William Siegferth

After graduating from the University of Akron, Bill began his teaching career with the Akron Public Schools in 1972 as a fifth grade teacher at Heminger Elementary School in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood. Shortly after, he became an active member of the Association, serving as Building Representative, Chairman of the Contract Preparation Committee, Second Vice President, Elementary, and First Vice President. He was elected to his first term as president of the organization in 1983.

During those years, Mr. Siegferth has made a contribution to the teaching profession and to the betterment of teachers in a real practical way. He has initiated and negotiated policies, benefits, programs and career options that have directly improved the working conditions, professional status and personal lives of Akron’s 2,000 teachers. A few of these initiatives include: Job Sharing that allows teachers to share a job and meet family or other obligations, while at the same time remain in the classroom. Now in place for more than 20 years, the program has proven to be an especially important benefit to teachers who have young children of their own. He has negotiated teacher participation in school governance through Building Leadership Teams with authority that allows teachers the ability to share in building level decisions. He has negotiated provisions that give teachers more control over their career decisions with access to transfers and an unrestricted leave provision that can permit them an opportunity to explore career options. He has worked on novel approaches to issues that range from school safety to access to supplies.

In addition, he has filled many roles as president of one of the largest of the independent teachers’ unions in the country. Daily, he has acted as a counselor and advisor to teachers, including many who have experienced difficulty in either their professional or personal lives—in a way that goes well beyond any job description. He probably understands collective bargaining better than most labor attorneys. His approach to professional problems is a practical problem solving one that frequently helps the district’s administration resolve difficult issues. He has been the key and constant figure with a type of interest-based bargaining which has achieved early agreements now for more than a decade. Over the years, he has also worked with representatives of other urban districts in state wide efforts on behalf of public education. He is well known and widely respected by the presidents and officers of other Ohio urban districts. Additionally, he has most recently served as co-chair of The Ohio Eight, and organization made up of the superintendents and presidents of the eight largest city school systems in Ohio.

AEA vice president, Mike Rusnak, remarked that "throughout his entire career, Bill has been a champion for teachers and for the students in their classrooms." He added that "If you subscribe to the belief that good working conditions create a better teaching environment—ultimately to the benefit of children—then few others in this area or in this state that have contributed as much."

The AEA sincerely thanks Bill for his many years of hard work, all of his efforts on behalf of the teachers and students, and we wish him the best of luck & much, much happiness!

Bill Siegferth, who has led the Akron Education Association more that two and a half decades, will retire at the end of May 2010. Bill has had a long and distinguish career with the Association. During most of those years, he has been a passionate advocate for teachers and the teaching profession, as well as for issues important to teachers, the students in their classrooms, and to public education itself. After graduating from the University of Akron, Bill began his teaching career with the Akron Public Schools in 1972 as a fifth grade teacher at Heminger Elementary School in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood. Shortly after, he became an active member of the Association, serving as Building Representative, Chairman of the Contract Preparation Committee, Second Vice President, Elementary, and First Vice President. He was elected to his first term as president of the organization in 1983. During those years, Mr. Siegferth has made a contribution to the teaching profession and to the betterment of teachers in a real practical way. He has initiated and negotiated policies, benefits, programs and career options that have directly improved the working conditions, professional status and personal lives of Akron’s 2,000 teachers. A few of these initiatives include: Job Sharing that allows teachers to share a job and meet family or other obligations, while at the same time remain in the classroom. Now in place for more than 20 years, the program has proven to be an especially important benefit to teachers who have young children of their own. He has negotiated teacher participation in school governance through Building Leadership Teams with authority that allows teachers the ability to share in building level decisions. He has negotiated provisions that give teachers more control over their career decisions with access to transfers and an unrestricted leave provision that can permit them an opportunity to explore career options. He has worked on novel approaches to issues that range from school safety to access to supplies. In addition, he has filled many roles as president of one of the largest of the independent teachers’ unions in the country. Daily, he has acted as a counselor and advisor to teachers, including many who have experienced difficulty in either their professional or personal lives—in a way that goes well beyond any job description. He probably understands collective bargaining better than most labor attorneys. His approach to professional problems is a practical problem solving one that frequently helps the district’s administration resolve difficult issues. He has been the key and constant figure with a type of interest-based bargaining which has achieved early agreements now for more than a decade. Over the years, he has also worked with representatives of other urban districts in state wide efforts on behalf of public education. He is well known and widely respected by the presidents and officers of other Ohio urban districts. Additionally, he has most recently served as co-chair of The Ohio Eight, and organization made up of the superintendents and presidents of the eight largest city school systems in Ohio. AEA vice president, Mike Rusnak, remarked that "throughout his entire career, Bill has been a champion for teachers and for the students in their classrooms." He added that "If you subscribe to the belief that good working conditions create a better teaching environment—ultimately to the benefit of children—then few others in this area or in this state that have contributed as much." The AEA sincerely thanks Bill for his many years of hard work, all of his efforts on behalf of the teachers and students, and we wish him the best of luck & much, much happiness! (Scroll down for more photos of Bill)	As 5th grade teacher at Heminger School in the 1970's In the 1984 & 1988 contracts, and below, addressing the membership, having just completed his first term as AEA president in 1985
AEA Elementary VP in 1978	At public education rally in in Columbus in 1998
Meeting with other AEA officers while serving on a committee in 1978	Receiving the Strides Quilt in 2008
The 29th annual AEA Night at the Stadium 5/21/2010	Building Habitat House, 1991
With fellow North High School alumni and Akron teachers at the 2007 AEA retired teachers' dinner. Grandpa	With Strides Walkers