CNTA REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

October 20, 2009

CNTA 2nd Floor Training Center, 1189 Mountain Avenue

Minutes prepared by Beverley Rouse, Secretary

 [Minutes are not official until approved at the next Rep Council.]

 

I.          CALL TO ORDER—Vice President Toni Sandell called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M.

 

II.        INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

A.    John Tavaglione, Riverside County Supervisor, explained why he hopes CNTA will endorse him in his bid for reelection.  He emphasized his commitment to education.

B.     Mike Coats, Standard Insurance Company, explained the CTA-endorsed disability insurance open enrollment period and encouraged reps to contact him at mcoats@standard.com .  He said disability insurance is salary protection that kicks in after eight days, pays a small daily amount during sick leave, and keeps paying when sick leave runs out.  He said Standard is the only insurance company that pays out for work-related accidents and illness, while others companies expect Workman’s Compensation to cover such things.  He said if approximately 200 people sign up for this, there will be no exclusions for preexisting conditions.  Teachers who sign up for this can ask the district business office to stop payments to a current or previous insurance company.

 

III.       APPROVAL OF MINUTES—Cheryl Wester moved to approve the minutes from September 15, 2009.   Keith Barmann seconded.  The motion passed.  When asked, the secretary said that the content of handouts is not usually included as part of the minutes.

           

IV.       REPORTS

A.    Vice President—Toni Sandell said she has worked with several schools on issues dealing with PTT, including the need to cover duties before school or after school so that teachers can be in their one-hour PTT meetings and not lose any of the contracted 45 minutes of prep time.  The state budget is getting worse and there may be mid-year cuts because the district must, by law, remain fiscally sound.  CNTA must be ready to negotiate for the least painful way to deal with budget cuts.  Because the fiscal problems may go on for several years, she asked teachers to be extra kind because of the stresses everyone is enduring.

B.     Secretary—Beverley Rouse explained the procedure for preparing and authorizing minutes and abbreviated minutes.

C.    Elementary Director—Matt Alford said that GATE testing will continue, but that coordinators will not receive the same reimbursement as in the past. 

D.    State Council—Mike Testo said the State Council meeting will be this next weekend. 

E.     Support Services Director—JoAnn Ritchie said she is working on concerns from special education teachers.  They are monitoring case load sizes and working to make certain each one has appropriate space at the sites.    

 

V.        OLD BUSINESS

A.    Negotiations Update

1.   The Negotiations Chair referred reps to the MOU that deals with release days for the site coordinators of the spelling bee, history day, science fair, math field day, and track meet.  According to the MOU, instead of a stipend, the coordinators will get a specified number of release days, in addition to sick days.  Participation as coordinators is purely voluntary.  The MOU can’t be changed at Rep Council because it has been bargained, so reps can either vote to accept or reject it.  In answer to a question, Mike found out later that the funding for Model UN coordinators has not been cut.  The district will pay for the trophies and other support for the programs, since it will be saving approximately three-quarters of the cost of the programs by eliminating the stipends.  Members pointed out that this doesn’t show the parents how serious the budget cuts are.  Mike Testo moved from the Executive Board that the Rep Council accept the MOU on the Student Programs.  A second is not necessary for a motion from the board.  The motion passed.  Members discussed the problem with the timeline, since time is running out for some of the programs.  A member said that this MOU portrays teachers in a bad light because they look bad if they don’t volunteer.  He said that teachers shouldn’t be pushed to volunteer.  A member said the board needs to save millions by the spring, and this shows the board can’t stand up to parental disapproval even to save the several hundred thousand dollars for these programs.  It is important for teachers to unite and view this MOU as a wake-up call about future budget cuts.  Harold Stryker moved to send this MOU on to the members for a vote.  Kristi Johnson seconded.  A member pointed out that the district-level coordinators are not addressed in this MOU.  The motion passed.  This will be sent to the membership as soon as possible.  A member asked if there is a way to discuss potential issues before the negotiations start so that the Negotiations Team has more information. 

2.   Calendar—These negotiations are still in process.  A member asked if members will be surveyed about the modified T calendar, but another member pointed out that a survey was done just a few weeks ago.  Legally, the school district can impose student calendars, and CNTA can negotiate the impact on teachers.  CNTA can tell the district that teachers don’t like a certain option, but the school board can do it anyway.  A member said that as money becomes scarce, teacher choice on the calendar could help with morale.  If parents go to the board with complaints, the board will listen.  A member said we need to work with the school board to develop a calendar that teachers like, since we helped elect them.  Having all schools on the same calendar saves the district a lot of money, so the district will push strongly for this.  A Negotiations Team member pointed out that we need to become unified so that we can deal effectively with the district and the school board.  A rep pointed out that they must represent their members’ opinions.

3.   Banked Minutes for Intermediate Schools—This is still being worked on.

B.  John Tavaglione Endorsement—This was postponed.

C.  Other Old Business—None.

 

VI.       NEW BUSINESS

A.  Site Rep Election Process—In the interest of time, we can do this by e-mail.  A member pointed out that with all the changes happening, the elections should happen after the new school year starts so that the staff is in place.  Year-round schools should do it in mid-July to mid-August, while traditional schools should do it in September.

B.  New Year Round Calendar Committee—The nominated chair is Meridith Bennett and nominated members are Peggy Bousman, Barbara Wolford, Reanna Neally, and Jann Young.

B.  New Elections Committee—The elections committee must be nominated annually, according to the Bylaws.  The nominated chair is Susie Farrell and the nominated members are Jessica Heasley, Cathi Downey-Secrist, and Maria Sarmiento.

C.  New Insurance Committee—The nominated insurance committee chair is Toni Sandell and the nominated members are Anne Freeman, Julie Cooley, and Harold Stryker.   

D.  Grievance Report—The committee will meet on October 27 at 4:00 at CNTA.

E.  New Election Called—The Executive Board called a new election for the challenged positions.  The new elections committee will set the timelines.

F.     Other New Business—None because of time constraints.

 

VII.     ADJOURNMENT—The meeting adjourned at 5:30 P.M.

 

VIII.    BREAKOUTS—Reps met for breakouts with the Elementary K-3, Elementary 4-6, Intermediate, High School, and Support Services directors.