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Impact minimal, despite teachers' job action

Although BC teachers will be taking some job action when school resumes Sept. 6, Haida Gwaii Teachers' Association president Evelyn von Almassy says students and parents will likely not see any drastic changes.Teachers very much want to keep their job action away from the classroom and away from students, she said. They will be refusing to do certain things that she calls "administrivia", like attending meetings with principals or administrators."Please alleviate any fears, teachers will be teaching and will be communicating with parents," Ms von Almassy said. "It is going to be perfectly fine."After-school sports programs will not be affected by the job action, she said. Teachers will be free to offer any extra-curricular activities they would like to, she said."What I know of the teachers here is they want to keep doing it, because it's for the students," she said. "The main focus is, we do not want to affect the students."The list of things that teachers will not do includes meeting with administration (with some exceptions for the beginning of the year), meeting with parents after school, attending "meet the teacher" nights, issuing report cards (teachers will be testing and marking students, and communicating with parents, but will not share the information with administration through report cards), will not administer any district, ministry, or Foundation Skills Assessment tests, and will not participate in fundraising activities.Ms von Almassy said teachers will meet with parents during school hours, and will communicate with parents any time.