Eyes on the Board - December, 2009

 

 

The Superintendent must have told the principals they did not have to come—very few people in the audience. The McAllen High School Ensemble “Tuba Christmas” gave a mini concert.

 

The Board has gone back to having committee briefings. They are suddenly closed door meetings with administrators. We are deeply concerned that the full board is not hearing and seeing the whole district picture. We are also concerned that the public is being left out of the process. More and more secrecy is occurring—that is not good for the administration. What monies are being moved around or reallocated to something different that the budget passed in August, 2009?

 

Hear Ye, Hear Ye Level 3—the Board’s role in handling grievances—presented by Elizabeth G. Neally, attorney. Neally presented a concise review of the board’s role in deciding a Level 3 grievance. It seems a grievance several weeks ago caused the board to think about their decision to send the grievance back to Level 2. 

 

 

The Board met to consider an agenda called a Board briefing. The Board gave administration direction to sale a piece of real estate (no details about this). The meeting room at Lamar Academy was almost empty—guess principals were not told they had to come. The following were discussed in detail: Monthly Financial and Investment Reports for August 2009; Monthly Financial and Investment Reports for September 2009--suddenly there may not be a $10 million short fall—what employees paid heavily for this error?

 

The Annual Investment Report for the year ended August 31, 2009 was presented. Changes regarding student activities travel has made parents very angry.   Also an addendum for line of credit; budget amendment; Gift to McHi Boys Basketball from booster club--$5,300 for electric roll out flag.

DECEMBER 14, 2009

 

We would like to thank the McAllen ISD Board of Education for the opportunity to have a clinic for all employees for a $5 copay. With people losing their jobs and the H1N1 flu concerns, the clinic has made a big difference in many ways. We are enclosing a packet of petitions signed by employees supporting the clinic.

 

We continue to remind the McAllen Board of Education that the Paper Work Reduction Act passed by the Texas Legislature was to reduce the type/amount of administrative duties expected by classroom teachers, not shift the paper work to the computer in an electronic version. 

 

The burden of paperwork required by classroom teachers needs to be reduced. The Board is required by law to reduce paperwork.

 

The passage of a law—the American Clean Energy and Security Act--will accelerate the use of clean energy, protect workers’ rights and reduce the prevalence of toxic chemicals. With the use of clean energy, school buildings can become part of a “smart grid” transmission system that harvest energy from individual buildings and returns it to the grid. 

 

In a recent special meeting of the McAllen ISD Board of Education the Level III Grievance Policy was discussed. We urge the Board to realize that you have had many Level III’s because rarely is a compromise accomplished at Level I or II. We have on many occasions tried to solve an employee’s problem. It would seem that administrators’ training in handling grievances is to never compromise. 

 

During the past 45 or more years, the professional employees in McAllen ISD have received a salary component sheet—stating the wages earned and other information regarding their salary sometime during the month of October. 

 

This year the professionals have not received their salary component sheet. This group of employees is more and more concerned with the treatment they are receiving from the Human Resources Department and ask us to convey their concern.

 

Lastly we have heard a ground swell of concern from employees regarding their employment. Parents have ask us whether certain McAllen ISD schools in the south of McAllen are going to be closed thus packing other elementaries to the maximum to save money.    If the district is going to close schools, there needs to be input from parents, children, and educational employees. 

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

Each school must have a placement-review committee (3 members with two teachers and [one alternate] chosen by the campus faculty to serve as members and one member chosen by the principal from the professional staff of the campus. With proper documentation a teacher can remove a student who repeatedly interferes with the teacher’s ability to communicate effectively with the students in the class or with the ability of the student’s classmates to learn. The committee can override a teacher’s refusal to accept the return to the regular classroom of a student the teacher has removed under the discretionary removal provision. To override the teacher’s decision, the committee must determine that such placement is the best or only placement available.

 

Lastly we ask that the McAllen ISD health care plan be reviewed in February, 2010 to be sure that the changes to the employee’s plan is working properly. We also ask the District Health Committee meet on an every other month basis. 

 

Thank you.