Third Quarter 2002 OCEA Quest
the e-publication of OCEA
Third Quarter Edition 2002 Volume 1, Number 3 In this issue (click on the links below):
Benefit from NSEA Spotlight: Chris Nerska
GIVE LIFE: GIVE BLOOD!
Negotiation UpdateThe negotiation for the 2001-2002 contract between OCEA and CCSD has reached impasse. "Impasse" is a legal designation in NRS 288 (the statute concerned with collective bargaining) which, when reached, begins the process of third party mediation. Either party in a negotiation can declare the negotiation to be at impasse after four bargaining sessions if they feel the bargain is not making progress. (OCEA’s bargaining team formally declared impasse after six meetings.)
OCEA has proposed a number of changes to the current contract. We have several proposed changes to the section on sick leave and how it is paid, to how movement on the salary schedule is permitted, and to other areas identified as important to OCEA members through responses on last year’s negotiation survey and through problems that have arisen over the course of the year. Our main reason for declaring impasse, however, is because of a lack of movement on the part of the District in the area designated by the membership as its number one issue: salary.
OCEA members have been unequivocal in their message to the bargaining team that they believe a raise is necessary. Although last year there was a raise negotiated in the amounts of the stipends paid to teachers for longevity, there was no raise in the overall salary schedule. The year before (1999-2000), a 2% raise was negotiated. If we count this year (and we are three-fourths of the way through), that means all we have received to our salary schedule since 1998 is a 2% raise. Clearly, our salaries have fallen woefully behind the cost of living. Not only does this cause a burden for teachers and their families, but it also makes it difficult for the District to recruit and retain qualified teachers thereby affecting the quality of the education available to the children of Carson City.
Since we are currently engaged in the arbitration process, it would not be prudent to discuss the precise amount of a salary increase for which we are negotiating. Suffice it to say that the analysis of the budget by both the negotiation team and NSEA concur that our proposal is reasonable. The District has carried annual budget surpluses. The number of students enrolled in Carson schools this year is higher than originally budgeted. OCEA’s position is that the District can afford an increase; the District’s position is that such an increase would place an unreasonable burden upon its budget. The District is offering nothing for this year. On the positive side, OCEA and the District have agreed in principle that the 2% raise plus triggers presented by the Legislature for 2002-2003 should go on the salary schedule. Unfortunately, we are locked in disagreement for 2001-2002.
For the District, the area of highest importance seems to be changing our insurance structure. Insurance and salary are inexorably linked. Skyrocketing insurance costs limit funds available for possible raises. OCEA agrees in principle to the District’s plan of implementing a "cafeteria-style" menu of insurance options; however, we cannot sign off on a plan without specific figures and benefits. In any event, our current insurance plan is in effect until the current contract expires on July 1, 2002.
The next step for the negotiation process is selecting a third party arbitrator. The arbitrator needs to be acceptable to both sides, and our UniServ person from NSEA has contacted the District representative to find a mutually agreed upon mediator. Once an arbitrator is chosen, a date is set, and both sides plead their case to the arbitrator. The arbitrator makes a decision based upon these arguments and chooses one side or the other; the mediator cannot combine offers to create a third option. If the two parties can come to agreement at any point in the process, it need not go through the mediator to reach a conclusion.
The negotiation team believes OCEA has a strong case and is willing to take the negotiation through the arbitration process if necessary. They feel that the District is in a financial position where a raise is reasonable and that its position is as secure as it can be without additional money from the Legislature. OCEA’s budget provides for the arbitration process, and the time is right to make a stand. Besides, the District is offering nothing, so even if we lose in arbitration, we are no worse off than accepting the District’s current offer.
The negotiation team will be distributing an informational flyer to all members of our bargaining group in late February. This flyer will also announce a date, time, and place for a presentation and Q&A session for all employees represented by the OCEA bargaining team. Watch for it in your mailbox. If the bargaining situation should change, a special edition of Quest will inform the membership.
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back Political Agenda The 2002 election season is fast approaching, and NSEA has developed a straightforward plan for endorsing candidates for the fall election. NSEA will require any candidate seeking our endorsement to sign "A Pledge for Nevada’s Public Schools." Although the pledge is still in draft form, the NSEA Board has agreed upon the concept. The pledge will have only two items. First, potential lawmakers will be asked to support and vote to increase the level of funding for each K-12 student to at least the national average beginning in 2003. Currently, Nevada’s per pupil allotment is more than $1,000 below the national average. Our students, schools, and teachers deserve adequate funding and reaching the national average seems a reasonable definition of adequate.Second, candidates will be asked to support and vote for broadening and stabilizing Nevada’s revenue structure to support the needs of Nevada’s growing public schools. The details of how to enhance state revenue will be left to the Legislature. NSEA only asks them to pledge that they will find a way to do it.
NSEA’s research has shown that these two areas have broad support, from both the public and from lawmakers. As the over 80,000 signatures on NSEA’s petition can attest, parents and teachers believe the time has arisen for something to be done. Legislators have given positive feedback to the idea since the "how" of the process is turned over to them. Governor Guinn has come out in favor of the concept and said he will sign the pledge. The state PTA supports also the idea. It may prove political suicide not to sign the pledge since the core concept is one with such broad support.A second pledge will be distributed first to teachers and then the public at large. It will say that the undersigned will only vote for and support candidates who have signed the pledge.
The pledge campaign will kick-off on February 14-15 in the Reno and Las Vegas areas.
Contact Quest at:
JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us Back Elections There are two important elections taking place soon which directly affect OCEA members. In February UCN will be holding an election for the NSEA Board that includes our region’s representative. UCN stands for the UniServ Council of Nevada. It is a coalition of all the rural counties, including Carson, formed to give us a louder voice in statewide decisions. When teachers join OCEA, they automatically become members of UCN, NSEA, and NEA. The NSEA Board has representatives from Clark and Washoe County teachers, Clark County educational support personnel, and UCN. Although the UCN members represent several counties, it is advantageous to have a NSEA Board member come from Carson. First, it means we can be certain that the NSEA Board is hearing about how our members feel about specific issues. Second, we get information directly from a Board member at our own meetings. We can ask questions and receive immediate feedback. Warren Wish of EVMS is currently representing UCN and us on the NSEA Board. His term limit has expired, and our President Gaylea Manning will be running for his vacated seat. It is important for us to keep an OCEA member in this position. The UCN ballot comes to members by mail. Please be watchful for it in your mailbox, vote for Gaylea, and return it to UCN by the deadline on the ballot. If you have moved in the past couple of years and have not been receiving NSEA mailings, please take the time to correct your address with NSEA. (UCN gets its members’ addresses from the NSEA database.) Again, having an OCEA member on the NSEA Board gives us direct access and representation. It is important to vote for us to keep the seat. Also coming is our own local election of officers. The term of office for all elected OCEA offices is one year. The offices are president, administrative vice-president, financial vice-president, communications vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. Each office carries specific duties and a monthly stipend for carrying out those duties. If you are interested, contact the current officer to find out what the position entails. The current Communications Vice-President Dan Brown and Secretary Kim Hickenbottom have indicated they will not be seeking re-election. Treasurer Chris Whitcome is nominated, but would love to turn the position over to someone else. Being an officer is a great way to get involved in decisions affecting teachers on the local, state, and national levels. Also on the ballot will be persons running to represent OCEA at the NSEA Delegate Assembly (DA) and the NEA Representative Assembly (RA). Delegates to DA serve a two-year term and attend the state convention to make decisions about the direction of NSEA. The convention is held in Reno each year in April (this year 4/26-28), and any OCEA member is eligible. RA is the national convention, and a delegate serves for one year. RA is always held the first week of July. This year it is being held in Dallas, Texas. Travel and room and board are paid for both assemblies. Nominations for these positions are open until the OCEA Executive Board meeting February 14. Interested parties should contact Warren Wish (WWISH@carson.k12.nv.us). Please do not nominate anyone without his or her approval. Even if there is a single candidate running for each office, we must hold an election. Rules governing elections say we must allow for write in candidates.Contact Quest at:
JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us Discount TicketsOCEA already offers discount ski tickets through a popular and continuing program (for more information go to the OCEA website http://home.pyramid.net/ocea/index.html). Communication Vice-President Dan Brown has purchased discount movie tickets at the Northgate Theaters for members. The tickets cost the same as a matinee ($4.50). They will not be accepted for the initial run of a newly released film. (In other words, a movie needs to be a couple of weeks old before any passes are accepted.) Please contact Dan Brown is you wish to purchase tickets (mailto:DBROWN@carwson.k12.nv.us).
Dan is also investigating purchasing tickets for Marine World. They offer discounts to groups of ten or more. The discount price is $16.99 per ticket as opposed to the regular price of $42.99. OCEA would need a commitment for at least ten tickets to make a purchase. (OCEA would be the group; the actual persons using the tickets would not have to go to the park together.)
Please e-mail Dan Brown (mailto:DBROWN@carwson.k12.nv.us) with ideas for other discount tickets, questions, and/or concerns.
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back Member Benefit from NSEAIn December you should have received your membership card from NSEA in the mail. The card has your personal membership number embossed upon it. This number allows you access to the "Members Only" section of the NSEA Web site. If you have not yet taken the opportunity to visit the site, you should. (Please access this site from your home PC only. This is not a proper use of your school computer.) NSEA President Terry Hickman ahs stated one of his goals to be to make it possible for every member to save an amount each month equal to the amount paid in dues. This member benefit is an attempt to do just that. There are deals ranging from restaurants in Carson and Reno, to two-for-one golf in Gardnerville, to half-off hotels nation-wide. You type in the zip code of the area that interests you, and the deals are displayed. In order for you to realize this benefit, however, you must visit the Web site prior visiting the business.
If you did not receive your card, contact NSEA. If you know of any businesses that would like to be added to this feature, have them contact NSEA. The cost to businesses is minimal.
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back Spotlight: Chris NerskaEach quarter Quest will feature an article on a teacher who is an OCEA member. If you have someone you’d like to see in "Spotlight," email your suggestions to the address below.
Chris Nerska has taught world geography and Nevada history at Eagle Valley Middle School the past four years. He finds working with the myriad of personalities he must interact with each day invigorating. Kids today, though, "talk differently.
In order to improve education Chris would like to see parents take more responsibility. "Parents should take more responsibility for the physical and mental well-being of their children and not shift that responsibility to the public education system," Chris said. "They work more and have less time for their kids." However, he doesn’t place all the blame for problems in education on parents. "Teachers should be observed and evaluated more often, given more constructive criticism and held accountable for what goes on in their classrooms."
When asked about positive changes in the classroom, Chris enthusiastically replied, "Technological improvements! Smartboards, Internet access for students, CCSD network, computer labs, etc."
Finally, Chris offers the follow advice for the beginning teacher: "Don’t worry about being liked, that will or will not come naturally after you’ve gained control. Making it a priority will only get in the way of [your] real job, to be the best teacher [you] can be, popular or not."
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back My First Year Remember the trials and tribulations you struggled through during your first year teaching? Each quarter Quest will check in on Kora Dagemajian, a first year teacher at CHS.When we left Kora last semester, she had just moved into a new room out in the Tech Center. She has felt a real mental uplift from the new space; it is much more open and less confined than her old room.
Reflecting upon the first semester, Kora realizes she has adjusted to the work load associated with being an English teacher, and has found that "the rapport with the kids has definitely increased." She admits she was surprised that during the day she "didn’t see other teachers. [She] had to make an effort to see others." Certainly, she’d agree with many that more time to meet colleagues would improve the profession overall.
Kora was not prepared for the level of what she calls "student deviant behavior" that she encountered. She had a student come to class intoxicated, and a couple of boys who were belligerently hostile.
For the second half of the year, Kora plans focus on giving students more time to answer her questions. Although we learn about "wait time" in theory, putting it into practice is different. She also wants to be certain to continue the success she’s found with her freshman in "validating their prior knowledge" about subjects. Although she sometimes can’t fully follow their logic, simply acknowledge their perspective has help getting them to buy-in to what she is doing.
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back Cool Idea Here’s an idea you might be able to adapt for use in your classroom. If you’ve got a cool idea, send it to Quest.Hollywood Squares
(From Maureen Quinn (mogreene1@yahoo.com), an English teacher at Monadnock High School in Swanzey, New Hampshire)
This game is based on the TV show Hollywood Squares. (These directions will become much clearer if you watch an episode of the show.) I use the game with my tenth or eleventh graders to review for an upcoming test. First I set up three rows of three desks. On each desk I put a piece of paper folded three times and stapled on one side. One side is left blank, one side has an x and one side has an o. Nine students are chosen to be the stars. The rest of the class is divided into two teams, the x's and the o's. One representative from each team comes to the front of the room and is asked to choose a star. I ask the star a question and he or she answers it. The contestant must agree or disagree. If they are correct the star holds up an x or an o depending on what team they are on. The point of the game is to get three x's or three o's in a row.Contact Quest at:
JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us Negotiation Survey CommentsThe negotiation survey conducted last spring had a place for people to write comments and ask questions. Most of these comments dealt directly with negotiations, but some of them were more general issues about our Association. Unfortunately, since the survey was anonymous, these remarks could not be answered directly. Some of these comments may be of general interest, so Quest will address a couple of them in each issue.
We’ll address more questions in future issues of Quest.
Contact Quest at: JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us
Back ContestEach addition of Quest will have an exciting new feature: a CCSD trivia contest. The first person to e-mail Quest with the correct answer will win a $10 gift certificate. Also, if you’d like to submit a possible contest question, you could be eligible for the same prize.
Contest rules:
- Only OCEA members are eligible.
- Current OCEA officers are not eligible.
- Answers must be submitted by e-mail to the address below. On the subject line type "Contest."
Last issue’s question and answer:
- The winner will be the first e-mail received by the editor with the correct answer. (E-mails are automatically date and time stamped upon receipt by the computer.)
- The editor shall be the sole arbiter of what constitutes a correct answer.
Q. What do the names of Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Richard Stokes’s children have in common?
A. They all contain the letter "y".
The first correct answer to reach Quest was from Lorie Schaefer of Seeliger Elementary. Congratulations!
This issue’s question:
According NRS 288, either party engaged in a contract negotiation can declare impasse after ___________ meetings.
a. two b. three c. four d. five
Send your answers to:
JGREB@carson.k12.nv.us Back Web LinksBack
- OCEA – local information; e-mail officers; education links http://home.pyramid.net/ocea/index.html
- NSEA – statewide information; legislative updates http://www.nsea-nv.org/
- NEA – national information; numerous links to many education sites http://www.nea.org/
- NEA Member Benefits – lots of connections and free stuff http://www.neamb.com/
