On May 11, 2010, seven year round schools found out in a School Board meeting that they would be moving to a traditional calendar for the next year. The employees at those schools had just three months to figure out how to adjust for the lack of an August paycheck. The reason for the gap is that the final YR paycheck is July, and the first traditional paycheck is September. All of the employees at those seven schools were given the skip an August paycheck or taking their salary over 13 months for the 2010-11 school year. Three months was not enough time for employees to save to cover a no August paycheck, so the majority took the 13-month paychecks.
As a teacher at one of those seven schools and newly elected as JEA President, I started asking around at the district, trying to find someone who wanted to find a solution to the pay problems that stem from changing calendars. I spoke to the Director of Payroll, the Director of Accounting, the Business Administrator, the new Director of Payroll, and the new Business Administrator. Two of the seven schools that went traditional in 2010 have since returned to YR. With seven YR schools moving to a traditional calendar for 2015-16, two of those only being guaranteed traditional for two years, and the possibility of moving another school to traditional in 2016-17 with some possibly moving back to YR in 2017-18, employees at those schools asked the School Board to fix the pay issue that occurs when moving from YR to traditional or traditional to YR.
JEA negotiates what you are paid, but not how you are paid, so I was pleased to be invited to participate in looking for a way to solve the pay problems that occur when school calendars change. I met with John Larsen, Business Administrator, June LeMaster, Director of Human Resources, Sarah Palmer, Director of Payroll, and Chris Godfrey, UniServ Director for JESPA multiple times. We started by putting out any idea without worrying how it would impact the district or employees. From there, we looked at specific options, if they were viable, and how employees and the district would be impacted.
I presented preliminary ideas to YR JEA ARs at our meeting in February. The administration did not want to do a survey of all YR employees, because the School Board should see the plan first. When I spoke with the YR ARs, they understood the need for a transition plan, and really wanted five years to make the transition, so I pushed for that timeline. I went through the plan in detail with YR JEA ARs or their representatives at our meeting in March. I then made an effort to personally visit with every YR JEA AR who was not able to attend the March meeting within the two days following that meeting.
I understand the concerns of teachers at the 15 schools not currently moving to a traditional calendar. I have found that teachers at those 15 schools who have been through a calendar change before are more understanding and receptive to this transition plan. The School Board is allowing up to six months for people at the 15 schools to share additional ideas on how to solve the pay issues that come with changing calendars. You will receive a survey toward the end of May seeking those ideas. I encourage you to complete the survey and share your ideas for solving the pay issue.
As I met with teachers at some of the 15 schools, I put individual information into a spreadsheet I designed to look at the impact of a 13-month payout of your salary for the 2015-16 school year. The coming year is a good year for many employees, because we are receiving steps, lanes, and a 2% cost of living adjustment (raise) due to the two-year agreement JEA negotiated in 2014. For teachers receiving a step and 2%, the gross pay difference is less than $100 a month for 2015-16. While the School Board is still seeking another way to solve the pay issue, they are allowing those who want to transition to a traditional pay schedule in the 2015-16 school year may do so. All JEA ARs have been sent the spreadsheet. I am also happy to meet with JEA members individually or at a meeting for the school to help you see if the coming year is a good year for you.
In six months time, if another workable plan to fix the YR to traditional pay issue is not presented, the School Board will likely go back to the plan originally presented. Once you transition to a traditional pay schedule, you will have the freedom and flexibility to transfer to any school regardless of schedule or have your school change schedules and not have to worry about the pay implications with just a few months' notice. If teaching on a YR calendar but paid on a traditional pay schedule, your last paycheck when you leave the district will be August instead of July, allowing another month of health insurance coverage.
Please contact me if you have questions or would like me to come meet with you.
Showing posts with label Year Round. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Year Round. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Extended Day Versus Year Round Schedule
Having attended multiple Jordan Board Study Sessions where elementary schedules have been addressed, I believe the Board would like to phase out the year round schedule over time. See this KSL article.
The Board decided that 5 schools, Columbia, Mountain Shadows, Hayden Peak, Oquirrh, and Riverton Elementary, will move from year round to traditional for the 2015-16 school year. These schools have been told about this change.
The Board decided that 2 schools, Bluffdale and Riverside, will pilot an extended day schedule for the 2016-17 school year. Bluffdale was chosen because it is a smaller year round school, but not small enough to go traditional. Riverside was chosen because it is a large traditional school, that is on the verge of needing to move to year round.
The Board will decide on Tuesday, January 27 whether Butterfield Canyon and Herriman Elementary will move to a traditional schedule for the short term, a minimum of two years. The Board is split on this issue. Parents want to go traditional, even if only for two years, while teachers want to stay year round. From discussions, if these schools go traditional for 2015-16, that schedule could be guaranteed for two years. At that point, an extended day schedule may be needed to keep these schools on a traditional calendar.
Alpine District has been utilizing the extended day model for about 30 years. Jordan District started year round in 1985, or 30 years ago. Alpine opted for extended day to avoid year round. Both models increase the capacity of the building.
Year round increases the capacity of a school from 25-33%, depending on the number of classes per grade that are rotating classrooms. Increased costs come in paying utilities all year and increased pay for administrators and cafeteria staff. There are also busing costs for more days per year.
Extended day increases the capacity of a school from 10-15%. Class size ratios are higher. For instance, Jordan uses 27 as the number of students for sixth grade. Extended day would use 32 students for sixth grade. This varies by elementary grade level, and as now, there is not a top limit to that class size. There are increased costs of paying teachers 13% more for working approximately an hour more per day (roughly equivalent to a secondary teacher being paid to work their prep hour). Also, there are additional busing runs daily. The Alpine model has four specialists per school in the middle of the day giving teachers 30 minutes of prep time per day. Another additional cost.
Year round teaching day is 20 minutes longer than a traditional day, but 10 days shorter than a traditional year. Extended teaching day is 60 minutes longer than a traditional day with the same number of days and breaks as other traditional schools in Jordan District. Jordan currently has 40 minutes for lunch, while Alpine extended day allows 35 minutes for lunch.
The Board has directed district staff to come up with an exact plan and budget for what extended day would look like in Jordan. While they will use Alpine as a basis of where to start, I'm sure there will be changes for Jordan.
Teachers will need to look at all their options and consider whether they are interested in the extended day with additional teaching time for additional pay, 75 minutes with half the class at the beginning and end of the day, and being on a traditional calendar, or whether they want to stay in a year round or traditional day school. The Elementary Teacher Transfer Fair is Monday, March 30 at Rose Creek Elementary.
One of my biggest concerns, which is likely why Jordan went year round rather than extended day 30 years ago, is the costs. Any additional costs come out of the same maintenance and operations budget that salaries, benefits, classroom supplies, and technology needs come out of. Looking at the very big picture, I do not want to sacrifice steps, lanes, and other benefits for employees to meeting extended day cost needs.
The Board decided that 5 schools, Columbia, Mountain Shadows, Hayden Peak, Oquirrh, and Riverton Elementary, will move from year round to traditional for the 2015-16 school year. These schools have been told about this change.
The Board decided that 2 schools, Bluffdale and Riverside, will pilot an extended day schedule for the 2016-17 school year. Bluffdale was chosen because it is a smaller year round school, but not small enough to go traditional. Riverside was chosen because it is a large traditional school, that is on the verge of needing to move to year round.
The Board will decide on Tuesday, January 27 whether Butterfield Canyon and Herriman Elementary will move to a traditional schedule for the short term, a minimum of two years. The Board is split on this issue. Parents want to go traditional, even if only for two years, while teachers want to stay year round. From discussions, if these schools go traditional for 2015-16, that schedule could be guaranteed for two years. At that point, an extended day schedule may be needed to keep these schools on a traditional calendar.
Alpine District has been utilizing the extended day model for about 30 years. Jordan District started year round in 1985, or 30 years ago. Alpine opted for extended day to avoid year round. Both models increase the capacity of the building.
Year round increases the capacity of a school from 25-33%, depending on the number of classes per grade that are rotating classrooms. Increased costs come in paying utilities all year and increased pay for administrators and cafeteria staff. There are also busing costs for more days per year.
Extended day increases the capacity of a school from 10-15%. Class size ratios are higher. For instance, Jordan uses 27 as the number of students for sixth grade. Extended day would use 32 students for sixth grade. This varies by elementary grade level, and as now, there is not a top limit to that class size. There are increased costs of paying teachers 13% more for working approximately an hour more per day (roughly equivalent to a secondary teacher being paid to work their prep hour). Also, there are additional busing runs daily. The Alpine model has four specialists per school in the middle of the day giving teachers 30 minutes of prep time per day. Another additional cost.
Year round teaching day is 20 minutes longer than a traditional day, but 10 days shorter than a traditional year. Extended teaching day is 60 minutes longer than a traditional day with the same number of days and breaks as other traditional schools in Jordan District. Jordan currently has 40 minutes for lunch, while Alpine extended day allows 35 minutes for lunch.
The Board has directed district staff to come up with an exact plan and budget for what extended day would look like in Jordan. While they will use Alpine as a basis of where to start, I'm sure there will be changes for Jordan.
Teachers will need to look at all their options and consider whether they are interested in the extended day with additional teaching time for additional pay, 75 minutes with half the class at the beginning and end of the day, and being on a traditional calendar, or whether they want to stay in a year round or traditional day school. The Elementary Teacher Transfer Fair is Monday, March 30 at Rose Creek Elementary.
One of my biggest concerns, which is likely why Jordan went year round rather than extended day 30 years ago, is the costs. Any additional costs come out of the same maintenance and operations budget that salaries, benefits, classroom supplies, and technology needs come out of. Looking at the very big picture, I do not want to sacrifice steps, lanes, and other benefits for employees to meeting extended day cost needs.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Year Round Committee
The Year Round Committee met yesterday afternoon. We discussed the problems with having a 3-track parent teacher conference last year. The main concern was parking, but with scheduled conferences, parking did not turn out to be an issue. We will be discussing conference dates for the 2012-2013 year at our next meeting.
Transitioning from year round to traditional was also discussed.
Transitioning from year round to traditional was also discussed.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
DAC - September 2011
The District Advisory Committee met last evening. We discussed the results of the high school parent teacher conference survey from last spring. DAC will be looking at options for restructuring HS PTC.
I am going to be on a committee to evaluate the transfer, placement, and hiring process.
The year round to traditional pay issues was discussed again. Kyle Hansen, HR Director of Licensed Recruitment, is going to find out how many elementary teachers leave prior to the end of November in order to determine the cost of allowing teachers who move from a YR to a traditional schedule to stay on their 12-month YR pay schedule.
The law surrounding Legislative Supply Money states that "a teacher on salary schedule steps one through three teaching in grade . . .", which poses a problem since we have not had steps two of the last three years. John Larsen in Accounting said the state distributes the money based on CACTUS, which shows years of service, not step placement, so the District will distribute the money based on years also.
If an issue is not being resolved by your SAC, and it is an issue being faced by most schools throughout the District, let me know so I can bring that issue to DAC.
I am going to be on a committee to evaluate the transfer, placement, and hiring process.
The year round to traditional pay issues was discussed again. Kyle Hansen, HR Director of Licensed Recruitment, is going to find out how many elementary teachers leave prior to the end of November in order to determine the cost of allowing teachers who move from a YR to a traditional schedule to stay on their 12-month YR pay schedule.
The law surrounding Legislative Supply Money states that "a teacher on salary schedule steps one through three teaching in grade . . .", which poses a problem since we have not had steps two of the last three years. John Larsen in Accounting said the state distributes the money based on CACTUS, which shows years of service, not step placement, so the District will distribute the money based on years also.
If an issue is not being resolved by your SAC, and it is an issue being faced by most schools throughout the District, let me know so I can bring that issue to DAC.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Legislative Council (AR) Meeting
Last evening was the monthly JEA Legislative Council meeting. AR's were notified of a Death Benefit that will be withdrawn from your October paycheck. Craig Peterson, a teacher and JEA member at Jordan Hills, passed away in August. He was part of the JEA Death Benefit program. All teachers enrolled in the program at the time of his passing will have $4 deducted from their October paycheck. A check for almost $1700 was given to his widow and the deductions will replenish the account.
Several building concerns from elementary, particularly year round, schools were asked. During the 2009-2010 negotiations, the 9 hours of pay for track on days planning was rolled into salary. You are being paid, you just don't have to track your hours. You are expected to put in the 9 hours over the 3-4 track change days. Teachers who move rooms are still paid $100 when they track on. If this is not happening, talk to your school secretary.
Options for holding PLCs were discussed.
There is no policy on the placement of students needing special services. Some teachers have an overload of Resource, Speech, or ESL students. One way some principals even in year round schools have handled this is to place all of those students first and then place all other students, distributing evenly those with special needs.
Class sizes in a grade can begin the year up to 5 different, i.e. one class of 20 and one class of 25. Once school starts and students move in, they should go to the smaller class, but keeping siblings on the same track may mean that some classes have more than a 5 student differential.
Special service providers (Resource, Speech, Guidance, etc.) being part of duty rotations and committees was questioned. This is done on a school by school basis at the principal's discretion. One suggestion was that these faculty members take duty the first two and the last two weeks of the year when they are not servicing students.
The report cards for all grades have been finalized for this year. K-5 have new Language Arts standards tied to the Common Core. One AR pointed out that there is no Independent Reading. Another school is doing Independent Reading for the Ken Garff Road to Success Program. The "Language Components" should not be on the sixth grade report card, so the sixth grade teachers should mark N/A on all three terms for "Language Components". The sixth grade Math standards changed to match the Common Core. Other changes include more accurate descriptors of Social Studies and Science topics and Guided Reading Level benchmarks for each grading term.
We watched a video on the Early Years of NEA. It pointed out how NEA was inclusive of women and minorities in the late 1800's, but then later laws prohibited that inclusion.
We review Sick, Personal, Alternative, and Bereavement Leave. If you ever had a question about what qualifies, you can check the policy online or contact JEA. We can help you through any of these leave benefits.
AR's reflected on their membership goals and made new ones for October. Debbie Brown won the drawing for AR's who recruited the last 25 new members.
AR's were asked to set up a JEA e-mail list for members in their building and to provide me with contact information on one parent willing to serve on UEA's Parents for Neighborhood Schools.
I showed AR's the MyDeals app available for Android and iPhone. You need your membership number for it to work. If you cannot find your membership card, just let me know, and I will send it to you.
Thanks to all the AR's who attended the meeting.
Several building concerns from elementary, particularly year round, schools were asked. During the 2009-2010 negotiations, the 9 hours of pay for track on days planning was rolled into salary. You are being paid, you just don't have to track your hours. You are expected to put in the 9 hours over the 3-4 track change days. Teachers who move rooms are still paid $100 when they track on. If this is not happening, talk to your school secretary.
Options for holding PLCs were discussed.
There is no policy on the placement of students needing special services. Some teachers have an overload of Resource, Speech, or ESL students. One way some principals even in year round schools have handled this is to place all of those students first and then place all other students, distributing evenly those with special needs.
Class sizes in a grade can begin the year up to 5 different, i.e. one class of 20 and one class of 25. Once school starts and students move in, they should go to the smaller class, but keeping siblings on the same track may mean that some classes have more than a 5 student differential.
Special service providers (Resource, Speech, Guidance, etc.) being part of duty rotations and committees was questioned. This is done on a school by school basis at the principal's discretion. One suggestion was that these faculty members take duty the first two and the last two weeks of the year when they are not servicing students.
The report cards for all grades have been finalized for this year. K-5 have new Language Arts standards tied to the Common Core. One AR pointed out that there is no Independent Reading. Another school is doing Independent Reading for the Ken Garff Road to Success Program. The "Language Components" should not be on the sixth grade report card, so the sixth grade teachers should mark N/A on all three terms for "Language Components". The sixth grade Math standards changed to match the Common Core. Other changes include more accurate descriptors of Social Studies and Science topics and Guided Reading Level benchmarks for each grading term.
We watched a video on the Early Years of NEA. It pointed out how NEA was inclusive of women and minorities in the late 1800's, but then later laws prohibited that inclusion.
We review Sick, Personal, Alternative, and Bereavement Leave. If you ever had a question about what qualifies, you can check the policy online or contact JEA. We can help you through any of these leave benefits.
AR's reflected on their membership goals and made new ones for October. Debbie Brown won the drawing for AR's who recruited the last 25 new members.
AR's were asked to set up a JEA e-mail list for members in their building and to provide me with contact information on one parent willing to serve on UEA's Parents for Neighborhood Schools.
I showed AR's the MyDeals app available for Android and iPhone. You need your membership number for it to work. If you cannot find your membership card, just let me know, and I will send it to you.
Thanks to all the AR's who attended the meeting.
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