Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Friday, September 30, 2011

OEA Leadership to meet with Supt. Smith

OEA President Doug Stephens and Vice-President Sara Byrd will meet with Supt. Smith and other district leadership Wednesday to discuss our concerns and plan for our Interest Based Bargaining training.
OEA's regular AR meeting and Executive Board meeting is Monday, Oct. 3 at the UniServ office.
Rick

Thursday, September 29, 2011

OEA Priority Schools Community Partnerships

OEA is working with NEA to receive a grant to help with Community Partnerships in our five School Improvement Grant Schools: Madison, Dee, Odyssey, George Washington, and OHS.  I will be in a conference call with NEA in Washington, D.C. and our Western Region representative, Bev Johnson to plan our use of the grant.

Rick

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Go to our website to view grant and seminar opportunities

Go to www.ogdenweber.org and look at the many grant opportunities and a social studies seminar in October.
Rick

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

What does WEA do for me?

Go to our website at www.ogdenweber.org and read a list of things that WEA has done for members. Rick

Monday, September 26, 2011

Whose mediocrity? SL Trib Opinion on Howard Stephenson's plan to privatize schools

Please read at www.sltrib.com the opinion piece: "Senator's goal: Privatize schools

"Sen. Howard Stephenson has on, seemingly all-consuming goal: to privatize public schools..."

Friday, September 23, 2011

Read in Thursday's, Sept. 22, Deseret News about "School Comparison data made public"

If Senator Howard Stephenson is happy you know it can't be good...read yesterday's article in the Deseret News (www.deseretnews.com) about the new "Public School Data Gateway" that the USOE has built to give data on schools and (I am sure it is coming) specific teachers.

Rick

Thursday, September 22, 2011

SL Tribune: If school gets "F", let's privatize it, Stephenson says.

Sen. Howard Stephenson thinks that if a school receives an "F" under the new USOE grading system it should be "dismantled" and let private contractors and parents put it back together.  Also Sen. Stuart Reid wants to put all three education depts. Higher Ed, k-12, and ATC's under the leadership of the governor.

Read the entire article in today's Salt Lake Trib at www.sltrib.com

Rick

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Ogden Supt. Brad Smith meets with Ben Lomond High faculty

New Ogden Supt. Ben Smith met with the BLHS faculty this morning and answered questions from the faculty about his goals and qualifications for being appointed Supt.  He was accompanied by Sandy Coroles, Donna Corby and school board member Jennifer Zundel.

Rick

Monday, September 19, 2011

Ogden "Alternative Compensation" Committee picked

We were happy that the Ogden School Board chose to include a UEA staff person, Dr. Sara Jones, on their "Alternative Compensation" committee.  Also, one of our OEA Executive Board members, Clay Kirkham, was chosen as a Special Ed representative.  Their first meeting is October 7.

Rick

Friday, September 16, 2011

Ogden School Board open position

The appointment of board member Brad Smith to supt. has caused an opening in District #4.  The district is taking applications until Sept. 22.  You can find a list of the requirement on their webpage at www.ogdensd.org.

You can read about the UEA Road Trip at www.myuea.org

Rick

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Two interesting editorials on education in Utah in Deseret News

Go to www.deseretnews.com and read in the opinion section two interesting editorials on education in Utah.

Rick

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

UEA Convention: October 20-21

The UEA Convention and Education Exposition will be held again October 20 and 21at the
South Towne Exposition Center.  Friday, Oct. 21 a special session for new educators and education students will be held with several break out sessions and keynote speaker, Cea Cohen Elliott who will speak about peacemaking and conflict resolution.

Thursday's keynote will be noted Jeopardy champion, Ken Jennings.

Rick

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

UEA Road Trip a Huge Success

Over 600 Ogden and Weber teachers and families attended our annual Dinosaur Park Party last night.  It was a beautiful night and our UEA Road Trip leaders were able to meet and greet our teachers.  We thank Chris Guymon and Nathan Cressell for sponsoring our night and for Paul Merrill of "Fat Boy" icecream for sponsoring our refreshments.  Our UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, Vice-president Tom Nedreberg, Jay Blain, and Mike Kelly (UEA Staff) visited five of our schools and even read to classrooms at Lakeview Elementary.

You can read an article at www.standard.net.

Rick

Monday, September 12, 2011

UEA Road Trip in Ogden/Weber Districts Today

The UEA Leadership team will be visiting the following schools today:
  • Farr West Elementary
  • Lakeview Elementary
  • Sand Ridge Jr. High
  • Ben Lomond High
  • Madison Elementary
They will also be attending our WEA AR meeting today and our Dinosaur Park Party tonight at 6 pm

Rick

Friday, September 9, 2011

Big Win for OEA members

You can read the memo from new Supt. Brad Smith on our webpage: www.ogdenweber.org  It is a big win for OEA and it allows to begin to repair relations with the district and receive training in Interest Based Bargaining which allows for more collaboration.  You can also read an article in today's Salt Lake Tribune at www.sltrib.com

Rick

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Memo from Supt. Smith reinstates collective bargaining and recognizes OEA

OEA was delighted to see the memo from Supt. Brad Smith that was sent yesterday.  We are excited to return to bargaining and especially to receive training with the district on Interest Based Bargaining which is much more collaborative than the "positional bargaining" we have used in the past.

Rick

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

OEA Leadership meets with new Supt. Brad Smith

OEA President Doug Stephens and VP Sara Byrd met with Supt. Brad Smith, Bruce Penland and Brenda Ruffier this morning to discuss future issues.  We felt that progress was made.  We will be sending out more information soon.

Rick

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

OEA ARs and Executive Board to meet tonight

Tonight is our first regular OEA Building Rep and Executive Board meeting for the new school year.  We will be discussing the appointment of the new supt. and also plans for the UEA Road Trip next Monday. 

Ogden School Board is also meeting tonight to honor retiring Supt. Zabriskie and swear in the new supt., Brad Smith.

Rick

Monday, September 5, 2011

UEA roadtrip to visit Weber and Ogden schools Sept. 12

UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh will visit five schools, WEA AR meeting and Dinosaur Park Party Sept. 12 as part of the month long UEA Road Trip.

Rick

Friday, September 2, 2011

OEA's Board met last night to discuss the new Supt.

OEA's Executive Board met last night to discuss the appointment of the new Ogden Supt.  Our leadership will report out to the building reps at our regular meeting Sept. 6th.  OEA President Doug Stephens and Vice-President Sara Byrd will have their first meeting with the new Supt. on Wednesday morning.

Rick

Thursday, September 1, 2011

OEA Executive Board to meet

The OEA Executive Board will meet to discuss the appointment of the new supt. in Ogden today at 4:00.  Staff from UEA will also attend.

To listen to Doug Stephens on the Doug Wright Show yesterday go to www.ksl.com (I think it was the third hour)  Doug Wright also had Steve Marker, Ogden School Board member on his show in the same hour.

Rick