BTA Meeting Minutes » November 2011

BTA Meeting Minutes » November 2, 2011

A copy of the BTA Meeting Minutes for November 2011 in PDF format can be downloaded by clicking on November Minutes. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the file.

Approved Minutes for BTA Meeting held November 2, 2011.

Meeting called to order at 3:50 pm by Carleen Maselli.

Attendance: 
Carleen Maselli, Suzanne Huddleston, Kim Stiewig, Lisa Delorefice, Gayle Costanza, Suzanne James-Peters, Teresa Badger, Barbara B. Jones, Hale Burckin, Mary McVeigh, JJ Jones, Kathy McNair-Lim, Deborah Casey, Susan McDonald

A. Approval of October 2011 Minutes
We will ask for future meetings to please read the minutes before coming to Representative Council so we can correct/approve the minutes quickly.  A motion was made to approve the October 5, 2011, meeting.  The minutes were approved by Mary McVeigh and seconded by Lisa Delorefice.  Motion passed.

B. Catastrophic Leave Bank - Deborah Casey
Deadline for filing was Monday, October 31.  There are over 200 people who joined the bank this year.

C. PAC/School Board Campaign - Suzanne James-Peters

• Rep council approved by email in a unanimous vote for the cost of the Yacht Club Meet and Greet to come out of BTA General Funds and not the PAC fund.
• There was an error in the Benicia Magazine regarding who BTA endorses for the upcoming school board election. A post card is being sent to every household who receives the Benicia Magazine with correct information.
• Our CTA representative is taking on this problem and working with us.
• Carleen will be sending an email to all BTA members regarding this issue.

D. Membership Report - Kathy McNair-Agency Fee Payer report
There are four agency fee payers.  Three of these are new teachers this year. 

E. Treasurer’s Report – Kim Stiewig

BC - Checking	$49,087.51
CD/Savings	$18,842.61

F. Grievance Report - Carleen Maselli

• no active grievances; may have one at Robert Semple over hours and also over performances
• Science classes:  district agreed to keep classes at 30 in H-wing (which is below required contract) due to space issues and 28 in M-wing:  Please see the attached letter that was the result of classroom walkthroughs in the BHS science wings.

G. President's Report
1.  Monthly site meetings:  Please hold a site meeting each month immediately following Rep Council.

Topic:  Calendar Survey: Please poll your sites regarding the questions on this survey.  Please add any other information from your site you deem important.  Please compile and email me the feedback from your sites immediately at maselli.btapresident@gmail.com.

2.  Grievances:  How to begin a grievance:  Please refer to the grievance procedure handout. All grievances have strict timelines.  If we lose the timeline, we lose the grievance.  Once a grievance has been started, please notify me immediately by email so we do not lose the timeline.

H. Old Business

1. Region I conference:
a) In the mornings districts were broken into their directorial districts. We are District A (Redwood Service Center Council) with Larry Allen as our Board member. In these meetings members brainstormed problems in education and what the solutions could be. (many of them being financial in nature).
b) Electives attended: Treasurer training and Association Business Practices and fiduciary responsibilities, leadership, bad teacher syndrome, attack on unions.
c) Follow through: email discussion to discuss one thing from conference we would like to implement.
Comments: Unions need to be positive. Is the union a family or insurance policy? Suggestion: recognize members on their birthday.

I. New Business

1. Need an elections committee: at least 1 member each level
a) We cannot keep doing electronic voting without checking into the process. We need to have a paper vote before we can use electronic voting. Please see the attached CTA/NEA requirements concerning electronic voting

2. By-Laws Committee - Kim Stiewig, Deborah Campbell, Carleen Maselli
a) please submit suggestions for any changes to me at maselli.btapresident@gmail.com.
b) by-laws must be approved by CTA and Representative Council. CTA provides a template. Our bylaws are currently in that template so we need to keep as close to it as possible to make sure they get approved by CTA.

3. Enrollment fairs for CA Casualty and the Standard (equivalent of American Fidelity): Would like an action to begin planning an enrollment fair to give members an opportunity to learn more about the Member Benefits that CTA has to offer. A motion was made by JJ Jones and seconded by Barbara Jones. Motion passed.

4. New Dean of Students at Benicia High School

J. Site Reports:

Break into 2 groups: elementary and secondary. Please write concerns on provided paper and choose one spokesperson to report. Place the word ACTION next to any item that requires BTA action. Some items may just need discussion amongst each other to find a resolution. If your group was able to do this, please state what resolution or solution was discussed. If you are unsure if an item is an appropriate item for which BTA may take action, please place a question mark next to it.

Elementary:

• Elementary teachers are being required to do a night-time performance with their students. There are three nights that the teachers can choose from. Since this was not posted before October 15, it appears that teachers can’t be required to do this. This should be taken as a grievance.

• An elementary teacher called in an absence for less than a full day and the principal told the staff that teachers had to take a full or half day and that they could not take an hour off.
• Is there an ED class for the county? At the elementary school some violent students are being mainstreamed without an aid. This becomes a safety issue.
• Report cards are due a week before the trimester ends.
• Why is it that PowerSchool is not used at the elementary school? Teachers are interested in having electronic grading at the elementary level.

Secondary:

• There is a concern about the change in the way our sick leave balance is listed on our paychecks. This month’s check changed from days to hours. There will be follow up on this.
• There is a concern regarding evaluations and benchmarks. It appears that the evaluation process may include benchmarks.

Adjourned at 5:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted
Suzanne Huddleston,
BTA Recording Secretary

A copy of the BTA Meeting Minutes for November 2011 in PDF format can be downloaded by clicking on November 2011 Minutes. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the file.