Utah Legislative Retirement Committee to meet Nov. 12

Check out the agenda of the Legislative Retirement Committee meeting scheduled on Nov. 12. Go to www.le.state.ut.us and click on Interim Committees. It would be great to email your legislators (Neil Hansen and Jon Greiner) and remind them that our system is solid and we do not need changes made (especially when salaries are shrinking) to our retirement system.

Check the past blog entries for instructions for the Contest. (OEA draws Monday, Nov 2)

Rick

Shawna Blamires-T.O. Smith-Focus on Excellence Award

Shawna Blamires, an exceptional T.O. Smith teacher, was awarded the Tony Divino "Focus on Excellence" award last night at the Ogden School Board meeting. Shawna does a lot for the school including organizing the many clubs at the school. Congratulations to a great teacher.

Professionalism Presentations

Yesterday I presented to Kristin Hadley's Ed 1010 class at WSU on Professionalism and Ethics. I talked to the students about the responsibilities of educators to provide a correct role model and keep their relationships appropriate. We discussed several court cases and talked about the ethical standards teachers are asked to live by.

This morning I gave a similar presentation to the faculty at North Ogden Jr. High. I appreciate the invitation from Principal Butters and I always enjoy visiting with educators about our protections and responsibilities of the negotiated agreement.

You only have a few days to enter the contest: email me with one bad retirement idea that I wrote about in the October Link Article. Uniserv website: www.ogdenweber.org

(rick@ogdenweber.org)

We will draw Monday, Nov. 2 for Ogden's winners and Nov. 9 for Weber's winners.

Thanks Rick

Jill Hislop Gibson: Finalist in Utah Teacher of the Year

Polk Elementary teacher, Jill Hislop Gibson, was chosen as one of four finalists for the Utah State Teacher of the year. Jill is a great teacher and was a fantastic representative of Ogden District educators. We are proud of Jill's contributions to students at Polk.

Contest: Go to www.ogdenweber.org and read the Executive Director's message, then email rick@ogdenweber.org and list one of the many bad ideas to cut retirement.

Thanks Rick

Ethics Initiative Prompts Legislators to Devise Plans

Bob Bernick and Lisa Riley Roche wrote last Thursday in the Deseret News that the legislature is on the "verge of historic ethics actions" because of the citizen initiative petition push. The legislature met in interim meetings last Wednesday and outlined their own reform ideas that would include:

• Creation of an independent ethics commission.
• The commission would review ethics charges.
• Legislative committees could then punish the legislator.
• The House or Senate would vote on any disciplinary action.

Go to http://www.deseretnews.com/ and read the entire article (Thursday, Oct. 22)

Last chance to enter the Contest: Go to the uniserv webpage (http://www.ogdenweber.org/) and read the Executive Director's message and email me one of the bad changes that could be made in our retirement program. (rick@ogdenweber.org)

Thanks. We will pick for winners at the November AR meetings. Rick

"Race to the Top" 4.3 Billion Dollars for Schools

Many of you have heard of President Obama's Education Secretary, Arne Duncan. Some of you have also heard about a program called "Race to the Top" where states can apply for grants of millions of dollars to help public ed. A total of 4.3 billion is available but there are some strings attached. To read more about this program, google David Brooks, NY Times columnist, and read the "Quiet Revolution" in the op ed page today. Many of the reforms that the program requires are controversial. They include using student test scores to evaluate and give pay increases to teachers. Also, states which have limited or capped the number of charter schools would not get the money. Many states are in the process of changing their laws to accomodate these grants. It will be interesting to see what is included in Utah's grant request. I hope we, as professionals, are open to look at certain reforms without giving away our basic principles. I don't think we want our teachers' association to be considered opposed to all reforms, but we must be careful. Keep monitoring this situation. Rick

Have you signed an Ethics Initiative Petition?

We have petitions for the "Ethics Initiative" here at the Ogden/Weber UniServ office (939 25th St). Please stop by and sign the petition and/or pick up a petition to take to your school to help get signatures. Check out the UEG website (www.utahnsforethicalgovernment.org) to read more about the initiative.

Enter the contest by going to the Ogden/Weber UniServ website and email me Brad Dee's voting record from the Political Action site.

We will pick winners at our OEA and WEA AR meetings in November.

Thanks Rick