VTAdvocate

Issue 96 Vista Teachers Association May 2009

President
Jan O’Reilly President’s Message
st
1 Vice President Jan O’Reilly
Barbara Franklin These truly are trying times for Education in the state of California. The
nd unsettling economic situation has left all of us feeling concerned for our
2 Vice President
J B Barton profession. On a daily basis we hear horror stories about people losing their
Secretary jobs after years of employment. We are fortunate to be educators yet we are
facing our own set of financial hurdles. Severe cuts to the California education
Paula Keen
profession in California are just that....severe.
Treasurer
Theresa Burris-Woodward At the state level CTA is working hard to prevent cuts but do know that if
Editor Propositions 1A & 1B do not pass more cuts are imminent. $3.6 billion will be
cut in the 09-10 school year. What does $3.6 billion equal? According to the
Andrea Miller
Department of Finance this could result in laying off over 51,000 teachers state-
VTA Office wide, reducing per pupil spending by $600+, closing schools for several days
1717 E. Vista Way (10-20 days est.), increasing class size by 15%, laying off 85,000 classified
Suite 203 employees and eliminating ALL music and art programs.
P.O. Box 1302 At our local level VTA is working hard to prevent further cuts. At this point in
Vista, CA 92085-1302 time the following has been maintained:
(760) 758-2690 *Class Size Reduction has been maintained at 20:1 (including those five
Fax (760) 758-6349 sites who have CSR at the Kindergarten level).
www.vistata.org * Class sizes at all other grades have been maintain also.
vistata@aol.com * Our salaries have not been frozen.
Table of Contents * Step and column is still in place.
* Stipends have been maintained.
President’s Message 1
* VTA members on budget committee have worked to keep cuts away from the
classroom.
Back to the Ballot Box 2 Daily state budget woes are reported out from CTA, the Department of
Education, California School Board Association, California School Services
Thank You’s 3 and the Classified Connection to mention a few all sharing the same dismal
news. What can we do? Encourage and educate voters to support the passage
2nd Grade Testing 4
of Propositions 1A & 1B. CTA will be hosting phone banks and informational
Read Across meetings up and down our state. For more information about these propositions
America 4 and how to volunteer see page 2.
I know this special election comes at a bad time, falling in the middle of state
Century Club 5 testing and year-end exams, and I want to thank everyone who has been making
phone calls and urging the public to support these propositions. We must keep
Dear VTA 6 up the hard work. Proposition 1A stabilizes future state funding, creates a long-
term reserve fund to prevent further cuts to schools and works with Prop 1B to
repay $9.3 billion owed to public schools. Proposition 1B repays schools more
than $9 billion: money that would help rehire teachers and restore vital student
programs. I urge you to continue talking to colleagues, family members and
friends. Ask them to vote on May 19th and stand up for public schools once
again.
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 Back To the Ballot Box
Council Supports Ballot Initiatives

Recognizing that all the ballot propositions are inextricably tied together and important to begin repaying some
of the billions of dollars in cuts to public schools, as well as helping to protect students, education, health care
and public safety programs from even deeper budget cuts, the California Teachers Association is supporting
Propositions 1A-1F in the May 19 special election. The CTA State Council of Education, the union’s top
governing body comprised of more than 800 democratically elected educators from across the state, voted today
to support all six initiatives at its quarterly meeting in Los Angeles.

“Passing these initiatives will help restore critical funding needed for our students, schools and colleges,” said
David A. Sanchez, president of the 340,000-member CTA. “The repayment of some of the money cut from
education will allow local school districts to restore student programs, reduce class sizes and rehire educators
who have been laid off. Many of these initiatives, especially Propositions 1A and B, are dependent on each
other and if they fail, the state is back to square one in trying to balance the budget and our schools could face
even deeper cuts.”

Propositions 1A and 1B would work together to repay public education $9.3 billion.

Proposition 1A is intended to put the brakes on the state budget roller coaster and prevent deep cuts in bad
economic years. It requires the state to direct 3 percent of general fund revenues into a rainy day fund each year
until the fund reaches 12.5 percent. Part of the money from this fund would be used to begin repaying some of
the money cut from public schools and community colleges.

Proposition 1B establishes a repayment plan to ensure schools are repaid the $9.3 billion they are owed under
the minimum school funding law.

Proposition 1C will provide $5 billion in new revenues to help close the budget deficit without raising taxes by
allowing the lottery to add new games.

Propositions 1D and 1E temporarily redirect money from tobacco taxes and the Mental Health Trust Fund to
pay for children’s health care and other social services over the next two years.

Proposition F prohibits state legislators, the governor and other state politicians from getting pay raises
whenever the state budget is running a deficit.

To help get the word out to vote yes on these propositions local teacher association chapters are asking you to
volunteer an hour of your time to phone bank. Every Monday through Friday until May 15 at the San Marcos
RRC from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local teachers will be volunteering and we need your help! The address is
1535 Grand Avenue; for more information or to find out about opportunities to volunteer your time in
Escondido or Ramona contact Georgine Tomasi at 760-744-4108.

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 3 VUSD Employees Gives Thanks for Support
Pamela Parkhurst, Temple Heights teacher, and her
mother, Eileen Howard, also a VUSD employee
wrote a letter of thank you for the support and sick
day donations Pamela received over the years. The
letter follows:
We want to thank you for all your help! Your
prayers and donated sick days have helped
tremendously. By going back on disability the heart
palpitations have reduced. Activities are restricted
and medicine has been increased.
I really miss my career but it touches our hearts to
receive help from all of you. VUSD employees are
a great family to belong to. Although there have
been many changes, people take care of each other
and we want you to know we really appreciate
being part of such a caring group of people. We
pray that you and all those that you hold dear to you
are strong and healthy and continue to thrive.
Thanks again and again to every one of you. Please
know that you are appreciated and in our prayers.
Kathi Svarc Alta Vista teacher wanted to express a
a heart felt-thank you to the many VUSD
employees who have provided assistance over the
years. Her letter follows:
To those of you who do not know me, I have taught
math at Alta Vista High School for 19 years, and
three years ago this April, I was diagnosed with
Stage III ovarian cancer. Since that time the caring
nature of teachers throughout the district has
generously supported my efforts to beat this cancer
and keep on teaching. It is hard to show my
gratitude to those of you whom I don’t know and
those I don’t see very often, but without your
generous contributions of sick days I could not have
been able to continue my chemotherapy and stayed
home when I was too sick to function.
My story is just another example of the wonderful
people who make up this amazing district of
teachers
Thank you,

Pamela Parkhurst & Eileen Howard Kathi Svarc

VTA Scholarship Thank You

At the March 16 VTA Rep Council Steve Barker of the Horace Mann Co presented Jan O’Reilly with a
check for $500, to be deposited into the VTA Scholarship Fund. Established more than 60 years ago by
educators, the Horace Mann Co is dedicated to serving teachers and their families. Steve’s generous
contribution demonstrates his willingness to support Vista students as well. He becomes the 122nd member of
the Century Club. Bravo, Steve!

For those of you who use Horace Mann Co they have recently moved to a new location at 2424 Vista Way
Suite 104 in Oceanside.

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 Hearing Set for Bill to End 2nd Grade Testing

At press time, the state Senate's Education Committee was scheduled to have a first hearing for a CTA-
sponsored measure that would end California's unnecessary and costly practice of subjecting second-graders to
the annual California Standards Tests (CSTs) in the state's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
program.
CTA-sponsored SB 800, by Sen. Loni Hancock (D-Oakland), would exclude second-graders from the testing
requirement as of July 1, 2010. By so doing, the measure would also provide more instructional time for these
students, helping them gain the skills needed to meet the state's rigorous standards.
A majority of states (over 40) do not require second-graders to take tests like the CSTs. Studies have
determined that statewide standardized tests for children under age 8 are not "age and developmentally
appropriate."
Classroom educators and parents — backed up by research studies and professional early childhood
associations — report that these tests do not provide "meaningful, valid and reliable data" that can be used in
"high-stakes" accountability systems.
CTA representatives point out that testing nearly 500,000 second-graders annually costs the state about $2
million to $4 million annually without providing helpful information to inform teaching and learning.
Ironically, eliminating the second-grade CSTs will actually strengthen the state's accountability system by
bringing California's testing requirements in line with those of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which
does not require second-grade testing.
If approved by the Senate Education Committee in mid-April, SB 800 would eventually move to the Senate
floor and then to the state Assembly.

Vista Unified Celebrates Read Across pencils. In addition, each school received a March
America 2, 2009 RAA poster and a Dr. Seuss book. Schools
throughout the district celebrated in various ways,
To celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss’ including VAPA who was featured in both the CTA
107th birthday The Cat in the Hat came to a school magazine and on their website, for inviting 60
board meeting and VUSD students ate green eggs Camp Pendleton Marines to read to 1,300 students
and ham. Read Across America Day is the nation's in small groups and feeding them green eggs and
largest reading event and VUSD joined school ham.
districts across the country in celebrating reading.
To kick off the festivities, at the February board
meeting our school board proclaimed Monday,
March 2, 2009 as Read Across America Day (RAA
Day) in the Vista Unified School District and the
cities of Vista and Oceanside also proclaimed
March 2, 2009 as RAA Day. The Proclamation
from Oceanside was read by council member Rocky
Chavez and the Vista proclamation was read by
council member Judy Ritter while Vista council
member Steve Gronke roamed the crowd and
greeted students in a Cat in the Hat costume. Each
VUSD K-12 student received a bookmark; K-8
students received sticker bookplates and some
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 Century Club Members

VUSD Students Thank You for your Contribution

Kathy Adams RMS Keith Grauman RBV Ellen Perkins VAVPA

Diane Phillips
Elsie Aguirre-Simpson RBV Steven Green BH (Sec'y) VTA
Elaine Anderson ASC Mac Greenlee PAL Phoebe Pierce EMP
Gary Anderson AL Steve Gronke NSA Charles J. Port VHS
Anonymous Community Craig Groschup GV Nancy Ramos CV
Sandra Ashcraft NSA Wendy Harlan AL Susie Raymond BH
Fredes Badillo CV Darlene Hagar RBV Debbie Rayner MV
Dr. Joyce Bales (Admin) ASC Donna Harper EMP Janice Reschan CV
Horace
Steve Barker Mann Co. Carl Hause RETIRED Denise Robertson MMS
J B Barton RBV William Hidalgo VHS Judy Robinson RETIRED
Jack Basmadjian RBV Lawrence Holmes CV Mark Robinson VHS
Mary Bedore EMP Alexander Houck VHS Letitia Rodriguez FO
Susie Bristow VHS Diane Huyett BH Gregg Rolfsmeyer NSA
Amanda Brunsmann BO Joan Jaureguy MM Roxane Rollins RMS
Teresa Burris-Woodward RMMS Nancy B. Jones RETIRED Cathy Roswell AL
Sheryl Bushey-Anello RMMS Caroline Kalve BO Beth Schmeiser RMMS
Kimberly Camplisson VHS Paula Keen TH Bill Schrempf RETIRED
Thomas Chase HAN Edwin Kubota RMMS Thomas Shepherd VHS
Deborah Circo VAVPA Tamara Kubota EMP Lesley Shilling VAVPA
Tay Cooper RBV Kathleen Lamb VHS Tina Shinsato RMMS
Therease
Erin Dayus RMS Matt Lattuada AVHS SilvaBaroã RMS
Michelle Del Val BH Jeanie Luckey (Admin) ASC Scott Smith VHS
Joseph DeMaria VHS Kristin Magnuson VHS Rick Smithfield RMS
Irma Duley BH Courtney Martin GV Greg Sommer SVHS
Reagan Duncan MD Patty Mathews VHS Cindy Speakman CV
Carol Erickson VHS Peter Mathews VHS David Spence VHS
Leslie Esquibel BH Nichele McCague OL Georgina G. Spina BO
Karen Evans VAVPA Duffy McGrath VHS Glenna Spindelman VHS
Paul Farrar RETIRED Frank McLoughlin WMS Janie Taitano CAS
Yvonne McMahon- Chyrl Taugher
Tim Fay RBV Beeson CV (AP) VHS
Allyson Fellars RBV Paul Metivier AL Georgine Tomasi CTA
Peggy Field HAN Lon Miller VHS Brian Underhill RBV
Diane L. Van
Barbara Franklin VMMS Teri Ann Mosher VHS Kempen RMMS
Dolores Gammon BE Mary L. Murphy GV Mark Vavra SVHS
Susan L. Garrett VHS Kevin Nicholas FO Joe Vredenburgh RBV
Anne Watson-
Craig Gastauer RBV Michael Nicholas RBV Snyder FO
James Geisendorfer VFA LeAnn Olson FO Sue Weston CAS
Leslie Weickgenant
Teresa Gerent RBV Jan O'Reilly VTA White CV
Erica Glennon RBV Sharon Ornellas SVHS Heather Williams VFA
Deborah Good-Morton LAKE Susan Orton (AP) MV Randy Wiens RBV
Chris Grainger VHS Lance Parrow VHS

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DEAR VTA . . .
Dear VTA,
My Principal recently informed me that I must attend staff development over the summer and
that I will be paid for my time. While I am happy to attend this staff development opportunity, I
have plans this summer and am unable to attend. What should I do?

While there is certain staff development that is required for a site or a grant, you are under no obligation to
attend on your own time. This not only includes summer time, but also weekends. Your school site and the
District Office should offer any mandatory training during a regular school day in the school year. You are
certainly welcome to attend this staff development if you want to earn the extra money or because you do not
want to prepare for a substitute; but you are never required to attend on your own time.

Dear Advocate,
I have heard rumors that we are going to have an early release every Wednesday next school year
and that this will be time for staff development. Is this true?

This is a bargaining issue and is currently being addressed. As of right now this is not true, but we will keep you
posted as soon as we know more information.

Dear VTAdvocate,
My Principal recently asked me to submit SMART goals. I wrote goals at the beginning of the year,
do I need to set more goals?

Great Question! SMART Goals can never be an evaluative tool. You absolutely have the right to NOT do them. If
your leadership team wants you to complete them for a PLC then you are more than welcome to; however you are
never under any obligation.

The Vista Teachers Association’s

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