LOCAL teachers' union president Karen Andrews says parents are being encouraged to talk to their children's teachers about their progress instead of having to rely on report cards.
“In fact the Terrace District Teachers' Union and the BC Teachers' Federation expect that informal reporting is occurring on an ongoing basis,” Andrews said in a press release this afternoon.
Andrews was reacting to a Coast Mountains school district decision to have principals and vice principals prepare report cards even if they are mostly blank.
Teachers have been refusing to prepare report cards as part of a limited job action against the provincial government in hopes of winning wage and benefit increases.
Andrews said parents can phone teachers, meet with them informally, communicate by notes, sign assignments, sign student agenda books or use any other methods employed by individual teachers in order to know more about their children's progress.
She said provincial education minister George Abbott's position that parents don't have details about their children's progress is wrong.
Under normal circumstances, report cards wouldn't be ready until the end of November, Andrews added.
She said the provincial Labour Relations Boards has already decided that with the exception of Grade 12 marks required for post-secondary applications, report cards are not an essential service.
“If you have any questions about the progress of your child please contact the teacher. Teachers are happy to discuss your child's progress with you,” Andrews said.