Monday Memo

In association with MEA/NEA

June 1st 2015

Strong Finish to an Amazing Year!

As we close up our classrooms, finalize grades, and say our goodbyes to our students on Friday, take time to reflect on a fabulous year in our district that each and every one of you has contributed to.  Recently, I was at the school board meeting where we honored the student athletes from the high school.  One noticing was that our athletes are also scholars.  They consistently have high GPA’s as they support their team mates both on and off the fields.  We have had a huge number of musical and drama performances this year that were amazing.  Just last week, our culminating Collage Concert performance was outstanding, once again.  We sent our LMS spelling bee champion to participate in the national spelling bee in Washington D.C. last week, and she earned 22nd in the nation.  Our middle school and high school Science Olympiad teams once again took both state and national honors, finishing 2nd in state and 12th (LMS) and 9th (GHHS) in the nation.  Our high school was once again listed in U.S. News and World Report as one of the best high schools in the nation.  Our elementary and intermediate schools just finished our Girls on the Run and Girls on Track 5K events this past weekend.  We all have survived the M-STEP, which is a huge accomplishment!

It is important to remember our success during this stressful, busy, and sometimes emotional week.  We are lucky to be part of such a positive and successful school district.  We are also lucky to have our administrative leadership and Association leadership work collaboratively on so many initiatives and to solve problems rather than escalate them.  

Please take time this summer to rejuvenate, relax, and enjoy your summer vacation time.  You have earned it!  That means different things for everyone.  Many of you will be taking classes to stay current or attending technology boot camps.  Some of you may be previewing new curriculum due to a grade level or subject area change in your assignment for next year.  Some of you will travel, enjoying new experiences and cultures.  Still others will go camping, sailing, hiking, or some other outdoor activity, or finally get to the stack of books you wanted to read since September.  Whatever you distressing looks like for you, enjoy.

Check out the MEA Website for savings while you travel.  Also remember to let MESSA know if you are traveling abroad so that you have insurance coverage in case of an emergency.

2015 Teacher Evaluations

It is that time of the year once again…Evaluation Season is in full swing.  This will be the last year that we use our current evaluation tool based upon Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching.  Next year, we will implement a new system based upon The Five Dimensions Plus (5D+).  It is very similar to our current system in that it is a research based system and it has performance rubrics.  There are 5 +1 Dimensions rather than 4 Domains, but they cover the same aspects of professional practice.  There are 2-3 Subcategories for each Dimension called Subdimensions that are similar to Danielson’s Components of Professional Practice.  There are also the same Levels of Performance (Unsatisfactory, Basic, Proficient, and Distinguished) for each Subdimension.  There are also Indicators which are similar to Danielson’s Elements for each Subdimension. 

At the fall inservice, there will be professional development focused on the Five Dimensions.  We will also introduce you to the Pivot program, which is the technology that supports the 5D+ system.   If the new tool is available, there may be some offerings in the Summer Boot Camps, but currently that is not the plan.

Because there will be no layoffs this year, we have collaboratively decided to not use the “point sheet” that was used in the past two years.  You will receive your ranking (effective, highly effective) as a result of your end of year review with your principal.  This is to refocus evaluations as a professional growth tool.  We hope that this eliminates some of the stress and divisiveness embedded in the points and ranking of staff that has undermined collegiality. 

As a reminder, any staff member that receives a “minimally effective” or “ineffective” rating should contact Scott TenHagen or Amy Cahalan immediately.  We will help you develop an IDP that is measurable and achievable.

May 5th, 2015

VOTE Today!

Proposal 1 and Non-Principal Residence Renewal

Today you have the opportunity to vote on two important issues.  Hopefully you have all checked your home e-mail for information on Proposal 1.  We also vote today on our annual Non-Principal Residence Renewal.  Both of these are important to us as public school educators.

Non-Principal Residence Renewal
This annual renewal would levy 18-mills on non-principal residences (businesses and second homes), which generates over $17 million in revenue for the district. This represents approximately 25 percent of our total revenue budget, and utilized to cover district program expenses.

Proposal 1
Proposal 1 is a state-wide ballot initiative that will raise funds to improve Michigan’s roads and bridges, and schools. 

Superintendent Search

Our Superintendent Search process is completed.  Thanks to the many people who participated in this transparent process including the focus groups, the sight visit team, the school board, the community members and staff members who participated in the survey, and everyone who attended the interviews.  Never has a candidate been so thoroughly vetted.  Last night at the regular board meeting, the GHAPS school board voted unanimously to hire Andy Ingall from Chelsea Public Schools.  He will be shadowing Keith Konararska before taking over on July 1, 2015.  We look forward to continuing our path of excellence and our collaborative relationship with Mr. Ingall as we transition, and we wish Keith Konarska the best in his future endeavors/retirement. 

Building Visits

GHEA Leadership will continue visiting buildings this month.  We are looking for feedback on what we are doing well, what we need to stop doing, and what we should start doing.  Remember that you can attend any meeting if you are unable to make the one in your building.  AR’s, please remember to ask for the media center if that is where the meeting will be.  Please follow up with the GHEA climate survey if you have not had a chance to take the survey.

Date/Time	Location	Association Rep/Contact
Tues., May 5, 4:00	MAW-Media Center	Shari Sigsby
Thurs. May 7, 4:15	Griffin-Media Center	Tammie Thompson

APRIL, 20, 2015

Superintendent Search

The School Board has narrowed the search for our new superintendent to five candidates:  Cheri Vannatter, Andrew Ingall, Craig Carmoney, Keith Smith, and Scott Grimes.  I have sent out feelers to these school district associations and received some excellent feedback.  I attended the interviews on Thursday evening and Saturday morning.  Public interviews for Scott Grimes is this evening.  I encourage you to attend.  Following the interviews tonight, the board will choose two finalists for a second interview and site visits.

Monday, April 20

6:00 p.m. - Scott Grimes, Grand Haven Area Public Schools Assistant Superintendent

At 7:30 p.m. on Monday April 20, the board will discuss the five candidates, and narrow the list down to two final candidates

Proposal 1

On Tuesday, May 5, 2015, you will be asked to vote on a very important proposal that effects school funding for our school district.  MEA is encouraging members to vote yes.  Attached is an informational video.  Please become educated on this ballot proposal and vote in the May election.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h7wE0aMcX0

League of Women Voters is hosting a debate on this issue this Thursday evening at the Spring Lake Public Library.  Sen. Arlan Meekhof and Rep. Amanda Price will be in attendance.  I encourage you to attend.

Building Visits

GHEA Leadership will be visiting your building this month.  We are looking for feedback on what we are doing well, what we need to stop doing, and what we should start doing.  More information will follow, but remember that you can attend any meeting if you are unable to make the one in your building.  AR’s, please remember to ask for the media center if that is where the meeting will be. 

Date/Time	Location	Association Rep/Contact
Mon. April 20  3:00	Central HS- Room 7	Amy Stringham
Mon. April 20  4:15	Rosy Mound-Room 10	TJ Klumpel
Wed. April 22  3:00	LMS-Media Center	Joe Lutz and David Funk
Wed. April 22  4:15	MAW-	Shari Sigsby
Thurs. April 23 4:15	WPMS-Media Center	Jeff Schiller and Melissa Moreland
Mon.  April 27  4:15	Ferry-Room 12	Amy Miller
Tues.  April 28  4:15	Peach Plains-Media Center	Danielle Bolthouse
Thurs. May 7, 4:15	Griffin-Media Center	Tammie Thompson

March 30, 2015

Spring Break

As spring break approaches at the end of this week, I want to wish you all a restful and relaxing vacation.  For those of you traveling, don’t forget to check the MEA website for travel discounts on hotels, car rentals, theme parks, airline tickets, etc.  

Building Visits

GHEA Leadership will be visiting your building after spring break.  We are looking for feedback on what we are doing well, what we need to stop doing, and what we should start doing.  More information will follow, but remember that you can attend any meeting if you are unable to make the one in your building.  AR’s, please remember to ask for the media center if that is where the meeting will be.  

Date/Time	Location	Association Rep/Contact
Tues. April 14  3:00	GHHS-LGI	Aaron Portenga, Tammy Bowser, Josh Walters, Jeanne Blease
Tues. April 14 4:15	Lakehills	Gina Gancarz
Wed. April 15  4:15	Robinson-Library	Melissa Sanborn
Mon. April 20  3:00	Central HS- Room 7	Amy Stringham
Mon. April 20  4:15	Rosy Mound-Room 10	TJ Klumpel
Wed. April 22  3:00	LMS-Media Center	Joe Lutz and David Funk
Wed. April 22  4:15	MAW-	Shari Sigsby
Thurs. April 23 4:15	WPMS-Media Center	Jeff Schiller and Melissa Moreland
Mon.  April 27  4:15	Ferry-Room 12	Amy Miller
Tues.  April 28  4:15	Peach Plains-Media Center	Danielle Bolthouse
Wed. May 6, 4:15	Griffin-Media Center	Tammie Thompson

MONDAY MARCH 23rd

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Security Breach

Everyone should have gotten a letter from MESSA explaining that Blue Cross/Blue Shield has been hacked and sensitive information, including social security numbers have been taken.  The letter stated that it was in other states (Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Main, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, and Virginia) and you should be concerned if you had traveled to those states and used your MESSA insurance in any of the 14 states since 2004.  At our ABC (bargaining council) last Thursday evening, concern was raised that perhaps the breach was more wide spread and asked us to inform our members that they SHOULD sign up for the two year credit monitoring provided by Anthem BXBS.  Go to https://anthem.allclearid.com to enroll.  Make sure you enroll all of your dependents as well.  We also discussed that perhaps purchasing an identity theft insurance policy (estimated cost for one person was $75 annually), because in today’s world, it is not a matter of if your identity is stolen, but rather when your identity is stolen.  

Conference Tips

I have a student teacher this year who is getting ready to do his first round of parent conferences.  I went on line to find some tips for him and came across this website that I thought might be helpful for everyone.  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-teacher-conference-tips-elena-aguilar  The article gives 5 suggestions for teachers.

1. Approach parents with positive assumptions.  Treat them as allies.
2. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
3. Be solution orientated.
4. Take the opportunity to learn more about your students from their parents.
5. Show that you care

Building Visits

GHEA Leadership will be visiting your building after spring break.  We are looking for feedback on what we are doing well, what we need to stop doing, and what we should start doing.  More information will follow, but remember that you can attend any meeting if you are unable to make the one in your building.  AR’s, please remember to ask for the media center if that is where the meeting will be.  

Date/Time	Location	Association Rep/Contact
Tues. April 14  3:00	GHHS-LGI	Aaron Portenga, Tammy Bowser, Josh Walters, Jeanne Blease
Tues. April 14 4:15	Lakehills	Gina Gancarz
Wed. April 15  4:15	Robinson-Library	Melissa Sanborn
Mon. April 20  3:00	Central HS- Room 7	Amy Stringham
Mon. April 20  4:15	Rosy Mound-Room 10	TJ Klumpel
Wed. April 22  3:00	LMS-Media Center	Joe Lutz and David Funk
Wed. April 22  4:15	MAW-	Shari Sigsby
Thurs. April 23 4:15	WPMS-Media Center	Jeff Schiller and Melissa Moreland
Mon.  April 27  4:15	Ferry-Room 12	Amy Miller
Tues.  April 28  4:15	Peach Plains-Media Center	Danielle Bolthouse
Wed. May 6, 4:15	Griffin-Media Center	Tammie Thompson

February 9th

Elementary Representative

Valerie Watson, our elementary representative on the bargaining team, is retiring from her position.  We thank her for her service over the past decade, and wish her well.  We will miss her on this team.  This means, however, that we need an elementary representative on the bargaining team.  The good news is that we have a four year contract in place, giving us lots of time for training the right person.  If you are interested, please send an e-mail to Amy Cahalan and/or Kevin Howard. 

Snow Days

According to the State of Michigan, all Michigan public schools are supposed to have 175 days of school in session AND 1098 hours of instruction.  The State allows 6 days and equivalent hours of “forgiven” time each year to count toward our state required days and hours.  The good news is that so far, GHAPS has only had five snow days, so we have one more available from the state.   The bad news is that Superintendent Mike Flannigan, MDE strongly feels that we need to add the entire full day of school rather than a few minutes to each day as we have in the past.  Upon speaking with Scott Grimes last week, I asked what the consequences would be for districts who didn’t meet the state days/hours requirements due to snow days.  His response was that we would receive a $10,700 fine per day.  I also asked what the cost to open the district was for each day.  He replied that he thought it was around $15,000 per day.  He added “However, (I’m) not sure we've ever intentionally cancelled a day.  That may create some hard feelings among those staff who lose pay for any cancelled day.”  We will be talking about this at our leadership council meeting today.  I will keep you posted on any updates, but for now, we have one more snow day available before we have to take some action.

Bargaining, PAC, Public Relations Conference

Our annual Bargaining, PAC, and PR conference is this week Thursday and Friday in Detroit.  We are taking a team of about 8 leaders from these committees to a two day, intensive conference.  This conferences allows many opportunities to network with other local associations throughout the state.  We learn new information about how other places are handling issues that arise, what is happening at other bargaining tables outside of our Area-wide Bargaining Council.  We explore how other districts communicate effectively both internally with members, and externally with their communities.  And we find out new ideas for raising PAC donations.  If you have an emergency, we will have cell phones and lap tops so you can reach us through g-mail or by phone and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

January 26

Synergy We are having frustrating issues across the district with our new gradebook system, Synergy. Please continue to submit your issues/questions/concerns to Doug Start and carbon copy Amy Cahalan. Be patient and know that they are working on this, but that it takes time to problem solve individual issues. The quote from Scott Grimes is that it is more important to get (report cards) done right than it is to get them done quickly. Elementary Representative Valerie Watson, our elementary representative on the bargaining team, is retiring from her position. We thank her for her service over the past decade, and wish her well. We will miss her on this team. This means, however, that we need an elementary representative on the bargaining team. The good news is that we have a four year contract in place, giving us lots of time for training the right person. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to Amy Cahalan and/or Kevin Howard. MEA Griffins Hockey Night: MEA discount night for Griffins Hockey is Friday, February 20th at the Van Andel Arena. The cost is $16.00 for the lower level seats and $20 for center ice seats. $2 Hotdogs and $2 Beer. This is a great experience with family or friends. Order your tickets on line and use the promotion code “MEA”. MEA members can take advantage of an exclusive Detroit Pistons tickets offer MEA has secured special pricing for Detroit Pistons games that are not available to the general public. Through the offer, MEA members, family and friends will receive exclusive savings to see the Pistons take on the NBA’s best at the Palace of Auburn Hills during the 2014-15 season. The games included in the offer are: • Minnesota Timberwolves, Feb. 8 • Cleveland Cavaliers, Feb. 24 • Charlotte Hornets, March 8 • Chicago Bulls, March 21 • Indiana Pacers, April 10 - See more at: http://www.mea.org/mea-members-can-take-advantage-exclusive-detroit-pistons- tickets-offer#sthash.sVlTnuN0.dpuf Enter Your Original Artwork in MEA’s 51st Annual Art Purchase Exhibit It’s time to consider submitting your original artwork for the 51st Annual MEA/MAEA Art Purchase Exhibit. MEA,MAEA and MEA-Retired members in good standing can submit their entries February 9-27, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at MEA Headquarters in East Lansing. Go to www.mea.org/awards/art for exhibit guidelines and to download an entry form. You can also contact Shelly Long at slong@mea.org or at 800-292-1934 if you have any questions. The 2015 Exhibit will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 2-April 15.

January 19

Enter Your Original Artwork in MEA’s 51st Annual Art Purchase Exhibit

It’s time to consider submitting your original artwork for the 51st Annual MEA/MAEA Art Purchase Exhibit. MEA,MAEA and MEA-Retired members in good standing can submit their entries February 9-27, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at MEA Headquarters in East Lansing. Go to

www.mea.org/awards/art for exhibit guidelines and to download an entry form. You can also contact Shelly Long at slong@mea.org or at 800-292-1934 if you have any questions. The 2015 Exhibit will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 2-April 15.

Do you open your MEA Advantage e-mails?

Just in case you missed this month’s issues, they included coupons for 8 delicious desserts and fitness finds (January 9, 2015) and the top 14 deals of 2014 (January 14, 2015).  These coupons will save you money on gym memberships, vacation packages, air fare, and ice cream just to name a few!  Check it out at your home e-mail address or at email@member-email.com

MEA Bargaining/PAC/PR Conference

Members from your bargaining team, PAC chair, and Web master will be attending the bargaining conference February 11-13 in Detroit.  We bring back lots of new ideas to help us serve our membership more effectively.

Communications/PR Chair

We have an opportunity for members in good standing to become the new chairperson of the communications team.  We already have some great candidates, but want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to apply.  If you are interested, please let our current communications chair, Rose Reid, know!




January 5th

New Year’s Resolutions

It is the time of the year that everyone is making resolutions for 2015.  If you are one of the millions of people world-wide who believe in setting goals for the upcoming year with a fresh start, you are not alone!  There are several “universal” resolutions that perhaps your professional organization can help you with.  Best of luck with your 2015 resolutions!

Healthier Living:

If your New Year’s Resolution includes leading a healthier life, be sure to visit the MESSA web site to great ideas for how to achieve healthier living through diet and exercise.  They also have tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season.  Also, know that MESSA supports members while they try to quit smoking.  There are several links that you might be interested in…Check it out at www.messa.org today.  

Financial Responsibility:

If your New Year’s Resolution includes getting your finances in order, be sure to talk to one of MEA’s financial services representatives.  They can help you with 403b accounts, along with other retirement information.  Our local contact is Eric Neinhuis and you can reach him at eneinhuis@mea.org Also know that you can contact our uniserv office with retirement questions to help you navigate towards a positive, stable retirement plan.  Our uniserv director is Krista Abbott and you can reach her at kabbott@mea.org

Growing Professionally:

If your New Year’s Resolution is to move forward on the salary schedule, and to grow professionally, I have researched some low cost alternatives for graduate classes.  I sent this out before break.  I have had so many follow up questions regarding this topic that I am resending the information for your convenience.  

Learners Edge at https://www.learnersedgeinc.com offers 3-credit graduate classes online starting at $390 for one person.  If you can get a group of 3 people to sign up together, the price drops to $375; 9 people $355.

LaVerne University of California at www.pdcourses.net offers 3-credit graduate courses on line for $330.

Marygrove University at www.marygrove.edu/academics/continuing-education/professional-development-for-teachers.html

Offers 3-credit graduate courses on line for $390; 2-credits for $290; 1-credit for $190.

Get a group of colleagues together and sign up for some classes to get you to that MA+15 lane before June 5!

December 15 2014

Holiday Blessings

It has been a very busy year for all of us, bringing lots of changes.  Many of them good, while other changes have been more difficult.  I hope that you take time this holiday season to recharge your professional batteries, spend time with family, and enjoy the magic of the season.  Wishing you and your family a blessed Holiday.

MEA Office Hours

The office will be closed for the holidays December 22-January 1.  If you have an emergency, please contact me at home.

Professional Development Graduate Classes

I have been asked by many members to share where they can get the professional development/grad classes for salary advancement at a cheaper price than the traditional GVSU, Western, Eastern, Central, MSU, U of M, etc., so I have investigated the following options and would like to share them with you.

Learners Edge at https://www.learnersedgeinc.com offers 3-credit graduate classes online starting at $390 for one person.  If you can get a group of 3 people to sign up together, the price drops to $375; 9 people $355.

LaVerne University of California at www.pdcourses.net offers 3-credit graduate courses on line for $330.

Marygrove University at www.marygrove.edu/academics/continuing-education/professional-development-for-teachers.html

Offers 3-credit graduate courses on line for $390; 2-credits for $290; 1-credit for $190.

Get a group of colleagues together and sign up for some classes to get you to that MA+15 lane before June 5!

DECEMBER 8, 2014

Fill A Food Truck

Our association is once again hosting a community event….Fill A Food Truck.  Your Association Representatives should have shared the details with you.  We hope to raise enough money to fill a food truck between now and December 8th.  If each member donates only $3.00, we will be able to accomplish this goal together.  The food will be donated to local food banks, whose cupboards are reported to be significantly bare.  Help feed local families this season.  Please see your Building AR to contribute… TODAY IS THE DEADLINE!    

1:1 District Provided Professional Development:  

Lots of questions regarding the Professional Development sent out by Doug Start last week.  The 1:1 technology training is a requirement.  You need to sign up for one of the sessions that focuses on the device that your students will have next year.  (High School will have the TRIG Grant Training).   The sessions are designed to help staff begin to implement the technology into our classroom setting, whatever that may be.  There are supposed to be classroom sets of devices that you can check out this year from media centers to practice some of the new skills.  There are also opportunities to pilot the devices this year in your classroom.  See Doug’s e-mail for details on the pilot program.  

Information Needed:  

Please make sure that your Building AR has your home e-mail and phone numbers.  Double check to make sure that your AR has the correct information in case we need to contact you.

 

 

Fill A Food Truck

Our association is hosting a community event….Fill A Food Truck.  Your Association Representatives should have shared the details with you.  We hope to raise enough money to fill a food truck by Thanksgiving.  If each member donates only $3.00, we will be able to accomplish this goal together.  The food will be donated to local food banks, whose cupboards are reported to be significantly bare.  Help feed local families this season.  Please see your AR to contribute today!  

Information Needed:  Please make sure that your Building Rep/ AR has your home e-mail and phone numbers.  Double check to make sure that your AR has the correct information in case we need to contact you.

Pre-Retirement Seminar December 6th, 9:00 am -12:00 pm at the Stevenson Center of MCC.  Call Anna Grimm to reserve your spot (1-800-458-9213) or e-mail agrimm@mea.org.  If you are within 5 years of retirement, you need to attend these seminars to help you be prepared.  

Salary Schedule:  We have a contract through August of 2018!  Many of you are wondering about how to strategically place yourself on the salary schedule before the end of this school year.  Here are a couple of thoughts…

• If you are in the BA or the BA+18 lane, you need to cross over as soon as you can.  There are lots of on-line classes that you can take that are cheaper than grad classes at a local university.  I heard that there is an online master’s program that you can get a degree in for $7,000.  Remember that you can receive $500 tuition reimbursement each year until you reach your masters.
• If you have a Master’s degree, you need to work toward your Masters + 25.  It will boost your lifetime earnings and pad your last 3-5 years that count as the average for your pension.
• If you are close to the Masters +15, try to finish your course work by June 5th, 2015, so that you can slide down the step schedule.
• If you are on the Master’s +15 step currently, stay there.  You will slide down the Masters steps to reach your current salary.  Then when you get your Masters +25 you will change lanes at a higher step.

There is a salary step calculator that Chad Williams from the high school created that will help you make sense of all of these changes.  Also, on the Staff tab on the district website is your Payroll Inquiry button that will have all of your pertinent information regarding your current step and lane.

Information Needed:  Please make sure that your Building Rep./ AR has your home e-mail and phone numbers.  Double check to make sure that your AR has the correct information in case we need to contact you.

Crisis Team Representative:  Just a reminder that we need a staff member from each building to serve on the crisis team.  This is a perfect opportunity for non-tenured staff since it is behind the scenes, but is open to any member in good standing. There will be training provided and we will have support from MEA.  Check with your building rep and make sure that your school is represented.  (It would not be ideal for the building rep to do both jobs)

Building Meetings:  Your building association representative will be holding a brief Tuesday morning building meeting (following our GHEA Executive Board meeting tonight) to share updates with building staff.  They will be scheduled for approximately 15 minutes prior to the beginning of school.  Please attend for any new information.

Election Results:  The election results across the state were disappointing for our organization and public school districts.  The reality is that we now are operating with a Republican super majority in Michigan.  We will keep an eye on the lame duck session between now and Christmas break and update you with any changes in the works.  Governor Snyder and Senator Meekhof have both stated that roads would be their focus during that time period, but we will keep you posted.

Bargaining Update:  Kevin Howard shared a bargaining update with everyone last week Friday.  We are meeting again this Wednesday.   We have made some progress since the general membership meeting and that is a direct result of our membership’s actions.  Keep up the hard work.  Support each other.  Know that your bargaining team appreciates your sacrifices of working to the rule.  Hopefully we will have something to bring to you very soon.  Remember to call rather than use school g-mail for communications.  

 

General Membership Meeting Today, November 3, 2014 at 7:00 pm. At White Pines Intermediate School Auditorium…Presented by your Professional Negotiation Team.

Building Meeting:   Tuesday, November 4th (tomorrow) before inservice begins.  See your Association Rep for location and time.

Public Town Hall Meeting:  Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s debate between Sarah Howard and Arlan Meekhof.  We packed the house and learned a lot about the candidates’ positions on a variety of subjects.

Stand Up and Vote for Education

In 1990, incumbent James Blanchard lost to John Engler by 17,000 votes statewide--less one half a percent. Democrats stayed home and we paid the price for 8 years.

This election could be just as close. All of our internal polling (and most external polling) shows it is that tight.

Please do EVERYTHING you can to assure a great turn-out for Mark Schauer. 

If Mark wins by a small margin, we will know that we made the difference--and secured a positive environment for public education. We do not want to face the knowledge that Mark lost by a few thousand votes, because we did not do everything we could to elect him.

It is critical that everyone gets out and votes tomorrow!  You should have received two voting suggestion cards…one from MEA and the other from GHEA.  Together we have the following suggestions for candidates who are reasonable pro-public school candidates in our area.  Take your cards with you into the voting booths.  Make copies for your spouses and children who can vote.  Let’s take back our state control and send a clear message to Lansing.

Candidate Endorsed by MEA/GHEA

Governor/Lieutenant Governor:  Mark Shauer & Lisa Brown

Secretary of State:  Godfrey Dillard

Attorney General:  Mark Totten

US Senator:  Gary Peters

US House of Representatives:  Dean VanDerstelt

State Senate:  Sarah Howard

State House of Representatives:  No Position

State Board of Education:  Pamela Pugh Smith and Cassandra E. Ulbrich

Uof M Regents:  Mark Behm and Kathy White

MSU Board of Trustees:  Faylene Owen and George J. Perles

Wayne State Board of Governors:  Marilyn Kelly and Dana Alicia Thompson

Michigan Supreme Court (1 year term):  Richard Bernstein and Bill Murphy

Michigan Supreme Court (2 year term):  Deborah A. Thomas

Grand Haven School Board:  (6 year term) John Siemion

Grand Haven School Board:  (2 year write-in)  Nichol Stack…be sure to write her name in the write in section AND fill the bubble in front of her written in name.

403b Benefit Did you know that your GHEA has bargained $175 annually for you to invest in a 403b retirement account?  All you need to do is choose a provider (if you don’t already have one in place) and fill out some simple paperwork and you can start padding your nest egg with funds from the district.  If you are in your first 10 years of service at GHAPS, you can also donate up to $200 and the district will match it!  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!  Last week you should have received an email from GHAPS/Dottie Bishop providing you with a list of 403b providers that the district works with.  MEA-Financial Services is one of the vendors listed under Paradigm Equities.  If you have questions contact Dottie Bishop in central office.  If you need to start a retirement account or would like a referral to someone who can help with this, please feel free to contact GHEA high school building representative Aaron Portenga.  He will be glad to share what he is doing to help you get started.   Nominate the next Michigan Teacher of the Year! (Taken from the MEA.org website) Posted on 09/29/14 at 3:51pm The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is currently accepting nominations for the 2015-16 Michigan Teacher of the year. Complete a nomination form recognizing an outstanding education. Nomination forms are due by Oct. 30. Each nominated teacher will receive a letter of recognition from the State Board of Education, along with an invitation to apply for the positon of 2015-16 Michigan Teacher of the Year. The winner will be the spokesperson for all Michigan teachers, will participate in monthly State Board of Education meetings, and will travel to national event - See more at: http://www.mea.org/#sthash.lNXBHoeE.dpuf Supporting Candidates Who Support Public Education GHEA/MEA endorses candidates who pledge support to public education.  One such candidate is Sarah Howard who is running for the 30th District Senate seat against Arlan Meekhof.  As you are aware, Mr. Meekhof does not support public school education.  Infact he often introduces legislation to undermine public school districts, teachers, and administrators as well as destabilize funding for public education.  In recent years, Mr. Meekhof has refused to even meet with MEA and its members to discuss public school issues.  He, with the help of ALEC, introduced the “Right To Work”, or “Freedom to Freeload” legislation in lame duck, which has undermined our ability to bargain fairly. Please visit Sarah’s website to learn more about how you can support her campaign at www.Sarahforsenate2014.com  She is looking for folks to help out with canvassing, phone calling, organizing, etc.   Also, on Wednesday October 13, at 7:00pm Sarah and Arlan will face off in a public forum in Park Township Hall in Holland OR Wednesday, October 29, at 7:00 pm at the Spring Lake Library.  Please try to attend one of these events to hear what these candidates have to say.   Gov. Snyder’s Myth: Do you think Governor Snyder is feeling the heat for reducing public school funding?  Recent campaign advertisements insist that Governor Synder has increased public school funding by one billion dollars during his tenure as governor.  While overall spending may have increased, K-12 education has taken a hit.  Our district has received less per pupil funding over his tenure.  Infact, our per pupil allotment has been frozen at 2006 levels, while he plays a shell game with funding like “best practices money” and “performance reward money.”   Governor Synder does not support public schools or teachers.  He claims in a recent ad that through the voice of a retired public school teacher…who is reported to be his next door neighbor…that he shored up our retirement pension system.  Really?  I think that our members did that by contributing to the system.  I don’t know about you, but my take home pay has decreased over his tenure as governor. I am now required to pay 20% of my insurance, which used to be a bargained 100% coverage.  I am now required to pay 3% for healthcare in my retirement pension.  We are not better off since the nerd took office. Benefits of Membership Visit MEA.org to find out more One of the advantages of your MEA/NEA membership is being able to order classroom items from Smile Makers, an official partner of NEA Member Benefits (NEAMB). Until Dec. 31, you can get a 20 percent discount and free shipping on orders of $25 or more.  Use the promo code NEAMB when placing your order. SmileMakers is the official Seuss Store of the NEA, and they also carry items celebrating American Education Week (Nov. 17-21) and other events. Check out other member benefits on the MEA website! VISIT NEA.ORG TO FIND OUT MORE FINANCE NEA® Cash Rewards Card Receive a $100 cash rewards bonus offer plus earn cash back everywhere, every time with: • 1% cash back on all purchases • 2% cash back at grocery stores • 3% cash back on gas Grocery/gas bonus rewards on $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter. Learn more RELATED ITEMS With a Better Credit Score, You Can Afford MoreThings to Look Out for When Shopping for a Credit CardThe Latest ID Theft Scams You Need to Know About  FINANCE Your NEA Retirement Planning Center Where are you on your path to retirement? The Retirement Planning Center is designed specifically for educators, with tips, tools and articles to help guide you through every stage of life. Visit the Retirement Planning Center RESOURCES Wealth-building Secrets of the Millionaire Next Door5 Steps to Get Your Retirement Planning on TrackRecession-proof Your Finances and InvestmentsRead the September Issue of the Kiplinger’s Retirement ReportCalculate Your Retirement Numbers, Including Your State Pension  TRAVEL Introducing NEA® Travel Travel just became more exciting! Sign up for our all-new NEA Travel e-newsletter for advice and exclusive member deals on rental cars, hotels and adventures. Sign up now for a chance to win a $500 Amex Gift Card!  DISCOUNTS NEA Click & Save Great savings every day from all your favorite retailers. 10 Everyday Discounts You’re Missing Out On  INSURANCE NEA Long-Term Care Program You’ve planned for retirement, but do you have a long-term care plan to protect your children and your savings Monday Memo June 2, 2014     Summer Vacation:  Brought to you by your GHEA Bargaining Team Summer:  One of the many benefits bargained though the collective bargaining process.  My wish for each of you is that you have a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating summer vacation.  Whether you use the time to take classes, go on family vacations, or simply get caught up on those little honey do projects you haven’t had time for…Enjoy your time off from the daily responsibilities of our daily jobs, you have earned it!  Summer Bargaining Team Updates Be sure you have provided your building representative with a summer e-mail address and phone number.  We will be sending out bargaining updates to members through those addresses.  Watch for general membership meeting information.  Our current contract expires August 22, 2014. Membership: Membership window is August 1-31 each year.  If you are planning on disassociating with GHEA/MEA, you must do so in this window.  Please contact Amy Cahalan if you are considering this option.  Remember that our strength lies in our unity.  Teachers have fought for many years to gain the benefits held in our contract.  We need to remember that we not only stand on their shoulders, but must also be the shoulders of the future generations of teachers in our district.  Monday Memo May 19, 2014     Remember to Contact Your Legislators Amanda Price (517)373-0838  AmandaPrice@house.mi.gov Arlan Meekhof  (517) 373-6920  SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov Bargaining Team Update Your bargaining team has been busy tabulating the data from the surveys, and developing strategies and proposal goals for our contract, which expires on August 22, 2014.  We have our first bargaining session today to begin looking at calendar.  We anticipate that our start date and vacation times will follow the OAISD’s calendar.  That puts our start day on September 2nd this year.  Our Holiday Vacation would be December 20-January 4.  Our Spring Break would be April 6-10.  We will keep you posted as we progress through the collective bargaining process. Our Union is a Bargain! We have a powerful, effective association.  They provide so many benefits for our membership.  I have spent some time this year trying to share those numerous benefits with you.  Please know that our power lies in our membership unity.  Our dues pay for bargaining our contract and defending it.  They pay for our Uniserv Director and Field Assistant support from our MEA office.  They pay for legal representation and support.  They also cover our lobbying and political action efforts on behalf of public schools.  I understand that it is a significant contribution, but I think well worth the cost.   Monday Memo May 12, 2014     Bond Election Results Congratulations on passing the bond proposals and the annual renewal!  What a difference these proposals will make in our classrooms for our students.  The other message from this successful campaign is that our community does support raising taxes for public education.  This is a message that we need to make sure reaches our legislators this week. Contact Your Legislators Amanda Price (517)373-0838  AmandaPrice@house.mi.gov Arlan Meekhof  (517) 373-6920  SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov The Revenue Estimating Conference will be held in the next week in Lansing.  It is time to stabilize funding for public education in Michigan.  Please contact your legislators this week and tell them that voters support public education based upon the successful bond elections across West Michigan.  Remind them that you are a bargain to our district and a valued member of our community, not to mention a constituent.  It is time to stabilize funding for public education rather than to try to crucify teachers in our state, blaming them for the school districts having to make cuts. There was an interesting article in the editorial section of the paper last week…did you happen to catch it?  It declared that the Teachers Pension Program was an albatross around the necks of school districts.  It also implied that teachers unions had outgrown their usefulness now that teachers make a fair salary.  It went on to state that our premium insurance and other benefits were draining districts.  I wonder how we have managed to achieve a “fair” salary and premium benefits?  I have written a response, but have not been published as of yet. This is just another example of how the story is being woven on the other side of this issue.  The Mackinac Center and the Republican Party want you to believe that you are not worth what you are being paid.  They want you to believe that your insurance is ridiculously overpriced.  They now have added that your pension program will bankrupt districts.  How will you weave our story?  I would argue that we do make a decent salary, however we have received cuts in our take home pay over the past three years due to legislation like PA 125 which requires us to pay 20% of our insurance premiums.  This used to be a bargained benefit.  We are also now paying 3% of our health care in retirement.  These costs to our families have been a cost savings to our districts.   In addition, we have taken very small increases or even freezes in our salaries for the past ten years.  I made less take home pay in 2013 than I did in 2010, and my salary has never kept up with the COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustments) afforded in other professions. In the meantime, the legislators have shifted funding from public education to big businesses whose CEO salaries continue to be outrageous and whose profits continue to accrue.  They have shared education funding with charter schools, higher education, and would like to spread that out even further with vouchers.  Legislators are playing a shell game with funding.  Although revenues have increased overall for public schools, it has been a series of hoops that they are required to jump through to get that funding through “best practices” while cutting the per pupil allotment for districts.  These funds are not available for all general fund purposes.  They have basically moved funding from one revenue source to another, and giving no increase to the general fund/per pupil funding we need for our programs and classrooms. The results?  Classrooms are overcrowded.  Programs have been cut.  We have fewer employees/positions in our GHEA.  Salaries are virtually stagnant.  Benefits are being paid for with employee cost sharing. Budgets have been slashed.  We pay for more and more of the classroom costs out of our own pockets. Please contact your legislators today.  Tell them it is time to stabilize funding for public education. Monday Memo May 5, 2014     Bond Election Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, 2014 is Election Day.  Members our community will be voting on the Non-Principal Residence Renewal and several bond proposals.  I would strongly encourage members support these ballot items.  The first is the Non-Principal Residence Annual Renewal, and is not an increase.  It does not affect taxes on a homeowner’s principal residence.  We need to pass this renewal every year to raise revenue needed to maintain GHAPS programs and services. Proposal 1 is a zero mill increase for homeowners.  It simply sustains the current amount of taxes community members currently pay.  It will provide 1 to 1 technology for our students and teaching staff.  It will fund infrastructure improvements in all district buildings including roof repair and maintenance, safety and security upgrades.  Proposal 1 also provides funding for bus replacements.  Proposal 2 is a 0.47 mill increase and is dependent on the approval of Proposal 1.  The annual cost to homeowners for a $150,000 house is $35.25.  This proposal will provide district-wide fencing and improved/safer traffic flow for GHHS and LMS.  It will also fund the remaining asbestos removal from our buildings.  Proposal 2 provides some improvements such as an updated weight room for high school athletics and more space for our music program at the high school. Passing these proposals takes the pressure off the general fund for these items, and gives us a larger budget to bargain with.  Updated technology allows us to remain on the cutting edge in educational opportunities and it pushes us to grow as professionals.  For these reasons, please consider supporting these proposals when you vote tomorrow. Bargaining Update: After we pass the bond proposals tomorrow, we begin the collective bargaining season.  We are currently tabulating the results from our survey.  We have just finished our building tours to hear from each of you personally.  We thank each and every one of you who participated in these activities.  If you have not yet provided your summer e-mail accounts to your building association representative, please do so by May 12.  We will use e-mail blasts as our primary form of communication this summer to keep you updated on our progress.  You can also check our website. Monday Memo April 28 2014     Professional Negotiations Team Building Visits Continue through this week.  Here is the updated schedule of the times and places.  Please attend at least one to share your thoughts, questions and concerns. 2014 Building Visit Schedule Date Leadership Attending Time/Location April 30 Cahalan/TenHagen 3:00 Lakeshore Library 4:00 MAW Library May 1 TenHagen-GHHS Cahalan-Lakehills 3:00 GHHS LGI Room 4:15 Lakehills Library Constitution and By Laws Changes Thank you to all who voted in our GHEA Bylaw amendment election. The amendment passed with a 99% Yes vote. The terms for our Association Officers and building Association Representatives will now run from Sept 1. through Aug. 31. In light of the fact that no additional members sought to present their names for consideration for running for an officer position, the current officers will continue in their positions beginning Sept. 1, 2014 and ending Aug. 31, 2016.   Elected Officers: President:  Amy Cahalan Vice President:  Todd Diederichsen Treasurer/Membership Chair:  Keith Swets Secretary:  Scott Christiansen Need for Change: As you know, our state association has been under attack for the past 3 years by a republican run house and senate, and a republican governor.  You have seen first-hand the results of the legislation that they have passed.  We lost 1/3 of our contract and can no longer bargain over evaluation and discipline.  They changed our insurance bargaining significantly with the mandated shared costs of either a hard cap or 20% of the premium costs being paid by teachers.  They also passed legislation that requires employees to pay any increase in their insurance premium if a contract expires before a new one can be bargained.  Additionally they made it illegal for us to bargain any retroactive benefits, and thus freezing your steps until the contract is settled. How is this working for all of you?  Personally, I take home less money than I did 5 years ago.  I am paying 20% monthly insurance premiums, 3% of health care for my retirement, and not getting enough increase in my salary to keep up with these costs much less the cost of living increases each year.  I am a member of the shrinking middle class.  Did you know that MEA has 350,000 members across the state?  And many of those members have family members who vote.  This combined with AFT, UAW, SEIU, IBT, and other unions should be a significant factor in any election, but for some reason, the government is not listening or representing us.  I wonder why they think they can not represent the middle class? Monday Memo April 21 2014     Professional Negotiations Team Building Visits Continue through this month.  Here is the updated schedule of the times and places.  Please attend at least one to share your thoughts, questions and concerns. 2014 Building Visit Schedule Date Leadership Attending Time/Location April 21 Howard/Cahalan 4:00 Peach Plains Library April 24 TenHagen 4:00 Rosy Mound Library April 25 Cahalan/TenHagen 4:00 Porto Bello Private Room (down stairs) April 30 Cahalan/TenHagen 3:00 Lakeshore Library 4:00 MAW Library May 1 TenHagen-GHHS Cahalan-Lakehills 3:00 GHHS LGI Room 4:15 Lakehills Library Taking a Leave of Absence? If you are planning to take a leave of absence for any reason…maternity, care of ailing parent, sabbatical, child care, teaching abroad for a year, etc…Please let us know before you talk with central office so that we can help guide you through the proper procedures. Planning on Retiring? Please let us know.  We can help guide you through this process as well.  Our uniserv office (Krista Abbott 1.800.458.9213) knows all of the ins and outs of the retirement system and is well prepared to help you navigate the waters safely. It also helps us calculate the correct numbers for our bargaining proposals.  Dues Deductions We had a bumpy start with our first year in the dues deduction business, but have now righted the ship, and have smooth sailing ahead.  Our membership chair, Keith Swets,  will be contacting those of you who are not currently members in good standing with a gentle reminder this week.  Remember that if you change your credit card or debit card account numbers for any reason, you need to let us know, so that we can help you to make changes to your account.  The MEA/GHEA is our organization.  We rely on the support of our members both strategically and financially.  Your support helps us in the following areas:  Contract negotiations and enforcement Trainings of your representatives Legal support including liability insurance Lobbying efforts…and much more… In short, MEA/GHEA has your back.  We are the lead voice in supporting teachers and public education in our state.  Without our collective support, this voice will eventually be lost.  Please contact Teresa Boyer with any dues deduction questions at the following: Teresa Boyer Field Membership Assistant, MEA 800 Ellis Road Suite #30 Norton Shores, MI 49441 231.799.8606 or 800.458.9213 tboyer@mea.org Monday Memo April 14, 2014     Welcome Back!  I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing spring break.  We have a GHEA Executive Council meeting tonight.  This is an open meeting to any GHEA members in good standing.  We meet at the Norton Shores office at 6:00 pm on the second Monday of each month.  All we ask is that you please let Amy Cahalan know if you are attending so we can make sure we have enough handouts and seats.  If you have any concerns, but are unable to attend tonight’s meeting, please share them with your building representatives so that we can address them.  Professional Negotiations Team Building Visits Continue through this month.  Here is the updated schedule of the times and places.  Please attend at least one to share your thoughts, questions and concerns. 2014 Building Visit Schedule Date Leadership Attending Time/Location April 16 Howard/Cahalan 4:00 WPMS Library April 21 Howard/Cahalan 4:00 Peach Plains Library April 24 Howard/TenHagen 4:00 Rosy Mound Library April 25 Howard/Cahalan 4:00 Porto Bello Private Room (down stairs) April 30 Howard/Cahalan 3:00 Lakeshore Library April 30 Howard/Cahalan 4:00 MAW Library May 1 Howard/TenHagen 3:00 GHHS LGI Room 4:15 Lakehills Library Retirement Seminar is April 19th, 9:00-12:00 at the Stevenson Center at MCC.  Please call Anna Grimm at 1.800.458.9213 to register if you are interested. Bond Proposal By now, each building staff has gotten a presentation on the bond proposals that our community will be voting on May 6th.  I hope that everyone has had a chance to consider the positive benefits this bond will have for our students, staff, and community.  With the challenges we face with public school funding, any relief that we could get from passing these proposals would help with our general budget.  You will be please to know that our PAC dollars have come back to support this important issue.  GHEA/SEA has made a $500 donation to the community group working to pass the bond and I encourage you all to vote on May 6th in support of the bond proposals. Monday Memo March 24, 2014     Annual General Membership Meeting: Please plan to attend our general membership meeting Tomorrow, Tuesday,     March 25, 2014 at 4:00 & 5:30 pm.  We will be discussing the state of our District and our upcoming bargaining season.  We are offering two convenient times.  It will be in the Grand Hall (upstairs), Porto Bello Restaurant. Remember that there will be a Political Action Committee Drive.  If you contribute to PAC during this week and come to one of the two meetings, your name will be placed in the drawing for fabulous, fabulous prizes. We will also be visiting your schools in April to get your input and answer questions and concerns you might have.  Meetings next week include: Tuesday, April 1……Central High School 3:00 and Rosy Mound Elementary 4:00 Wednesday, April 2….Griffin Elementary 4:00 Are you concerned about rising insurance costs? Feeling pressure to sacrifice your families health plan in an effort to keep spiraling costs in check? Health benefits for teachers have been a shrinking portion of the budget for the last 5 years. Monday Memo March 10, 2014     Annual General Membership Meeting: Please plan to attend our general membership meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 4:00 & 5:30 pm.  We will be discussing the state of our District and our upcoming bargaining season.  We are offering two convenient times.  It will be in the Grand Hall (upstairs) , Porto Bello Restaurant. We will also be visiting your school in April to get your input and answer questions and concerns you might have. Concerned about a decline in funding?  Feeling like you need to sacrifice the welfare of your family to make up for the districts lost revenue? The amount of General Fund Revenue in Grand Haven has steadily increased over the past 13 years.  Today, the District receives almost $12 million more per year than it received in 2001. Monday Memo February 3, 2014     Please Contact Your Legislator These were a few notes that I received from a member from another local that would make it easy to write a quick letter/make a quick phone call to your local legislator as well as the Governor. The Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference in Lansing on January 10, 2014, settled on $971 Million as Michigan’s current budget surplus. Republican lawmakers are already talking about tax rebates while Democrats say Public Schools and colleges should be a priority. One in five Michigan Public Schools is in financial hardship and at least fifty-six school districts are in deficit. Even the strongest districts financially are still reeling from the 2011 Snyder School Aid Fund cut of $1 Billion. Neighborhood Public Schools have seen class sizes increased, programs eliminated and employees laid off. School employees have seen their salaries and benefits cut to enable districts to survive. (On January 9, 2014, the Flint school district reached a deal to cut employee compensation by 19% starting this July. (Similar cuts could strike other districts if school funding is not increased!) From home equipment, please contact the Governor’s office, your state senator and representative and tell them that the Budget Surplus should go toward strengthening Public Schools and colleges. This money is desperately needed NOW in schools across the state. The children of Michigan should be a top priority in lawmakers’ minds! Using your own phone and/or home computer, give the Governor, your state senator and state representative the simple message from the paragraph above. Make a phone call or email, or do both! It is important! Include your full name, address and phone number. Here are a few lawmakers that may represent you: 1. Governor Rick Snyder        rsnyder@Michigan.gov   (517) 373-3400. 2. Senator Arlan Meekhof  SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov (517) 373-6920 3. Amanda Price   AmandaPrice@house.mi.gov  (517) 373-0838 Winner this month:  Kevin Berko at Central You have a surprise coming in the mail from your Association! Note:  GHEA Leadership team is attending a conference at the end of this week and will be out of the district on Thursday and Friday.  Please contact your AR’s with any issues.   Monday Memo January 13, 2014     What My Union Does For Me “I am thankful for the GHEA because our people understand us and realize that we may not always have the same issues as the MEA/NEA. They work very hard to represent our values and concerns while never forgetting what is important to students and families in Grand haven.”  Jeff Boeve, Lakeshore Middle School "I am thankful for the GHEA for bargaining quality health insurance. Just last spring break, we were on vacation in South Carolina and my daughter became ill. I called the MESSA number on my card, and they gave me three options within 15 minutes that would accept our card with no up-front charges. Our daughter was treated and given a prescription, and we were able to focus on her care instead of worrying about if we had adequate coverage. The peace of mind that MESSA/Blue Cross Blue Shield provides gives us comfort when we travel because we know that if we have a need for medical care, we are in good hands."  Amy Polston, Rosy Mound Elementary Bargaining Season Begins This is the beginning of the bargaining season for us.  We will be developing a survey to allow you to rank your priorities in February, following the MEA conference.  There will be some trends of truth being shared in the upcoming Monday Messages.  Please read these messages as new information becomes available.  We are currently using GHAPS’ audit to determine how much money is really available for our next contract agreement. Michigan’s State Revenue Estimating Conference (taken from a message from Dave Stafford, MEA Lobbyist) “Last Friday, the Michigan Revenue Estimating Conference was held in the Capitol Building. This conference is composed of the State Treasurer, the Director of the House Fiscal Agency and the Director of the Senate Fiscal Agency.  It meets twice a year, in January and May, to revise estimates of state discretionary revenues for the current year and for the next two fiscal years.  These figures are then used as the available revenue in adopting budgets for the state in the next year and for making modifications for the next two years.  The combined total of the School Aid Fund and the General Fund/General Purpose Fund is as follows: 20013-2014  $21,132.5 Billion, a 1.4% increase over 2012-2013 ($300.2 million) 2014-2015    $21,973.3 Billion, a 4.0% increase over 2013-2014 ($845.8 million) 2015-2016    $22,873.8 Billion, a 4.1% increase over 2014-2015 ($895.5 million) The combined total revenue increase over the three years is $2,041.5 Billion While encouraging, these numbers reflect that Michigan is gradually clawing its way out of its 13 year state recession, but we still have a ways to go.  In those thirteen years, we have had a national recession and a national “great recession.”  We’ve also seen billions of dollars in tax cuts that were supposed to turn our economy around and attract large numbers of businesses that will create large numbers of jobs. Unfortunately leaders in the Legislature are talking about further tax cuts as the proper use of the new revenue, ignoring things like restoration of the massive budget cuts that schools and local units of government have taken in the past few years.”  December 16th Holiday Greetings: I hope that each of you enjoy some quiet time with loved ones over the holiday break.  Rest, Relax, Restore, Energize.  This vacation time has been brought to you by your bargaining team. Happy Holidays! What My Union Does For Me  “I love that the GHEA leadership is easily accessible. If I have a question or concern, the answer is a phone call or click away. Our jobs are stressful and I'm glad that I don't have the added stress of trying to secure my own contract. I also love that I never feel like I am "alone". Not only does the GHEA "have my back", so does the MEA.   I don't always have time to research the laws that our legislature is trying to pass in regards to education. When I receive the minutes, I read Brian Williams report as well. He'll gives us a window to what is happening in Lansing and the MEA also has lobbyist to fight the laws that hurt us. Thank you!”   Kara Endsley, Griffin Elementary “I appreciate my GHEA because the organization gives me piece of mind. I know that there is someone looking out for my best interests as an educator. I appreciate knowing that if an issues arises concerning my good standing as an educator for GHAPS I can count on knowledgeable advisors to help me and guide me through the situation! Thanks to all of you who give so much of your time and energy serving all of us at GHAPS.”  Michele Jerovsek, Peach Plains Elementary “I am thankful to be part of an organization that supports me as a professional. In the education field, there are many supports in place for our students and it is comforting to know that the GHEA is always there to support and advocate for us as educators. The GHEA is a resource we are able to utilize whenever there is a situation that needs to be resolved. I am thankful knowing they are always behind the scenes working hard to benefit us as teachers. I am truly blessed to be a part of such a great organization.” Amy Londot, White Pines Middle School We would like to have several of these each week…Please send in what your association has done for you to Amy Cahalan. Member of the Month: The member of the month for December is Kathleen Streng.  Congratulations Kathleen!  Watch for a surprise in the mail. December 9th   What My Union Does For Me  "In the past 50 years or so there has been no organization that has improved standard of living for teachers more than the MEA. Our organization has worked under increasingly difficult circumstances to attain these goals and continues to do so. Sticking together, we have made improvements to our compensation but also to our working conditions - which also happen to be the learning conditions of our students. I'm sticking with the MEA because of all that they've meant to me, my family, and all of the families I serve every day."  Jeff Schiller WPMS “My GHEA keeps me in "the know." I appreciate how they keep track of the latest bills being considered in the Michigan legislature. Since our GHEA representatives are watching them, I don't feel like I have to. They also let us know when our membership is needed to act upon the changes in these bills. It is nice to know the GHEA is "on the lookout" and concerned in my best interest.”  Linda Sowles, Lakeshore Middle School “In times when my family really needed help, the GHEA was there with sick bank donation and support to give us one less thing to worry about while battling a health crisis.”  Aaron Portenga, Grand Haven High School Retirement Benefits Some benefits in your contract that you might not be aware of are the retirement benefits on pages 43 (Article XVII.E) and 49 (Article XVII.J.9.b).  Not only do you receive your pension from the State of Michigan, but you are also entitled to several additional perks.  We have a benefit called severance pay which recognizes service to the district.  There is a payment of one-half percent (.5%) of the base salary ($39,936) to be paid to the teacher who has at least ten (10) years of service in the district.  Also, teachers who retire with at least ten (10) years of service are eligible for one-quarter percent (.25%) of the base salary ($39,936) per year of service to the district.  This get deposited into a 403b account, but you can turn around and withdraw it soon after it is deposited as long as you meet the IRS retirement requirements.  In addition, you also qualify for a health insurance benefit, not to exceed ten percent of the base (10%) plus $700 until you reach age of eligibility for full social security benefits.    For many of us, this is 67 years of age.  That means that if you retire from GHAPS at 55 years old, you can earn this benefit each year for 12 years.  These two benefits often go unnoticed until you are contemplating retirement!  Thought you should know.

December 2, 2013

What My Union Does For Me  “I am thankful that the GHEA gives a voice for teachers who work to keep the best interest of kids as the center of our work. No matter budget, state mandate, or political atmosphere, the GHEA speaks up for what is right in educating our kids in Grand Haven.”  Amy Miller White Pines Middle School “With so many forces beyond our immediate control making decisions that directly affect our lives, I am thankful to belong to an important group that has the desire to work for best conditions for teachers as a whole entity and also for protecting the rights of individual teachers.”  Todd Diedericherson GHHS “I'm thankful for the GHEA because the pay and benefits I earn now are the result of their efforts over many, many years.”   Bob Brophy, Mary A.White Elementary We would like to have several of these each week…Please send in what your association has done for you to Amy Cahalan. Fill A Food Truck Grand Haven Education Association is an awesome group of caring, generous individuals.  We asked for a $3 per member donation so that we could participate in a local event to give back to our community.  With four schools still out…we have come very close to our goal of $900.  That means that many members gave beyond the requested individual amount.  I can’t wait to hear the final numbers.  You should all be proud of this effort, and I am hoping to get information out to the media covering this event so that your community understands how committed to our families we truly are! Sick Bank Benefit Our Master Agreement provides us with many benefits that you may not even be aware of.  The GHEA sick bank is a wonderful benefit that we have in our contract where members can help other members in need.  The Sick Bank is a depository of donated sick days from which GHEA members may request to borrow from if they run out of sick days.  Many of our teachers have taken advantage of this benefit over the years.  When emergencies arise for members of the GHEA which necessitate more sick leave than the member has accumulated, they may draw from the bank by following the requirements outlined in the Master Agreement. Basically, a member needs to write a letter to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Services and the President of the GHEA requesting additional sick leave from the GHEA Sick Bank, stating the specific reason for the additional days that are being requested.  Together they will review the request to determine whether or not it will be granted.  The member must have exhausted all of their own leave accumulation.  Sick Bank days cannot be used for Family Medical Leave Act beyond the normal 6-8 weeks of maternity leave. Additionally, members requesting sick bank days are required to have donated at least 1 day to the bank that year. Members of GHEA who wish to voluntarily donate to the GHEA Sick Bank may do so by completing the Sick Bank Donation Form and sending it to Human Services.  Requests are sent out periodically when the Bank is depleted.  A change has been made this year that allows members to donate up to 3 days per year, without it counting against your perfect attendance bonus or your retirement sick day pay out (additional benefits in your Master Agreement).  Other changes include a provision that new members (less than 3 years of service) are not allowed to donate, so that they may accumulate their own personal sick banks.  These new members with less than three years of service are still allowed to request additional sick bank days without meeting the donation requirement. This benefit is found on page 28 in your Master Agreement between the GHAPS and GHEA, Inc. in association with MEA/NEA

 

 

November 25, 2013
What My Union Does For Me

“I’m thankful for the GHEA because I’ve personally seen the difference of pay and working conditions as a non-union member versus being in a union. Knowing that we teachers are supported by leaders who want to maintain a high quality staff in a collaborative manner with district leaders, yet are committed to making sure that reasonable working conditions and compensation are maintained is a blessing to me because I know what it’s like to not have that kind of support. I’m grateful that we have advocates who communicate regularly with our district leaders the message that good working conditions are also good learning conditions. Having a staff that is highly valued, and compensated in a way that indicates they are highly valued, means attracting and keeping excellent teachers.”  Kim Sabatino, Central High School

 (We would like to have several of these each week…Please send in what your association has done for you to Amy Cahalan.)

Fill A Food Truck

Our association is hosting a community event….Fill A Food Truck.  Your Association Representatives should have shared the details with you.  We hope to raise enough money to fill a food truck by Thanksgiving.  If each member donates only $3.00, we will be able to accomplish this goal together.  The food will be donated to local food banks, whose cupboards are reported to be significantly bare.  Help feed local families this season.  Please see your AR to contribute today! 

MEA Discounts and Savings

Have you used this benefit?  Check out the new tab on our website that gives you some discounts and savings on many goods and services.  Just go to:  myghearocks.blogspot.com

Member of the Month winner:  Shannon Mitchell at Lakeshore Middle School.  Congratulations Shannon!  Look for a surprise coming your way!

Monday Memo November 18, 2013

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Fill A Food Truck

Our association is hosting a community event….Fill A Food Truck.  Your Association Representatives will be sharing the details with you.  We hope to raise enough money to fill a food truck by Thanksgiving.  If each member donates only $3.00, we will be able to accomplish this goal together.  The food will be donated to local food banks, whose cupboards are reported to be significantly bare.  Help feed local families this season.  Please see your AR to contribute today! 

What My Union Does For Me

“My Ghea leadership in our building does everything in their power to make sure we understand the evaluation process.  I appreciate knowing exactly how to participate in the evaluation process.”  --- Shannon Mitchell

We would like to have several of these each week…Please send in what your association has done for you to Amy Cahalan.

November 11, 2013

School employees explain why they’re sticking with MEA

MEA recently announced that despite Michigan’s so-called “right-to-work” law’s taking effect, 99 percent of MEA members have decided to remain with their union.

Teachers, education support professionals and higher-education employees who remain members enjoy numerous member-only advantages for the careers, for their rights, for their wallets and for public education.

MEA Voice asked members to explain why they decided to stick with their union. Here is a sample of responses:

• Julie Brill, Kentwood Public Schools: “To me, my union is my family. I will stick with them through thick and thin. I also believe that collective bargaining rights are the only way to keep education strong and solid as we move forward. Having my working conditions protected means that the learning conditions for kids are protected.”

• James Van Wormer, Bedford Public Schools: “I'm from a union family. We all have to hang together or we most certainly will all hang separately.”

• Jodi Woznick, Grand Rapids Public Schools: “The union came through for me in a very difficult time. They spent a lot of time with me and helped me take action. I would not have been able to get my voice heard without them, especially in this time of ‘right-to-work’ policies.”

• Sharon DeRees, Midland Public Schools: “Generations of workers had to fight for our collective human rights in order to be treated fairly by those in power. It took almost 100 years to shape the laws and change our culture to expect reasonable working conditions in a given industry. I am not a fanatic by any means, but I am sure as hell not going to quit fighting for what is just.”

• Jennifer Garcia, Ann Arbor Public Schools: “I am from a union family, and having seen peers in the workforce without a union, I know I am blessed to have these benefits. I also feel it is all of our responsibility to contribute as our union works to make our environment a safe and reasonable place to be. I will not ride on the backs of others who plan to financially support our union and reap the benefits without contributing.”

• Gwen Sarya, East Jordan Public Schools: “I worked at a charter school for 13 years before coming to a regular public school last year. There's much more security being with a union than being on your own.”

• Adriana Ranta, Eaton Rapids Public Schools: “I am proud to be a union member! My dues go to protecting our rights as workers and, heaven forbid, if I needed a lawyer, MEA would be there for myself and my fellow members if the need arose.”

GHEA Wants To Know…

What has the GHEA/MEA Union done for you?  I hear from individuals almost daily about how much they appreciate GHEA.  We would like to start collecting your thoughts about belonging to GHEA/MEA…Please send us a brief paragraph that you would be willing to have posted in our Monday Memo.  I will try to include several of these each Monday




November 4, 2013

What do you get for your dues dollars?

There are four areas where the MEA provides advantages:  Career Advancement, Rights and Protections, Public Education Policy, and Saving You Money.

The MEA Advantage for Public Education:

·        The collective power of school employees being engaged members gives MEA the ability to be the state’s foremost advocate for public education.

·        Collective bargaining results in better contracts and better schools when powered by full membership and the expertise of the UniServ staff those member dues employ

·        MEA’s role as the state’s strongest legislative and political voice for public education comes from the collective action of members and the talents of experienced lobbyists and political action professionals.  Electing friends of public education matters for your career, your livelihood, and hour students.

·        Member-only communications such as the MEA Voice, Capitol Comments and other electronic updates keep you informed on issues facing MEA members across the state.

To learn more about the MEA Advantage contact MEA’s brand-new Help Center at 866-MEA-HELP or by live-chatting with a help center operator at www.mea.org.

October 21, 2013

MEA vs. Mackinac Center

From Our UniServ Director, Krista Abbott

Monday, we learned that there were unfair labor practice charges filed by the Mackinac Center on behalf of eight MEA members regarding our enforcement of our August opt-out window. (Tuesday, we learned a ninth member filed a similar complaint through the National Right To Work Legal Defense Fund.) The timing of the filing comes on the heels of the announcement that we maintained 99% of our membership under the so-called “right-to-work” law.

We aren’t surprised that the Mackinac Center did this – since they first started informing members about the opt-out window last spring, we figured this was coming. We are prepared to use the MERC process to defend our resignation procedures, as we did successfully more than a decade ago against a similar challenge from the Mackinac Center.

MEA's resignation process has been in place since 1973, and the so-called "right-to-work" law did nothing to change the circumstances around it. While RTW makes it illegal to charge a fee to non-members, it has always been illegal to compel someone to join or remain in a union. MEA's bylaws and membership forms reflect that, allowing for members to resign, in writing, during the month of August.

Our system is set up to match the timeline of continuing employment for school employees -- their employment continues with the start of the school year in September, so too does their membership in MEA. Every process has a deadline, and ours is the month of August.

MEA believes in the sanctity of contracts -- whether they are with a school district or an individual -- and the democratic process. A signed membership form and the governance documents approved by our member-elected representative assembly form a contract between our members and the MEA. If MEA fails to live up to that contract, our members have legal recourse, and vice versa. We intend to honor our end of that agreement with our members and we hope our members do as well.

GHEA Update

Things were fairly quiet last week for our association.  We helped members with retirement questions, schedule B concerns, and some evaluation issues.  Just a reminder that we have our GHEA executive board this evening, and it is an open meeting.  All members are invited to attend.  If you could just give us a heads up so that we have enough handouts and seats, we would appreciate it.  Make sure to get those PAC donations to your Association Representatives today and any concerns or questions that you might have for our executive council.

What do you get for your dues dollars?

There are four areas where the MEA provides advantages:  Career Advancement, Rights and Protections, Public Education Policy, and Saving you Money.

The MEA Advantage for Your Rights:

·        Services from UniServ directors who have the training and expertise in bargaining, grievance processing, arbitrations, unemployment hearings, and retirement are paid for with your dues dollars.  Our UniServe director is Krista Abbott.  Most members say that they never thought that they would need the help of the union when they meet with Krista for support.  Nobody ever imagines that they will need this kind of help, but it is nice to know that she is there if you do need her.

·        Legal assistance to protect your rights and privileges is also paid for with your dues dollars.  The current case regarding your 3% that was with-held illegally is a prime example of these services.  If we didn’t have MEA legal to pursue this matter, we would have been able to do nothing against this action.  The lower courts have ruled in our favor, and we are waiting on a ruling from the Supreme Court regarding this matter.

·        Up to $1 million of professional liability insurance if you are faced with a civil or criminal complaint in the course of your work.  Again, members always say, “I never thought that I would need this benefit,” but we are here, in case you do.

Election Nominations:

Association Representatives (all buildings) 1 year terms