President’s Report September 22, 2015

President’s Report

September 22, 2015

1. 
   Representative Council
   

1. 
   Request that all reps attend each council meeting. (Copy of the meeting schedule is attached)
   
2. 
   A building must be represented at each meeting
   
3. 
   Attached is a copy of the building reps for the 2015-16 school year. Please be sure to indicate any changes for the 2015-16 year on the “master”. This will be posted ASAP.
   
4. 
   Union minutes will be available on the website (wptaonline.org).
   
5. 
   Please DO NOT contact me on school email - please use [e-mail]. IF there is an emergency, the office number is 761-5187. If no answer at the office, cell # is 914-907-7157 (text first please) - this number is not for general distribution.
   

2. 
   Building Liaison
   

1. 
   The purpose of building liaison is to build a collaborative labor-management decision-making process. The minutes of those meetings need to be recorded and sent to the building colleagues and the WPTA.
   
2. 
   It will be important as we move forward that these building liaison meetings occur monthly. Shabnam Tapia is available for the elementary schools and Carol Tito is available for the secondary schools if help is needed at the table.
   
3. 
   These minutes can be written and sent by a rep (not necessarily the Sr. Rep) prior to the monthly council meeting.
   
4. 
   These are the minutes used to develop the District liaison agenda
   

3. 
   Contractual items
   

1. 
   6. Planning and Preparation Time (Article V): By Sept 15 of each school year, the principal and building representative will determine priorities for the building for the first semester and by January 15^th for the second semester. Once determined the principal and/or his or her designee will work with the teacher representatives to schedule meetings to address these priorities for the school year.  One prep per cycle can be administratively directed for meetings with administrators, consultants and ICS. This includes all meetings with administrators, consultants, and ICS’s. This clause does not include post-observations and CSE meetings.
   
2. 
   Special Area City-wide meetings (Article V. B.4 last 2 sentences) Special area teachers may be required to attend, in addition, no more than three (3) city-wide special area meetings per year except in emergencies. A schedule of such meetings will be distributed in September for the year.
   

3. 
   APPR Update
   

1. 
   Presentation of APPR 2015-16
   

1. 
   NO changes to the APPR for this year.
   
2. 
   the APPR is “frozen” so folks will do exactly what was done last year. New folks and moved members will be looked at individually
   
3. 
   same baselines, etc
   

2. 
   Initial conversations have focused on coming to shared definitions. We will need to apply for the Hardship waiver
   
3. 
   APPR committee will meet again 9/28. Members will be updated continuously
   
4. 
   Scores are coming in. Dr. Fried has promised to make the process transparent.
   
5. 
   There are still many questions - we need time. No person will lose their job due to scores.
   

5. Reasons to Join a Union

1. 
   Review of Friedrich vs California Teachers Association (CTA)
   
2. 
   Steering committee meeting on 9/29.
   
3. 
   Reps and membership will be updated will all next steps
   

6. Solidarity Events

1. 
   Breast Cancer Walk
   

• 
  Sunday October 20 at Manhattanville
  

• 
  Proceeds go to American Cancer Society
  

2. 
   Kickball tournament 10/2
   

• 
  thank you to the Highlands planning committee
  

• 
  details will follow
  

7. Building visits - lunchtime

1. 
   GW 9/30
   
2. 
   HS 10/2
   
3. 
   RW 10/5
   
4. 
   PR 10/7
   
5. 
   CS 10/9
   
6. 
   EV 10/14
   
7. 
   Roch 10/16
   
8. 
   MAS 10/19
   
9. 
   HL 10/21
   

Motions:
The WPTA representative council directs the teacher members of the APPR committee to continue conversations with the WPCSD regarding a hardship waiver as per NYSED
The WPTA representative council authorizes the teacher members of the APPR committee to continue conversations with the WPCSD regarding changes to the APPR for the 2015-16 school year after the hardship waiver is approved.
The WPTA representative council authorizes a donation up to $500 to Peace outside Campus - Lindsey Foundation.
The WPTA representative council authorizes an expense up to $1,000 each for kickball shirts, Making strides shirts, Tenure Tuesday short sleeved shirts.

The WPTA representative council authorizes an expense up to $1,000.00 to help with planning and preparation of Kicking Cancer fundraiser 10/2