Natomas Teachers’ Association Newsletter
January 2009
Happy New Year!
Calendar of Events:
§ Rep Council Meeting – Thurs, Jan. 15th 4:00 pm, LFG, Room 406
§ School Board Mtg. – Wed, Jan. 14th, D.O. 6:00 pm
§ Sacramento Educ. Coalition, Tues. Jan. 13th, 6:00 pm at CTA on Truxel.
Board Member Meetings:
§ Lisa Kaplan and Teri Burns- Monday, Jan. 12th, 4:30
§ Jules Tran- Monday, Jan. 12th, 6:00 pm
§ Bruce Roberts and Sue Heredia- Tues., Jan. 13th, 4:00
Board member meetings will all be held at Giovanni’s Pizzeria (2701 Del Paso Rd) and are generally the Monday and Tuesday before board meetings each month.
Don’t forget to check out the NTA blog:
http://natomasteachers.blogspot.com
Budget Watch
District: The district office has released a proposal of budget cuts for the next 3 years. Site reps receive copies of the budget as it is updated. Please be sure to look over the proposal and provide any input that you have to your site rep.
State: CTA has been monitoring the latest budget activities from the legislature and governor and provides us with details and what it means for teachers. Our latest update was provided on Wed. Jan 7th and will be given to site reps at our monthly meeting. Please check out the CTA website for things that you can do.
Also, CTA is hosting the Sacramento Education Coalition, which will be meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13th at CTA on Truxel, 6:00 pm. The Ed. Coalition includes CSEA, PTA, superintendents, board members… etc. Last year we also worked with state workers, daycare and elder care agency workers, and even firefighters on activities to help get the budget passed (break the stalemate.)
If you are interested in activities related to the budget, feel free to attend with Brenda (she will be there). We are encouraging our board members, superintendent and other Natomas leaders to attend the Coalition and participate. Participation could include planning and executing letter writing and office visits to legislators to encourage an education-friendly budget.
CTA recommends that we notify our teachers as to how serious the CA budget crisis currently is, and for members to expect RIF notices in March if movement has not been made to settle the budget. The difference this time, evidently, is the state of the state economy.
Negotiations Update
Nothing new to report as everyone seems to be waiting for the budget negotiations at the state level to settle.
If you have any association questions or issues please contact your site rep(s):
· American Lakes: Naomi Nakahara
· Bannon Creek: Linda Wells
· Discovery HS: Therese Collentine
· H. Allen Hight: Allyson Kirby
· Heron: Kou Moua, Peter Talbot, Cara Kruse
· Inderkum HS: Patricia Hite-Leach, Ken MacPherson, Scott MacMillan
· Jefferson: Maureen Ramos
· Leroy Green MS: Kristen Rocha, Justin Vorhauer
· Natomas HS: Joel Schweiger, Ruth Ward Ben Layne
· Natomas MS: Emilio Moran, Anthony Katsaris
· Natomas Park: Lauren Frazer
· Two Rivers: Phil Cox, Jerry Lovejoy
· Witter Ranch: Tanya Praest, Jim Clarke, Kim Chambers
CTA will participate in the Martin Luther King Day march in Sacramento on January 19th, at the Convention Center. If you are interested in participating, please contact CTA for more information.
If you are interested in getting involved, CTA is offering the following academy for future PAC activities:
Region 2 Political Academy
Feb. 6-8 at Jackson Rancheria – Sierra Foothills
Please notify a member of the exec. board if you are interested in attending.
Here are the school board members home
e-mails. Feel free to contact them:
Bruce Roberts bruceroberts4natomas@yahoo.com
Jules Tran jules.tran@sbcglobal.net
Sue Heredia heredias@csus.edu
Teri Burns terib@sia-us.com
Lisa Kaplan kaplan4kids@yahoo.com
Brenda’s School Visitation Schedule
Wed. Jan 14th – Two Rivers Elem. (might be rescheduled)
Tues. Jan. 20th – Witter Ranch
Tues. Jan. 27th – Leroy Greene MSThurs. Jan. 29th – Natomas Park Elem
Friday, Jan. 30th – Hight Elem.
Wed. Feb. 4th – Inderkum HS
Wed. Feb. 11th – Natomas HS, Dicovery HS
Wed. Feb. 18th – Natomas Middle
Wed. Feb. 25th – Bannon Creek Elem.
Thurs. Feb. 26th – Jefferson Elem.
Fri. March 6th – American Lakes
Wed. March 11th – Heron K-8
Future Events of interest:
NTA Social – February TBA
Transfer and Reassignment paperwork and process - March
Day of the Teacher – May TBA
Election of NTA Officers – May
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Thursday, December 11, 2008
LFGMS SafetyTask Force to be created
A Notice from Dr. Hanson, Associate Superintendent:
A Task Force with the new secondary director and new assistant principal will be created to review, revise, implement the LFG school safety plan and all student discipline policies, practices and procedures. The first meeting will be held in January, and the membership will reflect a cross section of staff members who are committed to working through some tough discussions and willing to create, examine and support viable solutions during these tough budgetary times.
Any LFG teacher interested in serving on this Task Force should contact Dr. Hanson either by email or phone. The LFG Leadership Team, NTA site reps & principal will be apprised once the task force has been formed. After school meetings will be compensated, and Heyman Matlock, Coordinator of Student Services, Mr. Evans, & Dr. Hanson will serve as ad-hoc members and provide any support that may be requested.
Dr. Hanson and Mr, Kenley, Secondary Director, will attend the next regularly scheduled LFG staff meeting on December 17th and will be available to answer any questions that teachers may have about the work of this Task Force.
She also concluded:
We must continue to work together and continue our commitment to doing all that we can to ensure the academic success of the students @ LFGMS.
A Task Force with the new secondary director and new assistant principal will be created to review, revise, implement the LFG school safety plan and all student discipline policies, practices and procedures. The first meeting will be held in January, and the membership will reflect a cross section of staff members who are committed to working through some tough discussions and willing to create, examine and support viable solutions during these tough budgetary times.
Any LFG teacher interested in serving on this Task Force should contact Dr. Hanson either by email or phone. The LFG Leadership Team, NTA site reps & principal will be apprised once the task force has been formed. After school meetings will be compensated, and Heyman Matlock, Coordinator of Student Services, Mr. Evans, & Dr. Hanson will serve as ad-hoc members and provide any support that may be requested.
Dr. Hanson and Mr, Kenley, Secondary Director, will attend the next regularly scheduled LFG staff meeting on December 17th and will be available to answer any questions that teachers may have about the work of this Task Force.
She also concluded:
We must continue to work together and continue our commitment to doing all that we can to ensure the academic success of the students @ LFGMS.
Editorial - Why a Lack of District Support for LFG?
The following was written in response to the district's response so far to the safety concerns from the LFG teachers:
So it's my classroom instruction, is it? Yes, that's got to be it. I think instead of concentrating on my classroom instruction, I am being forced to concentrate on other things such as performing extra tasks: hallway duty, bus duty, breaking up student fighting, writing citations for tardies, serving detention, etc. I know what I can do to be a better teacher! I can stop doing non-instructional activities and focus on being the best classroom teacher that I can be. Yes, that's what I will spend my time on instead. In order to do that, I will have to say no to hallway duty and after school tutoring. I'm glad that parents were in agreement with our flyer, because that's exactly what what we are letting them know. I guess the district will also eventually make that connection. Teacher success = student success
So it's my classroom instruction, is it? Yes, that's got to be it. I think instead of concentrating on my classroom instruction, I am being forced to concentrate on other things such as performing extra tasks: hallway duty, bus duty, breaking up student fighting, writing citations for tardies, serving detention, etc. I know what I can do to be a better teacher! I can stop doing non-instructional activities and focus on being the best classroom teacher that I can be. Yes, that's what I will spend my time on instead. In order to do that, I will have to say no to hallway duty and after school tutoring. I'm glad that parents were in agreement with our flyer, because that's exactly what what we are letting them know. I guess the district will also eventually make that connection. Teacher success = student success
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Parent Flyers at Leroy Greene Middle School
Parents received the flyer below today at Leroy Greene Middle School. Parents were so supportive and positive about the flyer and the reasons that teachers wanted to improve their school, that some parents asked for more information and let teachers know that they shared the teachers' concerns. http://cbs13.com/local/natomas.middle.school.2.884843.html
URGENT CONCERNS AT LFGMS FORCE TEACHER ACTION!
WE TEACHERS WANT YOUR CHILD TO SUCCEED.
IF YOU WANT CHANGE TOO, YOU CAN SUPPORT US BY LETTING YOUR VOICE BE HEARD HERE AND AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE
Please contact Dr. Farrar at 567-5400, sfarrar@natomas.k12.ca.us
URGENT CONCERNS AT LFGMS FORCE TEACHER ACTION!
WE TEACHERS WANT YOUR CHILD TO SUCCEED.
IF YOU WANT CHANGE TOO, YOU CAN SUPPORT US BY LETTING YOUR VOICE BE HEARD HERE AND AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE
Please contact Dr. Farrar at 567-5400, sfarrar@natomas.k12.ca.us
Friday, December 5, 2008
Natomas Teachers’ Association Newsletter
Natomas Teachers’ Association Newsletter
December 2008
Calendar of Events:
§ Rep Council Meeting – Thurs, Dec. 4th, 4:00 pm, LFG, Room 406
§ School Board Mtg. – Wed, Dec. 10th, D.O. 6:00 pm
Board Member Meetings:
§ Lisa Kaplan- Monday, Dec. 8th, 4:30
§ Sue Heredia and Jules Tran- Monday, Dec. 8th, 6:00 pm
§ Bruce Roberts- Tues., Dec. 9th, 4:00
§ Teri Burns – Tues., Dec. 9th , 5:30
Board member meetings will all be held at Giovanni’s Pizzeria (2701 Del Paso Rd) and are generally the Monday and Tuesday before board meetings each month.
Here are the school board members
e-mails. Feel free to contact them:
Bruce Roberts bruceroberts4natomas@yahoo.com
Jules Tran jules.tran@sbcglobal.net
Sue Heredia heredias@csus.edu
Teri Burns terib@sia-us.com
Lisa Kaplan kaplan4kids@yahoo.com
Don’t forget to check out the NTA blog:
http://natomasteachers.blogspot.com/
Congratulations to the winners of the school board election….
Bruce Roberts
Susan Heredia
Jules Tran
Thanks to Volunteers!
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the successful campaign. Many dedicated NTA members volunteered their time to help hang door hangers, attend campaign activities and hand out fliers at the polls the day of the election. NTA looks forward to a successful partnership with each the new board members.
Budget Update
The district office has released a proposal of budget cuts for the next 3 years. Site reps have received copies of the budget. Please be sure to look over the proposal and provide any input that you have to your site rep.
NTA Social a Success
On November 4th, NTA hosted a social at Malabar restaurant. Attendees enjoyed delicious appetizers while watching the results of the presidential election. Fun was had by all who attended. Keep your eyes posted for more NTA socials in the future.
Negotiations Update – from Nov. 7th notice:
The district has stated: “The district does not have a proposal to increase employee compensation or benefits at this time.” Although the district has stated that they will provide “More teacher collaboration and preparation time” they have not presented a collaboration time counter to NTA.
The atmosphere at the table has been cordial, but the bargaining team & NTA executive board have agreed that we will not resume negotiations until the district has put forth a compensation offer. The district is considering offering a retirement incentive. Contact Cynthia Bluewater with any questions.
Site Rep List:
If you have any association questions or issues please contact your site rep(s):
· American Lakes: Naomi Nakahara
· Bannon Creek: Linda Wells
· Discovery HS: Therese Collentine
· H. Allen Hight: Allyson Kirby
· Heron: Kou Moua, Peter Talbot, Cara Kruse
· Inderkum HS: Patricia Hite-Leach, Ken MacPherson, Scott MacMillan
· Jefferson: Maureen Ramos
· Leroy Green MS: Kristen Rocha, Justin Vorhauer
· Natomas HS: Joel Schwieger, Ruth Ward Ben Layne
· Natomas MS: Emilio Moran, Anthony Katsaris
· Natomas Park: Lauren Frazer
· Two Rivers: Phil Cox, Jerry Lovejoy
· Witter Ranch: Tanya Praest, Jim Clarke, Kim Chambers
Your Executive Board:
President: Brenda Borge, LFG
Vice-President: Jeanne Gute, TR
Treasurer: Carey Resch, LFG
Co-Secretary: Amber Allison, JF
Co-Secretary: Cora Victorine, HE, WR
Appointments:
Membership Chair: Cynthia Connell, LFG
Grievance Chair: Leslie Levine-McGhie, HE
Bargaining Chair: Cynthia Bluewater, D.O.
PAC Chair: Fred Lavell, AL
Conferences Announced
Natomas Teachers’ Association would like to sponsor some teachers to attend these CTA conferences. If you are interested in attending any of these conferences below, please email the executive board to be considered for a scholarship for registration, travel, and accommodations.
CTA Winter Conference Season!!
Good Teaching Conference-NorthJanuary 9-11, 2009 The Hyatt Regency San Francisco AirportBurlingame, CA
Region 2 Political Academy
Feb. 6-8 at Jackson Rancheria – Sierra Foothills
Urban Issues ConferenceFebruary 27-March 1, 2009The Fairmont HotelNewport Beach, CA
Equity and Human Rights ConferenceMarch 6-8, 2009The Fairmont HotelSan Jose, CA
Good Teaching Conference-SouthMarch 13-15, 2009The Hyatt Regency Orange County, AnaheimGarden Grove, CA
Summer Conferences in Asilomar and UCLA.
Each conference features outstanding keynote speakers, interactive workshops, breakout sessions, and plenty of time to network and share experiences with other CTA members.
Contact the NTA Executive Board for a sponsored registration.
Have a terrific and relaxing holiday break!
December 2008
Calendar of Events:
§ Rep Council Meeting – Thurs, Dec. 4th, 4:00 pm, LFG, Room 406
§ School Board Mtg. – Wed, Dec. 10th, D.O. 6:00 pm
Board Member Meetings:
§ Lisa Kaplan- Monday, Dec. 8th, 4:30
§ Sue Heredia and Jules Tran- Monday, Dec. 8th, 6:00 pm
§ Bruce Roberts- Tues., Dec. 9th, 4:00
§ Teri Burns – Tues., Dec. 9th , 5:30
Board member meetings will all be held at Giovanni’s Pizzeria (2701 Del Paso Rd) and are generally the Monday and Tuesday before board meetings each month.
Here are the school board members
e-mails. Feel free to contact them:
Bruce Roberts bruceroberts4natomas@yahoo.com
Jules Tran jules.tran@sbcglobal.net
Sue Heredia heredias@csus.edu
Teri Burns terib@sia-us.com
Lisa Kaplan kaplan4kids@yahoo.com
Don’t forget to check out the NTA blog:
http://natomasteachers.blogspot.com/
Congratulations to the winners of the school board election….
Bruce Roberts
Susan Heredia
Jules Tran
Thanks to Volunteers!
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the successful campaign. Many dedicated NTA members volunteered their time to help hang door hangers, attend campaign activities and hand out fliers at the polls the day of the election. NTA looks forward to a successful partnership with each the new board members.
Budget Update
The district office has released a proposal of budget cuts for the next 3 years. Site reps have received copies of the budget. Please be sure to look over the proposal and provide any input that you have to your site rep.
NTA Social a Success
On November 4th, NTA hosted a social at Malabar restaurant. Attendees enjoyed delicious appetizers while watching the results of the presidential election. Fun was had by all who attended. Keep your eyes posted for more NTA socials in the future.
Negotiations Update – from Nov. 7th notice:
The district has stated: “The district does not have a proposal to increase employee compensation or benefits at this time.” Although the district has stated that they will provide “More teacher collaboration and preparation time” they have not presented a collaboration time counter to NTA.
The atmosphere at the table has been cordial, but the bargaining team & NTA executive board have agreed that we will not resume negotiations until the district has put forth a compensation offer. The district is considering offering a retirement incentive. Contact Cynthia Bluewater with any questions.
Site Rep List:
If you have any association questions or issues please contact your site rep(s):
· American Lakes: Naomi Nakahara
· Bannon Creek: Linda Wells
· Discovery HS: Therese Collentine
· H. Allen Hight: Allyson Kirby
· Heron: Kou Moua, Peter Talbot, Cara Kruse
· Inderkum HS: Patricia Hite-Leach, Ken MacPherson, Scott MacMillan
· Jefferson: Maureen Ramos
· Leroy Green MS: Kristen Rocha, Justin Vorhauer
· Natomas HS: Joel Schwieger, Ruth Ward Ben Layne
· Natomas MS: Emilio Moran, Anthony Katsaris
· Natomas Park: Lauren Frazer
· Two Rivers: Phil Cox, Jerry Lovejoy
· Witter Ranch: Tanya Praest, Jim Clarke, Kim Chambers
Your Executive Board:
President: Brenda Borge, LFG
Vice-President: Jeanne Gute, TR
Treasurer: Carey Resch, LFG
Co-Secretary: Amber Allison, JF
Co-Secretary: Cora Victorine, HE, WR
Appointments:
Membership Chair: Cynthia Connell, LFG
Grievance Chair: Leslie Levine-McGhie, HE
Bargaining Chair: Cynthia Bluewater, D.O.
PAC Chair: Fred Lavell, AL
Conferences Announced
Natomas Teachers’ Association would like to sponsor some teachers to attend these CTA conferences. If you are interested in attending any of these conferences below, please email the executive board to be considered for a scholarship for registration, travel, and accommodations.
CTA Winter Conference Season!!
Good Teaching Conference-NorthJanuary 9-11, 2009 The Hyatt Regency San Francisco AirportBurlingame, CA
Region 2 Political Academy
Feb. 6-8 at Jackson Rancheria – Sierra Foothills
Urban Issues ConferenceFebruary 27-March 1, 2009The Fairmont HotelNewport Beach, CA
Equity and Human Rights ConferenceMarch 6-8, 2009The Fairmont HotelSan Jose, CA
Good Teaching Conference-SouthMarch 13-15, 2009The Hyatt Regency Orange County, AnaheimGarden Grove, CA
Summer Conferences in Asilomar and UCLA.
Each conference features outstanding keynote speakers, interactive workshops, breakout sessions, and plenty of time to network and share experiences with other CTA members.
Contact the NTA Executive Board for a sponsored registration.
Have a terrific and relaxing holiday break!
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