MAY 2018
Reminder: Wear your red SEA tee shirts tomorrow & every Wednesday in support of the bargain! Red for Ed!

An Important Opportunity For Seattle 

Our contracts set not just the conditions for our work as educators, but also set learning conditions for our students. As we open negotiations on new contracts for certificated, paraprofessional and office staff, we have the opportunity to build on our work to raise investment in racial equity, collaboration between educators, and effective teaching, learning, and family support.
 
Additionally, our bargaining this year all across Washington is also about ensuring that the Supreme Court's McCleary decision, which forced the legislature to finally invest in educator compensation, does not instead merely fill school district reserves or get diverted into secondary priorities. We have special urgency here in Seattle, with our skyrocketing cost of living, to significantly raise our pay.
 
While we have already been at the table with the District on special education, implementing 24 credits at the high school, and new approaches to professional growth and evaluation, we opened our "main" table this past week, and bargaining team members began sharing with the District some of our key interests and priorities:
 
"Compensation is a paramount issue for Seattle educators," said Daniel Gross, teacher at Roosevelt. "Every new generation educator struggles with the reality that we won't be able to live in the city where we work."
 
Celina Austin, special ed parapro at McGilvra, said "I don't have choices on where to live because everywhere is too expensive when you have children to care for. We need wages that support us and retain us."
 
"Staff are clearly interested and making time in their busy schedule to do racial equity work in official and unofficial ways," said Marquita Prinzing, Project Leader of the Seattle Education Association Center for Race and Equity. "We need to expand Race and Equity Teams and get support to the staff doing this critical work."
 
"Our hope is that all students have access to baseline social emotional learning," said David Bilides, Jane Addams MS counselor. "But that support is hard to come by when elementary counselors could be supporting 1,000 other students and the secondary tier is overwhelmed."
 
"All office professionals need professional development that allows us to walk into the building ready to go and with a strong foundation," said Elizabeth Ward, admin secretary at Rainier View Elementary and SAEOP president-elect.
 
"We need assistance if we are going to be successful with all of our students, " said Len Hill, teacher at Hawthorne. "We need more investment consider to help students, staff, and families when we initiate inclusion."
 
"We value Seattle's students and families, but we need to also show that same level of care and support for Seattle staff's families," said Jessica Torvik, teacher at Nathan Hale. "Our parental leave provisions are simply inadequate."
 
"Strong site based teams and healthy, collaborative processes develop buy-in and are an asset to administration," said Matt Baudhuin, teacher at Chief Sealth. "We need to protect and build our collaborative decision-making."
 
We expect to have six or more sessions by the end of June and will continue introducing and delving into these and many other interests and issues.
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Upcoming bylaws vote and sick leave provisions for substitutes vote

Your Association Representatives will be voting on two important matters at our next Representative Assembly on June 11.
 
SEA founded the Center for Race and Equity two years ago with an NEA grant. Now we need to establish a firm foundation for the future. SEA representatives will vote on a measure that would allow SEA to continue to have a CRE director who is an SEA member and educator.  Click here to view proposed bylaw change.
 
ARs will also vote on a Memorandum of Understanding negotiated with SPS that would establish new rights for sick leave use for substitutes consistent with new Washington state law. Click here to view MOU.

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>>>>> QUICK NOTES <<<<<
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Seattle Public Schools hiring curriculum writers for Ethnic Studies

SEA members have joined with community members and District leaders to push for the development of Ethnic Studies in our schools. SPS is now hiring Ethnic Studies curriculum writers:
 
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattleschools/jobs/2089446/ethnic-studies-curriculum-writer-stipend
  
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The school calendar for 2018-19 is posted! Click here to view.

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Don't miss out 
on breaking SEA text alerts: text SEATTLEEA  to 41411 to stay informed!
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SICK LEAVE REQUESTS

Thank you all for your generous donations to those who share their need for leave. 

Members can access the shared leave form to donate hours by clicking HERE. Forms can be submitted to HRLeaves@seattleschools.org or FAXED to 206-252-0021 or mailed to Seattle Public Schools, MS 33-380, PO Box 34165, Seattle, WA 98124-1165.
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Seattle Education Association
5501 4th Ave S, Ste 101
Seattle, WA 98108

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