Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for you, our veterans.
This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars.
Related: Learn about the history of Veterans Day
Election day has come and gone but the results for many races still are undecided. ABCFT predicts that the reelection campaign to support Ernie Nishii was successful. The votes for Dr. Olga Rios’ reelection are still in the balance and it may take a couple of weeks before we fully know the results. The reelection of Soo Yoo seems to be successful but this can also be impacted if Soo Yoo wins her bid for a seat in Sacramento as an assembly member. Stay tuned for more election results in the coming weeks.
ACADEMIC SERVICES UPDATE
This month’s academic service update is vital for all teachers. We hope you will take a moment to look at this monthly report which discusses changes in academic services. This document provides the union with a means of giving the District feedback on the many programs or changes they are proposing at any time. Without your feedback or questions on these changes, it is harder for ABCFT to slow down and modify the district’s neverending rollout of new projects. Please submit your comments and questions to the appropriate ABCFT liaison.
For Elementary curricular issues, please email Kelley at Kelley.Forsythe@abcusd.us if you have any questions or concerns.
For Secondary curricular issues, please email Catherine at Catherine.Pascual@abcusd.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Click Here For This Month’s Full Report
ABCFT PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Ray Gaer
Consistent and regular communication is a union’s most important tool for advocating for its members at the bargaining table. Every conversation with members is focused on the end result of negotiating for the future prosperity and well-being of ALL ABCFT members. The goal of this weekly report is to keep members informed about issues that impact their working/learning conditions and their mental well-being. Our work as a Union is a larger conversation, and together we make the YOUnion.
“Now I’m feeling zombiefied….” lyric from the 1980’s group ASF. Seems like everyone is ready for a break and a much-needed Thanksgiving break to recharge for the next push forward with students academically.
This week Tanya and I visited the Artesia High School staff in their newly renovated classrooms and hallways. It was great to visit and hear from the staff at Artesia as they continue to refine their approach to the 8-period bell schedule that is not typical of other schools in ABC but has caused other secondary schools to contemplate alternative schedules that fit the community of students they serve. Here are a couple of pictures of the Artesia High School campus after renovations which was supported by the ABC community support of Measure BB. These are the schools that students need and deserve. Thank you, ABC Community for your visionary support of our facilities and learning environments.
Teachers at Artesia have adjusted to their special schedule over a handful of years but the veterans of the school stress that an important factor in implementing any bell schedule changes is for the district/principal to provide ample opportunities for teachers to collaborate as teams and to purposefully analyze how any bell schedule changes impact student achievement or pacing guides. I believe that Artesia successfully found the 8-period option because the staff was given extra planning time to adjust their content and pacing. Most significantly, they have continuously examined the effectiveness of their strategies. Thank you AHS staff our discussions throughout the day on Monday!
Is the 8-period schedule good for every school? No, your school's bell schedule must meet the needs of your students and there are budget constraints that may create the need for other options like WHS’s student support period or Fedde’s 7-period day. Bell schedules and period options need to be done with consensus, careful planning, and with district support to ensure success. I know many of you will be impacted in the coming month by discussing the bell schedules for next school year as the district prepares the pieces necessary to offer parents several options when considering schools of choice or even districts of choice.
We wanted to keep this week’s YOUnionews light, but next week we will continue with a new negotiations report, election results updates, and other important information (STRS update). Have a wonderful three days, and take a moment to pay thanks to those Veterans that have protected the United State of America so that we can continue to be “the greatest experiment in human history.” Happy Veterans Day!
In YOUnity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
This is a picture of the student center at AHS - this used to be a library. Looks amazing!
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
The latest CFT articles and news stories can be found here on the PreK12 news feed on the CFT.org website.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
American Voters Reject Extremism in Win for Democracy and Freedom
WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement on the emerging results of the 2022 midterm elections:
“In a year when democracy, freedom, public education, public safety and economic security were on the ballot, voters overwhelmingly rejected MAGA extremism and fear.
“They stood up for who we are as a country. They stood up for democracy and against election deniers. They stood up for the right of women to make decisions about their reproductive health, and against chaos and hate.
“Our country remains deeply divided—and there were many heartbreaking losses. But voters in so many close races elected problem solvers rather than problem makers.
“When public education was on the ballot, public education mainly won. Dynamic, progressive governors who ran on a positive agenda focused on the promise and potential of public schools prevailed. Ballot initiatives in California, Massachusetts and New Mexico passed. Even in Florida, against millions spent by Ron DeSantis, levies boosting funding for schools saw widespread success.
“These results show a deep reservoir of support for public schools and for the sustained investment that parents want to help their kids thrive. And the endorsement of collective bargaining provisions in multiple states and cities comes at a time when the labor movement—including unions representing educators—maintains strong and enduring approval. AFT members—educators, healthcare workers, public employees, and retirees—campaigned relentlessly for what our kids and communities need, and those efforts made a difference.
“The final picture will emerge in the coming days. Still, one thing is already clear: Last night, Americans boldly asserted their rights and freedoms and rallied around the democratic institutions that give our country meaning and hope for the future.”
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
Tony Thurmond cruises to reelection as California state superintendent
Thurmond, running for a second term, easily defeated Lance Christensen, a conservative education policy advocate and supporter of a private school choice initiative.
With the power of incumbency and a funding advantage behind him, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond handily won election to a second 4-year term on Tuesday.
Thurmond, 53, a former two-term Democratic assemblyman from Richmond, was leading Lance Christensen by nearly 2-to-1, 66% to 34% with more than half of the vote reported. It was a larger margin than Gov. Gavin Newsom held over his Republican opponent, state Sen. Brian Dahle.
----- HOW TO ADDRESS ABSENTEEISM -----
Strategies for helping schools tackle chronic absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism increased substantially across the nation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the latest national data available from the U.S. Department of Education, as reported by Attendance Works. with at least 10.1m students off during the 2020-21 school year, up from about 8m students prior to the pandemic. To help school officials address the matter, K12 Dive speaks to the representatives of districts around the U.S. to find out how they helped get absent pupils back in the classroom. Advice ranges from have a district-wide data-gathering team in place to help spot absenteeism patterns early on, to moving away from punitive approaches to absent students.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Middle school students need greater supports
A new report from Chiefs for Change outlines several strategies specific to middle schools that could potentially better help set tweens and teens up for success in high school and beyond. Offering recommendations on how best to help boost student academic, emotional and social development in middle school, the paper explains why approaches in middle school should differ from those in elementary and high schools due to the rapid neurological, learning, psychological and social changes children experience during this time. The report suggests officials review research and talk to stakeholders, set a vision that is specific to middle schools, analyze middle school performance data, set priorities and specific initiatives at school and district levels and establish grant programs to elevate promising initiatives.
Youngest students show achievement declines post-pandemic
Students in grades 1-2 showed lower reading and math achievement in spring 2022 compared to pre-pandemic trends, according to newly released NWEA MAP Growth assessment results and analysis. Reading scores fell 6 to 7 percentile points behind spring 2019 results, while math scores dropped 3 to 8 percentile points, underlining the challenges school leaders face in recovering pandemic-related losses. For 1st grade students - who have only attended school during the COVID-19 years - 2021-22 assessment results showed 6% to 7% lower growth across their 1st grade year. Students in grades 2-5 had assessment results in 2021-22 that mostly paralleled those in the 2018-19 school year. NWEA said the results emphasize the need for targeted investments in early literacy and math programs to help the youngest students gain essential academic skills. “There’s no good time to have two years of school disrupted, but I do think those kids that were making a transition to a new school level at that time probably had it tougher than others,” laments report co-author Megan Kuhfeld.
----- STATE NEWS -----
Windfall for arts education with the likely passage of Proposition 28
The measure would set aside money in the state’s general fund to give school districts additional funding for arts education.
California K-12 schools will get a windfall of nearly $1 billion annually for drama, music and other arts programs, thanks to the likely passage of Proposition 28 on Tuesday.
At 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, with more than 5 million votes counted, the initiative was passing by a wide margin, with 61.5% in favor. If the initiative ultimately passes, Proposition 28 will go into effect in 2023.
https://edsource.org/2022/windfall-for-arts-education-with-the-likely-passage-of-prop-28/681015
----- DISTRICTS -----
San Francisco USD declares state of emergency over payroll
San Francisco USD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne has declared a state of emergency over ongoing payroll disruptions for hundreds of school district employees. He announced the launch of a 60-member command center to help resolve the thousands of errors caused by the EMPower SF system, which are “bigger and more complex” than initially thought. The declaration of a payroll state of emergency will allow the district to take drastic action, Wayne said. That will include daily updates on how many employee issues there are still outstanding as well as weekly reports to the school board, along with a dashboard, so people can see how many issues they are currently working on, and how they are being handled. “It will take time to fix EMPower and more time to fix the underlying systems,” said board President Jenny Lam. “It pains me to say that. I’m not going to ask for patience because I know your patience is up.” Cassondra Curiel, president of the United Educators of San Francisco union, said district employees have high expectations for the command center. “This should have been the response by the district in March when we were sleeping in their offices. And so, while I welcome this step, it’s a much-needed step, it’s also very delayed. It’s months and months late,” she added.
Visalia students will automatically be accepted into UC Merced
Hundreds of Visalia USD students will “automatically” be accepted into University California Merced thanks to a new partnership between the school district and the university. “We want every family in Merced County to know that a University of California education is right here, close to home,” UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said, “and that you have the possibility to go from kindergarten through Ph.D. within minutes of your home if you put in the work.” The new partnership marks the second step the Visalia school board has taken this year to ensure students have greater access to higher education. In September, trustees voted after years of debate to finally raise graduation requirements to align with California State University and University of California minimum subject requirements.
L.A. Unified's bilingual program for deaf students hailed as a model for California schools
Michele Bergeron knows that her 5-year-old son, who’s deaf, likes watermelon and pizza. He’s obsessed with airplanes, wants to play football, likes books about Spider-Man and someday wants to be tall like his dad.
“Without sign language, I never would have known any of this,” said the Fremont mother. “Sign language is the most important thing for deaf children and their families to learn. How else are you going to communicate? How will you know your child’s hopes and dreams?”
Her son, Lennon, attends California School for the Deaf in Fremont, a public K-12 school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students from throughout Northern California. Students as young as 14 months learn to sign at the same time they learn to read and write in English, which allows them to master both languages and communicate with their deaf peers and the hearing world alike.
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Staff, student illnesses lead to districtwide closures in several states
School systems in at least five states shut down Monday due to staff and student flu-like and respiratory illnesses, at a time when school leaders are attempting more stability with in-person learning after several years of COVID-19 interruptions. A “tripledemic” of the flu season, the lingering pandemic and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, is wreaking havoc on plans to boost learning supports and professional development opportunities. In Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, districts are experiencing system wide closures, according to local reports, district websites and social media posts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises school systems to conduct routine cleaning and provide cleaning supplies, according to its school-specific seasonal flu guidance. Additionally, the CDC suggests educating staff, students and families on what to do if someone gets sick, including protocols for when it is OK and not OK to come to school.
----- HIGHER EDUCATION -----
Report reveals disparity in access to dual-enrollment classes
Earning college credit in high school can be a powerful tool for exposing students to universities and helping them get a leg up on tuition and earning a degree. But access to those courses remains uneven across California. In many areas of the state, Latino and Black students are disproportionately underrepresented in dual enrollment classes, an EdSource analysis shows. Fifty-nine of the 72 districts analyzed had a lower percentage of Latino high school students and 52 had a lower percentage of Black students. The causes can vary between high schools and colleges but include misconceptions about who should take dual enrollment classes, few instructors, a lack of available courses, and a lack of awareness by students, families and high school counselors about the programs.
NTA Life Insurance - An ABCFT Sponsor
Years ago ABCFT started a working relationship with National Teachers Associates Life Insurance Company. Throughout our partnership, NTA has been supportive of ABCFT activities by sponsorship and prizes for our various events. This organization specializes in providing insurance for educators across the nation. We have been provided both data and member testimonials about how pleased they have been with the NTA products and the opportunity to look at alternatives to the district insurance choice.
To All Members of the ABC Federation of Teachers,
National Teacher Associates (NTA) is committed in our efforts to helping educators through tough times. It’s what we do. After all…in our eyes, you are the heart and soul of our communities.
Protecting you and your families has been our goal for over 45 years. Despite the current global pandemic, we are not about to slow down now. We know that many of you have had our programs for years and sometimes forget the intricacies of how they work. NTA wants to help facilitate any possible claims for now and in the future. Fortunately, all claims and reviews can be done by phone and online. I personally want to offer my services to guide you in the right direction with your NTA benefits.
We also apologize for not being able to finish the open enrollment for those of you who wanted to get our protection. We are still able to help by extending our enrollment window for the near future. Again, this can be done over the phone, email, or online.
Please contact Leann Blaisdell at any time either by phone or email.
562-822-5004
Leann.Blaisdell@horacemann.com
Click here to schedule an appointment
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