I. Employee Code of Conduct: The administration has indicated to us that the plan is “on hold,” although Upslope continues its presence in Akron to train principals. The Board’s attorney requested a meeting with us to try to resolve our differences. The meeting included representatives from AACP (the union representing secretaries). No resolution was reached. Both AEA and AACP have filed ULP’s with the State Employment Relations Board.
II. Title II A Expenditures: We are pursuing the question of whether paying Upslope in excess of $100,000 to date from the district’s Title II A funds is appropriate. We have not received a response from the administration to several questions we’ve asked to help us determine whether these payments were appropriate. Title II A funds are staff development funds to be used for attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers. Districts are expected to show how expenditures lead to improved student test scores.
III. “Superbug:” This staph infection is showing up in schools across the country, not just locally. The best way to guard against further spread of the infection is cleanliness and keeping open sores, cuts, abrasions, etc., covered.
IV. Annuity Changes Scheduled for 2009: IRS has revised its code governing 4.03 b. contracts, better known as tax sheltered annuities. Most of the changes concern employers and providers. A few changes may impact contract holders. Because of the additional responsibilities the law places on providers, some may no longer want to do business in school districts where they have only a few clients. Members who hold annuity contracts need not doing anything now, and most likely won’t have anything to do once the changes take effect in 2009.
V. HB 190: This legislation has been passed by the House and the Senate and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The bill started out as one to address statewide testing dates but has grown to include all day kindergarten, background checks and teacher conduct. A summary of the bill has been provided for your information.
VI. HB 152: This bill, first introduced in April, would permit new teachers and teachers with less than five years of service to opt out of STRS in favor of setting up their own 4.01 a. program, which is much like a 4.01 k. account. Such an election by a teacher would be irrevocable. The current member and employer contribution levels would remain the same, except instead of going to STRS, the funds would go to the member’s private account.
VII. HB 315: This bill, introduced in September, would establish a health care fund to subsidize the cost of health care provided by STRS. Employers and members would contribute to this fund through an added 2.5% to the current contribution rates for each, which stand now at 10% for members and 14% for employers.
VIII. Children’s Christmas Party: Saturday, December 8 at North High School from 10 until 12. See flyer.