COMMITTEE REPORTS
ARC (Appraisal Review Committee): Nothing new. Next meeting April 23.
COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS TASK FORCE: Met March 14 and reviewed the report given by United Way. We agreed that we would recommend a blended model for our district where some services would be offered districtwide and others in individual schools, based on needs. Next meeting April 18.
CUYAHOGA COUNTY EDUCATORS SUMMIT: Next meeting April 26.
DISCIPLINE: Met March 15 and 16 to discuss a student code of conduct. We took board policy and codified it into a consistent readable format. We then determined what responses should be used at different levels of infractions. No new meeting date set.
DLT (District Leadership Team): Met March 21 to look at posters from different points of view. Next Meeting May 23.
ER&D: Summer registration is underway.
GRADING TASK FORCE: Next meeting April 23.
INSURANCE: Met March 27. No big takeaways. Next meeting June 14.
MASTER TEACHER: Melissa Garcar has agreed to take Sarah Adair’s position on the committee for next year.
MOBILIZATION: Please wear orange on Friday, April 20 the National Day of Action against gun violence.
OFT: The Ohio Union Leadership Institute is June 12-14 at Mohican.
POLICY TASK FORCE: Met April 10 to look at modified Board policies to recommend for adoption. It was determined that taking one-third of the policies each month starting in May would be easier to digest for Board members.
PTA: Met March 26. There is a speaker April 23 and a council meeting May 21.
RETIREMENT: We have been encouraging members to vote for Ben Pfeiffer and Dale Price in the STRS Board Election.
Dan MacDonald represented us at the March 15 STRS Board meeting. STRS spends half a billion dollars are spent on benefits each month. The fund approached it’s all time high water mark of $80.4 billion from before the downturn. STRS currently has no investments in firearms. There were public comments, then an annual investment seminar.
SUMMIT: Meeting April 13.
-We were updated on the curriculum pilots underway as well as the College Now grant. We also learned a little more about the GEAR UP federal grant that will focus on 7th graders. We reviewed TAP minutes. We discussed “Expectations of Students and Student Discipline” as a topic for Summit to work on as part of increasing workplace satisfaction. Tentative dates were set for the TAP retreat (August 15 AM). We brought up kindergarten over testing and were promised Ed Services would follow up.
1. Grievances:
a) MS Discipline – filed February 28, 2018 over board policies governing the student code of conduct. A step 2 hearing took place March 20. TAP has discussed plans. We will determine if implementation of the plan is being effective by surveying staff. Until that determination is made we have asked to waive time in resolving or progressing the grievance to the next step.
b) Personnel File – a grievance was filed March 29 concerning documents that were in a member’s official personnel file that did not belong. Administration agreed to remove the materials and we sent notice April 10 that the grievance was resolved.
2. Administration Union Concerns:
Elementary Testing and Pacing: This was discussed at Summit again, specifically about the scheduled testing for Kindergarten.
Elementary Dismissal: No changes. This seems to be a quiet topic right now.
Workplace Satisfaction: Summit will be working on “Expectations of Students and Student Discipline.” We are not sure what this will look like yet.
3. Fact Findings
a) A member was called to a fact-finding February 15 regarding concerns over job responsibilities; specifically grading procedures and documentation of student grades. Awaiting response.
b) A member was called for a fact-finding February 28 for allegedly not following protocol. Awaiting response.
c) A member was called to a fact-finding on March 14 for burning a pop tart. Awaiting a response.
d) Three members were called to fact-findings for not attending professional development sessions in the afternoon in their building on March 2 without calling out sick or personal. One member received an official reprimand and two received non-disciplinary counseling. Although the situations seem similar the reason for the absences are different.
e) A member was called to a fact-finding because of improper language used around students. A written warning was issued.
f) A member was called to a fact-finding being accused of not having protocols in place which administration claims led to the destruction of school property. A written warning was issued.
4. Heights Coalition for Public Education – The three winter forums have concluded. The steering committee met Wednesday, March 14 at 7 pm at the Wine spot to determine next steps. Next meeting April 19.
5. College Credit Plus –We agreed on language for paying high school counselors for their work on CCP this year only. Our efforts to negotiate for future years were denied.
6. HS Counselor Responsibilities – An Unfair Labor Practice was filed March 1, 2018 against administration for refusal to negotiate changes in working conditions for high school counselors who have been asked to coordinate AP and testing at the high school. This work was done by someone in a counseling position that was eliminated. We agreed to mediation, but no date has been set.
7. RH Spelling Bee – Join us for the fun on April 18 at 7 pm at the high school. Thanks to our spellers Fiono Conor, Karen Rego, and Harron Hartig.
8. Staffing –we were invited to a staffing meeting Monday, April 16 to discuss staff placements. Several positions have been posted and recall notices have been sent to 4 intervention specialists.
9. Officer elections – will take place from April 24 to May 9.