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During bargaining last spring the district introduced a proposal to revise/restructure our evaluation instrument and procedures. Because all realized this could be a complex issue and given our plate was very full with many proposals from both the district and association, it was agreed to postpone this issue until the 03-04 school year.
A committee was formed this year of district and association representatives and we held our first meeting on January 28. The committee was in agreement that our current system of evaluation had some serious shortcomings. We were in disagreement, however, in what needed to be fixed and what the process should be. The district voiced a strong opinion that the instrument needed to be revised in such a way that it could be more effectively used as a tool for professional growth. The district also wanted a multiple rating scale containing at least three or four levels rather than the two we have now (unsatisfactory/meets expectations).
The association team believed that evaluation and professional growth should be viewed as separate issues. We believed that when a supervisor is evaluating a certificated employee for the purposes of contract renewal or probation that it is difficult to effectively discuss professional growth. That is what the state legislature intended to deal with when they introduced and passed the short form evaluation system. The association team believed that a meaningful and effective revision of the process should involve a broad based committee of certificated employees from all areas including specialists, special education and classroom teachers.
The association team also felt that we lacked meaningful input from members to make decisions in this important area. In surveys and discussions with teachers regarding bargaining issues or in my visits to schools and conversations with our members over the past three years, I don’t recall one person saying that we need to revise the evaluation instrument or process. I am not comfortable flying solo and not having direction from members.
The end result was that it was clear that our differences made an agreement unlikely and the committee ended its work for now. There will be no changes in the collective bargaining agreement on this issue this year.
The district made it clear that they intend to continue seeking ways to improve professional growth opportunities for certificated employees and will be seeking input from our members on this topic. If you have an interest in this important issue please watch for the opportunity to serve.
Of course any changes in contract language will require the approval of the membership and the school board. If you have questions or concerns please feel free to e-mail me at the office at cvea@aol.com or phone at 926-0201. Thanks again to those members who agreed to serve on the Evaluation Committee, Shelly Triber Brown, Martha Reese, Loren Imus and Sue Mihalic. kr
WEA/PAC RECOMMENDATION CONVENTIONOn April 17 the WEA Political Action Committee will be holding a recommendation convention at the SEA-TAC Hilton. The purpose of the convention is to get WEA/PAC members input for a recommendation for the Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction elections this fall. Dick O’Brien of CVHS will represent members of WEA/PAC at the convention. If you have views on the candidates please pass those on to your building reps. |
RETIRING??
If you have made the decision to retire or to leave the district at the end of the year please consider notifying the personnel department as soon as possible. It would be a great help to the district and to your colleagues in making staffing plans for next year. If you have given the district notice prior to May 14 you will be invited to the dinner held to honor retirees. That dinner is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, May 26 at the Mirabeau Park Inn. Retirees are allowed to invite a guest and will be honored for their service to children and public education by the District and the Association. Remember, to be invited the District and the Association must be notified that you plan to retire. Thank you.
2004-05 Inservice Days SetThe 04-05 calendar has been set and should be posted in your building. It includes five inservice days during the school year. By contract language 11.5 hours of the 35 total hours (5 x 7.5 hours =35) is for individual teacher time. When that 11.5 hours falls in those five days is to be determined by the staff in each individual building. Your staff should be discussing and determining by collaboration and consensus or by vote where those 11.5 hours should be used. |
NEW CVEA WEB SITE UP AND RUNNING (centralvalleyea.org)
Steve Lalonde, our association vice president and manager of our association website has spent over a hundred hours this winter updating and modernizing our website. The website has the school calendar and our collective bargaining agreement as well as the latest newsletter. It also has information on officers and a list of all building reps. In addition you will find links to the WEA and NEA websites and to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Give it a try. (editorial note: Obviously you have, as you are here reading this now.) Many thanks to Steve for all his hard work.
March 25-27 - Washington Education Association Representative Assembly, Spokane
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