March 2014 Volume 1, Issue III CSEA East Foothills Chapter 187 CSEA mobilizing to re-elect Tom Torlakson CSEA members and staff statewide are stepping up efforts to reelect State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson to another fouryear term. Torlakson has long proven he is a friend to classified employees and understands the value of classified work. Association President Michael Bilbrey asked all CSEA members to work toward Torlakson’s re-election, noting that Torlakson understands the challenges facing California education and has fought tirelessly to increase funding to schools. “Tom Torlakson has fought hard to give our schools the resources they need to educate California’s students,” Bilbrey said. “We need to fight just as hard to make sure he can continue working to give school districts more local control, increase safety in our schools, and make sure local districts are adequately funded.” A former classroom teacher, Torlakson is keenly aware of the role classified employees play in education. He is eager to continue working closely with CSEA leaders and other members of the education community to continue reinvesting in California schools. “As a former teacher, I know that school employees are the heart and soul of a school. They’re critical members of the team that has to work together to keep students safe and provide the kind of supportive school environment students need to succeed,” Torlakson said. “It means the world to me to have the support of CSEA and its members in my campaign. It’s easy to get involved: you can like our page on Facebook and share information about our efforts with your neighbors and friends. You can also get more involved and sign up for campaign updates at www.tomtorlakson.com.” During the past four years, Torlakson has fought for reforms that put decision-making power back into the hands of local school districts and communities. He helped to create the largest system of after-schoolprograms in the nation and has overseen the expansion of career and technical training for high school students. Torlakson also worked diligently to pass Proposition 30, which increased funding to schools. “I know that decisions about our education dollars are best made by local schools, parents, teachers and employees themselves–not politicians in Washington or Sacramento,” Torlakson said. “ Torlakson has one declared opponent in the June primary election, Marshall Tuck, a businessman who has no experience in public schools. Some of the Tuck’s endeavors in education include opening charter schools, privatization of public schools and outsourcing education. In this election, voters will have a clear choice between values and experiences. “I’m a classroom teacher and a coach. Education is my life’s work,” Torlakson said. “I’m being opposed by a former Wall Street investment banker with no training as a teacher.” Bilbrey urged CSEA members to tell friends, family and co-workers about why it’s important to re-elect Torlakson, and asked that members participate in CSEA’s re-election efforts. Bilbrey said Torlakson has been a great friend to CSEA, especially in his efforts to increase funding for schools, making more money available for upgrades to school facilities, and in acknowledging the contributions of classified employees to California schools. “From his first month in office, Tom made sure that CSEA was included on his transition workgroup to help develop his educational plan for improving our schools,” Bilbrey said. “Over the past four years, he stepped up to support CSEA on important local issues, including protecting our members in merit districts, addressing new food service regulations, and celebrating and recognizing outstanding classified employees each year. Please join me in supporting Tom Torlakson for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Contact your field office today to find out how you can help support the campaign.” Inside this issue: Area Director Message 2 CSEA Conference 2 Who is CSEA? 3 Para Conference 3 Chapter Business 4 Announcements 5 Herb and the Boss 5 CalPERS Election 6 Member Benefits 7 Chapter and CSEA con- 8 tacts Page 2 SOUNDER February was have a heart month. If you haven’t contributed to the Dorothy Bjork Assistance fund it is never too late. The Assistance fund is 100% donations given from chapters, members, and staff contributing to the fund. Have a heart and make a motion to have your chapter contribute to the fund or an individual may contribute to the fund. Make checks payable to CSEA Dorothy Bjork Assistance Fund and mail it to CSEA Headquarters. I enjoyed attending the Regional Installations for Region 9, 28, 56, 70, and 81. Thank you for the invitation and it was very nice to see so many leaders, new and seasoned attending. I also attended the South Bay and North Bay Field Offices Partnership meetings along with Regional Representatives, Committee Members and Political Action Coordinators. I stopped by the Officer’s Skills Training in Salinas and the PreRetirement Workshop at Quimby School in San Jose. Both were very well attended. Coming up on March 8 and 9 at CSEA Headquarters, will be the August 4-7, 2014 Sacramento Convention Center Area C Institute: Facing the Challenge. At this point, we have about 70 members attending. This will be an informative training as we learn ways to take on the challenges we will be facing over the next few years. The csea.com website has important information. The Member of the Year nomination form is on the website. Is there a member of your chapter that stands out as a great employee? Check out the form located under the Awards Committee and be sure to do it before the deadline of April 1, 2014. While you are looking up the Member of the Year nomination form, be sure to check out the other nomination forms such as the Humanitarian of the Year and Activist of the Year. Please take some time and honor our dedicated members. Area C will be having their CSEW events with the Field Offices Recognition events. Be sure to save April 26 for the North Bay Field Office Recognition/CSEW event. For the South Bay Field Office Recognition/CSEW event, it will be held on May 10. There will be more details in future articles and email blasts from the field offices so be sure to save the date(s) and watch for more infor- Together we can and will make a difference! In Solidarity, Cindy Zecher Area C Director CSEA Annual Conference Member-delegates will head to State Capitol for CSEA’s 88th Annual Conference CSEA’s Annual Conference is back in California this year. It will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center Aug. 4-7, 2014. More than 2,000 CSEA members, staff and guests are expected to attend. East Foothills #187 will hold nominations for the authorized chapter delegate positions, other than the President and Executive Board designees, at the regular Chapter meeting on March 18. Nominees must be present at the time of their nomination. Democracy in action All conference delegates are CSEA members who are locally elected or appointed by members of the chapter they are representing. They will spend the week gathering information and casting votes on behalf of their chapter. In addition to the formally scheduled events, the conference presents members with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, share prob- mation. Be sure to look on the CSEA website for either the NBFO or SBFO to nominate a member for the recognition event. I know that everyone is so busy, but it is important that we take a few minutes to recognize our members for the great work they are doing in their chapter and for CSEA. Stay in the know of what is happening in Area C. Be sure to check out the Area C website. Thank you Jill Scott for keeping the Area C website updated. If your chapter is doing something special or you have pictures of CSEA members you would like to share, please send them to Jill at [email protected]. As you can see, the csea.com website has so much great information on it. CSEA does so much for their members. With summer just around the corner, check out what Member Benefits has to offer to get great deals on vacation ideas. Military tribute Delegates who served in the military will participate in the conference’s opening ceremonies by lining the route of the Honor Guard’s presentation of Colors. If you have a loved one serving in the armed forces, send the name, rank, branch of service and a photo and it will included in a tribute to be shown at conference. E-mail information to Conference Coordinator Jody Bell. lems and solutions, and network with colleagues from around the state. Resolutions Delegates will debate and vote on resolutions, which are formally submitted proposals, often written by local chapters, which determine policies and priorities for the union. Resolutions can range from unfinished business and fiscal matters to general policy and proposed legislation. Memorial Wall The memorial wall lists the names of members who have passed since the previous conference. These names are based on information received from chapters. If you want to make sure that someone is included, please forward that information to Jody Bell. If you have any questions, contact your area representative on the Conference Committee, Chair Roy Hartnell or Committee Coordinator Jody Bell Page 3 Who is CSE A? Computer Techs and Information Technology Professionals FACTS ABOUT Computer Techs and Information Techs: • Studies by the University of Maryland and Townson University found the most frustrating aspect of using the Internet were: dropped connections, long download times, Web pages not found, e-mail not sent or received properly, and popup advertisements. • According to Computer Weekly Magazine, a study by Symantec, maker of computer safety software, and the National Opinion Poll, found that when confronted with technical problems, more than 40% of those surveyed abused their computer, monitors and, most popular of all, keyboards by kicking, hitting or swearing at them. • A survey of teenagers by the National Science Foundation found that one third feel their computer education is on track to teach them all they need to know by the time they graduate from high school. Others feel that schools should be teaching them more. WHAT WE DO! Information technology specialists make it easy to store information and retrieve it on computers. Some maintain Web sites; others are troubleshooters who make sure the machines don’t fail; and others make sure that the link between computers is working properly so that work sites are able to share information and communicate with one another. Computer and network maintenance is increasingly important because computers are the easiest way to file and share information. Congratulations to the Information Technology Department Recipients of the 2014 ESUHSD Board President's Award At the Board President's State of the District Address and Recognition Ceremony, the IT department was recognized for "its diligence in implementing and maintaining all of the network improvements" such as upgrading of the entire system, installation of the WIFI at all campuses, teacher laptop/pc roll out and the district wide copier upgrade/replacement. Thank you for all your hard work in keeping ESUHSD and all its staff & students connected in the world of technology in the 21st Century! Useful Web Sites • • • • Associaon of Informaon Systems Professionals: aisp.bus.wisc.edu/aisp Informaon Technology Professional’s Resource Center: www.itprc.com Associaon of Informaon Technology Professionals: www.aitp.org/index.jsp CSEA’s computer professional page: www.csea.com/computer Volume 1, Issue III Insider tips from Computer Pros • Many times, when people aren’t able to log on to their computer, the problem can be remedied with a quick check of the caps lock key or by making sure that the password was typed correctly. • Computers are very delicate so it’s important to treat them with care. Food particles, water, and extreme temperatures may keep computers from operating properly or may cause irreparable damage. • The best way to learn about computer use and the Internet is to take a class at a community college or an adult education center. The classes are inexpensive and they cover the fundamentals of computer use and Web browsing. • The easiest way to prevent a crippling computer virus is to not open e -mails or attachments from strangers or with unusual titles. It’s also important to stay away from unfamiliar Web sites since clicking an unfamiliar Web site may expose your computer to a virus. Nathan Nimori, Helen Wu, Robert Chen, Brandon McArthur, Omar Guerrez, Board Member Lan Nguyen, Stan Liu, Bill Mashing, Kien Anh Nguyen, Director IT Randy Phelps, Board President Manuel Herrera, Charlie Fortes, Mac Cage, Tamara Alcantara, and Jeff Leasure. Not pictured: Javier Miranda, earl Boyd, Chris Pranzini, Sterling Bright, Jo Leyva, Gilbert Gaska and Kari Munoz Register for the 2014 Para Conference! California Paraeducator Conference 2014 will be held April 2-4 at the Fair mont Hotel in San Jose. Please speak to your SPED Department Chairs and Principals for this great opportunity! SPED has historically sent 20 –40 paras to this conference and this is the best time to register. Para-Educator Conference is also for Clerical employees that would like to know how to deal with students that you come into contact day in and day out. Classes include: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder, A – Z; Strategies to Support Children with Autism in the Inclusive Educational Setting; Vocabulary Development Strategies: An Important Part of Meeting Common Core State Standards (CCSS); Differentiating Instruction while Implementing CCSS; Classroom Pivotal Response Treatment to Increase Engagement & Motivation; Implementing iCommunication in the Classroom; Tools, Technology & Tips to Increase Student Focus and Work Completion How to Waltz in a Hip Hop World; Coaching and Mentoring, and much more. Conference attendance is $75. Potential funding sources include categorical funding, General Title I funds, Title II, Title III, and district general fund money. For more information or to request a brochure, contact Leslie Snow at [email protected]. You can also visitcsea.com/paraconference. Page 4 SOUNDER March 5 Ash Wednesday, RPM 56 (LCFF overview at RPM) CHAPTER MEETING Tuesday February 11, 2014 5:30 P.M. ED CENTER Agenda/Overview 1. 2. Call to Order Roll Call & Pledge of Allegiance Unapproved Agenda/Additions-deletions Motion by Karen Levine & 2nd by Reina Koll; Approved 3. Approval of January Minutes: Motion by Anabel Velazquez & 2nd by Jo Leyva; Ap- 4. 5. 6. Communications: No Report Report of Executive Board Actions: No report Treasurers’ Report: Margaret Velasquez presented an update of our treasury. a. Budget report: Margaret Velasquez no new report Committee Reports a. Negotiations: Pati Alarcon No Report b. PACE/PAC: Roland Smith 3 min c. Social Committee: No report d. Membership Committee: Julio Pardo No Report e. Benefits: Kathleen Medina/Elicia Gaska no report f. Grievance: Dolores Young no report g. SBLC: Fil Zamora No Report h. Auditing Committee: No report i. Scholarship Committee: no report j. Elections Committee: no report k. Retiree Rep: Jo Leyva No report, Retirement presentation Unfinished Business a. 2nd reading of Constitution and By-Laws: Bill Masching provides C&B proved 7. 8. 6 ESUHSD Board Meeting 8-9 CSEA Area C Institute 15 Milpitas Training Symposium 18 East Foothills Chapter Meeting 20 ESUHSD Board Meeting 22 CSEA Bargaining Academy 31 Cesar Chavez Birthday (ESUHSD Closed) April 2 RPM 56 2-4 Para-educator Conference 15 East Foothills Chapter Meeting 17 ESUHSD Board Meeting 21—25 ESUHSD Spring Break 26 Union Steward Level 2 (San Jose) May 7 RPM 56 10 SBLC Golden Bear Awards 15 ESUHSD Board Meeting 18-24 Classified School Employee Week 20 East Foothills Chapter Meeting 26 Memorial Day (ESUHSD Closed) 29 Last day of School for ESUHSD students June 7 Union Steward Level 4 (San Jose) July August 3-7 CSEA Conference in Sacramento 11 First day of work for 2014—2015 26 East Foothills Chapter Meeting changes, Article II & III. Motion defeated on 6 Yes, 9 No and 6 Abstain on a Roll Call ballot vote. 9. New Business a. CalPERS Presentation: Mrs. Debb Jachens presented information on the CalPERS webpage. She did a quick guide on finding information in CalPERS and the basics on CSEA members need to know about CalPERS. 10. Member Concerns 11. Good of the Order 12. Adjournment Next School Board Meeting: 3/6/14 & 3/20/14 Next Chapter Meeting: 3/18/14 *** These are Editor’s notes from the meeting, the Official Minutes will be presented and voted on in the next Chapter Meeting*** many nominations as you choose. Winners are honored guests of the Association at the Annual Conference on the day of the Awards presentation, as well as a local chapter celebration Isn't there someone who exemplifies dedication and with refreshments and door prizes. commitment? Someone who continues to provide The District Superintendent is also invited to Conco-workers and students with outstanding service, ference for presentation of the trophy to be placed or who goes above and beyond in their community? on display in the district in the recipient’s honor. Be sure to recognize them. CSEA recognizes five (5) exceptional members of Nominations are due April 1st - Nominate the year annually. There is a simple form to be Someone Today! completed. Chapters are encouraged to submit as Make Stars out of our Members! Nominate them for CSEA Member of the Year! Additional Awards Programs: Golden Bear (Contact South Bay Field Office for info): Service Award/ Retiree of the Year, Nominations due March 29 Merit/Outstanding Service: Members and Non-Members are eligible (Nominations accepted year round) Richard C. Bartlett Activist of the Year (Nominations due June 1) William P. Schwartz Humanitarian of the Year (Nominations due June 1) All nomination forms are available at www.csea.com/forms or by calling the Member Benefits Service Center at (866) 487-2732. Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 1 Condolences to: Claudia Davis (School Bus Driver) for the loss of her brother & sister. Neville Kensh (Custodian) or the loss of his mother We Welcome the following employees to the CSEA membership: SBFO BARGAINING ACADEMY The Bargaining Academy is training available to all bargaining team members whether you are new or a seasoned veteran. You will receive information on the Local Control Accountability Plan, Health Care Reform, CSEA Bargaining Strategies and more! Saturday, March 22, 2014 Santa Clara CSEA South Bay Field Office 3350 Scott Blvd #18 Santa Clara, CA 95054 9am-3:30pm Please register by logging on to the CSEA website, by phone at 408-261-7991 or by email to [email protected]. ***If you wish to comment or would like additional information, please contact: South Bay Field Office, 3350 Scott Blvd., Bldg. 18, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Direct: (408) 261-7991 / Toll Free: (800) 487-2440 x7991 or by email to [email protected]. Expected Expenses: Chapter Cell Phone - $ 1,200 CSEA Conference - $ 10,500 UNABLE TO FUND: SB Labor Council — $ 4,000 CSEW Gifts, Social, ScholarOffice Supplies — $ 200 ships, Refreshments for meet- Sounder — $ 400 ings, Any Negotiations expens- Storage — $ 800 es. Misc. — $ 270 Projected Income: Postage — $ 30 580 Members X $30 = $17,400 TOTAL — $ 17,400 EF #187 Budget • • • • • • • THANK YOU and enjoy your retirement to: Odilon Cabrera: Paraeducator/ST Josie Flores: Kitchen Manager/YB Felipe Ninalga: Custodian/ OG • • • • • Joined ESUHSD in January 2014 Samuel Escalera, Custodian/YB Wilfredo Fabros, Para/PH Brian Johnson, Para/WCO Cesar Leon, Para/ST Jerry Lujon, Para/MP Nhu Nguyen, Buyer/EC Tuyen Nguyen, Senior Contract Specialist/EC Christine Nisha, Benefits/Safety Coordinator/EC Kendra Plemel, Para/CH Pascual Rivera, Bank Clerk/EV Daniel Santiago, Custodian/ Gardner/IAC Erika Velasques, IEP Para/CH Page 6 SOUNDER Re-Elect Rob Feckner to CalPERS Board For the past 15 years, there has been one constant on the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration— former CSEA President Rob Feckner. This year, his seat on the board is up, and CSEA is hitting the ground running to reelect Feckner to the CalPERS board. Feckner’s leadership, experience and vision is a major part of why the public retirement fund has emerged from the economic recession stronger than ever. In January, CalPERS reached a record-high $282.9 billion. That came on the heels of betterthan- expected returns in 2013, when CalPERS earned a 16.2-percent investment return. “This is an exciting time at CalPERS, as many of the reforms we’ve made in the last few years are starting to bear fruit,” Feckner said. “There’s still much work to do, and I am eager to continue improving our ability to provide health and retirement security to the public employees who serve our state. I humbly ask for your help in reelecting me to the board so I can continue advocating for classified school employees and all members of CalPERS.” Feckner is the longest-serving member of the CalPERS board and in January was unanimously re-elected by his fellow board members to his 10th term as the president of the CalPERS Board of Administration. Feckner joined the board as the representative of CalPERS school members in 1999. Celebrate labor rights leader Cesar Chavez Cesar Estrada Chavez was born near Yuma, Ariz. on March 31, 1927. He grew up in Arizona and learned about social injustice early when his family’s land was unfairly taken away. Chavez and his family moved to California in 1937. He lived in Oxnard and in San Jose and figured out that the best way to end the circle of poverty was to work his way up and send his kids to college. Chavez and his family worked the fields of California from Brawley to Oxnard, Atascadero, Gonzales, King City, Salinas, McFarland, Delano, Wasco, Selma, Kingsburg and Mendota. During his childhood, Chavez and his brother attended 37 different schools. He finished eighth grade but did not attend high school in order to help support his family as a migrant farm worker. He joined the Army at 19 years of age in 1946 and served for two years. Chavez studied civil disobedience and nonviolence. He became an organizer for the Community Service Organization registering voters. In 1962, he founded the National Farm Workers Association, which became the United Farm Workers (UFW). By 1970, the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry. Chavez's tireless leadership and nonviolent organizing actions included the Delano grape strike, his fasts that focused national attention on farm workers problems and the 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento in 1966. In 1968 Chavez went on a water-only, 25-day fast. He repeated the fast in 1972 for 24 days, and again in 1988 for 36 days. Chavez is said to have believed that persistence, hard work, faith and willingness to sacrifice would deliver victories in fights for labor rights. Chavez died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 near Yuma. Two decades after his death, Chavez is still remembered as someone who gave his life to the labor movement. Union members throughout California and throughout the nation have a debt of gratitude to Chavez for his dedication to improving the conditions of workers everywhere. Page 7 Covered California and Kaiser Volume 1, Issue 1 March 2014 Looking for healthcare coverage for you and your family? Not covered by your employer? The Affordable Care Act requires most people to have healthcare coverage starting January 1st, 2014. The deadline for signing up is March 31, 2014. Those without coverage are probably asking, "What do I need to know?" "What do I have to do?" Shop all available providers to find a health plan that fits your budget and needs, as well as learn about any subsidies you may be eligible for through the Affordable Care Act at www.coveredca.com or call Kaiser direct at (800) 6705451 or visit http:// shopplans.kp.org/5451. For those in an area covered by Kaiser, they can help you find health coverage that fits your needs and budget and can assist you with any subsidies you may be eligible for through the Affordable Care Act. Milpitas #281 2nd Annual Training Symposium March 15, 2014 Para Educators– Crisis De-escalaon and Working with Challenging Behaviors (How to keep students and staff safe in the school environment when students are exhibing challenging or unsafe behavior) MOT- Ergonomics/ Safety in the work place Anyone- Quick Tips for Google docs, word, excel, Managing Priories and Successful InterviewingResume Building Food service- Safe Serve; Food safety handling Milpitas Unified School District Board Room 1331 E. Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas, CA CHAPTER 187 EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT: Angie Nunn Calero : 347-7611 [email protected] 1ST VICE PRES: Julio Pardo AH: 347-4100 [email protected] 2ND VICE PRES: Roland Smith SC: 347-5600 SECRETARY: Kathleen Medina TREASURER: Margaret Velasquez EC: 347-5263 EC: 347-5073 CHIEF Union STEWARD: Dolores Young PX:347-6291 ASSISTANT CCO: Anabel Velasquez Site Representatives Julio Pardo Marisela Rojas CALERO High Angie Nunn Tori Lui and Fil Zamora EVERGREEN Marie Duarte FOOTHILL TBD INDEPENDENCE Dave Lounsbury JAMES LICK Sheri Bonaccorso Bill Masching Mt. PLEASANT Humberto Rodriguez OAK GROVE Cynthia Hooker Mike Lynch W.C. OVERFELT Teresa Ramirez Debbie Tamez PIEDMONT HILLS TBD SANTA TERESA Addaire Faulk Dolores Young SILVER CREEK Roland Smith Mike Abrigo YERBA BUENA Anabel Velasquez IAC: Velia Dominguez OAC: TBD ED. CENTER Jo Leyva Margaret Velasquez Transportation: Manoli Kelly Eric Carranza Elsa Pachas JOB STEWARDS: Dolores Young Fil Zamora Calero 590-0905 Margaret Velasquez Ed Center 347-5073 Lori Ohman Transp/ EC 347-5292 Anna Ortega Transp/ EC 347-5292 Elsa Pachas Transp/ EC 347-5292 Sonia Zelaya Transp/ EC 347-5292 Dave Lounsbury IH 608-9711 Elena Sanchez (Retiree) 644-5128 Mike Abrigo SC 347-5649 Addaire Faulk ST 347-6293 ANDREW HILL YB 347-4751 Chapter Committee Members AUDITING CHAIR: Linda Turner BENEFITS Kathy Medina ELECTIONS CHAIR: Dolores Young Sheri Bonaccorso Manoli Kelly Betty Cooper MEMBERSHIP CHAIR: Julio Pardo Dolores Young Site Representatives PACE/PAC/SBLC Delegates CHAIR: Roland Smith Angie Nunn Marisela Rojas Fil Zamora Patricia Alarcon Bill Masching Chapter PRE-RETIREMENT RESOURCE PERSON Jo Leyva (408)347-5163 Elena Sanchez (Retiree) (408) 644-5128 CSEA East Foothills Chapter 187 Sounder questions or suggestions: Filiberto Zamora Cell: 408-821-9290 Work: 408-590-0905 Email: [email protected] Work Email: [email protected] NEGOTIATION TEAM CHAIR: Pati Alarcon Jo Leyva Dolores Young Julio Pardo Keri Munoz Angie Nunn Manoli Kelly Fil Zamora ****Please note that EBoard may vote to update and make changes to Site Reps and committee members in January or until positions are filled. WE ARE: CSEA East Foothills Chapter 187 In REGION 56 of AREA C LABOR REPRESENTATIVE: Jim Trujillo Email: [email protected] (408) 261-7988 Regional Representative Region 56: Donnell Fassler (408)509-0724 Email:[email protected] Area C Director Cindy Zecher Email: [email protected] (510) 499-6318 Page 8
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