Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Friday, April 30, 2010

Davis School Districts discusses possible cuts...

Davis School District has a $31 Million deficit to fill this year. They will nonrenew many of their newly hired teachers, reassign reading coaches, cut administrative interns, and raise class sizes. Ogden and Weber have both stated that class sizes won't grow this year. If we raise class sizes then we must lose personnel. In Weber, many teachers will be displaced with our student losses to the new Montessori Charter school in North Ogden and the new charter school going into the old Christian Heritage school in Riverdale. We could lose as many as 400 or 500 students. The biggest problem is that we won't know for sure until that first week of school, because parents register their kids in our school and put their names on the charter school lists also. We will have several displaced teachers (all will have jobs) and there will be some that might have to move that first week. That is the worst of all situations.

In Ogden, we have had several involuntary tranfers and we are able to go in with those teachers and make sure the process is correct. If you have questions on any type of transfers, please call.

Rick Palmer 801-390-6365

Thursday, April 29, 2010

OEA and WEA Negotiations Continue...

Both WEA and OEA negotiations teams have met with their district counterparts and discussed contract language and financial issues. OEA is scheduled to meet again May 4th and WEA met today and will meet again May 19th.

Rick

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Things are bad all over...New Jersey

Thursday, April 22 NY Times reported that New Jersey schools plan heavy cuts after 58% of their school districts rejected their schools' spending plans. "School officials across New Jersey said on Wednesday that they would most likely have to lay off hundreds of teachers, increase class sizes, eliminate sports teams and Advanced Placement classes, cut kindergarten hours and take other radical steps to reduce spending after 58% of districts' budgets were rejected by voters on Tuesday, the most in at least 35 years."

Rick

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Gov. Herbert's Education Commission Lacks Diversity

Amy Stewart (Deseret News) wrote a lengthy article last week about the lack of diversity in Gov. Herbert's Ed Commission. The editorial board also spoke out, "it was troubling to learn there is no minority representation on Gov. Gary Herbert's new Education Excellence Commission." The commission is made up of leaders of different constituency groups (Kim Campbell represents UEA). "Considering the changing face of Utah's educational system, addressing these issues--with the contributions of minority members on the commission--seems a natural direction for this panel".

Rick

Monday, April 26, 2010

OEA and WEA Delegates Meet Saturday at Copper Hills

The UEA House of Delegates met from 9am to 3pm Saturday at Copper Hills High. Delegates from OEA and WEA listened to reports from leadership including Kim Campbell, outgoing president, and Mark Mickelesen, Executive Director. Candidates for UEA President and VP also spoke to the house. Bills were passed that would allow the UEA dues to decrease for the first time in many years. The dues are based on an average of teacher salaries. Resolutions, statements of belief, were also debated and voted on and the budget was approved.
Thanks go to all who gave up a beautiful spring day to do the association's business.

Rick

Thursday, April 22, 2010

NY Times Friday, April 16 Article on Teachers' Union

Mayor Bloomberg and NY City's teachers' union (United Teachers-AFT) have agreed to do away with "rubber rooms" full of teachers accused of wrongdoing or incompetence and speed up hearings for them, reforming a disciplinary system that has made City Hall and the teachers' union subjects of ridicule.

If you haven't read about these "rubber rooms", google NY teacher rubber rooms and see what comes up.

Each one of these terminations have to be assigned an arbitrator and the hearings go on forever.

Steven Brill also wrote an article about "rubber rooms" in the New Yorker Magazine last summer.

Rick

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

NY Times Reports Florida Gov. Crist's veto of Teacher Merit Pay Bill

Last Friday, the NY Times wrote about the veto Gov. Crist issued on a controversial merit pay bill. Conservatives and Republicans have criticized him greatly for that decision and it is probable that he will drop out of the Senate Republican Primary (where he is far behind) and run as an independent. The bill would have eliminated tenure for teachers and tie their pay and job security to how well their students perform.

Rick

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Schools Face Dire Options

The SL Tribune reported (Lisa Schencker) last week that some struggling schools will have to make some major changes to receive part of the U.S. Dept. of Ed $17.4 million in Utah school improvement grants. Those options are:
  • Replace their principals and half of the staff
  • Convert to charter schools
  • Replace the principal and do training for the staff
  • Close their doors

Ogden District schools Madison, Gramercy, Dee, Odyssey, T.O. Smith, Bonneville, Lincoln, Ogden High, Washington High, and Ben Lomond High would qualify.

Weber District has Roy Elementary that would qualify.

Rick

Monday, April 19, 2010

Retirement information continued...

The complexity of the changes made by the legislature in our retirement seem to make it difficult to interpret. Here are some updates:
  • The districts will pay an additional 2.1% for employees. (that is 2% that won't go to salary)
  • Current rehired retirees could lose their 401K contribution. (we thought it was safe)
  • The increase in cost of future and past service years will go up significantly, but not until January, 2011. (we thought it would start in July, 2010 and it might be phased in over three years)

As we learn more information, we will communicate it to you.

Vote in the UEA General Election. (your building reps have your voting cards.)

Rick

Friday, April 16, 2010

UEA House of Delegates April 24

Next Saturday, the UEA delegates from all over the state will meet at Copper Hills High to set the agenda for the 2010-11 year. They will discuss and approve the budget, the legislative platform and debate and vote on several changes to bylaws, standing rules and New Business items. Ogden and Weber will have 40 delegates representing our membership attending the House.
The delegates will also hear from President Kim Campbell, VP Ellen Thompson (both finishing their final terms) and the executive director Mark Mickelsen. Candidates for UEA President and Vice-President will also speak.

Rick

Thursday, April 15, 2010

USA Today: Texas School Board and Textbooks

Monday, April 12 edition of USA Today (www.usatoday.com) has an interesting debate on the Texas State school board's attempt to rewrite history textbooks. The two views given in the debate are worth reading.

Rick

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Shorter School Year an Option

The State School Board decided last Friday that Utah school districts again may slash up to five school days to cope with financial strains. Martell Menlove, state deputy supt. said "We really don't want to have any fewer days. What we believe is kids need to be in school more time, not less time." That is all well and good, but when the legislature cuts funding how are we supposed to pay for those days. Legislators and the Governor were still saying at their political conventions last week that "Education was held harmless." That is not true. The bad part of furloughing employees is a) no pay for those days and b) no retirement service for those days. Some districts did furloughs last year and we might see more this year. Neither Ogden or Weber Districts have proposed doing furloughs or cutting the school year.

Rick

Monday, April 12, 2010

State Law Suspends School Test Standards

In Saturday's (April 10) SL Trib an article by Lisa Schenker talks about the legislative action that suspends some testing. HB166 will suspend until 2013 the requirement of producing UPASS reports and it suspends the UBSCT for two years. It will provide the state some savings in expenditures.

Rick

Friday, April 9, 2010

Budget Cuts

We are now in the season of negotiations and district budgets. The legislature failed to fund any increase in the WPU or any money for the growth (estimated at 11,000 new students) this year. Early numbers are showing our districts will lose close to 5% of funding. A big loss was a change in the way social security and retirement is being reimbursed. Of a $2.3 million dollar reduction that Ogden is looking at, $1.8 Million of that is a reduction in social security and retirment payments. It will be a difficult year for negotiations again. Weber's team consists of Marlene Irons, Shari Combe, Kirk Ottley, Lee Claycomb, and Terie Maxfield. Ogden's team consists of Doug Stephens, Lisa Vipperman, Whit Freund, Sherrie Dame. I serve on both teams also.
Our first meetings are coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Rick

Thursday, April 8, 2010

More Legislative Wrapup...

  • HB 42 Extends the period of time that an employee remains on provisional status
  • HB 81 Allows districts to require periodic background checks for employees.
  • HB 88 Requires districts to adopt policies prohibiting the use, possession, or distribution of electronic cigarettes, in addition to other tobacco products.
  • HB 386 Enacts the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
  • HB 433 Re-enacts language regarding foreign exchange students which was removed several years ago.
  • SB 56 Requires that the State Board adopt rules to calculate average class size.
  • SB 59 requires the adoption of gang prevention and intervention policies.

You can go to the Utah State Legislative web site and look at the details of these bills.

Rick

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

County conventions this Saturday, April 10

Both the Democrats and Republicans will be holding their county conventions in Weber County this Saturday. Our local Political Action Committee interviewed candidates for the Republican nomination in House District 6 and are recommending Brad Galvez. In House District 9, the PAC interviewed Democratic candidates and are recommending Neil Hansen. If you are a delegate we encourage you to attend your conventions this weekend.

Rick

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Welcome Back from Winter...Spring Break

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...Really, is it necessary to dump this on us in April? Back at work, a little sore from the lap band surgery, but no worse for wear. I was going stir crazy at home. It is even worse watching my friends coming down the fairways on the course behind my house. I, not unlike Tiger, will make my triumphant return to golfing this weekend. My stomach looks like I lost in a knife fight, but it is worth it now that I have dropped 35lbs. from eating water, broth, sugar-free popsicles (don't judge until you have had one) and split pea soup. We have our OEA AR and Exec Bd meeting tonight and we will begin our "Early Enrollment" membership campaign where we sign members up and postpone dues until the Fall. If you have a friend who hasn't joined (or even someone you really don't like) this is a great chance. It has been a tough membership year because of the economic contraints, but we hope to pick up a few more this spring. Sorry, I have to go practice my swing.... Rick