CHTU Updates | Cleveland Heights Teachers Union

CHTU Update - 8.6.18 End of Summer

Dear Colleagues,

If I didn’t know it already I can tell summer break is coming to a close by looking at how many teachers are parked in elementary school parking lots. Enjoy the time we have left - we report on August 16 (August 13 for 200 day employees).

New Colleagues:

To date we have over 20 new colleagues starting in CHUH this year. Please make them feel welcome and share what they need to be successful. Most of them are coming to us with experience. Executive Board members have been invited to a new hire breakfast on Monday, August 13. The TAP retreat this year is being held Wednesday

CHTU Summer Update - July 24, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Hope you are enjoying these final weeks of summer recess. Here’s some important information I want to share.

Polo Shirts - For $20 you can buy a black 50/50 cotton/synthetic polo shirt with an embroidered CHTU logo. Sizes M to XXXL. Call Monica Carter 216.321.0020 at our office. These shirts are union made in America.

Calendar - if you want to check out open house dates, PD days, and holidays for the coming year click here (link). Fall conference dates seem to be missing right now. As far as we know: Elementary conferences are 3-6 PM. Oct 4 and 8:30-11:30 AM. on Oct 5.

CHTU Update - Make A Wish - 5.7.18

Dear Colleagues,

Several members expressed interest in learning more about how our local might get involved with the Make A Wish Foundation.

If you are interested and available we are holding an initial exploratory meeting to learn more about what we might do on Wednesday, May 9 at 4:00 at our office (2490 Lee Blvd). Please join us - no commitment.

There are 2 days left in the STRS election. Please vote for Ben and Dale.

Please vote in the May 8 primary.

We are trying to get a job description for the "instructional coach" positions that were assigned to our members. We will report out when we

Primary Clutch - May 2018

To All CHTU Members:

ENDORSEMENTS FOR MAY 8 PRIMARY

Tuesday May 8th is primary election day and early voting is already underway. It is customary for the Local 795 President to present election endorsements however, doing so in a primary election is uncommon. For this upcoming primary, there are some standout candidates endorsed by OFT, the Northshore AFL-CIO, and whom I support based on my evaluation of their positions on education and labor issues.

Please support these candidates and State Issue 1 with your vote.

State Issue 1- Fair Congressional Districts Vote YES

U.S.Senate

CHTU Update - April 18, 2018 - Median Salary and Last Day of School

Dear Colleagues,

Last day of school: If you are finished with your responsibilities for school on Thursday, May 31 then you do not have to come to work on Friday, June 1. If you recall that is now in our contract.

Article 6A.1 last sentence:

Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, if a teacher has completed all end of year responsibilities indicated on their building’s check-out list, the teacher will not need to report to work on the last day. If the teacher attends the last day of work, the teacher may leave when their list is complete.

200 day employees work one extra week, so their last

CHTU Update - April 12, 2018 about Day of Action 4/20

Dear Colleagues,

I am sure you have been reading about Friday, April 20 being a day of action. At our officer meeting yesterday we decided that a simple action to support the efforts of our students in protesting gun violence is to wear Orange. Orange is the color of the resistance to gun violence. I am giving you a weeks warning because many people do not have a large selection of orange clothing, so please plan ahead.

Students at the high school are planning a walk out around 10:00. They are trying to include the middle school, but I am not sure how that will work. The least we can do it

CHTU Update - April 11, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Please congratulate the following members who were approved for continuing contracts (tenure) at last night's Board of Education meeting:

Traci Adeen - Fairfax

Ben Ammon - High School

O'Dasha Blue - High School

Amy Coleman - Boulevard and Fairfax

Jessica Hageman - High School

Michelle Manolio - Gearity

Sarah Parker - High School

Melinda Stoicoiu - Fairfax

Tracey Tyrell - Noble

Please vote for Ben Pfeiffer and Dale Price for STRS Board. Send a selfie of your vote to Beth Rae or Jen Bennett or post on our faecbook page to be entered into a drawing. Everyone should have gotten the ballot

Middle School Update - April 11, 2018

Middle School 795 Members,

We received a response to our grievance on middle school discipline. Although we believe things are moving in the right direction, we do not consider the grievance resolved at this time because we believe that you need to determine whether or not the plan (see below) that has been developed is working. We requested that administration to give us more time before moving the grievance to the next level until we had a chance to get your feedback. A plan was develop during the grievance meeting and a follow up meeting with administration around attendance in class. The

Spring Social 2018

Dear Colleagues,

This past Friday, March 23, 2018 we gathered for the Spring Social at Nighttown. The food and music were great and the baskets provided by schools were creative and fantastic. We raised close to $1,400 for our Glenn Altschuld scholarship this year! Glenn served as president of our local from 1970 to his retirement in 1990. Thank you for donating and buying raffle tickets!

We honored Rox middle teacher Zakiyya Bergen and Canterbury teacher Julie Lustic with the Tom Schmida Teacher Leadership Award this year. Tom served as our immediate past president from 1990-2012. Both are

CHTU Update - March 21, 2018 - Board Meeting

Dear Colleagues,

BOARD MEETING:

Thanks to everyone who was able to attend the Board meeting last night. The house was packed. Our members, from all divisions, sat through a discussion between middle school principals, Board members, and Superintendent Dixon. It was clear that the Board members consider the issues at the middle school a high priority and they are very concerned. Board members asked for regular updates on the progress at the middle school.

We believe that our presence was vital toward pushing the Board and administration to make improvements. As Board member Dan Heintz