PTA Meet the Candidates Night

The PTA is sponsoring a Meet the Candidates Night for all candidates representing areas in Jordan District.  Be an informed voter and attend.

U-PACtivists!

Thanks to the following who donate at least $100 to UEA's Political Action Committee, U-PAC!

·         Patti Bartlett – Bingham High

·         Brett Boberg – Bingham High

·         Debbie Brown – Bingham High

·         Camille Strasters – Bingham High

·         Scott Berryessa – Bluffdale Elementary

·         Jacque Melton – Bluffdale Elementary

·         Carol Quistberg – Copper Canyon Elementary

·         Christen Richards-Khong – Copper Hills High

·         Camille Osborn – District Office

·         Christie Jarrard - Eastlake Elementary

·         Margaret Van Ness – Eastlake Elementary

·         Jennifer Boehme - Elk Meadows Elementary

·         Jannifer Young – Elk Ridge Middle

·         Wendy Hansen – Elk Ridge Middle

·         Joanne Jirsa-Myers – Elk Ridge Middle

·         Jeremiah Edwards – Falcon Ridge Elementary

·         Kaisa Mortensen – Falcon Ridge Elementary

·         Cissy Wolff – Fox Hollow Elementary

·         Jim Birch – Herriman High

·         Tony Romanello – Herriman High

·         Marilyn Kurt – Joel P. Jensen

·         LeAnne Heagren – Jordan Hills Elementary

·         Susan Tolman – Jordan Hills Elementary

·         Heather Reich – Majestic Elementary

·         Heidi Pugsley – Midas Creek

·         Lori Munk – Oquirrh Elementary

·         Carol Rideout – Oquirrh Elementary

·         Kathy Byerline-Thayer – Oquirrh Hills Middle

·         Lars Erickson – Oquirrh Hills Middle

·         Karla Noble – retired

·         Margaret Pratt – retired

·         Nancy Davis – Riverside Elementary

·         Melissa Brown - Riverton High

·         Margaret Coupe – Rosamond Elementary

·         Kathie Jorgensen – Rosamond Elementary

·         Kaye Rachele-Flanery – South Jordan Elementary

·         Paula Landeen – West Hills Middle

·         James Maughan – West Hills Middle

·         Jack Duffy – West Jordan High

·         Robin Duffy – West Jordan High

·         Robin Frodge – West Jordan High

·         Lauren Flygare – West Jordan Middle

·         Lisa Morey – West Jordan Middle

PAC Recommendation

The JEA PAC has decided to recommend Lynn Crane in the Jordan School Board Precinct 1 in Herriman.  Former Herriman Mayor Crane has a lifetime of experience from teaching to selling textbooks to filing a lawsuit when Herriman residents were not allowed to vote in the District split.  If you live in Herriman, please consider voting for Lynn Crane in the primary election on June 26.

PAC Interviews

The JEA PAC is currently interviewing republican candidates for state house and senate seats within Jordan District boundaries.  Last week, the PAC interviewed Aleta Taylor - SD10, Jim Bird - HD42, and Steve Roberts - HD50.  Scheduled for next week are Peggy Jo Kennett - HD43 and Aaron Osmond - SD10.  Once all interviews have been conducted, the JEA PAC will let members know about recommendations for candidates at the Republican County Convention scheduled for Saturday, April 14.

PAC

JEA PAC met on Tuesday.  Carolyn Cartmell at West Jordan Middle and Suzette Johnson at Columbia won the $25 gift cards for attending their caucus meetings. 

PAC is going to be interviewing Republican candidates for Utah House and Senate seats within Jordan District boundaries.  Should candidates receive our support prior to the Republican Convention, I will let you know. 

If you don't currently contribute to PAC but you recognize the importance of having education friendly candidates at the state legislature, please go to the JEA website and click on Political Action Contributions Form.  You can send your contribution through District mail to the JEA Office.  Decisions impacting nearly every aspect of teaching are made by elected officials.

JEA PAC

The JEA Political Action Committee met yesterday.  We revised questions to be sent to candidates in order to help the PAC know whom to endorse in the elections.  We discussed some endorsements prior to the Republican convention in April.  The three races we are focusing on are in South Jordan (currently held by Merlynn Newbold), the new Riverton (formerly part of Carl Wimmer's area), and the new Herriman (also formerly part of Carl Wimmer's area). 

Voters in Jordan District have a real opportunity to change the legislature this fall at election time.  It has been 30 years since there were two new seats that do not have an incumbent in them.  Please stay informed.  If you live in one of these areas, become a Republican delegate so you can attend the convention and vote for a public education friendly person to become the Republican candidate on the general election ballot.

Carl Wimmer's resignation was discussed.  The next two weeks, Republican delegates in Riverton and Herriman are going to need to choose a candidate to vote for to replace Carl Wimmer for the remainder of his term (through this legislative session).  Candidates as of today are Corbin White (current Jordan School Board member), Dan McCay (heard he is supported by Howard Stephenson), and Josh Mills (current Herriman Mayor and endorsed by Carl Wimmer).  If you are a delegate in the current House 52 district, please be informed and know that JEA may be contacting you about this race.

Educator Day on the Hill will be on Fridays during the legislative session.  The JEA PAC has authorized funds to pay the cost of a long-term substitute for 10 JEA members who wish to use an Alternative Leave Day (see this link for information on Alternative Leave) to attend Educator Day on the Hill.  More information on how to apply will be forth coming.  Days teachers are already off include:

• D-track:  January 27, February 3
• C-track:  February 10, 17, 24
• B-track and Traditional:  March 2

Meetings, Meetings, and More Meetings

Today is a much calmer day.  I am catching up, because I didn't have time to answer e-mails yesterday, let alone post to the blog.  Here is how Thursday looked.

7:00 a.m. - Attended Jordan Education Foundation Meeting.  The Foundation raises money to give grants to individual teachers and scholarships to students.  They are considering whole school projects as well.  A JEF representative should be contacting principals to ask about wants.  Here is a link to the  JEF Mini Grant Application.
Superintendent Newbold said the new elementary in West Jordan will open next August.  He stated that local principals should work with their PTA and SCC to decide on if/when to broadcast President Obama's speech to school children, scheduled for September 14.  An opt-out form must be provided.

Arrived at the JEA office and started to answer e-mail when Cindy Carroll and I went to meet with UEA leaders about the hearing process.  We met with UEA President, Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, UEA Executive Director, Mark Mickelsen, UEA Director of Policy & Research, Jay Blain, and UEA Attorney, Mike McCoy.  UEA has been involved in knowing what has happened with our negotiations process and is helping us through the hearing, because no other school district has done this before.  In addition, Sharon contacted NEA for us to see about financial assistance to pay the hearing officer fees.  NEA has agreed to match state and local funds.    All levels of the Association have been involved.

11:15 a.m. - The Hearing Officer, Ralph Haws, called and wanted to meet immediately.  Cindy and I headed to Riverton High School where our Negotiations Chairperson, Melissa Brown teaches.  Luckily, we met on her prep hour to discuss a modified proposed settlement.  Worked to contact all Negotiations Team members throughout the afternoon.

1:45 - Back to the office for a monthly meeting with both UniServ Directors and CEA President, Tony Romanello.

3:30 - Out to South Jordan Elementary for a school visit.  The teachers there asked good questions, and it was great to meet them.

4:30 - Now to West Jordan High where we held the JEA PAC meeting to discuss candidate recommendations and PAC support.  The JEA PAC is recommending:

• Nathan Gedge in School Board Precinct 7 (Peggy Jo Kennett's seat) Nathan's website
• John Rendell (D) in Legislative House Seat 47 (West Jordan area that used to be Steve Mascaro's seat) John's website
• Chad Reyes (unaffiliated) in Legislative House Seat 52 (Herriman, Carl Wimmer's seat) Chad's website
• Gary Olsen (D) in Legislative House Seat 50 (South Jordan, Merlynn Newbold's seat) Gary's website
• Dave Hogue (D) in Legislative Senate Seat 11 (Riverton/Draper, Howard Stephenson's seat) Dave's website
• Jim Bird (R) in Legislative House Seat 42 (West Jordan, incumbent) Jim's website

Two walk for candidates are scheduled for Saturdays, September 18 and October 23 in the mornings.  More information on exact times and places will be forth coming.

8:00 p.m. - The Negotiations Team felt the Executive Board needed to know about the latest proposed settlement, but due to personal schedules, we could not meet in person.  We were able to have two Executive Board members present, with one on speaker phone.  Others were contacted by phone individually, but all Executive Board members were able to hear the proposal, ask questions, and express concerns.

I finally arrived home about 9:30 p.m.  It was a long day, a tiring day, but also an exciting day!  The work of the Association is important, and I am enjoying it immensely, even though at times, it can be difficult.