File - Webster Teachers Association

Webster Teachers’ Association March ~ April 2012 Edition of The WTA Voice In this edition:  WTA President’s Letter to Members  PAC Updates  Professional Development  WTA Candidates’ Statements  Community Arts Day  Buyer’s Edge: Be an Informed Consumer  Members Benefit: Life Insurance  Counseling in Times of Stress Upcoming Events: NYSUT Representative Assembly 2012 in Buffalo: April 26‐28 WTA Elections  Ballots will be distributed April 23 to Senior Building Representatives  Ballots must be returned by 4pm on May 11th  Ballots will be counted from 4pm ‐ ? on May 15th at Thomas HS in Room 45W Why We’re Losing in the Legislature A number of WTA representatives recently attended the regional NYSUT ED5 & 6 directors meeting, with Maria Neira, the vice‐president of NYSUT, as the main speaker. The APPR was of course a main topic of discussion, as was the recent passage of Tier 6. There are far worse proposals on the horizon, and we all have much to be concerned about. While the passage of Tier 6 is very bad news for all future teachers, and does contribute to the continued devaluation of our labor, we at least dodged a major bullet. Withdrawn from the legislation was the provision that would have required all new members to be given a choice between a defined benefit (pension) plan and a defined contribution (401k‐style) plan. Had this come to pass, the amount of investment money in the NYSTRS system would have been set on a path of continued reduction and ultimate destruction. Since 85% of the funds in the NYSTRS are the returns on investment, those returns would shrink along with the size of the investment pool, and a self‐
fulfilling prophecy would come to pass: our pensions would no longer be sustainable. We have avoided that fate, for now. The question was raised: why did NYSUT compromise on the APPR, and why wasn’t it able to stop Tier 6? Why are legislators seriously considering reducing our collective bargaining rights? Maria Neira gave a simple response: the legislators no longer fear or respect the teachers in accordance with our numbers, because the vast majority of us remain silent. When the call was put out for teachers to sign the on‐line petition opposing Tier 6, only 43,000 teachers did so. That’s less than 10% of the 600,000 teachers in the state. The participation in other calls to action has been equally dismal, and this is why the momentum remains against us, and why we can expect to see more bad legislation in the future. Unless we really put our numbers to work, unless all the teachers across the state decide to take personal responsibility for their own protections, we will not be able to persuade legislators to support us. Each of us is only one person, but each one of us does need to be involved, because it is only by the cumulative efforts of each individual that we can succeed. Please make regular use of the NYSUT Legislative Action Center, and do your part for your own good, and the good of us all. In Solidarity, Steven Turiano Brothers and Sisters, This past month, NYSUT members from around the state converged on Albany to advocate for its members and for students around the state. There were many discussions about Tier 6, APPR, and education funding to local districts. At this point, Governor Cuomo and the leaders from the legislature had already reached an agreement on Tier 6 and pushed it through during the night. While this was disappointing, it is important to remember that the legislative leaders who reached this agreement are not lifetime appointments. NYSUT endorses politicians who are supporters of the best education possible for the students of New York and look out for the thousands of dedicated, professional educators across the state. There is frustration with the lack of information and consistency from the NYS Department of Education regarding state testing and the APPR criteria. As PAC Chairs, we are doing our best to advocate for consistency and fairness in the new review system. A disturbing new issue that has come up recently is the publication of teachers’ test scores. This is problematic for several reasons including the right to privacy, lack of context, and inconsistencies within the state exams. I personally met with (NYSUT President) Dick Ianuzzi, Assemblyman Brian Kolb's assistants (for the 3rd straight year, he declined to meet with teachers), and State Senator Michael Nozzolio. The meetings were generally productive and they shared our distrust of the "three men in a room" legislative process. What struck me personally was how many of the legislators were unaware of how the new APPR law would impact teachers and local districts. One even mentioned that he thought it might qualify as an unfunded mandate on local districts due to the increased number of observations required to be given by administrators and questioned how people from outside state agencies (BOCES perhaps in smaller districts) could be allowed to perform local school observations on teachers. There is an increase in state funding but it is possible that that money could be tied to other mandates from the state. We have, and will continue to, advocate for what is best for Webster teachers and students. In Solidarity, Dan Prinzi & Jim McEntee Facts about Tier 6 (from NewYork State Public Employees Federation) http://www.nyspef.org/fact_sheets/2011/tier6factsheet.pdf New York State Budget – Local Impact http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120401/NEWS01/304010019/Some‐win‐some‐lose‐New‐York‐state‐
budget‐deal?odyssey=nav%7Chead Opinion: N.Y. student tests are not meant to assess their teachers http://www.nj.com/times‐opinion/index.ssf/2012/04/opinion_ny_student_tests_are_n.html Rally against Tier 6 in Albany Concerned About Your Professional Development Needs for Next Year? During the 2012—2013 School year: o We all will have to learn how to work within the framework of a new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) o We will all have to adapt to the changed requirements of a new Common Core Curriculum o Many PLCs will want to acquire additional support for their innovations and learning goals during the school year The Webster Professional Development Committee (WPDC) has a number of openings for the 2012‐2013 school year. Every elementary school is entitled to one representative on the WPDC Policy Board, and the secondary buildings each gets two representatives. Each representative serves a 2‐year term, and approximately half of the positions will need to be filled for the fall. Please consider taking advantage of this opportunity to become a member of the WPDC Policy Board! o It’s the best way to help yourself and members of your building make the best use of the resources that the Learning Center has to offer o WTA members are compensated for all their time spent in WPDC committees, at the contractual rate (approximately $18 per hour) Additional information is available on the Webster Professional Learning Center website: http://www.websterschools.org/webpages/wtc/index.cfm (the list of openings currently shown on the WPLC board was for the 2011‐2012 year, there are more openings this year. For additional information please contact the co‐directors of the WPLC. Webster Teachers’ Association May 2012 Elections: Don’t forget to cast your vote for the WTA officers and delegates to the NYSUT Representative Assembly Steve Turiano Social Studies Teacher/Thomas High School Running for: WTA President The last two years have brought an unprecedented mixture of financial challenge and regulatory changes for teachers in Webster and across the state. Our WTA officers, committee chairs, and building representatives have all cooperated in an exemplary fashion to defend our contractual rights, and successfully engage the WCSD administration in solving a wide range of issues. We have responded effectively to protect the requirements for meetings, the work day, class sizes, personal appliances, and procedures for observation and evaluation. While we have demonstrated that we will use the appropriate legal channels whenever it is warranted, it is always our first choice to work collaboratively with the district administration, and our partnership in developing a new APPR is an excellent example of that cooperation in progress. During this year, Adele and I have visited all the schools to update members on the changes in the state regulations for the APPR and our local strategies, and to hear teachers’ concerns. Last year our district team attended a federal conference on Labor‐Management Collaboration, and we have applied to attend this year’s conference as well. Other cooperative actions between the union and district management include elimination of mid‐term progress reports within the Infinite Campus system, improvement to the annual health care enrollment notices, and collaboration on the annual schedule of department and curriculum meetings. Within the union itself, we have drafted standard guidelines and procedures for various WTA functions (donations, attendance at out of town union functions, strategies for reps to use in various situations) and amended our constitution. We have faced the most unpleasant of changes ‐‐ reductions in our staff, and we have remained strong. It’s been an honor serving as president of the WTA through these challenging times, and I hope for your support in another term in office. Chris Pratt 5th grade Teacher/Klem Road North Elementary School Running for: WTA 1st VP I have been an active member of the Webster Teachers Association for ten years in various capacities. Supporting teachers has been a focus for me in all that I have done. In serving as First Vice‐President of the WTA I will continue to work to support Webster teachers in their efforts to educate our students. Currently I serve as the WTA First‐Vice President, a position which I have held for the past four years. In this position I support the president, keep the WTA membership status accurate and serve on various committees as needed. I have had many opportunities to support teachers in the Webster School District. For 6 years I served WTA as a building representative from Klem Road Elementary School. In 2003 and 2007 I was a member of the WTA negotiations teams. I have also been a member of the grievance team. Through each of these experiences I have gained valuable understandings of the teachers’ contract and how to help teachers answer questions and address their concerns. I look forward to the opportunity to continue as First Vice‐President, representing Webster teachers in the work we all do for the students. Jamie Fagan High School Mathematics Teacher/Webster Thomas High School Running for: WTA 2nd VP I have been an active member of the Webster Teachers Association for nine years. In serving as Second Vice‐President of the WTA I will work to provide all members an equal opportunity to provide the best education for all Webster students. Currently I serve as the WTA Grievance Chairperson, a position which I have held for the past two years. In the position of 2nd vice‐president I look forward to supporting the president and 1st vice‐president while looking into the numerous opportunities to streamline the WTA to make it as effective as possible.
For six years I served WTA as a building representative and senior building representative from Webster Thomas High School and I'm currently serving on the WTA negotiations team. Sandra Pray 4th Grade/State Road Elementary School Running for: WTA Secretary I have served as WTA Secretary now for two terms, and appreciate the confidence you have in me to continue in this position once again. I hope that you take the opportunity each month to review the minutes of our Representative Council meetings and use them as one vehicle to stay informed and updated about the happenings and issues of our union. Thank you for your support! Jeanne Coonan Music Teacher/Plank North & Plank South Elementary Schools Running for: WTA Treasurer I am running for re‐election as WTA Treasurer. As Treasurer for the past twelve years, I have restructured the record‐
keeping system so that there are no uncategorized expenses. My system, which exceeds NYSUT and AFT requirements, has received recognition for excellence in design as an effective model for tracking our many different financial obligations. My goal is to continue to serve the members of WTA in the process of managing WTA’s accounts. Candidates Running for WTA Delegate to the Annual NYSUT Representative Assembly Jeanne Coonan Music Teacher/Plank North & Plank South Elementary Schools As a thirteen‐year delegate to the NYSUT Representative Assembly I have helped to bring important issues from our region to the state level. I have attended nearly every regional delegate meeting since my first election, and have worked to attain NYSUT’s legislative goals set at the Representative Assembly as a member of Committee of 100 in Albany. I was appointed to the state‐level Pension and Retirement Committee in 2005 by the NYSUT Board of Directors, and am now serving my third term as a member of that committee, working to protect our benefits statewide. As a delegate to the Representative Assembly I will continue to work to advance ideas which support teachers and protect our hard‐fought rights and benefits. Christine E. Dunne German Teacher/Willink Middle School & Thomas High School I seek your vote to continue as one of six WTA delegates to serve at the annual NYSUT Representative Assembly (RA). I have dutifully served as a WTA Delegate since 1999. I strive to thoroughly consider and judiciously adjudicate each RA Resolution before casting my vote. I consistently support resolutions that would be important to our members and our region. Through my participation in NYSUT ED #6 (our voting area) meetings, the NYSUT Subject Area Committee for LOTE (Languages Other Than English), the Leadership Institute at Cornell, and the RA, I have established strong working relationships with NYSUT members statewide. This facilitates garnering their support for Resolutions supported by WTA and being knowledgeable on statewide issues. I also attend the ED #6 meetings for delegates prior to serving at the RA in order to remain informed on the issues important to our profession and region. Thank you in advance for your continued support for me to serve our WTA membership at the statewide level. Sue Hooper Literacy Specialist/Plank Road North Elementary School My name is Sue Hooper, and I am currently running for a position representing WTA as member of the NYSUT Representative Assembly beginning in the 2012‐13 school year. I have been a Literacy Specialist in Webster since 1994. The experience and qualifications which I possess that best demonstrate why I am a good candidate for the position are tied to my involvement in the WTA for the last seven years. During that period of time I have acted as both the senior and junior building representative multiple years in a row at Plank North with Sandy Clement. While serving in that position, I also have been a member of Executive Council for the last three years, first as BOE liaison, and now beginning this year as the WPDC liaison. I have attended the NYSUT Leadership conferences in Buffalo for the last three years as well as multiple union conferences in Rochester. Finally, I represent the WTA as a member of Webster’s APPR committee. In addition to the roles that I serve in for WTA, I am also currently a Lead Teacher at Plank North representing the Student Intervention providers in our building. I feel that I am well qualified for this position and would look forward to continuing to learn more in that role while serving WTA union members Wendy Sardella Librarian/Spry Middle School I have been a WTA representative for 10 years and in that time I have served on Executive Board on two separate occasions in the capacity of Middle School Liason and Oak Tree Coordinator. I am honored to serve as the Oak Tree Coordinator again this year. It is truly inspiring to be on this committee and work with so many dedicated individuals. Serving on Rep Council has provided me with the opportunity to take an OSHA certification course which has been beneficial in unforeseen ways. I am currently a NYSTRS Representative for Webster Schools and I will attend the NYSTRS in the coming school year. The work that NYSUT does for us is incalculable and it is important to be conscious of its role and vigilant in our defense at this crucial time when so many challenges are being fronted. In my role I have also served as NYSTRS Representative which has been illuminating. I have been to three NYSUR Representative Assemblies and look forward to serving this year as an alternate turned delegate at this year’s assembly which takes place this week. Sarina Schamberger Social Studies Teacher/ Willink Middle School My name is Sarina Schamberger and I am running to be a delegate representing the Webster Teachers Association at the NYSUT Representative Assembly beginning in the 2012‐2013 school year. I have been a middle school social studies teacher in Webster for the past 20 years. I have been active in the union on and off since my 4th year teaching when I first served as a building representative. For the past 5 years I have been a building representative for Willink Middle School and have acted as the senior building representative for the past 3 years. I currently serve on Executive Board for the WTA as the PTSA Liaison and was one of the WTA delegates for the annual meeting of the New York State Teachers Retirement System this past November. I have also attended the NYSUT Leadership Conference in Buffalo, NY. I look forward to the opportunity to become more involved in NYSUT and will work to support resolutions that are important to the teaching profession, teachers, and our region of New York State. Thank you for your support. Beverly A. Voos Math Teacher/Spry Middle School As a current NYSUT delegate and committee member, I have regularly attended the local and state Representative Assemblies and have participated on specific committees which have developed and set forth proposals in the best interests of teachers across the state. These committee actions and recommendations have resulted in proactive legislation and directions for local, state and national educational interests. I am an active participant in all aspects of our union including Building Representative, Member Services Liaison, prior Contract Negotiations team member, NYSUT ELT instructor, appointed member of the NYSUT Math, Science and Technology committee, and a member of the NYSUT CCSS Adhoc Committee which reports to the NYSUT Board of Directors. Most recently, I was appointed as one of 8 middle school math teachers from across the country to serve on the AFT committee on the Common Core Standards. At Spry, I have previously served as Math Lead Teacher and member of the Instructional Council and currently serve as advisor to the Builders Club (community service). I hope to be re‐elected for the next term so that I can continue to advocate for our members in Webster, across the state and nationally. Thank you for your support. WTA at Community Arts Day WTA sponsored a table at Community Arts Day Saturday, April 21st at Schroeder H.S. We gave away WTA pencils with animal eraser tops. Students from Thomas High School and Spry helped kids make bookmarks. WTA PR Events Chairperson, Ida Marra with student volunteers Buyers Edge: Be an Informed Consumer By Christine E. Dunne There are some great deals out there: one simply needs to know where to look. One such place is the Buyers Edge, available through NYSUT for its members. I recall asking the Buyers Edge representative last April at the NYSUT Representative Assembly what the difference between Buyers Edge and, say, Direct Buy, would be. He replied: We don’t charge the costly membership fee. So, being in the market for a new mattress/box spring, guest bedroom furniture (yes, I am soon to be an empty‐
nester!!), and an energy efficient washer and dryer pair, I thought I’d start my research through Buyer’s Edge. My quest began looking for a specific Sterns & Foster Ultra Firm Queen mattress/box spring I’d found at Raymore & Flanigan’s on sale. I called the number for Furniture/Mattresses of Buyers Edge (found on the following page for your perusal). “Gary” from Royal Furniture in Port Jervis, NY (http://royalofportjervis.com) was quite helpful in trying to track this down. Of course, names and numbers are changed by retailers so the consumer can’t truly compare apples to apples. After about four days, Gary called me back to let me know that he believed he had found what I was looking for and could place the order for me. I would have saved about $100 over the Raymore and Flanigan’s sale price (ca 17%) and neither store would have charged me delivery or set up/removal charges. In the meantime, though, I chose a less expensive mattress and platform bed unit with storage for the guestroom from Direct Buy for about the same price as just the mattress/box spring. The only downside was I had to wait nearly 5 weeks for delivery of the unit and mattress and I did have to pay freight charges. It’s exactly what I wanted for the bedroom, looks great, and is a very comfortable mattress. On to the washer and dryer: The direct phone number listed on Buyer’s Edge for the Rochester area was answered by Hoffman’s; you know‐ “the small money store.” I showed up there the next afternoon, armed with the latest Consumer Reports on appliances and a basic idea of what I was looking for in a washer and dryer. The salesman shared a few different models, praising each feature as if it were more than something with which to simply maintain the cleanliness of my clothing. Of course, none of the exact models listed in Consumer Reports appeared in their showroom, as appliance models are upgraded nearly as quickly as personal computers. When I quizzed the salesman about the Buyer’s Edge reduced pricing, he delicately informed me that Hoffman’s used to be able to really provide such discounts to Buyers Edge customers – 20 and even 10 years ago, one could see $100‐$200 discounted for a washer/dryer pair. But, with having to compete with the Big Box stores, Hoffman’s has listed prices nearly as low as they can for everyone anyway. He offered to give me $20 off, even though I mentioned also needing a new dehumidifier. Well, it was my first stop, so I visited Charlotte Furniture and Appliance, to see if I’d really save a LOT. “Lew” was a much more gracious sales person and seemed to really listen to what I was looking for in a washer/dryer (clean my clothes and not hike up the energy bill, basically). He shared characteristics of a few models he was impressed with and really explained the differences between front and top‐loading washing machines. He looked at my dog‐eared Consumer Reports for model numbers and led me to the closest ones they had and explained the slight changes in the newer models. Lew moved me to purchase the upgraded dryer, but gave it to me at the price of the dryer I’d been leaning towards ($40 savings), then took off another $25 off the dehumidifier I chose – before I’d even asked if he would! I found the prices fairly comparable to what I saw in the few washer and dryer models I saw available at Lowe’s. Delivery and set up was, of course, free. So, there’s my experience with contacting Buyer’s Edge for appliances and furniture. Although I ultimately did not go through them for my purchases, I was able to make more informed decisions. Let me know about your experiences with Buyer’s Edge to share these with the membership! Counseling in Times of Stress From time to time, major changes in our lives tax our ability to cope. Newly diagnosed medical conditions, care giving responsibilities, divorce, a child leaving home, a change in job responsibilities, or living on a reduced income in retirement are but a few examples of transitional problems which precipitate stress. Embarking upon even a short course of counseling with an objective and empathetic professional can be most helpful in reinforcing your strengths and facilitating adaptation to change. If you conclude that counseling may be helpful to you in accepting and adapting to stressful life changes, then give us a call. We will assist you in getting the help that you need. NYSUT Social Services: 1‐800‐342‐9810, ext. 6206. Webster Teachers' Association Upcoming Meetings TIME: 4‐6pm on Monday LOCATION: Thomas High School Library WTA Executive Board Meeting Dates [1st Monday of the month] May 7, 2012 June 4, 2012 WTA Representative Council Meeting Dates [3rd Monday of the month] May 21, 2012 June 11, 2012 Webster Teachers' Association (Established 1972) Representing 730+ teachers in 11 schools (7 elementary, 2 middle and 2 high schools) in the Webster Central School District Affiliated with NYSUT, AFT/NEA, and the AFL‐CIO WTA office Thomas High School, Room #90 800 Five Mile Line Road Webster, New York 14580 President's CELL PHONE: 585‐683‐9147 OFFICE: 585‐670‐8071 FAX: 585‐670‐8047 http://www.wta1972.com