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AEA New Members Luncheon

AEA New Members Luncheon. 2012-2013. Welcome!. Show of hands: First time teachers? 1 - 3 years? 4 -10 years? 11 - 20 years? Member of a union ? Grow Up in a union household?. AEA. Representing Arlington teachers continuously since 1927

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AEA New Members Luncheon

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  1. AEANew Members Luncheon 2012-2013

  2. Welcome! Show of hands: First time teachers? 1 - 3 years? 4 -10 years? 11 - 20 years? Member of a union? Grow Up in a union household?

  3. AEA • Representing Arlington teachers continuously since 1927 • Arlington Education Association is proud to be the voice for teachers on issues like: • New Educator Evaluation System • High Expectations for Students • Professional Standards for Teachers • New Common Core Standards

  4. AEA at Work There are thousands of organizations in the fields of education and labor, but only ONE has the primary purpose of: • Improving your working conditions, benefits, and salary • Representing you and your interests in the workplace

  5. Executive Officers 2012-2013 • President: Linda Hanson (K-8 Reading) • 1st Vice President: Siobhan Foley (Elementary) • Treasurer: Amy Duke (Ottoson Middle School) • Secretary: Valerie Sarazen(Arlington High School) • Immediate Past President: Ron Colosi (Ottoson Middle School) I always wanted to be an executive!

  6. Building Representatives Arlington High School: David Moore, John Bookston, Moira Byer Ottoson Middle School: Judy Packer, Linda Tomilson Bishop: Annette Brubaker, Liz Higgins Brackett: Diane Vergnani Dallin: Open Hardy: Marsha Mann Peirce: Evelyn DeRosa Stratton: Ellen Mendes Thompson: Lynne Dichter, Nicole Melnick

  7. Take Your Turn! • Just like with PTO and School Council, ALL teachers should plan to do a 2 year rotation as a building representative once you have achieved PTS – Professional Teacher Status

  8. Communication • Weekly AEA Updates • Only one e-mail a week! • “Important Contract Dates” handout

  9. AEA Website Webmaster: Rebecca Bell www.arlington.massteacher.org Loaded with Information: New Teacher Handbook Contract Bylaws AEF Grant Information Useful Forms AEA #1 Union!!!

  10. Active Membership! 12% of members involved in committee work

  11. AEA Committees • Sick Leave Bank • Grievance Committee • Special Education Committee • Educator Evaluator Committee • Superintendent’s Advisory Committee • Committee to Research Feasibility of Allowing Children of APS TeacherstoAttend APS Schools

  12. New Contract • Ratified 3 Year Contract: 2012-2015 • Pay Scale COLA increases 2.5%, 2%, 2% (+steps) • 2012-2015 Integrated Contract Document in process….

  13. Benefits at a Glance • 15 Sick Days • 2 Personal Days – use or lose! • 2+ Professional Days • Special Education Liaisons and Therapists: 2 Days during school year for report writing etc…

  14. Religious Observation Absences are allowed for religious holy days when your religious beliefs require an absence from school. • Not deducted from personal/sick days • Advance notice required (48 hours)

  15. Sick Bank • For members who have exhausted their own sick leave and who have a serious illness • Every member deposits one day in the sick bank as of first day of employment in APS • Grant from sick bank of up to 30 days • Sick Bank Committee in charge of processing requests according to criteria in the contract

  16. Other Types of Leave • Bereavement • Maternity • Sabbatical • Military • Parenting/Adoption Details are in the contract….

  17. Temporary Absence Form • Ask your building secretary for a “Temporary Absence Form” • Fill out and submit to principal • 48 hour advance notice except in emergency • Approval received via interoffice mail • AESOP System for reporting all absences

  18. These Are Sensitive Times • Maintain professional boundaries at all times • No rides • Avoid touching • No closed door, one-on-one help sessions • Use school e-mail for professional purposes only, use home e-mail for everything else, including communicating potentially sensitive matters about any work related situations

  19. Thoughts on • You are now a public figure! • Only post what you would want your grandmother orsuperintendent to read/see • If you plan to set up a student group, create a new profile and keep it very businesslike (athletic teams and school clubs)

  20. At the first sign of a problem… • No “dumb” questions • Come to the AEA • Get in touch with your Building Representative • The sooner the better • Weingarten Rights: an employee’s right to union representation at any meeting with the employer in which misconduct is being discussed or investigated. Weingarten was the name of the company in the US Supreme Court decision that defined these rights. But really, invite a Building Rep. “buddy” to any meeting for moral support.

  21. Decision Making Shift

  22. Taking Charge of Issues(or making the best of tough times) • Health Insurance Reform – GIC + HRA • Pension Reform • New Mass. Educator Evaluator System • Fought back on the STAND ballot initiative that would have eliminated Professional Teacher Status for part time teachers • Fought to retain the right to collectively bargain parts of the new Educator Evaluator system

  23. What’s an HRA? Health Reimbursement Account • All co-pays of $100 or more reimbursed: Emergency Room, High Tech Imaging, Inpatient/Outpatient Surgery • Out of Pocket Cap: $1,250/$2,500 • Forms on APS Website: Health/Dental Benefits – Health Reimbursement Form

  24. Political Action! Mary Cummings – LPAT Chair Legislative and Political Action Committee – Senate District Val Sarazen – “PAL” Political Action Leader • Activate MTA members to help elect pro-education, pro labor, MTA endorsed candidates in local races, at the state level (Warren) and at the national level (Obama) • Power in Numbers- 140,000 active and retired MTA members! • Become an LPAT Member • mcummings@massteacher.org

  25. Anti-Union Sentiment • Wisconsin • Ohio • Indiana • Maine • Florida We need all the help we can get to retain our collective voice in Massachusetts! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_United_States_public_employee_protests

  26. Campaign for Our Communities • Push for Mass. Legislation to restore revenue to support education and other vital community services • Long term lack of sufficient revenues at state level hurting teacher salaries and working conditions (past 30 years cut $2.5 billion annually) • Threatening to have a long-term negative impact on the quality of education we can provide • Target – Fall 2013 to pass legislation www.ourcommunities.org

  27. New Educator Evaluator System • Arlington will implement in 2013-2014 • MTA helped develop the new state framework • MTA providing extensive guidance to help implement the system • Using MTA Model Contract Language for negotiations

  28. Key Features • All teachers will participate in establishing their own goals • All teachers will participate in collecting evidence to support the successful completion of their goals • More frequent observations with feedback • Teachers are more actively involved than in the past • Overall goal = increase capacity to meet student needs within a continuous improvement system

  29. New ELL Regulations • Adopted in June 2012 as a result of US Dept. of Justice finding of civil rights violations • Too many ELL students placed with teachers not trained to best meet student needs • New training requirements – stay tuned!

  30. MTA Resources www.massteacher.org MTA – Advocating Toolkits • Educator Evaluator • ELL Regulations • Revenue Toolkit • Track Mass. Legislation • Invest in Our Communities • Legislative Scorecard • Budget Spreadsheets

  31. Licensure Questions • AEA plans to host a Teacher Licensure workshop in 2012-2013 to go over licensure issues and requirements • Show of hands I want to teach!

  32. Don’t Be a Stranger! • Arlington Public Schools has a very collegial working environment • Talk to your Building Representative • Our goal is to help you do your best • If we all work together, we can do great things! • Please participate and let us know what you think and how we can help AEA is here to help!

  33. E-Mail Policy • We will sign you up for our weekly AEA updates unless you direct us not to • Blind Copy • Effective, efficient way to communicate

  34. Questions so far?

  35. Why Join the MTA? • Seat at the Table • Locally – Contract, Health Insurance Bargaining • Statewide – Educator Evaluator System, Pension Reform • Nationally – ARRA Funding, National Education Policies • We Have Your Back! • Due Process in Disciplinary or Termination Hearings • Legal Representation and Liability Protection • We Save You $$ • MTA Discount Group Life, Home, Auto Insurance and Mortgage Refinancing and Financial Services

  36. Teacher Voice in Education Policy Recent MTA Poll: “When it comes to improving public schools, whose opinion do you trust and value most?” • Teachers: 54% • Parents of School Age Children: 44% • Principals and Administrators: 31% • Business Leaders, such as Bill Gates: 9%

  37. AEA/MTA/NEA The local, state and national teachers’ organizations are your opportunity to influence policies and practices that shape your daily work life and the education field. We hope you will join us in using that voice!

  38. Agency Fee Union membership is a condition of employment in the Arlington Public Schools: AEA/School Committee Contract Article XXII, Section A Employees have the right to choose to pay an “agency fee” instead of full union dues. The agency fee for a full time Unit A member is $379.

  39. Agency Fee Payer Not entitled to • Representation in dismissal/suspension case • Representation against child abuse case • Assistance with criminal charges if assaulted at work • Representation against employment discrimination • Liability coverage for workplace related lawsuits • Ineligible for MTA discount life, auto, travel insurance, mortgage refinancing, and financial services

  40. AEA-MTA-NEA • Arlington Education Association – Local Level • Mass. Teachers Association – State Level • National Teachers Association – National Level Full TimePart Time (50% or Less) AEA $128 $64 MTA $480 $240 NEA $180 $100 TOTAL $788 $404

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