ROEA Reporter
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Executive Board
Sidney Kardon
Uniserv Director
Royal Oak Education Association |
IT TAKES A VILLAGE, PART II In last month’s Reporter we thanked the many members who helped us obtain a new contract. In this month’s Reporter we want to look ahead and tell you who is actively working on your behalf for the 2007-08 academic year. The Executive Board is responsible for contract maintenance, overseeing the implementation of our budget and communications with the MEA and NEA. Our Executive Board members are Marcia Rauschendorfer, ROHS, Executive Vice-President; Chris Baer, Upton, Program Vice-President; Nicole Murawski, ROHS, Treasurer; Dave Stafford, Addams, Secretary; Betty Ann Garlak, Addams, Political Action Committee Chairperson; Karen Christensen, Northwood, Elementary Director; Barbara Pollis, ROMS, Middle School Director; Jennifer Browne, ROHS, High School Director; Todd Noonan and Tracy Crawley, ROHS, MEA Delegates; and Betty Ong, ROHS, NEA Delegate. Laurie Moore is our MEA Uniserv Director. At the building level we are served by our Association Representatives and the Building Faculty Committee. Our ARs are the communications network between the building and the Executive Board. The BFC oversees day to day operations of our schools and establishes the agenda for faculty meetings. The following members are serving as Association Representatives, Alternates, and BFC members:
Addams Early Childhood Center
– Theresa Vernier,
AR, Mary Beth Morrison, Alternate
Adams –
Ryan Knapp, AR, Betty Ann Garlak, Alternate
Keller –
Michelle Piwko, AR, Kara Daunt, Alternate
Northwood
– Patty Hein, AR, Karen Christian, Alternate
Oakland –
Jack Donnellon and Amy Morrell, ARs
Oak Ridge
– Mary fletcher, AR
Upton –
Marcie McLellan and Bonnie Attan, ARs
ROMS –
Dave Copp, Danielle Masouris, Barbara Pollis, ARs; Nancy Dreyer, Mary
Siwajek, Alternates Churchill – John Hughes, AR
ROHS –
Jolie Booser, Linda Flynn, Kim Gogola, Dee Richardson, Jo Fetsco, ARs; Mia
Gutierrez, Alternate This year we have an additional ad hoc committee which is the Professional Learning Community/Middle School Committee. The members representing us on that committee are Jim Gordon and Mary Kosnick, Elementary Reps, Barbara Pollis and Debbie Taylor, Middle School Reps, and Neil Drilich and Alec Snyder, High School Reps. It takes hard work and commitment to get the job done. Thank you to everyone who will be responsible for our success this year. |
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NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
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CONTRACT FEATURE PAID LEAVE DAYS The basic structure of our new language for paid leave days remains the same. We continue to get eleven paid leave days a year, three of which can be used for personal business. And all unused days carry over into the next year. However, there are substantial and positive changes in some areas. The most important change is in the use of paid leave days to care for immediate family members. We had numerous conflicts with Administration over the interpretation of the previous language. The ROEA’s interpretation of the language was that all of a teacher’s accumulated leave could be used to care for immediate family members. The Administration’s claim was that we could only use up to five (5) days for this purpose. Our persistence in demanding sick leave for the care of family members resulted in language which clearly allows for up to sixty days of accumulated paid leave to be used in the care of immediate family members. An immediate family member is a spouse, child, parent living in the same household as the teacher, and anyone who qualifies as an IRS dependent of the teacher (a child away at college, for example.) Additionally, the contract states that approval for days beyond sixty (60) “shall not be unreasonably withheld.” This means that if a teacher can show a continuing need to care for a family member, we can grieve an administrative denial for the additional days. The other change in paid leave language is in the area of personal leave. All of our personal leave days are now discretionary. In the previous contract, only one day was discretionary, the other two required signing a form affirming that you would not be using the day for a nefarious purpose such as a social function, educational conference, or (God forbid) a recreational pursuit. Personal business days can now be used for any purpose that you wish. Additionally, the new contract states that we are notifying Administration that we are utilizing personal business days, rather than requesting their use as in the previous contract. As in the past contract, Joint Committee approval is still required for days that would extend a school holiday. |
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POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE Editor’s note: Sid wrote to
Congressman Sander Levin about the No Child Left Behind Act. Here is the
letter along with Levin’s response. October 21, 2007
Congressman Sander M. Levin Dear Congressman Levin: I have learned from the National Education Association that the current draft of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill includes merit pay based on test scores. I am opposed to merit pay based upon test scores. Merit pay is inherently divisive amongst staff and will interfere with teachers working as a team to enhance student learning. Moreover, given that test scores are a product of previous leaning in combination with current learning, it is impossible to attribute test scores to any one particular teacher. If a district’s aggregate scores are connected to performance pay, than local school boards will quickly abrogate their responsibility to pay teachers fairly, relying instead on federal pay-for-performance funds. This would lead to pay disparity between teachers based on the overall socioeconomic status of a district as SES correlates more highly with student achievement than any other factor. I urge you to vote against any ESEA reauthorization that supports merit pay. Our teachers in Royal Oak work diligently during the school day and afterwards to ensure that our students receive a great education. Merit pay would have no bearing on their high level of professionalism and dedication to students. Thank you for your time and interest in students and their teachers.
Sincerely,
Cc: Congressman George Miller, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 15, 2007
Mr. Sidney Kardon Thank you for contacting me about performance based pay for educators. Your views on this issue are important to me. I share your concerns about basing teacher salary on student test scores. As you know, the House Education and Labor Committee has released draft language of legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that would provide annual bonuses for teachers and principals rated “exemplary” based on a number of factors, including evaluations by principals, teachers, and student learning gains. While I believe that having high standards for teachers and students is a good thing, I would be concerned with the federal government interfering in local collective bargaining issues and believe the issue of teacher pay is a local one. As Congress debates changes to No Child Left Behind, I hope you will continue to be in touch. I hope you will continue to stay in touch on issues of concern to you. If you would like to receive weekly updates on the activities in Congress, please sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter on my website. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely, |
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Laurie
Moore, Executive Director
Reservations Required
For reservations, contact Sandy at the MEA Office
Damon A. Wilson, CEBS, MEA Financial Services Regional Manager and Paradigm Equities, Inc. Registered Principal,* has over 15 years experience in employee benefits and will be present to discuss your questions and concerns |
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