Questions about New Health Insurance Plan

By Mary Modder, President
January 29, 2010

Under the new policy plan, the instructional staff has new high front end deductibles of $2,000 (single) $4,000 (family).  The out-of-pocket deductible remains $100/$200 until July when it will go to $200/$300.

When you go to the doctor and your doctor bills WEA, you will receive an explanation of benefits from WEA saying that they have received the claim and the bottom will state that your deductible is $2,000 or $4,000 (depending on single or family coverage).  You need to DO NOTHING!  This is not a bill.  WEA then sends the claim to Diversified Benefits Specialists, who will pay the claim and send you a second EOB.  On the bottom of this explanation of benefits form will be the REAL amount that you owe.  The bill that you receive from the doctor should match this amount.

If you have a child who is between 18 and 27 years of age, they now can be covered, even if they are NOT in college.  However, an HRA claim must be filed for each claim.  If you have out of pocket costs, you may also wish to submit an HRA claim to Diversified, keeping in mind that this new plan started January 1, 2010.

Further questions?  Contact:
Jennifer Miller
Insurance Claims Management Specialist
Kenosha Unified School District #1
3600 - 52nd Street
Kenosha, WI 53144
(262) 359-6317 (PLEASE NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER)

For reimbursement forms go to the KUSD Website, click on employment, click on benefits, click on instructional staff, click on forms.

Working with Friends Can Be Tricky!

By Mary Modder, President
January 29, 2010

Sometimes working things out with your friends can be much more complicated that simply being ignored by those who aren’t friends.
“I never anticipated the amount of TIME that I would be spending with the White House Administration once we had a voice!” NEA President Dennis Van Roeckle told the participants of the Midwest Leadership Conference this past weekend.  He commented that he had spent eight years complaining about the policies of the administration and hadn’t realized that collaboration WITH the White House would actually be more complicated.

I confess that I was not a happy camper on Friday when I left Kenosha to attend the conference.  Many members had expressed concern with the soft stance that the NEA is taking in regards to such issues as NCLB, teacher evaluations, and Pay for Performance.  We had such high hopes after the election:  NCLB would be amended, more money would be available for schools, and merit pay would go away!

However, reality is not nearly as nice as fantasy.  Dennis pointed out that we have had a voice in federal education policy for the first time in eight years.  We haven’t gotten everything that we wanted, but we have had a voice and many concerns have been addressed.  When Race to the Top was first announced, Education Secretary Arne Duncan asked for feedback on the plan; and, boy, did he get it, especially from the teachers!  I was present at one of the first “town hall” type meetings held at the National Education Association Representative Assembly last July.  The teachers there weren’t afraid to speak up and speak out, telling Secretary Duncan what their concerns were.  The NEA continued to voice concerns about Race to the Top; and many of those concerns were addressed; but not all of them.

We have to realize, Dennis pointed out to the crowd on Saturday, that we are not the only stakeholder.  We can influence education policy, but we are not the only voice.  That is hard to accept when you know that yours is the RIGHT voice, but it is the political reality.
So where do we go from here?  We can’t just give up, pick up our marbles, and go home.  As classroom teachers who are the REAL experts in educational realities, we have to continue to make our voices heard because this time, even if we don’t get everything we want, they ARE listening!

Assistant Director’s Position Posted

The posting for the Assistant Director job went out last week. The cutoff for submission of interest is set for February 12, 2010. Once again, a KEA Assistant Director Screening Committee will review the applicants; and we will begin the process of filling the vacant position.

Involuntary (Mandatory) and Voluntary Transfers

By Joe Kiriaki, Executive Director
January 29, 2010

Mary modder and I are receiving a high number of inquiries already in January regarding transfers.

I am hopeful the following information will be useful in making you aware of the process.  Also, following is the new language applicable to the process that will be included in the new contract:

Voluntary and Involuntary Transfers and Assignments (New Language)

Persons seeking transfer (voluntary or involuntary) will be given up to one-half day off for the purpose of visiting the top three school(s) when they are the most senior applicant for the position. Visits will take place in the same day.  Teachers will be required to meet with the principal of the receiving school at a time and day that is mutually beneficial for all.  If the principal is not available, then the teacher will meet with the principal’s designee. Teachers will avoid Mondays and Fridays for the purpose of visiting schools as these are the heaviest subbed days.

The filling of vacant positions will be done in seniority order, starting with the most senior person, among those seeking voluntary transfer and those scheduled for involuntary transfer.  However, no teacher shall be laid off or forced to remain on layoff status because of the voluntary transfer of a teacher from one area of certification to another, e.g. no teacher may voluntarily transfer if it will result in the layoff or continued layoff of another teacher.

SUMMARY OF THE PROCESS

The Teacher Salary and Welfare Agreement provides for the process in which the assignments are completed.  The following information is a summary of pages three and twenty-seven through twenty-nine of the Teacher Salary and Welfare Agreement (the page numbering may change when the new contract is printed):

Internal School Assignments
Internal school reassignments for the following school year should be concluded during the month of March.

Initial Vacancy List
On the first business day in April, a list of vacancies will be posted at each school, the ESC, and the KEA office.

Transfer Meeting for Voluntary and Involuntary (Mandatory) Reassignments
On the second Wednesday in May, anyone who has been displaced or notified of layoff will need to attend a meeting to be reassigned to vacant positions based upon seniority within certification.  This process will be used until either all teachers are reassigned or there are no more vacancies to assign teachers to.

This is new in the 2009-11 Teacher Contract.  Now, the reassignments will be filled in seniority order from one list of both voluntary and involuntary transfers.

Seniority Determination
Seniority is based upon date of hire within the District and area of certification. In the event teachers have the same contract date, the following review will take place:
• The date the individual contract was signed by the teacher.
• The date the School Board approved the hiring of the teacher.
• The date the teacher applied to the School District for a teaching position.

Updated Vacancy List
The vacancy list will be updated by the first business day in May and as the Human Resources office is informed of new vacancies. It is likely that there will be more vacancies on the list presented during the reassignment meeting than on the list published the first business day in April.

Transfer Pre-Meeting - Procedures
Teachers must submit a written request to the Human Resources office if he/she would like to attend the meeting for transfer purposes. The Human Resources office will send an application form along with a list of vacant positions to requesting teachers. A copy of this correspondence will be provided to the KEA office as well.

Certification Requirement
All certification paperwork must be submitted to the Human Resources office by April 15.

Attendance Requirement
In the event a teacher(s) is unable to attend the meeting, the KEA President will serve as that person’s proxy.

Meeting Procedures
The Executive Director of Human Resources will call out each teacher’s name and ask him/her to select a position from the vacancy list. The process will continue until either all vacancies are filled or there are no more teachers who are seeking a different assignment. The Executive Director of the KEA will attend the meeting to assure the terms and conditions of the Teacher Salary and Welfare Agreement are complied with.

Conclusion
Thereafter, vacancies will be filled through the apply and interview process.

Win a Special 2010 Read Across America Event at Your School!

How would you like to have a member of the WEAC Leadership Team come to your school during the WEAC/NEA Read Across America week, March 1-5, and read to your students?

These annual events focus special attention on your school and are an educational and enjoyable way to draw students' attention to the pleasures and benefits of reading. WEAC President Mary Bell, WEAC Vice President Guy Costello, and WEAC Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Kippers will spend the week reading to children throughout the state. Your classroom or school could be among the three selected for a visit.

You can qualify your school simply by participating in either of these two forums: (1) The WEAC Read Across America Forum. Tell us in 200 words or less why you would like a member of the WEAC Leadership Team to visit your school and read to your students during Read Across America Week, March 1-5, 2010. Be sure to include your name, school, and e-mail address (even though the form says it is optional) so we can contact you. (2) The WEAC New Year's Resolution Forum. Briefly tell us which of the WEAC Resolutions is one of your favorites and why. Again, be sure to include your name, school, and e-mail address so we can contact you.

Want to double your chances of your school winning? Enter a comment in each forum.

Some Important Dates to remember:

• Attention 4th Grade Teachers and Art Teachers.

  Last week a memo and informational flier on the WEAC Human Relations Committee’s 20th Annual 4th Grade Poster Contest was distributed to all 4th grade teachers and elementary art teachers with the GLUE. If your 4th grade students are participating in this contest, entries are due to the KEA by Friday, February 12.
  
  The theme for this year’s contest is “The Land Holds All Our Stories.” The purpose of the contest is to promote celebration of Native American culture and to address the issue of racism directed at Native Americans.

The top three KEA winners will receive local prizes approved by the KEA Board of Directors: 1st place, $25; 2nd place, $15; 3rd Place, $10; and ten $5 honorable mentions.

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place local winners will advance to the state competition. The top three state winners will receive $100 savings bonds.

• ATTENTION INITIAL EDUCATORS!

  Does your license expire in June of 2010? If so, it is time to get your PDP verified. KUSD will be providing a session to assist you in preparing your PDP for verification. This session will include information on preparing your PDP for verification and a Verification Signing. If you are interested in attending this session, please register online, starting January 26 on the KUSD homepage located under PD Courses Information in the Spring I Course Booklet.

  Session Dates:
  •   February 1 and February 8, 4:30- 6:30 p.m., at the ESC
  •  February 15 - Verification Signing - Each initial educator will have a half-hour appointment with a team.

  If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Navarro in the KUSD Office of Professional Development by e-mailing jnavarro@kusd.edu or call (262) 359-7582.



• WEAC SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 20

  The Wisconsin Education Association Council offers the children of its members a chance at four scholarships of $1,450 each to pursue higher education. High school seniors are eligible if they plan to major or minor in education and intend to teach in Wisconsin. The scholarship can be renewed for up to four years. To meet eligibility requirements, high school seniors must have a parent who is an active WEAC member, an active retired member, or a parent who died while holding a WEAC membership. Scholarship applications must be submitted, and all documentation must be postmarked no later than February 20, 2010. Application materials and eligibility guidelines are available on the WEAC website (http://www.weac.org). For more information, e-mail Michele Brisack at BrisackM@weac.org.
  

• Uniting for Action!

  What: WEAC Winter Conference South with National Board Writing Retreat
  Location: Madison Marriott West, Middleton, WI
  Date: February 26-27, 2010
  Go to www.weac.org for more details.
  

• PLAN AHEAD – MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

  KEA-REA Legislative Dinner
  Monday, March 8, 2010
  at the Parkway Chateau (Brat Stop)
  Over dinner talk with various elected officials and Association members about educational issues and concerns.
  Watch future issues of the GLUE for more details closer to the date of the event.

• RETIREMENT NOTICE DEADLINE

  The deadline for first semester retirements is approaching. Teachers applying for Early Retirement or Early Early Retirement should notify the District in writing on or before Monday, March 15, 2010. Once notice of intent to retire is given by a teacher and is accepted by the District, the notice of intent to retire shall be irrevocable.