Building Representatives'
Newsletter
NOVEMBER LEVY CAMPAIGN: The AEA Office will serve as campaign headquarters. The levy (5.9 mills) will appear on the ballot as Issue 78. We will not conduct a separate collection for levy contributions, as ATPAC plans to supplement the collection from the membership drive with funds on hand. We have been asked to contribute $25,000 of the $300,000+ levy budget. Having enough volunteers will be just as critical as fundraising. Volunteers will be needed for: literature drops, yard sign placement and telephoning. Phoning will be most critical. Right now plans call for manning 100 phones each nigh for eight days. We will be enlisting volunteers in the very near future. No one can afford to say they don’t have time to volunteer a few hours.
NEW CONTRACT: We are very close to completing the rewrite of the new contract. Once completed, the document will have to be proofread, and then we will post it on the website. We have not decided whether or not to print the new Agreement, as we will begin negotiating again in a few months.
BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS: We will be interviewing candidates for the four seats up for election on the Board of Education. Two incumbents are running (Linda Omobien and Paul Allison); Becky DiDonato left the Board earlier to take another position, and Mary Stormer is running for city council. There are approximately 9 individuals who have filed with the Board of Elections to have their name on the ballot. Anne Griffith (Heminger) is chair of the AEA Legislative Committee and will be inviting the candidates in for interviews.
SIX HOUR INSERVICE: Teachers will be receiving shortly a menu of inservice offerings which qualify for the work day exemption. ONLY PROGRAMS TAKEN THROUGH THIS CATALOGUE WILL BE
ACCEPTABLE TOWARD THE SIX HOUR COMMITMENT. Keep in mind that this is the first semester this plan is in place. We expect some glitches to occur, but they’ll be dealt with. Also, going forward the program may become more flexible to allow certain inservice activities to take place in home buildings.
TRANSCRIPT DEADLINE: The deadline to submit transcripts for movement across the pay scale is September 30. The date in the AEA calendar is the correct date as printed in the contract; however the deadline is mutually extended each year to give universities adequate time to prepare transcripts after the last summer session.
MAKING STRIDES ON MAKING STRIDES: The campaign is underway in most buildings, although a handful of buildings still do not have a captain.
TRANSFERS: A total of 11 teachers were transferred this week. Staffing targets in the elementary schools were as follows: K – 21, 1- 22, 2- 23, 3- 27, 4&5- 30.
PLAN OF ASSISTANCE FOR PRINCIPALS: In spite of what they would like you to believe, not all of our principals are infallible. Human Resources assures us that principals are made aware of contract changes and of agreements that are reached in Professional Problems Cte. Meetings. That notwithstanding, some principals continue to demonstrate that they cannot understand the written and/or spoken word. For example, in buildings where teachers were being released because of low enrollment, at least two principals failed to solicit volunteers before informing the least senior member in the building. It’s not like this is a new rule…it’s been around longer than I have and, according to HR, the principals were reminded of it in the same email advising them that they had to lose a teacher. Along the same lines, a middle school principal still hasn’t digested a three-year old Professional Problems agreement that exempts coaches from staff meetings and report card pickup nights if they have a scheduled practice or competition.
Trustee Seats Open: Due to transfers and retirements, the following Trustee seats are now vacant: Buchtel elementary (term expires 7/31/06) and the Central, Firestone and Kenmore secondary (terms expire 7/31/07).