MHFT Newsletter -- February 5, 2015

Negotiations Update

Welcome to Jen Myers (Barrett), our newest Negs Team member!
Initial survey results are available online at MHFT.org. Thanks to all who took the time to respond.

Our Negotiations Openers letter will be presented at the Feb. 10 MHUSD board meeting at 6pm at the district office. We are inviting all MHFT members to attend the board meeting in solidarity with your negotiations team. It is a powerful message when many teachers are in the audience during this important public meeting.

CFT Convention

The California Federation of Teachers annual convention will be March 20-22 in Manhattan Beach at the Marriott Hotel. The number of members in each union local determines the number of delegates that the local can send to the state convention.

MHFT can send up to 16 delegates this year. Delegates must be elected by the general membership and their names forwarded to CFT in advance so that "delegate credentials" can be prepared for them. Given this lead time, MHFT will be accepting nominations for delegates to the convention until February 23 at noon. You can nominate yourself or another MHFT member, however if you nominate another member you must be certain that they will consent to be a delegate and attend the convention if they are elected.

The easiest way to make nominations is to email Theresa Sage at tsmhft@garlic.com, or you can call the MHFT office (408-779-2316) and speak with a staff member or leave a message on the answering machine specifying who you wish to nominate. Since the convention is concerned with the governance of CFT, there is very little downtime and delegates are busy all day and well into the evening with general sessions, committee meetings and workshop sessions.

Our local endeavors to pay for as much of the delegates' expenses as possible. Sometimes when large numbers of delegates attend the Federation’s budgeted funds will not pay for all expenses for all delegates, and in such a case the Executive Council prioritizes monetary resources and pays for as much of each delegates expenses as possible.

Updates on MHFT Committee Meetings

Kinder Committee
The Kinder Committee has met several times this year and has reviewed research, visited sites, and participated in in-depth conversations. Last week the committee came to the consensus that they would like to try full-day Kinder district-wide during the 2015-16 school year, provided the details for appropriate support can be negotiated. Professional development time on Good Friday might be used for committee members to discuss the Kinder multiyear pilot. Look for more details regarding this planning soon. In the near future, the District will be offering a parent survey regarding the topic of full day kinder.

Healthcare Committee
The District is reviewing insurance options for all MHUSD employees. At this time, CalPERS is too expensive for many District employees. The District currently spends over $27,000 per month in supplementary premiums for retirees. This includes retirees from the age of 55 to 65, and all retirees over 65. We need a solution that makes healthcare affordable for current employees and our retirees.

The district is hiring a consultant to help with the insurance review. We are looking at what other districts are doing and how other districts are handling the complex issue of healthcare.

In the near future, you will see surveys related to this issue. Please be sure to respond when you see them; it is critical that we have high participation to ensure the consultant and the committee understand our members' perspectives. Our next health care committee will be meeting on February 10, from 3:45 - 5:00 at the district office. All are welcome!

Stipends Committee
This committee has met for over a year and has reviewed comparable district contracts, as they pertain to stipends. No districts have the same stipends language in their contract, and each district handles stipends differently.

Based on our survey results and information from MHFT executive council members, there is high interest in ensuring fairness and that our stipends reflect the extra work our members provide. The next stipends committee meeting will be on March 24 from 3:45-5:00 at the District Office. All are welcome.

Grade Level Configuration Committee
The District has had several meetings to discuss grade level configurations for K-6, 7-8, 6-8, and K-8 schools. With class size reduction in the K-2 classrooms, many of our elementary sites are overcrowded, and do not have room to continue with class size reduction. This committee is looking at a pilot that would include some 6th grade classrooms at Martin Murphy. The District will be surveying feeder schools and working on a timeline. This committee’s next meeting will be on February 24 at 4pm at the district office. All are welcome!

When you need union representation

If you are called into a meeting with your site administrator over an issue that could potentially lead to discipline (if you’re not sure, ask!), then you are entitled (and strongly advised) to have a union representative present. You get to pick the representative; your administrator does not get to choose for you. You may choose your Building Rep, or you may request a representative from the Federation office.

Any information related to this meeting will be held in strict confidence by your union representatives.

Transfers

The District is participating in a new pilot for transfer requests. These requests have now been added to the Intent to Return Form, which is due February 28th.

Teachers can add their name to transfer forms, and can make edits at any point with Carolyn Bowers at the District Office. Your requests can be broad or narrow, depending on your interest, and will only be shared with sites where and when positions are available.

Specific job openings will also be posted on HR Insider (twice a month), and general job openings will be posted on Ed Join (ongoing).
If you are a permanent or probationary teacher, you are guaranteed an interview if you express an interest in an open position.

SARC Reports

School and District accountability is comprised of a number of systems that evaluate the overall performance of each school and the district as a whole. These evaluation systems were put in place by the California Department of Education and the Federal Education Department to provide parents and local communities with an overall gauge of how schools and districts are performing. Note that no single accountability system provides a complete evaluation of student learning or the learning environment, but rather each is a snapshot indicator of how the school is doing on specific criteria being measured.

We know there is an achievement gap in our district, as there is across the nation, and that our sites and members are innovating instruction and services, especially for our neediest students.

There is a variety of information published in the SARC report about your specific school that is available to our community. Please check out your site reports that are available at: http://mhusd.org/educational-services/school-district-accountability/

Teachers at the Mic

Thank you to PA Walsh for a great presentation to the board!

When it is your school’s turn to present, please try to attend if you can in support of your colleagues.

Our theme for this year’s board presentations is Unity and Community. The board is looking for a quick presentation (between 5 and 8 minutes). If you would like to be a part of the presentation, please talk to your Building Reps.

MHFT Officer Elections

A Message from Local President Theresa Sage
2015 will be an election year for MHFT Officers, and it is with mixed emotions that I announce I will not be running for reelection as MHFT President. I will, however, continue to work in the Federation Office to support the transition of our new officers and on behalf of our 400+ members (old habits are hard to break), but I am excited to be spending more time in the classroom. I became a Building Rep in the fall of 1996, Vice President in 2001, joined the office staff in 2007, and became President in 2009. This opportunity has been incredibly challenging and rewarding, and my strong belief that the teachers in Morgan Hill are doing incredible, life-changing work is reaffirmed every day.

Our officers are elected every two years, and nominations for 2015 - 2017 officers will be taken during our General Meeting on March 26. We have strong leadership at the site level in the form of Building Representatives, and in the office in the form of officers and staff, and I am confident in the capacity of our Federation to lead in the coming years.

Thank you for placing your trust in me during these last six years as your president. It has been an honor to work on behalf of you and our students.

In Unity,
Theresa Sage
MHFT President

2014 Dues Paid (for tax purposes)