning your search early, you are getting a head start on other job seekers (many of whom do wait to the last minute) and improving your chances. There are several websites with information on summer jobs at the following link on the Ryerson Career Centre website. Also, depending on where you live, there should be a youth employment centre in your area that can assist young people in finding work.

Q: I recently graduated from Waterloo with a general BA. I would like to try plumbing and have recently started a job as an apprentice, however, the company I am working for has decided to have me work in the office. I understand that the union opens up apprentice opportunities once a year, however I have not been able to get any information as to whether this program will be offered this year. Desperately need help. Any suggestions would be very welcomed. Thank you.

A: Since it is the unions that open up the apprenticeship opportunities, they would be my first point of contact to inquire if they plan on doing the same this year. If you know anyone who is a union member you could also see if they can speak on your behalf, in the way of making a recommendation regarding your candidacy for an apprenticeship position.

A union member may also have a handle on whether or not apprenticeship opportunities will be made available, and what the application process and time frame are. You might also wish to connect with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities regarding skilled trades in the province of Ontario.

Q: If you don't have a job after graduating, is it better to move back home or start out on your own? It's cheaper to live at home but some people end up getting stuck there and get unmotivated. Is that true in your experience?

A: Many graduates move back home after graduation for a period of time before they start their careers. This is quite normal and should not impede your ability to land a good job. If you live at home, your financial obligations (rent, food, etc.) may not be as high and you may not have to take the first job that comes along. If you choose to move home, you must stay motivated and treat your job search as if it is a job. This means getting out of the house to do your job search work such as researching employers, applying for positions, etc.

Q: Is it better to go home and work there for the summer or stay in the city where your college is? I have to pay for my apartment regardless.

A: Consider which job you feel gives you the best experience for your resume. Also of course, the rate of pay must be considered as there are always bills to pay, especially as a student. A possible advantage to staying in the city could be the ability to take a course at night.

Q: My degree is in sociology, and after four years at university I still don't know what field of work I want to be in. I've been to the career centre at my university and taken all the aptitude tests, but nothing has come up that I think I want to do. I am thinking now that I should go on and do a master's degree until I figure out what I want to do, but my parents don't think that's a good idea. -Career confused

A: Pursuing a master's degree will not necessarily bring you any closer to determining fulfilling work options for yourself. You may want to spend some time focusing more upon yourself and the aspects of self (information that you should have gathered through your aptitude testing) that you'd like to express within your eventual work.

An exercise that can be helpful in narrowing your career direction is to write out a description of your ideal work. Try and avoid using job titles, but rather focus on the interests that you'd like to pursue, the skills that you'd like to be using and the values that you hope to satisfy through that work. Describe the kinds of problems, projects or issues with which you would be dealing, your ideal working conditions and people-environment, and the duties and tasks for which you'd be responsible. Try and incorporate your lifestyle needs and goals as well as where you see yourself 5 years from now.

Once this is completed, list the occupations that you believe would best combine the elements described in your ideal work description. Think broadly and creatively, avoiding the tendency to edit out opportunities too quickly. I strongly encourage you to share your results with people whose opinions you value and ask them to help you brainstorm other alternatives. This should generate some viable work options for you to consider and investigate further.

Q: I haven't really ever had a "job" - I worked in fast-food in high school but that's it, I haven't worked at all during university. Now that I'm graduating, I'm worried this lack of experience means I won't get a good job.

A: This is a very common situation. However, you should not be too hard on yourself. One of the things about being in school is that you are learning skills and gaining experience that can be used to show employers that you ARE able to work, even at an entry level. The packaging of who you are is very important, so getting some help from a career counsellor/coach on your marketing campaign (i.e. resume and cover letter) will help you to be one step closer in preparing your for today's labour market.

Often overlooked, but important to consider, is your involvement in groups/associations at school. What groups or clubs have you been involved in and how can you translate the skills gained from these situations that will allow an employer to see that you have rounded out your academic experience? Have you lead a team in organizing and event?Were you the "project manager"? Did the project get completed on time and on budget (two big considerations for employers)? These sorts of activities are very important to highlight during the job search process, as they often show details of your ability to MULTI-TASK. As well, the team work and leadership skills gained in such activities are also highly desired and will show an employer that you are a good "fit" for the company.

An additional way of showing the employer your talents is through volunteer activity. Have you been involved in any community activities? Have you raised any money for charity? Did you help seniors during the local church bazaar? Situations like these once again, teach you some very valuable and important skills that you can use to leverage your "fit" to the company. The ability to coordinate people or handle money or perform a fund raising functions speak to your transferable skills that could demonstrate for an employer that you can be an asset to their organization.

As you can see, although work experience is often sought in the job search arena, there are many ways to showcase skills and abilities that you do HAVE that make you a desirable candidate for employers. The key is in the packaging ... maintain that positivity and confidence and you'll be showing the employer that your ATTITUDE makes you a winner, and a good FIT for their company.

Q: I have to take a credit at university this spring, and I am worried this is going to put me at a disadvantage when applying for a summer job.

A: Try to find a job which compliments your course - or vice versa. For example, if you can take the course in the evening or on weekends, it may help you if you wish to search for job which would be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Or you may wish to work evenings and weekends, so try to find a course scheduled during the daytime.

You may also be able to take this course at various colleges/universities which may also help when working out your schedule. Just try to sort it out early on, so you know what your limitations are and then work with them.

Q: Does it matter if my summer job has nothing to do with what career path I want after graduation? Or should I try for something related?

A: It's always nice to get a position that is related to your field of study, but if this is not possible look for a position or field of work that will allow you to gain transferable skills or experience in a similar environment. For instance, if your program of study is engineering but you end up getting a job as a server in a restaurant, there doesn't seem to be a lot in common between engineering and being a waiter. But if you start thinking of what it is that a waiter does, you will see that a number of the skills are the same as needed for engineering. Key among them is your use of interpersonal and communication skills. Perhaps there are daily specials to present to the patrons, or maybe they wish some clarification regarding menu items.

Listening attentively to patrons' preferences you may be able to guide them from a less suitable to a more suitable choice. Perhaps the patron is unhappy with a dish you have brought them - how quickly and efficiently do you resolve that problem?

You are also working in tandem with the other restaurant employees and the kitchen, further strengthening your team skills. Your attention to detail, e.g. filling a water glass before the patron asks, ensures that customer service standards are maintained.

So, what are the skills the server job has in common with engineering? They are: interpersonal skills, communication skills, listening skills, presentation skills, problem resolution skills,teammanship, attention to detail, and a customer service focus. In addition, the very fact that you are working shows the employer that you have a good work ethic.

So the fact that your summer work doesn't relate directly to your chosen career path doesn't mean that it's not a valuable experience.

Q: My question is in regards to salary expectations after graduation. What is the average salary university graduates can expect to make? Does it matter what type of degree they have? Thanks!

A: The salary really does have a lot to do with the type of degree you have as well as how much (if any) previous work experience you have. If you have done a successful co-op or internship within your field of study before you graduate - that should add to your marketability when searching for a job.