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Our contract will open for negotiations this spring. We will spend the year gathering information, selecting a negotiations team and planning a course for our future. We will call for volunteers in November and hope to have a survey completed prior to the winter break. It will be important for all of you to be engaged in the process. You can do this by talking to your colleagues about issues that are important to you, speaking with your building reps, reading notices and newsletters and contacting the CVEA office with concerns. The collective voice of the members will provide the direction we will head.
I hope you were all able to get away and do what you wanted to do, when you wanted to do it. Getting away from all the bells and the schedules by itself is restful and we need all the rest we can get.There has been confusion surrounding the Oct. 9 day on the calendar. It is shaded which means there is NO SCHOOL. Since we have lost our funding for both LID days, teachers will not have to report to work on the 9th.
If your name or address changed this summer it is important that you notify the Central Valley Education Association as soon as possible. This will help us keep our membership information up to date and will also insure that you receive your WEA and NEA publications.
You should also be sure to notify the District of these changes as soon as possible. Please call Personnel at 228-5440 and the Association at 926-0201. Thank you.
Steve Lalonde was elected to the executive committee of the WEA board of directors. He will represent Eastern Washington as one of the five members on the committee. This outstanding achievement is exceptionally noteworthy because Steve was elected during his first year as a member of the board which no one has done in recent memory. His election speaks to his unwavering work ethic as well as his ongoing dedication to teachers throughout the state.
Tom Molter, band director at Evergreen Middle School, has been chosen as the new music director for the Spokane Jazz Orchestra. The SJO is the nation’s oldest, continually performing professional community-supported 17 piece jazz big band. As a product of the Central Valley Schools, Tom has amassed an amazing resume in the field of music. To read more about Tom and to learn about our very own Spokane Jazz Orchestra, go to www.spokanejazz.org.
The state allocation for medical expenses has gone up to $745 per employee per month while medical charges have risen 7.5%, dental is up around 5.5% and vision coverage actually went down 7.2%. To find out more about current charges and their impact on your paycheck go to MyCVSD and click on the Business Services tab at the top. Follow the pull down menu to find up to date insurance premiums as well as a monthly calculator for out of pocket expenses.
Our Employee Assistance Program has changed providers but still offers the same coverage. This is a program that provides counseling sessions for members and their families under strict rules of confidentiality. Find the Human Resources tab on MyCVSD and follow the link to more information.
The best way to answer all your questions is to attend the benefit fair this October 7th, from 4 to 7 PM at U-Hi. Representatives will be there to present all your options and guide you through the process. The open enrollement period will end November 15.
The flu season is here and we need to take all the usual precautions. Wash your hands often, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze, don’t share food, utensils or beverages, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth and make sure you stay home if you develop flu like symptoms. H1N1 is a new flu virus that has the same symptoms as the regular flu and can cause serious health problems in certain populations. If you experience a fever of 100 degrees or more, have a severe cough and fever or if you have a sore throat and fever with difficulty swallowing, make sure you stay home to protect yourself as well as others at your work site.
Last spring, Central Valley passed its Levy election during a very tough economic downturn. The overwhelming response was due in large part to the efforts of the Kids First Campaign. They needed our help last spring and the teachers across the district stepped up to work in a variety of ways. We walked the neighborhoods handing out informational flyers, we placed signs at strategic locations and held signs at busy intersections.
All of these activities take time and money, money that has to be raised through donations. We can really help this cause by simply participating in a payroll deduction for the Central Valley Citizens for Education fund. Sign the letter in your mail box and donate a dollar to the CVCE fund. If every employee in the district did this, the fund raising would basically be taken care of. Please sign up now.
NOTICE
I plan to be in the following buildings during lunch to meet members and answer questions.