CBE School Science Technician’s

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Central Memorial High School

Chairperson:Zia Awan

Recorder: Rebecca Michaels

Present:

Colleen Brent
Zia Awan / Marilyn McLachlan Rebecca Michaels
Marzena Curyk / Theresa Michiel
Shraddha Dholabhai / Nasreen Muhammad
Leigh Edmonds / Maureen Simon
Sandeep Gill / Cheryl Waye
Scott Jubinville / Karen Williams
Kathy Lepard

Absent: Tai Leung, Lynda Roberts, Dawn Martin

Meeting called to order at 1:15

Acceptanceof Agenda:

Agenda was acceptedwith additions by Maureen, seconded by Kathy.

Acceptance of Minutes:

Minutes of the September 17, 2013 meeting were discussed and then accepted by Leigh and seconded by Kathy.

Meeting Time Change:

Nasreen suggested that meetings start earlier in order to avoid some of the home time traffic. With a show of hands, the time for starting future meetings was changed to 12:30.

Policies / Regulations / Safety:

- Request for science technician respirator use information – A sheet was passed around the table with columns headed with requested topics. Zia will email the information to Fred after getting the information from the absent technicians. Zia will confirm that respirator training will continue to be held during January exam period on the same day as TDG re-certification when applicable.

- Signing for non-science TDG material pick-ups – Leigh had made an inquiry of Fred regarding processing of non-science waste for TDG purposes. In response Fred relayed that currently it is only required for there to be one TDG certified person per school with a recommendation that there be a second. Safety Services asks that being a TDG certified person for a school, that science technicians sign the waste manifest for EnviroSort when they come to pick-up materials from other departments. It is up to the other department to prepare the paperwork, and make arrangements for the storage and pick-up with EnviroSort and when the technician is available for signing. He suggested technicians contact their Principals to request an alternate TDG person be designated for CTS. It was commented that technicians have no knowledge of the history, content, or proper labelling of the materials for which they are signing and this is contrary to our training.

- Revised Management of Chemicals and Hazardous Materials –available at:

- Safe Work Practices – available at:

- Safety Audit of Schools – Safety Advisory Services - December through May, chemical inventories need to be in place

- School site hazard assessments– we will have a group review of this document that Lori Jean Schlenker gave out to us last year at the December meeting.

Purchasing:

- Mileage reimbursement – reimbursement is at the rate of 50 cents/km.

Mileage must be entered within 30 days of travel. The total distance is entered into time entry in Peoplesoft and a hardcopy ”travelog” is filled out and submitted for signing. (Attached to minutes). A tutorial is available: (

During the discussion, it was suggested that submitting for travel to meetings and for local purchases is one way to have it recognized that we are doing these tasks. Techs that are submitting for mileage say that it amounts to a considerable reimbursement.

- Water plants – Pisces is a reliable source, but prices are becoming exhorbitant. Other sources include Aquatic Imports and Big Al’s. Growing cabomba at school may be an option, but the 2 months at summer is problematic.

- Oracle and placing orders – non-uniform use between schools. Each business manager and school seems to have their own system. There is a possibility that New Horizons may become an approved CBE supplier. Send in concerns with Boreal to Purchasing. A discussion on Boreal re: backorders, increased prices and declining quality of product, website inconsistencies, shipping from a wide variety of sources outside of Canada, quantities incorrect.

- CBE stores vendor list – Karen finally received the list and will send out a digital copy to the science technician list.

Supplies/Equipment/Chemicals:

- Probeware- a discussion on Pasco (Pasco Canada is a division of AYVA) vs. Vernier (Merlanis the Canadian distributor) probeware was held. Both systems regularly put out new interfaces and operating systems. Both are expensive to order full class sets of the new interfaces, but previous probeware is transferrable to the newer systems. The site licenses are becoming cost prohibitive.

Keeping Current/Training:

- Science technician PD on non-instructional days – Kathy had started a chain email collecting information as to which non-instructional days technicians had available to arrange joint PD activities. This email did not make it back to her. A number of suggestions for topics for PD were put forward.

Experimental Procedures:

- Oxidation states of manganese – Zia handed out the procedure that they use at Pearson. This can be done on an overhead as well as a class lab. Several other schools also do this lab and several variations are out there.

- Protozoans – Theresa collects rainwater in backyard over the summer and then has a source of water creatures. Water from the Bow R. and ponds were poor for creatures this year. Using “grass” cultures is another alternative to purchasing.

Communications:

Additional Items:

- Work experience students, adult and student volunteers in science –having a volunteer or work experience student requires extra work on behalf of the technician and doesn’t save work time. Some technicians have used students to prepare inventories and update MSDSs. According to our position description, technicians only assign and monitor student work and students must be supervised by a teacher. Students being used to do science support work rather than the technician being given more hours to do their job was raised. Students need proper training to be in the prep room and their safety is a concern.

- Outdated textbooks – send to Highfield for disposal

- Microwave ovens – Theresa wanted to know how many school prep areas had microwave ovens and the extent they were used.

Adjournment: 3:20 PM

Next meeting: 12:30 December 10, 2013; potluck to start 12:00

Location: Robert Thirsk High School

Chair: Rebecca Michaels

Recorder: Marzena Curyk