AEA New Members

AEANew Members Luncheon2012-2013

1Welcome!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?

AEARepresenting Arlington teachers continuously since 1927Arlington Education Association is proud to be the voice for teachers on issues like:New Educator Evaluation SystemHigh Expectations for StudentsProfessional Standards for TeachersNew Common Core Standards

AEA at WorkThere 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 salaryRepresenting you and your interests in the workplace

Executive Officers 2012-2013President: 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! Building RepresentativesArlington High School: David Moore, John Bookston, Moira ByerOttoson Middle School: Judy Packer, Linda TomilsonBishop: Annette Brubaker, Liz HigginsBrackett: Diane VergnaniDallin: OpenHardy: Marsha MannPeirce: Evelyn DeRosaStratton: Ellen MendesThompson: Lynne Dichter, Nicole Melnick

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

CommunicationWeekly AEA UpdatesOnly one e-mail a week!Important Contract Dates handout

AEA WebsiteWebmaster: Rebecca Bellwww.arlington.massteacher.orgLoaded with Information:New Teacher HandbookContractBylawsAEF Grant InformationUseful Forms

AEA #1 Union!!!

Active Membership!12% of members involved in committee work

AEA CommitteesSick Leave BankGrievance CommitteeSpecial Education CommitteeEducator Evaluator CommitteeSuperintendents Advisory CommitteeCommittee to Research Feasibility of Allowing Children of APS Teachers to Attend APS Schools

New ContractRatified 3 Year Contract: 2012-2015Pay Scale COLA increases2.5%, 2%, 2% (+steps)2012-2015 Integrated Contract Document in process.

Benefits at a Glance15 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

Religious ObservationAbsences are allowed for religious holy days when your religious beliefs require an absence from school.Not deducted from personal/sick daysAdvance notice required (48 hours)

Sick BankFor members who have exhausted their own sick leave and who have a serious illnessEvery member deposits one day in the sick bank as of first day of employment in APSGrant from sick bank of up to 30 daysSick Bank Committee in charge of processing requests according to criteria in the contract

Other Types of LeaveBereavementMaternitySabbaticalMilitaryParenting/Adoption

Details are in the contract.

Temporary Absence FormAsk your building secretary for a Temporary Absence Form Fill out and submit to principal48 hour advance notice except in emergencyApproval received via interoffice mailAESOP System for reporting all absences

These Are Sensitive TimesMaintain professional boundaries at all timesNo ridesAvoid touchingNo closed door, one-on-one help sessionsUse school e-mail for professional purposes only, use home e-mail for everything else, including communicating potentially sensitive matters about any work related situations

Thoughts onYou are now a public figure!Only post what you would want your grandmother or superintendent to read/seeIf you plan to set up a student group, create a new profile and keep it very businesslike (athletic teams and school clubs)

At the first sign of a problemNo dumb questionsCome to the AEAGet in touch with your Building RepresentativeThe sooner the betterWeingarten Rights: an employees 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.

Decision Making Shift

Taking Charge of Issues(or making the best of tough times)Health Insurance Reform GIC + HRAPension ReformNew Mass. Educator Evaluator SystemFought back on the STAND ballot initiative that would have eliminated Professional Teacher Status for part time teachersFought to retain the right to collectively bargain parts of the new Educator Evaluator systemWhats an HRA?Health Reimbursement AccountAll co-pays of $100 or more reimbursed: Emergency Room, High Tech Imaging, Inpatient/Outpatient SurgeryOut of Pocket Cap: $1,250/$2,500Forms on APS Website: Health/Dental Benefits Health Reimbursement Form

Political Action!Mary Cummings LPAT Chair Legislative and Political Action Committee Senate DistrictVal 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 Membermcummings@massteacher.org

Anti-Union SentimentWisconsinOhioIndianaMaineFlorida

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

Campaign for Our CommunitiesPush for Mass. Legislation to restore revenue to support education and other vital community servicesLong 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 provideTarget Fall 2013 to pass legislation www.ourcommunities.org

New Educator Evaluator SystemArlington will implement in 2013-2014MTA helped develop the new state frameworkMTA providing extensive guidance to help implement the systemUsing MTA Model Contract Language for negotiations

Key FeaturesAll teachers will participate in establishing their own goalsAll teachers will participate in collecting evidence to support the successful completion of their goalsMore frequent observations with feedbackTeachers are more actively involved than in the pastOverall goal = increase capacity to meet student needs within a continuous improvement system

New ELL RegulationsAdopted in June 2012 as a result of US Dept. of Justice finding of civil rights violationsToo many ELL students placed with teachers not trained to best meet student needsNew training requirements stay tuned!

MTA Resourceswww.massteacher.org

MTA Advocating ToolkitsEducator EvaluatorELL RegulationsRevenue ToolkitTrack Mass. LegislationInvest in Our CommunitiesLegislative ScorecardBudget Spreadsheets

Licensure QuestionsAEA plans to host a Teacher Licensure workshop in 2012-2013 to go over licensure issues and requirementsShow of hands

I want to teach!Dont Be a Stranger!Arlington Public Schools has a very collegial working environmentTalk to your Building RepresentativeOur goal is to help you do your bestIf 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!E-Mail PolicyWe will sign you up for our weekly AEA updates unless you direct us not toBlind CopyEffective, efficient way to communicate

Questions so far?

Why Join the MTA?Seat at the TableLocally Contract, Health Insurance BargainingStatewide Educator Evaluator System, Pension ReformNationally ARRA Funding, National Education PoliciesWe Have Your Back!Due Process in Disciplinary or Termination HearingsLegal Representation and Liability ProtectionWe Save You $$MTA Discount Group Life, Home, Auto Insurance and Mortgage Refinancing and Financial ServicesTeacher Voice in Education PolicyRecent 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%

AEA/MTA/NEAThe 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!

Agency FeeUnion 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.Agency Fee PayerNot entitled toRepresentation in dismissal/suspension caseRepresentation against child abuse caseAssistance with criminal charges if assaulted at workRepresentation against employment discriminationLiability coverage for workplace related lawsuitsIneligible for MTA discount life, auto, travel insurance, mortgage refinancing, and financial services

AEA-MTA-NEAArlington Education Association Local LevelMass. Teachers Association State LevelNational Teachers Association National Level

Full Time Part Time (50% or Less)AEA $128$64MTA $480$240NEA $180$100TOTAL $788$404