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DATE: FEBRUARY 26, 2015
TO: CERTIFICATED STAFF ELIGIBLE FOR VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT FROM: HUMAN RESOURCES - CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL RE: VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT PROGRAM On February 11, 2015 Victor Valley Union High School District and Victor Valley Teacher’s Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Voluntary Retirement Program (VRP). You are receiving this information because you meet the requirements of age and service in the district to qualify for the Voluntary Retirement Program. Attached you will find the Memorandum of Understanding detailing the program and a Plan Announcement. There will be an orientation meeting on Wednesday March 4, 2015 from 4:15 – 5:30 in the District Board Room. You will be receiving more information from Highmark Administration & Consulting. If you have any questions regarding the program please contact the Human Resources Department and/or the Business Department. Lindy Buzzard Executive Assistant Human Resources-Certificated Personnel Victor Valley Union High School District 16350 Mojave Drive Victorville, CA 92395 Phone 760-955-3201 Ext. 10239 Fax 760-245-4634 [email protected] ============================================================================================================= |
If you are wondering who your regional teachers union supports for their local school board election (coming up November 2, 2014), here is a compilation that was put together to help you end your search. Thanks for all you guys do every day! VVTA.
Dear Certificated Members, October 10, 2014
As we are well into the start of a new school year, the demands and requests are trickling in, asking us to give of our very precious personal time. We received a modest increase in our paychecks, along with classified and management, yet we still have several issues to address.
While we have the duty to adequately prepare for our classes and grade our students’ work, we are also getting requests to work additional hours outside our contracted duty day. There have been requests for us to tutor, attend professional developments, and grade district assessments. We are required to adhere to our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), however we are NOT required to work beyond it. Anything over our 6 hour and 35 minute duty day, and 20 adjunct duty hours is optional and voluntary.
The $32/hour offering of the District is in the CBA ratified by the Association September 19, 2012, and only recently ratified by the Board of Trustees this September – 2 years later! The district chose to ignore the rest of our duly negotiated contract. The only item they chose to ratify dealt with extra duty pay.
As Kent Crosby so eloquently stated, if we work for $32 an hour, we will continue to get $32 an hour. While the extra money may be quite tempting, especially in times of financial hardship, if we do NOT work for $32 an hour, the district will either have to discontinue these services or increase the amount offered.
This summer the district did not get many teachers to work summer school. Because so many people valued their time and worth, the summer school rate has been increased to $36/hour. It should have reverted back to the per diem rate, as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 2013, but the District has failed, once again, to honor a signed agreement. However, our Association stood firm and did not work for less than the per diem rate.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jean Aldrete’s presentation at the most recent board meeting, our District had an Ending Fund Balance (EFB) of $14,148,049 for the 2013/14 academic year. This amount will increase for the next several years. This is despite the fact the District has hired several new directors and coordinators. Classified employees receive time and a half, double time, or even triple time for working over and above their regular duty time. When certificated employees work beyond their duty day, their pay is cut by half. Why would you give up your time with your family, your church, your friends, or yourself, to make less than you are worth?
The official position of the Association is as follows and has not waivered: DO NOT accept, work, and/or volunteer for any event unless it is paid to you at your per diem rate. This may be difficult because we know how deeply you care for your students, but please remember, YOU are of infinite worth. YOU deserve respect. You must be treated as the professional you are.
Let us stand together on this issue. Look at what we have already accomplished as an Association.
Sincerely,
Your Executive Board
Jose Berrios, Jr., President
====================================================================================
Welcome Back Teachers:
It is with sadness I bid farewell to the best summer ever, and I hope you had the same. This school year looks to be another adventure but different than the past. Adelanto High School finally has the home it deserves; UP has a new site and two schools have new principals. There are also numerous district office changes, but I will not bore you with that.
The best news is we are starting the school year with an active contract, which included a 5% raise this year. This was not given to you, but was a hard fight, taking a year and a half battle that was successful ONLY because of the membership’s involvement. If you were one of the members involved, kudos to you. If not, now is the time to get involved so you can make a difference in future of the teachers/counselors at VVUHSD. Your involvement was the difference between being last in salary compared to our neighbors or finally getting the respect and compensation that ALL of our hardworking teachers and counselors deserve.
Finally, realize that anything you do to help the cause only helps you and your fellow members. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. You are the one to make that progress.
Thank you all for giving and being the best association ever. I hope you all have a great year.
With anticipation,
Jose Berrios
President
Victor Valley Teachers Association
As we are well into the start of a new school year, the demands and requests are trickling in, asking us to give of our very precious personal time. We received a modest increase in our paychecks, along with classified and management, yet we still have several issues to address.
While we have the duty to adequately prepare for our classes and grade our students’ work, we are also getting requests to work additional hours outside our contracted duty day. There have been requests for us to tutor, attend professional developments, and grade district assessments. We are required to adhere to our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), however we are NOT required to work beyond it. Anything over our 6 hour and 35 minute duty day, and 20 adjunct duty hours is optional and voluntary.
The $32/hour offering of the District is in the CBA ratified by the Association September 19, 2012, and only recently ratified by the Board of Trustees this September – 2 years later! The district chose to ignore the rest of our duly negotiated contract. The only item they chose to ratify dealt with extra duty pay.
As Kent Crosby so eloquently stated, if we work for $32 an hour, we will continue to get $32 an hour. While the extra money may be quite tempting, especially in times of financial hardship, if we do NOT work for $32 an hour, the district will either have to discontinue these services or increase the amount offered.
This summer the district did not get many teachers to work summer school. Because so many people valued their time and worth, the summer school rate has been increased to $36/hour. It should have reverted back to the per diem rate, as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 2013, but the District has failed, once again, to honor a signed agreement. However, our Association stood firm and did not work for less than the per diem rate.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jean Aldrete’s presentation at the most recent board meeting, our District had an Ending Fund Balance (EFB) of $14,148,049 for the 2013/14 academic year. This amount will increase for the next several years. This is despite the fact the District has hired several new directors and coordinators. Classified employees receive time and a half, double time, or even triple time for working over and above their regular duty time. When certificated employees work beyond their duty day, their pay is cut by half. Why would you give up your time with your family, your church, your friends, or yourself, to make less than you are worth?
The official position of the Association is as follows and has not waivered: DO NOT accept, work, and/or volunteer for any event unless it is paid to you at your per diem rate. This may be difficult because we know how deeply you care for your students, but please remember, YOU are of infinite worth. YOU deserve respect. You must be treated as the professional you are.
Let us stand together on this issue. Look at what we have already accomplished as an Association.
Sincerely,
Your Executive Board
Jose Berrios, Jr., President
====================================================================================
Welcome Back Teachers:
It is with sadness I bid farewell to the best summer ever, and I hope you had the same. This school year looks to be another adventure but different than the past. Adelanto High School finally has the home it deserves; UP has a new site and two schools have new principals. There are also numerous district office changes, but I will not bore you with that.
The best news is we are starting the school year with an active contract, which included a 5% raise this year. This was not given to you, but was a hard fight, taking a year and a half battle that was successful ONLY because of the membership’s involvement. If you were one of the members involved, kudos to you. If not, now is the time to get involved so you can make a difference in future of the teachers/counselors at VVUHSD. Your involvement was the difference between being last in salary compared to our neighbors or finally getting the respect and compensation that ALL of our hardworking teachers and counselors deserve.
Finally, realize that anything you do to help the cause only helps you and your fellow members. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. You are the one to make that progress.
Thank you all for giving and being the best association ever. I hope you all have a great year.
With anticipation,
Jose Berrios
President
Victor Valley Teachers Association
Voting on Tentative Agreement will be on March 20th from
1:45-5:00 (4:45 PM now so it can be presented to the board at the board meeting)pm * (please note the
time change) at the VVTA office.
VVTA ORGANIZING
VVTA ORGANIZING
VICTOR VALLEY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WITH YOUR CONCERNS
BOARD INFORMATION
President Barbara Dew 760-985-5723 [email protected] [email protected]
Vice President Tim Hauk 760-964-9666 [email protected] [email protected]
Member Duneen Debruhl 909-239-6950 [email protected]
Clerk Evelyn Glasper 760-985-4187 [email protected]
Member Rita Jackson 909-272-1079 [email protected]
Superintendent Elvin Momon 760-955-3201 x10201 [email protected]
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WITH YOUR CONCERNS
BOARD INFORMATION
President Barbara Dew 760-985-5723 [email protected] [email protected]
Vice President Tim Hauk 760-964-9666 [email protected] [email protected]
Member Duneen Debruhl 909-239-6950 [email protected]
Clerk Evelyn Glasper 760-985-4187 [email protected]
Member Rita Jackson 909-272-1079 [email protected]
Superintendent Elvin Momon 760-955-3201 x10201 [email protected]
JANUARY 23,
2014 NEGOTIATIONS COMMUNIQUÉ
An extremely disappointing morning, we met with the district under the understanding that furlough days would be addressed among other items. The district presented us with a counter proposal that included a cap on our health and welfare benefits and a 5-day, over the next two years, payment for professional development. The district totally ignored our 12 remaining furlough days. They would not consider paying us our per diem for the five professional development days that they suggested. They refused to talk about a pay increase.
District went back on previously stated cap increases. The furlough days were originally given in good faith because of the supposed financial crisis in the district. Since there is no financial crisis, those days should be restored. They refused to talk about it. Instead, they wanted us to take professional development days at a set cost NOT per diem. For most of our teachers, this will be a pay cut (the average teacher makes $387 before taxes per day, they offer $250 before taxes per day). Not to present even a modest pay increase was another slap to our face.
Having recently celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, a man who fought for the rights and dignities of the worker, it reminds us how far we have to go in this district. The concept that power corrupts is obviously evident in this district. We have large class sizes and caseloads, facilities that need improvement, lack of supplies, and students who are not getting their needs met. The district solution to these problems is to continue with the same failed policies of the last few years.
They cried money was a problem. They lied. They said that they were going to decrease the number of employees. They did at the sites but not at the district office. The school board and district level administration have abundant supplies. Teachers and Counselors, in direct contact with students, struggle with very little.
It is time for a change.
Your Negotiating Team
============================================================================================
January 9, 2014 NEGOTIATIONS COMMUNIQUE
The Negotiating Team showed the District the same PowerPoint previously shown to the VVTA members. District agreed that the numbers projected from September 2013 to January 2014 changed as follows:
Revenues: $79,434,767 to $89,592,053
Expenditures: $80,173,647 to $84,718,958
Ending Fund Balance: ($738,880) to $4,873,095
These numbers are close to what the Negotiating Team believes are correct. We reiterated our stance about the need for the return of furlough days. The District asked to reconvene on the 23rd, after they have a chance to discuss the numbers with the powers that be.
An extremely disappointing morning, we met with the district under the understanding that furlough days would be addressed among other items. The district presented us with a counter proposal that included a cap on our health and welfare benefits and a 5-day, over the next two years, payment for professional development. The district totally ignored our 12 remaining furlough days. They would not consider paying us our per diem for the five professional development days that they suggested. They refused to talk about a pay increase.
District went back on previously stated cap increases. The furlough days were originally given in good faith because of the supposed financial crisis in the district. Since there is no financial crisis, those days should be restored. They refused to talk about it. Instead, they wanted us to take professional development days at a set cost NOT per diem. For most of our teachers, this will be a pay cut (the average teacher makes $387 before taxes per day, they offer $250 before taxes per day). Not to present even a modest pay increase was another slap to our face.
Having recently celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, a man who fought for the rights and dignities of the worker, it reminds us how far we have to go in this district. The concept that power corrupts is obviously evident in this district. We have large class sizes and caseloads, facilities that need improvement, lack of supplies, and students who are not getting their needs met. The district solution to these problems is to continue with the same failed policies of the last few years.
They cried money was a problem. They lied. They said that they were going to decrease the number of employees. They did at the sites but not at the district office. The school board and district level administration have abundant supplies. Teachers and Counselors, in direct contact with students, struggle with very little.
It is time for a change.
Your Negotiating Team
============================================================================================
January 9, 2014 NEGOTIATIONS COMMUNIQUE
The Negotiating Team showed the District the same PowerPoint previously shown to the VVTA members. District agreed that the numbers projected from September 2013 to January 2014 changed as follows:
Revenues: $79,434,767 to $89,592,053
Expenditures: $80,173,647 to $84,718,958
Ending Fund Balance: ($738,880) to $4,873,095
These numbers are close to what the Negotiating Team believes are correct. We reiterated our stance about the need for the return of furlough days. The District asked to reconvene on the 23rd, after they have a chance to discuss the numbers with the powers that be.
This picture is from Thursday, May 13, 2006.... And We continue to wear RED on Thursdays.
Why We Are Still Doing What We Are Doing (November 12, 2013)
Dear VVTA Members:
Many members have asked, "Why we are continuing to wear red?", "What good does it do to attend Board Meetings?", and "What is going on?"
Since the District has "found" over $10.5 million, we seem to be in the midst of a temporary calm (think the eye of a hurricane). Our fight is not over.
1. To date, we do not have a signed agreement. Regardless of the Dr. DeBruhl's erroneous statements, negotiations have NOT closed.
2. We still have 12 furlough days - 4 remaining for this year and 8 for next year.
3. Our sister district, Victor Elementary, received a 5% raise (3% on schedule; 2% off schedule), retroactive to July of 2012, with no cap on their fully paid Health/Welfare benefits. Adelanto, likewise, has received a raise.
4. Certificated employees are continuing to be asked to go to trainings on their free time (after school, Saturdays). Certificated employees are asked to do this for free (count it towards your adjunct duty hours) or are paid only $32.00/hour rather than their per diem rate. In what other profession are individuals who work overtime compensated at LESS than their standard wage? We have asked that furlough days be used as training days with compensation at the per diem rate.....a win, win proposition.
5. VVUHSD received over $2 million specifically for the implementation of Common Core. Use of this money to train teachers and counselors would have absolutely NO IMPACT on the General Fund.
6. Finally, teachers and counselors have bled long enough! We need closure.
We wear red to signify that we are a team, to show unity, to lend one another support. We go to Board meetings so our voices will be heard. We will not be ignored. Please, follow the lead of you Organizing Team as they work under the direction of the Exec Board and the Negotiating Team. Their plan and your involvement has gotten us this far.
We are VVTA and We Are One!
Jose Berrios
VVTA President