CHTU Updates

Dear Colleagues

Save the date March 21 for our biennial union banquet. It is our 70th anniversary and we want to celebrate in style. We are trying a new venue - the Embassy Suites in Beachwood. 

Wednesday evenings January 22, 29, and February 5 mark the beginning of a new venture. We are helping organize a community book discussion centered on the Diane Ravitch book "Reign of Error."  We will be in discussions with parents, administrators, and other people in the community interested in public education.  Community members are excited to have an opportunity to converse with teachers about

For several years there has been discussion about the much needed renovating of our schools and closing buildings.  Now that the Bond Issue has passed it is much more real.  Our community is such a special place to be able to pass this kind of levy.  We are now faced with the real challenges of this new work.  It is easy for me to imagine many of the obstacles, problems, and chaos that may ensue until we are all neatly in beautiful modern classrooms.  There are so many details to attend to that will probably all cause disruptions in our lives and work.  There are questions of every conceivable

Dear Colleagues

Most people I talk to lately are pretty stressed – you may be one of them.  Everyone is in this state of increased agitation for different reasons, so here are my opinions about some common issues:

OTES: If you are not “ineffective” then stop sweating it.  I know teachers all are high achieving and want to be accomplished, but our legislators, the ODE, and the corporate goons that think this stuff up don’t want you to feel that you are doing a good job.  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE RATED ACCOMPLISHED – get to know the rubric, organize what you already do so it is easy to plug into the

Dear Colleagues,
You should all be receiving your STRS annual statement in the mail soon.  Some things to know:
1) If you have already earned 27 years or more, but less than 30 years of STRS service credit, then you are eligible for our $1,150 retirement enhancement.  Keep an eye out for the letter from HR later in the month asking for a copy of your STRS statement.  You must submit this info all 3 years you are eligible. 

2) Purchasing Service Credit - If you have any eligible years to buy for retirement, now is the time.  As we have published before, the rates will skyrocket even higher than

Dear Colleagues,

Staff Meetings – in our new contract staff meeting dates for the year should have been published the first week of school.  Staff meeting times start 10 minutes after student dismissal and shall end after 60 minutes.  10 minutes during the meeting should be used by your steward.

A few items on your paystub:

STRS shows up three times:
          14% that the Board pays (notice that all * items are paid by the Board)
          10% that we pay (that is up a percent from last year by statute)
          1% that is picked up by the Board through an agreement in 2010

Credit Union and

Welcome Back.

There are so many changes for the start of this school year it is hard to begin.  The things that we need to know and be able to do to be successful in our jobs are overwhelming.  I hope that you have a strong team of colleagues to rely on.  If not, find people who can support and complement your work. 

Surprises:  When we were children surprises were wonderful.  Now, not so much when these surprises involve changes in what we do and how we do it.  Please read our Union Updates so that you are not as surprised as you would otherwise.  Also connect with us on facebook – connect

Our CHTU family has lost a great and loyal friend with the passing of Harvey Horwitz. Harvey was 61 years old and retired from teaching in our district last year.

Harvey was truly a hero; a hero to his family, to the innumerable students whose lives he touched, to his colleagues, and in his valiant struggle with cancer. Harvey’s teaching career spanned 38 years, and throughout that time, he was totally devoted to his work serving children with special needs. Harvey was also a talented athlete and had a successful coaching career at Heights. His impact on young people extended well beyond the