PACIFIC AREA DIRECTOR

Transcription

1 JOURNAL February, Vol. 57 No. 3 FEA ELECTION 2014 TIMELINE By February 28, 2014 FEA mails Sample Ballot Packet to FRSs, Local Presidents and Area Directors. February 28, 2014 FEA mails Ballot Packets to active membership. March 18, 2014 Local Presidents, FRSs and Area Directors may reproduce ballots for those members who have not received theirs. April 22, 2014 Deadline for receipt of ballots. April 23 and 24, 2014 Votes tallied April 25, 2014 Election results posted on FEA Web site within 24 hours of tally. ELECTION INFO PACIFIC The nominations are in. Now, it s all up to the voters. Ballots will be mailed to all FEA Active members at the end of February to elect four of their peers to represent them as Area Directors on the FEA Board of Directors, as well as to lead their respective FEA geographic areas. The following positions are to be filled: FEA Director for DDESS Europe North Area Director Europe South Area Director Pacific Area Director Profiles of the 11 candidates for office are included on pages 4-9 of this publication. Ballot packets, including the same candidate biographical information as well as an official ballot and voting instructions, will be sent to all FEA Active members on February 28, EUROPE NORTH Meet the Candidates for Area Director FEA Members Will Vote To Fill Four Positions This Spring Voting will take place during March and April. Ballots properly submitted by the April 22, 2014, deadline will be tallied during election counting that will take place April 23 and 24 in Washington, DC. Those elected to the Area Director positions will serve three-year terms, beginning August 2, They will fill four of the nine seats on the FEA Board of Directors. The remaining seats were filled by FEA members in voting that took place during spring Page 4 of this publication includes additional information about the voting process, including what you should do if your ballot does not arrive by mail in a timely manner. All FEA Active members are urged to review this information and be on the lookout for their ballots so they can vote in a timely manner. It s your organization! Please take an active role by casting your vote this spring.

2 Page 2 FEA Journal FEA President s Corner Chuck McCarter Get breaking news and twice-monthly updates from FEA President Chuck McCarter sent directly to your . Sign up at (use the Membership ID number on the last page of this newsletter to sign in) A Teacher s Perspective As most of you know, I was European Area Director for six years, on full time release. While I was Area Director, my office was in a school and on a daily basis I made rounds through schools in my complex. I spoke with teachers every day about problems they faced. During my term, I also did dozens of visits to schools across Europe and in Cuba, so I felt I was really in touch with classroom issues and concerns. When I finished that term, I went back to the classroom. I had taught for 30 years at that point and thought I would get right back into it, but it was far more difficult than I imagined. I had seen teachers using GradeSpeed, but never had to input grades into it myself; I saw teachers use ASPEN, but had never actually used it; I watched teachers use SmartBoards, but had never known the amount of preparation that went into those presentations. Thanks to my colleagues, I had help in mastering the basics of these technologies. My Local Association provided a SmartBoard class (management did not provide training for me) but keeping up with these new tools took countless hours not to mention teaching curricula I had not taught in many years, new standards, and new resources. I had also forgotten what it is like not to have a break from 8:00 am until lunch. Even though I ate lunch with teachers most days, I forgot what it is like to have to keep a student after class for extra help, then eat your lunch, go to the restroom, maybe make a phone call, and then be back in your classroom on time and prepared to start the next class, all in about 30 minutes! When I returned to the classroom, I thought, with practice, I would be able to manage the work in a reasonable amount of time. I was wrong. To add to the workload, last year my school underwent the External Review, as we call AdvancEd these days. I experienced first-hand how many extra hours our teachers spend preparing for these visits, how much time is spent JUST on the paperwork, and how little is directly related to actually helping our students. Now that I am back in an office job, I remember clearly how demanding a teachers day is. One of my biggest frustrations as FEA President is that DoDEA management clearly does NOT understand this. As I have said, many of them have not been in the classroom for years, and many of the people making the decisions have NEVER been in a classroom at all. They simply do not understand the impact countless new initiatives have on a teacher s workload. Furthermore, I don t think they WANT to understand. Those at HQ clearly don t understand that teachers working conditions are kids learning conditions; that giving teachers countless extra tasks takes time away from the important tasks of teaching. When someone in a desk job says this will just take a teacher five minutes they don t realize how precious five minutes are to a teacher. They also don t seem to realize how many people above school level are coming up with other things that will just take five minutes and how it all piles up. When they dismiss our concerns using the legal term diminimus (meaning insignificant), it shows a lack of understanding of everything that goes into teaching. Over the past years, DoDEA has come up with countless initiatives that have taken time and given nothing in return. How many ways have we been distracted from the real job of teaching kids? Can you say UDDI? With huge initiatives on the horizon like the implementation of Common Core standards, DoDEA needs to listen to the experts in the classrooms. DoDEA needs to refocus on supporting teachers in the work that we know best.

3 February, 2014 Page 3 Association Business H.T. Nguyen FEA Executive Director Stand Together to Meet Our Challenges As a veteran of many years with FEA, I have seen many difficult challenges. I believe we are now facing some of the most serious ever: Challenges that make it more important than ever to stand together if we are to successfully face them. We are currently experiencing another in a long series of drawdowns with excessing and school closures; we are facing a budget crisis which has severely impacted our school system; we find ourselves in an era of anti-public school and anti-union rhetoric across the United States; and worst of all, DoDEA has turned a deaf ear to educators input and concerns at almost every level. Those in charge of DoDEA haven t been in the classroom for years, or have never been in the classroom, and show no interest in listening to those professionals in the schools, on the front line. For years, we ve complained that IT was making decisions about education. Now, it is Labor Management Employee Relations. As an attorney, I know I would not last a single day in the classroom, which is why I gladly defer to our members on education issues. The non-educators at DoDEA headquarters have not learned this lesson. They think they know more about education than the professionals. Our system is seriously off course. This is why ALL education professionals in DoDEA need to stand together and speak with a collective voice. We must work together to stand up for our members and stand up for students. Those two positions are not in conflict. We know what kids need and it is not overburdened, berated, harassed and belittled teachers. But we need your support. Every member counts. Please make an effort to talk to friends and colleagues about the importance of membership. Sometimes these conversations are hard, but let me give you some talking points. Think it s too expensive? FEA/NEA advocacy was instrumental in making sure teachers did not lose pay to the furlough or the government shutdown. That kept money in your pocket. Imagine having to hire a lawyer to defend you against a false accusation or a bogus debt. A few hours explaining the issue would cost more in attorney s fees than your union dues. Think you don t need the Association? Would you consider dropping your home owner s insurance because you haven t needed it in years? If you haven t needed the union, you are lucky, but all it takes is one unreasonable administrator, one out of control student and their parents, one debt letter for tens of thousands of dollars, and you will know how important your Association can be. In addition, we have worked for years for benefits that have directly impacted you AND to stop many of the bad ideas that have come our way. Think we protect bad teachers? Wrong! FEA defends teachers rights and demands that management follow proper procedures for dealing with alleged poor performance. Don t like NEA s stand on some issues? NEA s vision is a great public school for every student everything else is secondary. NEA is leading the way in professional development and in transforming schools. We need to stand together and to work together. If you are already a member, get involved and add your voice to ours. If you are NOT a member, stand with us: Make us stronger and make us better. Help us to advocate for our schools, our members and our students. No one else will do it! Get all the latest news on issues affecting FEA members by regularly visiting FEA s Web site at

4 Page 4 FEA Journal FEA ELECTION 2014 ELECTION INFO PACIFIC AREA DIRECTOR Which offices are up for election this year? Area Directors will be elected for the Pacific, Europe North, Europe South, and Stateside Areas of FEA. Who are the candidates? Biographies of all the candidates can be found on pages 4-9 of this newsletter. Where is my ballot? Ballots will be mailed individually to each FEA Active member on February 28, Your ballot should arrive by mid March or sooner, depending on your location. ATTENTION FRSs, LOCAL PRESIDENTS AND OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS: Please remember that FEA Election Guidelines require you to post and/ or distribute all campaign materials received in the exact same manner for each and every candidate. EUROPE NORTH When is my ballot due back to FEA for counting? Ballots must be received by the close of business on April 22, 2014, to be counted. What if my ballot never arrives? Anytime after March 18, 2014, Local Presidents, FRSs and Area Directors may reproduce ballots for members who have not yet received theirs. When will the count take place? Counting will be done on April 23 and (if necessary) 24, 2014, in Washington, DC. How do I find out who has won? Results will be posted on the FEA Web site ( and printed in the May 2014 FEA Journal. PACIFIC ELECTION INFO EUROPE NORTH Candidate for the office of PACIFIC TREVOR E. STANTON Present Location: Sullivans Elementary School, Japan Present Assignment: 4th Grade and Physical Education Years in DoDEA: 13 Sullivans Elementary School, Japan (10 Stone Street Elementary School, Camp Lejeune (3 Westside Elementary School, Spring Hill, Florida (3 Moon Lake Elementary School, Pasco County, Florida (6 University of South Florida, Master in Elementary P.E. and Adaptive P.E. University of South Florida, B.S., Elementary P.E. St. Leo College, Elementary Education Certification FEA Plus 1 Membership Award Faculty Representative Spokesperson (13 Local Treasurer and Membership Chair (6 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate (4 Local Vice President (1 year) Contract Bargaining Team (2 FEA Representative, Curriculum Adoption (1 year) SAC member (2 M

5 February, 2014 Page 5 eet The Candidates Candidate for the office of PACIFIC GEORGE W. RILEY Present Location: Daegu High School, South Korea Present Assignment: 9-12 Social Studies Years in DoDEA: 8 Daegu High School, Korea (3 Daegu American School, Korea (5 Nashville Junior High School, Arkansas (1 year) Murfreesboro High School, Arkansas (1 year) Nashville High School, Arkansas (5 Harding University, Supt. Certification Arkansas State University, Supt. Certification Henderson State University, Principal Certification Henderson State University, MSE Degree University of Alaska, Anchorage, B.A. and B.Ed. General Sharp Award, Scroll of Honor HQT, Highly Qualified Teacher Elected Sheriff, Pike County, Arkansas CSI, Social Studies Committee (3 General Thurman Award Committee (1 year) Faculty Representative (3 Acting Human and Civil Rights Coordinator (1 year) Discipline and Student Handbook Committee Chair (2 School Mentor (1 year) CSI Goals Committee (1 year) Candidate for the office of PACIFIC RANDAL J. RICKS Present Location: Lester Middle School, Okinawa Present Assignment: 6-8 Health/Study Skills Years in DoDEA: 26 England (3 Philippines (2 Korea (5 Japan (6 Okinawa (10 Stephan F. Austin State University, B.A. Anthropology/History University of Texas at El Paso, Elementary/Secondary Education Certification Michigan State University, Masters in Education and Curriculum Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Chaffee, White, Grissom Elementary School, Antigua W.I. (1 year) Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Little Rissington Elementary School, England (2 Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Zukeran Elementary School, Okinawa (1 year) President, American Educators Association Okinawa (AEAO) (2 Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Lester Middle School, Okinawa (2 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate (2 ELECTION INFO PACIFIC EUROPE NORTH

6 Page 6 FEA Journal PACIFIC ELECTION INFO EUROPE NORTH Candidate for the office of EUROPE NORTH DANA COTTRELL Present Location: Bitburg Middle/High School, Germany Present Assignment: 9-12 Culinary Arts, Physical Education, Comp Apps Years in DoDEA: 10 Bitburg Middle/High School, Germany (8 Pusan Unit School, Korea (2 Fox Chapel Middle School, Florida (7 Powell Middle School, Florida (5 Meet The Candidates University of South Florida, B.A. (Education), M.A. (Information and Library Science) Florida History Day Teacher of the Year Fox Chapel Middle School Teacher of the Year Faculty Representative Spokesperson (4 Faculty Representative (2 Candidate for the office of EUROPE NORTH LISA ALI Present Location: Feltwell Elementary School, United Kingdom Present Assignment: Academic Support Reading and Math Years in DoDEA: 25 Feltwell, United Kingdom (9 Bahrain (11 Yokohama, Japan (5 University of the Ozarks, B.A. Texas A&M University (Commerce, Texas), M.Ed. Europe Area Director, FEA (3 FEA Isles District Representative (3 Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Feltwell Elementary School (2 Local Union Representative Bahrain Elementary/High School (3 Secretary, Bahrain Education Association (1 year) EUROPE NORTH AREA Isles Division AFNORTH ES AFNORTH M/HS Alconbury ES Alconbury M/HS Brussels E/MS Croughton ES Feltwell ES Kleine Brogel ES Lakenheath ES Lakenheath HS Lakenheath MS Liberty IS Menwith Hill E/MS SHAPE ES SHAPE M/HS WT Sampson ES/HS Kaiserlautern 2 Division Aukamm ES Baumholder M/HS Bitburg ES Bitburg HS Boeblingen E/MS Hainerberg ES Patch ES Patch HS Robinson Barracks E/MS Smith ES Spangdahlem ES Spangdahlem MS Wiesbaden HS Wiesbaden MS Wetzel ES

7 February, 2014 Page 7 AREA Kaiserslautern 1 Division Kaiserslautern ES Kaiserslautern HS Kaiserslautern MS Landstuhl E/MS Ramstein ES Ramstein HS Ramstein IS Ramstein MS Sembach ES Sembach MS Vogelweh ES Bavaria Division Ansbach ES Ansbach M/HS Bamberg ES Bamberg M/HS Garmisch ES Grafenwoehr ES Hohenfels ES Hohenfels M/HS Illesheim ES Netzaberg ES Netzaberg MS Rainbow ES Schweinfurt ES Schweinfurt M/HS Vilseck ES Vilseck HS Candidate for the office of TERESE M. SARNO Present Location: Ramstein Intermediate School, Germany Present Assignment: Third Grade (Math, Science, Social Studies) Years in DoDEA: 27 Ramstein, Germany (20 Landstuhl, Germany (7 Boston, Massachusetts (9 Meet The Candidates Universities, Degrees, Certificates: University of Massachusetts, Boston, B.A., Art History, French University of Massachusetts, Boston, M.Ed. University of Massachusetts, Boston, Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies, Media Ecole du Louvre, Paris, Advanced Studies Fulbright Recipient: Egypt, Malaysia, Belgium and the Netherlands National Art Education Association Eastern Region Art Educator & Newsletter Editor Award of Excellence FEA Award for Membership Organizing & NEA Activist Profile Inspiring Educator FEA Kaiserslautern District Representative (6 President, Kaiserslautern Area Education Association (8 FEA Europe Area Council (6 Editor, News You Can Use (9 NEA Mid-Atlantic Conference and Women s Leadership Training Program (2 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate (1 year) President, Overseas Art Education Association (21 Candidate for the office of ALEXANDER F. VETO Present Location: Vilseck High School, Germany Present Assignment: World History, Psychology, Sociology Years in DoDEA: 28 Vilseck High School, Germany (22 Bamberg Middle/High School, Germany (3 Bamberg Elementary School, Germany (2 La Maddalena Elementary School, Italy (1 year) Rutgers University, B.A. Faculty Representative Spokesperson, Vilseck High School (12 Faculty Representative, Vilseck High School (4 FEA Bavaria District Representative (3 Europe Area Director, FEA (4 President, Oberpfalz Education Association (15 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate (7 FEA Representative to DoDEA Scheduling Task Force (1 year) ELECTION INFO PACIFIC EUROPE NORTH

8 Page 8 FEA Journal PACIFIC ELECTION INFO EUROPE NORTH Candidate for the office of DEBORAH S. SCOBEY Present Location: Pinckney Elementary School, Fort Jackson, South Carolina Present Assignment: Information Specialist Years in DoDEA: 14 years Hood Street Elementary School, Fort Jackson, South Carolina (4 Pierce Terrace Elementary School, Fort Jackson, South Carolina (1 year) Highland Elementary School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1 year) Garden Oaks Elementary School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (8 Capitol Hill 5th Year Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1 year) Cambridge College, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist, Ed.S. University of Central Oklahoma, M.Ed., Early Childhood University of Central Oklahoma, B.S., Elementary Education Who s Who Among American Teachers (2002, 2004, 2006) Girl Scouts of America Outstanding Teacher, Oklahoma City (1996) American Business Women s Association Women of the Year, Oklahoma City (1998) President, Fort Jackson Association of Educators (4 Faculty Representative Spokesperson (4 NEA/AFT Building Representative, Oklahoma City (8 Girl Scouts of America, Delegate (12 FEA Representative, UDDI/HQ (2 FEA Representative, BAS (2 Candidate for the office of JANE LOGGINS Present Location: Marshall Elementary School, Fort Campbell, Kentucky Present Assignment: K-5 Elementary STEM Years in DoDEA: 19 Marshall Elementary School, Fort Campbell, Kentucky (19 Saudi Arabian International School, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2 Clarksville Montgomery County Schools, Clarksville, Tennessee (1 year) Austin Peay State University, Education Specialist Education Administration Austin Peay State University, M.A. Education Austin Peay State University, B.S. Education University of San Diego, Instructional Coaching Mount Holyoke College, Mathematics Deans List Austin Peay State University Meet The President, Fort Campbell Education Association (4 Faculty Representative, Marshall Elementary School (11 FEA-SR Master Labor Agreement Contract Negotiation Team (2 FEA-SR Representative DoDEA Community Strategic Plan Work Group (2 FEA-SR Representative DoDEA Recertification Work Group (2 FEA-SR Representative DoDEA Technology Plan Work Group (1year) NEA Mid-Atlantic Women s Leadership Conference (1 year)

9 February, 2014 Page 9 Candidates Candidate for the office of LAUREL O BRIEN DAWSON Present Location: Mudge Elementary School, Fort Knox, Kentucky Present Assignment: Special Education (LI-MM) Years in DoDEA: 32 Mudge Elementary School, Fort Knox, Kentucky (32 North Colonie, New York (1 year) Universities, Degrees, Certificates: Russell Sage College, B.S. Psychology/Education University of Louisville, M.Ed. President, Fort Knox Education Association (8 Bargaining Team Member, Master Labor Agreement (2 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate (1 year) NEA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference (1 year) Vice President, Fort Knox Education Association (4 Treasurer, Fort Knox Education Association (4 Human and Civil Rights Coordinator, Fort Knox Education Association (2 Candidate for the office of MICHAEL MINUTELLI Present Location: Brittin Elementary School, Fort Stewart, Georgia Present Assignment: School Counselor Years in DoDEA: 29 Fort Stewart, Georgia (6 DDESS Area Service Center (4 Fort Knox, Kentucky (10 Antilles Consolidated Schools, Puerto Rico (9 Springfield College, B.S., M.Ed. (Guidance and Psychological Services) DoDEA Certification (TCR, Counselor, AP, Prin, ISS, A Supt, Supt) Special Education Mediator (Justice Center of Atlanta) Aspiring Leaders (Harvard Principals Center) Contracting Office Technical Representative (COTR) Kentucky Colonel Eagle Scout Selected as NCA overseas accrediting member President, Fort Stewart Association of Educators (1 year) FEA-SR Master Labor Agreement Bargaining Team (1 year) AFSA/AFL-CIO Membership, Puerto Rico (3 Quality Management Board: Agency/Fort Knox Education Association Chair (2 Silver Lake (Mass.) Teacher Association RIF representative (1 year) ELECTION INFO PACIFIC EUROPE NORTH

10 Page 10 FEA Journal FEA Annual Membership Meeting Set for Denver In case going to the Super Bowl wasn t exciting enough, the city of Denver can now prepare itself for a real thrill: Hosting the FEA Annual Membership Meeting and the NEA Representative Assembly this summer. FEA s Annual Membership Meeting will take place June 30 and July 1 at The Curtis hotel in downtown Denver. The meeting is open to all members of FEA, both Active and Retired, and offers a chance for members to question and hear reports from FEA s elected leadership. Advance registration for the FEA Annual Membership Meeting is not required, but anyone planning to attend who is not also attending as a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly is asked to send notice to FEA so we can plan for appropriate space. Please contact Gary Hritz at [email protected] if you are planning to attend. The NEA Representative Assembly (NEA-RA) will take place immediately after the FEA meeting, at the Denver convention center, from July 1 to 6, Delegates elected to represent the approximately 3 million NEA members worldwide attend the NEA-RA. Election of FEA s delegates is ongoing as this issue of the Journal goes to press. Those elections are handled by the FEA Area Councils in Europe, Stateside and the Pacific. Delegates elected to the NEA-RA debate and vote on scores of resolutions and business items that will govern NEA positions and actions on various issues. With typically well over 8,000 delegates attending, the NEA-RA is considered the largest democratically elected decision-making body in the world. Status of FEA Contract Renegotiations New DoDDS and DDESS Agreements Currently In The Works The process of bargaining new contracts for FEA members in both DoDDS and DDESS schools is ongoing. FEA/DODDS Negotiated Agreement On the DoDDS side of the house: As of late January, FEA and DoDDS were continuing to negotiate over the size of the bargaining teams, the granting of official time, and providing TDY (temporary duty pay) for the eventual bargaining team members. Once those issues are settled, the two sides will begin the process of negotiating ground rules to govern the actual bargaining of the new FEA/ DoDDS Negotiated Agreement. FEA has not named anyone to its bargaining team since the size of the team has yet to be determined. Input from school-level FEA members is needed in order to make the eventual bargaining process a success. FEA is hoping to have six members on its bargaining team, in order to maximize participation from school-level employees. Meanwhile, all FEA DoDDS members are encouraged to send your ideas/concerns/priorities for the new contract to [email protected]. Your feedback is necessary to ensure the bargaining process is a success. Please take the time to let FEA know what you want to see in a new Negotiated Agreement. FEA-SR/DDESS Master Labor Agreement On the DDESS side: FEA-Stateside Region (FEA-SR) and DDESS met with a federal mediator in early February as part of the ongoing renegotiation of the FEA-SR/DDESS Master Labor Agreement (MLA). The two sides had met for five bargaining sessions over the past four years before agreeing to submit all unresolved Articles, Sections, Subsections and Appendices of the MLA to mediation. If mediation does not resolve all issues, the parties will be declared at impasse and will jointly request that the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) approve binding arbitration on the negotiation impasse. Please note: The existing versions of both the FEA/DoDDS Negotiated Agreement and the FEA-SR/DDESS Master Labor Agreement remain in effect while their replacements are being negotiated.

11 February, 2014 Page 11 Questions About NEA Member Benefits? Call or Go Online! The NEA Member Benefits program provides many programs and services to FEA members. Please contact Member Benefits with questions about any of their services using the following toll-free numbers in applicable areas: Stateside Overseas First dial the AT&T Direct Access Code In Germany and UK In Japan Then dial Member Benefits at And don t forget the Member Benefits Web site. You can access information on all of NEA-MB s programs, get current rates on CDs and investment funds, and sign up for other services. The JOURNAL is a quarterly publication of the Federal Education Association. Contributions, letters, photographs and other submissions to the JOURNAL are welcome and should be sent to the address below. Gary Hritz, Editor H.T. Nguyen, Executive Director Chuck McCarter, President Michael Priser Vice President Anita Lang, Secretary/Treasurer Brian Chance, NEA Director Mimi Cuadrado, HCR Coordinator Alex Veto, Europe Area Director Lisa Garmon Ali, Europe Area Director Debra Degalis, Pacific Area Director Terry Arvidson, FEA Director for DDESS Federal Education Association th St. NW, Suite 117 Washington, DC Fax: [email protected]

12 Page 12 FEA Journal Read Across America, NEA s annual celebration of Dr. Seuss and all things reading related, takes place Monday, March 3. Find ideas and resources for your reading celebration by going to NEA s Read Across America page at FEA Europe Area Council Meeting Kaiserslautern, Germany April 3 Read Across America March FEA Stateside Area Council Meeting Peachtree City, GA February Calendar of Events Are You Ready to Read? C= Use this ID Number to Log in to FIRST CLASS MAIL C FIRST CLASS MAIL th St. NW Suite 117 Washington, DC 20036