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Today, and every day, we want to thank the unsung heroes behind the technology we rely on daily, from fixing printers to managing complex cloud systems and security threats. CUPE728 has highly qualified IT professionals.

We celebrate National I.T. Professionals Day on the third Tuesday of every September to recognize the technical experts — network engineers, system administrators, database admins, ethical hackers, and many more types of I.T. professionals — that make sure our computer systems run smoothly. It takes a solid set of skills and talents to fill the shoes of an I.T. pro so, today, we say thanks to the people who come to fix our devices when they stop working the way they should — the behind-the-scenes operators without whom we’d be back in front of an archaic chalkboard, doing things the hard way.

Today, we recognize and honor the many skilled tradespeople in our local for their essential skills and hard work in building and maintaining our schools and worksites. Tradespeople help with the upkeep, repair and maintenance of our schools.  Our members rely on the skilled and dedicated tradespeople in our schools.

This is the perfect day to set aside a little time to learn about some famous people who got their start in the world by working with their hands. You probably don’t know it, but a few famous folks got their start in the trades. Women also have their own rich history in the trades.  During WWII, 37% of the US workforce was female. Women worked in aviation, munitions, and other roles. Take a look at these people, for starters:

• Harrison Ford was a Carpenter

  A carpenter by trade, this actor who portrayed Indiana Jones, needed to make a living and feed his family so he remodeled houses and built furniture. But when George Lucas offered him the role of Han Solo in Star Wars? Well, obviously he couldn’t turn it down.

• Winston Churchill was a Bricklayer

  One of the most famous British Prime Ministers of all time, Churchill was a member of the Amalgamated Union of Bricklayers. In his spare time, he still built small creations, such as a garden wall, goldfish pond, and swimming pool.

• Whoopi Goldberg was a Builder

  Under her given name Caryn Elaine Johnson, this now famous actress, comedian and personality was apparently building walls at the San Diego Zoo before she got her big break.

• Elvis Presley was an Electrician’s Apprentice

  Sure, a lot of people know that this crooner was in the Army, but many people don’t know he also worked as an apprentice for an electrician for a time. Music was just something Elvis did in his spare time. Perhaps the guy he worked for appreciated hearing him sing while he worked?

Today, and every day, we want to Thank all our school nutritionist professionals and those that work with the food services. They help prepare healthy meals and snacks for the students that we work with.  They help ensure that those students are fed before school starts, during the day and sometimes after school hours

World Plumbing Day recognizes the critical link between health and plumbing facilities. Indeed, the bathroom plays a significant role in maintaining our health all around the world. Everybody understands the role of sanitized, plumbing solutions to cut germs in their paths.

Just how many germs live in your bathroom is unclear, but it’s the place where you can find some of the most harmful bacteria, such as bacillus, gram-negative rods, cocci, and gram-positive rods. These different bacteria types are harmful to the human population and can cause a variety of health concerns such, skin infections and pneumonia. Some types are also resistant to antibiotics, which brings a completely new meaning to World Plumbing Day.

Indeed, good plumbing is not just a nice thing to have to keep your bathroom looking pretty. It’s the safest and quickest way to maintain and protect your health.

For more information, click https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-plumbing-day/

Did you know that there are many CUPE728 members that use American Sign Language to communicate with student and staff?

Today, April 15th, we observe National ASL Day! It is a great opportunity to celebrate and learn more about American Sign Language. On this day in 1817, the American School for the Deaf (ASD) opened in Hartford, Connecticut. There, teachers and students worked together, and by intermingling Native American Signs, French Sign Language, and even Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language, American Sign Language (ASL) was born.

With time, more schools for the deaf were founded and ASL spread not only to those schools but to the world. ASL is used in the majority of Canada, throughout the American continent, and has even expanded to Central Africa, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Have you ever looked at a school and thought that it just looks inviting and beautiful? We have our amazing GroundsKeepers to thank for that.  Thank you to each GroundsKeeper for all that you do to keep our schools looking beautiful and safe for staff, students and the community.

we celebrate all the hard work that our GroundsKeepers do on a daily basis.

The first Wednesday of April is Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. While we may not use the term ‘paraprofessional’, those CUPE728 members that fall under the Student Support Department would be considered Paraprofessionals.

Student Support members play important roles in schools and help make classrooms more inclusive. They add another layer of support to the classroom, allowing students to have more opportunities each day. When students, teachers, and families embrace paraprofessionals as key members of the education team, everyone benefits.

Today we want to recognize the hard work our CYCWs do on a continuous basis.  CYCWs are an integral part in support students, staff, and families.  CYCWs focus on helping students thrive in our schools and, in the end, help schools become a better place for everyone. This day is honored on different days throughout North America.  On May 4th, and every day, we want to say a big THANK YOU to all our CYCWS.