Speak Up for Specialists!

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Speak Up for SPECIALISTS

January 2022 Vol. 45

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Bargaining Input Needed

Be sure your voice is heard!

Don't let survey fatigue keep you silent.

Take the two surveys below and

Right now, the district, the union, and the Specialist Advisory Council are all collecting data and input to inform upcoming decisions around issues of staffing and working conditions. Paula Grueling, a music specialist and member of the Specialist Advocacy Council, is one of 13 members of the TEA bargaining team who will be working on our new CBA. She, and other members of the team, will need input from us about our needs. Please take this survey about our top priorities. This survey is from the Specialist Advocacy Team and is tailored for specialists. Here's what the consensus is so far.

Updated Survey results: 44 responses

ALL Specialists:

1: 1.0 position filled by 1 person,

2: Case load limits

3: 30 minutes common planning time for those sharing a school

Librarians:

1: Management Time should be 60 minutes daily (in 30 min chunks)

2: Librarian Evaluation

Music:

1: case load limits

2: PE/Music FTE the same

PE:

1: case load limits

2: PE/Music FTE the same

Please add your input if you haven't already. If you share these priorities, share that at a listening session. Add your priorities and preferences so we can support each other and work for a more equitable CBA.

Take Advisory Council Bargaining Survey

TEA Listening Sessions

TEA is also asking you to complete a survey. This one is built for the broader TEA membership, and while it is important that you respond, often doesn't ask the right questions for those who are not homeroom teachers.

Take the TEA Bargaining Survey

Which is why it is important to give your input in person.

Please sign up and attend a TEA Listening Session so that the bargaining team can see us as real people - actual dues-paying members deserving of representation. Unlike in past bargaining years, there is no session dedicated to specialists, so sign up at your convenience and invite other specialists to join you.

The Bargaining Team is hosting Listening Sessions ( in-person and via Zoom).

Use this link to register to attend one of the listening sessions.

(all sessions from 4:30pm-6:00pm)

February 2 - In Person - OP/PT Members

February 9 - Virtual - OP/PT Members

February 10 - In Person - Cert Members

February 17 - Virtual - Cert Members

February 23 - In Person - All Members

February 24 - Virtual - All Members

Sessions are set up for all members, certs, and OP/PTs. Each session is limited to 40 participants, so as they fill up the Bargaining Team may decide to add a few more options.

Guiding questions for the the sessions are:

What is one thing that should/could be taken off your workload that would significantly improve your working conditions?
Based on what is currently in the CBA, what is one section you would like to have modified and how?
What is currently missing from our CBA?

The CBA and MOUs can be found at Collective Bargaining Agreements | Washington Education Association (tacoma-ea.org) if you’d like to review the documents before attending.

One Job,

One Educator

Equitable Access

Quality Instruction

Covering Classes

If you are pressed into sub duty, remember to document it here for TEA

TEA Documentation of Coverage

and

submit for loss of planning time.

MyTime Coverage Instructions: Use these hyperlinks within 5 days of coverage to be compensated.

Class Coverage Compensation

Here is an easy clickable contact list for TEA, TPS Administrators, and the School Board for use in keeping the lines of communications open. Updated for 2021-22