April 2010 Archives
CEA Membership voting to accept/deny the furlough days will be open until May 3, 2010, 4:00pm. No late votes will be accepted.
Survey link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CUSDFurlough
You will need your CTA Membership Number, found on your CTA card to vote. Contact Pat or Janice at the CEA office at 408-257-2122 if you don't know your membership number. Please remember, each CEA member gets ONE (1) vote. If you vote more than once, neither vote will count.
Some information for you to be able to make an informed decision:
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-$0.40M (Restore 5 Middle School Counselors)
-$0.40M (Restore Library Media Hours @ All Sites; 2 hours @ 20 Elementary sites & 5 hours @ 5 Middle School sites)
-$0.70M (Restore Custodial Cuts; * 2 retiring positions remain vacant; * Plus $150K of SFSF from 2011-2012)
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= $2.50M Net Restoration
* Plus addition of $30K in savings to restore 3 additional hours of TRC staffing
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10-Month Employees Furlough Days:
June 8, 9, 10 (3 days)
Exceptions:
- ELD Learner Tester / Support Providers' five days of furlough shall be: November 22, 23, and the last three days of their work year (May 26, 27, and 31, 2011. Note: May 30 is a paid holiday.)
If you wish to vote by paper (or know somebody who does), you must stop by the CEA office by Monday, May 3, 2010, by 4:00pm, with photo ID to complete a paper ballot.
Survey results will be emailed to CEA Site Representative Assembly members after votes have been tallied by all associations.
If you have any questions or comments, contact CEA Communications Director, Kathy Young, at commdirector@ceaweb.org. If you need your CEA Membership number, contact the secretaries in the CEA Office at (408) 257-2122.
Again, the survey link is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CUSDFurlough
One Day, One Community, One Goal: Support Our Children, Protect Our Schools!
Their Future Is Now! invites you to Community Day Tuesday, May 4, 2010 All Day
Dine • Shop • Play
Dine, shop and play at participating local businesses throughout the day!
A portion of net sales will be donated to benefit OUR 18,000 children.
Visit www.savecupertinoschools.org/CommunityDay for an updated list of Community Day Partners, plus a handy map.
Stop in multiple businesses throughout the day:
• Head out to lunch with co-workers • Shop for Mother's Day and
Teacher Appreciation Day • Join a fun play date with classmates! • Enjoy a family meal at a favorite restaurant, or a place you've been meaning to try • Remember dessert too!
Use this Community Day Golden Ticket all day at participating businesses. Our families dine, shop and play anyways. Do it on this day and help our schools! Imagine the impact of our collective power when we stand together, united behind education.
Their Future Is Now! is a partnership between the community, the Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation, and the Cupertino Union School District to raise $3 million in donated funds to keep our schools academically strong and nationally competitive. The District serves 18,000 K-8 students in 6 South Bay cities, including Cupertino, Los Altos, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale and West San Jose. Photography donated by Lilia Schwartz, www.babymoonphotography.com
Community Day Golden Ticket
DINESHOPPLAY ALL DAY Visit www.savecupertinoschools.org/CommunityDay for an updated list
of Community Day Partners, addresses, plus a handy map!
Amici's Pizzeria - De Anza Applebee's - 555 Saratoga Ave Aqui's Cal-Mex - De Anza Armadillo Willy's - De Anza Baja Fresh - Stevens Creek BJ's Restaurant - De Anza Bonjour Crepe - Stevens Creek Chevy's - Mountain View Chili's - Stevens Creek
Chili's - Santana Row Cupertino Bakery - De Anza Daphne's Greek Café - Sunnyvale Dynasty Chinese Seafood - Vallco Elephant Bar - Stevens Creek Florentine Restaurant - De Anza Fresh Choice - Vallco Ginger Café - Sunnyvale Harumi Sushi - Stevens Creek Holder's Country Inn - De Anza iRestaurant - Stevens Creek JT McHart's Pizza - Stevens Creek Marie Callender's - Stevens Creek Moshi Moshi - Cupertino Village Mountain Mike's Pizza - Saratoga Panda Express - Various Pasta Pomodoro - Various Pizza My Heart - Stevens Creek Pizza Party - Santa Clara Sushi Hana Express - Stevens Creek Sweet Tomatoes - Sunnyvale Szechuan Garden Express - Sunnyvale Tatami Sushi & Seafood - Vallco TGI Friday's - Vallco Thai Delight - Homestead The Red Crane - Bollinger Willow Street Pizza - Westgate WingStop - Stevens Creek
Broadway San Jose (season tickets) Color Me Mine - Prospect Rd Golfland - Sunnyvale Strike - V allco
The Jungle - El Paseo de Saratoga
Retail:
Barnes and Noble - all, plus online (Code required: 10205417)
BranchJewelry.com Footwear - Stevens Creek Give2MySchool.com Jewels in Style - Sunnyvale JHarrisonPhoto.com Learning Express Toys - El Paseo de Sar. Memories Live On - De Anza Momo's House - Cupertino Village Vardy's Jewelers - De Anza Yamagami's Nursery - De Anza
Grocery:
New India Bazaar - Sunnyvale Oakmont Grocery - Homestead Pasha's Market - Stevens Creek Spice Valley - Saratoga Ave
Services:
Kayla's Nail Care - Homestead Great Clips - Homestead Image USA Beauty - Sunnyvale Schroeder's Haircuts - Prospect
Baskin Robbins - De Anza Carvel Ice Cream - Los Altos Fantasia Coffee & Tea - Cupertino Village 10%
Jamba Juice - Stevens Creek Red Mango - De Anza, Town Centre 15% Tartina Frozen Yogurt - Stevens Creek 10% Tuttimelon Frozen Yogurt - Valley Fair 15% Yogurtland - Stevens Creek 20%
10% GT
If no notation is shown, business will donate % of ALL SALES throughout the day, otherwise:
D - Excludes delivery F - Food sales only M - Mention TFIN GT- Golden Ticket required C - No coupons or discounts E - Excludes loose diamonds
R - Restaurant flyer required. Print from URL above * - Offer extends for more than 5/4. See URL for details A - 5pm to 8pm only B - 2pm to close only P - On admission price of $3.95/child
Their Future Is Now!
Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation Tax ID 77-0073617 www.CEEFcares.org Printed material provided by SILVAR
Cupertino Parents Raise $1 Million To Save Teacher Jobs
Posted: 9:03 pm PDT April 21, 2010
MEDIA ADVISORY
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MEDIA ADVISORY
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Cupertino Education
Association/CTA
April 20, 2010
20045 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 1B
Cupertino, CA
95014
(408) 257-2122
www.ceaweb.org
Contacts by cell: Cupertino Education
Association President Dave Villafana at 650-823-9563; parent leader Hoi Yung
Poon, 415-235-5249; Mike Myslinski at CTA, 408-921-5769.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Cupertino Parents Raise $1
Million of $3 Million Goal
To Save Jobs Of 107 Teachers - News Conference Wednesday With
Grateful Educators
CUPERTINO - In
a news conference Wednesday, grateful Cupertino Union School District teachers
will join leaders of a devoted grassroots parent movement that has raised $1
million of its $3 million goal to save teaching jobs of 107 classroom educators
who received preliminary pink slips this spring.
"While funding public
schools is the responsibility of the state, Cupertino educators are
extraordinarily grateful to be in a community with such devoted parents who
understand the importance of teachers in providing a quality education for all
students here," said teacher Dave Villafana, president of the Cupertino
Education Association. "The passion that parents are showing in trying to save
so many teaching jobs is an inspiration for the entire town."
Across the state, public
schools are reeling from $17 billion in education cuts over the past two years
and some communities are pitching in to save jobs or programs. Facing a budget
deficit of $7.3 million in the next school year starting July 1, Cupertino
Union issued 107 classroom teacher pink slips March 15 and must make final
layoff decisions by May 15, the legal deadline. The high-achieving K-8 district
- which ranks ninth-highest in test scores out of the state's 1,000 school
districts - also eliminated smaller class sizes at the K-3 level, slashed
school librarian hours and intends to layoff support staff as well.
The parents' fundraising
website is www.SaveCupertinoSchools.org. The 18,000-student district serves
families in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga.
· WHAT:
Cupertino
Union School District parents raise $1 million of their $3 million goal and
will hold news conference with grateful teachers about what's next.
· WHEN:
12:30
p.m. Wednesday, April 21.
· WHERE:
In the performing arts
center of Christa McAuliffe Elementary, 12211 Titus Ave., Saratoga, 95070.
###
The
Cupertino Education Association is affiliated with the 325,000-member
California Teachers Association and the 3.2 million-member National Education
Association.
NEA is asking our assistance this week in order to get the jobs bill through the Senate. This is very easy and only takes a couple of minutes...
please take some time to do this to help educators throughout California and the country!
http://www.capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=14474636&type=CO
District Rules: Don't ask teachers to talk about the campaign in class, or distribute materials in class or directly to students/parents through district lists.
1. Weekly Cupertino Library outreach: below is the library teacher sign-up
www.mysignup.com/tfin-parent-library
2. April 17 10am to 2pm: Earth Day outreach
www.mysignup.com/tfin-earth-day
3. April 24 and 25: Cherry Blossom Festival Outreach
www.mysignup.com/tfin-cherry-blossom
Linda: Only parents can distribute flyers after class directly to students or their parents at school. They flyers should be printed not using school district resources or equipment. You could give room parent or TFIN parent rep. or volunteer parent the flyer and ask them to distribute.
Linda: District does not have policy on this yet however we can ask.
Jerry Brown School Funding Will make funding of public schools and colleges a top priority. Supports Prop. 98, the state's minimum school funding law, as a floor and not a ceiling. Believes education reform must be done with collaboration among educators, administrators and parents deciding how best to meet the needs for students in each neighborhood school. Believes it is fundamental that teachers be given authority to teach. Opposes using punitive and wholesale takeover of troubled schools. Supports using proven, meaningful reforms to help struggling schools, not simplistic formulas such as in No Child Left Behind. Opposes converting CalSTRS and CalPERS retirement systems from secure, defined benefit plans to risky 401(k) contribution plans. Employee Rights As governor, signed the first collective bargaining bill in California's history, allowing teachers to be full partners in educating children and in the governing process. Believes teachers' pay and working conditions are a matter of collective bargaining. Opposes "paycheck deception" initiative Meg Whitman (Declined formal Interview) Wants to immediately cut $15 billion from the state budget, which means taking another $7 billion from our schools and colleges. Believes California has a spending problem and has enough resources. Supports merit pay for teachers using standardized test scores. Wants to grade all public schools A to F based on standardized test scores. Rather than helping to improve neighborhood public schools, supports mandatory conversion of all struggling schools to charter schools. Wants to remove the state's cap on charter schools. Supports a two-tier retirement system, converting the secure, defined benefit pension plans to 401(k)s for all new public employees. Supports increasing minimum retirement age from 55 to 65 for most public employees. Supports "paycheck deception" proposals that would silence the voices of workers and limit union participation in the political process. Supports reducing public employee workforce by 40,000.
As more school agencies are dealing with furlough days at the collective bargaining table and in their instructional programs, we continue to receive many questions about how to implement furlough days and what impact they may have on work calendars and retirement benefits.
In order for furlough days to have the least detrimental impact on employees' retirement benefits, the following must occur:
- Furlough days must be applicable to the entire class of employees
- The reduction in work days must be reflected in the work calendar and the total number of days worked per year for each class of employees
- The salary reduction impact of furlough days must be reflected by revising the salary schedule downward for each class of employees
STRS Employees
For State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) employees, it is critical to revise the salary schedule downward to reflect the new, lower "compensation earnable." If it is not adjusted downward, then the furlough days must be reported as nonpaid days and can have the effect of reducing the service credit earned below 1.0 for the year.
Here is a sample calculation for reflecting furlough days in the salary:
Salary before furlough days: $50,000 per year
Number of work days before furlough days: 183 per year
Number of furlough days starting in 2009-10: 5 per year
Calculation: 5 days divided by 183 days = 2.7322%
2.7322% times $50,000 = $1,366
$50,000 minus $1,366 = new salary of $48,634
Or: $50,000 divided by 183 days = $273.224 per day
183 days minus 5 days = 178 work days per year
$273.224 times 178 days = new salary of $48,634
The employer will have to do a negative retroactive pay adjustment for STRS if the number of work days is reduced midyear.
In order to preserve a full year's service credit for full-time STRS employees, the furlough days cannot cause the reduction in work time to fall below the following (per Education Code Section 22138.5):
- 1,050 hours per year for teachers in adult education programs
- 190 days or 1,520 hours per year for principals and program managers, including advisers, coordinators, consultants, and developers or planners of curricula, instructional materials, or programs, and for administrators (except for administrators at a county office of education at 215 days or 1,720 hours per year, including school and legal holidays per local board policy)
- 175 days or 1,050 hours per year for all other positions serving pre-kindergarten through grade 12
STRS plans to do a webinar within the next month or two to explain further how to deal with furloughs. We'll let you know as soon as we are advised of a date and time for the webinar.
PERS Employees
In order to preserve a full year's service credit for full-time Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) employees, they must work at least:
- Ten months if they are paid monthly
- 215 days if they are paid daily
- 1,720 hours if they are paid hourly
Essentially, if a PERS employee works at least ten months of service full time, a full year of service credit is earned.
Pending legislation, AB 1651 (De La Torre, D-South Gate), would assure that the PERS retirement benefits of employees in K-14 school agencies subject to mandatory furloughs are not impacted. This would be accomplished by including the amount of service and compensation that would have been credited and paid had the member not been subject to mandatory furloughs on or after July 1, 2008. However, the bill is silent on how the cost of that benefit would be paid for. The first hearing on the bill was postponed, and the bill has not yet been heard.
Final Compensation
In terms of the final compensation calculation, both STRS and PERS provide some flexibility. If the final time period worked is not at the highest salary earned by the employee, a time period (12 months or 36 months, depending on the situation) other than the final time period can be used for retirement purposes. There are specific instructions provided with the retirement applications for STRS and PERS that spell out the requirements.
--Sheila Vickers, Michele Huntoon, CPA, and Deborah Harmon
<http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/hot-for-teachers-video-produced-by-la-parents-protests-school-budget-cuts-.html>
Thanks,
Dave Villafana
IFT Mini Grant Information
CTA Institute for Teaching Mini Grants are intended for CTA educators and chapters to support strength-based, teacher-driven reform for students and public schools. Educator grants will be awarded to individuals and small teams of teachers in amounts up to $5,000. Chapter grants will be awarded to associations for amounts up to $20,000. Project implementation will be in the 2010-11 school year.
The deadline for your application is April 30, 2010. The application must contain the signed Data Sheets, the completed questions on the Application Form, and a budget in table or chart format. Your application must be postmarked, faxed (619) 683-3994 or emailed to mboston@cta.org by April 30, 2010.
Preference may be given to projects that address the needs of diverse or students at risk of failure, involve partnerships, and are replicable.
Application review occurs in May 2010, with announcements and public recognition of the awards June 2010. Applications are reviewed by a sub committee of the CTA Institute for Teaching. The IFT will notify all applicants of receipt of their application; applicants are also notified as to the outcome of award decisions. Applications that are not awarded grants may be evaluated for improvement upon request.
Before beginning the application process, ask yourself the following questions:
• Am I an active, dues-paying member of CTA?
• Do I have a reasonable expectation of being in a position to manage a project during the next school year?
• Do I have information and/or evidence that indicates the project I am considering will improve student achievement?
• Does my project idea address the needs of diverse or students at risk? • Am I willing to share my learnings from this project with other educators?
If you answered "yes" to these questions, you should feel confident that the IFT will give your project serious consideration. Another question to consider is: Do I have partners with whom I can plan and implement this project? While answering "yes" is not a requirement, the IFT believes proposals that have many stakeholders involved are more likely to succeed.
Page 1 of 4
Steps in applying for
an IFT mini grant
The Application Process
Please follow these seven steps to complete the CTA IFT mini grant application.
STEP 1: Read the application and read it again. Note any questions or concerns you have about the application process, and either call or write the IFT to get your questions answered. The IFT Manager/Program Director, Dick Gale can be reached at 619-683-3990 or DGale@cta.org. We welcome your questions.
STEP 2: Alert your local/affiliate president that you intend to apply for a grant. His/her signature will be necessary to complete the application. The Association will need to act as a fiscal agent on behalf of the grant recipient(s).
STEP 3: Team up! Consider educator colleagues, parents, students, administrators and community members for your team. When it comes to brainstorming and planning, more input will help you be more creative. Be sure to actively decide who will be the grant coordinator -- the person ultimately responsible for getting the application in on time, following up and managing the project when awarded.
STEP 4: Brainstorm your idea for a project with this question as a central focus: What do my students need and why do they need it? This is Question 1 on the Grant Application. Researching this idea and having discussions about it will focus your efforts on the students' needs. For example, if your students score lower on a standardized reading test and you hope to help them improve scores, then you have identified the "need." The reading materials you might wish to buy are NOT the need; they are the means to achieve your objective and will be identified later in the application.
STEP 5: Ready to write? With application and directions at your side, prepare your first draft. Remember to answer the questions as asked. No more, no less. Be sure to include a timeline.
Page 2 of 4
The Application Process, continued
If you are working with a team and all agree to prepare different parts of the application, designate one chief writer to ensure that there is a consistent writing style. This person should be able to answer questions about the application, if any arise. Be sure to have someone edit for grammar, style and content. You want a non-educator to be able to understand what you hope to do; be selective in your use of professional jargon or acronyms.
STEP 6: Prepare your budget. For this step, spread sheets, tables or charts are preferable to narrative. For IFT, a simple chart or table that includes closely approximated costs and likely vendors is adequate. Requesting additional funds from your school district, community, etc. is viewed as a plus by IFT because we believe that many stakeholders make for a more successful project. We also require that you verify any additional funding you receive if we award you a grant. In your budget, please include any other funds you have received, applied for or will apply for.
Finally, check your figures. Do not make a request for more than the stated limits. W
STEP 7: Review the "Do's and Don'ts" on the next page.
Are follow-ups okay? Absolutely! The IFT will send you an e-mail verifying receipt of your application. If you submit an application and do not receive a response within one to two weeks, you might want to contact the IFT by phone (619-683-3990) or email (mboston@cta.org).
The deadline for your application is April 30, 2010. The application must contain the signed Data Sheet, the completed questions on the Application Form, and a budget in table or chart format, and postmarked, faxed or emailed by April 30, 2010.
Please send completed application to:
IFT MINI GRANTS
CTA Institute for Teaching 5333 Mission Center Road, Ste. 200, San Diego, CA 92108 Phone: 619-683-3990 Fax: 619-683-3994 Email: mboston@cta.org
Page 3 of 4
Applying for an IFT Mini Grant? DO:
• Read grant guideline information.
• Share your proposal with your local/affiliate president.
• Send all necessary information by the deadline.
• Submit practical, action-oriented proposals and include a timeline.
• Create proposals that are strength-based and directly benefit students.
• Use clear descriptions that explain what will be done, by whom, and how you will assess your progress.
• Include a table or chart of your budget.
DON'T:
• Skip anything in the application or try to change the guidelines. • Send supporting materials not required in Questions 1-6. • Bind your proposal or spend money for special printing. • Submit proposals to continue research or existing programs.
• Submit requests for major equipment purchases - apply to your district or other funder for equipment. "Equipment" includes any permanently placed items (e.g., computer hardware) that are not critical to the intended outcomes of the project.
• Submit requests for salary replacement for activities that fall within your current job responsibilities. For compensation of activities outside regular job responsibilities, it is strongly recommended that requests be matched by the school district or other funder.
• Submit requests for personal educational scholarships.
Page 4 of 4
You have turned in a Notice of Defense by the deadline date and are scheduled to attend a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) next Wednesday, April 7, 2010. The hearing will take place in the District Office Board Room at 9:30 a.m.
If you plan to attend the hearing, you may use reason code 201 to call into the substitute system for the day. Please note that only teachers who have received a preliminary layoff notice and turned in a Notice of Defense by the deadline date may use this reason code.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Nancy K. Mak
Administrative Assistant, Human Resources
Cupertino Union School District
10301 Vista Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 252-3000 ext. 218 FAX: (408) 255-4450
mak_nancy@cusdk8.org