|
State Senate approves plan that attacks our rights and fails to fund
Just hours after a visit yesterday from SEA members,
state senator Jaime Pedersen of Seattle took the
senate floor and shared a story from
Sarah Arvey, teacher at Hamilton MS
about the need for lower class sizes.
While as expected the state senate proceeded to approve its own education budget proposal which attacks our rights and falls woefully short of the funding called for by Governor Inslee and the House, we must keep sharing our stories so that our allies can join us in the fight.
An SEA team visited with all of our state legislators or their staff on Wednesday:
Vallerie
Fisher, Family Support Worker, MLK Elementary, Edmund Trangen, ELA Teacher Roosevelt HS, Sarah Arvey, Special Ed Teacher Hamilton Middle School, Trent Comer, 4th Grade Teacher, Roxhill Elementary, Shelly Hurley, STAR Mentor, Pat Robertson, Substitute Board Member, along with Phyllis Campano, SEA President, and Michael Tamayo, SEA Vice President.
__________________________________________________________
School Board reverses course, focuses on educators before books
Students need new books, but first they need educators. A joint effort by SEA, school principals, and leaders from many communities of color called on the Seattle school board to first undo cuts to staff, then move to buy new curriculum.
"We approached board members together during the meeting break to make sure they understood what the implications of the budget action would be," said
Michael Tamayo, SEA Vice President. "We felt it was critical for the board to understand that not just SEA members, but also principals and numerous community leaders were all together on this."
Some board members, understandably eager to move forward on curriculum adoption as are most of us, proposed committing the funds in the current budget. However, our coalition explained that would mean cutting as many as 100 staff when we are already facing significant cuts.
After a lengthy debate, with Board members citing the outpouring of emails from SEA members and a community letter, the Board voted to defer purchasing of new books until after staff cuts are restored.
____________________________________________________________________
> > > QUICK NOTES < < <
BUILDING TEMPERATURE CORRECTION
: In our last issue, we cited state law on maintaining heat in schools. While the information was correct, we did not check school board policy which in this instance exceeds the state standard. Classrooms in Seattle should be heated, according to the school board, to 68, lunch rooms to 65 and gyms to 62. See the board policy for more information.
____________________
Applications for SEA Certificated and Classified long-term leaves during the
2017-2018 school year are now being accepted. In order for your long-term leave to be considered for approval, you must apply by 4:30 p.m., March 1, 2017. Per the District, late applications will not be considered.
For questions, please email
[email protected], visit the
Leaves of Absence web page, or call Lisa Garberg, Manager - Employee Leaves and Worker's Compensation, at 206-252-0371.
____________________
Elections are open now to choose your SEA delegates
to the WEA and NEA Representative Assemblies later this year! Voting instructions are here. Voting closes on Wednesday, February 8 at 5 PM.
____________________
Nominations for WEA Education Support Professional of the Year are open now through 3 PM on Monday, February 13th. We will honor the winner at the WEA Rep Assembly in April. Here are the
instructions and
application.
____________________
Future Native Teachers Initiative Conference registration is open for this year's event March 5-7 at WSU. This is a camp for Native American and Alaskan Native students considering becoming educators. The two day camp is led by Native American and Alaskan Native educators. Here is the registration link:
https://goo.gl/forms/gBSZaxl6I5RxNVCk2
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
SICK LEAVE REQUESTS
Carolyn Manning, Special Education IA @ Rainier View Elementary is very ill and in need of Shared Leave donations.
From Nicole Johnson:
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to request donated sick leave. Through my many years at SPS I, Nicole Johnson, have taught 2nd through 7th grades at several SPS schools and have been privileged to serve as an Elementary Math Curriculum Specialist for the district over the past two years. My partner, Dejon Hush, has also worked at several schools and is currently a Special Education IA at South Shore K-8.
Three years ago, we first wrote to request sick leave when I was eight months pregnant with our second child and diagnosed with breast cancer. Nearly three years to the day, I am writing again, with yet another request, as my cancer has spread, and I have been given a Stage 4 diagnosis.
If you able to donate, please complete a "Leave Transfer Request" form, including the Name of Recipient: Nicole Johnson.
Because this process is anonymous, we can not properly thank you. Therefore, in advance, it is with gratitude and humility that we thank you for your kindness and generosity. Thank you!
Thank you for your generosity.
Members can access the shared leave form by clicking
HERE. Forms can be submitted to
[email protected] or FAXED to 206-252-0021 or mailed to Seattle Public Schools, MS 33-380, PO Box 34165, Seattle, WA 98124-1165.
|
