WHY DOES SFPS RETURN MONEY TO NM?

NEA-SANTA FE WANTS YOU TO KNOW….

At the School Board meeting on Thursday, April 21, a report on the sale of $30 million in bonds was presented. With many compliments on the restoration of the District’s financial well-being, little discussion was made about the...

$618,000 the District will have to pay back to the state as a penalty for keeping an excessive cash reserve—in effect, breaking state law.

This also was reported by Gabriela Guzman in the Albuquerque Journal on April 22.

Why is the District maintaining a $7.2 million reserve—almost 10% of the total operating budget—instead of the 4.5% the State requires?

Many of us find this an extremely curious situation for a number of reasons:

Last year during collective bargaining, Board representatives at the bargaining table made repeated claims that “there was no money left” to fund two key NEA-SF proposals: a Sick Leave Buy Back plan for employees who retire or leave the district, and a “compressed salary schedule” for employees of the district which would help employees reach their top step on the salary schedule faster. That would mean employees would earn more money for a longer period of time.

How can there be no money when there is $618,000 in operational funds is returned to the state?

Shouldn’t operational money for our district stay in the district, for our schools?

While all employees appreciate and understand the need for fiscal responsibility,the District’s current practice of returning money to the state is unacceptable!

This money was allocated by the Legislature for the operation of our schools and it is a travesty that this amount of money—almost $50 for each student in the district—is returned to the state while the District bemoans the lack of funds for operation.

This money can and should be used to improve the salaries of all employees in the District, especially clerical, support, and ancillary staff. Imagine how our lowest paid employees could benefit from having this money used to correct salary tables!

In addition, the excess balance of the $7.2 million should be spent where it belongs: in our schools, for students and staff of the Santa Fe Public Schools.

An increase in our bond rating does little to upgrade the quality of education in our schools or to improve salaries and employee morale. Can the District earn a Triple-A rating in those categories?

IF YOU THINK YOU AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING SHORTCHANGED….

JOIN NEA-SANTA FE at the next School Board meetings: Tuesday, May 3; 430 pm and the budget study session on Thursday May 5 at 400 pm, at 610 Alta Vista.

IF YOU DON’T LET THE BOARD KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, HOW WILL THEY KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING?

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SECRETS

If you're an employee of Santa Fe Public Schools, you're well aware of how important classroom management can be. To assist you, NEA-NM invites you to participate in a creative, fun, highly acclaimed, research based and very applicable "I CAN DO IT" classroom management system. The training is part of NEA's commitment to help you in your profession and it's FREE. Membership is not required.

The date is June 7, 2005 at NEA-NM headquarters, 2007 Botulph Road in Santa Fe. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Continental breakfast and lunch provided. The registration deadline is May 16, 2005.

Participants will learn techniques, approaches and tools for successful classroom management. Discover communications styles and how to relate them to student/teacher/parent communication. Devise interventions for difficult behaviors in the classroom, and have fun!

For more information, contact Russell Clemons at 982-1916 or 202-822-7342 or RClemons@nea.org

SUMMER TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

Employee rights is the focus of a summer advocacy training sponsored by NEA-NM and conveniently planned at the headquarters here in Santa Fe on July 28 and 29, 2005. We've heard often that the NEA-NM summer trainings are not convenient for Santa Fe members. So, let's see new and old faces at a session that's designed with Association Reps in mind.

You don't have to be a building rep. Everyone's welcome because the subject matter affects us all. You might be a rep now who would like to train someone new to take your place. Or you're just interested in being more informed for yourself, your close colleagues.

The session begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 28. We'll be role playing to practice building relationships with potential members in our building and school district. The afternoon session is entitled, "'But I'm not qualified...' and how an AR or someone like you can handle the most challenging situations on the building level.

And then on Friday, July 29, 2005, our own Employee Rights chair Melody McCormick will give an employee rights clinic. Watch your colleagues find solutions to some of the most difficult cases Melody has handled. It's all done through role playing of course, but Melody will base the cases on situations she's actually worked through. Learn what "sequential discipline" means and how to solve problems at the "lowest possible level." Leave with handouts that will make your job easier.

To register, call Marguerite Kearns at 505-986-2856.