SEA UPDATE
Good Day My Fellow Union Brothers and Sisters,
As I look back over these last few months, I want to thank you all for showing up each and every day for our students and families and most particularly for yourselves. If no one has patted you on the back, said an encouraging word or even said thank you, let me do so at this time! Many of you have gone above and beyond what anyone could ask of you. Many of us have had to deal with difficult life challenges as we journey through this school year.
Your dedication, creativity and spirit are what drives us forward and WE cannot do any of this work without each of you, lending a helping hand, a shoulder to scream or cry on. We at the SEA want you to know that we are aware of your diligence and hard work. It’s not all peaches and cream, yet through OUR collective voices and standing together through the rough times, we can truly exhale and celebrate the good times ahead.
We appreciate your honesty and thoughtful feedback which helps us to create a safe and welcoming work environment for our students and staff. We love hearing from each of you the good, the bad and the ugly. We would also appreciate the accolades of success as we continue to work. Thanks for always speaking up.
I would like to wish you and your loved ones a peaceful holiday season. Thank you ALL for working so hard without always seeing the fruits of your labor.
May the New Year bring you each peace, joy and love,
In solidarity,
Tracy Little-Sasanecki MSW
SEA President
INSIGHT SURVEY FOR ZONE EDUCATORS AVAILABLE UNTIL FRIDAY DECEMEBR 16, 2022
The Insight Survey, which is available to all Empowerment Zone educators is available until this Friday (December 16). The SEA leadership encourages everyone to fill it out. This is the one survey which can give members and the SEA a view into the culture at each school. We will have access to school level data and want to make sure that it represents all voices in each school. Our goal is 100% participation. If you have not filled it out, please do so now! If you never received notice of the survey, contact Nancy deProsse in the SEA office at [email protected].
This year, for the first time, the survey is asking for demographic information. The question is being asked so that the Zone and SEA can see how educators are experiencing the culture in their school and if there are any disparities.
PRE-K ISSUES AND ORGANIZING
This year the district opened up at least one preschool classroom in every building. In addition to enrollment in every building, another Pre-K school was opened and they offered Pre-K to all three and four-year-old children in Springfield. This expansion has been painful for Pre-K educators, students, and their parents. Those of you in elementary schools may have seen the aftermath of this quick expansion.
With one week notice over seventy-five of the 100 Pre-K teachers for whom we have email addresses showed up at a meeting called by the SEA. They spoke of:
unsafe conditions
- staff and students being injured by other students,
- educators working alone with up to twenty students or alone in a LINKS classroom
-
not enough Paraeducators and Paraeducators being pulled all the time,
- inappropriate toileting and diapering facilities for small children.
unrealistic expectations
- Class sizes are too big, some classrooms are too small
- 3, 4, and 5-year-olds together for a full school day is unmanageable - the 3-year-old children have never been in school and educators need to carry out a curriculum that is not developmentally appropriate for three-year-old toddlers to get the older students ready for kindergarten
- Toileting and diapering take up a large part of the day given the number of students who are not toilet trained
- The day is too long for some students but there is not a half-day option
- The educators in classrooms that go until 3:30 have no time to clean up their classroom at the end of the day and plan with their para for the following day (historically, Pre-K was dismissed at 2:30 to allow for this time).
On December 8th over 100 Pre-K educators attended a meeting with the district to explain, from their perspective, the issues facing Pre-K educators this year. We asked for two follow-up actions:
- A meeting in early January to hear back from the district team, what they are planning as of now to improve the Pre-K program,
- Include a small group of Pre-K educators in the district’s planning moving forward to ensure that an on-the-ground, in-the classroom perspective will always be present in planning meetings.
DELAYED OPENING OF SCHOOL
The SEA and Springfield Federation of Professionals worked together to get the district to improve the delayed opening policy for educators. Now, educators are not expected to be in their school until 30 minutes before the start of the delayed day. As has been the case, educators are expected to use reasonable judgement and precaution when driving to work, and to notify their administration if they are going to be late. The announcement that went out last month from the district was in the inclement weather memo and read:
“In the event that unusual circumstances result in a “Delayed Opening" of School, please keep in mind that this delay is for STUDENTS ONLY. On a delay day, teachers, paraprofessionals, and nurses will be expected to arrive at least 30 minutes before the delayed student arrival time. (Please be aware that different schools have different start times but for example, at the elementary level if the regular day begins at 8:50 a.m. and it is a 2-hour delayed opening, teachers and paraprofessionals would need to report no later than 10:20 a.m.; or, if at the secondary school level, if the regular day begins at 7:35 a.m. and it is a 2-hour delayed opening, teachers and paraprofessionals would need to report no later than 9:05 a.m.) ALL OTHER STAFF ARE TO REPORT TO WORK AT THEIR REGULAR TIME. If you are going to be late, please contact your immediate Administrator to inform him/her of your status. Springfield Public Schools expects you to use reasonable judgment and precaution, but to understand your employment responsibility in this matter”
COVID UPDATE
COVID Leave Policy –
• We are still pushing the district to approve Emergency COVID Leave.
• Boston has 10 days of leave, which shot down the district’s argument that no one else has Emergency COVID leave – we are second largest local after Boston so that should be precedent enough
Masks-
• There are KN95 masks available for anyone who wants one
• Nurses have the masks
• Elementary and small secondary schools should have a supply of masks in every classroom
• Large schools should have them at every student entrance
• If you have trouble getting masks – let us know
Cleaning supplies and Hand Sanitizer-
• Should be readily available – see your custodian, then your principal and if you still don’t have them- let us know
BYLAW CHANGES - DEADLINE FOR PROPOSED CHANGES IS JANUARY 15th.
The SEA is governed by a set of bylaws. The current bylaws are available on our website under the Docs tab and can also be accessed by clicking here.
Each year we vote on any bylaw changes brought forth by the Bylaw Committee at our May Annual meeting. If any member would like to see bylaw changes, request should be submitted in writing to the bylaws committee by January 15th by emailing them to [email protected] and putting bylaw changes in the subject line. The Bylaw Committee will be in touch to discuss your change(s).
If you are interested in being on the committee, contact the chair, Gisella Grimaldi at [email protected] and put bylaw committee in the subject line.
MOLD IN SCHOOLS
It has been reported to the SEA office that there is mold in several schools. If you have mold in your school building, please take a picture of it and email it to the SEA office. We will be convening a meeting of schools with mold after the holidays with the MTA’s health and Safety staff person.
SEA RETREAT AND TRAINING – SATURDAY, JANUARY 7TH
We will be having a retreat and training from 9-5 at the UMass Center in Tower Square. Breakfast and lunch will be served. All members are welcome. Building reps and committee members are strongly encouraged to attend. There will be full group sessions, as well as workshops including a basic and advanced building rep training, an introduction to basic unionism, and an overview of the bargaining process. To register use this link: SEA Retreat and Training Initial Registration Form (google.com)
SELF-NOMINATION FORMS FOR SEA DELEGATES TO THE MTA ANNUAL MEETING AND NEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY WILL BE AVAILABLE JANUARY 12TH AND DUE BACK FEBRUARY 9th .
Massachusetts Teacher Association (MTA) Annual Meeting and the National Education Association (NEA) Representative Assembly nominations will be due on February 9th. The forms will be posted on the website on January 12th
MTA ANNUAL MEETING
The MTA Annual Meeting will be held in Springfield on April 28th and 29th at the Mass Mutual Center. The SEA will pay for mileage, parking, and the allotted amount for meals during the annual meeting.
The Annual Meeting, generally with more than 1,000 delegates present, provides an amazing opportunity to experience the democratic process at work.
Delegates to the Annual Meeting vote on the budget and resolutions, approve new business items and changes to the bylaws, and elect representatives to the MTA Board (including the President and Vice President of the MTA). Most delegates are elected by their local members.
In addition, there are statewide retiree and regional ethnic minority delegates. SEA members and retirees are also encouraged to run for those positions. The deadline for submitting nomination forms for the retiree and regional ethnic minority seats is 5pm on January 13, 2023. Information about these positions can be found here:
Please notify the SEA office if you run for one of these seats.
All members are welcome to self-nominate. Whether you are in your 1st year or 27th year of teaching, you will find the MTA Annual meeting is an opportunity to get to know other SEA members and work together to make decisions that will impact our work lives and our students’ lives for years to come. Examples of Business items that SEA has proposed and advocated, that have led to the MTA pushing for changes in state policy are:
1) Changing the funding formula for state support to poor districts that led to the passing of the Student Opportunity Act in 2019 which, it is estimated, will increase the amount of additional state funding the district gets by $180 million/year by 2027, and
2) Developing an alternative pathway for licensure that will eliminate the barriers for educators of color that currently exist. This is a work in progress. The Annual Meeting decision made this a priority for MTA governance and policy staff. The issue is being dealt with both in legislation filed this year and in committee work at DESE.
THE NEA ANNUAL MEETING AND REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
NEA’s Annual Meeting takes place during the final week of June and/or the first week of July. Various committees, constituencies, caucuses, leadership groups, and delegates from state and local affiliates gather to set policy and chart the direction of NEA business.
The Representative Assembly (RA) takes place during the final four days of the Annual Meeting usually over the 4th of July holiday. It is the primary legislative and policymaking body of the Association and derives its powers from, and is responsible to, the membership. As of this writing, the 2023 meeting is to be in Orlando Florida, with the Representative Assembly happening on July 2 - 6. Delegates are reimbursed for their expenses by the MTA and SEA.
The Representative Assembly adopts the strategic plan and budget, resolutions, the Legislative Program, and other policies of the Association. Delegates vote by secret ballot on proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Those delegates with full voting rights elect the executive officers, Executive Committee members, and at-large members of the NEA Board of Directors, as appropriate.
The SEA office accepts nominations for the NEA RA at the same time as it accepts nominations for the MTA annual Meeting. The forms will be available on the SEA website on January 12th and will be due back February 9th at 5pm.
There also are MTA regional and statewide delegate possibilities. Information about nominations for these positions are here:
The deadline for those nominations is January 13, 2023 at 5pm. The information about those nominations is located here:
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
MTA VIRTUAL LICENSURE WORKSHOPS WILL BE OFFERED TWICE IN JANUARY - THURSDAY THE 12TH AND THURSDAY THE 26TH
Watch for more information from MTA
Save the date:
MTA CONFERENCE ON BARGAIING AND UNION SKILLS - FEBRUARY 3RD AND 4TH
The MTA will be having a Bargaining Summit on Friday afternoon and evening on February 3rd and Union Skills Training on Saturday, February 4th. Both will be at the Parker Omni Hotel in Boston. Watch your home email for more information from the MTA and SEA.
Save the date
MTA CONFERENCE FOR NEW EDUCATORS – SATURDAY MARCH 4TH
Save the date:
MTA ANNUAL MEETING – FRIDAY APRIL 28TH AND SATURDAY APRIL 29TH IN SPRINGFIELD!
****REID This (Correction)
An error was made on the listing of the District DIRE Team, excluding three of our members
Catherine Mastronardi, President SFOP
Tara Parish, Executive Director PVP
Maureen Posner, Retired SEA Member and Past President
Please be on the lookout for the spotlight on these three valuable members.
