COMMITTEE REPORTS
ARC (Appraisal Review Committee): Several meetings have been cancelled for lack of new information from the state concerning OTES 2.0. Next scheduled meeting is March 3.
CCES (Cuyahoga County Educators Summit) –First meeting is January 23.
DISCIPLINE: Not sure when the next meeting will be.
ER&D: Registration is currently going on for our Managing Anti-Social Behavior class being offered Wednesdays from February to April. (link to registration). Our summer schedule will be out shortly.
INSURANCE: Two changes in our plan will be in effect January 1; ER copay for non-emergency use and a higher co-pay for brand prescriptions when generic is available. Next meeting Thursday, January 16.
MAKE-A-WISH: nothing new
MASTER TEACHER: Last met December 11, 2019. 12 teachers submitted letters of intent to participate in the Master Teacher Program this year. Next meeting April 23, 2020.
MOBILIZATION: We will need help with the levy campaign. President Klein is meeting with the levy consultant on Friday to get an update on the campaign.
OFT (Ohio Federation of Teachers): We continue to work with our state affiliate to combat voucher funding in Ohio. We will be sending a delegation to the OFT convention is in February.
POLICY TASK FORCE: Next meeting January 22, 2020
PTA: Next PTA Council meeting is January 30.
RETIREMENT: No STRS Board meeting this month. For members looking to retire at the end of the year we can meet to discuss details and write a retirement letter for you. If you have 30 years or less in STRS and are planning to retire at the end of the school year then you your retirement letter must be submitted by March 1. Contact President Klein.
SOCIAL: Join us for a TUSH January 31 at Proximity Golf. Look for information soon.
The Spring Social is April 24.
SUMMIT: We met on December 13 for a holiday lunch. Our next meeting is January 24.
1. Grievances and Unfair Labor Practices
a) Assault Leave – Administration is trying to apply the new assault leave language limit of 2 years to a member who has been on partial assault leave. A grievance was filed on October 29, 2019. A step 2 hearing was held on November 12 and was denied on November 19, 2019. A step 3 Grievance mediation was held January 6, 2020 and was not successful. The CHTU Grievance Committee has voted to recommend to the Executive Board to approve taking this grievance to arbitration.
A second related grievance was filed November 12, 2019 based on Article 1B, the unlawful discrimination of the member based on the hours the member is able to work for a supplemental contract. A Step 2 hearing was held December 3 and denied December 13. This was combined at the mediation held January 6 and did not produce an agreement.
b) A member received an official reprimand on Friday, October 25 for several alleged offenses. The Union filed a grievance on November 7, 2019 because the teacher was disciplined without just cause. A letter was written that was attached to the reprimand. A step 2 hearing was held December 4, 2019. We signed a memorandum that resolved the case.
c) Administration Union Concern – Monticello Special Education – An AU concern was filed October 17, 2019 over issues that are occurring at Monticello. Caseload sizes for Intervention Specialists, serving 2 grade levels with no common planning time, large co-taught classes with a high percentage of identified students, Non-IS teachers assigned to do interventions with students, and more. A meeting was held with the superintendent and many central office administrators on November 7, 2019. The Superintendent prepared a response that was received November 26. We are scheduling a time to get our team together to discuss the response.
d) Administration Union Concern – Oxford – an AU concern was filed October 29, 2019. There are a myriad of issues that brought the Oxford Union leadership and the whole TAP team to file. A meeting took place on December 9 where the TAP team presented the issues in a professional, non-confrontational manner. We are awaiting the Superintendent’s response.
e) Right to representation grievance – A teacher filed a grievance November 15, 2019 based on requesting union representation at a meeting with the supervisor, having the meeting delayed a month, then while meeting over another matter without representation having the supervisor bring up the content of the original meeting. There was no opportunity to get union representation at that point. A step 2 hearing was held December 4. The grievance was denied on December 13. CHTU gave administration a suggestion on how to resolve the grievance by replacing the Step 2 response letter – that overture was rejected. We withdrew the grievance and are preparing to file an Unfair Labor Practice.
2. Fact-Findings/Discipline
a) A member is still on paid administrative leave since August 29, 2019 pending an investigation over concerns that we thought had been resolved last year. President Klein represented our member at the Department of Children and Family Services on September 25. All charges were found to be “unsubstantiated” on October 9. The private investigator hired by the district met with our members on a voluntary basis. The private company interviewed our member on October 30. A report was submitted to the Superintendent mid-December. The superintendent issued a letter to our member on the last day of school before winter vacation stating that the investigator found insufficient evidence to support the charges. The investigator had two concerns that were not violations of board policy. The member has returned to work and has been required to attend training in two areas. We are unclear if administration is finished or if they are going to try to pursue other discipline.
b) Three members were called for a fact-finding on November 1 and 4, 2019 – all accused of inadequate supervision of a student. Two members had a disposition meeting on December that was considered non-disciplinary counseling. The third member was on leave at that time and will have a disposition upon return.
c) A member was called to a fact-finding November 26, 2019 over concerns around alleged misconduct around supervision of students. Awaiting a disposition.
d) A member was called to a fact-finding on November 26, 2019 over concerns regarding attendance at a 504 meeting and accompanying parent relations. A December 10 non-disciplinary counseling meeting ended the matter.
e) A member was called to a fact-finding for January 9th over allegations of pushing a student into a chair. Awaiting disposition.
f) A member was called to a fact-finding December 12, 2019 over allegations of misconduct. Awaiting disposition.
g) Two members are being represented by CHTU in an interviewed by the Office of Civil Rights over a preponderance of allegations made by the parent of child who attend the school two years ago for a short period of time. The allegations do not seem to match any reality that actually occurred.
h) A member was represented at a meeting January 14 based on a group of parents who are mainly concerned their children are behind grade level based on the teacher’s absence for illness.
3. Heights Coalition For Public Education –A slideshow in several different forms was created and distributed by the Heights Coalition educating people about the impact of voucher funding on local school budgets. Go to http://chuh.net/coalition/events to read or watch.
On February 10, 2020 there will be a School Funding forum jointly sponsored by the Coalition, Reaching Heights, CHTU, CHUH PTA Council, The League of Women Voters for Greater Cleveland and other groups. The featured speaker will be Representative John Patterson, who has been working hard on HB 305 – The Cupp-Patterson Bill to properly fund school districts. Please attend at 7 PM at Cleveland Heights High School. More information will follow.
4. Catastrophic Sick Leave - A member has applied for and been approved for use of Catastrophic Sick Leave. We have some days in our bank at this point but will gladly accept donations from 1 to 10 days. We only recommend donating days if you have a healthy reserve for yourself. (link to form). Please send donations to "CHTU" in office mail.