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.

JANUARY 2017

Volume XXV, Number 5

Dear PEA Members,

Happy New Year! Its 2017. The
winter break is over, but not forgotten
in its many moments of rest. Being a
Washingtonian, Ive seen some cold
winters.
This season did not
disappoint when I was visiting my
family during our break. It was
freezing! Now back in California, it
feels pretty good. This definitely lifts
the spirits as we embark on the rest of
the school year.
Monday, January 9th was the last
professional development day of our
year. The District took half the day as
a district wide PD day violating our
contract. The intention of the staff

professional development days has

always been to be site based.

satisfactory. The mediation meeting

will be February 13.

Contract language under 16.3.3 A:

I want to personally thank all of you

that participated in showing the
District that it was unacceptable to
violate the PEA contract. It was good
to see all the black clothing and those
wearing the stickers that said District
Violates PEA Contract. Thank you
also for those who helped pass out the
stickers. In this way the educators did
direct a message that our voices do
matter and we do know our
professional needs.

It is the intent of the parties to this

Agreement that staff development
training opportunities be site-specific and
delivered at each school site.
If however, there are professional
development issues, which would
best be delivered at the district level, then
the Association and District
shall plan accordingly.
The site based aspect allows for the
voice of educators to be loud and
proud in determining and directing
what is most necessary for their
success with their students.
During the year we have staff
meetings every week. Every other
week they are extended. Each site
administrator determines what will be
done
during
these
meetings.
Educators do not have a say in what is
to be done with these meetings. The
District could have had the
technology piece for the math
program during these meetings
instead of during our PD day.
Unfortunately, this did not occur.
The grievance filed about this
violation will now be in mediation as
the responses for both Level I and II
from the District were not

We need to lead our profession. We

deserve to be respected for our
knowledge and talents.
We are
valuable and strive for student success
in all we do.
Shouldnt we be able to have a
professional development day that
builds upon what we need for our
schools?
In Solidarity,
Tammy Carr

PEA Leadership 2016-2017

Rep. Council Meeting Calendar (Tuesdays)

President

January 17

Tammy Carr

February 21

PEA Office

March 21

Elementary Vice President

April 25

Michell Redfoot

May 16

Willow Cove
Secondary Vice President

School Board Meeting Calendar

Irwin Manangkil

January 11& 25

Black Diamond

February 8 & 22

Secretary

March 8 & 22

Nicole Glassel

April 12 & 26

Los Medanos

May 10 & 24

Treasurer

June 14 & 28

Bruce Giron

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

Black Diamond

Are You Getting Your PEA Information?

________________________________________________

Committee Chairs:

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

Grievance Committee

meeting

John Kleinjans Pittsburg High

and

then

report

back

to

you

is

vital

in

the

communication chain of our Association.

Chris Coan Willow Cove

Negotiations Team

Roll call at last November 15th Rep Council Meeting:

Mark Maselli Chair - Hillview

Adult Ed. present

MLK Jr. present

Black Diamond present

North Campus absent

Jim Vaughan Black Diamond

Foothill present

Parkside present

Elections Chair

Heights present

PHS - present

Highlands absent

Rancho Medanos present

Hillview - present

Stoneman present

Los Medanos present

Willow Cove present

Political Action Committee Chairs

Chris Coan Willow Cove

Ruth Foster - Foothill

Human Rights & Womens Issues Chairs
Yvonne Burton - Foothill
O-Team Chair

Marina Vista absent

Laura Silva - Parkside

CTA State Council Representatives
Mark Maselli Hillview
Arthur Pruyn (Alt.) Pittsburg High
Membership Chair
Lisa Gunderson Los Medanos
Special Education Chairs
Michell Redfoot Willow Cove
Melonie Sauceda-Flemming - Hillview
Technical Editor
Susan Harrison PEA Office Administrator

Focus on Educators is a publication of the

REMINDER: Please send PEA any updated

information such as: change of home address;
home email; school site change; name change;
etc., so we have your correct information! Thank
you!

Pittsburg Education Association CTA/NEA

159 East 4th Street
Pittsburg, CA 94565
Phone: (925) 432-0199

email: info@peateachers.org

website: www.peateachers.org

PEA Member
Spotlight
This new column will be a place to hear from our
members who have answered the question of the month.
The question for January is:

Who has inspired you most?

There have been so many people who have inspired me
throughout my career as an educator from mentors, to
colleagues, to my friends' parents who are also teachers.
Recently, when I feel a lack of inspiration, I think of my
students. My kids keep me going every day. Their
excitement when they learn a new concept, or their
inquisitiveness when we touch upon something briefly and
they want to know more...all of that gets me really excited
to do my job, and also gives me an opportunity to learn
new things or discover new resources myself. Even when
faced with challenging students, I am always reminded
that I have an opportunity to help them and make a
difference.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Scholarship Fund Drive. This
memorial fund is designed to assist ethnic
minority CTA members and their dependent
children pursue degrees or credentials for
teaching-related careers in public education.
Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by
February 17, 2017. More information about contributions
and applications can be found at: www.cta.org/
/Scholarships

Ariana Schroder Chandler, Parkside Elementary, 3rd

Grade

Many inspire me however, pertinent to these times I think

of Barbara Lubin, Berkeley activist, for her tireless efforts
in humanitarian efforts in peace, social justice and
disability rights since 1988.

Announcing

Roya Cyrus, Highlands Elementary, 3rd Grade

2017 CTA Scholarships

CTA is accepting applications for the following categories:

Ive been inspired by many people throughout my life. My

inspiration has come from teachers and students and
people who have made positive social changes for our
world. Also, many great friends and family that have
shown strength in difficult times and consistency of
character in their lives have inspired me.

Dependent Children
Del A. Weber for Dependent Children Attending
Continuation High School/Alternative Education
Members
L. Gordon Bittle Memorial Scholarship for Student
CTA

Tammy Carr, PEA President, Elementary Teacher

All applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on

February 3, 2017. For more information on the individual
categories, please go to: www.cta.org./scholarships

The 6th Annual Winter Drive

You Can Represent CTA at

NEAs 2017 Convention

was a great
success! We delivered over 6 bins of new
winter socks, scarves, gloves & mittens to
Shelter, Inc. for homeless youth. Thank you
for your generous contributions!

January 31, 2017, is the deadline to submit the official

Declaration of Candidacy form for state delegates to the
2017 NEA convention in Boston.
The Declaration of Candidacy form for state delegates is
available online now and will be posted in the
November/December 2016 California Educator. It is the
responsibility of each member wishing to run for state
delegate to fill out the Declaration of Candidacy form (or
photocopy) and file it by the deadline.
Service Center Councils will begin accepting state
delegate Declaration of Candidacy forms on Jan. 2, 2017.
Each candidate filing a declaration form will receive an
acknowledgment of receipt.
In order to attend the Representative Assembly, you must
pay for your meals, hotel room and transportation for June
29July 6. CTA will reimburse state delegates up to $2,450
with appropriate receipts. If a delegate stays within the CTA
meal allowance, shares a room with another delegate and
purchases a super-saver airline ticket (if applicable), the CTA
reimbursement should cover delegate expenses.
The first caucus meeting is set for June 30, and the annual
meeting of the Representative Assembly runs July 25.
In keeping with CTAs commitment to minority involvement,
members who are ethnic minorities are urged to become
candidates.
*******************************************

Read Across Pittsburg is

March 2nd

PEA is Seeking a Local Delegate for

NEA Representative Assembly 2017

We are seeking volunteers to read at

various preschool and Head Start
locations around Pittsburg! Slots are
available!

PEA members will be electing a Local Delegate to the NEA

Representative Assembly (RA) in Boston. PEA has allocated
$2,500 for our elected delegate. Are you interested? You
must attend PEA Rep Council in May and September,
commit to going to all of the relevant caucus meetings and
stay for the duration of the RA. A hardcopy flyer will be sent
to each member in the upcoming weeks with further
information.

If youre interested in reading to our

future students, please e-mail
Michell Redfoot at
michellredfoot@yahoo.com
by Friday, February 24
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PEA Members Come Out to Address the

School Board

in the education reform process, not adversaries," concluded

a 2002 study by Indiana University Bloomington.
What if you disagree with something the union did? PEA
leaders are doing the best we can with the information we
get from you! We will listen and respond to your concerns.
Get involved. Become a Site Representative and attend Rep
Council meetings. Speak up within our organization. Our
union is whatever we want it to be, but ALL OF US need to
be engaged in unionism in some way.
************************************

From the PEA By-Laws

The primary purposes of this Association shall be:
The District violated our contract with their plan to take
half of the January 9th professional development day as
a district wide training. The violation of the contract
affected all of us as an injury to one is an injury to all.
So, PEA members came out to the December 14th
School Board meeting to address the importance of site
based professional development and respecting the
agreed upon contract. Four speakers made strong
points about why the violation to the contract was
unacceptable. School board members were given
copies of all the letters written and signed by sites in
solidarity. Thank you so much for all that came out,
those who spoke that evening, and the continued
support.

A. To represent its members in their relations with their

employer, and to seek to be the exclusive representative of
appropriate units of school employees in all matters relating
to employment conditions and employer-employee relations
including, but not limited to, wages, hours, and other terms
and conditions of employment;
B. To form a representative body capable of developing
group opinion on professional matters to speak with authority
for members;
C. To provide an opportunity for continuous study and action
on problems of the profession;
D. To raise the standards for education support
professionals;

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

WHAT IS A TEACHERS UNION

AND WHY ARE WE IN IT?

E. To provide a means of representation for its minority

members;

The dictionary defines a union as a group of people joined

together for some common purpose. The union is ALL OF
US. There is no it. The union is you. The union is your
colleagues. What results is a powerful and collective voice of
advocacy for Pittsburg educators and public schools.

F. To promote professional attitudes and ethical conduct

among members;

Unions are good for students as well. The states without

strong teachers unions are among the lowest performing
in the nation. A strong union can lower class sizes and
create better learning environments for students through
collective bargaining and organizing.

H. To foster good fellowship among members.

G. To encourage cooperation and communication between

the profession and the community; and

"Educators and their unions have a solid track record of

supporting policies that boost achievement for most students,
and policy makers should view teachers unions as partners

Calendar
January 2017
1
New Years Day
10
PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
11
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM
16
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day No school
17
PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
20-22 Issues Conference, Rio All-Suite Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
25
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM

February 2017
3-5
7
8
14
17
20
21
22

Good Teaching Conference Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA

PEA Executive Board PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM
Valentines Day
Lincolns Day ( no school)
Presidents Day (no school)
PEA Rep Council PEA Office 159 East 4th St. 3:45 PM
PUSD School Board Meeting 2000 Railroad Ave. 6:30 PM

Next Deadline for Articles is Monday, February 13, 2017

STAY INFORMED @ peateachers.org
cta.org & nea.org
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