President Updates
August 15, 2023
Dear Members,
Whether you are new to the Anchorage School District or returning for another year, welcome to the 23.24 school year!
Several AEA members spent last Monday greeting over 200 new educators to ASD at the New Educator Academy. If you have not heard, the New Educator Academy is a new program designed as a week-long intensive training on ASD practices, technology, curriculum, contract information, and more.
The 23.24 school year will be full of successes and challenges. To support students and families, AEA and ASD have been working together on several initiatives, including K3 CKLA curriculum implementation, PLCs, hiring of staff and fill positions to help ease hardships, instructional planning time loss for coverage of classes, and more.
AEA must continue to have a fervent voice and maintain a strong working relationship with ASD as we work on several large initiatives over the next several years. Our solidarity is the foundation for that voice, with many AEA educators participating in planning and implementation committees.
TOPICS
STAFF REFERRAL BONUS
MAY 2023 SURVEY DATA
K3 CKLA TRAINING
NEW EDUCATOR ACADEMY ADDENDA
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLCS)
BARGAINING TEAM UPDATE
ACTIVITY PASSES: 23.24 490A LOA
REMINDERS: Staffing, Coverage, Schedules, Leave Requests, Salary and Addenda
NEST EVENT: Trails and Ales
MEMBER BENEFITS & LOAN FORGIVENESS
STAFF REFERRAL BONUS
Regular ASD employees can receive a bonus when referring an applicant hired as a bus driver or bus attendant; a special education paraprofessional educator; or a Student Nutrition manager, assistant manager, lead, or assistant. For each new employee hired into a regular position, the referring employee will receive a $500 bonus payment if the new employee completes their probationary period. If the new employee remains employed through the end of the school year, the referring employee will receive an additional $500 payment. The applicant must list the referring employee's name on their application to receive the referral bonus.
MAY 2023 SURVEY DATA
The AEA Bargaining Team collected your feedback on various items in the last two weeks of May. There were some surprising trends. The survey results can be found HERE. The data is available and has also been broken into your perspective assignments. Check out how you and your colleagues felt about various topics last spring.
K3 CKLA TRAINING
I visited as many training sites as possible Thursday morning to see and hear what you all were experiencing. Several teachers shared some positive remarks. I look forward to hearing from additional educators about what they like so far and any concerns that need to be addressed. I confirmed with Teaching and Learning that subs will have access to the CKLA online materials and that teachers will receive access through the Clever application as soon as possible.
Those who participated in the K3 CKLA Training on August 10 and 11 will receive per diem for their time. ASD intends for these two additional days of pay to be paid in your September paycheck. The Teaching and Learning Department will process the addenda between now and August 30, not your school. Keep an eye out for an email letting you know the addenda is now in your addenda portal to accept.
NEW EDUCATOR ACADEMY ADDENDA
The New Educator Academy seemed to be a huge success with lots of positive energy and many smiles. I hope it was both inciteful and informative for new ASD educators. Don't hesitate to contact Val, Courtney, or me with any follow-up questions regarding the Association. Remember, do not hesitate to work with your school's AEA Building Rep or Building Induction Liaison.
New to ASD educators who participated in the New Educator Academy will be paid $210 per day of attendance. The Teaching and Learning Department will process the addenda between now and August 30, not your school. Keep an eye out for an email letting you know the addenda is now in your addenda portal to accept. Your addenda portal is located in District Connection:home.asdk12.org.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLCS)
AEA believes PLCs should follow a collaborative decision-making model. Collaborative decision-making within PLCs is based on the principles of shared leadership, collective responsibility, and the belief that the collective knowledge and experience of the group are more powerful than any individual. Collaborative decision-making within PLCs is a powerful way to build a culture of shared responsibility and collective inquiry, ultimately leading to improved teaching and learning outcomes for our students.
PLC for all divisions will begin Monday, August 21st. There are mixed feelings from members, as evidenced by the survey data from May. Secondary PLCs should continue similarly to those done in prior years with some minor tweaks. Elementary PLCs will begin as a "how will this new PD opportunity work" concept for the first few months of school.
BARGAINING TEAM UPDATE
Your Bargaining Team spent a few days in spring preparing to hit the ground running this fall. Our first meeting has been scheduled for August 30, 2023. More information will be shared shortly after.
Your Bargaining Team wants to remind everyone to participate in Purple Thursdays and Red for Ed Wednesdays. Last year this card was shared with all Building Reps. Continue to show your solidarity for a competitive contract!
ACTIVITY PASSES: 23.24 490A LOA (Attached)
Staff ID badges will replace AEA Activity Passes for the 23.24 school year. This is the same practice as last year. The intent is not to change access to all school activities, just those that the AEA Activity Passes have historically provided.
For example, school fundraisers and theatre presentations may still require nominal fees due to royalty costs, etc. Please work with the theatre coordinators and directors when requesting access, as cost variables keep those programs operating for the benefit of our students.
REMINDERS: Staffing, Coverage, Schedules, Leave Requests, Salary and Addenda
Staffing: Staffing is still a concern and as of Saturday, there were still 124 openings: 3 counselors, three nurses, 25 elementary teachers, 56 sped teachers, and more. Check out openings HERE. Moreover, there are 173 classroom support (TA) openings.
Coverage: Although the sub list is growing, we can expect classroom coverage to be an issue for schools and classes still. Review "Know Your Contract" article 470 (Form included.) Coverage should be shared expectations. Coverage responsibilities should not fall on just a few educators. Remember to submit your forms.
Coverage pay during your instructional planning time follows these general principles:
1) If you are covering another class or your class and still have additional duties to complete, you should be compensated.
2) If you are reassigned to cover another class and you have no additional duties, you will not receive compensation.
Moreover, if you miss your 30-minute duty-free lunch due to a request from your principal, you are entitled to compensation at your per diem rate. Get the request from your principal in writing so there are no misunderstandings about proper compensation. Do not provide coverage during your duty-free lunch without principal approval.
Schedules: Although schedules are the principal's responsibility, educators are encouraged to provide input. Talk with colleagues and staff and share your ideas and potential concerns. If you need assistance, please notify AEA.
Leave Requests
Leave Requests: When a member takes sick leave or personal leave, and a sub has not been secured, colleagues will be required to cover classes and supervise students. That is the current situation with staffing and sub shortages. I would cover for you as you would cover for me, and as always, there are things we can do to support one another and our students and families when leave is taken.
REMEMBER: The educator is responsible for submitting a sub-request... the sooner, the better. It is NOT the responsibility of the educator to fill that request. Filling subs is the responsibility of ASD.
AEA wants to clarify that your principal may not deny your sick leave or personal leave requests because a sub has not been filled. AEA members should contact their Rights Representative Courtney, Val, or Corey if assistance is needed.
Salary and Addenda: Please take a moment and double-check your Salary Placement Statement located in District Connection, home.asdk12.org. Double-check that you are in the correct step and lane, and have your Masters / Doctorate supplement added correctly.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact your Talent Management Team. If you need support, please get in touch with Courtney, Val, or myself.
Also, many educators have the opportunity to earn addenda. Just like your Salary Statement Placement is your contract for your teaching assignment, addenda positions represent additional contracts outlining the job/task and the amount of pay. Please sign your addenda contracts before the activity or task begins so there is no misunderstanding and confusion on the job and how much you will be paid. The first paragraph in Article 150 states: “Contract addenda will be signed prior to the beginning of the activity, except by mutual agreement. In no case shall more than thirty days pass from the onset of activity before the acceptance of the addendum and completion of the necessary addenda form.”
NEST EVENT: Trails and Ales
The AEA New Educator Support Team (NEST) is hosting a Trails and Ales event Saturday, August 26, @ 3:00p. NEST events are organized for AEA members who are in their first five (5) years of the education profession and are new to ASD. (Attached)
Join, share an experience, and make some friends. RSVP HERE.
MEMBER BENEFITS
As a member, take advantage of all your NEA member benefits @ https://www.neamb.com. Use the link and explore ways to save on: purchases, travel, insurance, and more. I never want to pay retail, and neither should you!
Did you know…. AT&T Wireless offers NEA Members a 15% discount on most mobile phone plans and a 20% discount on select wireless accessories. Check out any potential savings if you are not enrolled. https://www.neamb.com/products/atandt.
LOAN FORGIVENESS
NEA Benefits has information available to members on loan forgiveness programs and who may qualify. Check out all the resources online: https://www.neamb.com/products/nea-student-debt-navigator
We have a lot to accomplish, and ASD will have many asks. Remember to prioritize tasks and pace yourself. Your commitment will shine through in every action you take. From the effort you put into delivering lessons to the genuine care you extend to ensure each student feels supported and valued, your impact reaches far beyond textbooks, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those you teach. I appreciate your commitment to your students and families.
In Solidarity,
