Renewed Focus

Inserted in the centre of this issue, you will find our new Professional Advisory — Duty to Report. It provides important information to Ontario teachers about their legal and ethical duty to report suspected cases of child abuse and/or neglect.

Sadly, abuse and neglect are realities for many Ontario children. Perhaps you have made that phone call to the Children’s Aid Society at some point in your career.

Just as every one of us has a responsibility to protect children from harm, the College has a responsibility to promote the duty to report. This document supports teachers with this obligation.

Council successes

As I begin my term as Chair, I wish to acknowledge the collaborative leadership and good governance practices my predecessor Liz Papadopoulos, OCT, and our colleagues on the previous Council initiated.

They made significant strides toward improving timeliness, efficiency and transparency with respect to our disciplinary role. They helped enhance the teacher education program and they supported a comprehensive public awareness initiative.

With the tagline “Setting the Standard for Great Teaching,” the 2014 initiative educates the public about who we are as a regulatory body, how we regulate teaching in Ontario and, most importantly, how highly qualified members are. Our mandate requires us “to communicate with the public on behalf of the members of the College,” and Council has recognized this priority.

I am excited about collaborating with members of the seventh Council, who bring a rich new complement of expertise and perspectives to the College. Their valued contributions to the regulation of the teaching profession will be enhanced by a new mentorship program and learning opportunities on topics such as chairing committees and financial literacy.

The privilege of self-regulation

You are part of a profession that regulates itself — just like nurses, doctors and lawyers. This means the people of Ontario trust teachers to govern our profession using our collective specialized knowledge, skills and experience. Elected and appointed Council members are knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated to leading the profession and serving the public interest. Your Council includes 23 elected members and 14 members of the public appointed by the provincial government.

Through their work on the College’s committees, Council members have various responsibilities including:

• reviewing and accrediting teacher education programs at Ontario faculties of education
• receiving, investigating and determining how to deal with complaints about College members relating to professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity
• conducting hearings and making rulings on matters of professional misconduct or incompetence, and the physical and mental capacity of members
• overseeing editorial and advertising policy for Professionally Speaking
• reviewing and approving the College finances, budget and investments
• considering appeals from applicants who have been denied membership in the College.

I look forward to working with Council members and College staff, who are committed to the organization and its goal to protect the public interest.

As you begin your new school year, the College will be cementing its path to better governance to strengthen the teaching profession’s role in self-regulation.