Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter
Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter
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CAT Tracks for August 16, 2006
Back-To-School Specials . . . |
First of all, let me say "Welcome Back!" I hope that your summer was enjoyable and that you enter the school year with renewed energy! Ready or not...it's here!!!
Not one inclined to reinvent the wheel, what follows is an updated reprint of last year's opening edition of CAT Tracks. It still does a good job of hitting the highlights of the contract...
If you have earned additional college credit since last school year that would allow you to move horizontally on the salary schedule (B.S.+16, M.S., or M.S.+16), you must verify this to the District payroll department by "official transcript, with seal affixed." There is no deadline for this action, but you will not receive your increase until it is done.
Speaking of movement on the salary schedule...your raise for the 2006-07 School Year is 4%. (That 4% INCLUDES your STEP...it's your STEP + whatever percentage is required to equal 4%...which varies from person to person.) The District provided you with a folder on Monday that included a one-page "Employment Contract". VERIFY THAT YOUR PLACEMENT ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE IN CORRECT! Compare the "CONTRACT" amount shown with what is listed on the 2006-07 Salary Schedule. If it is NOT correct...notify the District Central Office...IMMEDIATELY! If you are a "mature teacher"...like myself...you need to get an old paycheck...like yesterday's! If you use your bimonthly "gross earnings/pay", multiplying by 1.04 will generate your new bimonthly salary...to begin on September 15th. Multiply THAT amount by 24 to get your "CONTRACT" amount...rounded off to the nearest dollar. Yes...it's that simple! )
All of you buy "consumable materials" for your classroom. REMINDER: Section 2.23 of the Contract provides for reimbursement--up to $100. Since a new school year has begun, you again have that opportunity. If you purchased things this summer--and still have the receipt--you can be reimbursed. You may make new purchases during this year. Remember: The District asks that you submit receipts for reimbursement ONE TIME ONLY each year. So wait until you have $100 worth--or until you know that you will buy no more. A completed purchase order (made payable to you!) must accompany your receipts. If you have questions, ask your office personnel.
Section 3.7 of the Contractual Agreement states that each member of the bargaining unit is to be provided with a statement on the first day of each school year that indicates the total number of sick leave days available to (be taken by) the teacher for that particular school year. Be sure to check your records and verify that the numbers are correct. REMINDER: Each teacher gets 12 sick days each year plus two personal days. You may also "buy" an additional personal day at the substitute teacher pay rate. (IF a substitute teacher is NOT used - e.g. an institute day - then the extra day is without charge.)
"Personal days" are just that--PERSONAL. You do NOT have to give a reason for a personal day. Just fill out the form and turn it in to your principal or his/her designee with as much notice as possible. (On occasion, the paperwork has even been done AFTER THE FACT when it was an emergency that arose unexpectedly.) ALSO: THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS AS TO WHEN YOU CAN TAKE PERSONAL LEAVE!!!
Personal days now accumulate to a maximum of five (5) days. Personal days beyond 5 will still convert to sick days.
Finally, on this topic, you may give another employee of the District (certified or noncertified) one or more of your sick days if they run out and you feel so inclined. Simply notify the central office in writing.
Section 3.10 states that "When the enrollment of any self-contained elementary classroom or any academic secondary classroom exceeds thirty (30) students, the teacher shall notify his/her immediate supervisor in writing." BE SURE TO DO THIS! Also notify your building representative! By "enrollment", it means that the 31st student has actually walked through your door for which you are accountable! All 31 students do NOT have to be present on any given day. Special Education teachers should do the same thing if their enrollment exceeds the limits mandated by state and/or federal law.
From the "Memorandum of Agreement" - "Recognizing that a strong foundation is essential to future academic achievement, every effort shall be made to maintain small class size at the elementary level - i.e. twenty (20). Accordingly, if enrollment in an elementary classroom exceeds twenty-five (25), that situation shall be immediately bargained.
In a word: "DON'T!" Do NOT store medicine in your room and do NOT administer medication--including aspirin--under any circumstances. Medication is to be administered ONLY by a school nurse or an administrator.
Taking someone else's class during your preparation period is VOLUNTARY. If you choose to do so, you are to be compensated at the rate of $20 per period--or any fraction thereof. If you supervise another teacher's students in addition to your own, then you are to be compensated at the aforementioned internal substitution rate--$20 for each additional teacher's students per period...$100 per teacher if the supervision if for the full day.
Any employee who wishes to join the IEA Credit Union should obtain the proper forms, complete them, and send them to the District payroll department during the first month of a semester. Forms are available from Ron Newell.
Apparently there has been some "discussion" about the abuse of cell phones during class time. The District administration does NOT want to "drop the hammer" on cell phone use by employees. They realize that some employees...such as myself...carry a cell phone for emergency purposes...as a caregiver. However, they are also concerned about reports of employee cell phone use for "questionable" purposes. So...PLEASE...limit cell phone use during class time to "personal emergencies" only...or for school business. If we ignore this "suggestion", "rules and regulations" will surely follow...with negative consequences. Cooperation requested...PLEASE!
Reminder...we addressed administration concerns about "mandated time out of the classroom by students for disciplinary reasons"...the "50 minute rule"...by allowing (earlier) readmission to class "WHEN THE TEACHER RECEIVES WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF THE ACTION TAKEN". So...they CAN send them back to you, but you MUST get something in writing that says what punishment was administered...NOT just a note that says they can come back now!!!
"Classroom visitations (for observation purposes only) shall be allowed on a scheduled basis following prior consultation with the classroom teacher. Parent-teacher conferences shall be scheduled before school, after school, or during planning time so as not to interrupt the regular instructional program."
"Except under emergency circumstances, office initiated communications over the intercom shall be restricted to once a day - preferably during a non-instructional period."
"The Cairo Association of Teachers confirms and supports well-organized and effective extra-curricular programs for Cairo students. The Cairo Association of Teachers' leadership will join with district administration and Board of Education to actively encourage and influence CAT professional staff to assist in improving extra-curricular programs by assisting, insofar as possible, in the coaching and sponsorship of the various athletic and club programs." (Although coaches and sponsors were required to reapply - again - for their positions this summer, we have been assured by District officials that this will NOT reoccur. From this day forward, coaches/sponsors will be informed of any alleged deficiencies during the course of their extra duty employment in order that they may effect change. Coaches/sponsors will NOT be subjected to "annual mass firings"...but will only be released for "cause". The Association accepts these assurances in good faith.)
"The Cairo Association of Teachers confirms and supports well-organized and effective extra-curricular programs for Cairo students. Accordingly, the Cairo Association of Teachers will join with the administration (BOE) to recruit and develop a volunteer group of certified staff...willing to assist the District as supervisors and/or workers at athletic events and as chaperones on away events. In the event sufficient volunteers cannot be recruited...the CAT will support the administration (BOE) in implementation of the provisions included in Section 4.5 (Extra Duty Ball Game Work) of the Contractual Agreement." (Folks...when they send around the "volunteer sheets" for working a athletic events, PLEASE consider signing up.)
I have tried to cover a variety of items pertaining to the beginning of school. Many of these were of a contractual nature. Obviously, I cannot cover the entire contract in a newsletter. BUT--Each of you received a copy of the contract. This contract governs many important facets of your daily work-life until June 30, 2008! PLEASE--READ your Contract and familiarize yourself with it. Many complaints that I have received from bargaining unit members in the past should NOT have been happening. The actions were in direct violation of the contract! BUT--THE MEMBER DID NOT KNOW!!! The Association can only enforce the contract for ALL employees if EACH employee knows the contract and insists upon its enforcement. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO "FIGHT" THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE VIOLATION--SOMETIMES THEY DID NOT KNOW EITHER. If you are comfortable with bringing the matter to the attention of your immediate supervisor, ask him/her about it. If you are not, PLEASE notify your building representative. A lot of long hours and hard work went into negotiating our current contract. Do not give away these hard-fought gains.
CAT officers for the 2006-07 School Year are:
The combined dues for CAT-IEA-NEA LAST YEAR were $557. This amount included significant increases in IEA dues for the past two years. The good news is that member unrest with these increases reached the "powers that be" and IEA dues were "frozen" by the IEA Representative Assembly in March 2006 at last year's level. NEA dues are determined each year by "formula"...this year resulting in a $5 increase.
CAT dues have been $20 a year since 1978...back when we had over 100 members...and gasoline was 2 cents a gallon. Okay...I lied about the price of gas...and it has nothing to due with CAT expenses...we don't do mileage.
However, as you have probably already guessed...this is leading somewhere...somewhere ominous!
CAT has been VERY active the past few years...participating at the regional, state, and national level. CAT representatives have received funding to attend the regional and national events...costing CAT members nothing (except for those members who actually attended the events, who regularly supplemented the regional and state funding out of their own pockets).
As I indicated above, CAT's membership has declined significantly since 1978...cutting our only source of revenue. CAT's expenses have gradually increased...with the cost of substitute teachers to "cover" Association leave, payment of the CAT President's dues, and expenses of elected CAT delegates to the IEA Representative Assembly. The CAT is still solvent, but getting very "lean".
After considering a proposed increase in CAT dues for the past couple of years...and discarding such thoughts when the IEA bailed itself out of financial difficulties by levying two BIG increases in dues...I feel that the time has come to ask the membership to raise local dues. It would be nice to simply "bump" the dues by a dollar or two, but that would only generate $60 or $120 due to our current membership. So...I would propose an increase of $5...to match the NEA increase and take advantage of the IEA freeze. That would result in a total dues increase of $10 for the 2006-07 School Year...the smallest increase in my memory...an increase of only 55 cents per pay period.
Any increase in dues must be approved by a majority vote of the membership. Ballots will be distributed at all attendance centers on Tuesday of next week. I would encourage you to vote "YES". Hopefully, we can then go another 28 years without an increase in dues! THANK YOU in advance for your understanding and support!!!
The CAT will continue to be environmentally friendly...a "tree hugger" if you will! After this "reminder" edition, CAT Tracks will be published electronically at...
Bookmark us...add us to your favorites! If you hear a "buzz", satisfy that "CAT curiosity thing" by going to our website and finding out the details. If you don't find the story posted, contact us...stir our curiosity...put us on the scent. Enquiring minds want to know!
