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PEA

focus
on educators
California Teachers Association

focus on educators is an award winning publication of the Pittsburg Education Association/CTA/NEA www.peateachers.org

Statement of Mission

The California Teachers Association exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education; to ensure that the human dignity and civil rights of all children and youth are protected; and to secure a more just, equitable, and democratic society. of a team. These would be Act and it was a legal settlement principals that respected and from the state of California to the supported their staff. Second it was California Teachers Association important to have regular paid grade when Governor Schwarzenegger level collaboration. Next it was vital borrowed money from education to use data as a guide and a means and didnt want to give it back. to find your direction in teaching. It CTA sued and won and the result is was also very important to have a that 500 low performing schools in Volume XXI, Number 6 firm and strong plan on student the state of California get a large behavior. This would include chunk of money for 5 to 6 years. In this Issue positive and negative consequences With this money they are required Presidents Message & for appropriate behavior which to keep their classroom numbers Informational Items pp 1-4 would establish a well-known smaller than current class sizes and Bargaining pp 3 school climate. Students would they have funds to spend to do Rally Photos..p 5 clearly know what they can and whatever is necessary to succeed CTA Newspp 8-9 cannot do. Having student with students. The key ingredient Injury & Illness.p 9 incentives for doing well on the here is that TEACHERS are main PEA Calendar.... The Last Page CSTs so students have a cause for control of this program. They are doing well which, unfortunately, supposed to have the power to PEA Presidents Message many of them do not have. And decide how they want to spend their finally at the junior high level site funds and they are also I have been given the privilege of having teachers with multiple supposed to be the watchdogs to being on the CTA QEIA subject credentials so that they can monitor the program. Our QEIA Workgroup for the next three years. have their students for 2 to 3 schools are Rancho Medanos, At my first workgroup meeting one periods of classes. This evidently Parkside, Stoneman and Foothill. of the items we went over was what provides more of a cushion for their They have very proactive QEIA characteristics were common for adjustment to junior high and also Reps as well that keep track of the those QEIA schools that went way provides more relationship time program and make sure we are not up in their scores and hit their with students and with their out of compliance. We wouldnt benchmarks. Here is what they teachers. These are all great ideas want to lose millions would we? found: First of all: Having for all the sites to consider not just QEIA reps are: Foothill/ Donna consistent and supportive principals for the four QEIA schools that Binkowski, Stoneman/Vicki that were highly qualified according PUSD has. In case you are not Krywokulsky, Parkside/Sharie to the states definition of principal familiar with what QEIA is it stands Chmura and Rancho/Paul standards. They worked in for Quality Education Investment Thompson. collaboration with their staff as part

FEBRUARY 2012

Wag More and Bark Less!

Chris Coan, President

PEA Leadership 2011-2012 President Chris Coan


Willow Cove Elementary/ PEA Office

Rep. Council Meeting Calendar


September 21 October 19 November 16 December 14 January 18 February 15 March 21 April 18 May 16 June 7 ***********************************

Elementary Vice President Sharie Chmura


Parkside Elementary

Secondary Vice President Arthur Pruyn


Pittsburg High

Secretary Tammy Carr


Highlands Elementary

Treasurer Gale Higgins


Stoneman Elementary

Committee Chairs Grievance Committee Richard Higgins Pittsburg High Jim Vaughan - Riverside Negotiations Team Dawn Cova - Chair Political Action Committee Iris Contreras - Chair Elections Chair Cindy Joy Human Rights Committee Tasharie Ameral Chair Womens Issues Committee Allison Azevedo - Chair Community Outreach Chair Vacant CTA State Council Representatives Iris Contreras PEA Denise James, Sara Savacool, Robert Strickler - AEA Alternate Pandora Bethea - AEA CTA Director District C Vacant NEA Director for California, District 3 Greg Bonaccorsi Technical Editor Susan Harrison PEA Site Secretary Focus on Educators is a publication of the Pittsburg Education Association CTA/NEA 159 East 4th Street Pittsburg, CA 94565 Phone: (925) 432-0199 fax: (925) 432-4854

School Board Meeting Calendar


August 10 & 24 September 14 &28 October 12 & 26 November 16 December 14 January 11 February 22 March 14 & 28 April 25 May 9 & 23 June 6 & 20 ***********************************

Are you Getting your PEA Information???


Having the site reps attend their monthly meeting and then reporting back to you is vital in the communication chain of our Association. Roll call at last January 18th Rep Council Meeting: Adult Ed. absent Stoneman present Foothill present Willow Cove present Heights present MLK/CC absent Highlands present Hillview - present Los Medanos present Rancho Medanos present Marina Vista present PHS - present Parkside present Riverside present TOSA absent ************************************

E-MAIL:peatchrs@att.net WEBSITE: www.peateachers.org

Meet Mary Hamlin of PEAs Bargaining Team

We need all support our standing in stay abreast to that comes from team.
3

members to efforts by solidarity. Please all information your organizing

FOUND: Pair of sunglasses after the Rally. Call PEA office for pick up.

Certificated Roundtable

My name is Mary Hamlin and I am one of the members of the Bargaining team. I appreciate the opportunity to represent the members of PEA. I am a grade teacher at Stoneman Elementary, and this is my twelfth year. I have a BS in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco. I received a Masters in Management from the University of Phoenix. I also earned my teaching credential from the University of Phoenix. 4th Prior to teaching, I worked in the private sector in Telecommunications for 29 years, as a proud member of the union and as an administrator. During this tenure, I had an opportunity to participate in the bargaining process on both sides of the table. I became active in the union two years ago, after meeting Chris Coan, PEA President and Rosemary Louissaint, CTA Staff Consultant. They were instrumental in working through some grievance issues at our site. Their demonstration of professionalism and dedication to protect the well-being of our teachers had a profound effect on me. I joined the bargaining team last year. We are committed to bargain for what is fair for our members.

Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room

April 26, 2012


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Teacher Discounts
The Railroad Book Depot offers teachers a 20% discount on most books and special orders for materials used in the classroom! Contact us at (925) 427-2334, www.RailroadBookDepot.com, or visit the store at 650 Railroad Avenue, in Old Town Pittsburg. ************************************

U.S. Dept. of Education Publications


PEA has copies of the following U.S. Department of Education publications. If you are interested in having a copy, e-mail your request to peatchrs@att.net. State your desired publication and school site and they will be ponied to you. ED004583P Exec. Summary, Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel

ED002624P ED001980H

What Content Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy What is Scientifically Based Research: A Guide for Teachers ED005150P Education Transforming American

2. In addition to subdivision (a), all of the following shall apply to an employee of a school district: Information of a derogatory nature shall not be entered into an employees personnel records unless and until the employee is given notice and an opportunity to review and comment on that information. The employee shall have the right to enter, and have attached to any 4 derogatory statement, his or her own comments. The review shall take place during normal business hours and the employee shall be released from duties for this purpose without salary reduction. The implication of unofficial files is that the employee is not informed what is in them; therefore, anything derogatory is some wastepaper. Only derogatory material that has been brought to the teachers attention that is subsequently placed in the central personnel file has any legal weight. Unless the employee knows about the material and has an opportunity to attach his or her comments, the material is so much wastepaper and cannot be used in a disciplinary action. The employee shall not have the right to inspect personnel records at a time when the employee is actually required to render services to the district. A non-credentialed employee shall have access to his or her numerical scores obtained as a result of a written examination. Except as provided in the above paragraph, nothing in this section shall entitle an employee to review ratings, reports, or records that: Were obtained prior to the employment of the person involved; Were prepared by identifiable examination committee members; or Were obtained in connection with a promotional examination. In short, unofficial files are just that. The unit members should protect themselves by periodically examining their personnel files and making a list of the contents, in case an administrator violates Section 1 or 2.

February is Looking in Your Personnel File Month

Have you ever checked your personnel file before? I know I havent and it is just a wise choice to see if everything in there is supposed to be in there or not. You will never know until you check it yourself. Here is the procedure: Email Christine Ghiselli, in personnel, via district email and let her know when you will be there to look in your file. You are allowed to look at the contents, but you are not allowed to take anything away with you. You are allowed to make copies of things, but once again they stay in the file. Here is what you should be looking for: 1. There shouldnt be anything in the file that you are unfamiliar with. For example, these might be warning letters or a letter of discipline. 2. You should expect to find evaluations, and documentation of hire, etc. 3. If something is in your file and you do not understand why or what it is, make a copy of the document. Do not take anything out of the file. If something is in the file that you disagree with let PEA know. 4. If you want someone else to review your file, you must give written permission. CTA does not advise this unless this person is an attorney or someone representing you on some issue. 5. A teacher may also want to write down what is in his/her file so that if anything is added later, he/she would have known what was in it on the date reviewed. 6. The teacher may be asked to show ID and to sign that he/she is reviewing the file and this is standard procedure. Good luck! Chris Coan ************************************

Ghost FilesEd Code 44031


1. Every employee has the right to inspect personnel records pursuant to Section 1198.5 of the Labor Code.

Thank You Teachers for Attending the February 1st Rally

School Board Breakfast Speech


I am so pleased to welcome you this morning on behalf of the 325,000 members of the California Teachers Association. My name is Terri Jackson and I am a board member for the California Teachers Association, representing our members in District C, which covers all of Contra Costa County and most of Alameda County. I bring you greetings from our CTA officers, President Dean Vogel, Vice President Eric Heins, and Secretary-Treasurer Mikki Cichocki. On behalf of CTA, I congratulate you on your recent election. You now have both the opportunity and responsibility of providing leadership for your local schools. But all of us in this room have a common interest and responsibility to provide the students of California with a free, quality public education. A Little About CTA For those of you who may be new to this role, Id like to tell you a little bit about CTA. CTA is a union and a professional association for the majority of educators in public schools and community colleges in this state. Our members include classroom teachers, counselors, librarians, school nurses, resource specialists, community college instructors, and education support professionals. We have a 149-year history of advocating for public education, from sponsoring legislation that established free, public schools in California back in 1863, to fighting for the states first class size reduction law in 1895 when the state set the maximum class size at 80 students! Fighting for our schools, our students and our profession is a legacy we take pride in. Education Coalition We also have a long history of working with school boards for more than 100 years. In recent years, CTA has been a member of the Education Coalition, working with other education organizations such as the California School Boards Association, the California State PTA, the California School Employees Association, the California Federation of Teachers, and the Association of California School Administrators, to properly fund public schools, so we can provide a quality education for Californias children. State Budget And speaking of funding schoolsone thing that was made painfully clear in the Governors budget proposal earlier this month is that California needs new revenue if it is to close the $9 billion budget deficit and protect public education, health care, and essential public services.

6 The threat of more devastating cuts looms large if the Governors tax initiative doesnt pass in November. And remember the Governor had to pull the trigger on midyear cuts in December when revenues, though up, were not up enough to avoid cutting millions more from public education and essential services. The Governor is proposing to increase Proposition 98 funding for K-14 schools to $52.5 billion, but this ASSUMES California voters will pass his tax initiative in November. If voters do NOT pass the Governors tax initiative, the Department of Finance says, it will trigger another round of midyear cuts, including nearly $5 billion to schools. Thats equivalent to eliminating three weeks of classroom instruction. The real fact that gets lost in all this is that California has the ninth largest economy in the world. Theres plenty of money in the Golden State to provide a quality education for our children, but because of an unfair tax structure and corporate tax breaks, California doesnt take in the revenue it needs to take care of its citizens. We must put a fair and equitable tax system in place for the future of our children and our state. Tax Fairness Truly, if we are going to talk about improving our schools, we have to talk about funding our schools and that starts by taking a look at our state tax structure. Whatever you think about the Occupy Wall Street movement, youre probably more aware about the inequities in the tax system than ever before. I have a few more statistics for you as well. Did you know that the bottom 20% of wage earners in California pay 11% of their income in taxes, while the top 1% of wage earners pay under 8%? And corporate income has grown over 400% in seven years, while personal income for folks like you and me has grown just 28%. The growing inequality of wealth and income is not a natural or random occurrence, it is by design. And this growing inequality and the concentration of corporate power and executive wealth undermine the foundations of our democracy and the future of public schools and colleges. We must lead the way to tax fairness and stable funding. We must actively participate in affecting and shaping the political economy in which we live, including taxes and funding for education and other essential public services, as well as the structure and operation of our economic life. None of the funding proposals that are out there solve our long-term funding needs, but CTA believes we must come together with the broadest coalition possible in order to have a chance at passing any funding initiative.

CTAs State Council of Education will be taking a look at viable funding initiatives later this month and deciding which initiative is the best for our students and our state. We hope you will join us in supporting one initiative to increase state funding and address the state deficit. QEIA One bright spot in our schools where funding wasnt cut is the Quality Education Investment Act, or QEIA, which was implemented in 2006; after CTA sued Gov. Schwarzenegger for money he borrowed from schools and failed to return. It was just reported by the California Department of Education that about 85 percent of the nearly 500 at-risk QEIA schools exceeded three-year Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets, one of the requirements for staying in the program. Successful schools in District C include Burbank Elementary in Hayward Brookfield Elementary in Oakland Oak Grove Middle School in Mt. Diablo Peres Elementary in West Contra Costa

Teachers and education support professionals must work to reach every student. 7 Administrators must provide teachers with the support they need. And, together with our elected officials, we all must provide schools with the resources and support they need to succeed. We must invest in our classrooms and our schools. We know what works: a sound early education program; smaller class sizes; greater emphasis on reading, math, science and technology; an education that includes history, arts, P.E. and music; a safe and supportive learning environment. These are the things that are needed in order to provide a quality education. And yes, we have to ensure that every child has a qualified and caring teacher. Its become easy to bash and blame teachers. Its far more difficult to find the will to thoughtfully undertake what really needs to be done to improve our public schools. Im a big Star Wars fan! Last year seemed to resemble Episode V-The Empire Striking Back. Many so-called reformers were vying for the role of Darth Vader, eager to destroy public education and criticize the educators and the unions that represent them. Educators have become isolated and feel devastated by the criticism and the dwindling resources for the classroom and their profession. We have become stuck in the carbonite of NCLB and other so-called reform measures. However, there is hope. Despite the ongoing challenges in public education, educators in the Bay Area have recently had the opportunity to hear the voice of one of our supporters, Diane Ravitch. Ms. Ravitch and other yoda-like supporters see educators as important stakeholders in improving and protecting the public education system, not blocking progress as so-called reformers have stated. Episode VI is a coming attraction. Educators, along with all the previously mentioned stakeholders, will find the actions necessary to make public education and all other vital services a priority in California again. Stay tune for the Return of the Jedi! CTA is here, and ready to work as partners with you to make our schools the best they can be. We look forward to working with you in the coming months statewide through the Education Coalition and here on the local level.

Thats great news, because it shows that providing extra state funding for proven reforms like smaller class sizes at lower-performing schools, more professional development, counseling, and more collaboration among educators, parents and principals is helping to make strong academic gains. Teachers at these schools are sharing best practices that work. Research has shown that QEIA has been a catalyst for increasing teacher collaboration, improving instruction, and strengthening the quality of professional development in several schools. There is an entire section on QEIA on the CTA website. Its worth knowing about. Lets work Together Finally, I want to speak to you about something that concerns me personally, and that is the escalating attacks on my profession. I can tell you that Californias teachers are on the front lines of education every day, including classrooms right here in District C. We are committed to teaching, committed to our students, and committed to our profession, in spite of mounting challenges and dwindling resources. But the truth is we all are stakeholders when it comes to providing a quality education for students. So hold all of us accountable. Not just teachers. Parents must ensure that their children come to school ready to learn. Students must be motivated to work hard.

Thank you for all that you do and are about to do for public education in District C.

NEWS
Teachers Guide to School Safety Corner
PROHIBITIONS AGAINST VIOLENCE & DISRUPTION School Site Security
No outsider shall enter or remain on school grounds during school hours without having registered with the principal or front office. (Pen. Code 627.2) Any person who willfully disturbs any public school or any public school meeting is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500. (Ed. Code 32210) Any person other than a student, parent or guardian, or employee of the school district shall promptly depart from the school premises during school hours when requested to do so by the school principal or designee. Such person shall not return for seven (7) days. The request to leave shall be made exclusively on the basis that it appears reasonable to conclude that the continued presence of the person would disrupt or interfere with classes or other school activities. (Pen. Code 626.7; Ed. Code 32211) Every minor over 16 or adult who is not a pupil of the school who enters any school ground and willfully interferes with any class or school activity with the intent to disrupt, obstruct, or to inflict damage to property or bodily injury to any person, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ed. Code 44810) ************************************

but with the Norths victory and passage of the 13th Amendment the peculiar institution of slavery was abolished. For blacks, the struggle was not over. A long road toward complete freedom was ahead, as it was for all workers. 1863 1868 Emancipation Proclamation issued by Lincoln which frees slaves in southern areas occupied by Union forces. First federal 8-hour day passed, only applies to laborers, mechanics, and workmen employed by the government.

The Industrial Revolution and the Progressive Era: 1877-1913 This period was an amazing time of growth in America. Labor was in high demand to run these new industries. Unfortunately, the continued high population growth spurred by immigration helped to keep the value of individual workers low, as there was a ready supply of people to fill the positions. Yet this was an active and fascinating period in our nations labor history. Workers continued to organize and resist when their way of life and or health were threatened. 1882 1890 1903 First Labor Day celebration in New York City. The AFL, at their annual convention, announces their support for womens suffrage. Mother Jones (Mary Harris Jones) leads the March of the Mill Children to President Roosevelts home in New York. Many of the children are victims of industrial accidents. The International Typographical Union struck successfully for the 8-hour day which helped pave the way for shorter hours in the printing trades. Section 10 of the Erdman Act which deals with yellow dog contracts and forbids a person being fired for belonging to a union was declared unconstitutional. (US v. Adair) Massachusetts adapts the first minimum wage law for women and minors.

Unions 2.0 A Look at Unions and the Education Profession


Introduction The United States has the bloodiest history of labor of any industrialized nation on Earth. It is a story rich in human drama and tragedy. It is also one of progress and hope. The Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877 Overview: The peculiar institution of slavery was obviously a major cause of the Civil War. Yet, it was not solely a moral issue. Northern workers did not want to compete against slave labor. How could they? As Northern workers sought to increase their share of the wealth their brother workers in the South labored without compensation. Northern labor leaders and industrialist s thought the South was trying to destroy capitalism and spread its slave power aristocracy on the nation. Unfortunately, there was no solution except war, 8

1906 1908

1912

Know Your Rights HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT


1. Find a complaint form: By law, a NOTICE should be posted in each classroom describing these rights and where to find complaint forms. 2. Fill out the form: If you give your name and ask for a response, the principal or district official must report to you within 45 working days how the problem was fixed. If you file your complaint in a language other than English, the response must be written in that language (and English) if it is spoken by at least 15% of the students at your school. You may file an anonymous complaint, but you will not receive a written response. 3. Turn in the complaint form: The form should tell you where to file it with the principal.

Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) that endeavors to eliminate unsafe conditions and minimize the impact of hazardous situations. Such a program can benefit the District and community by reducing illness and injury to students and personnel, preventing property damage, and preserving the environment. The District will make every reasonable effort to promote, create, and maintain a safe and healthful environment. This can only be realized by adherence to basic safety principles, sound management practices, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local codes, laws, and standards. COMPLIANCE All employees, including managers and supervisors, are responsible for complying with safe and healthful work practices. The PUSD systems of ensuring that all employees comply with these practices are: 1. Informing employees of the provisions of our IIPP. 2. Evaluating the safety performance of all employees. 3. Recognizing employees who perform safe and healthful work practices. 4. Providing training to employees whose safety performance is deficient. 5. Disciplining employees for failure to comply with safe and healthful work practices. COMMUNICATION All managers and supervisors are responsible for communicating with all employees about occupational safety and health in a form readily understandable by all employees. Our communication system encourages all employees to inform their managers and supervisors about workplace hazards without fear of reprisal. Our communication system includes: 1. New employee orientation, including a discussion of safety and health policies and procedures. 2. Review of our IIPP. 3. Training programs 4. Safety meetings. 5. Posted or distributed safety information. 6. A system for employees to anonymously inform management about workplace hazards.

Williams COMPLAINT TIMELINE


Day 1 File the complaint at your school Within 30 working days, your school should resolve your complaint. (If the principal forwards your complaint to the district, the district should resolve your complaint within 40 working days). Within 45 working days, you should receive a written response if you requested one and gave your name and contact information. If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, speak out by taking your complaint to the school board. You may also appeal to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within 15 days of receiving the response if your complaint is related to school facilities. * *Please contact us if you would like help with filing an appeal. ************************************

INJURY & ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM


MISSION
It is the policy of Pittsburg Unified School District (the District) to protect the health and safety of employees, students, guests, and the environment. This goal can be met through the development of a comprehensive and effective environmental health and safety plan known as the 9

PEA
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Calendar
FEBRUARY 2012

Valentines Day PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM Lincolns Day holiday no school Presidents Day no school Washingtons Birthday/Ash Wednesday PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM

MARCH 2012
7 11 14 16 17 20 21 28 PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM Daylight Saving Time Begins PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM PEA Leadership Retreat - PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 4:00 PM St. Patricks Day Spring Begins PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM

Next Deadline for Articles is March 12, 2012


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