The Springfield Teacher - Springfield Education Association

The Springfield Teacher
Vol. 37 | Issue No. 9 |
May 2016
We have finally received a response from the School Committee’s representatives and have a date for our first bargaining session which is May 11, 2016. We
waited for over two months for their response to our request to start bargaining.
The Bargaining Team has been meeting every week for the last three months
going over members’ responses to the Bargaining Team survey. Over 70 percent of our members took the time to respond to our survey. The Team has
been fashioning proposals that are based on members’ concerns.
I ask each of our members to check out the results of the survey that will be posted on May 12 on the
SEA website. After we meet with the School Committee’s representatives to exchange proposals, we will
then put the SEA proposals on the website.
This is the initial statement from the Team:
Springfield Education Association (SEA) members are highly trained, highly dedicated, and
highly effective professionals who care deeply about our schools.
We are fighting for dignity and respect, just and equitable working conditions
and freedom to use our knowledge, creativity and expertise to
create the schools our students deserve.
We want a contract that provides:
Dignity and Respect – frees us to teach; values our knowledge, expertise and
Creativity
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More time to teach and provide students with a joyous environment within the existing workday
Full and rich curriculum that educates the whole child
Provisions for the needs of acting out students
Less paperwork, data analysis, and digital record keeping
Less testing and more holistic data analysis
Fewer new initiatives
Sufficient time and resources to implement new initiatives
More time to prepare and plan within the existing workday
Meaningful voice in decisions that affect our schools and classrooms
School environments free from administrative bullying
Professional Development that meets educators’ needs
Teacher designed and implemented lesson planning
“I CANNOT
TEACH
ANYBODY
ANYTHING.
I CAN ONLY
MAKE THEM
THINK.”
—SOCRATES
Continued on next page
Visit us on the web at www.seateachers.com and on Twitter at @SEAspringfield
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Justice and Equity for educators and students
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Support for the social, emotional needs of students
Provisions for the needs of acting out students
Additional paras to help struggling students
Physically safe buildings
Working technology for all
Increased Compensation
Sick days re-instated
Supplies and books
Equitable caseloads
We encourage all members to give us your feedback and be willing to participate in ways that will help move the process forward
so we can secure a contract that will move us to achieving the schools we, our students, and the community deserve.
Yours in solidarity,
Timothy T. Collins
President
The MTA Summer Conference will be from Sunday, July 31 to Thursday, August 4, on the campus of the
University of Massachusetts Amherst. We are busy making arrangements for a full schedule of professional
development opportunities, leadership and organizing trainings and social and recreational activities. All
members are welcome to attend.
Questions: Contact SEA at 413-782-8300 or email [email protected]
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ESSA: A NEW OPPORTUNITY
Maureen Colgan
Posner
The new Every Student Succeeds Act suggests that States use more than just test
scores to assess a school’s success in meeting the needs of all students. It’s called the
Opportunity Dashboard. Imagine if BESE
actually listened and redesigned the way
they measure schools’ successes – small
class size, resources, libraries! And, what if
the state leaders were held accountable for
the fact that they are not meeting the requirements for equal opportunity for all of
our students because of inequitable
funding! Clearly, our next battle is to convince our state reps and senators that they
do their job and fund our schools fully and
that they need to make sure our own BESE
starts to implement the new federal regulations. A team from SEA will be attending
an NEA training on ESSA at the end of
May . We will have more information in the
next newsletter.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
I had the chance to speak on a town hall conference call with Lily Eskelsen Garcia,
President of the National Education Association, and two other teachers, one from
Tennessee and another one from Buffalo, NY. We each spoke about what our local
is doing to educate our members about the new Every Student Succeeds Act and
implement the new requirements.
There were also survey questions that were done as part of the broadcast. One I
thought was very telling. They asked if the listeners felt their members were excited about the changes ESSA could affect. Seventy-Five Percent said they thought
their members didn’t understand or know about the new law. I think that is probably true for Springfield as well.
I talked about two aspects of the new law that could change the nature of our jobs
here in Springfield. I talked about the fact that Professional Development should
be “used to enhance collaboration” and that teacher-led professional development
should be aligned with students’ learning needs. It also makes it clear that teachers’ voices should be heard when making decisions about what is best for our students. ESSA “Requires consultation with organizations representing educators in
multiple places, ensuring that teachers and their local unions have a say in decision-making.”
We have posted on the SEA website a cheat sheet of some of the highlights of the
new Every Student Succeeds Act. The new law is meant to include teachers voices
in various aspects of educational decision making . Finally, something that makes
sense! Go to the SEA web page and check out the changes.
KUDOS TO
MARIA BAEZ !
Maria is an active member of the
Organizing Committee and has
taken the lead on organizing the
SEA Children’s holiday party,
bus trip to Foxwoods and a bus
trip to the Bronx Zoo. She has
done an outstanding job putting
these events together and our
members have truly enjoyed
them. Thanks Maria for all of
your hard work!
CHECK YOUR
PAYSTUBS
Don’t forget to check your pay
stub every time you’re paid, and
don’t ignore any discrepancies
you find. Mistakes can be costly!
Visit SEAteachers.com for more
information.
Maureen Colgan Posner
What is the WILD Summer Institute? WILD is an inspirational educational program that provides women with the leadership vision, confidence and skills to become more effective leaders and organizers in the Massachusetts labor movement. The program begins with dinner on Friday, June 24th, and ends Sunday, June 26th with workshops on leadership
development, understanding racism, and a variety of skill-building workshops. There are also opportunities to network
with other labor sisters and have a lot of fun! The Institute ends at 3pm on Sunday, June 26th.
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NEWS from the Empowerment Zone
In the fall of 2014, the SEA and the District negotiated a contract that covers Chestnut North,
Chestnut South, Chestnut TAG, Duggan, Forest Park, Kennedy, Kiley, Van Sickle Academy and
Van Sickle IB in order to avoid a state takeover of six of those schools. Subsequent to the contract settlement, DESE, the District, and Empower Schools (a non-profit headed by former gubernatorial candidate and philanthropist, Chris Gabrieli) signed an Agreement to set up the
Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (the Zone or SEZP) to manage these schools. The
Zone is governed by a board consisting of three people appointed by the Springfield School
Committee and four people appointed by DESE. The current Board Members are: Mayor Sarno, Superintendent Warwick, and Chris Collins (Vice Chair of the School Committee) appointed
by the School committee, John Davis (Senior Trustee, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation),
Beverly Holmes (local business woman and former DESE Board member), James O'S. Morton
(former Springfield resident, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston and current
DESE Board member) and Chris Gabrieli, who chairs the Board.
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Teacher Leadership Teams
Peter J. Reese
SEA Grievance Chair
School Committee
Meeting Dates
Below are the School Committee
meeting dates for May and June
2016 .
Unless otherwise indicated, all regular meetings will be held in Room
220, City Hall, 36 Court Street;
Springfield, MA. Working Sessions
will be held at a location of the committee’s choice. The regular meetings will begin at 6:30 P.M. Working Sessions, Speak Outs, and Meetings with Student Representatives
will begin at 6:00 P.M.
May 26, 2016
Regular Session
June 16, 2016
Retirees Recognition
June 23, 2016
Regular Session
Teacher Leadership Teams (TLT) are required under the Zone contract. Article 22
states:
“Each school will implement a process to engage teachers in the development of the
School’s Operational Plan. Engagement of teachers must be substantive and
allow for opportunities for leadership to both share information and receive feedback from teachers in the building to ensure staff support and
buy in.…. All schools must have a teacher leadership team as the vehicle for
shared decision making at the school level…” (emphasis added)
To accomplish this, one representative from each grade level, and one representative
of an “other” group (people not assigned to a specific grade level) will be elected in a
secret ballot election run by representatives of the SEA in the fall. In addition, the
principal may appoint one Unit A member to the TLT. This model of the TLT can be
changed if the faculty of a school decides that it would like the TLT to deviate from the
“default” model; the new model is approved by the TLT, and is brought to the SEZP
Board for approval.
It is not too soon to start thinking about who, on your team, would be the best person
to represent you on the TLT next year. SEA recommends that you want someone who
will ensure that your voice is brought to the TLT meetings, is able to speak up when
they do not agree with something that is said, and will guarantee that shared decision
making occurs by ensuring the true two-way communication occurs between the TLT,
your team, and the full faculty.
The role of the TLT is to participate in the development and approval of the annual
school operational plan which addresses areas defined in the contract such as allocation of discretionary funds made available to the principal, school curriculum issues,
the school calendar, professional development, schedule for staff and students, class
size, family –teacher communication, class coverage, etc..
It is expected the TLTs will meet before or after school to allow additional staff to observe as required by the contract; that the TLT will develop and implement a process
for identifying agenda items, and establish a process for engaging staff outside the TLT
in discussions. We hope that true teacher empowerment will happen through the
TLTs.
All of this information can be found in Article 22 of the SEZP contract which can be
found on the SEA website: www.seateachers.com
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Do you need to pass the Math
MTEL?
If so, Arvind Karnik leads a free MTEL math class every Thursday afternoon in room 416 at Sci-Tech from 4:00 to 7:30. The
classes are free and all are welcome to join in at any time.
Do you need to pass other MTELs?
The District will also be offering sessions for the Communication & Literacy, Foundations of Reading, and General Curriculum MTELs this spring. Watch My Learning Plan for an announcement about when they will be happening.
SEA/MTA/NEA
Dues for Year 2015
January – June
13 Pay Periods @ $39.45 = $512.85
August – December
9 Pay Periods @ $40.55 = $364.95
Total—$877.80
TRADITIONAL PAINTERS
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Interior and Exterior repairs-walls, floors,
doors, trim
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Windows glazed, porches, decks repaired
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Pipe railings fabricated and installed
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Wooden shakes replaced
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Broken ropes replaced on old windows
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Paint interior and exterior
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Clean Gutters
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10 Year Guarantee
Reasonable, Reliable, References
Call Edward Haley III
(413) 654-6120 or 575-2406
10% labor discount for teachers
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REMINDER:
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We are open the second and third
Thursday of each month.
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We will not accept materials published before 2010.
• We will only accept donations on the
days that we are open.
• Please do not leave any materials on
the loading dock.
Established in August of 2013, the SEA Committee of Retired Teachers created an environmentally
responsible way for recycling resources to help Springfield Public School teachers. On a monthly
basis, retiring teachers, teachers who are taking new assignments, local businesses and organizations are given the opportunity to divert usable materials – both purchased and homemade - which
are then repurposed, organized, and made available to current teachers. Teachers, if you don’t have
time, your para may shop for you.
When: We are open the second AND third Thursday of each month. A Springfield Public School I.D. is
needed for shopping.
Time: 3:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
Location: 70 Tapley St. in the Congressman Richard E. Neal Municipal Operations Center at the corner
of St. James Avenue and Tapley Street and across the street from Oak Grove Cemetery. Please use glassed-in
front entrance and follow signs for Tools 4 Teaching. Tools 4 Teaching will follow the SPS schedule for school
closings (snow days and/or emergencies).
I’m Your Handyman!
*Plumbing
*Electrical
Piano Lessons: all levels and
all ages
*Carpentry
$25.00 1/2 hour
Large or small, I do it all!!
Piano tuning $125
Bud Wagner
Nic Z—413-626-4215
(former Putnam Vocational Teacher)
860-657-5709
References
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SEA Spring Social
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Where: Elks Lodge Pavilion, 440 Tiffany Street, Springfield
When: June 15, 2016, 3:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M
Admission: $3.00 per person, children 10 and under are FREE!
Cash Bar
Raffles
Face Painting
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs etc.
Reserve your tickets by emailing [email protected], type “Picnic” in the subject line, include your name, school and the number of tickets needed – adult/children. Your tickets will be
waiting for you at the event. For any questions, please call the SEA office at 782-8300. This is a fun
event!! We hope to see you there!!!
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Storytelling for grown-ups!!!
LATEST RETELL NEWS
What to do after July 1.
Information is available on the most recent MTA RETELL Advisory which is available at seateachers.com.
You can also view DESE's April 8 memo at seateachers.com which outlines SEI Endorsement requirements
after July 1.
Who: The Springfield Storytellers - Keeping the tradi-
DESE is making it easier for local districts to become
approved providers. SPS will be providing a free RETELL course again next year for SEA members.
tion alive!
For more information call Dan: 508-280-4666
Questions: Please contact
Where:
Beth Shevlin at [email protected],
SEA Community Room,
1 000 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
When:
7P.M. Friday May 20, 2016 (the third Friday
of every month)
NEW ENGLAND
CONSULTING SERVICE
Gary Gilardi [email protected]
The RETELL team at the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education, at [email protected].
Looking for a Vacation Week ?
When: Friday, July 15-22, 2016
Where: Wyndham Long Wharf, Newport RI
GRADUATE COURSES FOR EDUCATORS
3 Graduate Credits
67.5 PDPs
4.5 CEUs in 5 classes
Beyond the Writing Process:
Imagination as Motivation
(PRDV 76618)
Susan Gilbert
Condominium
Waterfront view
Two bedroom (Sleeps 8)
Indoor/outdoor pool
Cost: Reasonable
Check out pictures at:
http://www.wyndhamnewport.com/resorts
Contact: Audrey Murph 413 374-6258
Instructor
This course is appropriate for all educators
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Bronx Zoo Bus Trip
Bus fare: is $25.00 (No Refunds)
Admission: to the Bronx Zoo is free on Wednesdays!!
Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Leaving from: Springfield Central High at 7 A.M.
Returning to: Springfield Central High at approximately 8:30 P.M.
To register, please call the SEA Office at 782-8300 and speak to Joanna or Nancy. Payments should be brought or mailed to the SEA
Office at: 1000 Wilbraham Rd. #2, Springfield MA 01109. Please include your name, email address, phone number and how many
adults/children are going.
President
Timothy Collins
At-Large Members
Vice President
Maureen Colgan Posner
Margaret Fitzpatrick
Luis Fialho
Gisella Grimaldi
Ivelisse Lescano
Rebecca Rowland
Stephanie Greenberg
Charlesetta Smith
Treasurer
Kelli Nielsen
Secretary
Brenda Dunn
SEA E-mail Addresses
Phil Dowgiert
David Tilley
Josie Stellato
Arlindo Alves
Timothy Collins
[email protected]
Peter J. Reese
[email protected]
Joanna Ferrentino
[email protected]
Maureen Colgan-Posner
[email protected]
Charlene Lonczak
[email protected]
Paige Lawor
[email protected]
Email General Information or Questions to:
[email protected] or visit www.seateachers.com
Marianne Gleason
Springfield Education Association @ 1000 Wilbraham Rd, Springfield, MA 01109
TEL: 782-8300 | FAX: 783-8812 | E-MAIL: [email protected] | WEB: www.seateachers.com
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