Lunchroom supervision has recently become an issue in our district. Some elementary buildings seem to be making a move to have teachers eat lunch with their students in an effort to emulate the very successful Eat, Exercise, Excel program instituted by the staff at Anthony Elementary. This a situation that has been clearly defined by the professional negotiations act (PN Act) as well as by three separate Kansas Supreme Court rulings.
In a nutshell, lunchroom supervision, which includes having students eat in a classroom, is voluntary by virtue of the fact that is has been defined as a supplemental duty, distinct and separate from our primary teaching contract. The law also requires that remuneration for supplemental duties must be bargained.
Below is information from Lily Kober, our UniServ director:
The PN Act references supplemental duties as a mandatory subject of bargaining.
The case law is from the Kansas Supreme Court decisions: Swager, Swanson and Hachiya-Livingston.
Swager was the first. It was the case that drew a bright line between primary contracts and supplemental contracts and the fact that supplementals cannot be linked to the primary job.
Swanson was the case that determined that bargaining teams could not bargain away an individual’s right to turn down a supplemental.
Hachiya-Livingston clarified that supplementals are determined by the nature of the work and not when the work occurred.
So, just because the work, lunchroom supervision, occurs during the duty day, they still cannot force teachers to do it. The PN Act clearly lists lunchroom supervision as an example of a supplemental duty.
Below are listed the case names and numbers of the three cases:
Swager v. Board of Education USD 412
Kan. App. 2d 648 (1984)
USD 241 v. Swanson
11 Kan App. 2d 171 (1986)
Hachiya v USD 307
242 Kan. 572, 750 P. 2d 383
(This case actually involves two teachers - Robert Hachiya and Cheri Livingston - so you may see reference to the Livingston name.)
The PN Law referred to above is the Professional Negotiations Act, KSA 72-5413. Item "o" under the definitions section says:
(o) "Supplemental contracts" means contracts for employment duties other than those services covered in the principal or primary contract of employment of the professional employee, and shall include but not be limited to such services as coaching, supervising, directing and assisting extracurricular activities, chaperoning, ticket taking, lunchroom supervision, and other similar and related activities.
The fact that the above types of activities are considered mandatory subjects of bargaining means that a school district cannot unilaterally set policy regarding these activities. Supplemental contracts are voluntary, and pay for the supplemental activities must be negotiated by the two parties.
A “lunchroom,” by the way, does not necessarily have to be a cafeteria. It could be a classroom within which students eat.
As always, if you have specific questions about this information, please e-mail us: lneanews@gmail.com
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Food for Thought
From the back page of this week's NEWSWEEK:
THE LAST WORD
Anna Quindlen
Write and Wrong
A teacher who is psyched about engaging struggling students learns that bureaucracy is more important than pedagogy.
Jul 21, 2008 Issue
Each year in the state of Indiana, librarians, teachers and students compile a list of 20 nominated books for the Eliot Rosewater Award, named after a character in the work of Kurt Vonnegut, a native of the state. This year one finalist was "The Freedom Writers Diary," which makes even more bizarre what happened to Connie Heermann, tossed from her classroom for trying to use that same book as a teaching tool.
In the months since Heermann was placed on an 18-month suspension without pay by the school board in Perry Township, her case has been ballyhooed as errant censorship. But it's really a cautionary tale about what's too often the ruling principle in American public education: the timidity and inefficiency of powerful bureaucracies far removed from the daily lives of either teachers or kids.
A bit about "The Freedom Writers Diary": the book grew out of the work of Erin Gruwell, who was once a newbie teacher in a class of at-risk students in California. "At risk" is edu-code: it most often means the students in question are poor, minority, have chaotic home lives, are likely to drop out. Gruwell decided that the road to success for her students was to get them to write their lives. They kept diaries about everything from self-doubt to incest to gang membership. Some of the students used profanity and racial slurs, but a reader notices that as their writing improves, that disappears. As Gruwell says, "As they wrote more, they made better choices." They also had better lives. The students in Gruwell's classes started out believing they might not survive high school—literally. By the end of the book, they're heading to college.
Which brings us back to Heermann, whose students at Perry Meridian High School were not much different from the ones in the diary and who she hoped would see their struggles—and their potential—within its pages. After attending a training session last summer with Gruwell, she came home psyched. She persuaded a local businessman to pay for 150 copies of "The Freedom Writers Diary," but her principal asked her to hold off using it until the central office could take a look. That's unusual—most teachers use materials other than approved textbooks in their classes, and Heermann had done so before—but she started the year with John Grisham's "The Street Lawyer" instead. A lawyer visited the classroom, and students wrote letters to the author. "My kids were loving it," Heermann says. "They were even reading ahead." The engagement that had led Gruwell's students to success in school was in full flower, and Heermann decided it was time for empowerment, and the diary.
Here are the bare facts of what happened next: Heermann sent out permission slips to parents, virtually all of whom signed them. She informed the central office that she would be distributing the books on Nov. 15, and did. Almost immediately she was told to collect the books, and to keep a list of the names of those who did not comply. Most of the kids refused to hand over their copies. And before you could say "free exchange of ideas," Heermann was told that if she didn't resign, she would be fired.
Did I mention that she'd been teaching for 27 years, and that she paid for all those copies of the Grisham book herself?
It's hard to unearth exactly why someone was so hell bent on keeping "The Freedom Writers Diary" out of this classroom. Maybe it was the use of a particular racial slur, the one that keeps getting people riled about "Huckleberry Finn" and that provides the perfect teachable moment for discussing racial divisions in America—at least if you're not paralyzed by cowardice. You have to wonder whether the school-board members even read the book. Maybe they never made it to the entry by the student who said, "Who would have thought of the 'at risk' kids making it this far? But we did, even though the educational system desperately tried to hold us down." It's a they said/she said situation, difficult to parse because so much took place behind closed doors. The board lawyer said Heermann was told not to use the book and she did so anyhow. She says after months of silence from higher-ups, she assumed they just didn't care.
If the school board of Perry Township wanted to counter "The Freedom Writers Diary," it certainly did. The book teaches that open discussion about challenging subjects is always best, that engagement always trumps silence. The members of that board were outraged by alleged insubordination when they should have been outraged by the glacial pace of decision-making by their top administrators. Insubordination is what built this country, and a glacial pace in education means you lose kids.
Have I mentioned that it's hard to get really good people to become teachers?
Connie Heermann will be teaching three courses in the fall at a local community college. She'll be making less than $5,000, but she's grateful for the opportunity. She was forbidden to contact her students after her job was yanked out from under her, was forced to go overnight from a powerful presence in their lives to a complete cipher. What made it worse was that she knows they are kids who assume they'll get the shaft. That's what "at risk" means, too. She hears that some stopped going to class. It looks as though her students are not going to wind up the way Erin Gruwell's did. That makes her so sad, but she doesn't regret what she did. "You know what?" she says. "My students have the book. They kept the book!" And then her voice breaks.
© 2008
THE LAST WORD
Anna Quindlen
Write and Wrong
A teacher who is psyched about engaging struggling students learns that bureaucracy is more important than pedagogy.
Jul 21, 2008 Issue
Each year in the state of Indiana, librarians, teachers and students compile a list of 20 nominated books for the Eliot Rosewater Award, named after a character in the work of Kurt Vonnegut, a native of the state. This year one finalist was "The Freedom Writers Diary," which makes even more bizarre what happened to Connie Heermann, tossed from her classroom for trying to use that same book as a teaching tool.
In the months since Heermann was placed on an 18-month suspension without pay by the school board in Perry Township, her case has been ballyhooed as errant censorship. But it's really a cautionary tale about what's too often the ruling principle in American public education: the timidity and inefficiency of powerful bureaucracies far removed from the daily lives of either teachers or kids.
A bit about "The Freedom Writers Diary": the book grew out of the work of Erin Gruwell, who was once a newbie teacher in a class of at-risk students in California. "At risk" is edu-code: it most often means the students in question are poor, minority, have chaotic home lives, are likely to drop out. Gruwell decided that the road to success for her students was to get them to write their lives. They kept diaries about everything from self-doubt to incest to gang membership. Some of the students used profanity and racial slurs, but a reader notices that as their writing improves, that disappears. As Gruwell says, "As they wrote more, they made better choices." They also had better lives. The students in Gruwell's classes started out believing they might not survive high school—literally. By the end of the book, they're heading to college.
Which brings us back to Heermann, whose students at Perry Meridian High School were not much different from the ones in the diary and who she hoped would see their struggles—and their potential—within its pages. After attending a training session last summer with Gruwell, she came home psyched. She persuaded a local businessman to pay for 150 copies of "The Freedom Writers Diary," but her principal asked her to hold off using it until the central office could take a look. That's unusual—most teachers use materials other than approved textbooks in their classes, and Heermann had done so before—but she started the year with John Grisham's "The Street Lawyer" instead. A lawyer visited the classroom, and students wrote letters to the author. "My kids were loving it," Heermann says. "They were even reading ahead." The engagement that had led Gruwell's students to success in school was in full flower, and Heermann decided it was time for empowerment, and the diary.
Here are the bare facts of what happened next: Heermann sent out permission slips to parents, virtually all of whom signed them. She informed the central office that she would be distributing the books on Nov. 15, and did. Almost immediately she was told to collect the books, and to keep a list of the names of those who did not comply. Most of the kids refused to hand over their copies. And before you could say "free exchange of ideas," Heermann was told that if she didn't resign, she would be fired.
Did I mention that she'd been teaching for 27 years, and that she paid for all those copies of the Grisham book herself?
It's hard to unearth exactly why someone was so hell bent on keeping "The Freedom Writers Diary" out of this classroom. Maybe it was the use of a particular racial slur, the one that keeps getting people riled about "Huckleberry Finn" and that provides the perfect teachable moment for discussing racial divisions in America—at least if you're not paralyzed by cowardice. You have to wonder whether the school-board members even read the book. Maybe they never made it to the entry by the student who said, "Who would have thought of the 'at risk' kids making it this far? But we did, even though the educational system desperately tried to hold us down." It's a they said/she said situation, difficult to parse because so much took place behind closed doors. The board lawyer said Heermann was told not to use the book and she did so anyhow. She says after months of silence from higher-ups, she assumed they just didn't care.
If the school board of Perry Township wanted to counter "The Freedom Writers Diary," it certainly did. The book teaches that open discussion about challenging subjects is always best, that engagement always trumps silence. The members of that board were outraged by alleged insubordination when they should have been outraged by the glacial pace of decision-making by their top administrators. Insubordination is what built this country, and a glacial pace in education means you lose kids.
Have I mentioned that it's hard to get really good people to become teachers?
Connie Heermann will be teaching three courses in the fall at a local community college. She'll be making less than $5,000, but she's grateful for the opportunity. She was forbidden to contact her students after her job was yanked out from under her, was forced to go overnight from a powerful presence in their lives to a complete cipher. What made it worse was that she knows they are kids who assume they'll get the shaft. That's what "at risk" means, too. She hears that some stopped going to class. It looks as though her students are not going to wind up the way Erin Gruwell's did. That makes her so sad, but she doesn't regret what she did. "You know what?" she says. "My students have the book. They kept the book!" And then her voice breaks.
© 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Welcome New Teachers!
Welcome to Leavenworth Public Schools!
Leavenworth NEA congratulates all new teachers for choosing a great place to work. USD 453’s teachers and staff are among the most caring and professional individuals around. We know you’ll be happy here!
Representatives of LNEA will be hosting lunch for teachers new to the district on August 6 at Central Office, and will be presenting information about the benefits of membership.
Whether you're a prospective member or have been with us for a long time, please take some time now to consider the benefits of belonging to our teachers’ association!
* News, practical information and teaching tips
* A professional network of colleagues
* Staff development opportunities
* Liability insurance protection and legal assistance
* Local teacher rights resources
* A voice in the Kansas legislature
* Personal financial advice and a great discount program
For more details on the benefits of membership, check out the Kansas-NEA website: ks.nea.org
If you have questions about NEA please call:
Linda Schukman - 913-727-5141
Ginger Riddle - 913-727-2617
Or e-mail: lneanews@gmail.com
Leavenworth NEA congratulates all new teachers for choosing a great place to work. USD 453’s teachers and staff are among the most caring and professional individuals around. We know you’ll be happy here!
Representatives of LNEA will be hosting lunch for teachers new to the district on August 6 at Central Office, and will be presenting information about the benefits of membership.
Whether you're a prospective member or have been with us for a long time, please take some time now to consider the benefits of belonging to our teachers’ association!
* News, practical information and teaching tips
* A professional network of colleagues
* Staff development opportunities
* Liability insurance protection and legal assistance
* Local teacher rights resources
* A voice in the Kansas legislature
* Personal financial advice and a great discount program
For more details on the benefits of membership, check out the Kansas-NEA website: ks.nea.org
If you have questions about NEA please call:
Linda Schukman - 913-727-5141
Ginger Riddle - 913-727-2617
Or e-mail: lneanews@gmail.com
Monday, July 7, 2008
KanTell Survey Results
Hello once again!
KNEA has posted a link to the results of the survey that we took last winter. The survey deals with teachers' opinions of time, staff development, leadership, staff development, facilities and mentor programs. Results are posted only for schools that had a 40% or greater participation. It is interesting information:
http://www.kantell.org/reports/index.php
Just copy and paste the address into your web browser.
KNEA has posted a link to the results of the survey that we took last winter. The survey deals with teachers' opinions of time, staff development, leadership, staff development, facilities and mentor programs. Results are posted only for schools that had a 40% or greater participation. It is interesting information:
http://www.kantell.org/reports/index.php
Just copy and paste the address into your web browser.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Contract Ratification Information
Happy Summer, folks!
Below is a copy of the ratification letter that will go in the mail to you soon. The letter will be accompanied by a copy of the proposed salary and supplemental scales, along with a post card. Please mark your vote on the card and drop it in the mail to us as soon as possible. We must receive your vote by July 17 in order for it to count.
Thanks for all your support this year.
For Your Consideration-
Tentative Agreement on Negotiated Agreement for the 2008-2009 Contract Year
On June 23 your LNEA negotiating team reached tentative agreement with the board’s team regarding the terms and conditions of your employment for the 2008-09 contract year.
Below is a summary of the changes that have been tentatively agreed to and require your approval. These changes to the contract are a package and will not take effect until teachers and board vote to ratify this agreement.
Enclosed are salary and supplemental scales, as well as a post card for you to vote in favor of or against approval of the negotiated agreement. Please mark your vote and drop this card in the mail as soon as possible. The card must be received by July 17.
* Increase salary an average of 4.5% (increase of $600 to base pay plus step and level movement, if applicable). No additional contributions to health fringe.
* Increase elementary planning time from 220 minutes per week to 250. Minimum 20-minute blocks of time.
*Decrease total number of contract days for teachers from 189 to 186.
*Increase total number of teacher work days (no meetings) from 4.5 to 5 (1.5 days at the beginning of the school year, 1 day at the end of first, second and third quarters, and at least a half day at the end of the fourth quarter).
*Retain binding arbitration of grievances.
*Retain current early retirement benefits, but form a committee to study a phase-out plan that will possibly replace the current policy with a 403b retirement plan contribution.
*Allow mid-year lateral movement on the salary schedule for completion of a degree by Jan 1. Raise goes into effect for the last 6 months of the contract (March paycheck).
*Increase the teacher work day from 7 hours 45 minutes to 8 hours. The additional 15 minutes will be devoted to student instruction. Before/after school teacher time will total 60 minutes, to be split (before/after) by building administration, but time before/after may be no less than 25 minutes (25/35, 30/30 or 35/25).
*Build in a minimum of 2 days for inclement weather (Two days could be missed without having to make up any time. The third day would be the scheduled 4th Monday in April, and that would be a holiday if not needed to make up time).
*Add Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists to the special payment schedule for extended duty day (same as School Psychologists and Social Workers).
*Eliminate requirement to attend/conduct Open House in the fall; only one Back to School Night, to be held no later than the 25th student contact day.
*Eliminate Article 35, Staff Development, which requires training in the Instructional Model within the first two years of employment.
*Maintain current definition of parent conference days: no more than 2 consecutive days, with conference time not to exceed 11 hours and teachers not being required to work more than one day in excess of 8 hours.
*Adjust definition of high school subject areas (regarding teacher load) to reflect current terminology for vocational and computer classes.
*Adjust deadlines for request for lateral movement (June 1) and submission of transcripts (Sept. 20). Pay increase will not occur until October paycheck, but will be the full raise divided by 11.
*Move current rate of pay for teacher substituting for another teacher (.ooo8 of base pay) from Article 8 to the supplemental pay schedule.
*Improve resignation policy to require waiver of resignation fee if a suitable replacement is found.
*Strike language allowing pay to occur at the end of the school year for combining classes when a substitute is not available (pay will occur monthly, as other substitute pay occurs).
*Add paragraph to teacher contract that reads: “Failure by the teacher to maintain teacher certification in the State of Kansas will constitute grounds for cancellation of this contract.”
*Add language to the teacher contract that clarifies pay will occur on the 20th of the month or the workday prior to that if the 20th is a non-banking day.
*Establish a separate contract for supplemental duties.
*Establish non-working days for 08-09 and 09-10 school years:
08-09
Sept 1 – Labor Day
Tues, Nov 11 - Veteran’s Day
Wed-Fri, Nov 26-28 - Thanksgiving
Sat, Dec 20-Sun, Jan 4 – Winter Break
Jan 19 – MLK
Feb 16 – Presidents’ Day
March 16-20 – Spring Break
April 10 – Good Friday
April 27 – Off unless needed for makeup
May 25 – Memorial Day
09-10
Sept 7 - Labor Day
Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day
Nov 25-27 - Thanksgiving
Dec 19-Jan3 - Winter Break
Jan 18 - MLK
Feb 15 - Presidents' Day
March 15-19 - Spring Break
April 2 - Good Friday
April 28 - Off unless needed for makeup
May 31 - Memorial Day
* Add librarian and counselor evaluation tools to the appendix of the negotiated agreement.
If you have questions or comments, please e-mail:
lneanews@gmail.com
Below is a copy of the ratification letter that will go in the mail to you soon. The letter will be accompanied by a copy of the proposed salary and supplemental scales, along with a post card. Please mark your vote on the card and drop it in the mail to us as soon as possible. We must receive your vote by July 17 in order for it to count.
Thanks for all your support this year.
For Your Consideration-
Tentative Agreement on Negotiated Agreement for the 2008-2009 Contract Year
On June 23 your LNEA negotiating team reached tentative agreement with the board’s team regarding the terms and conditions of your employment for the 2008-09 contract year.
Below is a summary of the changes that have been tentatively agreed to and require your approval. These changes to the contract are a package and will not take effect until teachers and board vote to ratify this agreement.
Enclosed are salary and supplemental scales, as well as a post card for you to vote in favor of or against approval of the negotiated agreement. Please mark your vote and drop this card in the mail as soon as possible. The card must be received by July 17.
* Increase salary an average of 4.5% (increase of $600 to base pay plus step and level movement, if applicable). No additional contributions to health fringe.
* Increase elementary planning time from 220 minutes per week to 250. Minimum 20-minute blocks of time.
*Decrease total number of contract days for teachers from 189 to 186.
*Increase total number of teacher work days (no meetings) from 4.5 to 5 (1.5 days at the beginning of the school year, 1 day at the end of first, second and third quarters, and at least a half day at the end of the fourth quarter).
*Retain binding arbitration of grievances.
*Retain current early retirement benefits, but form a committee to study a phase-out plan that will possibly replace the current policy with a 403b retirement plan contribution.
*Allow mid-year lateral movement on the salary schedule for completion of a degree by Jan 1. Raise goes into effect for the last 6 months of the contract (March paycheck).
*Increase the teacher work day from 7 hours 45 minutes to 8 hours. The additional 15 minutes will be devoted to student instruction. Before/after school teacher time will total 60 minutes, to be split (before/after) by building administration, but time before/after may be no less than 25 minutes (25/35, 30/30 or 35/25).
*Build in a minimum of 2 days for inclement weather (Two days could be missed without having to make up any time. The third day would be the scheduled 4th Monday in April, and that would be a holiday if not needed to make up time).
*Add Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists to the special payment schedule for extended duty day (same as School Psychologists and Social Workers).
*Eliminate requirement to attend/conduct Open House in the fall; only one Back to School Night, to be held no later than the 25th student contact day.
*Eliminate Article 35, Staff Development, which requires training in the Instructional Model within the first two years of employment.
*Maintain current definition of parent conference days: no more than 2 consecutive days, with conference time not to exceed 11 hours and teachers not being required to work more than one day in excess of 8 hours.
*Adjust definition of high school subject areas (regarding teacher load) to reflect current terminology for vocational and computer classes.
*Adjust deadlines for request for lateral movement (June 1) and submission of transcripts (Sept. 20). Pay increase will not occur until October paycheck, but will be the full raise divided by 11.
*Move current rate of pay for teacher substituting for another teacher (.ooo8 of base pay) from Article 8 to the supplemental pay schedule.
*Improve resignation policy to require waiver of resignation fee if a suitable replacement is found.
*Strike language allowing pay to occur at the end of the school year for combining classes when a substitute is not available (pay will occur monthly, as other substitute pay occurs).
*Add paragraph to teacher contract that reads: “Failure by the teacher to maintain teacher certification in the State of Kansas will constitute grounds for cancellation of this contract.”
*Add language to the teacher contract that clarifies pay will occur on the 20th of the month or the workday prior to that if the 20th is a non-banking day.
*Establish a separate contract for supplemental duties.
*Establish non-working days for 08-09 and 09-10 school years:
08-09
Sept 1 – Labor Day
Tues, Nov 11 - Veteran’s Day
Wed-Fri, Nov 26-28 - Thanksgiving
Sat, Dec 20-Sun, Jan 4 – Winter Break
Jan 19 – MLK
Feb 16 – Presidents’ Day
March 16-20 – Spring Break
April 10 – Good Friday
April 27 – Off unless needed for makeup
May 25 – Memorial Day
09-10
Sept 7 - Labor Day
Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day
Nov 25-27 - Thanksgiving
Dec 19-Jan3 - Winter Break
Jan 18 - MLK
Feb 15 - Presidents' Day
March 15-19 - Spring Break
April 2 - Good Friday
April 28 - Off unless needed for makeup
May 31 - Memorial Day
* Add librarian and counselor evaluation tools to the appendix of the negotiated agreement.
If you have questions or comments, please e-mail:
lneanews@gmail.com
Monday, June 23, 2008
Settled! Ratification Vote to Come by Mail
Your LNEA negotiating team reached tentative agreement on the terms of your contract, including the negotiated agreement, for the 2008-09 school year.
In a nutshell, we've tentatively agreed to adding $600 to the base, which works out to be an average 4.5% increase. We've agreed to add 15 minutes to the student day, which means we will be working an 8 hour day instead of a 7 hour 45 minute day. In partial compensation for adding the 15 minutes, we also have tentatively agreed to reducing the total number of contract days from 189 to 186, building in some additional inclement weather days, and converting one half day of inservice at the beginning of the school year to additional "work day" time. Work days, uninterrupted by meetings, will occur at the following times: 1.5 days before school begins, 1 full day at the end of first, second and third quarters, and at least one half day at the end of the school year. There will be no increase in the board's contribution to the health insurance fringe benefit.
Elementary planning time has been increased from 220 minutes per week to 250 minutes per week minimum.
We've retained binding arbitration of grievances in the negotiated agreement, and we have retained the early retirement program, but have agreed to form a committee to study the possibility of phasing out the program in favor of an alternative program that perhaps would involve mutual contributions to a 403b. But for now, the early retirement policy has been retained.
There are other changes involving deadlines for lateral movement, supplemental increases for speech pathologists and occupational therapists.
More details and a complete list of proposed changes will be mailed to you early next week. We will send you a summary of all proposed changes to the negotiated agreement, a proposed salary and supplemental schedule, and a postcard for you to vote in favor of or against ratification. We need you to mark your vote and drop it in the mail to us as soon as you can.
The team recommends ratification.
Thanks to all who expressed their support as we worked through the negotiations process this year. We truly appreciate all your efforts.
As soon as you get your ratification information in the mail, if you have questions, please email us at lneanews@gmail.com
In a nutshell, we've tentatively agreed to adding $600 to the base, which works out to be an average 4.5% increase. We've agreed to add 15 minutes to the student day, which means we will be working an 8 hour day instead of a 7 hour 45 minute day. In partial compensation for adding the 15 minutes, we also have tentatively agreed to reducing the total number of contract days from 189 to 186, building in some additional inclement weather days, and converting one half day of inservice at the beginning of the school year to additional "work day" time. Work days, uninterrupted by meetings, will occur at the following times: 1.5 days before school begins, 1 full day at the end of first, second and third quarters, and at least one half day at the end of the school year. There will be no increase in the board's contribution to the health insurance fringe benefit.
Elementary planning time has been increased from 220 minutes per week to 250 minutes per week minimum.
We've retained binding arbitration of grievances in the negotiated agreement, and we have retained the early retirement program, but have agreed to form a committee to study the possibility of phasing out the program in favor of an alternative program that perhaps would involve mutual contributions to a 403b. But for now, the early retirement policy has been retained.
There are other changes involving deadlines for lateral movement, supplemental increases for speech pathologists and occupational therapists.
More details and a complete list of proposed changes will be mailed to you early next week. We will send you a summary of all proposed changes to the negotiated agreement, a proposed salary and supplemental schedule, and a postcard for you to vote in favor of or against ratification. We need you to mark your vote and drop it in the mail to us as soon as you can.
The team recommends ratification.
Thanks to all who expressed their support as we worked through the negotiations process this year. We truly appreciate all your efforts.
As soon as you get your ratification information in the mail, if you have questions, please email us at lneanews@gmail.com
Monday, June 16, 2008
Rats! We're not quite there. Next meeting Monday, June 23, 10am, BOE
We were very hopeful that we could settle today, June 16, but after LNEA presented a counter-proposal to the package presented by the board's team this morning, the board's team said they preferred to call it quits for today, and schedule another session for 10am Monday, June 23.
The good news is that the board's proposal this morning included a 30-minute per week increase in elementary planning time! If this part of the proposal is approved, the minimum minutes required would change from 220 to 250 minutes per week.
We are still trying to settle the issue of how many contract days we will work (less than 189) if we are going to add 15 minutes to the work day. In conjunction with that, we are still talking about how many snow days will be built in, and what the salary and fringe benefit increase will be. The board's proposal this morning offered no increase over their last offer, which was a $500 increase on the base, and zero increase in health fringe benefits. This represents just over a 4% increase (average).
There are other changes to the contract that have been tentatively agreed to, but all that will be spelled out later, after we iron out these final issues.
Many thanks to Kelly Berry and Robin Crim who attended this morning's session to support us. We appreciate their efforts. We hope to see you at the session next Monday. Regardless of that, we will keep you posted. Keep thinking positive thoughts for us, and we'll all hope we can settle next week and get on with our summer.
Linda, Ginger, Betty, Kay and Shad
The good news is that the board's proposal this morning included a 30-minute per week increase in elementary planning time! If this part of the proposal is approved, the minimum minutes required would change from 220 to 250 minutes per week.
We are still trying to settle the issue of how many contract days we will work (less than 189) if we are going to add 15 minutes to the work day. In conjunction with that, we are still talking about how many snow days will be built in, and what the salary and fringe benefit increase will be. The board's proposal this morning offered no increase over their last offer, which was a $500 increase on the base, and zero increase in health fringe benefits. This represents just over a 4% increase (average).
There are other changes to the contract that have been tentatively agreed to, but all that will be spelled out later, after we iron out these final issues.
Many thanks to Kelly Berry and Robin Crim who attended this morning's session to support us. We appreciate their efforts. We hope to see you at the session next Monday. Regardless of that, we will keep you posted. Keep thinking positive thoughts for us, and we'll all hope we can settle next week and get on with our summer.
Linda, Ginger, Betty, Kay and Shad
Monday, June 2, 2008
We're Getting Close!! Next Meeting, 10am Monday, June 16.
Contract negotiations began at 10am Monday morning (June 2) and ended at 4pm. The day began with a set of counter-proposals from LNEA, then the board’s team took a 3-hour caucus to craft a counter-proposal. We took a long lunch to discuss the possibilities, came back to the office at 1:30 and heard their counter-proposal. We took about a 45-minute caucus and presented another counter. The board at that point suggested that we schedule another meeting for 10am Monday, June 16, to give Kevin Gullett an opportunity to attend a school finance workshop in Topeka. Kevin is hoping he will learn how to squeeze a few more dollars out of the budget for teachers, so we believe it’s to everyone’s advantage to wait.
Here’s the good news:
**The board has dropped its proposal to do away with binding arbitration of grievances.
**The board has also dropped its proposal to do away with the early retirement policy by 2010, in favor of our suggestion to form a committee to study the possibility of a phase-out program that would keep the health insurance benefit intact, and shift the current 5-year payout to a 403b contribution to occur during the teacher’s employment.
**We have tentatively agreed to add 15 minutes to the teacher work day for the purpose of lengthening the instructional day and building in some inclement weather days. (We have also tentatively agreed that this is enough time built in so that the first 3 days missed would not have to be made up.) In trade for working the additional 15 minutes, the length of the teachers’ contract will be reduced from 189 to 186.5 days. In addition, there will be some kind of salary increase yet to be determined. The board’s last offer was ever so slightly more than 4%. We aren’t finished discussing the salary increase.
**Several stipends have been added to the supplemental pay scale, the most significant of which is a tentative agreement to add speech pathologists and occupational therapists to the list of those who are paid for a 30-minute extension of the duty day (just over $3k). This is currently extended to social workers and school psychs. More on the other additions to the supplemental scale later.
We have tentatively agreed to several minor changes to the negotiated agreement – changes in deadlines for application for lateral movement, changes in how the actual physical contract looks, an addition of a separate contract for supplemental duties, as well as a minor change in wording to the evaluation policy and inclusion of the evaluation tools used for teachers, counselors and librarians to the appendix of our agreement.
Here’s what we’re still working on:
In addition to continuing to work on salary, we are also still trying to hammer away at increasing elementary planning time. Non-working days for the 09-10 and 10-11 school years are yet to be determined as well.
Please know that we are continuing to work for a better contract for you, and we will meet at 10am Monday, June 16 at the board office. You are welcome to attend. We appreciate your company.
If you have any questions, please email us at lneanews@gmail.com.
Here’s the good news:
**The board has dropped its proposal to do away with binding arbitration of grievances.
**The board has also dropped its proposal to do away with the early retirement policy by 2010, in favor of our suggestion to form a committee to study the possibility of a phase-out program that would keep the health insurance benefit intact, and shift the current 5-year payout to a 403b contribution to occur during the teacher’s employment.
**We have tentatively agreed to add 15 minutes to the teacher work day for the purpose of lengthening the instructional day and building in some inclement weather days. (We have also tentatively agreed that this is enough time built in so that the first 3 days missed would not have to be made up.) In trade for working the additional 15 minutes, the length of the teachers’ contract will be reduced from 189 to 186.5 days. In addition, there will be some kind of salary increase yet to be determined. The board’s last offer was ever so slightly more than 4%. We aren’t finished discussing the salary increase.
**Several stipends have been added to the supplemental pay scale, the most significant of which is a tentative agreement to add speech pathologists and occupational therapists to the list of those who are paid for a 30-minute extension of the duty day (just over $3k). This is currently extended to social workers and school psychs. More on the other additions to the supplemental scale later.
We have tentatively agreed to several minor changes to the negotiated agreement – changes in deadlines for application for lateral movement, changes in how the actual physical contract looks, an addition of a separate contract for supplemental duties, as well as a minor change in wording to the evaluation policy and inclusion of the evaluation tools used for teachers, counselors and librarians to the appendix of our agreement.
Here’s what we’re still working on:
In addition to continuing to work on salary, we are also still trying to hammer away at increasing elementary planning time. Non-working days for the 09-10 and 10-11 school years are yet to be determined as well.
Please know that we are continuing to work for a better contract for you, and we will meet at 10am Monday, June 16 at the board office. You are welcome to attend. We appreciate your company.
If you have any questions, please email us at lneanews@gmail.com.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Lateral Movement Alert
The latest proposal the board has made to the negotiations team contained an item we feel we should mention to you. The proposal was to eliminate the list of in-district inservices that could count toward lateral movement. The board's lead negotiator explained that he felt teachers should not get lateral movement for inservice taken at the district's expense.
As a result, we feel we ought to encourage any of you who plan to apply for lateral movement to get your application in (and all documentation provided to the board) before July 1, and ideally to get everything in early enough to be approved by July 1. The lateral movement form has a due date of August 20, but if we have to agree to this provision, then the new contract will go into effect on July 1. Even if agreement isn't reached until after July 1, the contract will be retroactive to that date.
LNEA negotiations team
As a result, we feel we ought to encourage any of you who plan to apply for lateral movement to get your application in (and all documentation provided to the board) before July 1, and ideally to get everything in early enough to be approved by July 1. The lateral movement form has a due date of August 20, but if we have to agree to this provision, then the new contract will go into effect on July 1. Even if agreement isn't reached until after July 1, the contract will be retroactive to that date.
LNEA negotiations team
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Negotiations Report
The negotiations team met with the board's team Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 at the BOE. The board presented a proposal that included some tempting things, but it did not include enough of the items that are important to us. This most recent counter-proposal included current language for the grievance procedure - that means they have dropped the proposal to eliminate binding arbitration. But we are far from reaching an agreement. We need an acceptable salary increase, increased fringe benefits, lateral movement for all staff development activities, and increased elementary planning time.
Thanks to all who attended the meeting. We do appreciate your support, and we are glad to hear your suggestions and happy to answer your questions.
The next session has been scheduled for 10am Monday, June 2. Even though your summer will have begun, and you might be tempted to sit on the deck, play with the kids or go shopping, please come join us if you can. We love the company!!
Linda, Ginger, Betty, Shad, Kay and Dennis
Thanks to all who attended the meeting. We do appreciate your support, and we are glad to hear your suggestions and happy to answer your questions.
The next session has been scheduled for 10am Monday, June 2. Even though your summer will have begun, and you might be tempted to sit on the deck, play with the kids or go shopping, please come join us if you can. We love the company!!
Linda, Ginger, Betty, Shad, Kay and Dennis
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Negotiations Update
LNEA's negotiating team met with the board's team Wednesday at 4:30 pm at the board office. We thank those who attended. Your support is much appreciated, and we always look forward to your questions and suggestions. At that meeting, we set another session to occur Monday, May 19 at 5:30, but shortly after the spectators dispersed, the board team informed us that they would be unable to meet at that time. So our next meeting with the board will be as was originally scheduled: Wednesday, May 21 at 4:30 at the board office. We expect to hear a counter-proposal from them at that time. These wheels seem to be grinding slowly. Hopefully we can begin making more progress soon. We appreciate your support and attendance whenever you can manage to be there. Thanks - your negotiating team.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
May Dates Set for Negotiations
We’ve rescheduled our next negotiations sessions, and would like very much to have some support as we get down to the nitty gritty negotiating next year’s contract.
We will meet at the board office from 4:30-6:30 on the following dates:
Friday, May 2
Wednesday, May 14
Wednesday, May 21
Please put these meetings on your calendar and attend, so that you can support your team. It’s especially important that SLPs and OTs attend. The board needs to know how you feel. Also, if you are concerned at all about the possible elimination of binding arbitration and the early retirement program from our negotiated agreement, you need to attend. Again, the team can talk all we want about how the teachers feel in general. It’s something else for the board’s team to see many questioning faces in the audience. YOU are the ones with the power – not us!!
Please support us with your presence.
Dennis, Kay, Janet, Betty, Shad, Linda and GInger
We will meet at the board office from 4:30-6:30 on the following dates:
Friday, May 2
Wednesday, May 14
Wednesday, May 21
Please put these meetings on your calendar and attend, so that you can support your team. It’s especially important that SLPs and OTs attend. The board needs to know how you feel. Also, if you are concerned at all about the possible elimination of binding arbitration and the early retirement program from our negotiated agreement, you need to attend. Again, the team can talk all we want about how the teachers feel in general. It’s something else for the board’s team to see many questioning faces in the audience. YOU are the ones with the power – not us!!
Please support us with your presence.
Dennis, Kay, Janet, Betty, Shad, Linda and GInger
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Negotiations Sessions Cancelled
The next two negotiations sessions, April 15 and April 23, have been cancelled. Kevin Gullett and board members will be busy with a superintendent interview on the 15th, and Mr. Gullett knows the business office will not be finished with the attendance audit before the 23rd. As you know, the final numbers that come out of the attendance audit ultimately affect the budget for next year. Kevin and the business office staff will be much better equipped to make a salary offer once the audit is complete and they've had a chance to run the numbers. We're hoping to agree on a date for the next negotiations session in early May. As soon as we get a date and time set, we will let you know.
Meanwhile, enjoy the spring, and brace yourself for the flurry of end-of-school activities!!
Meanwhile, enjoy the spring, and brace yourself for the flurry of end-of-school activities!!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
New Days and Times Set for Negotiations
Happy Weekend!
The March 11 (Tuesday) negotiations session has been cancelled. Mr. Chapman and Mr. Gullett would like to wait until Mr. Gullett has had a chance to meet with officials in Topeka to determine exactly the amount of money the district will have for next school year. That meeting will not occur until the first week in April. We have scheduled two negotiations sessions in April:
Tuesday, April 15, 4:30pm
Wednesday, April 23, 6pm
Both meetings will occur at the board office. There is a possibility the meeting on April 15 will not happen, because it is an alternate date for superintendent interviews. We will keep you posted.
Your negotiations team,
Janet, Ginger, Kay, Betty, Shad, Dennis and Linda
The March 11 (Tuesday) negotiations session has been cancelled. Mr. Chapman and Mr. Gullett would like to wait until Mr. Gullett has had a chance to meet with officials in Topeka to determine exactly the amount of money the district will have for next school year. That meeting will not occur until the first week in April. We have scheduled two negotiations sessions in April:
Tuesday, April 15, 4:30pm
Wednesday, April 23, 6pm
Both meetings will occur at the board office. There is a possibility the meeting on April 15 will not happen, because it is an alternate date for superintendent interviews. We will keep you posted.
Your negotiations team,
Janet, Ginger, Kay, Betty, Shad, Dennis and Linda
Sunday, March 2, 2008
More Negotiations Meetings Set
Our first meeting with the board's negotiating team went well. We exchanged initial proposals for all items opened, and you have received an e-mail regarding those details. Elimination of the early retirement program by 2010, eliminating binding arbitration of grievances from the grievance policy and eliminating certain special services personnel from the bargaining unit are probably the most alarming proposals presented by the board.
You should have received a summary of our first meeting and a request to complete an electronic survey regarding several issues on Thursday through the school e-mail. If you have not completed the survey, please do so by mid-afternoon today (Sunday, March 2). The LNEA team will be meeting Sunday (today) at 5 to determine what kinds of counterproposals should be presented.
Dates for the next two negotiations sessions have been set: Monday, March 4, 4:30 pm, and Tuesday, March 11, 4:30 pm. Both meetings are scheduled to take place at the board office.
Please attend if you can.
You should have received a summary of our first meeting and a request to complete an electronic survey regarding several issues on Thursday through the school e-mail. If you have not completed the survey, please do so by mid-afternoon today (Sunday, March 2). The LNEA team will be meeting Sunday (today) at 5 to determine what kinds of counterproposals should be presented.
Dates for the next two negotiations sessions have been set: Monday, March 4, 4:30 pm, and Tuesday, March 11, 4:30 pm. Both meetings are scheduled to take place at the board office.
Please attend if you can.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
First Negotiations Session Feb 25, 6pm
Come one, come all to the first negotiations session for the 2008-09 contract. We will meet with the board's team at 6pm on Monday, February 25. Our goal is to have at least 2 people from each building at each negotiations session. We hope this will keep information flowing, and allow some consistent support for your team. Thanks in advance for your interest and support.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
On the Right Track
Thank you for filling out the negotiations survey that was recently sent to you. Good solid data helps us in our decisions as we move through the negotiations process. We will soon be asking you to attend negotiations sessions. We'll let you know the dates as soon as we know!
We want to thank Sue Robertson for her unbelievably diligent work in getting our membership rosters up to date. She contacted many of you, asking for current addresses and teaching assignments, and we thank you for getting back to her with that information. Her work has enabled us to maximize dues dollars in our local account, rather than paying KNEA for members that are no longer with us. Thank you, Sue!!
Janet, Linda and Ginger attended a membership initiative training session in Salina on Friday, Jan. 11. Plans were developed for the second year of our membership push. It's time to move from the theme of "Teachers Sticking Together" to "On the Right Track." LNEA is on the right track to providing you with a positive climate, and the best working conditions possible. Please be ready to help us with our spring membership drive. More on that later.
Speaking of being on the right track, the presidents' regular meetings with Kelly Harris and Kevin Gullett have been very productive and are always framed with positive ideas. Thanks to this collaborative effort, the district is moving forward.
Please don't hesitate to send us an e-mail if you have questions or concerns.
We want to thank Sue Robertson for her unbelievably diligent work in getting our membership rosters up to date. She contacted many of you, asking for current addresses and teaching assignments, and we thank you for getting back to her with that information. Her work has enabled us to maximize dues dollars in our local account, rather than paying KNEA for members that are no longer with us. Thank you, Sue!!
Janet, Linda and Ginger attended a membership initiative training session in Salina on Friday, Jan. 11. Plans were developed for the second year of our membership push. It's time to move from the theme of "Teachers Sticking Together" to "On the Right Track." LNEA is on the right track to providing you with a positive climate, and the best working conditions possible. Please be ready to help us with our spring membership drive. More on that later.
Speaking of being on the right track, the presidents' regular meetings with Kelly Harris and Kevin Gullett have been very productive and are always framed with positive ideas. Thanks to this collaborative effort, the district is moving forward.
Please don't hesitate to send us an e-mail if you have questions or concerns.
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