Bargaining: Where we are and where we’re going

Award-Winning Newspaper of United Teachers Los Angeles • www.utla.net Volume XLVII, Number 4, December 22, 2017

Bargaining: Where we are and where we’re goingLatest on our healthcare and contract fight for the Schools LA Students Deserve.

Protecting healthcareWhere we started: For years before the

current bargaining began, internal and external forces were trying to shape the healthcare narrative to compel employees to accept cuts. LAUSD School Board member Nick Melvoin campaigned on a platform that said the employee healthcare package was in “crisis.” LAUSD officials sent an early warning letter to UTLA that current levels of coverage were unsustainable, and the LA Times and other mainstream media outlets took the tack in news pieces that solid healthcare coverage for teachers and other public employees was an unaffordable liability instead of the essential recruitment and retention incentives that it is.

At the first bargaining session with the LAUSD employee unions, district officials stated that they didn’t plan to continue funding healthcare at the current levels and pointed toward a package of cuts, in-cluding eliminating dependent healthcare coverage, making employees and retirees pay premiums, and providing full cover-age only for the lowest-cost plan.

Where we are now: The LAUSD employ-ee unions have stayed united at the table, and after UTLA escalated our organizing and member actions, including the Septem-ber 26 Big Red Tuesday and the October 11 Pickets for Power, there was a significant

started in April, the district has not moved significantly on key economic issues, nor any of the issues that will make our school district sustainable in the long run. Our current salary proposal is for a 6.5% ongoing salary increase, retroactive to July 2016. LAUSD has moved from an offer of a 2% one-time payment to a 2% ongoing increase. For specifics on pro-posals from both sides, see the side-by-side spread in the November UNITED TEACHER (archived online at utla.net). LAUSD has refused to bargain on a number of items, including our Common Good proposals, and overall has demonstrated a lack of vision in seizing this moment to take outside-the-box action to support our schools.

Next steps: Progress happened on health-care because we sent a clear message to the district that we have the capacity to take collective action. To win a contract agree-ment in 2018, we will continue to organize, build our school-site structures, and move toward strike readiness. A healthcare win would be an essential victory, but it must be paired with a full contract agreement that supports students, educators, and parents through smaller class sizes, increasing health and human services staffing, reducing over-testing and top-down mandates, instituting reasonable accountability for charter opera-tors at co-located schools, and giving teach-ers and parents a greater voice in school-site

breakthrough. On October 26, the district made a proposal to fund healthcare for dis-trict employees, retirees, and dependents at current levels for the next three years.

Next steps: UTLA and our labor partners continue to push for a path that ensures a reasonable healthcare reserve at the end of a new three-year agreement to mitigate future cost increases. The next bargaining session with LAUSD is January 10.

Winning a contract for the Schools LA Students Deserve

Where we started: UTLA presented LAUSD with a comprehensive package of proposals to improve the educational op-portunities of our students and to achieve the Schools LA Students Deserve. From increased salaries to lower class sizes, our proposals are essential to the sustainabil-ity of LAUSD by helping build a school system that addresses the loss of enroll-ment, attracts students, retains educators, and pushes back on privatization. In the course of negotiations, parents and com-munity groups joined us at the table to present “Bargaining for the Common Good” demands on affordable housing, expanding early education, supporting immigrant families, expanding green space at schools, and more.

Where we are now: Since bargaining

decisions. We build power in 2018 under the shadow of the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court case—a formidable threat to our ex-istence as a union and our ability to bargain a good contract. Read more on where we’re going in 2018 and the Janus case on page 11.

Snapshot look at 2017A year of activism for public education

Page 6

Critical citywide chapter chair meeting January 4

Important info and materials on healthcare, contract bargaining, and the anti-union Janus case will be distributed at a meeting for all UTLA chapter chairs on January 4. It’s criti-cal that every site be represented.

Contreras Learning Complex322 Lucas Ave.Los Angeles, 90027

Two sessions to choose from: 10 a.m. to noon2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Chapter chairs: If you can’t make it, please arrange for a desig-nee to attend.

Parents, students, and educators stand together for education.Page 5 for more

Faces of UTLA’s latest We Are Public Schools campaign

United Teacher • for the latest news: www.utla.net December 22, 2017

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President’s perspective

Our connections with each other make us strongBy Alex Caputo-Pearl UTLA President

I hope you are having a wonderful and restful winter break, filled with love, happiness, family, and friends. As the people working with our students every day and making great contributions to the city and to society, you deserve rest and rejuvenation.

2017 has been an eventful year, full of our members and our allies taking exciting action—please see the end-of-the-year review on pages 6 and 7 for some of the high points. 2018 will bring even more onto the stage.

The fires and smoke remind us

We don’t have to look too far back into 2017 to be reminded of the importance of our con-nections with each other, in schools and across schools, and the importance of our union to all of us. Very early in the morning on Tuesday, December 5, we started getting calls and texts from members who were at schools near the Creek fire in Sylmar and from even more schools that were affected dramatically by the air-quality issues resulting from the fire.

As I hustled to get across the San Fernando Valley, I had seen nothing like it—there was heavy smoke for miles. As I visited schools in the region, we redoubled our efforts to advocate to the district, the Air Quality Management District, and others that schools be closed immediately and people be allowed to stay indoors. When the Skirball fire erupted very early the following morning, it deeply affected schools that had already been subject to incredibly bad air quality emanating from the Creek fire.

Our union, in all its essential compo-nent parts, worked in this crisis. Members at school sites gave concrete information, photographs, and more that helped the advocacy of officers, area chairs, members of the board of directors, and staff as we pushed for schools to be shut down and later pushed for a full deep-cleaning of all impacted sites and for resources to get to our members in need.

District leadership should have re-sponded to the calls to shut the schools down more quickly, and we will make sure that this is remembered the next time we face a crisis like this. But, there were also many things the district did well. After weekend visits to schools that were being cleaned and on Monday, December 11, when officers visited 24 schools across the closure zones that were reopening for the first time in days, we found our members to be impressed with the cleanup. On that Monday

morning, when I visited and talked to chapter chairs and vice chairs—Aaron Peterson and Mark Woodhouse from Verdugo Hills High School, Krystal Wharton from Vinedale Elementary, Maria Zia and John Lucas from Lassen Elementary, Sue Crosby from Sepulveda Middle School, and Kim Uchida from Revere Middle School—it was incredibly helpful to get their assessments of the crisis, the district response, the cleanup, and more. Please see page 8 for an FAQ on issues related to the fires.

Our connections with each other and with our union make us stronger, whether regarding school issues, our healthcare, or responding to natural disasters like the fires and air quality.

Our strategy carries us into 2018Our strategy over the past few years

has been clear: • organize every school site to be

ready for action on school site and city-wide issues;

• build strong connections with parents and community on school issues and social justice issues;

• use our organized power to shape bargaining, politics, and elections; and

• communicate effectively to the public the real stories of our students and members and the real problems with the privatizers, the billionaires, and those in the district who aren’t willing to confront them.

This strategy has been effective over the past few years, and it was most re-cently effective in getting the district to move from trying to gut our healthcare to offering us a three-year agreement with no increased costs to members. While this is tremendous progress, we are pushing for the best possible agree-ment, and we continue healthcare ne-gotiations early next month.

Now, our strategy carries us into 2018.

We will continue building our Contract Action Teams (CATs) at every single school and escalate pressure on the dis-trict around salary, class size, staffing, charter operator accountability, Com-munity Schools, equity for underrep-resented groups, and respect for our profession, through addressing overtest-ing, lack of support for school discipline, and lack of decision-making power for educators and parents at schools. The district continues to be unresponsive to our contract proposals, and we’ve got

to increase the public pressure.In 2018, we will deepen our

20 x 20 campaign—$20,000 per student in school funding by the year 2020—which continues to capture people’s imagination across the state. Just in the past few days, two steps forward were achieved. On December 15, the statewide, community-labor Make It Fair coalition for-mally filed for an initiative to be on the ballot in November 2018 (UTLA has been on Make It Fair’s steering committee for three years). If approved by state voters, the initiative would close the loophole that the wealthiest commercial property owners have been jumping through, tax-free, for decades—to the tune of bringing an additional $10 billion into the state budget for schools and social services.

And, our community and parent partners in Reclaim Our

Schools LA moved us forward a great deal. After sending a letter in November to a variety of billionaires in Los Angeles who have been funding the privatiza-tion of public schools, and after showing up to privatizer-ally Ref Rodriguez’s court date on December 13 to reiterate the call for his resignation, these parent and community leaders showed up at the offices of billionaires on December 19 to get a response to their November letter. The questions they posed were simple. Why are you funding opportuni-ties for some students, but not all? Why are you privatizing and segmenting our schools instead of fighting to fund all of them appropriately? Will you take on the real crisis in California public education, which is being 46th out of 50 among the states in per-pupil funding? They let the billionaires know that if they’re not willing to do that, they need to be prepared to be called out. This is exciting grassroots action.

In 2018, we will also be prepared for what the Supreme Court, fresh off Donald Trump having appointed the swing vote, will give us in June: a deci-sion on Janus v. AFSCME. This case has been funded by a collection of right-wing, anti-union, pro-privatization forces, and it overturns decades of estab-lished law. It directly undermines unions

(continued on next page)

Checking on the fire cleanup at Verdugo Hills High School on Decem-ber 11 with chapter leaders Mark Woodhouse and Aaron Peterson.

United Teacher PRESIDENT Alex Caputo-Pearl NEA AFFILIATE VP Cecily Myart-Cruz AFT AFFILIATE VP Juan Ramirez ELEMENTARY VP Gloria Martinez SECONDARY VP Daniel Barnhart TREASURER Alex Orozco SECRETARY Arlene Inouye

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jeff Good

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNORTH AREA: Karla Griego, Chair (Buchanan ES),

Mark Ramos (Contreras LC), Rebecca Solomon (RFK UCLA Comm. School), Julie Van Winkle (LOOC Liason)

SOUTH AREA: Maria Miranda, Chair (Miramonte ES), Ayde Bravo (Maywood ES), L. Cynthia Matthews

(McKinley ES), Karen Ticer-Leon (Tweedy ES)

EAST AREA: Adrian Tamayo, Chair (Lorena ES), Ingrid Gunnell (Salary Point Advisor), Erica Huerta

(Garfield HS), Gillian Russom (Roosevelt HS)

WEST AREA: Erika Jones Crawford, Chair (CTA Director), Georgia Flowers Lee (Saturn ES), Noah Lippe-Klein

(Dorsey HS), Larry Shoham (Hamilton HS)

CENTRAL AREA: José Lara, Chair (Santee EC), Kelly Flores (Hawkins HS), Tomas Flores (West Vernon ES), Claudia Rodriquez (49th Street)

VALLEY EAST AREA: Scott Mandel, Chair (Pacoima Magnet), Victoria Casas (Beachy ES), Mel House (Elementary P.E.), Hector Perez-Roman (Arleta HS)

VALLEY WEST AREA: Bruce Newborn, Chair (Hale Charter), Melodie Bitter (Lorne ES), Wendi Davis

(Henry MS), Javier Romo (Mulholland MS)

HARBOR AREA: Steve Seal, Chair (Eshelman ES), Karen Macias-Lutz (Del Amo ES), Jennifer McAfee

(Dodson MS), Elgin Scott (Taper ES)

ADULT & OCCUP ED: Matthew Kogan (Evans CAS)

BILINGUAL EDUCATION: Cheryl L. Ortega (Sub Unit)

EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: Corina Gomez (Pacoima EEC)

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: Mallorie Evans (Marlton Spec Ed)

SPECIAL ED: Lucia Arias (Knollwood ES)

SUBSTITUTES: Benny Madera

PACE CHAIR: Marco Flores

UTLA RETIRED: John Perez

AFFILIATIONS American Federation of Teachers National Education Association

STATE & NATIONAL OFFICERSCFT PRESIDENT: Joshua Pechthalt

CTA PRESIDENT: Eric Heins CTA DIRECTOR: Erika Jones Crawford

CFT VICE PRESIDENT: Juan Ramirez NEA PRESIDENT: Lily Eskelsen Garcia AFT PRESIDENT: Randi Weingarten

NEA DIRECTOR: Mel House

UTLA COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Alex Caputo-Pearl

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Anna BakalisCOMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS: Kim Turner,

Carolina Barreiro, Tammy Lyn Gann, Pablo SerranoADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Laura Aldana

EDITORIAL INFORMATIONUNITED TEACHER

3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Fl., LA, CA 90010Email: [email protected] main line: 213-487-5560

ADVERTISINGSenders Communications Group

Brian Bullen: 818-884-8966, ext. 1108

UNITED TEACHER accepts paid advertisements from outside companies and organizations, including UTLA sponsors and vendors with no relationship with UTLA. Only approved vendors can use the UTLA logo in their ads. The content of an advertisement is the responsibility of the advertiser alone, and UTLA cannot be held responsible for its accuracy, veracity, or reliability. Appearance of an advertisement should not be viewed as an endorsement or recommendation by United Teachers Los Angeles.

United Teacher (ISSN # 0745-4163) is published nine times a year (monthly except for February, June, and July) by United Teachers Los Angeles, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Subscrip-tions: $20.00 per year. (Price included in dues/agency fee of UTLA bargaining unit members.) Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, California. POSTMAS-TER: Please send address changes to United Teacher, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Telephone 213-487-5560.


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Get connected to UTLA Facebook: facebook.com/UTLAnow

Twitter: @utlanow

YouTube: youtube.com/UTLAnow

4 Ref’s criminal case widens to include conflict-of-interest charges As Rodriguez goes back to court, parents are there to demand his resignation.

5 We are one team fighting for the Schools LA Students Deserve Local 99 members are mobilizing for respect at the contract table.

6 Snapshot of 2017 Take energy and inspiration from our year of activism together for public schools.

8 Q&A on wildfire impact on schools Answers on payroll, leave issues, makeup days, and more.

11 Five facts about the far-reaching Janus case The Supreme Court decision will have sweeping implications for unions nationwide and here in LA.

In this issue

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE (continued from previous page)

by encouraging people to become “free riders.” In other words, people could get the benefits of the union—around healthcare, salary, working conditions, learning conditions, policy advocacy, school funding advocacy, member rights, and so on—without paying dues for it. In essence, the US will become a “right to work” nation for public sector employees, and union members will be encouraged to shirk what is collec-

Alex on a site visit at Russell Elementary.

4 Co-location issues

8 UTLA meeting board

10 Passings

12 Practical matters

12 Bilingual issues

16 WHO awards

18 Committee events page

19 UTLA-Retired

21 STRS retirement workshops

tively our responsibility and ask their co-workers to handle it for them. Janus is a direct attempt to divide us, and crush our union.

Yet, we will not be stopped by Donald Trump’s Supreme Court and the most existential threat to unions in a genera-tion. Our students, our co-workers, the notion of a truly public school system, and we ourselves depend too much on having a vibrant, fighting union to let that happen. At a January 4 all-city chapter chair meeting (chairs: please send desig-nees if you can’t make it), we will review

our six-month reaffirmation and recom-mitment plan to ensure that we enter the post-Janus world stronger as a union, a profession, and a movement, not weaker. It is possible, and we will do it.

Some of my favorite times as a teacher at Crenshaw High School were at our staff parties right before the winter break. Our students buzzing about the break, my colleagues singing and playing instruments, feeling ac-complishment for the year completed and planning for the year ahead, our warm conversations spilling over into

gatherings at my family’s house down the street from the school and allow-ing opportunities for my co-workers to meet my family. December is a very special time. And, now, I feel lucky to experience these same feelings of warmth at so many schools across the city. We are so powerful together—in our relationships with co-workers and parents, in our collective spirit, and in our union. May you have a holiday season filled with joy, happiness, and love—and come back rejuvenated for a crucial 2018!

CorrectionsThe student speaker at the No-

vember 16 rally at Monroe High was misidentified. It was Cindy Ruiz who made these rousing remarks: “We are gathered here today for one reason: to fight for what we deserve from the district. Teachers, who want to see successful futures for the stu-dents they teach, are paid little for the jobs they do. Taking away health-care, taking away pay raises, and laying off teachers is no way to thank them for everything they do. How many times have we as students sat in overcrowded classes where it is difficult to learn? How many times have we had to go to the nurse and she wasn’t available? Been forced to take standardized tests and forced to sit in crammed classes? When will we finally get what we deserve?”

Alert us to errors: Please send corrections to UNITED TEACHER by email to [email protected].

The Amaro family is one of the faces of Phase 3 of our media campaign, which also features ed-ucators from LAUSD and UTLA-represented charter schools.


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Reclaim Our Schools Los Angeles (ROSLA) is a coalition of parents, educa-tors, students, school staff, and community groups committed to achieving the schools Los Angeles students deserve. ROSLA has launched the Schools LA Students Deserve campaign to address the crisis in our public schools. The following community groups have signed on to ROSLA’s platform to support students, empower communities, defend the teaching profession, and fund the future. Concretely, that means supporting transformational community school-ing as the path to improve all our schools and increasing revenue, by taxing those who have the most, to increase per pupil funding to $20,000 by 2020.

Advancement Project Los AngelesAlliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Alliance for Community Transit LA (ACT-LA)Black Lives MatterBrotherhood CrusadeCalifornia CallsCalifornia School Employees Association (CSEA)Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)Coalition for a Safe EnvironmentCommunity CoalitionEast LA Community CorporationFannie Lou Hamer InstituteHeart of the Harbor Helping Those in NeedInner City StruggleInvesting in PlaceLos Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)Meet Each Need With Dignity (MEND)National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)Pacoima BeautifulSan Pedro Democratic ClubService Employees International Union (SEIU Local 99)Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE)Students DeserveUnited Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)Wilmington Waterfront Forward

Community groups endorse the Schools LA Students Deserve

As Rodriguez case goes back to court, parents are there to demand his resignation.

If Ref Rodriguez was hoping to slip quietly into an LA Superior Courthouse for his latest court appearance on Decem-ber 13, a determined group of parents and community members had another idea. Organized by the Reclaim Our Schools LA coalition, more than 50 people held a news conference and protest outside the courthouse to demand that Ref resign from the LAUSD School Board. Parents and community members are outraged that in the three months since charges against him first surfaced, Ref continues

to earn his $125,000-a-year salary and vote on critical issues for the future of public education in LA.

“We are here because Ref does not rep-resent our values and he is not a good example for our children,” said Karla Gon-zales, a parent at Marianna Elementary. “As parents we are going to be here as many times as it takes to get Ref to do the right thing.”

“Leading our schools requires a par-ticularly high level of ethical wisdom,” said Josh Rutkoff, a parent at Aldama El-ementary. “We support fully Ref’s right to legal due process but believe the facts of the case make him the wrong person to oversee our children’s education. His trial has become a distraction from the important advocacy and leadership work that we need from our elected leaders.”

The parent protest wasn’t the only tough development for Rodriguez: The court case has now widened to include separate conflict-of-interest charges related to Partnerships to Uplift Commu-nities, the charter network he co-founded. Rodriguez was already facing three felony charges and 25 misdemeanors linked to alleged money-laundering during his 2015 school board campaign. Now the case will also look at the $265,000 worth of checks drawn on PUC accounts that Ro-driguez allegedly signed or co-signed that were payable to a Partners for Developing Futures, a separate nonprofit under his

control. Because of the widening scope, the case has been postponed to February or early March.

The parents also called out Rodriguez’s billionaire patrons, such as Reed Hast-ings, who is giving money to Ref’s legal defense fund, ostensibly to help preserve the pro-privatization majority on the board (along with Nick Melvoin, Kelly Gonez,

and Monica Garcia). “We call on all the billionaires who

back Mr. Rodriguez to join us in calling for his resignation,” Rutkoff said. “Their extravagant spending in support of local school privatization as well as on Mr. Ro-driguez’s legal fees diminishes our efforts to improve our schools for the benefit of all of our students.”

Ref’s criminal case widens to include conflict-of-interest charges

All-day training at UTLA on January 26 on best practices and strategies.

Communities organize against co-location

The UTLA Prop. 39 Task Force will be holding an all-day training on January 26 for charter leaders at sites that may be targeted under Prop. 39, whereby schools may be offered to a charter operator for co-location.

Could your school be targeted?Classrooms at your school that do not

have a register-carrying teacher is space that is considered “vacant” and available for co-location per Prop 39. Rule of thumb: If your school currently has four vacant classrooms, your site may be a target for charter co-location, especially if you expect your enrollment to decrease next school year. Recommendation: Each chapter chair should ask your principal for a copy of the school’s E-CAR (Electronic Capacity Assessment Review), which is public in-formation. The purpose of the E-CAR is to verify the number of classrooms at each school and how they are used, to calculate school operating capacities, and to identify available classrooms for future use. This report will let your school community know officially how many classrooms are available and vulnerable to possible charter school co-location.

Co-location often negatively impacts the home school

Oftentimes the “unused” space offered to charter operators houses computer labs, parent centers, and after-school pro-grams, or the spaces are unused bunga-lows, which could better be removed to restore playgrounds. Co-locations also can have an effect on school schedules and the unfettered use of facilities, such as the cafeteria, library, and other common spaces. Potential problems with safety arise when the co-located schools have a wide grade-level span, and surrounding schools can be affected when students are recruited to and/or counseled out of the charter site.

Resources and supportIf your school has been targeted before

or you think it is a potential target, chapter chairs should contact your UTLA Area rep and attend the January 26 training (see end of article). UTLA’s Prop. 39 Committee has put together a range of practical resources at www.utla.net/get-involved/issues/prop-39. Over the past several years, many schools have had success in pushing back on co-location or addressing issues after

The Arminta Elementary community speaks united against co-location at a rally last year.

co-location through parent-community-educator organizing.

Prop. 39 timelineNovember 1: Deadline for charter opera-

tors to submit written requests to co-locate on LAUSD school campuses.

December 1: District reviews charter operators’ ADA projections and agrees or objects and responds with projections the district considers reasonable.

January 2: Charter operators respond to district’s ADA projections.

February 1: District makes preliminary proposals to charter operators with eligible facilities requests.

March 1: Charter operators respond to preliminary proposals.

April 1: District makes final offers to charter operators.

May 1: Charter operators must notify the district in writing to accept or decline the final offer by May 1 or 30 days from its receipt of final offer. If final offers are accepted, charter operators occupy sites 10 working days prior to their first day of school instruction.

To sign up for the Prop. 39 co-location training on January 26: Chapter leaders at schools that are potential targets or have been recently co-located (for one or two years) are invited to attend. Email Jenny Lam at [email protected] to request a release to attend.

Parents and community members protest outside the courthouse where Ref Rodriguez’s legal battles moved forward.


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Local 99 members are mobilizing for respect at the contract table.

By Edna LoganCustodianEsteban Torres High SchoolSEIU Local 99 Member

When the last school bell rings at the end of each day, that’s when I get to work at Esteban Torres High School. I’m a night cus-todian and I make sure that when students, teachers, and other education workers get to school the next morning, the campus is

ready for learning. But, quite honestly, that’s getting harder and harder to do.

My school is a relatively new school, and I can tell you it has been understaffed since it opened seven years ago. Every night, in 480 minutes, I alone am assigned to clean an entire academy. That’s three floors with 12 restrooms, five offices, a large gym, four long hallways that go in different directions, 18 classrooms, and the girls’ locker room.

The fact is I have to prioritize. Servicing bathrooms and dumping trash cans are at the top of the list. Custodians do the best we can, but there are some things that just can’t get done. The floors are not swept every day. The classrooms are not mopped. The dusting is not done. There is no time to pick up dust bunnies that form on the stairways. No time to pick up trash from the floors.

Children need a classroom that is prop-erly kept. They need a campus without distracting graffiti. They need clean floors and new trash liners so that the smell and dirt from the previous day are removed. This brings a freshness and newness to the start of the school day so that students are more receptive to learning.

As a member of SEIU Local 99’s bargain-ing team, that is what I’m fighting for in our next contract with LAUSD. One of our priorities for this contract is to improve staffing levels. By the district’s own admis-sion, custodians are staffed at 50% of the

Multi-phase campaign drives compelling narrative about public education.

UTLA launches latest round of “We Are Public Schools”

First, we shared what public education means to us as educators, students, and parents—like opportunity, imagination, and freedom. Then we shared what our public schools provide—like transparency, accountability, and student empowerment. Now, UTLA has launched the third phase of the We Are Public Schools campaign, sharing what our schools need and what we are ready to fight for.

Phase 3 includes more than 100 outdoor ads, billboards, and posters in both English and Spanish as well as a robust social media campaign that will continue through March 2018.

The goal is to showcase to our com-munities and to those in power the great need in our schools, as well as the over-whelming support for public education and for the Schools LA Students Deserve. The campaign also takes on those who would privatize public education.

“We—the parents, students, teachers, and staff of LAUSD—know better what our children need than a group of billion-aire CEOs,” said Stacie Webster, an LAUSD educator for 20 years and proud UTLA member, who was featured on billboards and in the social media campaign.

The billboards break into two main mes-sages: UTLA members declaring “Ready to Fight” and families saying “We Support Our Teachers” and calling for safe, clean schools, lower class size, and proper staff-

ing for all of our schools. The ads point to our updated website, www.WeArePub-licSchools.org, where the community can get more information about our push to build Community Schools and keep the “public” in public schools by stopping the privatization agenda.

“We believe that our school board members should meet high standards of integrity and not take money from bil-lionaire privatizers,” said Jennifer Kelly, a parent of two LAUSD students. The family is featured on a billboard in the district of School Board Member Ref Ro-driguez, who is accepting money from outside donors, like Netflix billionaire and privatizer Reed Hastings, to fund his legal fight against charges of money laundering and conflicts of interest.

UTLA is a powerful and effective force in getting our message to our communi-ties by building coalitions with parents and the community to fight privatiza-

tion, organize at school sites to improve learning conditions, and demand charter operator ac-countability. The We Are Public Schools campaign is an amplification of this great work being done by our members, our stu-dents, parents, and com-munity members.

PHASE 1: What Public Education Means

PHASE 2: What Our Schools Provide

PHASE 3: What Our Schools Need & What We Are Ready to Fight For

Speaking out

We are one team fighting for the Schools LA Students Deserve

levels needed to maintain LAUSD’s own cleaning standards. That is unacceptable!

It’s also unacceptable that workers who create the clean, safe, and supportive en-vironment that students need to learn are relegated to mostly part-time, low-wage jobs. SEIU Local 99 members are cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, special education assistants, teacher assistants, and many other dedicated school workers. The district must do more to truly value our work and the contributions we make

to student learning. And they cannot forget that many of us are parents of LAUSD students and LAUSD graduates ourselves. Low wages and part-time work not only impact staffing levels—they impact our children and our communities.

I believe that you cannot separate labor issues from student issues, teacher issues from classified employee issues. All of us who work in schools are part of one education team that strives to create the schools our students deserve.

UTLA officers Cecily Myart-Cruz and Juan Ramirez (both in red) link arms with Local 99 members to form a human chain at LAUSD Headquarters on December 12 to send a message: We are a vital link to education! Local 99 members called on LAUSD to stop stalling and to start negotiating in good faith with their 30,000 members.

Edna Logan is the sole night custodian for Esteban Torres High School. Her union, SEIU Local 99, is in contract talks with LAUSD to improve staffing levels and improve pay. By the district’s own admission, custodians are staffed at 50% of the levels needed to maintain LAUSD’s own cleaning standards.


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Take energy and inspiration from the work we did together.

Snapshot look at 2017

JANUARY• 10,000 people stand up on January 19 across LAUSD to #SchoolTrump and to shield our schools from hate, anti-immigrant policies, and privatiza-tion of public education (photo right).• Teachers and parents from the Accelerated Schools take on turnover crisis by leafleting school families and holding parent meetings to talk about the impact high teacher turnover has on student learning.

SPEAK OUT: Immigrant rights

“Education really is the key to life, and Arleta has really great teachers to help us meet our goals. I’m not go-ing to change the way I live my life. I’m not going to live in fear. I am going to live with the hope and aspira-tion for a better future, for all of us.”

Pedro Reyes, student & DACA recipientArleta High School

FEBRUARY• UTLA members complete survey to determine priorities in contract bargaining. • The UT recognizes the 33 educators earning prestigious National Board certification, keeping up our tradition of having among the highest number of NBCTs in the country.• UTLA launches Phase 2 of our “We Are Public Schools” media campaign to spread the positive message about public education while taking on those who would privatize it (graphic above). • UTLA sends open letter to Eli Broad calling out his connections to Betsy DeVos.• School psychologists hold the first in a series of Listening Tours for health and human services profession-als to build their power in the union.

SPEAK OUT: Social justice

“As educators, we have a responsibility to examine the political and cultural landscape and to further social movements—and not only through our teaching of young people. We think we do this by being who we are, teachers committed to students, and through them committed to bettering the world around us. But if one really takes a look at what is happening, this is clearly not enough.”

Mark Gomez, TeacherHawkins High School

MAY• UTLA members join massive May Day march in downtown LA to #Resist the ongoing assault on labor and the anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-LGBT, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim policies coming out of DC (photo right). • Faced with outsider spending on school board campaigns that hit historic levels, UTLA members volunteer in unprecedented numbers for Steve Zim-mer and Imelda Padilla. Though the losses were tough, we are driving the active resistance to the new privatization-allied board. • Demonstrating the power in collective bargaining and united action, UTLA members at four charter schools—Ivy Academia, Montague Charter, Birmingham Community Charter, and El Camino Real Charter—reach strong contract settlements in the spring, scoring hard-fought wins on competitive salaries, health benefits, and more. • Parents, students, and educators bring the fight for Community Schools and charter accountability to legislators’ front doors on May 12 with four energetic rallies to support bills before the legislature.

SPEAK OUT: Transparency

“We’ve seen scandal after scandal in the unregulated charter school industry, like the FBI raid on Celerity and the charter operator recently charged with embezzle-ment and money laundering. Who can be against common-sense legislation to bring transparency and stop practices that steal money from students?”

Marcela Chagoya, Special Education TeacherStevenson Middle School

JUNE• At Roosevelt High, the education com-munity rallies to “Free Claudia” and stand against immigration raids and deportation threats (photo right). • After parents, teachers, and university professors spoke passionately in support of Community Schools, the LAUSD School Board unanimously passes a resolution on June 13 endorsing the model and creating a Community Schools Implementation Team. In testimony before the School Board, advo-cates talked about how Community Schools are much more than a program—they’re a fundamental shift in what a school can be and a powerful way to bring resources and support to students.

SPEAK OUT: Community Schools

“We need funding for Community Schools. To me, a Community School is a fully funded, diverse school that serves the needs of every student and their families. Having fully funded Community Schools would inspire students to come to school every day. When we come to a school where our needs are provided for, where we feel cared about, we will want to be here. We will want to learn. We will reach beyond what is expected of us.”

Christabel Ukomado, Student Dorsey High School

OCTOBER• At the October 11 #Picket4Power city-wide school-site leafleting, thousands of educators step up our actions to show we are mobilized to fight for healthcare, to fund our schools, and to stand up for our students (photo right). • UTLA joins students and com-munity activists at the LAUSD School Board meeting to call for an end to the criminalization of our students through LAUSD’s flawed policy on random searches. • On October 26, the district makes significant movement on their initial proposal intended to gut our health-care and proposes funding at current levels for the next three years through 2020—a result of our growing solidarity with our labor partners, our school-site organizing, and our escalating actions.

SPEAK OUT: Healthcare

“My daughter was born two months premature and spent a total of six weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit. The school district wanted to cut the depen-dent healthcare coverage that has enabled my daughter to become the thriving one-year-old she is today. Had she not been covered, the cost would have been financially devastating for my family.”

Aprille Abram, TeacherMiguel Contreras Learning Complex

SEPTEMBER• From the Harbor to the Valley, from our Early Ed Centers to K-12 to HHS and Adult Ed, the massive Big Red Tuesday on September 26 at hundreds of schools across LAUSD sends a message of unity and resolve to fight together for what our students need (photo right). • In a first for UTLA, com-munity groups join UTLA at the bargaining table to present a package of “Bargaining for the Common Good” proposals on more green space, affordable housing, fare-free ridership for students on MTA, early education programs, immigrant rights, and more.• At news conference at LAUSD, UTLA announces donation to community groups to help fund DACA renew-als in support of our colleagues and our students.

SPEAK OUT: Collective action

“I wear red today in solidarity with the union who supports teachers like me every single day.”

Angela Knapp, TeacherBurroughs Middle School


7

AUGUST• More than 100 educators, students, STEM graduates, and parents rally on the steps of the STEM Academy at Bernstein High (photo right) on August 28 to protest AB 1217, the bill to create a boutique STEM school in LAUSD that would have drained resources and support from existing schools. The bill was defeated despite intense lobbying by billionaire privatizers.• Legislation on equity and access for charter students (AB 1360) passes. The bill will help prevent discriminatory admission and suspen-sion practices by charter operators.• Teachers and parents from Aurora ES, Trinity ES, West Adams Prep, 49th Street ES, and West Vernon ES walk neighborhoods in the weeks before school starts to build deeper ties between our schools and the community. • UTLA chapters start forming Contract Action Teams (CATs) to build organizing power at school sites to improve working and learning conditions and address members’ issues.

SPEAK OUT: Parent organizing

“As a school teacher, I’m interested in connecting the school to the community and the community to the school. What better first step than finding out what the community concerns are and what the community is dealing with? These are things we can take back and work on as a community. It begins with listen-ing. What the community has to say may not be what you think it will be. Only by learning community concerns can you figure out a path forward together.”

Jesus Torres, Chapter ChairTrinity Elementary

JULY• More than 650 UTLA site leaders power up for the new school year and our campaign for the Schools LA Students Deserve at the UTLA Leader-ship Conference from July 28 to 30. Core trainings during the conference cover how to organize effective work-site structures (including building Contract Action Teams) to enforce the contract, defend members’ rights, and build a successful contract campaign. • UTLA lays out strategic plan for 2017-18 to Support Our Students, Empower Our Communi-ties, Fund the Future, and Defend the Teaching Profession (graphic right). We introduce a bold concept—20 by 20—to fund LA schools at $20,000 per pupil by the year 2020.

SPEAK OUT: Public education

“They starve our schools, call them failing, and then blame teachers and say that private interests are the way forward. We didn’t pick this fight but we’re ready to fight, and when you fight for public education, you are fighting for kids to get a fair shot and that is worth everything.”

Keron Blair, Executive DirectorAlliance to Reclaim Our Schools

DECEMBER• UTLA launches Phase 3 of the We Are Public Schools media campaign with more than 100 outdoor ads, billboards, and posters in both English and Spanish as well as a robust social media campaign (graphic right).• On December 19, parents, educa-tors, school staff, and students caravan to the offices of two of the city’s billionaire privatizers, asking them to stop advancing a privatization agenda and instead work with us on a strategy that can serve all of our students.• At Ref Rodriguez’s latest court appearance, parents and community members rally outside to demand that Ref resign and to call out donations by privatizers like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings to Ref’s legal campaign.• YEAR-ROUND: School-site organizing around critical issues such as dysfunctional administrators, contract enforcement, rollout of Schoology, and overload of new elementary school programs, including progress report cards.

SPEAK OUT: Community voices

“We—the parents, students, teachers, and staff of LAUSD—know better what our children need than a group of billionaire CEOs.”

Stacie Webster, Chapter ChairWest Vernon Elementary

NOVEMBER• Parents and educators hold news conference outside LAUSD headquarters on November 7 to demand that criminally indicted board member Ref Rodriguez resign and to call out charter lobby’s push to decrease basic accountability and oversight requirements.• Thousands rally to “Save Our Schools” at six loca-tions across the district on November 16 to send a message about what’s at stake if we don’t stop starving our schools and start supporting educators. • Schools continue to use Contract Action Teams (CATs) to organize school-site power behind pressing local issues, grievances, parent organizing, and citywide priorities. Plummer ES uses CAT structure to distribute educator-created flyer to parents.

SPEAK OUT: Charter operator accountability

“The California Charter Schools Association wants to deregulate district practices that govern charter operators, and they don’t want the inspector general to investigate claims of fraud and abuse. I can tell you that deregulating schools is a bad idea. In my community I have witnessed firsthand what deregulating charter operators has resulted in. I have witnessed the return of students from local charter schools who are now my students, and I can tell you that safeguards were not in place to ensure that these students were receiving the services that guarantee their success in schools.”

Ayde Bravo, teacher and UTLA Board memberMaywood Elementary

MARCH• Parents and educators at more than 20 schools, including Arminta ES, Liberty Blvd., Hubbard, Wilson HS, and Glassell Park, organize against the potential loss of programs and resources to co-location by a charter operator.• Labor rights icon Dolores Huerta (photo right) holds news conference and pens op-ed calling on Alliance management to end anti-union campaign.• UTLA and our campaign volunteers help power Steve Zimmer and Imelda Padilla into LAUSD School Board runoff. Charter lobby and billionaire privatizers respond by pouring more than $10 million into general election.• Arleta HS, Harry Bridges, Sylvan Park, Evans Adult, and Webster MS host UTLA Educator Workshopson Immigrant Rights to share resources for families in the wake of stepped-up ICE raids and anti-immigra-tion policies coming from DC.

SPEAK OUT: Co-location

“The district is under the impression that these are empty rooms, but at Third Street, they house music and drama, before-school and after-school child care, and services for special education children, including IEPs and occupational, physical, and speech therapy. If we lose this space, we lose these programs and services.”

Claudia Rips, ParentThird Street Elementary

APRIL• UTLA and seven other teachers’ union locals form the Cali-fornia Alliance for Community Schools to support each other’s bargaining and to push for increased state funding.• Organizing campaign saves important program for deaf adults, and Adult Education teachers and students are empow-ered for future fight-backs in defense of their programs (photo right).• At LCAP budget forums at San Fernando HS and Maya Angelou CS organized by Reclaim Our Schools LA, hundreds of parents, students, and teachers testify to LAUSD officials what resources and support their schools need.• State audit shows Alliance charter management raised $1.7 million from private donors for anti-union campaign against its own teachers.

SPEAK OUT: Freedom to unionize

“Charter schools are substantially funded by public taxpayer dollars with ad-ditional private contributions. Whether public or private, that money should be used in our classrooms, helping students learn. I’m offended that my employer solicited money for a propaganda campaign to misinform, manipulate, and silence teaching professionals who are organizing a union to improve the quality of our schools.”

Alisha Mernick, Charter EducatorAlliance Gertz-Ressler High School


8

Answers on payroll, leave issues, makeup days, and more.

This month, our region experienced un-precedented wildfires that impacted thou-sands of families and closed down more than 260 LAUSD schools. Throughout it all, UTLA members played an invalu-able role, keeping school communities calm, giving up lunches and free periods to monitor students, and demonstrating commendable flexibility and diligence in getting schools back on track when doors reopened.

Members at school sites gave concrete information, photographs, and more that helped the advocacy of officers, area chairs, members of the board of directors, and staff as we pushed for schools to be shut down and later pushed for a full deep-cleaning of all impacted sites and for re-sources to get to our members in need.

A critical priority in the coming weeks is for LAUSD to not be financially pe-nalized for this unprecedented natural disaster, and we are working with LAUSD officials and State Superintendent Tom Torlakson to advocate for state and federal support.

The closures generated many areas of concerns for members; here are answers to some of the issues.

General issues

Will additional school days be scheduled to make up for the lost time?

We do not have a definitive answer on whether makeup days will be sched-uled. We continue to have regular and constructive conversations with the district and the state of California on this issue. We are arguing that scheduling makeup days is not the most logical path to take, and we believe that is the direction the district is headed. We will keep working on this and will update you as soon as we know anything.

What should I do if my personal property at the school site suffered damage from smoke or ash?

UTLA is talking with LAUSD Labor Rela-tions about issues related to property loss and fire-related damage. Please email your indi-vidual concerns to our point officer, UTLA Treasurer Alex Orozco, at [email protected].

What should I do if there are still cleanup issues in my classroom or school?

Please let your chapter chair know and he or she can contact your UTLA Area rep for support.

Is there general recognition that schools should have been closed much earlier?

The days before schools were closed were very tough at many sites, with sig-nificant smoke and ash in the air affecting many students and employees. We are pushing for the district and other officials to learn from this, so that schools can be closed sooner if something like this should happen again.

Payroll issues

Will educators be paid for the days that schools were closed?

Yes, employees with regular assign-ments at sites that were closed due to the

wildfires will be paid for their regular work hours.

Will educators be paid for auxiliary periods?

Employees at sites that were closed due to the wildfires will only be paid for aux-iliary periods that they worked; in other words, there will be no pay for auxiliary periods while schools were closed.

Will substitute educators who had assignments be paid for the days that schools were closed?

If a substitute educator had an assign-ment in the system, he or she will be paid. All substitute educators with long-term assignments also will be paid and there will be no break in service, but the days will not count toward the 21 days needed to qualify for the extended substitute pay rate.

Can we be docked for being late during the first part of the week, before schools were closed?

Many employees were late to school due to increased traffic, personal concerns about their homes, or family issues related to the wildfires. Staff Relations has been informed not to dock employees in the wildfire-impacted areas for being tardy that week. If you have been docked, please contact your UTLA Area Representative.

Leave issues

What are our leave options during the wildfires?

Here are guidelines for various sce-narios.

For medical reasons you had to leave school before it was closed by LAUSD: Use Illness leave.

For medical reasons you did not report to a non-closed school: Use Illness leave.

You work at a school that remained open but you needed to be at home to protect your property: Use Personal Necessity leave.

Your school was not ordered closed, but your child’s school was and you needed to stay home: Use Personal Necessity leave.

You are a non-school-based itinerant who did not report to the alternative site that you were directed to: If you were not able to report because of a medical issue, use Illness leave. For other issues, use Per-sonal Necessity. NOTE: If the alterna-tive site you were directed to ended up being closed by LAUSD but your time is being docked, contact your UTLA Area Representative.

I had previously requested time off for days that my school ended up being closed. Will my leave time be docked?

UTLA is pressing LAUSD not to deduct leave time for employees who put in re-quests for Illness or Personal Necessity leave for days that their schools ended up closed. We will share information as soon as we have it.

My office manager and principal asked me to fill out an absentee form for the days my school was closed “just in case” they need it.

Do not fill out an absentee form if you are an employee with a regular assignment

at a school that was closed by LAUSD. If you have already filled one out, be sure to check your pay stub to make sure time was not deducted for those days.

Resources for members

What resources are there if I suffered personal damage to my home or property?

Our union affiliates offer resources for members personally impacted by the fires.

• The CTA Disaster Relief Fund (www.ctamemberbenefits.org/drf) offers grants for members who have suffered significant losses due to the fires.

• The LA County Federation of Labor,

through Labor Community Services 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is working to assist in relief efforts and in coordination with govern-ment and nonprofit agencies. If you, or someone you know, are in need of support for basic needs—including housing, food, or connection to others services—please contact Margarita at [email protected]

• The CFT may be able to provide ad-ditional relief resources. If you are in per-sonal need, email UTLA AFT Vice Presi-dent Juan Ramirez at [email protected].

Send questions to UTLA Treasurer Alex Orozco at a [email protected].

Q&A on wildfire impact on schools

Wildfires as seen from a school playground.

UTLA meeting boardUpcoming meetings

JANUARY 4Citywide chapter chair meeting. Two

sessions: 10-12 or 2-4 Contreras LC.

JANUARY 10Unjustly Housed Teachers Committee:

UTLA building, 4:30 p.m.Elementary Committee: 4 p.m., UTLA

building.Secondary Committee: 4 p.m., UTLA

building.African-American Education Commit-

tee: 4 p.m., UTLA building.PACE Committee: 6:30 p.m., UTLA

building.Capably Disabled Committee: 4 p.m.,

UTLA building.Tech Committee: 4 p.m., UTLA

building.

JANUARY 19UTLA-Retired General Assembly

Meeting: UTLA building.

JANUARY 22UTLA/NEA Service Center Council

Meeting: UTLA building.

JANUARY 24The following committees meet on

the same day as the House of Repre-sentatives from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (unless noted) in the UTLA building: Arts Education Committee, Asian-Pa-cific Education, Bilingual Education Committee, Chicano/Latino Educa-tion, Gay & Lesbian Issues, Health & Human Services, Human Rights, Inner City, Instructional Coaches, Kinder-garten Teachers, Library Professionals (4:45-6 p.m.), Middle Schools, Multi-Track/Year-Round Schools, Non-Classroom/Non-School Site, Options Committee, Physical Education Action and Dance, Professional Rights & Re-sponsibilities, Pre-Retirement Issues, Salary & Finance, School/Community Relations, School Readiness Language Development Program, Secondary School Counselors, Special Educa-tion, Substitutes, Violence Prevention & School Safety, Women’s Education.

FEBRUARY 7UTLA Area Meetings: See times and

locations at utla.net.Early Childhood Education Committee:

7 p.m., UTLA building.

Upcoming conferences

See committee events on page 18.

Channel your inner Om

Want to get fit, fight stress, and stay healthy? Try yoga. Some classes can be pricey, but once you know a few poses, you can practice almost anywhere.

Unplug and reconnect

Heavy tech users are more likely to report sleep, stress, and mood problems. But time spent with people you enjoy can bust stress and boost well-being.

Breathe easy

The way you breathe affects your whole body. Deep breathing is a relaxation tool you can do anytime — even right now — to feel clear, calm, and centered.

Ple

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cle.

60

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2017

Services covered under a Kaiser Permanente health plan are provided and/or arranged by Kaiser Permanente health plans: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., in Northern and Southern California and Hawaii • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc., Nine Piedmont Center, 3495 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, 404-364-7000 • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., 2101 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20852 • Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, 500 NE Multnomah St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. Self-insured plans are administered by Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company, One Kaiser Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612.

Stay true to you and keep moving in a healthy direction. Visit kp.org/mindbody and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/kpthrive.

Your mind and your body have more to do with each other than you might think. If one is hurting, the other could hurt, too. Rediscover the links between your mental and physical health and listen to your body for better overall health.

MIND/BODY WELLNESS

L E T ’ S L I V E I N T H E M O M E N T


10

PassingsPatricia Morales, cherished colleague

and chapter chair at Sally Ride Elementary, passed away on August 11.

Trying to sum up the life of Patricia in a few paragraphs is a near-impossible task. Her depths of love, compassion, and generosity were boundless, and are best measured in the smiling faces of those she left in her path. In her presence, the term “stranger” only lasted about 10 seconds because she dove right in—offering an opinion, helping someone in need, or just making a new friend.

Her profession was that of a schoolteach-er, but she was so much more in so many ways. For the students she taught for more than two decades, she imparted a wisdom and character far beyond the curriculum and instilled the values of courage, convic-tion, and compassion. Her enduring legacy lives in the people whose minds have been shaped by her lessons and whose hearts have been touched by her love.

Patricia had a zest for life that made her a beacon to which others were drawn. When there was work to be done, she was in the middle of it. When there was a crisis that demanded attention, she was at the heart of it. And, of course, when it was time to celebrate, she was always ready to get the party started!

Born in San Antonio, Texas, the fourth child to a firefighter and his homemaker wife, Patricia was nurtured in a loving home and learned a sense of duty and purpose. After graduating from the Uni-versity of Texas–San Antonio in 1982, it was in Texas—in fact, right behind the Alamo—that Pat met her husband and

best friend, Odis Brown, whom everyone knows as OB.

Patricia and OB eventually made their way to Hermosa Beach. Patricia, who had worked in hospitality in San Antonio, changed career paths, eventually finding her calling as an elementary school teacher. She taught with passion, dedication, and a whole lot of love for more than two decades. Her dedication to the education of young, at-risk students was a testament to her generous and loving nature.

In the Los Angeles public school system, Patricia taught at several different campus-es including Hoover Elementary, Lizarraga Elementary, and Sally Ride Elementary. Her colleagues recall fondly her enthu-siasm and spirit, fully immersing herself into the campus community. Not a day goes by that her colleagues at Sally Ride aren’t reminded of her. She was the UTLA chapter chair for seven years at Lizarraga and five years at Ride ES. She was in charge of the Mentos Rocket Take-Off simula-tion every year at the Night Under the Stars event. She collected the lost sweaters with her students and placed them on the yard for pick up throughout the year. She visited students’ homes regularly, and if any family at school had suffered a loss or been in an accident, she visited the family and made sure they were mending. Her celebration of Kwanzaa during the school’s winter entertainment program is legendary: “Whatcha want to sing about?...KWANZAA!” She actively participated in every committee, council, event—and, if you asked for help with last-minute count-ing, decorating, supervision, adjudicating,

she gladly joined in and made it all the more festive.

Many students return to visit their former teachers after culminating. Every single one that entered the Main Office came to find Ms. Morales. In fact, a student of hers who had graduated high school and was about to enter Columbia Uni-versity visited her last June along with her mother to thank her for being such a great teacher, for motivating her, and for making everyone feel that they could truly make their dreams come true.

The Sally Ride community looks forward to honoring her relentless posi-tive spirit, dedication, and altruism when they dedicate the school library to her and

name it the Patricia Morales Library.Patricia will always be remembered

for her indefatigable spirit, her pursuit of social justice, and of course, her infectious laughter and enthusiasm when doing what she enjoyed—especially when watching her beloved Spurs. Her passion for the Spurs was renowned, and although she lived in California and not Texas, this did not keep her from proudly showing her colors and cheering them on. She was most at home surrounded by children, friends, and family watching the Spurs march to victory, always ending her conversations with “Go, Spurs, go!”

We thank Patricia Morales for being

Patricia Morales

(continued on page 17)


11

2018: Building a sustainable future for public education

In 2017 our schools and our communities were under threat in new and insidious ways. We are proud that UTLA was a leader in the active resistance to the unjust and inhumane policies coming from D.C.; to the privatiza-tion that would decimate public education; and to the attempts to deprofessionalize teaching by lowballing your pay, eliminating secure healthcare and retirement, and taking away your right through your union to have a collective voice at your school.

2017 can be measured both by what UTLA members faced and by how we fought back, with parents and community by our side. Our work together affirmed that our movement is resilient and our movement is growing.

With two key events aligning in 2018—our ongoing contract bargaining and the high-profile statewide elections—next year is full of potential to make meaningful progress for our schools. Woven through all of our priorities will be the issue of sustainability: the absolute need to achieve

our short-term goals (such as saving health-care and wining a fair contract) and our long-term ones (getting education off of a starvation budget and attracting families to our district schools) so that public educa-tion can survive and thrive.

UTLA will hit the ground running in 2018 on these and other priorities:

Taking healthcare over the victory line: As a direct result of our organizing and es-calating actions, LAUSD no longer is trying to gut our healthcare. In early January we and the other LAUSD employee unions will make a concerted push to finalize a solid agreement that would fund health-care for the next three years and protect our reserves. An early healthcare win in 2018 would free us to step up our fight for all the other issues we care about.

Building power for a post-Janus world: The Janus v. AFSCME case before the Supreme Court is the most existential threat to unions in a generation (read more on the case on this page). We will proactively fight its impact through an all-in campaign to have all of us reaffirm our commitment to our union by filling out new membership cards. This is how we protect our union, our pay, our benefits, and our contract.

Escalating pressure on LAUSD through targeted issue campaigns: Since bargaining started in April, LAUSD has not moved on key economic issues nor on any of the issues that will make our school district sustainable in the long run and help build the Schools LA Students Deserve. To create new pressure points, we’ll conduct tar-geted campaigns on key issues: salary, co-location, increased health and human services staffing, smaller class sizes, ac-countability for charter operators, overtest-ing and top-down mandates, site decision-making, and building Community Schools.

Electing Tony Thurmond state superinten-dent: In the last election cycle, the charter lobby outspent all other groups—includ-

The Supreme Court decision will have sweeping implications for unions nationwide and here in LA.1. The case is an existential threat to unions

The Janus v. AFSCME lawsuit—like the Friedrichs v. CTA case before it—seeks to make the entire public sector “right to work” in one fell swoop. It challenges the long-standing right of unions to collect “fair share” or “agency” fees from em-ployees who do not want to be members of the union but who still benefit from the pay, benefits, and other improvements that the union negotiates. Janus is scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court next year, and a ruling is expected in June 2018. Donald Trump’s appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court virtual-ly guarantees that the court will rule to declare agency fees unconstitutional. The impact on unions would be immediate.

2. Janus is funded by the usual right-wing suspects

Janus is the culmination of decades of attacks on unions and working people by corporate CEOs, the National Right to Work foundation, and others who want to break unions, privatize public institu-

tions, and drive down pay and benefits to enhance company profits. In the 28 states that already have eliminated agency fees, wages are lower and the poverty rate is higher. Curtailing unions’ political power is the dream project of some of the na-tion’s biggest right-wing activists, includ-ing the Koch brothers, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, and the State Policy Network, a consortium of 66 ultra-conservative think tanks. For years these groups have poured money into anti-union causes in the belief that union-backed candidates stand in the way of cutting government spending and of privatizing education through more charter operators and school voucher programs.

3. The attack on unions won’t end with the court decision

In the aftermath of a pro-Janus decision, right-wing forces will launch campaigns to get public-sector workers to leave their unions, and some organizations have already included the promise of membership drop campaigns into their fund-raising pitches. In some states that

Five facts about the far-reaching Janus case

have already lost agency fee, right-wing groups like the Freedom Foundation created cable TV ads and websites to instruct union members how to quit paying dues.

4. UTLA is a prime target for membership drop campaigns

UTLA has been a powerful and effective force in building coalitions with parents and the community to fight privatization, organize at school sites to improve learning conditions, and demand charter operator accountability. In a post-Janus world, it is only logical that our enemies will try to use coordinated membership drop cam-paigns to weaken us—forcing us to cut back on staff, representation, legal services, and contract and organizing campaigns. A strong UTLA is the only defense against the privatizers who want to take our jobs and our benefits, turn public education into a business, and eliminate our ability to ad-vocate for our students and communities.

5. We have a plan to counter JanusTo proactively fight the expected Janus

decision, in 2018 UTLA members will be

reaffirming our commitment to our union and our profession by filling out a new membership card with updated language for the post-Janus world. To protect our union, our pay, our benefits, and our con-tract we all have to re-commit to our orga-nization. Members will hear more about the “all-in” campaign, which was endorsed by the House of Representatives and the Board of Directors, when schools are back in session in January. UTLA members have united before to protect ourselves and our professions. We will do it again.

ing big oil, tobacco, and developer inter-ests—on state legis-lative races. They’ll be back again in the highly competitive races for governor and state superin-tendent of public in-struction in 2018. Our endorsed candidate for superintendent, Assemblymember Tony Thurmond, is running against Marshall Tuck. Tuck’s agenda is straight from the privatizers’ playbook: attack teacher tenure and due process, defund schools through the unreg-ulated expansion of charters, and promote high-stakes testing over teaching. Tuck was defeated in 2014 by a coalition of educators, parents, and community groups, and we’ll do it again in 2018.

Continuing to build strike readiness and school-site power: Last year we kicked off our push to achieve UTLA-wide strike readiness in 2018, knowing that being ready and willing to strike is one of our most powerful tools. Our great CATs (Contract Action Teams) at school sites are playing a critical role. Being strike ready not only builds power for bargaining; it also creates the kind of organized, engaged UTLA chapters that can effectively address school-site issues such as enforcing the contract, fighting co-location, and dealing with dysfunctional administrators.

Making 20 x 20 a reality: Last year, UTLA and community allies launched the 20 x 20 campaign to reach $20,000 in per-pupil funding by the year 2020. This bold concept is getting traction across the state, and in 2018 we’ll push several strategies for getting to 20 x 20, including

the Make It Fair ballot initiative to close tax loopholes on the wealthiest corporate commercial property owners and getting the promised and decades-overdue federal and state funding for special education.

As UTLA officers, we are energized about heading into this critical new year with you, our members, who inspire our students—and inspire us—every day. Our best wishes for a restful holiday season, and we’ll see you in 2018.

Alex Caputo-PearlPRESIDENT

Cecily Myart-CruzUTLA/NEA VICE PRESIDENT

Juan RamirezUTLA/AFT VICE PRESIDENT

Gloria MartinezELEMENTARY VICE PRESIDENT

Daniel BarnhartSECONDARY VICE PRESIDENT

Alex OrozcoTREASURER

Arlene InouyeSECRETARY

The Schools LA Students Deserve

We can make our schools great places to educate, work, and learn by: • Achieving pay increases and pro-

tecting health benefits• Improving class sizes and social/

emotional supports for students• Advancing Community Schools

and other successful school models

• Improving working conditions & learning conditions

• Enhancing and defending profes-sional rights at LAUSD schools and UTLA-represented charters

• Organizing against privatization• Working for social justice

From the UTLA officer team.


12

We wish you and yours a season full of good health, good friends, loving family, and abundant joy and prosperity for 2018.

Happy holidays from UnitedHealthcare.

Season’s greetingsfrom Carissa Green at 714-252-0350 and the entire UnitedHealthcare Labor & Trust team!

MT-1162223.0 12/17 ©2017 United HealthCare Services, Inc. 17-6500-C

Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Health Plan coverage provided by or through a UnitedHealthcare company.

Facebook.com/UnitedHealthcare Twitter.com/UHC Instagram.com/UnitedHealthcare YouTube.com/UnitedHealthcare

We wish you and yours a season full of good health, good friends, loving family, and abundant joy and prosperity for 2018.

Happy holidays from UnitedHealthcare.

Season’s greetingsfrom Carissa Green at 714-252-0350 and the entire UnitedHealthcare Labor & Trust team!

MT-1162223.0 12/17 ©2017 United HealthCare Services, Inc. 17-6500-C

Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Health Plan coverage provided by or through a UnitedHealthcare company.

Facebook.com/UnitedHealthcare Twitter.com/UHC Instagram.com/UnitedHealthcare YouTube.com/UnitedHealthcare

5-Day Immersive Educator Training ExperienceJoin educators from around the country to learn research-based strategies to improve instructional practice, understand higher standards, and put in place the equitable practices that accelerate learning for all students.

Los Angeles, CA · Jan 29–Feb 2, 2018Register at StandardsInstitutes.org

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Facts on the expansion of dual-language in LAUSD.

Dual-language is growing in LAUSD: For the 2016-17 school year, there were 78 pro-grams. In 2017-18, there were 101, and we are on track for 139 programs in the 2018-19 school year.

The benefits of dual-language: There are five advantages of dual-language programs, in short: Cognitive development, academic advantage, economic advantage, intercultur-al awareness, and family heritage connection.

The six language programs and their goals: Each program has a different student makeup and different goals.

• Dual language (ELs and EOs): bilin-gualism and biliteracy

• Maintenance bilingual (all ELs): bi-lingualism and biliteracy

• Foreign language immersion (all EOs): bilingualism and biliteracy

• Transitional bilingual (all ELs): English literacy

• Structured English Immersion (all ELs): English literacy

• Mainstream English (ELs and EOs): English literacy

Where dual language programs are found: Here’s the breakdown by LAUSD Local District.

• LD NW: 4 programs (2 Spanish, 2 Korean)

• LD NE: 8 programs (6 Spanish, 2 Ar-menian)

• LD S: 14 programs (13 Spanish, 1 Korean)

• LD W: 20 programs (12 Spanish, 4 Korean, 3 Mandarin, 1 French)

• LD E: 25 programs (21 Spanish, 3 Mandarin, 1 Arabic)

• LD C: 30 programs (25 Spanish, 4 Korean, 1 Mandarin)

How to get a program at your school: Twenty parents of a single grade or 30 in the school must request it. Under Prop. 58, the school must implement it “to the extent possible.”

Whom to contact: EL coordinators at Local District offices, the Multilingual Multicultural Education Dept., Cheryl Ortega at [email protected], or UTLA Board member Tomás Flores at [email protected].

Join us on January 24, 2018, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 828 for our next Bilingual Education Committee

—Cheryl OrtegaUTLA Director of Bilingual Education

[email protected]

Bilingual issues

Share your school’s good news!Send details on awards, honors, special events, and

great schoolwide programs to [email protected].

Is Your CalSTRS Beneficiary Designation up to date?

Practical matters

By Ed KazUTLA Compensation and Benefits Specialist

CalSTRS pays a lump-sum death benefit to your designated beneficiary when you die. The sum varies depending on whether you have Coverage A or B (your Retirement Progress Report shows which survivor cov-erage you have) and whether you die before or after retirement. The Teachers’ Retirement Board usually adjusts the sums periodically.

Currently, if you die before retiring or while on a disability allowance and have Coverage A, the lump sum payment is $6,163; if Coverage B, it is $24,652. If you die after retiring, the lump sum payment is the same for both Coverage A and B: $6,163.

To report the death of a member or benefit recipient to CalSTRS, you can either write to CalSTRS at P.O. Box 15275, Sacramento, CA 95851-0275 or call the toll-free number at (800) 228-5453. You will need to provide the deceased person’s name and Social Secu-rity number or CalSTRS Client ID number; date of death; their status (retired, disabled, active, whether they are an option benefi-ciary or other benefit recipient); death cer-tificate; and the name, address, and phone number of a contact person. Additional information or documentation may be re-quested. I strongly recommend that you cut out this article and keep it in your files along with your will and other documents so that your family will have the information they need to begin the process.

The beneficiary designation is separate from your option beneficiary, who receives an ongoing monthly allowance when you die. You may designate the same person for both the lump-sum benefit and the monthly allowance. If you do not have a beneficiary designation in effect on the date of your death, the benefit is paid to your estate and may be subject to probate.

A valid beneficiary designation, with current addresses and phone numbers, eliminates the need for a lengthy search for beneficiaries and reduces the amount of time it takes to process and distribute the payment. A beneficiary designation received by CalSTRS after January 1, 1987, remains valid until you revoke it. Mar-riage, dissolution, or annulment after that date does not automatically invalidate a beneficiary designation. If the most recent beneficiary designation was received before January 1, 1987, and a marriage, dissolution, or annulment occurred after the designation was received and before January 1, 1987, the designation is invalid.

Your CalSTRS Retirement Progress Report identifies your designated beneficiary. It pays to keep that designation up to date.

For additional information: Contact the CalSTRS automated telephone system at 800-228-5453 to request a beneficiary desig-nation form or download it from the CalSTRS website at www.calstrs.com. Click on “Mem-bers” in the top banner, then type “Beneficia-ry Designation Form” in the search field.

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14

By Debby Schneider and Laura Carls UTLA/NEA Election Committee

Ready to become involved in education issues at a national level?

The NEA Representative Assembly will meet in Minneapolis, June 30 to July 5, 2018, during which delegates represent-ing their local unions from throughout the United States, including overseas

UTLA holding elections for convention delegates.

Involvement opportunity

2018 NEA Convention set for Minneapolis

locations affiliated with the Department of Defense, will give input, gather in-formation, and formulate and update NEA’s positions on various legislative and policy issues.

Educational concerns affecting local, state, and national unions may be brought to the floor by any delegate. The excite-ment of deliberation and voting begins each day at 7 a.m. during the California state caucus and never slows down. This excitement, plus the numerous CTA- and NEA-sponsored activities, serves to enter-tain and educate exhausted but inspired delegates.

UTLA/NEA members who run for the 2018 Representative Assembly and receive

the highest number of votes (by a plurality) will have an opportunity for a three-year term at the local level. One-year terms are available for state delegates.

Election process for delegatesThe process for the NEA Representa-

tive Assembly delegate elections will be as follows: Voting for local delegates will take place at the February 7 UTLA Area meetings. The top vote-getting candidates will be named as delegates following the counting of votes on February 9.

The UTLA/NEA election committee will then formulate the state candidates’ ballot from those names of people who turned in self-nomination forms for only the state delegate ballot (a one-year term) and those who self-nominated for both the state and local delegate but did not receive top votes in the local delegate election.

The voting for the one-year state del-egate term will take place at the UTLA/NEA Service Center Council meeting on April 3, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the counting of the votes will follow on April 5.

Any teacher on dues-paying leave, year-

NEA Representative Assembly Annual Convention slated for July 2018 in Minneapolis

UTLA/NEA RA election absentee ballots available

UTLA/NEA members on formal leave will be able to vote in the 2018 NEA Representative Assembly election by absentee ballot. The ballots are available to any teacher on formal leave from a school or worksite and can be obtained by completing an absentee ballot request (below) and submitting it to UTLA by U.S. mail (no faxes/email) by January 4, 2018, no later than 5 p.m. All ballots will be due back at UTLA by 5 p.m. on the appropriate date (use timeline).

UTLA/NEA Members on Formal Leave Request for Absentee Ballot for UTLA/NEA Representative Assembly Elections

Please Print

Name

Employee Number

Mailing Address

Name of School

Non-LAUSD Email Address

UTLA Voting Area

Check one: CTA/NEA Board member Formal LAUSD leave

I am requesting an absentee ballot for the following election:

Wednesday, February 7, 2018 (ballots due back 2/7—Local) Tuesday, April 3, 2018 (ballots due back 4/3—State)

All above information must be completed for this request to be valid.

I hereby declare that the above information is accurate.

Signature

This request is due by 5 p.m., January 4, 2018, at UTLA, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010, Attn.: Cecily Myart-Cruz. Until 5 p.m. on January 4, forms may also be dropped off at UTLA headquarters (see the receptionist on the 10th floor) during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All absentee ballots will be due back to UTLA by 5 p.m. on the appropriate date (see timeline).

Would you like to become a UTLA/NEA delegate to the 2018 Representative Assembly Annual Convention in Minneapolis? From June 30 to July 5, 2018, UTLA members affiliated with the NEA/CTA will be in attendance at that convention.

For a member to be eligible not only to become a delegate, but to serve in the UTLA/NEA Representative Assembly, a self-nomination form must be complet-ed and returned to Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA/NEA President, by 5 p.m., January 4, 2018. There will be two categories of delegates: local and state. Local del-egates will be elected on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at the eight UTLA Area meetings. State delegates will be elected Tuesday, April 3, at the UTLA/NEA Service Center Council meeting from 3:30 to 6:30. A complete set of election rules will be sent to each person submitting a self-nomination form.

Term of office for local delegates is three years, beginning July 2018. State delegates are elected yearly.

UTLA/NEA Representative Assembly Self-Nomination FormPlease Print

Name

Employee Number

Mailing Address

Home Telephone

Non-LAUSD Email Address

School

UTLA Area (Circle One) N S E W C VE VW H

Ethnicity (Circle One)

Asian/Pacific Islander African American

Caucasian (not Spanish origin) Chicano/Hispanic

I wish to have my name placed on the (check one):

Local and state ballot

Local delegate ballot only State delegate ballot only

If my name appears on the local delegate ballot, and I am elected as a local delegate, I hereby give my permission to have my name removed from the state ballot.

I certify that below is the signature of candidate whose name appears above.

Signature

This request is due by 5 p.m. by mail (no faxes or emails) by January 4, 2018, at UTLA, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010, Attn.: Cecily Myart-Cruz. Until 5 p.m. on January 4, forms may also be dropped off at UTLA headquarters (see the receptionist on the 10th floor) during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


15

round teachers who are off track, and early childhood education teachers who are off track may vote by absentee ballot, accord-ing to CTA election rules.

Ballots can be requested by complet-ing the form below. Note: Our timeline is set in accordance with CTA submission requirements.

UTLA/NEA members running for the 2018 Representative Assembly must be sure to use the self-nomination form on

the facing page instead of the form sup-plied by CTA. No faxes or emails will be accepted. As a delegate, it is your respon-sibility to attend all Service Center Council meetings (January 16, April 3, and May 29).

UTLA/NEA election committee members are Laura Carls and Deborah Schneider-Solis (co-chairs), Fredrick Bertz, Andrew Carrillo, Marcela Chagoya, Wendi Davis, Karla Griego, Rosa Melendez, Loren Scott, and Yolanda Tamayo.

Ricardo AbreuJose AguilarJames AndersonWannetta AshtonGwen Baker (Richards)Robin Branch-ScottMarcela ChagoyaJose DelgadilloLisa DinwiddieVeeda FernandesTomas FloresKelly Flores

Delegates with terms expiring in 2017Cecilia Flores-AdamsDavid GoldbergLeonard GoldbergCassandra GradyAdrian HernandezKirsten JohnsonAndrea JonesMichael JonesGloria MartinezL. Cynthia MatthewsRosa MelendezStacey Michaels

Juan Diego MontemayorMark MuskrathDidi ObiJ.C. O’GabahannJuan RamirezMary-Janice RodriguezNarciso RodriguezAna Marcela RubioThomas RubioColleen SchwabElgin ScottPaulette Shelley

UTLA/NEA RA 2018 election timelineNEA/RA Local Delegate election

November 17, December 22: Nomination forms, timeline, and absen-tee ballot request forms in UNITED TEACHER.

January 4: Self-nomination forms and absentee ballot requests due to UTLA building by 5 p.m. by U.S. mail (no faxes or emails). Until 5 p.m. on January 4, forms may also be dropped off at UTLA headquarters (see the receptionist on the 10th floor) during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

January 5: Letters sent out acknowledging receipt of nomination forms.

January 22: Absentee ballots sent out.

February 7: Local RA delegate elections at all UTLA Area meetings and at UTLA headquarters from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

February 7: Absentee ballots due back to Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA/NEA Vice President, at UTLA building, 10th floor by 5 p.m. by U.S. mail only (no faxes or emails).

February 9: Area and absentee ballots counted, 9 a.m. Letters sent to winners and results will be posted at www.utla.net by the end of the next business day.

February 19: Deadline to submit election challenge in writing to Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA/NEA Vice President, provided a runoff election is not re-quired. Please contact Vivian Vega for appropriate form at 213-368-6259.

NEA/RA State Delegate election

March 12: State RA delegate absentee ballots sent out.

April 3: State RA delegate election at UTLA/NEA Service Center Coun-cil meeting at UTLA headquarters, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

April 3: State absentee ballots due back to Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA/NEA Vice President, at UTLA building, 10th floor, by 5 p.m. by U.S. mail only (no faxes or emails).

April 5: Election Committee meets at 9 a.m. to count all ballots. Let-ters sent to winners and results will be posted at www.utla.net by the end of the next business day.

April 15: Deadline to submit election challenge in writing to Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA/NEA Vice President, provided a runoff election is not required. Please contact Vivian Vega for appropriate form at 213-368-6259.

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the work of a human rights defender. Entry deadline is March 3, 2018. Visit www. speak-truthvideo.com for more information.

Salary point course on healthy relationships

The new self-paced three-salary point course “Creating a Conducive Environ-ment Through Building Healthy Relation-

ships” aims to reduce toxic stress experi-enced by teachers. Educators constantly find themselves in stressful situations at home, on the freeway, and at work, and this course helps teachers make their classrooms “stress free” environments for better learning. Enroll at www.education4equity.com/lausd.

SCHOOL Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training

Learn the classroom-proven calming methods of SCHOOL Kids yoga and mind-

fulness designed specifically for public school students and teachers. Kelly Wood, experienced kids yoga teacher, has taught weekly in LAUSD schools for more than 16 years. Upon completion of the training, ed-ucators gain tools of simple movement and inclusive language for improved physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being for students and themselves. The course reaches all Pre-K-5 ages (modifications for secondary students). No prior yoga expe-rience is required. SCHOOL Kids Yoga & Mindfulness techniques meet Common Core Standards and enhance academic achievement, listening, focus, and harmony in students. The next session is January 17, 24, and 31 and February 7, 21, and 28 (six Wednesdays) from 4 to 6:30 p.m. One salary point available. Fee is $200. Classes take place at Milagro Charter School, 1855 N. Main St., 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Limited scholarships are available. Call for more details regarding the in-person or

online course. Please email Kelly Wood for details: info@ school-yoga.org or call 323-240-8711. View details on www.schoolyoga.org/about-teacher-training.

Salary point class on cultural competency

“Valuing Difference” is an interac-tive seminar on cultural diversity, family history, media and societal impacts, and effective communications. The salary point workshop covers the important role your own culture plays in day-to-day interactions and includes interactive exercises in which participants review various issues from a variety of view-points. The next session is January 21 and 28 (two Sundays). The fee is $95. Location: 8339 W. Third Street, L.A., CA 90048. One multicultural salary point available. For more information or to register, call Kari Bower at 323-653-3332 or email [email protected].

UTLA online store is open with lower shipping

UTLA online store is stocked. We have redesigned the store to be mobile friendly and updated the shipping method to lower delivery cost to you. You can still order online and pickup at the UTLA building or have the items delivered via USPS. Go to www.utlastore.com, or you can access the store from our main website at www.utla.net (red arrow shows where you can access from main site.)

Nominations due March 1.

WHO awards: A chance to honor someone you know

Ever wonder how you can recognize a colleague or chapter chair who has shown true leadership by going above and beyond the call of duty to help members at your site? Or maybe a member who is involved in the Area steering committee or House of Representatives and has dedicated time to speak to our members, help where needed, and walk that mile or two for the good of all our members? Or what about that colleague who has spoken about professional matters at the state or national level to make sure our voices are heard?

Here is your chance to recognize them by nominating them for the We Honor Ours (“WHO”) awards, which are given annually in these categories:

• The WHO Local Award is for active UTLA/NEA members who have given outstanding service in support of UTLA/NEA and its members.

• The WHO State Award is for active UTLA/NEA members who have given out-standing service in support of UTLA/NEA and its members at the state or national levels of UTLA, CTA, and NEA.

• The UTLA/NEA Community Gold Award may be awarded to any person or organiza-tion whose leadership, actions, and support have demonstrated that the person or orga-nization is a true friend of public education, educators, or students and merits UTLA/NEA recognition of their accomplishments.

The WHO Awards Committee looks forward to honoring special members who you know are doing what it takes to make us stronger, keep us united, and stand for the good of all.

Deadline for nominations is Thursday, March 1. Nomination forms will be posted next month at utla.net. Recipients will be honored at a dinner on April 23.

Support for housed teachersUnder former superintendent John

Deasy, many educators were victims of the “teacher jail” system. Caught off guard and often falsely accused, they were left to suffer alone, under house arrest and unsure of what to do. LAUSD’s abuse of “teacher jail” has lessened since the departure of Deasy, but we still need to be vigilant about each and every case.

Some things that UTLA members may not be aware of: Teachers who run afoul of their administrators no longer get sent downtown to be “housed.” Instead, every day between 8 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., they’re restricted to their own houses and obligated to call in to the district twice daily. They’re paid their regular salaries, but they’re forbidden all contact with their schools, which can make mounting a defense difficult. In the meantime, district personnel in-vestigate the cases of these teachers.

Housed teachers are not kept informed of the status of these investigations. No formal hearing takes place until the district reaches its verdict, so accused teachers have no chance to influence the process.

UTLA’s Standing Committee for Un-justly Housed Teachers meets monthly at the union to support these teachers. From time to time the committee in-troduces motions at House of Repre-sentatives meetings. The committee also represents “reassigned teachers”—teachers arbitrarily relocated to other schools. The next meeting is January 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Room 904. The UTLA building is located at 3303 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010.

If you’ve been recently removed from the classroom, please contact Luis Vicente Ovalles, staff rep for housed teachers, at [email protected].

GRAPEVINE (continued from page 23)


17

PASSINGS (continued from page 10)

herself—unabashedly—and for guiding every child who passed through the schoolroom doors to recognize in himself or herself the joy in knowing how valuable each one is. No matter what, Ms. Morales is on our side and cheering us all as we reach for our stars.

Ela Felisa Ferre was born in Spain in 1935 and passed away on August 8, 2017, in Los Angeles at the age of 82.

As a teacher and colleague, Ela Ferre was a fount of positive and limitless energy in her classroom and in her school, Magnolia Avenue School, in the Pico Union area of Los Angeles. She taught there from 1989 until retiring in 2010. Ela was also an author, an artist, and an illustrator. She held a Ph.D. in psychology and an M.A. in literature.

She was completely dedicated to her young students and did not consider their being only five or six years old a serious limitation to what they could learn.

Never pleased with the idea of simply pouring a fixed curriculum into the heads of passive recipients, rather she considered each student as a unique human being, worthy of being listened to and encour-aged; she broadened the focus of learning to include anything that could be of benefit to a formative young mind, especially in the realm of music and the arts. For Ela, teach-ing was an act of collaborative creation, a project of continual refinement carried out with both love and serious reflection.

An intellectual and a writer, Ela was steeped in educational and bilingual theory and enthusiastically shared her insights

with her teacher colleagues and the parents of her students. She teamed with those parents in educating their children and always welcomed them to visit and observe the vibrant activities taking place in her classroom. Additionally, Ela taught numer-ous parents who didn’t have the opportu-nity to attend school to read by guiding them joyfully through the same successful processes she used with her students.

She took great pride and interest in each of her students, who were mostly Spanish-speaking, and motivated them to share the stories of their various cultures, just as she shared with them the customs and celebrations of her native Spain.

Though more senior in age than most of the faculty, few colleagues could match her determination and enthusiasm for teach-ing. She happily embraced and mentored many newer teachers.

Above all fiercely dedicated to the in-terests of her students, she was a strong supporter of UTLA in defending the teach-ing profession against the encroachments of politics and bureaucracy.

Her smile, her spirit, her warm embrace, and cheering words are her lasting legacy.

She leaves behind three daughters, one son, and seven grandchildren. Her teacher daughter, Isabel Ferre, collaborated con-structively in the classroom next to her mother with classes of kindergarteners for over a decade. Ela is affectionately remembered by the hundreds of students, parents, colleagues, and family members whose lives she touched.

Send news of passings to [email protected]. Photos welcome. For questions, call Kim Turner at 213-368-6252.


18

C O M M I T T E E E V E N T S

UTLA 37th ANNUAL

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scholarship FundraiserSponsored by

UTLA / African American Education Committee

Thursday, January 25, 2018 3:30 to 4:30

Kings Kids Talent ContestSpeeches, Dance, Musical

5:00 to 8:00 Fundraiser and Program

United Teachers Los Angeles

3303 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

Corner of Wilshire and Berendo, two blocks west of Verm

ont.

(Parking structure off Berendo)

Door Prizes - D.J. “James” - Food, Drinks, Entertainment. Adm

ission $5.00

Tickets available now or at the door. For additional information call D

ebbie Reid at (213) 368-6232

KINGS KIDS TALENT CONTEST APPLICATION

Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, January 17, 2018. All judgements and decisions by the AAEC

judges are final.

Student Name__________________________________________________

_Grade_____________

School_________________________________________School Phone #_____________________

Home Phone #_________________________ _______________________________

_______

Will submit in the following category (check one):

Music Singing Dancing Speech

Musical InstrumentOther

Parent’s Signature

UTLA African American Education Committee Presents the Forty-Fifth Annual Community Conference

Saturday, February 3, 2018 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

UTLA Building 3303 Wilshire Blvd. Room 815 Los Angeles, CA 90010 Presenters, Panel Discussion, Entertainment, White Elephant Sale

Continental Breakfast and Lunch

Early Registration before January 24, 2018 $20.00 Register on Saturday, February 3, 2018 $25.00 Parents free! Students free with ID!

*Teachers, you can use AAEC Conference hours to build point credits. For more information contact: UTLA Conference Secretary: Debbie Reid at UTLA (213) 368-6232 Janice L. Lee Conference Chair (818 368 4846)

ASIAN PACIFIC COMMITTEE’S Mulitcultural PD Conference featuring a:

“BUS TRIP TO MANZANAR”

Saturday, April 28, 2018 6 AM – 10:30 pm

(details below)

WORKSHOP SESSIONS (3): Saturday, March 10, 2018 8am -4 pm

(Includes light breakfast, & instructional materials)

Monday, April 23, 2018 4 pm - 9:30 pm

(Includes light dinner & instructional materials)

Saturday, May 5, 2018 8 am – 4 pm

(Includes light breakfast, lunch & instructional materials)

UTLA Headquarters 3303 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

2 blocks west of Vermont Ave. at Berendo. Parking structure is off Berendo

Asian Pacific Committee: 49th Anniversary Pilgrimage

BUS TRIP TO MANZANAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

(Includes lunch/dinner, snacks, charter bus transportation, conference materials & point credit information)

Saturday, April 28th, 2018 Time: 6 AM – 10:30 pm

Bus pick up: UTLA Parking Lot SE corner of Laurel Plaza

3303 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles OR @ Oxnard St, east of 170 frwy

Cost: $150.00 (2 salary points) or $75 (Pilgrimage only) - Deadline: April 13, 2018

Enrollment: Min. 20 participants for salary points. Bus max: 47 participants.

No bus trip refunds after April 13, 2018

LAUSD Approved, two salary points available. Article 3.3 Multicultural Specific Conference.

To qualify for salary points, you must attend the Pilgrimage on Saturday April 28, 2018 and Pre-trip workshop Monday,

April 23, 2018 4 pm – 9 pm Contact presenters (below) for any questions regarding salary points/payment.

Please enroll me in the UTLA Asian Pacific Committee’s Manzanar Conference. Enclosed is my *check to register me in

your conference. Sign up: go to utla.net, type in the search bar “manzanar” click enroll. Be sure to check box below and

pay appropriate amount. See presenters (bottom of flyer) to pay by credit card

Name___________________________________________________________________Employee#_______________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Phone ____________________________________________________School Phone______________________________________________

E-Mail__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SALARY POINTS NEEDED ⎕YES Enclose $150 ⎕NO (Pilgrimage only) Enclose $75

Please make check payable to UTLA Asian Pacific Committee. Send check and this form to Jenny Lam, c/o UTLA, 3303

Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010 via U.S. Mail with proper postage affixed. For information contact

Jenny Lam at: [email protected]. Presenter contact: Diane Newell: [email protected] Put “manzanar” in the subject bar,

or text: 818 642-0981 Rosie Van Zyl: [email protected] *Want to pay by credit card? Contact Presenters!

Please Post

UTLAPre-RetirementConference

Learn About

• LAUSD Career Milestones and Retirement • Health Benefits after Retirement • CALSTRS Benefits

o How they are earned and calculated o What the Heck is the Defined Benefit Supplemental Account? § How to build it

§ How to spend it (sort of )

• How to Supplement your retirement with smart 403b and 457b investment choices

SaturdayFebruary24th(2018)8AMto12PM

UTLABuilding3303WilshireBlvd.

LosAngeles,CA900108AM to 12PM

(Check in begins at 7:30AM)

Pre-registration is recommended thru the UTLA website calendar of events

Formoreinformation,pleasecontactEvyVaughnUTLAConferenceAdmin.213-487-5560

SponsoredbyUTLA’sPre-RetirementIssuesCommitteeTheCommitteemeetsfrom4:30—5:30beforetheHouseofRepresentativesmeeting.AllarewelcomeandinvitedtoattendandparticipateintheCommittee.

Updated!


19

Facebook: facebook.com/UTLAnow

Twitter: @utlanow

YouTube: youtube.com/UTLAnow

Get connected to UTLA

Note from UTLA-R PresidentBy John PerezUTLA-Retired President

The rich get richer and the poor pay for it: At the time of this writing, the Republican tax bill that passed the Senate has to go to the House of Representatives to reconcile the two Republican versions of the tax bill, but whatever version makes it to Trump and is signed by him will hurt millions of people. The negative effect on most Americans of these tax bills is hard to contemplate. But let’s look at some of the things these bills do. First, re-tirees (us) depend on Medicare, and these bills will cut $25 billion a year from Medicare funding. The Republicans tried and failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), but in these tax bills they attack a number of provisions of the ACA, and that will cause 13 million Americans to lose their insurance. Americans making less than $30,000 a year will, collectively, pay $2.6 billion more in taxes while those making more than $200,000 a year will pay an amazing $118.6 billion less in taxes! The Republican plans could cause as much as $100 billion in cuts to health and human services. Our grandkids will also be hurt. Interest on student loans will no longer be tax deductible, and currently 44 million Americans have student loans. The bottom 40% of tax filers will see their taxes go up; the top 1% of tax filers will see their taxes go down. The Republican tax plans cost $1.4 trillion, and two-thirds of that goes to the top 1% of taxpay-ers. For people who itemize deductions, the Senate version curtails the current ability of people to deduct state and local taxes on their federal income tax, while the House version is worse. This will negatively affect us here in

California. The bills will also make it harder for school districts to refinance bond debt, thus hurting local school districts countrywide. As I said, these tax bills are hard to contemplate.

2018 elections: The election season is well underway, and both our state organi-zations are interviewing candidates for the various state offices. The most important for us are governor and superintendent of public instruction. We know that neither of our state organizations or UTLA are going to endorse Antonio Villaraigosa for governor. Villaraigosa, who once worked for UTLA, sold out to Eli Broad and the privatizers a long time ago, and he would increase the number of unregulated charter operators in California. The more charter operators in the LAUSD, the more pressure there is on our healthcare and the greater impact on our neighborhood public schools. In the superintendent’s race, both our state organi-zations have endorsed Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, who is running against Marshall Tuck, who ran against Superintendent Torlak-son four years ago. Like Villaraigosa, Tuck is a privatizer and beholden to Eli Broad and the people who would take the “public” out of public education. Think about this: Two inde-pendent financial studies, one of the LAUSD and the other of the Philadelphia city schools, showed that more charter operators in these schools districts would put them on the road to bankruptcy. The LAUSD going bankrupt does not seem to worry Villaraigosa or Tuck.

PACE update: So far, 212 of our UTLA-Retired members have signed up for PACE. That means that from now on, UTLA-R will be contributing at least $21,200 per year to PACE. That is three times as much as we have

been able to contribute by asking people for checks or cash at meetings or through my column. None of us can contribute as much individually as Eli Broad and his billion-aire friends, but collectively if every UTLA member—active and retired—was a member of PACE, UTLA could raise upward of $6 million for every school board election and contribute money to defeat the enemies of public education like Villaraigosa and Tuck.

John can be reached at [email protected].

Salary Advancement Courses for Educators

Contact us for the latest schedule at our Los Angeles Locations.

West Los AngelesCarsonDowntown Los Angeles

Sherman OaksSanta ClaritaBurbank

DowneyLos AlamitosMonterey Park

$329 FOR THREE SEMESTER UNITS OF GRADUATE LEVEL EXTENSION CREDIT Visit sandiego.edu/educatorsprograms

Convenient | Relevant K-12 Applications | Practical Curriculum

ESTATE PLANNINGWant to avoid probate?Seeking peace of mind?

Don’t do it yourself. Let a fellow teacher be your lawyer. Sheila Bayne is a full time

teacher with LAUSD and has been an active member of the California Bar for over 30 years.

Complete Estate Planning Package: n Living Trust n Living Will/Advance Health Care Directives n Power of Attorney

n Trust Transfer Deeds n Pour-over Will and supporting documents n Personal consultation

Discount for UTLA Members:

$750(Joint trust for spouses: $ 1095)

Also: n Probate n ConservatorshipsCONTACT THE LAW OFFICES OF SHEILA BAYNE

at 310-435-8710or e-mail: [email protected]

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Dual-Language Teachers Needed

The District is currently seeking candidates to staff Arabic, Armenian, French, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish bilingual programs at the Elementary and Secondary levels.

There are current vacancies, as well as expected future growth in these programs.

If interested, please email Jacob Guthrie, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Human Resources Division, at [email protected] for more information.

LAUSD HUMAN RESOURCES

UTLA members will elect delegates at the January 25 General Membership Meeting at UTLA to represent the union at the statewide convention of the California Federation of Teachers.

At the convention, CFT members from around the state will gather to debate and vote on important resolutions and con-stitutional amendments. The annual CFT Convention is the most important policy-making body of the federation.

All UTLA members are eligible to be elected delegates to this event; delegates who fulfill their official obligations will receive a stipend to cover a major portion of their expenses. Interested members can fill out

UTLA/AFT 1021 delegates to CFT Convention to be elected January 25CFT to hold annual convention in Costa Mesa, March 23 to 25.

the coupon below to nominate themselves.The coupon must be returned by

January 12.

Motions for the meeting: All motions must be submitted to UTLA/AFT 1021 four weeks prior to the general membership meeting on January 25. Motions can be sent to AFT 1021 President via fax at 213-251-9891, mailed to 3303 Wilshire Blvd. 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010 or emailed to [email protected] by December 28, 2017. Please indi-cate “AFT 1021 motion” in the subject line. Motions submitted prior to the meeting will be posted on the UTLA/AFT 1021 link at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Name

Employee No.

Home address

City/Zip

Email

School

Phone # to contact you

I hereby declare that I am a fully paid member of UTLA. I wish to nominate myself as a delegate to the 2018 CFT Convention to be held in Costa Mesa from March 23 to 25.

Signature

This form must be returned by January 12 to UTLA/AFT Vice President Juan Ramirez at 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010 during regular business hours (9 p.m. -5 p.m.) or by mail. Nominations will not be taken from the floor or by fax/email. Elections will be held at the general membership meeting on Thursday, January 25, at 6 p.m. at UTLA.

2018 CFT Convention self-nomination form

UTLA/AFT members will elect delegates at the January 25 General Membership Meeting (UTLA building, 6 p.m.) to represent the union at the National Convention of the American Federation of Teachers in Pittsburgh, July 13 to 16.

At the convention, AFT members from around the country will gather to debate and vote on important resolutions and con-stitutional amendments. The biennial AFT

Be UTLA’s voice at the AFT Convention in July 2018

convention is the most important policy-making body of the national federation.

All AFT-affiliated UTLA members are eligible to be elected delegates to this event; delegates who fulfill their official obligations will receive a stipend to cover a portion of their expenses. Interested members can fill out the coupon below to nominate themselves.

The coupon must be returned by January 12.

Name

Employee No.

Home address

City/Zip

Email

School

Phone # to contact you

I hereby declare that I am a fully paid member of UTLA. I wish to nominate myself as a delegate to the 2018 AFT Convention to be held in Pittsburgh from July 13 to 16.

SignatureThis form must be returned by January 12 to UTLA/AFT Vice President Juan Ramirez at 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010 during regular business hours (9 p.m. -5 p.m.) or by mail. Nominations will not be taken from the floor or by fax/email. Elections will be held at the general membership meeting on Thursday, January 25 at 6 p.m. at UTLA.

2018 AFT Convention self-nomination form

Work study available.To register please visit: INNER-CITYARTS.ORG/CITC

SATURDAYS8:30 AM - 5:30 PM

MARCH 10 & 17

APRIL 7 & 21

MAY 5

EARN 2 LAUSDSALARY POINTS

OR 2 MSMUEXTENSION UNITS

SPRING 2018

REGISTER SOON!Space is limited

INFORMATION | [email protected] | (213) 627-9621 ext. 114

EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOPS IN:Visual Arts | Ceramics | Playmaking

Dance | Drama | Poetry | Music

Common Core Connections | ELD Strategies

Community Building | Restorative Practices

Integration of the Arts Across the Curriculum Social-Emotional and Trauma-Informed Focus

T R A N S F O R M I N G P R A C T I C E

Join us at our beautiful campus for five fun and engaging workshops for K-12

classroom teachers and teaching artists.

REGISTRATION DUEFEBRUARY 28TH

FEE:$225

GROUPDISCOUNT SPECIAL:

$180 fee for groups of 3

or more!


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ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Are you ready for a new challenge? Are you ready for a position outside the classroom?

Are you interested in administration?

Earn a Master of Arts in Educational Administration plus a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential . . .

in LESS than two years!

NEW COHORTS CLOSE TO WORK OR HOME STARTING January 22, 2018 Spring Semester

Apply Now!

On Campus Cohort

John Burroughs Middle School

"The joint Tier 1 Preliminary Services Credential and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership Program at

California State University, Northridge is by far the most sensible, cost effective option for any educator interested in pursuing a career in educational administration.

Students benefit from the real world experience and expertise of the instructors, the close student-to-faculty ratio, the convenient schedule designed for the working professional, and the strong peer relationships one

develops, all while learning the skills required for successful entry into an administrative position upon graduation." - Jay Benoit, Restorative Justice Teacher, Van Nuys High School, ESC North

Classes meet one night a week beginning at 4:20 PM

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies California State University, Northridge

(818) 677- 2591 http://www.csun.edu/coe/elps

A Free, Educational “Board” GameAddresses racism and white privilege through critical thinking, social analysis,

and team-based discussion.

DOWNLOAD at www.roadtoracialjustice.org • Created by Kesa Kivel

Ages 13+ • CCSS-Aligned • Curriculum Included (Worksheets, Glossary, PowerPoint)For Classrooms, After-School Groups, Staff Trainings

Players will:• Become more aware that racism exists in many everyday situations (both interpersonal and institutional)• Learn why the situations are racist (stereotyping, tokenism, cultural appropriation, etc.)• Acquire tools to interrupt these kinds of situations in order to help create a more loving and just world

Be one of the lucky teachers to bring UTLA’s award-winning Collective Bargaining Education Project to your school site this school year!

At our Collective Bargaining Institute, your students will spend several exciting hours learning about the labor movement by participating in a hands-on simulation of contract negotiations, aligned to content and Common Core standards.

The Collective Bargaining Institute engages ALL students. They will be grouped into small (4 students) union and management teams, and each student will be responsible for a different bargaining issue. And it gets better! All teams will be mentored by labor relations professionals who volunteer to “coach”!

There is no cost to your school. Our UTLA Collective Bargaining Education Project is co-sponsored by the L.A. County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO and the Labor and Employment Relations Association, with support from LAUSD.

Deadline: ASAP. Scheduling a CBI day requires three weeks in advance to recruit the team “coaches” from the L.A.-area labor movement. Also in advance, students need to be released from classes for the CBI (with a “trip” slip), to a large space with tables for 3 to 4 hours.

Contact Linda Tubach, Collective Bargaining Education Project teacher, ASAP at (626) 233-2284

or email [email protected].

26th Annual Collective Bargaining Institutes for

LAUSD High School Students

NEGOTIATIONS

BARGAININGLABOR MOVEMENT

Free workshops are open to all CalSTRS members.

All UTLA members are encouraged to attend a preretirement workshop at least three times during their career in order to plan for retirement secu-rity: early in their career, again just prior to age 50, and one year prior to retirement.

CalSTRS (the California State Teach-ers’ Retirement System) and the District are sponsoring a series of preretirement

workshops for this school year. Infor-mation will be provided regarding the calculation of retirement allowance, LAUSD 457(b) supplemental savings plan, post-retirement information, and more. Time will be provided at the end of the workshop presentation for ques-tions and answers. See reservation in-formation below. The workshops are individual meetings (not a series).

STRS preretirement workshops

Dates and locationsAll workshops are from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

How to register: CalSTRS is asking that you register for the workshop you wish to attend through their website: http://resources.calstrs.com/workshop_registration/index.aspx.

January 18, 2018 (Thursday) Hazeltine Elementary(Auditorium) 7150 Hazeltine Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91405

February 1, 2018 (Thursday)Caroldale Avenue(Auditorium)22424 Caroldale Ave.Carson, CA 90745

February 15, 2018 (Thursday) Burbank Middle School (Room A-106) 6460 North Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90042

March 1, 2018 (Thursday)

Bell HS (Room TBD) 4328 Bell Ave. Bell, CA 90201

March 8, 2018 (Thursday) Sheridan St Elementary (Auditorium) 416 North Cornwell Street Los Angeles, CA 90033

March 22, 2018 (Thursday) Eagle Rock High School (Student Dining Room) 1750 Yosemite Drive Los Angeles, CA 90041


22

UTLA ClassifiedsCLASSIFIED AND DISPLAY AD POLICY: UNITED TEACHER will not accept ads for legal services in the areas of worker’s compensation or personal injury; nor

advertising for tobacco or alcoholic beverages; nor advertising deemed misleading or offensive to members; nor advertising inconsistent with the programs and

purposes of United Teachers Los Angeles.

How To Place Your UT Classified Ad

Print your ad from your computer or use a typewriter. If you’re using the coupon below, please print clearly. Count the number of words in your ad. Area code and telephone number count as one word. Email and web address count as one word. Street address counts as one word. City and state, including zip code, count as one word. Abbreviations and numbers are considered words and are charged individually. The classified ad rate is $1.50 per word for each time your ad runs (there is no charge for LAUSD job share/employment available ads). Mul-tiply the number of words in your ad by $1.50. This is the cost for running your ad one time in UNITED TEACHER. If you’re running your ad in more than one issue, multiply the one-time total by the number of issues you wish the ad to appear. We have a ten word minimum ($15). All ads are payable in advance by check or money order. Please make check payable to UTLA. The deadline to receive your classified ad at the UTLA Communications Dept. is noon on the Monday that falls two weeks prior to the publication date. Any questions? Call 213-637-5173.

CLASSIFIED AD COPY FOR UNITED TEACHER PUBLISHING

_____ January 26 (due date: Jan. 8) _____ March 2 (due date: Feb. 12)

Name:

Street Address:

City: State: ZIP:

Ad Copy: Attach your typed copy to this form or print clearly here:

Total number of words: _____ @ $1.50 = $_________ per run date

Number of run dates ____ X $____ each run date = $_______

No credits or refunds on canceled ads. Mail with payment to UNITED TEACHER Classifieds,

UTLA, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Ads may also be dropped off at this address.

JOB SHARE

I am interested in a Job Share position in Secondary

Physical Education for the 2018-2019 school year.

Northwest Valley; prefer near Camarillo. I would like

to split the week, or split the year. Contact me at

[email protected]

I am a hardworking, personable second-grade teach-

er, with experience in TK-2, looking to job share at

your elementary school. I have taught at one school

for the past seven years. Classroom management is

a strong area for me; my partner should be structured

but friendly, as well. Punctuality is also very impor-

tant. I am looking for someone whose principal has

already approved them to job share. Job sharing at

my location is, unfortunately, not an option. I will work

M-F morning shift, but will attend all staff meetings. I

am hoping to job share, with you, beginning in the Fall

of 2018-2019 school year and beyond. This is a long-

term arrangement for me, and must be for you, too.

Please only contact me if you are in the Northeast, or

Northwest schools near the Northeast border. I prefer

to work at a school very near Burbank or Glendale

areas. If interested, please get in touch ASAP. The

deadline to apply is April 15. 818-939-8498.

Job Share need for 2018-2019 school year in

Northwest District. Afternoon position, teaching

first grade, great school, awesome faculty. Must be

a team player. Contact Guadalupe, 661-309-3041.

I’m a loyal, dedicated, hardworking second-grade

teacher. I would like to work the morning shift for

any grade K-5. I will come to your school. Please

contact me 818-939-8498 ASAP to job share this

Spring (2018) and beyond.

BOOKS

California Missions, Secondary Teaching Techniques,

Stories, Computers, Quit Smoking: PaulRallion.com.

MOVIE

8 Days Carlo starring James Faracci (LAUSD Sub)

live on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon.

RENTAL

Several beautiful one & two-bedroom apartments

in Historic Leimert Park, ranging from $1,200.00 to

$1,600.00 monthly. For more information, contact

Joyce Vaughn, 323-294-3808.

TAX SERVICES

FREE 2016 tax reviews & 2017 filing DISCOUNTS

for UTLA members! UTLA-R Andy Griggs, certified

tax preparer, specializes in taxes for educators

and offers year-round consulting. 310-704-3217

[email protected]

LAUSD EMPLOYMENT

Job share/employment

available ads in LAUSD

employment section are FREE.

Job share partner wanted for the 2nd semester

2017/18 school year and beyond. Your school or

mine- Harbor Area preferred. I have enjoyed my pre-

vious job share experience. If interested please con-

tact me at 310-918-4163 or [email protected].

LAUSD POSITIONS AVAILABLE

The Humanitas Magnet for Interdisciplinary Studies

located on the Grant High School campus is antici-

pating various positions available for the 2018-2019

school year. Come be a part of a brand-new magnet

where collaboration is key. Please send inquiries or

resumes to Ronald Arreola at [email protected].

Polytechnic High School’s Math, Science, and Tech-

nology Magnet anticipates an opening for a talented

math teacher for the next school year. Our magnet

supports 400 9th- to 12th-grade students. We offer

a rigorous college prep program designed to pre-

pare students for university studies in fields that re-

quire a strong background in math and science. We

are looking for an individual able to teach Algebra

through AP Calculus. Must have a desire to chal-

lenge and support students. Please send inquiries or

resumes to Jayne Couchois at [email protected].

Various positions are open and available for quali-

fied teachers at Birmingham Community Charter

High School. Join a vibrant community of educa-

tors at BCCHS. Apply on EdJoin.org.

REDUCED WORKLOADINFORMATION MEETING

9:00 A.M. TO 10:30 A.M.SATURDAY, February 24, 2018

BEAUDRY BUILDING, 15TH FLOOR

All new applicants must meet the following minimum requirements by July 1, 2018:

• 55 years of age

• 10 years of full-time service with LAUSD, the last five of which are continuous

• HR and CalSTRS approval

Reduced Workload is a leave granted by LAUSD and CalSTRS.

Space is limited to 25 participants. Please email Karen Castro at [email protected] to RSVP and you will receive an email confirmation. Registration deadline is February 21, 2018.

LAUSD HUMAN RESOURCES Presents


23

U N I T E D T E A C H E R

GRAPEVINEMath for America Los Angeles now accepting Master Teacher Fellowship applications

The Master Teacher Fellowship is a five-year program designed to help exceptional math/computer science teachers become leaders by supporting them as they design and orchestrate an improvement project focused on student-centered results. Ap-plicants apply as a team, with one to two other teachers at their school site. Teachers selected for the fellowship receive $10,000 annually in salary support, funding to attend math conferences, an additional planning period during the school day to carry out their project, and more. Selection criteria includes five-plus years of experi-ence teaching math/computer science in grades 7-12 in a high-need public/charter school in the greater Los Angeles area and exemplary teaching and leadership skills. Applications are due February 12, 2018. For more information, visit http://mfala.org.

February workshop on Charles Lummis and the culture of the Arroyo Seco

Teachers, grades K- 12, are invited to get involved in the professional development workshop, “The River Runs Through It: Charles Lummis and the Culture of the

Arroyo Seco.” This is an educational ex-perience that encourages the use of expe-riential learning to help foster community through a sense of place. Conducted by retired LAUSD teacher Carmela Gomes and assisted by master teacher Yim Tam, the place-based education workshop involves the participation of Wilderness Way magazine, the Arroyo Seco Founda-tion, the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, Friends of the Los Angeles River, Highland Park Heritage Trust, the Autry, and the Tongva/Gabrielino and Chumash/Tatavia Tribes. On Day One participants walk in the “wilds” of the restored area of the Arroyo Seco River through the communities of Pasadena and Highland Park. Audubon Center natural-ists and volunteers introduce concepts that emphasize creating a sense of place in all disciplines. A knowledgeable docent wel-comes participants to the Lummis Home and Garden, after which they get “up close and personal” with the Los Angeles River with Friends of the Los Angeles River at the confluence of the Arroyo Seco and the Los Angeles River. On Day Two expert docents lead a walking tour of the Syca-more Grove community. They encounter the owners of historic homes who are

artists, craftsmen, and community orga-nizers and listen to their stories. In the af-ternoon they learn about the Ethno Botanic Gardens at the Southwest Museum, learn about the exhibit of pottery from the ar-chivist who helped create it, and sit with holders of Chumash and Tongva traditions for a hands-on workshop. To receive one salary point credit for the workshop, teach-ers are required to use the information they acquire to create lessons for their class-rooms that reflect Charles Lummis’ view of the Southwest to support the Common Core. The workshop will take place on two Saturdays, February 17 and 24, 2018.

Registration is $85 per participant and closes on February 10. To register log on to www.lummisday.org/educational-work-shops, complete the information and use a credit card to pay the registration fee, or send a check made out to Lummis Day Community Foundation, Inc., and mail to Lummis Day Community Foundation, P.O. Box 50543, Los Angeles, CA 90050. Registration limited to 20 participants. For questions, contact Carmela Gomes at [email protected] or 818-429-8755.

Salary point class on Human Dynamics

New course dates have been announced for “Engaging All Your Students: A New Approach to Designing Lessons & Activi-ties That Accommodate Students’ Innate Learning Differences.” In this LAUSD salary point course, you will learn a new approach to engaging all your students that will turn your classroom into an active learning environment for everyone. This course is based upon an extensive body of knowledge called Human Dynamics that identifies innate differences in how people naturally think, learn, communicate, relate, and develop. Learning these skills will provide you with essentials tools that will help you to accommodate students’ innate learning needs. Compensation for this series is one salary point, which will be granted upon completion of 15 course hours (two 7.5-hour classes) and 30 hours of homework. The course will take place on Saturday, January 13, and Saturday, January 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Los Angeles. For more information, check out the website at humandynamics.com/lausd.

Civil Rights movement seminar: Choices from Mendez to Little Rock to Today

Facing History and Ourselves is holding a seminar on the American Civil Rights

Movement, which was a watershed moment for our nation. This seminar will explore ways to engage students in this moment in history by using a lens of how iden-tity, group membership, ethics, and moral judgements have influenced historical events. The seminar combines online and traditional face-to-face learning. Class will meet in person on January 23 and February 6. In between, participants will continue to read, share from their teaching experiences, and dive deeper into the history via an online platform. Participants are expected to spend approximately five to seven hours with the online activities during that two-week period. Participants will:

• Learn how to use Facing History’s rigorous and engaging teaching strate-gies and primary sources to help align with California Common Core State Stan-dards and the new History/Social Studies Framework for California.

• Receive a free copy of Facing Histo-ry’s “Choices in Little Rock and Common Core Writing Prompts” and “Strategies: A Supplement to Choices in Little Rock.”

Face-to-face meetings are January 23 and February 6 (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The online engagement platform is open from January 23 to February 6. Recommended for 11th-grade U.S. History, American Lit-erature, and Government teachers. Fee is $325. Scholarships are available. Reserve your spot at facinghistory.org.

Salary point class on “Becoming a Boomtown”

Earn salary points and expand your knowledge of local history by enrolling in “Becoming a Boomtown.” Class will visit the Huntington Museum, the Banning Residence Museum, the Lummis Resi-dence, and Heritage Square. This district-approved class is open to all K-12 edu-cators and is worth two salary points. It will also expose participants to exciting resources and Common Core-based strate-gies that can supplement their teaching. Participants will meet at Francis Polytech-nic HS, on January 27 and February 3, 10, and 24, with an optional half-day on March 3, 2018. From Francis Polytechnic High, the class will commute to the three locations (one for each of the first three Saturdays). The course fee is $175 for two units, preregistered ($185 on the first day), which includes breakfast, materials, and museum admissions. Enrollments will be accepted until—and including—the first day of class (January 27), or until cap is reached, whichever happens first. For further information, visit: www.en4ed.com or call/text Larry Carstens at 818-645-4259.

Speak Truth to Power video contest for student filmmakers

In partnership with the American Federa-tion of Teachers and the Tribeca Film Institute, the 8th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Speak Truth to Power Video Contest invites middle and high school students to create short three- to five-minute videos about

Meet the needs of every student. Advance your skills and strategies with a 2018 Summer Gifted Institute. Doctors Sandra Kaplan and Jessica Manzone present the 2018 Summer Gifted Institutes: • Summer Institute and Demonstration School

(Grades K-6) • Gifted Education in Primary Grades

(Identification And Curriculum) • How to Coach Colleagues to Differentiate

Curriculum and Instruction • Back to School: Are You Ready to Start The

School Year?For more information email Colleen Dietz at [email protected]

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(continued on page 16)

Apply today: call (800) 334-8788 or visit ccu.com/heloc

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Bargaining: Where we are and where we’re going

Documents

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