February 2010
CVEA EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTIONS
Once again it is time for CVEA elections to the Executive Board. Your Building Reps will be conducting elections for next year’s officers . Thank you to those members who have chosen to devote their time to the Association and to public education. Those who are running for office are listed below along with information regarding experience and current assignment.
PRESIDENT
Martha Reese
Martha has worked in the District for 33 years and currently teaches at South Pines as the Music Specialist. She has held numerous CVEA positions including Bargaining Team member, Grievance Chairperson and Fringe Benefit Chairperson. Martha has also represented members as a delegate to WEA/RA and NEA/RA conventions.
Steve Lalonde
Steve joined the University High School staff in 1984 and has taught English, Yearbook, Classical Mythology and Media Production. He has been a Building Representative, CVEA Executive Board Member-at-Large, CVEA Vice President, Uniserve Council Representative, Uniserve Council Executive Board Member, WEA Board Member and a WEA Executive Committee Member. He has also been on the bargaining team five times.
VICE PRESIDENT
Scott Knowles
Scott has taught in the Central Valley School district for 15 years both at South Pines in the SPACE program and now at Opportunity as an ABLES teacher. He is involved in the association as a third year building rep, a delegate to the WEA RA and as a WEA lobbyist in Olympia where he has made several trips on behalf of the CVEA.
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Mariann Torretta
Mariann has taught in CV for 30 years, 6 at Greenacres Junior High and then the next 24 at South Pines, Adams and now University Elementary. Graduating from WSU in 1980, she went on to earn a Masters in Literacy from Eastern Washington University in 1997. She has served as a building rep for 2 years and has also attended the WEA RA and enjoys walking her dog and reading.
MEMBER AT LARGE-ELEMENTARY
June Cunningham
June currently teaches 4th grade at Liberty Lake Elementary. She has been in the District for 21 years. June has been a Building Rep for14 years, served on the bargaining team, has been a delegate to the WEA/RA and NEA/RA and is currently serving as the Elementary Member at Large on the CVEA Executive Board.
MEMBER AT LARGE-MIDDLE SCHOOL
Monica Larson
Monica has been in the District for11 years and has been involved in WEA for14 years. She was previously an association member for the mid-state area for three years until returning to Spokane in 2002. Monica has been a building rep at Evergreen since 2002 and attended the WEA Sparks conference in 2003. She is currently serving on the Team of 12 bargaining team, has served on the Evaluation Review committee and has served as a delegate to the WEA/RA.
MEMBER AT LARGE-HIGH SCHOOL
Vicky Jensen
Vicky has taught in CV since 1998. Prior to that she taught in Genesee
School District in Idaho where she served on the bargaining team for two
years. In Central Valley Vicky taught at Greenacres JH until reconfigura-
tion when she moved to the high school level. She currently teaches Art
at University High School. Vicky is Board certified and teaches workshops for NBPTS and Pro Cert candidates for EWU and GU. She has worked for the WEA Speakers Bureau and was selected by WEA to serve on the Gonzaga University PEAB since 2005.
The following are statements submitted by candidates running for President and Vice President of the Central Valley Education Association Executive Board.
Steve Lalonde for CVEA President
I believe the Education Association is and should be a fundamental partner with the other stakeholders for a vibrant and sustainable school district. Those stakeholders include CVEA, the School Board, district administration, Public School Employees, building administrators, community and parents. Each of these groups has a distinct role to play in making the district function. The Association’s role is primarily to serve the needs of its members in order to help them obtain professional success in serving their students.
One of the Association’s responsibilities is contract negotiation and maintenance. To that end we are charged with representing our members in matters of “hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment.” Furthermore, the association represents individuals and groups in the grievance process.
I believe that the Central Valley Education Association continually works to meet those obligations. Over the last decade we have had much success, but with the current economic and political climate we must do more. We must strive to strengthen and clarify the contract, including addressing education reform issues. We must continue to work at the local level to prevent further erosion of salary and benefits. We must work to bring balance between resources and accountability so that we can do the best job possible to provide a quality education to the students in Central Valley School District.
If elected, I will do my best to move us forward in these goals. I would appreciate your vote.
Martha Reese for CVEA President
My name is Martha Reese and I am running for the office of President for the Central Valley EducationAssociation and also as a delegate to the WEA Representative Assembly.
I believe in the Association and I believe it is here to protect and support us. As a union, we have the obligation to make improvements on wages, benefits and working conditions. With the current economic crisis in our state, we still have a full contract to negotiate. We are going to have to be creative and realistic with what we can achieve. Being a member of the bargaining team for the past several contracts has given me insight into working with district leadership. I have found that an open dialogue with the district goes a long way. We are not going to give everything up but, we can ask for improvements on what we already have in place. When we find a problem occurring that goes against the contract, the Grievance Procedure needs to be implemented. This is not an easy process for anyone but, the Association will be there to help. Having experienced the grievance process, I was grateful to have the support of our Union.
I want to help our Union continue in the direction it has been going. With your support and vote, I can do this.
Scott Knowles for CVEA Vice President
Hello, I am Scott Knowles from Opportunity Elementary and I am running for vice president for the 2010-2011 school year. I am in my fifteenth year of teaching in the Central Valley School District. During that time I have taught second through sixth grade at both South Pines Elementary and Opportunity Elementary schools. I am currently teaching in the Able Learner Program for Gifted and Talented second through fifth grade students. I am a graduate of the Central Valley school system and a lifelong resident of the Spokane Valley. Some of my recent CVEA experience includes: three years as a building representative, one year as a delegate to the WEA Representative Assembly, several lobbying trips to Olympia on behalf of the WEA, and serving as the CVEA representative on district level interview teams during the past two years.
