January, 2005

Executive Board

Sidney Kardon
   President
Marcia Rauschendorfer
   Executive Vice-President     
Christine Baer
   Program Vice-President
Jennifer Jump
   Secretary
Beth Morrison
   Treasurer
Barbara Pollis
   Middle School Director
Pat Hein
   Elementary Director
Vince Caruso
   High School Director
Betty Ong
   NEA Third World Delegate
Tracy Crawley
   MEA Delegate
Kara Daunt
   MEA Delegate
Stuart Asch
   NEA Delegate
Nila Wilson
   NEA Third World Delegate
Betty Ann Garlak
   PAC Chairperson

EXECUTIVE BOARD SUPPORTS BOND

At our December 14^th meeting, the Executive Board unanimously endorsed the District’s bond proposal.  Two specific actions were taken.  The first was to support the request of  the Friends of Royal Oak bond committee for financial assistance.  We will be requesting PAC money from the MEA to contribute to the bond’s success.  The second action was to endorse the committee’s “10/10/2” plan. This calls for each of our teachers to support the bond by contributing $10, sending 10 post cards of support to Royal Oak voters whom you know personally, and volunteering 2 hours of time for bond activity such as phone calls, addressing envelopes, poll watching and other assignments requested by the committee.

The committee’s request for our participation is an acknowledgement of the respect that students, parents, and community members have for our teachers.  As the experts in best teaching and learning practices, our input is valued by the community.  When we wholeheartedly endorse the bond, it tells the community that it is an important and worthwhile endeavor for the district, one which will enhance learning by providing a safer, healthier, and more productive environment for ourselves and our students.

The District’s last bond proposal in June, 2002 was also supported by the Association.  However, the community was sharply divided over the bond.  The new proposal is well organized and many community organizations have come together to support it.  The theme of the bond proposal is “Right Plan! Right Time!”

The new bond proposal differs substantially from the previous one. With the exception of Northwood Elementary School which will be rebuilt, the new proposal focuses on refurbishing and upgrading our beautiful old buildings with new heating and cooling

systems, electrical and plumbing upgrades, safety enhancements and technology improvements.  The bond will be a significantly less costly one for the community with a shorter payback period.

If passed, the bond will result in better working and teaching conditions for us and a better learning environment for our students.  Everyone wins.  As ROEA members, it is our professional responsibility to always endeavor to create a better learning environment for our students.  Please do your part to help create a better school district by joining your colleagues on the Executive Board and working for the passage of the bond on February 22^nd.  Betty Ann Garlak, our PAC Chairperson, and Linda Flynn, our former Vice President are working with the Friends of Royal Oak.  Betty Ann works at Starr; Linda works at Kimball.  Feel free to contact them with any questions that you may have.  You can also contact MEA Uniserv Director Paul Chambers or me at 248/358-4770.

An Opportunity Too Good to Miss

All too often I’ve heard the words “I wish I had known earlier,” “No one ever told me,” or “I regret not doing it.”  I have never heard the words “I’m glad I didn’t” or “What a waste of money.”  What I am referring to is the option to purchase years of service credit toward your retirement.  This is a win-win situation.  You provide yourself with the opportunity to retire up to 5 years early if you choose.  Should your circumstances change and you choose not to or are unable to retire you have simply contributed more money toward your retirement.

The least expensive time to purchase your years is right NOW!  The cost per year is determined by your age, years of service, type of service you purchase and salary.  For example, an employee several years into his career purchased 5 years for approximately $35,000.  Another employee, very close to retirement had to pay $13,000 for one year.  The earlier you do this the better.

There are several types of credit you can purchase.  Military service, previous employment, sabbatical time and maternity time are only some of the credit service options available.  There are also several payment choices.  They include direct payment (lump sum), rolling over approved funds, and signing up for tax-deferred deductions from your paycheck.

Before you think to yourself  “no way” or “retirement is too far away,” I urge you to first of all, speak to your colleagues, especially teachers with higher years of seniority.  Ask them if they purchased years or not and how it has affected them.  For further information contact the State of Michigan Public Schools Retirement System.  Their web site is www.michigan.gov/ors and another site is ORSCustomerService@michigan.gov.  The phone number is (800) 381-5111.  I would also be happy to answer any questions that I am able to or point you in the direction where you can get what you need.  I can be reached through the schools email system.  Good luck and don’t miss your opportunity!

Contract Feature

Joint Committee

The Joint Committee meets monthly. The Association members are Executive Vice President Marcia Rauschendorfer, MEA Uniserve Director Paul Chambers, and me. The Administration is  represented by Superintendent Tom Shorkey, Assistant Superintendent Sandra Standel, and Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Barbara Evoe. The issues that we work on are brought to us by your association representatives at our monthly representative assembly meetings. Administration also brings issues to the Joint Committee.

In addition to the specific responsibilities of administering the sick bank  and addressing personal leave requests that extend a holiday, the Joint Committee functions as a contract maintenance committee. This can involve contract provisions which are ambiguous and need clarification, issues which may evolve into future bargaining issues for inclusion in a new contract, and other issues of concern to teachers and administrators. A sample of issues that have recently been discussed at Joint Committee may help clarify its purpose.

An issue that has been discussed for several months is the number of students in our high school swim classes. Our physical education teachers have felt that the number of students permitted in swim class by contract (40) is too high to insure a safe environment. During our discussions, the Association focused on the safety recommendations of the Red Cross. The Administration surveyed the number of students in swim classes in other districts. As a result, the number of students in swim classes this year has been adjusted to 34. This is a helpful adjustment which may evolve into a bargaining proposal for our next contract so we can insure that safe conditions in swim class are maintained.

Last month we discussed a problem with the implementation of the discretionary day portion of the personal leave language in the contract. The Association has maintained that a discretionary day was originally negotiated into the contract so that teachers did not have to sign the personal leave form which states the reasons that are not acceptable for the use of personal leave. Our concern was that signing the form means that the personal leave day becomes a defined day and not a discretionary day. The Administration’s concern was that they would have no way of knowing when a discretionary day was being used without a written form. As a result of the discussion, Sandra volunteered to work on revising the current form in a way that will take into consideration the concerns of our members
and the needs of the Administration.

Other issues that have been discussed recently are enhancing the sick leave severance pay of retiring teachers by the use of a tax sheltered annuity and the availability and appropriate use of unfiltered computers at the secondary schools. Currently under discussion is the use of planning time which is in excess of the 200 minutes stipulated by the contract. We have also talked about an early resignation incentive plan and are anticipating a report from a company with whom the Administration has consulted.

There is no limit to what can be discussed at Joint Committee. Its purpose is to help resolve issues in order to insure that problems do not interfere with our contractual rights and our ability to do our jobs well. It can be a slow process (we have been discussing the swim class issue since last year, for example), but more often than not one that allows for solutions which accommodate everyone’s needs.

MID YEAR
PARTY!

Thursday, January 20th
3:15—7:30
Royal Oak Elks Club
2401 E. Fourth Street

Pizza, snacks, and beverages will be provided.
50-50 raffle for our scholarship fund