SGTA Updates

Hello SGTA,  
 
Please take a moment to read the following updates:
 
Negotiations Update:
Our bargaining team met with the district for negotiations on Friday, April 28th.  SGTA proposed two salary increases for all bargaining unit members, one retroactive to July 1, 2016 and another effective July 1, 2017.  The salary proposal includes across-the-board increases for all members in both years and a salary restructure to the current schedule.  SGTA also introduced proposals to address special education planning and preparation time, clarify special education staff meeting time, and monitor special education caseloads.  There was also quite a bit of discussion around SGUSD’s safety and emergency preparedness.   The parties will meet again for negotiations on Wednesday, May 3rd.
 
LCAP Summary Plan:
On April 14, 2017 our  Educational Advisory Committee met to review the LCAP Summary Plan for next year. We have attached the document for your reference.  This document will be shared with school board members on June 20th and will be placed on the district website for public knowledge.  The LCAP Summary Plan will be school board approved on June 27th, then it will be sent to LACOE. Any corrections will be addressed prior to sending to the CDE. 
 
It is important we review this document now and offer any additional comments or suggestions immediately.  Please take some time to discuss this plan with your principals and your EAC Committee members.  You can also email your school board members if you so choose to question this document.  Please keep in mind that this is a working document and funding may change as school sites needs are addressed.
 
Music Immersion Experience (MIE) Program:
It is important to note that the LCAP Summary Plan referred to above lists the math/reading/music infused intervention program (MIE) at Roosevelt Elementary School at an estimated cost of $875K for 2017-18.  Previous reports from SGTA regarding the MIE program budget were based on the information provided to SGTA by the SGUSD District Office.  Based on this information, SGTA also stated that we did not feel this program was well planned-out.  SGTA would like to clarify these comments.
 
First, our comments regarding program planning was referring to the District’s ability to fulfill its 5-year commitment to fund the MIE program, not the program’s structure, instruction, or curriculum. 
 
Second, SGTA recently met with our MIE bargaining unit members and learned that the budgetary information provided by SGUSD to SGTA is incorrect.  According to the MIE Program Director, the MIE budget for next year is still being drafted but will be significantly less that the $875K amount reported previously.  This is partially due to the reduction in first year start-up costs and potential grant funding. 
 
SGTA is committed to the success of the MIE program at Roosevelt.  Our MIE bargaining unit members are doing incredible work with our students there.  Moving forward, we will be setting up a meeting with the Superintendent and the MIE Program Director to clarify the discrepencies between what the MIE Program is planning for their budget and what the District Office is reporting.  We will keep you posted on these discussions.


Potential Cuts to Title One Funding:
(Message from Asst. Supt. Tiffany Rudek) LACOE warned us that all Title Programs may be cut up to 20% if the State withholds more money. The new ESSA law allows states to take more federal dollars off the top. We will not know what the State will do and what our allocations will be until the fall. That being the case, we are looking for ways to save and protect schools from these possible cuts.  The cuts are a problem for us because we are very heavily invested in people.

Recent Achievements:   Del Mar High School Sends 6 Students to Represent SGUSD in History Day Contest!
Six Del Mar High School continuation students will represent San Gabriel Unified School District in National History Day-California, a state competition that challenges students to examine history through extensive original research and creatively express their findings before a panel of historians and educators.  Congratulations to Del Mar and the hard-working teachers and students!

CTA Statewide Day of Action:
Thank you very much to teachers across the district who wore their SGTA shirts on Monday.  Monday was not only a day for labor unions to recognize their positive contributions to the work force, but to also take a stand for public education and the educational rights of all students to receive a Free and Appropriate Education. (FAPE)  We sent a message to CTA organizers to acknowledge the fine efforts of  the San Gabriel Teachers Association.  Thank you all!


Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!  
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Terri