Ogden School Board meets in special work session

The Ogden School Board met in an early morning work session today to discuss the tentative budget and discuss possible cuts needed because of reduced funding from the state legislature. They met afterward in a closed session to discuss negotiations.

OEA's negotiation team will be scheduling our next session with the district.

Weber's Business Administrator, Robert Peterson, was interviewed in the Standare-Examiner today on cuts that the district is proprosing. It is too bad that he didn't mention that negotiations were still going and that nothing has been agreed upon.

Rick

National Emergency funding could save Utah teaching jobs

Amy Stewart wrote in today's Deseret News (http://www.deseretnews.com/): "Some Utah teachers' jobs may be saved if emergency federal funding being pushed by the Obama administration is approved by Congress to be distributed nationally. The $23 billion would support the jobs of approximately 300,000 educators nationally."

Rick

Negotiations Update

OEA's negotiation team met with the district Monday and discussed contract language. The district's team did not discuss financial proposals because the school board is meeting Friday morning to discuss the budget. The insurance committee met last night and is working on recommendations for this year's package.

WEA's team will meet again with the district June 23rd.

Davis plans to cut 2 school days from their calendar next year saving the district approx. $2.97 million in salaries.

Canyons is planning on cutting 5 instructional days. Nebo district has agreed to cut 3 instructional days.

These furlough days are for all employees.

Rick

School Board Procedures Need Work

The Deseret News editorialized the need for a different method of nominating State School Board Members. The committee (appointed by the Governor) selects not less than three candidates from the applicants. Again, this year an incumbent was thrown out of the race (remember we lost Dr. Sadler last time around). The process is unfair (even the governor agrees some changes need to be made). It is quite evident that pro-charter school and pro-choice advocates dominate the committees. Hopefully our legislature will be pressured to change the process.

Rick

Interest Based Bargaining Training @ NEA

Doug Stephens, OEA President, Rich Moore, Ogden Elementary Director and Rick Palmer, UniServ Director traveled to Washington, D.C. last week for an NEA Interest Based Bargaining session presented by a team from M.I.T.. It was valuable for us to be trained as a team (we were missing our school board person because of a death in the family). We learned that we can look at bargaining and resolving other disputes through an honest sharing of interests and brainstorming options. We look forward to using this more in Ogden District.

Rick

Gaye Pesout

We are sorry to announce the passing of our friend, colleague, and teacher, Gaye Pesout. Gaye served as a leader in the Weber Education Association and the Ogden/Weber UniServ for many years and taught for over 40 years, mostly at Hooper and Kanesville Elementary Schools. We offer our thoughts and prayers to her husband and siblings. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 22 at Leavitt's Aultorest Memorial Park, 836 36th St., Ogden, Utah. Friends and family may call from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 21, and one hour prior to the service at the morturary.

Rick

Legislature looks to fund $100 million shortfall

Tax revenues continue to come in low, so the legislature will have to fund $100 million to balance the budget. That means that next fiscal year starts $100 million low. They meet in their first interim Wednesday.

Rick