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President's Message - February 13, 2015

2/16/2015

February 13, 2015 MEDIATION UPDATE

Message from the Negotiators…
HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!
The team met today at the Sheraton with the mediator and the district team. The
day started at 10am with the mediator talking about confidentiality. We are not able
to share specifics about our conversations. After 6 hours, making small strides, the
teams did not make significant enough movement to resolve all issues. We will be
meeting again on March 4 at the District Office to continue the conversations.

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President's Message - February 11, 2015

2/11/2015

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President's Message
Stronger Together
Greetings Brothers and Sisters!
I am practicing my greetings for the upcoming CFT Convention in March. I thank all of you who nominated members, and I especially thank those of you that graciously put your names on the upcoming ballot. There is so much happening nationally, statewide, and locally…an exciting (sometimes terrifying) time to be a Union member.

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:
Sandra and the negotiating team wanted to let all members know that they are anxiously awaiting the mediation process that begins this Friday, February 13. At 10:00 am at the Petaluma Sheraton, the teams will meet with the State appointed mediator and begin the process. The team is committed to doing the very best for our members that, in turn, is the very best for our students.
You will receive some sort of communication either that evening or over the weekend about the process and what the next steps are.

WORKERS’ RIGHTS BOARD
I hope that you all have been able to get a hold of a copy of the document this board compiled on behalf of the employees and students of Petaluma City Schools. It is a truly amazing document and clearly itemizes what we have been struggling with since July. Please ask if you need a hard copy of the report. You can also find it online at http://tinyurl.com/nsfwlkb

MACBOOKS
Steve Bolman agreed, on January 6, 2015, to send everyone a copy of the new agreement form and/or the original, void agreement. Have you received your form(s)? If not, please email Mr. Bolman immediately. You can use what you need of the following as your text:
“Please send me, by February 13, a copy of my signed agreement for MacBook usage. I also am not in possession of the original, now void agreement. Please send the document to me immediately.”
Choose a date of your own if needed. Please “CC” me if you are communicating this to the district. I would like to follow up on this and get closure on the issue this month.

MISSED THE SOCIAL?
February 5 was the social at the Mystic. It was incredible to see all of you that came…even if it was for a short time. We are all such busy people, but it is so important to stay connected. Thank you to Doug Emery, Carrie Caudle, and all who made this event a success.
Please, if you can, be a regular patron of McNear’s, as the O’Donnell’s are still being extra generous and good to us.
Another thing you missed was the sign-up for Union Tees 2.0! If you are interested in the latest version in classy, PFT apparel, please contact Carrie Caudle at [email protected].

NEW LEADERS:
A quick update…Executive Council approved the chair of a grievance committee at the last board meeting. Sandra Larsen is taking over the Grievance Committee, and Carrie Caudle is taking over the Membership Committee.

CONSTITUTION UPDATE:
Executive Council has been working on an update of our Constitution and By-Laws. Look for this soon to review and then a ratification vote.

As always, thank you for all that you do for the students of Petaluma. Change is never easy or swift. It is a painful, messy process, but I believe the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. I am so grateful for the courageous, amazing colleagues (yes, YOU!) I work with…it is so inspiring to see you come together and demand change. I am proud to be part of your movement.
Together we are strong. Together we are making a positive impact. Together we can achieve anything.

In Unity-
Kim

Also: Thank you to the over 50 teachers who showed up to last night's school board meeting. Although the board did not agendize the Workers' Rights Board findings and recommendations for this week, we are hopeful about it being on the agenda for our next meeting. If you, too, would like an open dialogue about this report at a school board meeting, please email Mike Baddeley, the school board president, to make this request and explain your perspective.
[email protected]

One outcome from last night's meeting was the scheduling of a public meeting to discuss our hopes and expectations for a new superintendent with the school board. Teachers, parents, students, and other community members will be welcome and encouraged to attend. Save the date--this meeting will be on Saturday, 2/28. More details to come to you as we get them from the school board.

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President's Message from 10/14/2015

2/11/2015

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October 14, 2014 - President’s Address to the School Board
Good evening-

I can’t tell you how many drafts of this address that I went through…how many hours I spent thinking about the events that are continuing to occur…plus debating on my unusual format for my address.

I never thought, after 22 years of teaching, that I would have to so many times justify exercising my rights and my professional judgment. I never thought that I would begin to not trust that the leadership of my district had the best interests of my colleagues and students at the heart of all that they do. Even more disheartening is that I have to repeatedly plead for fair and equitable treatment of my members.

Last week I attended the special board meeting. I, and many who attended, had questions about why there was an extra meeting called. When I expressed this need to the board, I was told that questions were not appropriate at that time and that I needed to wait.

First let me say that I know you can’t respond to me in this forum. But I hope that what I ask and all that has been brought to you by certificated staff, community members, and parents over the last 3 ½ months has not fallen on deaf ears.

My question litany begins: why call a special board meeting and spend the entire time in closed session? What could have been discussed for almost 2 hours with no action taken? Why would the board feel compelled to contact my members directly with an inaccurate, one-sided, partial truths memo the day before a board meeting? Why, after so many months of asking for help and dialogue to get back to the table has the board clearly supported the district’s position only? Why is the board only relying on the district administration for all of their information? Why is there no open communication about trouble in our district? Why did the board not act on the Level IV grievance brought to them? Why are the agenda items so vague that no one, teachers, parents nor community members, is sure exactly what is being discussed and when?

Most importantly, and if you hear anything I have to say tonight, I hope this stays with you…AND THIS IS THE ONLY QUESTION I WILL OFFER SOME RESPONSE TO…I want each of you to ask yourselves this: why do you think the teachers are engaged in such activities? Why would dedicated, hard-working, educated, irreplaceable employees take so much time to get your attention? I’ll offer some reasons that are not the answer…teachers are not doing this because we have nothing else to do. We are not doing this because we wish to make a circus out of the running of our district. Teachers are not engaged in Union activities merely to have a “pep rally”…and we certainly are not doing this “just because a few are upset with district mandates.” You can’t see my speech, but all of these reasons are quotes from site and district administration about their employees.

Could it be that the certificated staff needs to be heard? Could it be that there are some egregious flaws in communication in this district? Could it be that there is a lack of transparency?

I’ll end with this, which is one of the first addresses I made to you as president of PFT…trust is the easiest thing to break and the hardest thing to rebuild. As trustees (and I am not making a pun here), your responsibility is to uphold the values of our district…of being open…of seeking dialogue with many different perspectives…and to communicate openly. What is demanded of the certificated staff should be reflected in the leadership of the district. Again, I am heartsick that this is not the case. Please work with us and not against us.

Thank you

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President's Message from 9/9/2014

2/11/2015

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Please read the President's Address to the Board on September 9th regarding the grievance filed against Superintendent Bolman for interfering with the Union activities of PFT members:
September 9, 2014
President’s Address to the Board
Good Evening: I am here to speak tonight about the level 3 grievance PFT filed against the superintendent Monday, September 8. PFT was shocked and disappointed that Mr. Bolman felt he needed to prevent our members from conducting Union business before and after school last Friday, September 5. His email to administrators, which was forwarded to my members, was inappropriate and detrimental. I am deeply saddened and disappointed that district administration’s treatment of the Federation has reached such a low point. Not only have we filed the grievance, but we are also amending our current Unfair Labor Practice charges to include this questionable and illegal action as it is a clear violation of our contract, the EERA, plus our state and federal constitutional rights.The Educational Employment Relations Act (the EERA) is very clear about an employer’s parameters when Union activities are happening. Section 3543.5 states
“EERA makes it unlawful for an employer to (1) interfere with the exercise of rights conferred by the act on employees or their unions; (2) refuse to meet and negotiate in good faith (which expressly includes knowingly furnishing an exclusive representative with inaccurate information regarding the financial resources of the public school employer); (3)interfere with, dominate, or discriminate among employee organizations; or (4) refuse to participate in the impasse procedures in good faith”.
The Federation asks the board to please support all certificated employees and classified employees by stopping the district administration’s engagement in discrimination and unilateral, damaging actions against us. We are professionals and expect to be treated as such. Members of the Board, please respect and support our teachers who ultimately support or students. I have for each of you a copy of the email and the grievance. Thank you.

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President's Message - February 13, 2015

President's Message - February 11, 2015

President's Message from 10/14/2015﻿

President's Message from 9/9/2014

Sandra Larsen

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President's Message from 10/14/2015