Day Three-Project Launch @ WSU

Today the students and mentors will visit and tour the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden. Later today, they will listen to a presentation by the faculty of the Child and Family Services. UEA is sponsoring their "power brokers lunch" today where the students will be able to meet some of the College of Education staff and leadership.

Rick

Project Launch Begins at WSU

New, incoming Weber State Students (around 30) , with their eye on becoming teachers, begin their week-long adventure at WSU campus this morning with a check-in to their dorm rooms, ice-breakers with their Future Education Association (WSU students) mentors, and a panel of new teachers. Later they will participate in a presentation of the "7 habits of highly effective college students".
This afternoon Dr. Peggy Saunders will present " Class and Team Team Building".
This program has been organized by Stephanie Heath (College of Ed recruiter) with the help of the FEA advisors and WSU Staff members.

Rick

Narciccism Update...

Many of you might remember a "Link" newsletter article I wrote about "Why I want to lose 100 lbs." In March I weighed 344 lbs and I had lap band surgery. I am currently 264 (80 lbs lost) and feeling great. My blood pressure has dropped from 156/86 to an average of 120/70. I am sure my cholesterol is down also...I will check that in a couple of months. I have more energy and yes, I can walk all four sets of stairs of Ogden High without a respirator. Well, enough about me, hope your summer is winding down and you are getting in those last vacations before school starts up. August is almost here...I think I can hear the kids buying their school clothes...

Rick

Jordan Education Association at Impasse

Jordan Education Association also started their mediation process with the district this week. The Jordan District is not offering steps again this year. JEA declared impasse and they met with the Federal mediator, LaVonne Ritter Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Rick

OEA Negotiations Update

Our last communication from Brenda Ruffier (spokesperson for district negotiations team) said that we would plan to meet again after the August 5 school board meeting. The board will meet in executive session to discuss negotiations. Our OEA negotiations team (Doug Stephens, Lisa Vipperman, Sherrie Dame, Whit Freund and Rick Palmer) is hoping to meet soon after the board meets on August 5th. Our last proposal was to restore the payment of increment steps.

Rick

WEA Negotiations Mediation Update

Our WEA Negotiations Team met with Lynn Trenbeath yesterday and discussed our interests and gave her some background on where we were in negotiations. We set up our next meeting (with the District team also) for August 11. That was the soonest we could get everyone back in town.

Rick

WEA Mediation Starts This Morning

The WEA Negotiations team (Marlene Irons, Terie Maxfield, Kirk Ottley, Lee Claycomb, Shari Combe and Rick Palmer) begins meeting with Lynn Trenbeath (mediator) this morning to start the mediation process. Lynn has already met with the district team. Non-payment of contractual step increments for over 60 percent of our teachers is the main objective.

Rick