Hello friends

[Nihil Obstat]

I got that position I was hoping for. Staying at my current school, now with grade 4, and probably music classes for 3 and 4. As long as my evaluations go well next year, and there's no reason to suspect otherwise, then my contract now renews automatically each school year. So barring some really catastrophic budget cuts, I'm essentially guaranteed this job until I choose to retire. 

In four more years or so they'll pay me to do a master's degree as well.

 

On the other hand, our collective agreement expires in August, and the central table bargaining is going to go south very quickly when the union presents its opening proposal and the government laughs in our collective face. Saskatchewan teachers have been at it for almost a year now, including strikes and work-to-rule. I'm assuming their situation is a bit of a weather vane.

[Nihil Obstat]

I just want to mention again, for additional emphasis, that we have a Catholic school district which is fully publicly funded. Catholic kids have the right to attend a Catholic school and be taught Catholic teachings, at no cost to their families. 

All year I've had the privilege of teaching my classes about the Sacred Heart devotion, Marian dogmas, the meaning of Catholic Tradition, the sacraments, magisterial authority, even Catholic teachings on sexuality. Provincial government foots the bill.

There are few examples these days of the Church maintaining Her authority and presence in the public sphere, or of any workplaces where one can be publicly, recognizably, formally Catholic.