| May, 2009 Volume 17, Issue 9 McAllen AFT MAKING A DIFFERENCE 1500 Dove Avenue, McAllen, TX, 78504, 682-1143 EYES ON THE BOARD WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MONEY? |
May 18, 2009
During the McAllen ISD Board meeting, the Board approved a resolution authorizing Sales of Surplus Real Properties. The properties for sale are as follows: 6th elementary west side of Jackson Road south of Nolana; Nikki Rowe High southwest corner of Ware and Vine; Fossum Middle School west terminus of Yellowhammer; Sanchez Elementary south side of Incarnate Word west of 29th Street; Thigpen Elementary west side of 23rd.
It seems as if the district does not have the money to complete the payment of the new activity buildings at each high school campus—thus the need to sell property.
The McAllen ISD fund balance has varied from a high of $30 million (?) to a low of $18 million—minimum allowed is $14 million.
In Open Forum different individuals got up and spoke in favor of rehiring the five (5) Mast counselors that have been terminated effective June 11.
The board approved the purchase through the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) for computers, software, and installation for McAllen High School, Memorial High School, and Rowe High School. The total for this purchase is approximately $75,000.
Three (3) McAllen schools have been named the recipients for the Laura Bush Library grant. Fossum Middle School, Morris Middle School, and Jackson Elementary will each receive $6,000 for their library book collection. This is the eighth win for McAllen schools in regard to the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.
May 13, 2009 Special
On May 13, the new board members Dr. Caporusso, Javier Farias, and Sam Saldivar were sworn in and seated.
Richard Moore was elected the new President of the Board, Danny Vela is the VP, Myrna Garcia is Secretary, Mark Kent is Asst. Secretary, and Javier Farias is Parliamentarian.
The consent agenda items were approved—minutes of previous board meetings, renewal of bid for district annual financial audit, camera supplies and equipment for police department, AV equipment, hardware and software upgrade and management, and approval of superintendent’s travel.
We want to thank James Torline for running for the McAllen ISD Board of Education. He put his all into the election. Thanks to all of the McAllen AFT members who passed out flyers, called other members to vote, and prepared call lists for our robo phone system. We made 8,000 calls using our robo phone system, and sent out 50,000 special mailings to parents with young children.
MISD BOARD
ATTENDANCE
REGULAR BRD. MTGS.
Caporusso 100%
Farias 0%
Garcia 100%
Kent 100%
Moore 100%
Saldivar 100%
Vela 100%
PAY RAISE MINIMUM OF $800 – HOPEFULLY MORE!
PAY RAISE WINS 19 to 12
Sen. John Whitmire of Houston Tuesday night amended the major school-finance bill of the session to make sure that every teacher and full-time counselor, school nurse, and librarian in our public schools would receive a state-guaranteed pay raise. Sen. Whitmire successfully challenged a Senate committee substitute for HB 3646 that would have eliminated a guaranteed pay raise for each teacher already approved by the House. Whitmire was opposed by Sen. Florence Shapiro, Republican from Plano, who said she was against any across-the-board pay raise as a matter of policy.
With the passage of the Whitmire amendment, both the House and Senate now have voted to guarantee a pay raise of at least $800 a year (more in school districts that receive more new state aid because of their low local property wealth).
House and Senate versions of HB 3646 still have to be harmonized in a conference committee, but after Tuesday night's vote the teacher pay raise is one thing they have in common.
MCALLEN AFT
PRESENTATION TO THE
MCALLEN ISD BOARD OF EDUCATION
May 18, 2009
Good evening Mr. Ponce and new McAllen ISD Board members. My name is Ruth Skow, and I represent the McAllen AFT. We represent employees from the teacher to the bus driver.
As you move through the budget process, we are asking that you consider the following pay raise for teachers, counselors, librarians, and nurses by adding $200 for each to the proposed $1,000 state wide pay raise that teachers, counselors, librarians, and nurses are going to get—thus a $1,200 pay raise. In addition, we are asking for a $.25 an hour raise for all other employees.
There is money to provide raises for teachers and all other employees. In recent McAllen ISD Board meetings figures of $18 million to $30 million in fund balance have been presented as accurate. As taxpayers, the members of the McAllen AFT want to know what are the accurate figures and urge you to accurately present an audit to the citizens of McAllen.
We understand that all three (3) high schools are not going to make AYP. We know that teaching an additional class--the sixth (6th) class--has had a backbreaking effect on teachers and students. Administration needs to review curriculum, the 6th class and the need to keep the principal on the campus focused on business and not at meetings that could be handled by email. We also ask the new superintendent to remind principals of the Safe Schools Act Rules—the rules are not being followed on campuses.
Lastly, I would like to ask Mr. Ponce to think long and hard about having more than 25 students in individual fifth grade classes. With the downsizing of the teaching staff, it is obvious that there will be too many fifth graders.
Thank you.
