I am curious as to what many teachers are doing in regards to their health care. I have had MESSA Supercare for many years and now I am considering the switch to Mcare because of the ENORMOUS costs. It seems like teachers need to have more dialog on this. A response would be so appreciated. Thanks

I hope we can move this discussion board over to the new negotions and issues at hand. I beleive our members and leaders need to have a venue to have open discussions about our direction. I am excited about the opportunites that our zoomerangs can offer. Perhaps this is a place we can go to listen to other opinions that we may not have thought about from within our personal directions. This should be a place where we can ask the questions that have not been asked.

Hello, teachers!

I'm pleased to read that you've made progress in bargaining, but I'm disheartened NOT to read that AAEA is passively accepting the staff cuts. I think it's good that your team avoided layoffs, but now AAPS has shifted that threat onto other unions, and we're next in line to bargain. We're actually still in extended negs. over our raise for last year (they say 1%, we want 2%). I totally agree with C.C.'s previous comment:

"I wish to highlight the need for action by all of our members and not just the usual suspects! This needs to be ongoing action that is likely to bring about the changes we support and not a reaction to whatever upsets us at the moment. (Hey, at least earn your right to complain after you've worked your butt off and still not been able to get the changes desired!) We need to be unified, pro-active, political, and get our issues acted upon!"

We, the driver's are not in a very strong position vis-a-vis management. Most of my coworkers feel that your bargaining sets the standards for our ours. As it appears that you're taking concessions in wages, I'm worried about my future. So, I wanted "to highlight the need for action" by ALL OUR UNIONS.

Reading the A2News report, I was dismayed by the lack solidarity in Linda Carter's remarks. Having avoided layoffs for teachers, the union (AAEA) seems to be done fighting against staff cuts. But an injury to one is an injury to all; the slow erosioni of decent educational support jobs, leads to the collapse of direct educator jobs, and quality education in general.

I don't wish to sound accusatory at all. I simply mean to say that we all need each other, and at this critical moment (bargaining season) it's essential. They (AAPS) are using staff cuts as a threat to soften unions in bargaining. It seems to me that your dismal raises reflect the effectiveness of this fear tactic.

I was there, with some of my coworkers, last year when you picketted. I still support you, and I have the utmost respect for what you do (I taught for several years, myself). If your members decide that they want to keep bargaining and reject this TA, I'll be there to picket with you. I hope you'll come out and support us, too, if that's where we end up.

But, as C.C. said, we have to make this a political fight and attack the root causes: school funding at the federal and state levels.

Solidarity!

I applaud the hard and diligent work of our bargaining team. Despite the difficulty of these economic time, the team brought home a very good contract. Thank you for all of your efforts. I am deeply appreciative.

Hello again, teachers!

Allow me to correct my previous posting, which was made partly (and inadvertantly) in resonse to the discussion from last year. Your wage offer this year is not "dismal." It's bad, but not dismal, and possibly the best you'll get without a massive fightback campaign up to and including a strike, with solid support of other unions, students, etc. That doesn't look like it's anywhere on the agenda, so, "so be it."

The bargaining team says: "Our most significant intervention [in negotiations] facilitated the reduction of staff through attrition – no layoffs." But the News reports that the Board will seek the remaining reduction in force, about 40 positions, elsewhere. You avoided layoffs, and that's excellent. But there has not been a statement condemning layoffs in general. I'm hoping to see some expressions of solidarity from the MEA.

Layoffs are, I believe, unacceptable. Their funding dilemma is not our problem, *if it means lowering quality of education.* I feel that the unions (MEA, TEAMSTERS) need to be firm on this point. NO LAYOFFS, period. Not for teachers OR bus drivers, custodians, etc.

Thank you all.

I am deeply concerned about emails that suggest that we have to give up our February break in order to get out earlier in June. In the district where I live, the teachers added 15 minutes to their day and are getting out of school at the end of May. Their start date was the same as Ann Arbor's, they got a two week break in December, a week in February, and a week for spring break. It is time to stop pitting those "in favor" against those "not in favor" of the February break and start thinking outside the box. The district would love for our members to be divided on calendar issues--it's to their advantage. We can have it all, if we stop thinking like the district wants us to--"we can't change start up time because of our busing situation." In addition, don't you already think you are giving up vacation time when you have to come back four days early in August?? There is no reason why we can't add a few minutes at the beginning of our day to get out earlier in June. After all, we already have kids being dropped off by their parents at 8:30 or before. A colleague, and myself, submitted a calendar to the union starting the school year on September 5th and getting out on June 7th. I also wonder what happened to the results of the survey where everyone in my building expressed adding time to the beginning of the day to get out earlier in June??? I realize that people worked very hard to settle a tentative agreement and I am not under estimating the time commitment and hard work they put forth. Surely, we can come up with other options for a better calendar.

The calendar was not designed simply the way "the district" wanted it to be. Our bargaining team used the member surveys to determine what and how they should negotiate. Many different calendar configurations were considered, and finally one was agreed upon by the two teams.

I cannot speak for the team, just reflect on what I've heard from them at rep. council and el. caucus. P.C.'s questions below are valid, and are the kind of questions that should be brought to the microphone at the general membership meeting on Wednesday. At this informational meeting, our team can fully explain their rationale for the language and content of the current TA.

This is the first I have heard about the "added 15 minutes to their day and are getting out of school at the end of May" idea. I do not recall seeing this as an option on the AAEA survey. Do I understand correctly P.C., that this is something you proposed to the bargaining team PRIOR to the survey? Thanks .

I sent a proposal (calendar) to the bargaining team via my school rep. On one of the computer surveys there was a question in reference to minutes added to the day. Why the union was asking for feedback--- I'm not sure if it was to get out earlier in June or to prevent us from losing breaks ??
On May 16, 2006, at 9:14 AM, QT - Elena Flores wrote:

>
>
Paula Caruso
Wines Elementary School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
(734) 994-1973
< replied-to message removed by QT >

PC.,I do remember it now, I interpreted it as preventing us from losing breaks. I like your ideas for a different calender... but people (in general) are slow to change.

As a professional union, AAPS teachers need to take the lead from a lagging central administration and seemingly oblivious school board to provide for the needs of 21st Century Students via our methods of teaching and learning.

What skills do today’s students need for success in a changing world?

“Education needs to move away from passive acceptance of the status quo, and toward creative participation in society”
                       G. Miles Goforth
                       Senior, Pioneer High School
                       Accepted at Goddard College, VT
                       Member of the Teaching & Learning Group

The Harvard Change Leadership Group in the Harvard Graduate School of Education conducted a five-year study comparing our curricula with the skills identified by business leaders and university professors as necessary for 21st century success. The findings were cogent to today’s discussion.

THE GAP
Parents and teachers have a dramatically different perception of student readiness than do employers and professors (PAF 2003). 72.5% of parents and teachers think that students are prepared for work or college. Only 44% of employers and university professors agree.

SKILLS LACKING
There is general agreement between employers and college professors as to the skills lacking when student arrive on the job or at college (PAF 2002).
#1 writing
#2 work habits
#3 motivation
#4 basic math
#5 curiosity
#6 respect

Only 2 of the skills identified link to curriculum – writing and basic math. The other 4 have to do with emotional development and maturity – work habits, motivation, curiosity, and respect. It appears that HOW students learn is more relevant in the real world than WHAT they specifically learn. How do these 4 areas translate into teaching and learning strategies and outcomes?

Our students live in an ever-changing world, connected by technology, and interconnected global economic issues. The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL, 2003) defined the needed skills more specifically with their enGauge 21st Century Skills model. Embedded in the academic subject matter should be Digital Age Literacy Skills, Inventive Thinking, Effective Communication, and High Productivity.
  
(To see the enGauge 21st Century Skills... go to... http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/skills/skill21.htm)

Based on two years of study, the enGauge 21st Century Skills represent the fresh, serious, new perspective required in light of recent historical events, globalization, and the idiosyncrasies of the Digital Age. The following skill clusters, when considered within the context of rigorous academic standards, are intended to provide the public, business and industry, and educators with a common understanding of—and language for discussing—what is needed by students, citizens, and workers in the Digital Age.
Digital-Age Literacy
• Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies
• Visual and information literacies
• Multicultural literacy and global awareness
Inventive Thinking
• Adaptability and managing complexity
• Self-direction
• Curiosity, creativity, and risk taking
• Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning
Effective Communication
• Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
• Personal, social, and civic responsibility
• Interactive communication
High Productivity
• Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results
• Effective use of real-world tools
• Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products

Each skill cluster is further broken down into representative skill sets, which offer guidance on recognizing student performance in developing the enGauge 21st Century Skills.


As a community of educational professionals, we must seize the opportunity to align HOW we teach with the needs of the 21st Century Student.

These skills needed by 21st Century students should be the basis of an AAPS district-wide curriculum, and should be methodically inculcated through teaching and learning strategies. This means that the HOW of teaching in Ann Arbor should
• encompass “active learning,” and relevant assessments
• recognize and teach for diverse learning styles,
• acknowledge the exponential growth of information – so that memorizing facts becomes
        less important than learning how to find, evaluate, use, and apply knowledge,
• require cultural competency training for all teachers and insist that it be practiced with rigor
        in the classrooms PreK-12, and
• concede the changes in the requirements of citizenship and stress critical thinking, civic
        engagement, and civil discourse.

BOARD POLICY IMPLICATIONS: This implies that the School Board policy and financial focus needs to change.
• Focus funding on intensive professional development for Mastery Learning methods.
• "ABCI" grading system adopted (supports Mastery Learning teaching method)
• Align the budget to support student success as backed by data and 21st century needs.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
Research is very clear that schools with full time Media Specialists and technology support staff directly increase student achievement on standardized tests (Baughman, 2000; Baxter & Smalley, 2003; Burgin & Bracy, 2003; Graver, 1963; Lance, 1993; Lance, 1994; Lance, 1999; Lance, 2000; Lance, 2001; Lance 2002; Manzo, 2000; Rodney, 2002, Smith, 2001). "School libraries serve as learning laboratories...[that] support, extend, and individualize the school's curriculum." (Realities: Educational Reform in a Learning Society, 1984, p4).

To help students achieve in the 21st century AAPS should be INCREASING Media Center staff and services and INCREASING technology support staff and services, not decreasing them. Decreasing Instructional Media and Technology support is a clear statement by the Central Administration that it is OK to decrease student achievement, and that they wish to turn a blind eye to the 21st century needs of students and fall back on the 19th century model of schooling.

AAPS is behind the curve in educating our students for THEIR FUTURE and NOT OUR PAST. Now is the time to establish an exemplary Media and Technology program in AAPS – well staffed, well funded, and well organized. We recommend that:

• A full time Media Specialist, a full time clerk, and a technology assistant be placed in every elementary building. Media Specialists should NOT be used as “release time” for other teachers. They should be focused on teaching Information Literacy in a variety of formats and group sizes.

• Middle schools should have a full-time Media Specialist, a full time clerk, and two technology assistants. A Technology Specialist should support each building and its related elementary cluster.

• At the high school level, the comprehensive high schools should have 3 full-time media specialists, a full-time clerk, 3 technology assistants and a tech. specialist.

• The alternative high schools should each have a full time Media Specialist, a full-time clerk, and a full-time tech. assistant. A Tech. Specialist should support these 3 facilities.

• Building budgets for materials and online resources should be increased. District-wide coordination of Information Literacy curriculum, materials sharing, bookkeeping, and the promotion of Media/Technology teams in every building should be assigned to a knowledgeable Director of Media and Technology Programs.


We find it incredulous that our Central Administration would consider weakening Media and Technology support while espousing student achievement and demanding that we close the achievement gap. Anything less than the above recommendation is short-sighted and a disservice to our students and their future.

We, as a professional union cannot and must not accept this backward thinking leadership. We must organize ourselves to align our teaching and our support services to meet the needs of our students who face a very complex and demanding future.

Huron Media and Technology Staff &
Huron Technology Committee
17 May 2006

This is not good:

"We find it incredulous that..."
"The findings were cogent to today’s discussion."

I'm a preschool teacher in Ann Arbor and our school is looking for volunteers to help us out a few hours a day, everyday. This could be a great opportunity for a retired teacher to continue to share their skills with the community. Do you know how I can get in touch with anyone like this? Thanks.

If I retire in about 4 years, about how much would my severance pay be?

Hello Teachers!

My name is Gina Wiesner and I am a Mystery Shop Scheduler for Kern Scheduling Services. I recruit people to evaluate business and banks. The shoppers are paid a fee after submitting their findings.

I am currently desperately looking for a teacher that would be willing to open an account at your local credit union. The initial deposit for opening the account is $5. I need someone who would be willing to do so and also evaluate customer service. The shop would pay you $14 plus another $14 if you go back to the credit union and have an interaction with a teller. You would either have to make a deposit or withdrawal.

If you want to know the name of the credit union, please email me. Perhaps you have an account there and a family member might be willing to open an account there.

Please do not hesitate contacting me. My email is KSSGinaW@kernscheduling.com.

You can register for free at Kern Scheduling Services: www.sassieshop.com/2kern.

Next week I will have the ew order of shops. I have many bank shops in your area that do not require you to open an account.

Please email me with any questions.

Thanks!

Gina Wiesner
KSS International, Inc.