Teachers To Be Notified This Week Of Possible Lay Off

One hundred fifty-five Akron teachers will receive letters this week from Human Resources notifying them that their contracts may be suspended for the 2004-05 school year. The letters are being sent to 97 elementary/middle school teachers and 15 high school teachers (8 Social Studies, 3 Math and 4 English). The least senior teachers in Art (9), Music (9), Phys. Ed. (14), Foreign Language (5) and Home Ec. (3) will also receive letters as will 5 school psychologists.

Teachers will be invited to a meeting at North High School on Thursday, April 15 at which time the reductions and related issues such as recall, insurance coverage and unemployment eligibility will be discussed.

ERI DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE

Association leaders will continue talking this week with the Treasurer in an effort to come up with a retirement incentive that works for the Board and the Association. Three meetings have already been held, including one with a representative from Educators Preferred Corporation, one of the companies offering to tailor a plan to APS.

The goal of any incentive plan is to reduce current payroll costs without creating additional debt for the district in subsequent years. At the same time, the plan has to offer enough of an incentive to attract people to volunteer to retire or resign. We are now examining how various incentive levels affect Board finances when applied to the projected retirement data with which we are working.

We hope to know by the middle of April at the latest whether or not an incentive will be offered

One hundred fifty-five is the number of reductions that would occur if cuts had to be made today. The Board will not act to suspend contracts, however, until after staffing for the 2004-05 school year takes place in late July. A number of things could occur between now and then that would reduce the number of contract suspensions. Each retirement or resignation submitted going forward would save a position. A retirement incentive—if negotiated and if enough teachers participate to make it cost effective—could significantly reduce suspensions. There is also a possibility that some class sizes will be unacceptably large and the Board may recall teachers to reduce those large classes.

This is the second consecutive year in which teacher contracts have been suspended. Last year, approximately 30 teachers were laid off, but all who remained on the recall list have been returned to full time positions.

Over the last three years, the administration has eliminated more than 300 teaching positions. Elementary teachers have been hit hardest, as have the art, music and physical education teachers who provide instruction to elementary students.

AEA Files Grievance Over Supplemental Contract, Alternative School Cuts

The Association has filed a grievance over the elimination of certain supplemental contracts and the middle school alternative school programs. The cuts were among those recommended by the administration as part of a plan to reduce next year’s expenditures by $10.8 million. The Board approved the plan at its March 8 meeting.

Supplemental contracts for A/V Coordinator, Assistant Cheerleader Advisor, Future Educators Club Advisor, Bowling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director were cut, as were the eight Middle School Alternative programs. All of the above have been negotiated and are included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Association believes the Board vote violates the contract and the law because as part of the Agreement, the elimination of the positions is a mandatory subject of bargaining. Of course, no bargaining to remove the supplementals and the alternative programs from the Agreement ever took place.

Request to Reopen Contract Talks Rejected

AEA has denied a Board request to immediately reopen contract talks to bargain a modification of the fringe benefit package. The request came on the heels of the Board’s vote to eliminate 143 bargaining unit jobs on March 8.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement allows either party to request negotiations in the middle of a contract. But both sides must agree to reopen.

Over the last three years, the district has cut nearly 300 teaching positions. Using the Treasurer's per capita health care cost of $10,520, the district will not pay $3.2 million in health care costs next year that it would have paid had the 300 positions not been eliminated.

AEA to be Flagship Sponsor of Breast Cancer Walk

We are proud and pleased to announce that AEA has agreed to be a Flagship Sponsor of the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. The walk will take place in Akron next fall.

Early next school year, we will begin organizing a team of 100 (minimum) members for the walk. Each volunteer will be asked to raise pledges. We are also responsible for providing a $5000 nominal corporate contribution. The contribution will be raised through a series of events between now and August 2005 when it becomes due.

Mark Your Calendar Now!

AEA Members Golf Tournament – May 22 Brookledge Country Club

AEA Night at the Stadium – May 28

Watch for flyers in your building after spring break.

All proceeds to benefit Cancer Walk

Members Petition for Seats on AEA Board

The following have submitted petitions for election to Elementary District Representative seats on the AEA Board of Trustees:

Buchtel District - Grace Tome (Schumacher Central District - Sarah Hodge (McEbright) East District - Carol Caughron (Barber)Ellet District - Nora Jones (Betty Jane)Firestone District - Lisa Feist (Essex), Jacqueline Ricks (Ott SDC)

Garfield District - David Owen (Voris) Kenmore District - Connie Kubilus ( Smith) North District - Darlene Sakac (Bettes)

In districts where only one candidate is running to fill a position, the AEA Treasurer will cast a ballot electing the candidate and no voting will take place in the district.