CEA Newsletter: To The Point

September 2022

Dear CEA members,

Hello membership and happy Friday. I hope you are able to relax this weekend and spend some time doing something that makes you happy. In this update I will discuss: The Oregon State Survey, MOU and Upcoming Elections.

Survey

Last week principals should have sent out an email with the Token and link for a survey formerly known as TELL survey. Please take some time to give your honest feedback about how things are going at your school and the district. This is extremely helpful information when discussing with leadership how staff is feeling and perceives working in Centennial School District. If you have not received the link and token, please ask your principal for that information. We have until March 20th to complete the survey.

MOU

I have heard loud and clear that many are not happy with the negotiated Responsive Classroom MOU. I would like to give a little background to start. In October CEA and District representatives along with our OEA consultant figured out a way to have all the required prep time fall within contracted hours while still providing time for Responsive Classroom. Everyone involved, and I take full responsibility for this huge mistake, missed the line about “three consecutive hours”. I am sorry for missing this piece of the contract.

Once the error was brought to my attention, all returned to the drawing table to figure out a way to make it work. At the end of the day, no matter how we try to figure it out, a six-hour training in an eight-hour day still only leaves two hours. The MOU states that the following week professional development and PLC's are canceled in lieu of prep time. I have heard the frustration that the time is broken up, however membership stated that this needed to be figured out without working outside of the contracted day.

All other provisions of the contract are still met. I have heard concerns that this interferes with the “prep can be done at home” piece of the contract. This is still true, you can go into work an hour late if you would prefer to work on it at home. If that doesn’t work, then you are welcome to work something out at the building level.

Both days do have 2 different options to account for prep time. Each school can choose which option works best and if there is another option, that can be worked out with each principal.

It is said that a solid negotiation has been made when both sides walk away from the table unhappy. The district is not happy about this either. They have had to give up conference time, we only have 13 hours of conferences, as well as precious PD and PLC time. Regardless of what we think about the PD, it is very important to the district.

As far as frustration and anger with “the union”, I want to offer an explanation I read recently; “a union isn’t an outside organization that comes in to help you, a union is YOU and your colleagues coming together to empower each other as a collective”. I have received many emails about this that have ranged from requesting information to attacking me personally.

Elections

Please understand that I volunteered to run and I ran unopposed. If you are not happy with the direction CEA is going, please get involved. We have committees that are not happening because there’s no one there to participate. Also elections are happening after spring break. If you are interested in running for an elected position, please let your building rep know. Many elections run uncontested.

Closing

I am doing the best I can and that is all I can do.  If that is not enough please come with solutions instead of attacking me for not doing more.  This is a hard position and I have many tell me that they recognize that.  However, I need support.  A union cannot function without organization.  

Stronger Together.