Connections
Anacortes Education Association                                             October 2007 – Vol. 3, Issue 1

Promoting the cause of public education, by assisting in all statewide activities of the Washington Education Association and by representing AEA members to the public, the school board, the administration, and the profession.

 

A Simple Majority for Our Local Schools

Approve 4204!

This proposal will allow school levies to pass with a simple majority vote, instead of the 60 percent supermajority that’s now required. Why should you support it?

• Because local levies provide our schools with fundamental needs.

They pay for textbooks, smaller class sizes, teacher training and other basics that are essential to providing our children with the quality education they need to succeed in life.

• Because schools need help. Most voters support local levies because they know our schools need help. They know it’s hard for our kids to learn when Washington ranks 47th in the nation in class size.

• Because levy failures hurt our kids. Last year 31 school levies received a majority vote, but failed because they didn’t get 60 percent – disrupting school operations and forcing new levy elections, instead of letting schools concentrate on educating our kids.

• Because the 60% rule is unfair. Your community can approve things like a new park or a new jail by a simple majority vote – but not a school levy. The 60% rule sets an unfair standard for your local schools, making it harder for them to get the support they need – and that’s not fair.

How YOU can help: visit www.simplemajority.org for more information

 


Join WEA-PAC Today: Make your voice heard

 

What is WEA-PAC?

WEA-PAC is Washington Education Association's Political Action Committee. WEA-PAC supports candidates, regardless of party, who champion the needs of public education. Based on input from local WEA-PAC members, WEA-PAC determines how political candidates stand on the issues that affect our members, our schools and our students. We support good candidates who are willing to stand up for public education. Candidates from local to statewide positions can and do receive assistance from WEA-PAC. School boards, city councils, the state Legislature, the governor, the superintendent of public instruction and judgeships have all been affected by WEA-PAC and its members.

 

On the horizon – Your Local is starting it’s annual WEA-PAC drive

The month long event kicks off with this newsletter and attached flyer. AEA plans to conduct a month long WEA-PAC drive from early October until mid-November. We are asking every member to join WEA-PAC by making a $27/year contribution. And since payroll deduction is back, you can sign up with nothing more than a signature and the payroll office will take care of the rest ($2.25 will be deducted monthly.) Best part – Once you sign up, you can keep your contribution going each year without having to sign up every fall.

Some things to consider:

Lat year Anacortes EA had the 10th highest rate of WEA-PAC participation in the state at about 28%. Thank you. I’m sure we can do even better this year.

Before WEA lost payroll deduction 6 years ago, state wide participation was about 70%. Let’s make WEA-PAC part of our obligation again. It should be something we just do.

 

Building reps from each site will make one on one visits to each of you to ask for your support now through October. They will have forms for you to sign.  AEA is even sponsoring a friendly building competition for whichever building gets the greatest percentage of staff signed up. Something delicious could be in your future. So, get involved and make your voice count.

 

Your Association Leadership

Putting Members First

President – Peter Donaldson, Mt. Erie

President Elect – Carl Dellutri, AHS

Treasurer – Roxanna Moser, Whitney

Secretary – Dawn Greenfield, Island View

Building Reps: AHS – Ron Campbell, Joe Furin, Janet Clark, AMS – Larry Verbano, Karin Cooper, FID. – Patty Johnson, Stephanie Ward, IV – Kecia Fox, Tony Vecchione, Whit. – Roxanna Moser, ME – Angie Miller, Suzy Boyes

Grievance Officer: Scott Burnett

Information

·         Local WEBSITE -- Bookmark the following web address for a link to our Association Website: http://anacortesea.org/
 
Text Box: President’s Message – What is politics doing as the central theme for a local Association newsletter, you ask? Whether we like it or not, politics are as important to our job as individual student success. I’d go so far to say that politics has a hand in almost everything we do as teachers. WEA makes no bones about its political agenda and we shouldn’t be afraid to voice our concerns, contribute to campaigns, and make donations to pro-education candidates. Here are just a few things controlled by politics. You decide how important each one is: • Salary - The Washington Legislature determines your annual salary and salary increases. • Class Size - The Legislature controls school funding - which affects your class size. • Benefits - The benefits you receive and your out-of-pocket costs for those benefits are determined by the Legislature. • Retirement - The Legislature recently decided to reduce your retirement benefits. • State Mandated Testing Get the picture. Good, now get involved. I encourage each of you to join the phone bank being put together in Anacortes for the 4204 Simple Majority Campaign. AEA is working with the district to set-up a two or three day phone bank for the middle of this month. We plan to call supportive voters and remind them to get out and vote. Polls show the proposal running dead even. We need to get everyone out. More details to follow. Secondly, I want to remind you of your obligation to help make Washington a top tier education state again. There’s no doubt some of the best teachers in the country work here, but now it’s time for Olympia to pay up and fund education with enough money for us to do our job completely. WEA-PAC can help make that possible by promoting those candidates that are most favorable to our causes – compensation, benefits, and class size. Payroll deduction is back. For the first time in 6 years you can sign up with just a signature and make a $2.25/month contribution to WEA’s political action committee. Help WEA build the political power for real change. Sign up this month when your building reps stop by with the new forms. Thanks for all your great work. Peter Donaldson -- President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Dates

□       October 5 : LID day, All leaves apply

□       November 12: Veteran’s Day, No school

□       Nov. 13-15: AMS conferences, early release

□       November 15: AHS conferences, early release

□       Nov. 15-20: K-6 Conferences, early release

□       November 21: K-12, early release

□       November 22-25, Thanksgiving Holiday

□       December 19 – January 1, Winter Break

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*These are Ma
 

Making WEA Work for You

WEA – PO Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98003-9100,

1-800-622-3393, www.washingtonea.org

WEA is an incredible resource. If you haven’t visited the website recently, you should. In particular, check out the member/services tab.

4th Corner Uniserv Council – 1800 James St, Bellingham, WA 98225-4623 (360) 733-3344