January 31, 2023
Call to Order 4:16 pm
Approval of Minutes – Keenan and Newman
Reports of Officers
- Treasurer (Michelle Inserra) –
- Gen $17,435.12
- Phil/Fund $5,733.78
- Pride Chair (Jen Phifer)
- Speak Up Event 2/7 @ MS
- Almost used all of our money
- FAST Chair (Amanda Pannone) (access to more money)
- Grievance Chair (Deb Phillips) – nothing to report
- Membership Chair: 3 new PS members (aides) and 1 new nurse at the MS; encourage them to come to events and include them in your UTEA conversations
- Negotiations Chair (Kate Bender) – update on aides salary negotiations
- Meet with Neg team and BOE in June (dates TBA)
Reports of Rep. Council Members
- Aides (Christine Perro and Donna Scherer) – no report
- Secretaries (Gina Johnson) – no report
- Interpreters (Meredith Fitzgerald) – no report
Reports of VPs and Teacher Rep. Council Members
- Primary School
- Thank you to PRIDE for Glow and Grow in March
- Elementary School
- Thank you to PRIDE for AMazing RACE (academic based fun games for families)
- AIDES situations seems to be better and BSI not pulled as much now that the 2 permanent subs
- 4th grade Tournament of Books in March and Reading Fun Day for 4th grade in May
- Middle School
- Winter Leadership – encourage all to attend
- Xs and Os of leadership session: geared to Rep Council Members
- handed out maps to all members and after Rep meetings, divvy up building and create depts and have 1:1 conversations with the membership ; informs where dues money is going etc
- Workshops sponsored by NJEA through Membership; survey for next year to tell what kind of workshops they are interested in to get more PD for members
- NJEA paying for these PD activities
- As a Rep Council Member you can be an advocate for anyone w/ Weingarten -have njea come to meeting advocacy training
- Bi lawsand constitution need up[dating every 3 years and NJEA can help ; need it to work for culture
- Should have binders not virtual
Old (Unfinished) Business
- Communication maps of each building are complete
- Rep. Council binders
New Business
- BOE members want to be back in the buildings to help make better decisions Faculty Council – if issues are not resolved, we can invite Board Members to attend, but please inform principal – they want to be involved in possible solutions
- SCIP meeting: Plan PD and mental / emotional health for kids need to be better planned for students; Mental Health and Classroom management PD requested from Co Presidents
- Discussion on lack of leadership with Curriculum Leader
- No training in FP and Fundations for new teachers ; lack of consistency
- Scholarships/ 8th grade awards – TABLED
- Spring Workshops for UTEA members – see flier (March 15, April 18, May 17)
- Social Event ideas for Spring – Friday prior to Spring Break event is in the works
- Staff Member for a Day program – last week in May
- BOE members need to spend a day with the aides and see why we want them to receive more pay
- NJEA Staff Member for a Day (BOE member shadow a few members during the day)
- Open a “store” to get members new shirts BSN Sports Union Shirt for us and will put at diff price points (short and long sleeve etc) and go up $2 each item and kick money into Phil. Purchase 1st shirt for new members
Announcements
- Scholarship Chair – Michelle Inserra
- PRIDE Chair – Jen Phifer
- FAST Chair – Amanda Pannone
- Social Media Chairs – PS: Rita Garrison and Krista Iannone, ES: Michelle Drewnowski, MS: – ??
- Philanthropy Chairs – Alyssa Randazzo and Lauren Smith? Need to be confirmed
Member Concern:
IEP day email – pick a day and find your own sub or day won’t work out was perception and might have to pull your sub if they need coverage elsewhere
** maybe put the IEP writing day in the contract
Have a day in spring for PD day where teachers talk to next grade level
Adjournment
5: 17 PM Newman/ Philips