The penalty hearing for a dismissed Midale Central School educator has been set for Feb. 6 in Regina. This hearing follows an earlier disciplinary hearing that was held in mid- December in Saskatoon for Justine Kwochka who, it was revealed, entered into a sexual relationship with a Grade 12 student in the school while she was employed as an elementary teacher in the same facility.
Kwochka did not appear at the Saskatoon hearing and is not obligated to attend the Regina session either, said Shelly Tootoosis, associate executive director of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) that conducted the ethics committee hearing and will be responsible for the penalty hearing as well.
Kwochka was found guilty of professional misconduct before a five-member panel consisting of four of her teaching peers and one at-large member appointed by the province. These panels usually consist of five teacher/panelists plus the one at-large member said Tootoosis, but only three are required to form a panel quorum.
Testimony regarding the relationship between the teacher and senior student was provided during the Saskatoon hearing that led the panel to arrive at their decision, which now leads to the penalty hearing.
The discipline panel that was struck in Saskatoon will provide a recommendation to the STF's executive council that will ultimately determine the course of action that will be taken on the penalty side of the process.
Tootoosis said the executive council generally takes one of three main courses of action. The first could be as light as a reprimand while the second would be a suspension of Kwochka's teaching credentials for a period of time or there could be an order to revoke her provincial teaching certificate.
Once the penalty is determined, Kwochka, the former Grade 1 and 2 educator, will have 30 days to appeal the decision.
During the disciplinary hearing it was revealed that the inappropriate liaison with the male student took place from 2011 to 2012.
Kwochka originally denied the relationship when confronted by principal Lloyd Morrison but later admitted it when confronted by information that had been provided to him by other staff members.
The Midale teacher was originally suspended for three days by the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, but when the liaison continued, Kwochka was not allowed to return to her job, and her contract with the public school division was terminated through a mutual agreement, said Cornerstone's human resources superintendent Gord Husband.
Morrison told the disciplinary hearing panel that the student admitted to him that he had a sexual relationship with Kwochka.
The STF has struggled in the past with its dual role of being both advocate and disciplinarian for its membership, and Tootoosis said administrative changes are taking place, based on a recent independent study that provided some helpful recommendations.
"The ultimate goal is to provide for the well being and safety of the students," said Tootoosis who spoke with the Mercury on Jan. 23 regarding the scheduling of the penalty hearing.
