Volume 17, Issue 2
October, 2008
MCALLEN AFT NEWS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
USE THE CLINIC OR LOSE IT!
We visited the PCI clinic for McAllen ISD employees at 500 S. Bicentennial Blvd. and Erie on Tuesday, October 7, 2008. There is plenty of parking on the south side of the building. The waiting room was neat and clean—bring something to read or do as you wait. The time of 8:30 a.m.– 10 a.m. Monday-Friday is blocked off for McAllen ISD employees. The morning wait time is approximately 30 minutes. A doctor also sees family members on the health plan.
It is best to call for an appointment later in the day. The telephone number is 971-0077. You can also sign up on the web at www.RGVPCI.com. Copay is $5.
We visited the imaging area, and the equipment is up-to-date.
Family practice doctors are Darryl L. Stinson, M.D. (14 years experience) and Audrey Jones (20 years experience). More doctors of various specializations will be added as needed.
You can, of course, use your regular doctor—but no $5 copay.
The clinic is an option in tough economic times.
Oh yes—there is no health insurance increase for all employees!
VOTING JUST AROUND THE CORNER
The McAllen AFT Committee for Political Education (PAC) has met and endorsed Veronica Gonzales for District 41 Representative to the Texas Legislature. We presented a check for $500 to help in Veronica’s reelection bid on November 4. Veronica has been focused on public school issues. We reminded Veronica that educational employees need a state wide raise. In addition, we ask her to VOTE NO regarding Governor Perry’s trying to steal the $1 billion in our TRS retirement fund for roads, bridges, prisons.
MCALLEN AFT BENEFITS
McAllen AFT members have until October 14th to file paper work for the Hurricane Dolly Relief Fund (started after New Orleans was devasted after Katrina). You will need pictures and insurance estimates.
Ruth Skow has to sign your application, and then Armando Gonzalez will complete your paperwork. Mortgage assistant is a telephone number—see www.aft.org. A local attorney will give you 30 free minutes if you have an urgent need. Call Ruth.
INNOVATION FUND
The AFT Innovation Fund is a groundbreaking plan to seek and share successful local educator- and union-led reform efforts in public schools across the United States.
This initiative is based on the AFT’s extensive experience with successful reform ideas developed and nurtured in classrooms—by the educators who work with students every day. Simply put, the AFT is leveraging “top-down” support for “bottom-up” reforms by harnessing the strengths, experience and know-how of our teachers and the unions that support them.
Why Now?
AFT members clearly understand, better than most, that America’s ability to continue as a world leader hinges on our country’s willingness to provide a world-class public education to every child. Nationwide, successful efforts have shown that when teachers unions are engaged as partners in reform, there is greater ability to take risks, scale projects, and generate and sustain real results that help children.
Our members across the country are weary of years of “market-based” education reforms—more noteworthy for their negative tenor than for real student achievement. As educators, we will not sit back and watch these misguided education “reforms” continue without seizing responsibility for improving and strengthening our schools.
The Fund will support local and state efforts that improve public education in three major areas.
First, funded programs will build the capacity of educators to provide consistently high-quality instruction, which members know is the single most important in-school factor in determining student achievement. These programs will add to teachers’ skills and knowledge, increase their access to new ideas, and provide the physical and mental environment that supports teaching and learning.
Second, the Fund recognizes closing the achievement gap depends on more than just effective teaching. Funded projects will address how out-of-school factors directly affect student achievement by supporting such efforts as community schools and after-school, summer and early childhood programs.
Last, the Fund will support collaborative relationships among educators, their unions, management, parents and communities to create agreements that allow for establishing and implementing policies that address the first two areas.
When Will the Innovation Fund Be Launched?
After a four- to six-month planning period to develop a sustainable and accountable program, the Innovation Fund will support its first set of projects. Early-impact projects will be operating in schools by September 2009, although the primary group of first-wave projects will benefit schools starting in the 2010-11 school year.
How Can Locals or My State Federation Apply?
Applications should be available on the AFT Innovation Fund’s Web site sometime in early 2009. Please check www.aft.org for more details and the latest news about this rapidly evolving and exciting AFT effort.
How Will the Innovation Fund Work?
The Innovation Fund will make serious and ongoing financial and organizational resources available to your local or state federation. Projects will be funded based on criteria derived from union expertise, from the lessons of the best research, and from the judgment of a tough-minded set of independent expert advisors.
Grants awarded to projects will vary in amount, depending on the size, scope and strategic importance of the project. Grantees will get resources and expert support to plan and launch successful new projects, as well as to monitor their progress. The Fund will coordinate tech assistance by engaging the help of world-class educators.