focus

On educators

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

California Teachers Association

Statement of Mission
The California Teachers Association exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of
teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education; to ensure that the human dignity
and civil rights of all children and youth are protected; and to secure a more just, equitable, and democratic society.

MAY 2015

Volume XXIII, Number 9

In this Issue
- Senior Scholarship Winners
- Conferences/CTA News
- Know Your Contract

Dear Colleagues,
A few weeks ago I had the
opportunity to visit Sacramento with
other CTA/Alcosta union leaders
while the legislature was in session. I
was incredibly shocked and disturbed
at the various bills that were being
considered
by
the
Assembly
Education Committee. There were no
fewer than 8 bills attempting to
dismantle teacher due process rights
and professional status.

It was evident that while teachers are

in classrooms delivering instruction
and providing students with a quality
public education, there are some
legislators who dont respect what
you are doing and are attempting to
eliminate your professional rights.
For those who say we shouldnt be
involved in politics, I assure you, if
we dont fight to elect policymakers
who are advocates of public schools
and who support teacher due process
rights, NOBODY else will. It will
only be a matter of time before
teachers have zero professional voice
or status and our public schools will
be open for diverting public funds
into private, for-profit schools.
Much of the legislation that was
introduced was a result of the
unfounded Vergara lawsuit sponsored
by corporate interests who are seeking
to privatize public schools or convert
them all into charters run by
unelected boards. (After all, public
education is a $3 billion a year
industry, so theres a lot of money to
be made.) The judge ruled that
teacher tenure (due process rights)
prevents children from getting a
quality education. CTA and CFT have
filed an appeal and its likely the state

supreme court will overturn the lower

court ruling.
Its important we share with our
friends and family who may not
understand
what
tenure
or
permanent status means. It does not
mean teachers have a job-for-life; it
means we have the right to due
process. We have the right to a fair
hearing before dismissal. We cannot
be dismissed without just cause. If
there are ineffective teachers in the
classroom, they should lose their
jobs, not their due process rights.
As educators, none of us want to
work alongside ineffective teachers,
but theres already a process in place
to identify those teachers, provide
them support, and dismiss them or
counsel them out of the profession.
The rest of us should not lose our
rights because administrators may
choose not to utilize the process
already in place.
We will get out of politics, when
politics get out of our classroom. As
long as policymakers are impacting
our schools, our communities, and our
profession, we must stay politically
active and involved.
In solidarity,
Dawn Cova

PEA Leadership 2014-2015

Rep. Council Meeting Calendar

President

May 18

Dawn Cova

June 1

Rancho Medanos/PEA Office

Elementary Vice President

***********************************

Tammy Carr

School Board Meeting Calendar

Highlands Elementary
Secondary Vice President

May 6 & 20

Shelly Bascomb

June 3 & 24

BTSA

***********************************

Secretary

Are You Getting Your PEA Information?

Chris Coan

Having our Site Reps collect your input, attend the monthly Rep

Willow Cove Elementary

meeting

Treasurer

and

then

report

back

to

you

is

vital

in

the

communication chain of our Association.

Gale Higgins

Roll call at last April 20th Rep Council Meeting:

Willow Cove Elementary

Committee Chairs:

Adult Ed. absent

Stoneman present

Foothill present

Willow Cove present

Heights absent

MLK Jr. absent

Negotiations Team

Highlands present

Hillview - present

Mark Maselli - Chair

Los Medanos present Rancho Medanos present

Grievance Committee
John Kleinjans Pittsburg High
Chris Coan Willow Cove Elementary

Political Action Committee

Jim Vaughan - Chair
Elections Chair
Ruth Foster

Marina Vista present

PHS - present

Parkside present

Black Diamond present

***********************************

Human Rights & Womens Issues Chairs

Yvonne Burton
Michell Redfoot
O-Team Chairs
Shelly Bascomb
Bertha Ramos
CTA State Council Representatives
Mark Maselli PEA

Region I Leadership Conference

Fairmont Hotel in San Jose
Friday, Sept. 18 Sunday, Sept. 20

CTA Director District C

Terri Jackson
NEA Director for California, District 3
Greg Bonaccorsi

PEA would like to send 4-5 members who

are interested in learning more about our
association and how they can become
advocates for public education!

Technical Editor
Susan Harrison PEA Site Secretary

Focus on Educators
is a publication of the
Pittsburg Education Association CTA/NEA

Please email info@peateachers.org if you

are interested in attending.

159 East 4th Street

Pittsburg, CA 94565
Phone: (925) 432-0199
fax: (925) 432-4854
email: info@peateachers.org
website: www.peateachers.org

$1600 in
Scholarships
awarded to children of PEA
members!

Become a strong advocate for

Pittsburg public schools, teachers, and
students
Site rep training provided!

Site Reps Job Description

1. Attend the monthly Representative
Council meeting at the PEA office.
2. Represent the views and input of the
membership at your school site.

Congratulations to the PEA

Scholarship Winners!

3. Collect the FOCUS and any other

materials from the Rep Council
meeting and distribute to the members
at your school site.

Joseph Fortuno (parent Jocel Ibaez

Lazarito)

4. Hold a monthly 10-minute meeting at

your site after the Rep Council
meeting; gather any site concerns or
questions to forward to the Executive
Board.

Mark Garro (parent Varan Garro)

Tina Karimi (parent Semiramiss
Natagh)

Mary Lucido (parent Phillip Lucido)

5. Collect the email addresses of the

members of your school site. Forward
messages from the Executive Board to
members. Distribute email messages
from PEA to your members.

Noelle Pounds (parent Rebecca

Pounds)

***********************************

6. Conduct elections at your site:

distribute ballots, encourage members
to vote, collect and return ballots to
PEA by the required dates.
7. Survey site members or collect site
data as requested by the PEA
Executive Board.
8. Be familiar with the PEA/PUSD
collective bargaining agreement
(contract). Assist members in
answering questions about the
contract.

Site Reps Wanted!

Attend 1 meeting per month at the

PEA office
$20 stipend per meeting
Hold 1 10-minute meeting at your site
per month
Raffle & prizes for attendance and for
holding your 10-minute meeting
Stay informed & be the first to know
whats happening!
Hear what the hot topics are at all the
school sites

9. Attend meetings with members as their

Association Representative, when
requested.
10. Know your duty of fair representation.
11. Support teachers at your site in any
way you can.
12. Ask for assistance from the Executive
Board when you are unable to answer
members questions.

Make your 9% raise a 10% raise with

Common Core State Standards
Collaboration Time!!!

Hopefully you all have been using your collaboration time

as outlined in the MOU between PUSD & PEA.
Elementary unit members have 13 hours 40 minutes and
secondary unit members have 14 hours 50 minutes of per
diem to use before June 30th. This time is teacher-directed
collaboration. Principals can offer suggested topics, but
ultimately it should be decided by teachers as you know
what you need to continue Common Core implementation.
Several principals have approved conferences and
trainings as part of the MOU, but it is at their discretion
because most occur off-site. Be sure to submit your time
sheets and templates in order to get paid. Two days per
diem is equivalent to approx. a 1% salary increase!
Dont leave money on the table! Timesheets must be
submitted by June 30, 2015.

must be held in a reasonable timeframe and in

accord with district procedures (Ed. Code sec.
49091.10.)
You have a right to determine the grade given to your
students. You cannot be compelled to change it,
unless it is the result of a clerical or mechanical
mistake, bad faith, or incompetency. Before changing
any grade, the District must include you in any
discussions and give you an opportunity to explain
your reasons for giving the grade. (Ed. Code Sec.
49066.)
***********************************

KNOW YOUR CONTRACT

ARTICLE 9
TRANSFER AND REASSIGNMENT PROCEDURES
(See contract for full language)

***********************************

9.3 Transfer Criteria (Voluntary or Involuntary)

NEWS

9.3.1

Know your Rights and Wrongs!

Parent-Teacher Interactions; Right to Determine
Student Grades

Transfers shall be based upon consideration of the

following: credential; student, school and District
needs; training and experience; balanced staff; and
seniority. If the employee does not agree with the
reassignment or transfer, a right to appeal the
subject judgment to the superintendent is permitted.
Procedural issues shall be subject to grievance.

9.4. Voluntary Transfer

If a students parent is confrontational and wants to

meet with you, immediately advise your administrator.
If you are directed to attend a meeting with parents
and an administrator to discuss a parent/student
complaint about you and you feel unsafe or are
concerned that disciplinary action may result, ask if a
Union rep or other colleague may accompany you to
the meeting.
Any parent who is disruptive,
threatening, stalks you, send threatening emails, etc.
may be guilty of a criminal offense. (Ed Code sec.
44811.) In rare instances, it may be appropriate to
seek a civil restraining order against a parent for
harassment that threatens violence or causes serious
alarms and serves no legitimate purpose, such as,
stalking and harassing phone calls, mail, and emails.
(Code of Civ. Proc. Sec. 527.6.)
Parents and guardians have the right to inspect all
instructional materials, including the teachers manual.
They also have a right to observe your teaching, but
only if they make a written request. The observation

9.4.1

The following factors shall be considered in relation

to the transfer of employees:
9.4.1.3 A list of known vacancies shall be posted
in a conspicuous place in each school by
March 15 and every two weeks thereafter
until the end of school. The list shall
contain a closing date for submitting
request for transfer. No assignment to fill
the vacancies shall be made until after the
closing date.

9.5. Involuntary Transfer

9.5.1

Involuntary transfer is any District-initiated

relocation (school to school) of certificated
personnel. The District shall provide written
rationale for an involuntary transfer to the affected
employee upon request, with a copy to the
Association President.

9.5.2

Certificated personnel shall be given, whenever

possible, the earliest advance notice of intended
transfer. Reasons for transfer shall be slated in
writing, if requested by the affected employee.
Personal preference of certificated personnel as to
new assignment shall be considered.

CURRENT IFT PROJECTS

Teacher Think Tanks
IFT has organized a diverse set of CTA members to be part
of the eight IFT Regional Teacher Think Tanks. IFT believes
that these practitioners represent the best of our profession
and their voices add a tremendous amount to the current
conversations around school change.

9.6 Reassignment
9.6.1
9.6.2

The Algebra Success Academy

The program is designed to support algebraic reasoning in
the upper elementary grades and lower middle grades and to
prepare students for success in eighth-grade Algebra 1. It
provides a forum for teacher dialogue on effective teaching
and learning and engages families around math education.

Reassignment shall be arranged through

conferences between the building principal and
certificated personnel involved.
Criteria for reassignment shall be qualifications and
experience of the employee.
***********************************

Institute for Teaching Approach

Positive Deviance Project

The project is designed to increase the graduation rate by
focusing on those students who are successfully staying in
school and thriving despite such social factors as poverty,
family problems, crime and gangs. These outliers are known
as positive deviants.

The CTA Institute for Teaching (IFT) is attempting to bring a

new approach to school change. Based on early work with
the Gates and Packard Foundations and discussions with
hundreds of practitioners and students, the IFT determined
that school change must include two key factors: (1) It needs
to be teacher-driven and (2) It should be based on what is
working and successful in the classroom.

Strength-Based School Transformation Projects

Desert Springs Middle School and Anaheims Gauer
Elementary are the sites of IFT-sponsored School
Improvement projects that are engaging staff and students in
a joint exploration of how to build a program around what is
going right on campus.

By focusing on what works in schools, the IFT believes

strength-based models for school change add a new
dimension to school improvement. Strength-based models
provide an asset-based approach that teachers can use to
emphasize talents over weaknesses and strengths over
deficits to create a learning environment that supports and
encourages every student to do their best.

Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project

IFT supports home visits because they work and teachers
have always done them. That practice has been enhanced
with a strategic focus and collaboration dedicated to this
proven strategy with positive outcomes for families, staff, and
most importantly, students of all grade levels.

IFT discovered a new sense of optimism and

accomplishment when teachers were given the responsibility
for describing what makes the teaching and learning process
most successful. As a result, CTA IFT is now helping
chapters and members become experts on solutions, as they
begin to change policy at the local level.

California School Garden Network

The IFT supports CSGNs mission to promote school
gardens as a means to enhance academic achievement, a
healthy lifestyle, environmental stewardship, and
community/social development.

IFT Grant Program

The $5,000-$20,000 grants are designed for pre-K-12
teachers and certificated support staff, ESP members and
college instructors. Proposals are reviewed, using a strengthbased matrix, by an IFT Grant Selection committee
composed of outstanding teachers. In the programs first five
years, IFT awarded 128 grants totaling over $1.2 million.

Early Childhood Education Alliance

Established with the support of the Packard Foundation to
train and inform CTA members on strength-based models in
Early Childhood Education, IFT continues to work closely
with the CTA ECE Committee to explore opportunities to
enhance preschool education.

The IFT believes that the best strategy for school

improvement is to investigate whats working,
not whats broken. By focusing on what works in
our schools, encouraging teacher independence
and increasing capacity, we are more likely to
have success.

Have an idea? Consider applying for an IFT grant next

year. For more information: www.teacherdrivenchange.org

Calendar
MAY
4
4-15
5
6
10
13
18
20
25
26

PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
PEA Executive Board Elections
Cinco de Mayo
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM
Mothers Day
Day of the Teacher La Piata - 95 Bliss Ave., Pittsburg 3:30 PM
PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM
Memorial Day/No School
PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM

JUNE
1
3
9
10
21
21
24

PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM
Last Day of Instruction
Last Day of School
Fathers Day
Summer Begins
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 7:00 PM

Next Deadline for Articles is Friday, May 22, 2015

STAY INFORMED @ peateachers.org

cta.org & nea.org

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