HEA - Hesperia Education Association

H.E.A. Newsletter

H.E.A.is here for you because you deserve the best.
Volume 1 - Issue 3 - November 2001

Executive Board

Jim Pace
President

Gordon Williamson
Vice-President

Jose Madera
Treasurer

Betsy Patridge
Secretary

Vernon Johns
Secondary Director

Scott Johnson
Elementary Director

Fran McCullough
Director At Large

Rep Council
Catherine Aure
Karen Barkley
Dean Blackburn
Kathy Brauche
Joan Case
Pat Cook
Norma Egzer
Claudia Ethun
Jim Garrett
Susan Gaus
Valeria Gilmore
Darrin Grebel
Glenn Houston
Barbara Jacobs
Selena Kakuda
Margaret Kennedy
Jon Lee
Jackie Marsh
Terry McGrath
John Mchenry
Kathryn Mustain
Gwynneth Morin
Sara Pifer
Diana Pruiett
Linda Rector
Yolette Rios
Cheryl Roberts
Cheryl Rutledge
Deborah K. Thomas
Jeanne Triska
Mike Watesworth
Dick Westerhoff
Kathryn Wetsch

Presidents Message
By Jim Pace, H.E.A President

I have heard it asked, "Why is education in politics?". The answer that we are familiar with is, "politicians are in education". The day that politicians leave education is the same day that education will be out of politics.

Unfortunately, as many of us have realized, that day will never come! Hesperia Education Association needs to stay politically active if it is to remain a player in this arena. We need to be vigilant to help friends of education get elected to office. No where is this more real than the local school board elections that are to be help in November. If we do not help friends of education to be elected, than we will be governed by people who don't have the interests of Hesperia's students at heart.

Executive Board Members Gordon Williamson and Betsy Patridge and other members will be conducting interviews for the vacant school board positions. They will interview all willing candidates and decide which ones HEA will endorse.

About seven years ago, a small group in HEA was very politically active. About one hundred people gave $100 each to help school board candidates get elected.

This year we are calling on all members to help out. Despite the fact that we have good reserves in the HEA treasury, we are not allowed by law to use that money for political candidates.

You can help elect pro education candidates now and in the future!

Currently, HEA collects $10 per month for dues from each member 10 months a year. The Executive Board is urging the membership to voluntarily designate $1 out of each month's $10 dues to be put in a political action fund to be used for local school board elections. The amount of money that comes out of your check will not change. It will remain at the $10 level per month if you do or don't choose to divert the $1 per month. If we all were to divert the $1 per month, we could raise more than $6000 per year to help friends of education to be elected to the board.

Your site rep will be passing out a small form for you to sign asking you to divert $1 per month for political action. (You can also get this form from www.hesperiateachers.com in the Political Action option.)Please sign it and return it to Jim Pace c/o Hesperia Junior High School via district mail.

Together we can make a difference!

Contract Highlights
By Vern Johns

Article 14, Section B of the contract describes extra duty assignments for teachers. This article labels these assignments as the duties that are "outside of the normal workday". The article says that these duty assignments are "limited to a maximum total of thirty (30) hours per teacher year outside the normal workday". It does not stipulate that teachers must serve all thirty hours of duty - only that thirty is the maximum.

There are several areas specified for teachers to serve their hours beyond the "normal workday". First, teachers are to participate in Back to School or Open House. Next on the list, one finds Staff Meetings that take place after work hours.

In-Services or Curriculum Meetings are other activities that count toward achieving the total of thirty hours. Service time on School Site Councils also gives credit for extra duty.

There are two additional activities that count for duties "outside of the normal workday". They are Service time on District or School Non-Voluntary Meetings and supervising co-curricular student activities. These activities include games, dances competitions, exhibits and fairs. All of these activities constitute the means for teachers to participate in extra duty assignments beyond their "normal" workday hours.

Secretary's Report
By Betsy Patridge

Our last Representative Council was held on Thursday, September 20. Every school in the district, except Mojave and Desert Trails sent a Rep to the meeting. Way to go, Reps! Your Reps had much news to take back to their sites. Business covered included: The September newsletter was distributed along with ballots for the open Executive Board Director positions. HEA's first negotiation session of the year was scheduled for October 2. (The session was devoted to updating all memoranda of understanding between HEA and HUSD and creating a formula for compensating all certificated staff working at schools eligible for individual API awards.) Fran McCullough demonstrated the new HEA web site www.hesperiateacher.com Input was sought to address class size issues at the sites. Pacing plan concerns were raised by various teachers in elementary schools. The HEA leadership promised to take concerns to the September 24 LMC meeting. (We had a chance to raise some of the issues with the School Board on the 24th.)

Rep Council voted to provide $250 in support of the AVID programs at both junior high schools, HHS and SHS.
Next month, HEA Executive Board members and Representatives will take part in the annual High Desert Leadership Conference in Laughlin, Nevada. At the conference, we will have the opportunity to take workshops on topics as wide ranging as STRS planning to school board elections. This training is very valuable to all people representing the teachers of Hesperia Unified. And, in turn, it is important to the membership at large, so each of you can be represented by the best qualified people possible. Because the conference falls on the weekend before Thanksgiving, HEA will conduct its November Rep Council meeting on one of the conference days. In keeping with the HEA Bylaws, there is no Rep Council meeting during December, so the next scheduled meeting back in our office will be in January, 2002.

Insurance Information
By Fran McCullough

You can access PacifiCare Behavioral Health by going on line at www.hesperiateachers.com and using the insurance tab. Once you are on the PacifiCare page you are entitled to use the Employee Assistance Program (EPA) Services. However, you must use our user name which is: SCSEBA and our Password which is: help (typed in lower case letters). This is a terrific service and I urge all to try it.

I would also like to remind everyone that is interested, to take advantage of the District's Health Fair on November 14. There will be free flu vaccinations for members that use Desert Valley as their medical group and a $10 vaccination fee for those that use other medical groups. Sign up for the vaccine at your site by November 2, 2001. They are also offering Body Scanning (at cost.) You can get more information by calling Mobile Diagnostic Screening at (866)871-1100

CTA - NEA Link
By Jim Scott Johnson

Security That Comes With Your Membership

Eligible CTA/NEA members are covered by two automatic benefit programs at no extra cost.

As an eligible CTA member, you are automatically entitled to the CTA Death and Dismemberment benefit which provides up to $2000 in death benefit and up to $10,000 occupation/association leader accidental death and dismemberment benefit for a covered accident while on the job or while you are acting in the capacity of Association Leader conducting Association business

You pay no premiums for this benefit. To register a beneficiary, call (650) 552-5200 or e-mail member benefits@cta.org.

The NEA Dues-Tab is another automatic benefit that you enjoy as an eligible member. This benefit provides life insurance up to $1000 and accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $5000. There is also a special benefit that pays $50,000 for an accidental death and dismemberment that occurs on the job or for Association Leaders while conducting Association Business.

To obtain more information about the NEA dues tab program or to verify your registered beneficiary, call NEA Member Benefits at (800)637-4636.

Both these plans are administered separately. Therefore, make sure you have registered your beneficiary with both CTA and NEA today!

Ask H.E.A. By Gordon Williamson
Q. When is the HUSD Board election and is HEA getting involved?	A. The HUSD School Board election will be on Tuesday, November 6. Look for HEA's candidate endorsement.