15-B Insider - September 2002

WELCOME BACK or WELCOME!

We are underway with a new school year. By now, most students and returning staff are glad to be back at school – although it is hard to let go of summer! This could be your first year as a school employee and, if so, we hope it is an exciting and rewarding experience for you. Learning usually involves work, and it can be fun. This is an exciting time of year for children. To me it is like spring where everything seems to begin anew. Perhaps that child who had a tough year last year deserves a fresh start, and we need to be careful not to dash his/her fragile psyche. It is your job, whether you are the food service worker, classroom teacher, custodian, bus driver, classroom teacher assistant, playground aide or school secretary, to provide quality services for each of the children that you work with/for. You really cannot afford to give less than your very best. You would certainly expect the same for yourself if you were a student or for your own children or grandchildren.

As a way of introduction, my name is Roger Hopkins. My title is Uniserv Director, and I work for and with you and your local association, as well as for our State and national organizations. This is my 10^th year in this position. Before that I spent 28 years as a classroom teacher. Judy Pullen is our 15-B secretary. This is her 6^th year in her position. She is the person who often helps you get answers to your questions when you call our office, or helps put you in touch with people who may be able to help you. We are very fortunate to have Judy as our secretary. Our address and phone numbers are on the top of this page. We also have an award-winning web page designed to help you do what you do at work. It gets a lot of visits from our members as well as other members around the state. Our Webmaster, Jim Neff, is a retired English teacher and is constantly updating the site. You will find that he is very open to questions and suggestions. This publication, the 15-B Insider, is published each month throughout the school year with the exception of April. We do our best to make it informative, relevant, and thought provoking.

BARGAINING UPDATE

Settled: Cadillac ESP settled their contract for two (2) years.

Bargaining 2002-03: Evart EA, Evart ESP, Evart Transportation Professionals, McBain EA & McBain ESP.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

September 11: ABC (Area Bargaining Council) meeting – Big Rapids; 5:30 p.m.

September 19: President’s Workshop – MEA office; 5:45 p.m.

September 26: Paraprofessional Representative Meeting – MEA office; 5:30 p.m.

October :1 New Member Orientation Meeting – time and location to be announced.

October 3: Mentor Teacher Workshop – MEA office

October 8: Coordinating Council Meeting – MEA office; 7:07 p.m.

CHILD PROTECTION LAW

Persons required to report abuse or neglect (school counselors or teachers) shall make immediately, by telephone or otherwise, an oral report, or cause an oral report to be made. According to this law, it is your responsibility, not your supervisor’s, to report any instance of suspected child abuse or neglect. Failure to do so makes you civilly liable for damages proximately caused by the failure, as well as it may result in being found guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both. Your identity is confidential, and you need to only have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect. If you act in good faith, you will be immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred by that action.

ESEA TITLE 1-A

Grant Information - Please note: Most of the data used to calculate these estimated grants will be revised before actual grants are made. These are government estimates. However, it does give us a glimpse of what kind of money your district receives from the Federal government for Title 1.

District	2001	2002
Cadillac	$803,000	$917,000
Evart	$346,000	412,000
Manton	$257,000	$296,000
Marion	$257,000	$293,000
McBain	$230,000	$265,000
Mesick	$219,000	$260,000
Pine River	$417,000	$499,000

VACANCIES

When you apply for a job, in most cases you are disappointed if you do not get it. You have taken a risk that can very well end up leaving you with a feeling of rejection. Employers are also taking a risk when they let you leave your position because, after all, they have to find someone as good as you to fill that position. I actually encountered one Superintendent who had a part-time music teacher apply for a full-time position. He didn’t want to give her full-time employment because he didn’t know whom he could find to fill the part-time music position. Some of us, both employers and employees, are better risk takers than others. In most cases, you honestly believe that you would do an excellent job and that you are the best candidate for the position. However, this certainly does not mean that you will get the job. Let’s examine some realities. Many times the employer has someone in mind for the position before they post the vacancy. Sometimes the employer actually recruits or encourages individuals to apply. What the employer envisions the job to be and what you have in mind are not always the same. The employer may not want you to vacate your position because you are very good in that position, and he/she may feel that they have the right to place employees where they want them. Perhaps you have over-estimated your abilities to fill a position. And, of course, the employer does the hiring. There just are not many contracts that say the job will be yours if you apply. I believe some of our better employers have taken risks and used the posting process to allow their employees to take risks, and they both ended up winners. Staff morale is much higher in this type of work environment. Other employers have played games with the posting process and tried not to post a job, agonized about posting, or etc. We actually had one employer encourage an employee to apply for a position and then, a few days later, asked that employee to withdraw his/her application. I wish you the best of luck if you do take the risk and apply. Perhaps your employer will also take the risk and hire you. If not, realize there are many factors involved - and don’t become discouraged. Remember: "If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed!!"

CASH FOR KIDS

Yes, it is that time of the year again – time to get involved!! We are offering lots of exciting incentives for anyone making a contribution this year, whether $1 or $100 or more! Every decision about public education, from textbooks to transportation to your health care benefits to your retirement is a political decision. Your participation in Cash for Kids helps elect officials who support our issues. Your contribution maintains and strengthens your influence in the political system! The stakes are too high for any of us to sit on the sidelines.