June, 2009
Volume 17, Issue 10
McAllen AFT MAKING A DIFFERENCE
1500 Dove Avenue, McAllen, TX, 78504, 682-1143
EYES ON THE BOARD
GET READY TO WEAR A GPS ON YOUR ANKLE!
On June 18, 2009, the McAllen ISD Board of Education heard Chris Mills’ (Teacher in Deaf Education) Level III grievance. The Board voted to allow administration to track the whereabouts of teachers using a GPS device.
With a 4-0 vote (Garcia, Moore, Saldivar, Vela voting for and those absent were Caporusso, Farias, and Kent) the deed was done.
Our deep concern is that the first group of teachers to wear the ankle bracelet GPS’ will be special education.
The director of special education has already stated that she would love to have special education educators wear the GPS device. We hope you won’t forget that Special Education expenses were $860,000 over budget this school year. How much of this expense is coming out of your taxpayer pocket?
Each teacher should be deeply concerned about the liability of wearing a GPS and the unneeded cost. The issue really is trust. Does administration not trust you to do your job?
Since this is a precedent setting decision are teachers going to have to wear GPS’ all over Texas? The school district is big brother now.
June 22, 2009 Reg. Mtg.
The self funded health insurance plan funding for 2009-2010 was pulled from the agenda. The pulling of this item is a concern—rates going up?
The District Insurance Committee, of which we are members, never met this school year. We ask a number of times when the next meeting was, but nothing happened.
Deaf Education was approved to service students at IDEA Public Schools and IRRA Charter Schools.
The Strategist Mathematics 6-12 Job Description was approved (a new position). Then the Mathematics Instructional Coaches Pilot Program Contract and Agreement with Region One ESC was approved. It seems that 28 teachers will participate in the program for middle and high school. The focus is algebra and geometry for TAKS.
Equipment for the new central kitchen equipment through the BuyBoard was approved for $611,000.
The purchase of desktop computers from Dell ($110,748) and from Apple ($102,835) was approved for 8th grade Technology Applications courses. Weight room equipment for the three (3) new activity buildings at each high school was approved.
A district-wide general assembly for back to school will be Tuesday, August 18, 2009. The first day of school will be August 24, 2009.
June 8, 2009 Regular Brd. Mtg.
The MISD Board paid many bills. It seems as if the new central kitchen ran way over budget. Instead of $10 million left in the 2005 bond fund there is now $500,000.
The Board approved a $7.5 million line of credit in case August’s TEA reimbursement does not arrive on time for payroll purposes.
Mobile computer labs (for all 7 middle schools) were approved for Special Education through the Stimulus Grant Funds.
The Board gave direction to the staff to negotiate energy rates for as short a time as 12 months up to 29 months. The rate now is .084—hoped for rate .064. Sometimes the staff has only three (3) hours to negotiate the best rate.
The Board approved an Advanced Mathematical Decision Making Pilot through the UT Dana Center.
June 5, 2009 Special Brd. Mtg.
Last Friday, June 5, 2009, the MISD Board met to discuss the 2008-2009 District Budget. After several hours, the bottom line was that McAllen ISD is $6.7 million in the red. It seems as if the MISD has built the Activity Buildings at each high school campus without having the money ($4.1 million) to build them. Thus, the district must sell five (5) pieces of property to pay for the activity buildings. It was mentioned that there are some interested parties wishing to buy the properties. We hope that this is not a sacrifice sale, and money is lost because of bad decisions. After doing an open records request, the handouts for the June 5th meeting showed what we had known for some time. The short fall came about because of drop in interest income, transportation budget being approximately $1.8 million in the red, figuring ADA (average daily attendance) incorrectly, and special education over budget by $860,000.
In an additional discussion during the June 5th meeting the board members talked about not honoring the raise for teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, and speech pathologists and only giving a $400 raise this year and another $400 next year. You will see below in the open forum presentation I gave that that is not acceptable.
When you see your school board members, you need to tell them you need your $1,200 raise.
PRESENTATION TO
MCALLEN ISD BOARD
JUNE 8, 2009
Good evening. My name is Ruth Skow, and I a m representing the members of the McAllen AFT from the bus driver to the teacher. As you prepare the 2009-2010 budget, we ask that you follow the Texas Legislature’s House Public School Finance Bill pay raise of at least an $800 raise or on average $1,000.
I previously suggested adding $200 or making the raise for teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, and speech pathologists at $1,200. As a person who was a high school and college teacher in business, I am familiar with accounting procedures. You have the money to treat your professionals correctly. Please don’t play games with an intelligent staff.
We want to bring to your attention that employees wish to continue having access to the PCI clinic for a $5 copay. The clinic has made all the difference in the health of McAllen ISD employees. We have included petitions signed by employees requesting the clinic.
As high school principals plan schedules for next year, we again bring to the attention of the superintendent and his staff and the McAllen ISD Board of Education that a schedule of six (6) classes has lessen the quality of instruction. Teacher loads of 160 students--for example--in English--means that quality writing is not happening. If you say that you’re an A+ district, do the right thing.
Morale among the teaching staff is low because of the test, the test, nothing but the test. We suggest to the superintendent a strong training program for your principals. We are saying publicly that some need anger management training. Your top leadership needs the same training. It is easy to say to a principal “get rid of the teacher” to solve the problem of a teacher saying I don’t understand what you want. Today teachers come from alternative education programs and don’t always have all the training they need to survive.
Lastly, I would like to remind the board that the McAllen High School physical plant needs attention. You continue to neglect your Flag Ship High School—an auditorium that is an embarrassment, general repairs that are being ignored, and much, much more. Each high school physical plant should be treated equally, and that is not happening.
Thank you.