Letter from UEA President

Dear Fellow UEA Members,

I am writing to you today about the appointment Brad Smith, current Ogden School District Superintendent, as the State Superintendent of Instruction. I recognize there is angst by many over Mr. Smith’s appointment.

First, let me thank those of you who actively engaged with your State Board of Education members. The current Utah State Board of Education is very divided. Supt. Smith was selected by an 8-7 margin. Many Board votes are determined by the same margin.

Second, we are very disappointed the State Board of Education appointed a State Superintendent with no significant classroom teaching experience and little public education administration experience. With so little education knowledge, we anticipate the learning curve for Supt. Smith will be very steep. The UEA hopes and expects to work directly with Supt. Smith, as we have with past superintendents, to help him understand and appreciate the views of classroom teachers.

Finally, let me reassure each of you that UEA has staff and leaders sitting in each and every USOE Board meeting working to influence board rule and board members. Because of UEA, the interviews for State Superintendent were held in open meetings, the stakeholders were involved in the semi-finalist interviews and the public weighed in on the issue of the next Superintendent having education experience. Did we win the day? No, but you can darn well bet the public, teachers and other stakeholders are going to keep tabs on Mr. Smith.

It is important to note that Superintendent Smith’s record in working with teachers has evolved significantly over his short tenure in Ogden School District. A local UniServ director who works with Supt. Smith said, “I believe Mr. Smith's view of teacher organizations has changed in the (past few) years…We went from having a district-implemented contract in 2011 to very positive contract negotiations this past year. Teachers received all of their lost pay steps…for some, 3 pay steps equaling more than a $5,000 a year pay increase. Teachers now have a salary schedule where they will always continue to advance and we have solidified more protections for teachers…Plus, we have been very successful in winning grievances that he has ruled on.”

We will continue to work collaboratively with the new State Superintendent but we will also not lose sight of the fact that teachers need the support of the State School Board and the State Office of Education. Rest assured that we “have your back” and we will continue to be vigilant in our representation of you, the member.

Thank you for all you do for our students and our profession.

Best,

Sharon

Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, M.A., NBCT

President, Utah Education Association

2009 Utah Teacher of the Year

State Superintendent Search

Letter sent by UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh to Members of the Utah State Board of Education about the minimum requirements for the State Superintendent.  UEA is concerned about having a political person in the position in stead of an educator.  You can see in this job posting that having a Utah teaching license is not a requirement of the job. 

TO:                Utah State Board of Education Members 

FROM:          Utah Education Association

DATE:          August 25, 2014

SUBJECT:    State Superintendent of Public Instruction – MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Dear Board of Education Members:

I don’t envy the task you have ahead in sorting through the applicants and selecting a leader to fill the Superintendent of Public Instruction position. The person filling this important post not only carries out the strategic direction set by the Board, but is also the “face” of Utah public education to school administrators, teachers, classified staff, parents and students.

In order to effectively implement statewide public education policy, the UEA believes it is imperative the person selected for this position have shared experience with teachers and administrators…someone who understands the complex intricacies of public education policy, knows what it is like in a classroom, and can garner the respect of those they will be directing.

To this end, the teachers of Utah call on the State Board of Education to seek a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who possesses the following minimum qualifications:

·          Relevant public school classroom experience including knowledge of public school curriculum, education policy, research and best practices

·          Relevant public school administrative experience, including knowledge of education finance, school budgets, human resources, employee contracts and education law.

·          Advanced degree in education

·          Proven record of collaboration with multiple stakeholders

·          Ability to be the superintendent to superintendents

As representatives of Utah’s educators, the Utah Education Association looks forward to participation, as a stakeholder, in the Superintendent selection process.

Thank you for your service to Utah public education.

Sincerely,

Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, NBCT, MA
UEA President

2009 Utah Teacher of the Year

Relationship By Objective

On March 21 and 22, members of the JEA Negotiations Team met with members of Jordan District Administration and School Board in a Relationship by Objective Training facilitated by LaVonne Ritter, the Federal Mediator who has worked with us over the past four years.  The goal of the training was to move from an adversarial relationship to a collaborative partnership.  Recognizing the many pressures facing public education, we must work together to find solutions that are mutually beneficial to all parties.  Improving the quality of the working relationship between the District and JEA will improve the quality of education students receive.

Roxane Siggard, Richard Osborn, Dr. Patrice Johsnon, Vicki Olsen, Susan Pulsipher, Tiffany Hardinger, Melissa Brown, Jennifer Boehme, Heather Reich, Cindy Carroll, Scott Thomas, Dr. Anthony Godfrey

Richard Osborn, Isael Hermasillo (mediator in training), Dr. Patrice Johnson, Vicki Olsen, Susan Pulsipher, LaVonne Ritter (mediator), Tiffany Hardinger, Melissa Brown, Jennifer Boehme, Heather Reich, Cindy Carroll, Scott Thomas, Dr. Anthony Godfrey

Our signatures committing to the objectives we set during the training.

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

I had my monthly meeting with Superintendent Johnson on Thursday.  I asked about principal transfers.  She said she expects some, and they will happen after the Teacher Transfer Fairs. 

We talked about the four common practices of successful elementary schools in Jordan District:  well-functioning PLC's, Balanced Literacy, Math and Reading Benchmarks, and Interventions.  If your principal is really pushing these items, it is because s/he is being told to do them from the district level.

Meeting with Superintendent Johnson

I had my monthly meeting with Dr. Johnson this morning.  We discussed legislative priorities and the placement of support class students for tracking test scores. 

We then had a good discussion about evaluation, pay, collaboration, and improving teacher practice.  Looking at various levels of teacher skill development and working on specific teaching skills is needed.  Dr. Johnson mentioned interest in "career based pay" which would include teachers with expanded roles like coach or mentor.  Having peers work with struggling teachers would be a huge shift.  Again, all of this is just discussion right now. 

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

I had my monthly meeting with Dr. Johnson yesterday.  We discussed maintaining the JEA Death Benefit, part-time high school teachers and their principals requiring them to attend PLC on days they are not contracted to teach, the Math and Language Arts Common Core, and items for the next Joint Committee meeting, which includes how to make negotiations better next year. 

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

My monthly meeting with Superintendent Johnson was this morning.  We discussed the activities at the legislature and the great work that has been done by Senator Osmond on SB64.  We reviewed the Board discussion about where and when to build a new elementary school and the need for a bond to meet the needs of growth in the District.

I talked with Dr. Johnson about JPAS.  When she spoke to the JEA ARs, she mentioned something negative about JPAS, and so I asked her about this.  She said the two problems she sees are that there is no student growth component, and that there is not enough reflection and goal-setting based on results.  The Educator Evaluation workgroup through the State Office of Education is likely to include these elements as part of their recommendations.  JPAS would then need to be modifying to add student growth and individual goal-setting.  JPAS is being used a s basis and model for the statewide recommendations.  I expect JPAS to be enhanced, but not replaced.

JEA Legislative Council

The JEA ARs met last night.  Dr. Johnson spoke about the focus groups she held, the discussions and priorities out of those focus groups which include morale and professional development, and the information the Board presented to legislators. 

There are many concerns and much anxiety over the new RIS process, which is still unknown.  I have been on a committee to figure out how this will work since seniority is not allowed.  A rubric is being developed based on school need and evaluation.  As soon as I have more information, I will post it.

A good portion of the meeting was spent on the EFT transition.  JEA is asking all members to "flip" from payroll deduction to EFT for the payment of dues.  We are starting now to be ready for the 2012-2013 school year.  Your AR should be holding a meeting within the next month to help you "flip".  All members who "flip" will receive a JEA retractable badge holder.  If you have questions, please let me know.

Article on Superintendent Johnson

This is a complimentary article on Dr. Johnson that is in the Deseret News today.  See Deseret News. 

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.

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

I met with Superintendent Johnson on Monday for our regular monthly meeting.  We discussed the scheduling of Interest-Based Bargaining training, who would be attending, and what we hope to accomplish.

We talked about school climate.  In the model to which the District is moving, the School Board will hold the Superintendent accountable for results as far as student progress and learning.  In turn, the Superintendent will hold the Administrators of Schools accountable, who will hold Principals accountable, who will hold Teachers accountable.  Some schools may need principals with different skill sets.

Nepotism was also discussed.  The District policy on nepotism is not as restrictive as the Utah State Law.  Basically, more relatives are included in the State list.  Over the next three years, the District will be asking those who work "under the same immediate supervisor" (principal) to voluntarily look for a transfer to another location in order to become compliant with the law.  Please call if you have questions about this.

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

I met with Dr. Johnson on Friday afternoon.  I showed her a draft of a RIF points rubric.  This could be used in place of hire date in the event of a RIF.  It would help take the subjectivity out of RIF.  Hopefully, something similar will be adopted by the District.

Dr. Johnson believes performance pay will pass at the legislature this year.  She wants to put a work group together to make rubrics for performance pay.  This will likely happen after the first of the year.  She mentioned that she thinks performance pay should be on top of steps and lanes.  I am going to find information for her on the schools that were part of the performance pay pilot sponsored by the legislature three years ago (a two year pilot that was only funded for one year).  UEA was involved in helping develop some of the performance pay models used.

She shared some information about a meeting with Senator Aaron Osmond on his proposal about Independent Public School Boards, which would essentially make each school a charter school.  Dr. Johnson stated that the teachers and principals who attended the meeting asked good questions and made good points about why his proposal would not work.

Dr. Johnson also met with Representative Merlynn Newbold.  I am pleased that she is talking to the legislators serving the areas within Jordan District.  She is well-spoken and logical, and I hope the legislators take what she says to heart.

Meeting with Superintendent Johnson

Laura Black and I met with Dr. Johnson this morning in our regular monthly scheduled meeting.  We discussed Itineris, pay issues going from year-round to traditional and traditional to year-round, and an exit survey.

Patsi expressed concern over politics in Utah.  She wonders why a small group of people elected as delegates have so much power at the conventions and leave the majority of contituents' voices out of the process.  She has noticed that many legislators have a particular issue and become representatives to change a law around one item or incident.  She recognizes that teachers need to be active in attending their caucuses and becoming delegates this March. 

JEA agrees.  We have been encouraging our members for years to go to their party caucus meetings to become delegates.  I know it is a long way off, but plan to attend your party caucus, usually a Tuesday night toward the end of March.

Joint Committee Meeting

The negotiated Joint Committee had its first meeting of the 2011-2012 year.  Serving on the committee for JEA are Melissa Brown, Negotiations Chairperson; Cindy Carroll, Jordan UniServ Director; and me.  On the District side, Dr. Patsi Johnson, Superintendent; Dr. June LeMaster, Human Resources Director; and Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Administrator of Schools.

Dr. Johnson started by saying that she had met with the Utah School Boards Association and Utah School Superintendents Association.  Both groups are looking at supporting nine proposed bills in the next legislative session.  Eight of the nine are about restoring financing, with one of those providing five professional development days.  When the legislative session begins in January, watch for information on these and other bills to support.

Laura Finlison, Curriculum Director, reviewed the professional development tentatively planned throughout the year for the Common Core.  Watch for information on the classes applying to you.  Some classes will be offered after school at no charge, but unpaid.  A couple of Saturdays are scheduled where you would be paid inservice rate to attend a 6 hour training with an hour for lunch.

Bevan Wasden, Administrator of Schools, scheduled the first meeting of the Elementary Preparation Time Task Force.  Watch for an e-mail for volunteers to serve.

Dave Stoddard, Administrator of Schools, came in to talk about high school parent teacher conferences.  We have the data from the survey last spring to analyze.  We are also going to look at models from around the nation.  The goal is not to eliminate PTC, but to restructure it so more parents attend.

Finally, we talked about Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) training.  Dr. Johnson was trained in IBB in Nevada.  We are going to bring more information about the length and cost of the training to our next meeting.  The training would be sometime during the year with a new form of negotiations starting in 2012.

School Board Study Session

Superintendent Johnson has held focus groups with various employee groups over the past several weeks.  She had them brainstorm in four areas:  Jordan District’s current situation, the District’s ideal situation, barriers to the ideal situation, and solutions to those barriers.   Then each group ranked their top three priorities within the list of solutions.  At the School Board Study Session last night, she summarized the priorities.  Public relations, communication, and professional development seem to be the top three overall.
Support staff priorities: 

1. public relations
2. money to students and employees
3. one-on-one conversations

Teacher priorities:

1. educate legislators and parents and public relations
2. higher expectations (JPAS too easy)
3. communication

Middle school principals:

1. improve communication
2. public trust
3. high expectations

Directors:

1. improve public relations
2. build trust and networks
3. open communication within District

High school principals:

1. professional development opportunitites
2. collaboration
3. use time differently

Traditional elementary principals:

1. professional development
2. build trust and relationships
3. restructure and prioritize budget

Year round principals:

1. PLC at all levels
2. tell story
3. communication to stakeholders

Cabinet:

1. focus on achievable goals
2. common priorities
3. spread the word

School Board:

1. professional development
2. change policy governance
3. more money through lobbying legislature, communicate our story.

Jordan Education Foundation Meeting

This morning I attended the bi-monthly Board meeting of the Jordan Education Foundation.  If you like to golf, the JEF fundraising golf tournament is on August 11 at Riverbend Golf Course.  See Foundation Website for more information to come.

Superintendent Johnson spoke about her meetings with mayors and what they see businesses looking for in students who are graduating from high school and looking for work.  She believes that Jordan District should be providing skills for all students to be successful when they leave high school, whether they are going to college, military service, trade school, or straight into the workforce.

These are the skills mayors said they are looking for:

• Science, technology, and math
• Comfortable with technology
• Noncurricular skills like professional dress and trade skills
• Social skills including appropriate behavior, respect for authority, teamwork, problem solving, setting and accomplishing goals, self discipline, personal responsibility, and leadership
• Financial management around credit and interest
• Job search skills
• Citizenship
• Foreign language
• Service

Meeting with Dr. Johnson

This morning, Laura Black, Cindy Carroll and I met with Dr. Johnson, the new superintendent.  We each shared our experience in education and with the association.  Dr. Johnson has taught grades K - 8 and has been a principal at all levels.  In addition, she served as a local association president in California at the same time her husband was on the local school board.  She didn't say what the issue was, but she said she believed in what she was doing and led picketing of the school board!  She understands the role of the association.

We discussed the Common Core, state legislature, student growth model, evaluations, and student achievement.  Dr. Johnson expressed a desire to be collaborative and include JEA in changes she would like to lead.  She also stated that she is very competitive and wants Jordan District to become a top district in the nation.

Dr. Johnson agreed to continue the monthly meetings with me.  I was encouraged by the tone and respectfulness of the meeting.  I hope this is an indicator of good things to come!

Reflections on my First Year in Office

I was elected president of JEA just as the negotiation process was beginning in 2010. I became president right after JEA declared impasse. What a way to start! We finally settled through the use of a hearing officer. Since then, I have been meeting with the superintendent or interim superintendent on a monthly basis as negotiated. A joint committee established in negotiations has also been meeting monthly. These negotiated meetings have helped to repair the relationship between JEA and District administration.


Following negotiations, the campaign season was in full gear. Working for education friendly candidates at the legislature became a focus. I also watched the Jordan School Board races closely. In between negotiations and campaigns, Superintendent Barry Newbold announced his retirement. I watched the School Board as they searched for the new superintendent, Dr. Patrice Johnson, who will begin June 1. I spoke with her, and our first meeting is scheduled for June 8.

In January came the Legislative Session. It was not a good year for teachers at the Legislature. We are still waiting to see what the grading schools, reduction-in-force, and evaluation changes are going to look like. I was up at the Legislature nine days watching the proceedings and talking to legislators about how various bills will impact teachers every day. Some of them listened, others did not.

I also attended many meetings, some monthly, others as needed: DAC, Insurance Committee, Sick Bank Committee, Calendar Committee, Jordan Education Foundation, JEA Executive Board, JEA Legislative Council (AR), Jordan UniServ Staff, UEA Council of Local Presidents, School Board Study Sessions and Board Meetings, We are One Rally, and UEA House of Delegates.

One of the best parts of the job is being able to meet and visit with members and to recognize them for all the good they do in and out of the classroom. I wanted to visit every school, but I have only been to about half. This will be one of my goals for next school year.

I want all of you to know what great UniServ Directors we have in Laura Black and Cindy Carroll. They do so much to advocate for members. Michelle Anzlovar, our new administrative assistant, has been great at keeping things organized for meetings and making sure I am prepared. I could not do my job without their support.

I appreciate those of you who stepped up and did something you have never done before. That was my request to all members at the beginning of my term. Some of you were an AR for the first time. Some of you participated in Educator Day on the Hill. Many of you wrote to your legislators. Some of you have attended School Board Meetings. If each JEA member does one thing again next year that you have never done before, we can truly make a difference in our profession and our association. Thank you for your membership in JEA!

Meeting with Interim Superintendent

This morning was my monthly meeting with Dave Stoddard.  We discussed some negotiations issues, the budget, and the timeline for the transition with our new superintendent, Dr. Johnson.  I have my first meeting with her scheduled for June 8.  We discussed the State Board of Education allowing districts to convert two instructional days into professional development days for the express purpose of training on the new Common Core of State Standards.  How this would be implemented will pose some challenges, which we hope to work out should the Jordan Board decide to utilize those days.

Dr. Patrice Johnson is New Superintendent

Congratulations to Dr. Johnson as the new superintendent for Jordan School District!  See Salt Lake Tribune article for more details.  There is also a press release on the Clark County School District website stating "Jordan School District’s gain is our loss.”