President's Message

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Sandra Larsen, President of the Petaluma Federation of Teachers
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PFT President Sandra Larsen was honored with the California Federation of Teachers Women in Education Award at the 2018 CFT convention

JUNE 2023 - President's Message
We have reached the final week of the 2022-23 academic year! It doesn't seem that long ago when we met at Casa Grande for a welcome back. Everyone is so busy with the day-to-day work of educating students that they don't notice that time is flying by.                    

Per Cap Increase    
We collect dues from members ten months a year, August-May, even though we pay dues to our affiliates, AFT (American Federation of Teachers), and CFT ( California Federation of Teachers) every month. Most of what we collect is sent to AFT and CFT. Both of our affiliates have voted to increase their dues by a total of $1.10 per month ($13.10 for the year) beginning September 2023. Our constitution states that we pass along all dues increases to our members. Beginning September 31, 2023, our dues will increase by $13.10 a year, which is $1.31 for the ten months we pay, increasing our dues from 104.90 to $106.22 monthly. 

Disability Insurance        
Many PFT members have chosen to purchase disability insurance from American Fidelity. Members make that decision to ensure they will have income if they cannot work due to an illness or injury. When you purchase disability insurance, you are insuring your current salary at the time of purchase. For instance, if you bought disability insurance at the beginning of this year and were on step 20, column 4, you bought insurance that would pay you 80% of your monthly income based on an annual salary of $92,925. After we ratified our most recent TA, your salary increased to as much as $108,954. Your disability coverage may still be based on your original salary when you purchased the policy and will remain so unless you decide to increase it. If you purchased your policy ten years ago and have not updated it, you would get 80% of the salary you earned when you purchased your policy. Each year, a representative from American Fidelity comes to each site. If you have disability insurance, I strongly urge you to make an appointment next fall and discuss your current policy. You can make an informed decision for your family once you know your level of coverage.                 

Year-end social
PFT will join PCS to host a social at Brewster's on June 12 from 3:30 -5:00. PCS will provide appetizers, and PFT will buy your first beverage. It will be a great chance to meet your fellow PFT members and celebrate the end of the 2022-23 school year.                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2023 -24 Flex Days                                 
We negotiated two flex days for the 2023-24 school year. These days are meant to meet your needs regarding professional development next year. You can work at your site or enroll in training. You should plan what is best for you. You will receive more information from the District Office soon; a form (it should not take too long to complete) will be included in the email. You must complete and submit it to your site administrator for approval no later than September 1, 2023, or before you take your flex days. Once you have your administrator's approval, these days can occur anytime after July 1, 2023. You will see some training opportunities for June listed on the form. They are an exception to the July 1 date, but you still need to submit your plan before you attend the training. Anyone that does not submit their plan before the September 1, 2023, deadline will be required to attend training on June 11 and 12, 2023. They will be the only people required to attend training on those days. If you completed the two training days beforehand, your summer break begins June 11.       
                         
In Conclusion...                                 
This year has been difficult for us all. Personally, it was a mix of emotions. There were times when I felt the stress of the year. Thankfully there were also many wonderful experiences. I have had the opportunity to visit all sites and see firsthand the amazing job you do daily. Whether it is in a classroom where students are engaged in their learning, on the playground where the sound of children playing is evident, in the office where there is a nurse helping a child, or seeing a student being served by a specialist, I feel proud to represent you as your PFT President. I want to thank you for all that you did this year to serve students. I know most of what you do on a daily basis can go unnoticed, but please know that your work made a difference to the students of Petaluma City Schools and our community.                                 
We all need to take some time this summer to recharge. I plan to spend more time with my family, especially my five grandchildren and my husband, and I hope to adopt a puppy and a kitten this summer. I hope your summer is everything you want it to be. Enjoy!