Chuck Herring, Uniserv Director,
Cherring@mea.org
Harriet Poch, Uniserv Field Assistant
WHERE’S CHUCK?
| Feb. 7 | Chuck on leave |
| 8 | 14A Coordinating Council Meeting (MEA Office) |
| 9 | Meeting w/Joberg-Lewiston EA President, et
al (Lewiston) Region 14 Council – BJ’s (Gaylord) |
| 10-11 | Benzie Central – working w/Crisis Committee (Honor) |
| 14 | Alpena EA Membership Meeting – Bargaining Update (Alpena) |
| 15 | Meeting in Mio Dinner Meeting w/CC Chair re March Agenda |
| 16-21 | Chuck on Vacation visiting son and family (Utah) |
| 22 | Leave for Lansing at noon |
| 23 | Lobby Day (Lansing) |
| 24 | Hillman EA Bargaining Team (Hillman) |
| 26 | Meeting of NMEA Executive Committee/Staff of NMEA (Petoskey) |
| 25-28 | Chuck on leave |
| Mar. 3 | Meeting with Alpena ESP II leadership re governance (MEA Office) |
| 5 | NMEA Training |
| 7 | Spring Arbor Student Teacher Presentation (ACC) |
| 8 | 14A Coordinating Council Meeting (MEA Office) |
What’s in the Horizon?
ESEA is still nipping at our heels. Para Pros by now are either "highly qualified" or destined to be located in a position which does not require "highly qualified" credentials.
Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) is like a big ugly cloud hanging over our shoulder. The problem is: AYP must be met all the time, that is, progress/improvement must be demonstrated every year until perfection is met and then we’ll have to improve on that.
"Highly qualified" teachers are the next targets of ESEA. In the old days, language was bargained that defined "certified = qualified". Well, not anymore. Many teachers are looking at their certificates and discovering they are no longer "qualified" to teach subjects they may have been teaching for years. Enter: portfolios. By now all EA units should be sitting down with the administration to create portfolios that allow teachers to meet "highly qualified" standards mandated by ESEA.
If you have not heard anything about portfolios and you teach—I’d suggest a conversation with your union president.
What’s a Cluster Delegate?
Rumor has it that the Executive Committee of the MEA is going to suggest to the Representative Assembly (April 29 & 30) to drop percentage dues implementation for fall of next year. If your local has 75 members or more, the unit sends a delegate (MEA Representative Assembly Delegate) to Lansing in April to vote on this issue. If your local has less than 75 members, it is in a cluster. A cluster is represented by a Cluster Delegate. See below:
Alpena EA Delegates – Sally Buza (989/766-8006) & Bonnie Altman (989/356-3640)
Alpena ESP II Delegate – Sue Ravitz (989/356-6897)
Alpena Community College Faculty Cluster Delegate – Roy Smith (989/356-1668)
Alcona EA, Atlanta EA, Johannesburg-Lewiston EA, Mio AuSable EA Cluster Delegate – Sue Fuelling (989/732-7419)
Hillman EA, Posen EA, Rogers City EA Cluster Delegate – Terry Cox (231/238-6930)
ACC-ESP, Alpena ESP I, Atlanta ESP, Hillman ESP, Johannesburg-Lewiston ESP, Mio AuSable ESP, Posen ESP, Rogers City ESP Cluster Delegate – Robert Thomas (989/786-4309)
Make sure your Cluster Delegate/Delegate knows how they are to vote. Make sure they report back after the RA and declare their voting record.
Percentage dues, I’m told, is a better proposition for us in the North than it is for those in the southeastern corner of the state. Seems they make a lot more money than we do! So learn about the dues structure and tell your Delegate how to vote and see that they voted that way on the floor of the Assembly.
Did You Know that…
…banks have access to your medical information? When an insurance company transmits payment to a medical provider via a bank, it attaches an explanation of payments, including the patient’s name, diagnosis and treatment. Banks say they don’t use this information when making loan decisions, but until regulations are in place, there are no legal restrictions that prevent it. Joy L. Pritts, JD, assistant research professor, Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
…"presenteeism" – when employees come to work sick—accounts for 60% of productivity losses in the US? Workers who come to the office while sick do not perform at their normal levels and often infect others. Ronald Kessler, PhD, professor of healthcare policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
To get rid of big items that no longer have much resale value, such as an old computer or large, outdated furniture—donate them to charity. Many charities will arrange to pick them up. To take a deduction on your taxes, get a dated receipt with the charity’s name and IRS number. You’ll need to file IRS Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions, available from the IRS (800-TAX-FORM), www.irs.gov/publications ), with your income tax return. For deductions worth less than $500, you must provide a description of the property. For deductions of more than $500, you also must include the purchase date and price. Adriane G. Berg, Lebonon, New Jersey—based attorney and author of How Not to Go Broke at 102! Achieving Everlasting Wealth (Wiley). She hosts a weekly personal finance show on the Business Talk Radio Network.
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