Legislative Council (AR) Meeting

The AR meeting last night went well.  We talked about the EFT flip process and the progress that is being made.  It is slow but steady and hope to keep the momentum going.  If you have not had a meeting about the EFT flip, contact your building AR. 

Kyle Hansen from Human Resources came to talk about a few things with the coming of the transfer season.  He stated that the Intent to Return will not be going out, because the information was not useful.  Instead, there is an Early Notification Incentive of $200 to be paid on the final paycheck to licensed personnel who submit the Resignation Form to their principal and HR by March 1.  The intent is to help principals know of open positions and to be able to avoid a Reduction In Staff (RIS).  There will then be two Teacher Transfer Fairs:  Elementary on Friday, March 23 from 3:00 to 7:00 at South Jordan Middle and Secondary on Monday, March 26 from 10:00 to 2:00 at Riverton High.  This will give teachers the opportunity to meet with principals and have more choice in where they wish to transfer.  This process is also happening early to avoid a RIS.  Once the known RIS are identified by their principal through meetings with the Administrator of Schools to determine "school need", they will be placed into positions for which they are qualified.  Then the regular transfer window will open up.  If you are considering a transfer, attending the Teacher Transfer Fair is a great chance to determine where you would like to teach next year.

Nominations for JEA Leadership took place.  The following were nominated:

President – 2 years:  Jennifer Boehme

Vice President – 2 years:  Jack Duffy, Kevin Ball, Mallory Meyer

Middle school – 3 years:  Mallory Meyer

Elementary school – 3 years:  Kara Goodwin

Special certification – 1 year:  Renee Sass

Any active JEA member may file a petition with 25 signatures of JEA members to become a candidate for any open position.  If you are interested, please contact me at jennifer.boehme@utea.org to receive a petition.  Petitions are due to the JEA Office by 5:00 on Wednesday, February 15.

We discussed the legislature and bills that are being run this session. You can go to Utah Public Education to see a summary of Senator Osmond's SB64:  Public Education Employment Reform Act.

We also talked about the importance of caucus attendance to become a delegate or to elect public education friendly delegates.  You should have the opportunity to watch the video on becoming a delegate that is linked on the Utahn's for Public Schools website.  It is 17 minutes long and a bit boring, but it does contain good information on the process and importance of caucus attendance.

Caucuses are scheduled for Tuesday, March 13 for Democrats and Thursday, March 15 for Republicans.  Any JEA member who attends their caucus will be entered into a drawing for a restaurant gift card.  We will collect this information on Friday, March 16.  Please take the time to attend and become involved.  Most decisions about education are political decisions.

Teacher Transfer Fair

The District is going to try out a Teacher Transfer Fair.  Teachers who are looking to transfer must have a completed transfer form as their entrance pass.  You can get one at the door if you don't get one before the Fair.  There will be an hour when teachers can walk around and be introduced to various principals and sign-up for an interview.  After a 30 minute break where JEA will offer refreshments, 15-minute interviews will be held.  Each teacher could have up to 6 interviews that day.  Because the time is short, teachers are asked to bring a resume but not a portfolio.  Human Resources (HR) will contact teachers who principals would like to have at their building.  Some teachers may be requested by multiple principals, so you may be given a choice of which school you transfer to.  The goal of the Fair is to help teachers go to schools where they want to be and to help principals find teachers who would fit well in their school.  In addition, if teachers receive a transfer, there will be fewer Reduction In Staff (RIS) teachers to place.

We still don't know how RIS teachers will be determined, except that evaluation and school need are the criteria that can be used as far as state law and district policy.  All RIS teachers will be placed in a position for which they are qualified.  If there is not a position for which a RIS teacher is qualified, that teacher could be a Reduction In Force (RIF) or laid off.

Teachers will still be able to transfer through June 1.  At that time, openings will be available for new-hires, but current teachers may still transfer through 10 days prior to the last day of new teacher induction.  You would need to watch the District website for job postings and call HR to add the other positions for which you would like to be considered to your transfer form.

This process is still unfolding, but Kyle Hansen from HR said it would be rolled out February 7.  I'll post more when I know more.

Dates of the Teacher Transfer Fairs:
Elementary - Friday, March 23 from 3:00 to 6:30 at South Jordan Middle Gym
Secondary - Monday, March 26 from 10:00 to 1:30 at Riverton High Tech Atrium

Meeting with Superintendent Johnson

Dr. Johnson and I met in our monthly meeting yesterday.  We discussed putting together an alternative compensation (merit pay/performance pay) committee after the legislature has met.  She believes there will be a law passed with certain criteria for merit pay, so she wants to wait and see what those criteria are before establishing a plan for Jordan.

Dr. Johnson will be speaking at the next Legislative Council (AR) Meeting.  She is going to talk about the focus groups she held and the direction she would like to take the District, as presented to legislators in November.

I asked about how RIS (Reduction In Staff) teachers will be determined.  This has not yet been decided.  The law changed, stating that hire date or seniority cannot be used.  The law allows performance (evaluation) and school need as criteria for determining RIS.  As soon as I know how RIS teachers will be determined, I will let you know.

We also discussed the progress of problems at a school and the political changes happening in Jordan with Carl Wimmer resigning prior to the legislative session.

RIS Committee

I attended a meeting this morning that is looking at how to handle RIS and transfers under the new policy necessitated by the change in the law stating districts cannot use "last-hired, first-fired" practices.  The new negotiated language allows RIS decisions to be based on school or program need and evaluations.  The RIS and transfer processes will look different in spring 2012, and this committee will be making recommendations on what that process will be.