HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Best wishes to our members, potential and new members! We have a great year in front of us. Stay in touch and participate!

If you are not a member of NEA-Santa Fe, join now!

If you have any questions about enrolling in NEA-Santa Fe, contact Brooke Bishop at NEA headquarters. Either call 982-1916 or send an e-mail bbishop@nea.org

NEA-SF president Laura Hlinak can answer your questions about what we are doing as a local and what you can do to make us stronger. Contact Laura at nordfang@aol.com

WHAT ARE YOUR COLLEAGUES SAYING?

Check out what your colleagues are saying over and over about the upcoming employee rights training in January by clicking here

ARs and Building Contacts: Stay up to date with information you need about employee rights. To check out our employee rights blog click here

TWO GIFTS FOR YOU

Be prepared for Read Across America with holiday gifts from NEA-Santa Fe.

Share two Read Across America songs, in English and in Spanish, with family members and your class. Pass on this URL. "Leer" is the reading song composed and performed for NEA-NM. Our state affiliate may be the only one in the U.S. with its own Read Across America song.

To check out the reading songs click here

Print out the songs to sing along. Then, click the player and listen.

Have a great New Year!

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

Distribution of the new collective bargaining contracts has been delayed because of proofreading and other problems we worked out with the district in early December. The final documents should be completed and in the schools right before the holiday break or immediately at the start of the New Year.

To access our NEA-Santa Fe Employee Rights web resource click here!

To join the campaign for a qualified sub in every Santa Fe Public School classroom click here.

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!!!!

Mark your calendar for January 22, 2006 when we'll have an employee rights training for ARs and building contacts at 3 p.m. It will take the form of a conference call where we'll go over the changes in the collective bargaining contract, address your concerns, and discuss important issues such as planning time and what it means to resolve issues "at the lowest possible level."

We'll need your help with lobbying in the state legislature. Now, more than ever before, NEA-Santa Fe members are positioned (by virtue of our residence in the state capitol) to make our views known as school employees. This is a pivotal year as far as funding is concerned. The state can put money in the places where it really matters. Will they do it without us pushing? Don't count on it. Step forward and help out now!

And don't forget the annual legislative training and reception scheduled on January 18, 2006. ARs: let's get together at the January AR meeting where we'll be planning for the New Year. We'll have some important information and a Power Point to share with you that will make your lobbying at the state capitol easier.

We are continuing to push on the issue of substitutes and are collecting information about how the system is working now that SFPS has taken back the responsibility. Any feedback will be deeply appreciated.

Happy holidays and a great New Year from NEA-Santa Fe.