Vol. 4, April 2005

The Professional

A Publication of the Minnetonka Teachers Association

Members of Education Minnesota, NEA, AFT, Minnesota Local #7173

http://www.minnetonkateachers.org

Editor, Mary Tingblad, mary.tingblad@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

MM-West, 6421 Hazeltine Blvd., Excelsior, MN 55331

2004-2005 Minnetonka Teachers Association Governance Board

~ President Joseph Ricke ~ Vice President Jan Nelson ~

~ Secretary Mary Tingblad ~ Treasurer Melanie Casiday ~

~ DEC Linda Morantez ~ Deephaven Margaret Ruffino~ Groveland Pam Wertjes ~

~ Excelsior Sara Macke ~ Minnewashta Melanie Casiday ~

~ Clear Springs OPEN ~ Scenic Heights Anita Britton ~

~ MM-East Sandy Gosen & Rhonda Lundgren ~

~ MM-West Mary Tingblad & Jeri Goodspeed-Gross ~

~ MHS Doug Kennedy, Mike Cutshall, Miles Mortensen & Jean Peebles ~

~~ From the President ~~

MTA President, Joseph Ricke, joseph.ricke@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

Greetings! I am glad that the cold days of winter are behind us, just as the cold realities of Cost Containment are now not quite as chilling—fewer teachers are losing jobs. Other teachers and I will have job changes and new challenges for which we must adapt and acquire new job skills. This means looking at the future with some degree of uncertainty, but with the realization that we will look forward to doing our best and making the best out of what looks like questionable decisions by the administration.

What’s in a union? I have often thought that the two primary reasons for having a union rest with progressively working to improve working conditions and to establish fair and equitable wages. The primary product of our union is a negotiated contract. This contract is acted on through collaborative discussions and a very effective Teachers’ Rights process. The MTA leadership works daily to achieve mutual agreement to very challenging circumstances.

Yet the real value and power of our union rests in the unified support for each other as we face conditions and issues that detract from our effectiveness as teachers and demean us as professionals. This year, we have had many such conditions and issues, which have impacted our time for preparedness as teachers and have imposed upon our own personal time. As it seems fewer and fewer decisions are made with our input or collaboration, more and more factors are imposed upon us with the net affect of making the teaching day more stressful.

I believe it is time that we unite in principle to support each other verbally and physically. This will mean that the building meetings are well attended and that people are well versed in what is happening and to whom. This means that the School Board meetings are will attended and that Dr. Peterson and the School Board are informed of our concerns and impact on teaching and learning. This means that we reinforce open and respectful discussion with emphasis on shared decision-making. This also means that members are actively involved in the union, not just looking to see what has the MTA done for me lately, but what have I done within the MTA lately.

Not having the 0.4 FTE release time has been somewhat stressful, but the MTA leadership team is effectively addressing pressing issues and is maintaining a positive presence and relationship with the district administration. We will continue to do our best to advocate for your work conditions and adherence to the contract.

~~ From the Vice-President ~~

MTA Vice-President, Jan Nelson, jan.nelson@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

Hilary Clinton in Minneapolis! The annual Hubert Humphrey Day Dinner, sponsored by the Democratic Party, took place Saturday, April 9, 2005. It was a gala affair with about 2,000 people in attendance. I was fortunate enough to be the guest of Education Minnesota and was seated just two tables from the front of the podium. I had a great view of the featured speaker, Senator Hilary Clinton, from New York. What a dynamic speaker! I had heard her speak at the NEA-Representative Assembly last summer in Washington, D.C., and was thrilled to be able to see and hear her again.

Senator Clinton expressed the need for the Democratic Party to take back its voice in Washington. She expressed how the absence of Paul Wellstone has left an empty space in Washington. She said he was an eloquent voice for America. Senator Clinton also praised Senator Mark Dayton for stepping up to the plate after Wellstone died.

The present leadership in our great country is in need of some revamping, according to Senator Clinton. She feels that we are turning back the clock instead of moving forward, and she is very worried about our country. She cited the price of gas, Social Security, and the No Child Left Behind Act as areas that are putting America into a difficult period in history. She asked the question, “Is what they are doing in Washington good for kids?”

Although Senator Clinton did not total commit to running for President in the future, she did not deny it when she was introduced as possibly the first woman to become the President of the United States.

~~ 2005-2006 MTA Governance Board ~~

The MTA Governance Board will have its Reorganization Meeting on May 4, 2005. This important meeting is to celebrate the work of the current Governance Board, and to welcome the incoming Governance Board. Please take time to thank the current members whose terms end on May 4th: Linda Morantez (DEC), Mike Cutshall (MHS), and Miles Mortensen (MHS).

Congratulations to the members whose terms will continue or begin on May 4th: Susan Weber (DEC, new), Margaret Ruffino (Deephaven), Pam Wertjes (Groveland), Sara Macke (Excelsior), Melanie Casiday (Minnewashta), Anita Britton (Scenic Heights), Rhonda Lundgren (MM-East), Sandy Gosen (MM-East), Mary Tingblad (MM-West), Doug Kennedy (MHS), Jean Peebles (MHS), Rachel Consdorf (MHS, new), and Ramona Anderson (MHS, new).

~~ Report of the Election Committee ~~

April 7, 2005

Minnetonka Teachers Association

Election for Delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly 2005

Number of qualified voters: 546

Number of legal ballots cast: 207

Number of illegal ballots rejected: 1

Number of votes for Jan Nelson: 126

Number of votes for Greg Reinhiller: 99

Number of votes for Mary Tingblad: 153

Individual Building Results:

Clear Springs: 24 (Nelson) 18 (Reinhiller) 6 (Tingblad) 20

Deephaven: 21 (Nelson) 19 (Reinhiller) 2 (Tingblad) 20

DEC: 7 (Nelson) 2 (Reinhiller) 6 (Tingblad) 4

Excelsior: 16 (Nelson) 10 (Reinhiller) 6 (Tingblad) 14

Groveland: 21 (Nelson) 10 (Reinhiller) 6 (Tingblad) 17

Minnewashta: 17 (Nelson) 16 (Reinhiller) 16 (Tingblad) 2

Scenic Heights: 10 (Nelson) 7 (Reinhiller) 4 (Tingblad) 8

MM-East: 28 (Nelson) 7 (Reinhiller) 27 (Tingblad) 16

MM-West: 33 (Nelson) 12 (Reinhiller) 14 (Tingblad) 32

MHS: 30 (Nelson) 25 (Reinhiller) 12 (Tingblad) 20

Jan Nelson and Mary Tingblad will join MTA President Joseph Ricke as delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly 2005.

Respectfully submitted,

On behalf of the MTA Election Committee

Pam Wertjes and Margaret Ruffino

April 7, 2005

~~ A Note From the Negotiators ~~

MTA Negotiator, Anita Britton, anita.britton@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

We finally have a date for our training in Interest Based Bargaining! We will be meeting with the district negotiators on April 25, 2005, to be trained by the Bureau of Mediation Services in this format of negotiating. The Bureau of Mediation Services is run by the state and works with contracts for public employees. We are open to the process at this point and we look forward to learning more as we navigate through negotiations.

Several of us have attended the monthly Metro Area Council meetings to learn about the progress made by other districts in our area. At this time, few have settled and many are facing similar cost containment issues. These meetings also help inform us about contract issues and how they are solved in other districts. The information we learn can help us to solve similar issues if they should arise in our negotiating process.

The Negotiations Council has been meeting with us to identify contract language improvements and issues brought about by the January membership survey. Issues identified from your responses include salary increases, improved benefit packages, language on leaves, and time (for preparation, added responsibilities, student contact, etc.). As always, we greatly appreciate your support and encouragement as we try to negotiate the best possible contract for 2005-2007!

~~ Contract Administration Update ~~

MTA Negotiator, Mike Cutshall, mike.cutshall@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

We met on April 13, 2005. The following items were discussed:

· Status of subcommittees

o 2006-07 Calendar Committee (we have three Governance Board members serving on this committee)

o Alternative Compensation

o Group Performance

o TIP

· Issues surrounding IB

o MTA has given a proposal to Mike Lovett regarding some compensation for blended classes.

· Transfer process

· Reassignment of teachers outside of their categories

· Summer pay for Mini School and ECSE

There were so many loose ends at the end of the meeting that we have scheduled a meeting for this Friday, April 22, 2005, to wrap up some of the issues.

~~ Membership Information Reminder ~~

MTA Membership Chair, Mary Kay Burmesch, marykay.burmesch@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

Please contact Mary Kay Burmesch at any time during the year whenever your information changes—name change, address change, phone number change, or contract time change. It’s important to keep your membership information updated. Thank you!