Working next week is optional---your choice. There are no scheduled work days next week. But there is plenty of work to do if you wish, and some optional PD…….
· Next week’s teacher work days,
Tuesday through
Thursday (
Aug 25,26,27) are
not scheduled work days for NESPA members (except for Nurses, Mental Health Specs, Deans, and Truancy Spec who may be working). These are unpaid days, unless you use your optional Professional Hours. Except for the job titles mentioned earlier, 15 Professional Hours are designated for before the start of school; if you don’t use these 15 Professional Hours before school (which can be on these days or anytime from August 1 forward each year) you lose them, unless your Principal has not scheduled 7.5 hours and then 7.5 are carried forward for building-based activities during the school year. More info on pages 6 and 7 of your Collective Bargaining Agreement.
www.nespablog.blogspot.com
· You can also use any of your 40 Professional Hours before the first school day and through the school year, from August 1 to July 31 each year. Everyone gets these 40 hours, no matter if you work a few hours per week or 40 hours per week. Thus, you can work all 3 days next week, with the teachers, using your professional hours, if you wish.
· Teachers will be getting 4 hours of training in Digital Citizenship on one of the 3 non-student days next week. This training is OPTIONAL for all NESPA members, as we confirmed this morning with Deputy Superintendent Carolyn O'Keeffe. The District will also be offering it as OPTIONAL training in a short (about one hour) segment in September or October, and will make a one hour video. Feel free to attend the training, but know that it is your decision to make.
· The first school day, and the first scheduled work day for NESPA members (except for the job titles mentioned above) is WEDNESDAY, SEPT 2. There are 3 days of school that week—Wed, Thurs, Fri.
· On the second day of school, THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, teachers and NESPA staff will meet for the BIG START-OF-SCHOOL meeting at 4:30 at the Woodinville High School Gym. Put it on your calendar, and be there to VOTE and to find out how teachers and NESPA staff will work together this year to improve our work and schools.
· NESPA staff (except the job titles mentioned above) are not scheduled to work on ANY non-student days this coming year. In addition to the 3 non-student days before school, there are 2 non-student GRADING DAYS for teachers, at the end of first and second semesters. These are not work days for NESPA staff, though you can work using your professional hours if you wish.
· Our 2013-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement remains in effect until our negotiations are concluded. We have all of our contractual rights, opportunities, and duties. We are not “working without a contract.” Our old contract continues.
· Did your NESPA staff (and NEOPA—office staff) elect your representative to your school’s Leadership Team? This is important. The election is run by the NESPA Building Communicator and the NEOPA Building Rep (not by the Principal). Details on page 60 of your contract.
www.nespablog.blogspot.com Your elected rep to your school’s Leadership Team (or your NESPA Building Communicator, if there is not a Leadership Team rep yet) schedule, with the Principal,
the four or more early release NESPA meetings at each school. Details on page 61.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Our conversation will be confidential, unless you ask me to take it further. See you soon!
Kraig Peck
WEA Staffperson for NESPA and NSEA
