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Governance Board Meeting, October 22, 2003 | |
| In Attendance: | Mark Chalupsky, Julie Anderson-Simonson, Mary Tingblad, Joseph Ricke, Linda Morantez, Margaret Ruffino, Pam Wertjes, Mark Broten, Melanie Casiday, Debra Jensen, Katie Tuthill, Mark Brzezinski, Jeri Goodspeed-Gross, Jan Nelson, Mike Cutshall, Miles Mortensen. |
| Absent: | Sandy Gosen. |
| Guests: | Anita Otten, Teachers Rights Co-Chair. |
| Call to Order: | 4:56 p.m., by President Chalupsky. |
| Approval of Minutes: | Motion by Ruffino, seconded by Casiday, to approve the minutes of October 1, October 6, and October 14, 2003. Motion carried. |
| Teachers' Rights Report: | The Teachers' Rights Co-Chairs will
meet with Dennis Peterson and Mike Lovett on October 29, 2003. They will
discuss the district's plans for "Responsive Classroom." In the
past, principals have asked teachers to give up one week in the summer,
without a stipend, for training.
The Teachers' Rights Co-Chairs will also schedule a meeting with a principal to discuss the principal's action of changing Incomplete final grades to letter grades without consulting the teachers of those classes. The Teachers' Rights Co-Chairs have been invited to meet with all the principals on November 19, 2003. President Chalupsky assigned homework for the Building Representatives. Each is to ask his/her principal for a copy of the building's written policy on grading. Bring whatever is given and also write down the principals' responses. This assignment is due at the next Governance Board meeting. |
| Treasurer's Report: | Treasurer Ricke distributed the MTA Monthly Budget Statement, dated October 21, 2003. It was noted that the Calendar Committee Representative is not in the current budget, so should be deleted from the report. Treasurer Ricke received a clean audit report from the auditor. The MTA began the 2003-04 year with approximately $25,000 in reserves. |
| New Business: | Ratification of Proposed Contract:
See Report of the Election Committee. MTA members voted to
ratify the 2003-2005 Master Agreement. Motion by Goodspeed-Gross,
seconded by Tuthill, to accept the Report of the Election Committee. Motion
carried.
Possible Language Change in Constitution/Bylaws: Currently, the MTA Bylaws (Section VII, Paragraph 1, 1.6) state, "Ratification of the Master Agreement requires the approval of a simple majority of the membership." This means that for each member who doesn't vote, it is counted as a "no" vote. Motion by Tingblad, seconded by Broten, that the Section VII, Paragraph 1, 1.6, of the MTA Bylaws, be amended to state, "Ratification of the Master Agreement requires the approval of a simple majority of the members who have voted." Motion carried. Building Representatives are asked to hold building-level meetings with their members to discuss this amendment before the next Governance Board meeting. Math Nights: The Math committee, under the direction of two principals, is proposing "Math Night." Teachers may be asked, without compensation, to come back to school in the evenings to set up and run "Math Night" in the schools. Teachers are concerned that the district asks teachers to do more without compensation. This issue will be discussed at Meet and Confer and Contract Administration meetings. President Chalupsky will also discuss this with Craig Hintz. Negotiators' Request: The MTA Negotiators request that, in the future, the MTA Governance Board consider purchasing a laptop computer to be used by the MTA Negotiating team while negotiating. |
| President's Remarks: | CEU Technology:
Minnetonka and Hopkins are the two districts in Minnesota that have this
program for automated tracking of CEU's. Everything is done online.
Teachers will need to complete the online forms to be submitted during the
same year that the CEU is completed, rather than waiting until the fifth
year when the license is expiring.
Grading Issues: The Teachers' Rights Co-Chairs will address this. See Teachers' Rights report above. Education Minnesota Elections: The MTA is allowed to send seven delegates to the Education Minnesota Representative Convention in St. Paul, MN, March 19-20, 2004. President Chalupsky, by virtue of office, will attend. The MTA members will vote for the remaining six delegates. The MTA Election Committee will set the election date. Administrative Evaluation: President Chalupsky has met with Craig Hintz to discuss the MTA's interest in evaluating administrators. Hintz is in favor of the district and the MTA collaborating on this. President Chalupsky will be meeting monthly with Hintz, and has invited him to address the Governance Board. Alternative Compensation Conference: President Chalupsky, Vice-President Anderson-Simonson, and Negotiator Ricke will attend the Alternative Compensation Conference in Chicago, IL, November 20-21, 2003. The district soon will be setting up a committee to determine what is a "distinguished teacher." Appreciation Gift for Chuck Kehrberg: Kehrberg has been an extremely helpful and valuable addition to the MTA Negotiations Team, at no cost to the MTA. Education Minnesota has paid for our use of Kehrberg while negotiating this contract, as well as the last contract. Motion by Jensen, seconded by Ruffino, that the MTA give a $100 restaurant gift certificate to Kehrberg, in appreciation of his services. Motion carried. Motion by Nelson, seconded by Casiday, that the MTA also give $100 restaurant gift certificates to Negotiators Ricke and Cutshall, and President Chalupsky ($300 total). Motion carried. |
| School Board Report: | At the October 2, 2003, School Board meeting, Minnewashta Elementary School reported on the Technology Immersion Project. The School Board discussed Vision and the Strategic Plan, approved the Annual Report, adopted the Graduation Requirements Policy, and repealed the Policy on Profiles of Learning Requirements. The School Board also approved the Proclamation of American Education Week, November 16-22, 2003. |
| Motion by Broten, seconded by Nelson, to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m. | |
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Respectfully submitted, | |