CBE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TECHNICIANS MEETING
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Central Memorial High School – Staff Room
CHAIRPERSON:
RECORDER:
Nasreen Muhammad
Karen Williams
CALL TO ORDER at 1:00 PM. Roundtable introductions were made.
ATTENDANCE:
Present:
Rebecca Michaels
Leigh Edmonds
Cheryl Waye
Shraddha Dholabhai
Sandeep Gill
Scott Jubinville
Kathy Lepard
Zia Awan
Dawn Martin
Nasreen Muhammad
Maureen Simon
Tai Leung
Karen Williams
Sir Winston Churchill
James Fowler
Crescent Heights
J. G. Diefenbaker
Chinook Learning Services / Juno Beach Academy
Lord Beaverbrook
Centennial
Lester B. Pearson
Henry Wise Wood
Central Memorial
E. P. Scarlett
Ernest Manning
Bowness
Guests:
Lois Robb
Dan Boram
Chairperson, CBE Staff Association
Westlab Managing Director, North America
Regrets:
Marilyn McLachlan
Theresa Michiel
Colleen Brent
Marzena Curyk
Sabnom Yesmin
Lynda Roberts
William Aberhart
Forest Lawn
Robert Thirsk
Western Canada
Queen Elizabeth
Adult Academic – Chinook College
CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was accepted with the following additions:
Rebecca – Use of body fluids in high school labs (Policies/Regulations/Safety)
Rebecca – TC/TD glassware (Supplies/Equipment/Chemicals)
Karen – disposal of broken contaminated glassware (Policies/Regulations/Safety)
Maureen – electrical/electronic repairs UofC Engineering students
(Supplies/Equipment/Chemicals)
Karen – change agenda order to discuss Position Description with Lois Robb first
(Communication)
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING held on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 were accepted
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6) COMMUNICATIONS:
a) Lois Robb : Staff Association
i.
Lab Techs position description Revision
Our “champion” Principal, Kim Hackman (Western Canada), is now an ATA Consultant to
the Chief Superintendant’s Office. Kim was asked to attend a CBE Total Compensation
Job Evaluation Committee (JEC) meeting to clarify several of the factors (as noted in BOLD
below) in order to qualify the Sc Tech Position to a Grade F using the Ten Point Factor Job
Evaluation Method” under the following compensable factors:
o Scope of duties
o Education requirements
o Previous related experience
o Knowledge & skills acquired specifically on the job
o Problem solving, creativity, freedom to act & decision making
o Consequence of errors
o Contacts required
o Attention required
o Physical working conditions
o Responsibility for directing & instructing others (Direct Reports)
Each of these factors is assigned points. The position in question is evaluated and
assigned a point value under each factor. The total points qualify for a certain Pay Grade.
Grade E = 204 – 234 points and Grade F = 235 – 265 points.
Lois reported that the FEC is now chaired by Sonja La Pointe, Manager – HR Partner
Services, who is working with Supervisors & Managers to develop Position Descriptions.
There are 245 Support Staff PD’s to be reviewed on a 3 year cycle. The JEC is scheduled
to meet every 2 weeks – Staff Association is represented on the JEC. There have been no
meetings in September or October 2014. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov 6, 2014.
Lois noted that the CBE is now using another job evaluation tool called The Hay Method to
determine pay grade. The Hay Method is used for SA-PSS members and has been in use
since March 2014.
Question? Do Sc Techs now require a new “champion” Principal in the process of PD
revision…
ii.
Lois then briefly gave an overview of the current status of negotiations (four meetings so
far) of a new CBE Staff Association contract. Last contract expired August 31, 2014
iii. Other items of discussion included:
 overtime, (regular time>7 hours then x1.5), even when working two locations
 time-in-lieu (straight time)
 unsafe condition reporting in PublicSchoolWorks
 purchasing tasks & P-cards
 impact of age 21 students in schools in 2016
 Rebecca will forward the current CBE Sc Tech Service Factor doc to Lois
Lois Robb left the meeting at 2 PM
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1) POLICIES / REGULATIONS / SAFETY:
a)
City Wastewater & Solid Waste Bylaws – Rebecca reported on newest revisions:
i. Solid Waste & Recycling Bylaw (2001) http://www.calgary.ca/CA/cityclerks/Documents/Legislative-services/Bylaws/20M2001-WasteAndRecycling.pdf
ii.
Sewer & Wastewater Bylaw (2012) http://www.calgary.ca/CA/cityclerks/Documents/Legislative-services/Bylaws/14M2012-Wastewater.pdf
 “hazardous waste” means waste that is generated from any premises and has one or
more hazardous properties as described in the Environmental Protection
and Enhancement Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. E-12, as amended and Waste Control
Regulation (Alta. Reg. 192/1996), Schedule 1, as amended;
 Note: prohibited amounts in wastewater:
o Nitrate i.e.TKN = Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen over 50 mg/L
o Phosphate i.e. TP = Total Phosphorous over 10 mg/L
o sulfate ion over 1500 mg/L
o chloride ion over 1500 mg/L
o TSS – Total Suspended Solids over 300 mg/L
o Any fat, oil or grease
o Flammable liquids with a flash point over 61oC
o Zn, Sn, Ni, Cu ions over 2 mg/L
o Al, Fe ions over 50 mg/L
o Co, Mn ions over 5 mg/L
o Ag ions over 0.5 mg/L
o Pb ions over 0.7 mg/L
iii. Perhaps a SWP on Lab Waste Disposal was in order – referred to Fred Fuchs TDG session
in January 2015.
iv. Suggestion that the topics of (a) Hazard Assessment (job & worksite), (b) clarification of the
status of RiskAssess and (c) standardized format & protocol for SDS binders, be discussed
with new Safety Advisory Services Manager Russ DiGiacomo – perhaps invite to December
meeting.
b)
Building Code 2006 & Fire Code 2006 – Rebecca reported no new STANDATA noted.
Complete code documents available for $245 / $180 respectively – What is the accessibility as a
reference to CBE departments? Question to discuss with Fred & Russ.
c)
Use of Human Fluids & Tissues in School Science Experiments – Rebecca noted that the
“policy” was introduced in 1987 at the time of HIV concerns. A pdf of the original Sept 1987 AB
Ed Curriculum Support document “Clarification of Statements Prohibiting The Use of Human
Body Substances In The Alberta Science Curriculum” can be found in the Sc Tech D2L under
CBE Memos, Directives, Notices, Letters, Emails > Curriculum Support – human fluids and
tissues (a,b,c,d = 10 pages with 23 pages of Appendices) – worth a read; speaks to use of
blood, urine, saliva, tissue and possible substitutions; also mouth & skin swabs, use of PTC
paper, spirometry, use of balloons & straws, cheek cell scrapings, use of fresh/frozen beef &
sheep tissues etc. Is the material stated in this document properly revised to reflect up to date
standards in the 2006 AB Ed Safety in the Science Classroom & 2012 CBE Secondary
Sciences & Laboratory Safety Guidelines documents??
d)
Broken Contaminated Glassware – Karen noted that in June 2013 she had discussed the
disposal of chemically contaminated glassware with Fred Fuchs. Note: glass commonly gets
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broken in use in the classroom and is discarded into “broken glass” containers. This glass
should not be going into recycling systems but should be considered hazardous waste. At the
time Fred recommended that the broken contaminated glass be sent out as non-routine waste
through Envirosort. This past June 2014, Envirosort was questioning this practice. Karen will
follow up with Fred for clarification / opinion on the issue.
3) SUPPLIES / EQUIPMENT / CHEMICALS:
a) PURCHASING
Dan Boram, Westlab, provided brochures & business cards to those present. A discussion
and information sharing was held. Items of interest include:
 The new website is now live
 The 2015 catalogue will be available by Dec 31, 2014 with stocked items listed. Other
products required, please phone or email to inquire. Orders – sales@westlab.com
 MSDS’s are on the website and on PublicSchoolWorks. Note: Westlab is supplying
ALDON & ACP chemicals (except restricted chemicals) which have are a good quality &
longer shelf life. ACP chemicals had been arriving without SDS attached. Techs would
prefer if the SDS was attached (Dan will look in to this.)
 New lab equipment product line ISG (Canada) Edulab (UK)
 On the issue of Pcards & invoicing school directly VS Board PO – will work with Nasreen
to set up best method of billing
 Backorders: goal is 90% fulfilment rate by year end moving to 98% in 2015
 70 – 75% of orders are shipped the same day for delivery in 3 days.
 They are increasing product levels & the size of their Vancouver warehouse.
 Please communicate any “issues” to Dan Boram directly.
 Westlab/New Horizons offers 20% off catalogue prices with $250 order receiving free
shipping (except on dissection specimens)
 Preserved specimens:
o Hearts from US supplier were being incorrectly flagged at the border and thus the
“hold up”.
o Are supplied in pails not VacPac
o 5% formaldehyde in tissues but none in holding fluid
o Formaldehyde free specimens are only “guaranteed” to be mold free for 6 months
 Westlab would like to sponsor support for a Western Canadian Science Educators
Conference. It was noted that there are also Sc Ed support Technicians in Manitoba:
Winnipeg; BC: Kelowna, Kamloops, Richmond, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge.
 Specific “issues” for Dan to follow up on:
o Goggles for the Asian face
o Shipping & packaging – glass items broken on receipt
o Method of order confirmation
o Sales on fetal pigs
o Repairs to equipment service
b) Maureen reported that repairs to electric/electronic equipment is available from UofC
engineering students.
c) TC/TD glassware – Rebecca noted that an explanation on the differences between “to contain”
& “to deliver” glassware will be placed in Sc Tech D2L.
2) KEEPING CURRENT / TRAINING:
a) ATA Science Council Conference will be held Nov 13 – 14, 2014 at the Banff Centre
Note: Sc Techs are eligible for Associate membership in ATASC
Registration online: https://event-wizard.com/ATASCC2014/0/welcome/
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b) PD (non-instructional days) – set topics/locations
Nov 21: Stacey Metz has been in contact with a number of schools regarding PASCO
DataStudio to Capstone upgrade - Cheryl & Kathy will coordinate a
possible online training webinar (at Crescent Heights HS) as announced
by AYVA Educational Solutions (Canadian PASCO vendor)
Dec 5: TBD
Apr 21: TBD
May 29: TBD
c) Karen noted that several probeware-like iPad/iPhone Apps were available, mostly useful for
Physics applications. See apps at this link: http://appsineducation.blogspot.com.au/
This multimeasure one is particularly useful: http://www.skypaw.com/apps/multimeasures/
d) CBE Staff Association Convention – Feb 12 & 17 at Central Memorial HS (new location)
The majority of those present preferred that our Tech Day be on Thursday, Feb 12th.
Maureen noted that a UofC Electrical Engineering Professor is seeking liaison to high schools
for a university level educators project – perhaps this would be a good opportunity to interface.
4) EXPERIMENT / PREPARATION:
5) ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
7) ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 PM
Next regular meeting December 16, 2014 (Christmas Potluck)
Chair – Karen Williams
Recorder – Kathy Lepard
Future meeting dates:
Jan 20 – Highfield (TDG, respirator fit test)
Feb 12 – Tech Day
Mar 17
May 12
June - STAS