COMMITTEE REPORTS
ARC (Appraisal Review Committee): Met August 27th to review OTES handbook. Every teacher should be notified if they are on a 1-cycle or full OTES evaluation by mid-September and how student growth measures are going to be made. Next meeting October 24.
COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS TASK FORCE: Former CHUH Board member Nancy Peppler was hired to coordinate our Community in Schools work.
CUYAHOGA COUNTY EDUCATORS SUMMIT: CHTU is sending a delegation to a candidate meet and greet on September 17.
DISCIPLINE: The Student Code of Conduct should be rolling out sometime during this school year. The district is awaiting approval from the Office of Civil Rights. The first Student Discipline meeting is scheduled for October 3.
DLT (District Leadership Team): First meeting Wednesday, September 26.
ER&D: Nothing new
GRADING TASK FORCE: Nothing new
INSURANCE: Next meeting September 24.
MAKE-A-WISH –6 teams are registered so far for the October 6 Walk at the Zoo with pledges over $1,300. Our goal will be to raise $8-10K this school year to sponsor a child’s wish. We can use your help.
MASTER TEACHER: Master Teacher Chair for this year, Tiffany Jordan-Shaw, is convening the committee to make plans for this school year.
MOBILIZATION: Like talking to colleagues? Consider joining your building’s Contract Action Team. Carolyn Pavel and Ton Bifulco can help if needed.
Every weekend until the November election will provide opportunities to help with the campaigns. Northshore Federation of Labor hosts canvasses every Saturday as well as Tuesday and Thursday phonebanking. Contact our office for more info on how you can help elect people who share our values about education.
OFT: 8 officers are attending the Local Leaders Conference in Columbus Friday evening, September 28 through Saturday, September 29.
POLICY TASK FORCE: Next meeting October 9.
PTA: PTA council’s first meeting is September 27. The speaker series starts October 25.
RETIREMENT: If you are in year 28, 29 or 30 with STRS, then keep an eye out for the annual statement so that you can submit it to HR with the letter stating you are eligible for the Retirement Enhancement of $1,150. You must submit info each year.
SOCIAL: The August 24 tailgate drew close to 60 people, raising money for our Make-a-wish fund! Thanks to all who attended and donated.
Heights Heritage House Tour – September 16. Please email Tina Reynolds if you can work a 3 hour shift in a beautiful home for the Heights Community Congress house tour. Tickets for the other houses are available for volunteers. This is a fun event where you see a lot of community people, see great houses, and showcase our local as a community supporter.
Teachers Union Social Hour – Thursday, September 27 at the New Heights Grill on Lee Road. CHTU buys the snacks. You buy your own liquid refreshment.
SUMMIT: A retreat was held August 8 to finalize the TAP Retreat. We also reviewed and updated our norms, dedicated to seeing where we could positively impact workplace satisfaction and better communication of Summit work. Next meeting Friday, September 14.
1. Grievances:
a) Unfair Discipline: A grievance involving a member who we believed was disciplined unfairly will be heard by an arbitrator September 25.
b) Hiring Practices: Our union filed a grievance on September 6 over missteps that we believe administration has made in their hiring practices. A member was given a commitment of work the week before orientation, attended new hire orientation, then reassigned to a long term sub position on Thursday, August 20. This person was never officially hired by the Board. Never officially RIFd by the Board. Only officially hired as a long term substitute. Although administration has pledged to put the member on the RIF list for up to 2 years if a position is not found beforehand, there is nothing official about the person’s right to a job as there should be. Additionally, we believe that administration had fair warning that there was no position available in the first place, which means they should not have hired one week and RIFd the next if they had planned properly.
2. Fact-Findings:
A member was in a fact-finding on August 24 because the parent of a student in the first minutes of the first day of school accused the teacher of being insensitive based on the student’s religion. Our member’s story differs vastly from the few student accounts. An outside advocacy organization has filed a complaint with the district in this case. Awaiting a disposition.
3. Heights Coalition for Public Education –Next meeting Sept 24 at CHTU offices at 7:00 PM.