District 131 Has Never Paid A Fair Wage Except To The Administrators
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Fairness is paying a competitive wage so that all your best workers don't flee to the neighboring districts. If the district can pay every contractor who works in our buildings the same wage they make in neighboring districts, they can pay their teachers and staff a competitive wage and not just to the first year teachers.
In this last contract offer, they had to add a clause that if an experienced teacher was making less than a first year teacher after receiving their raise, their salary would be increased to the first year teachers salary. That is because to be competitive at the beginning of the contract and be able to recruit teachers with no experience the had to raise the first year teachers salary higher than teachers with up to seven years experience.
This last contract showed the board and administrations true priorities. They want a teaching staff that is primarily 1st year teachers. They want to pay bargain basement prices for teachers. Once again, the education of the East Aurora Children is never the priority.
The only questions are, where will they be spending all the money they are not spending on education and who will be skimming off the top? It shouldn't be too hard to guess.
I am not a whiny oldster, who bought a home that put me in over my head and now wants taxes cut after my kids were educated in another district
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Fairness is when those elected to oversee the "school district," make sure those hired to run the district, maximize the use of the funds they receive to educate the children in the district. Resulting in community members feeling their tax dollars are being used wisely when they see state report cards showing most students meeting and exceeding the set standards in all grade levels reported. I don't mind paying my fair share, if those with the power, are good stewards of the resources they are delegated to manage.
Dr. Popp has also stated on many occasions that his priority is to build a new administrative center. Why would a simple land deal have to be shrouded in executive session except to cloud transparency? Why would the community be excluded from a voice in a simple land deal?
I'll tell you what, let's see if the district would make a deal. If the money is to build a second high school (something that is desperately needed along with another middle school and a couple of more elementary schools) the teachers will accept the 3.5%-7% raise mentioned on the blog. If the land is for a new administrative center, the teachers and staff receive a wage that is comparable to West Aurora 129 and Indian Prairie 204. Of course if the board would release the address of the land, we would know immediately if the land was large enough for a new high school or just an administrative center.
They would have complete control in such a deal and will still never make it. Guess why.
Out of the 600 high schools in Illinois (Not including the hundreds of non-public schools who are excused from the test and you don't know their rankings) only 8 high schools met standards last year. Damn near everyone is failing. Why? Because if a school is failing, the state gets to dictate everything, including where every school spends it money. It's just one more way that those in power are funneling public monies to those who are politically connected. In other words, it's another form of corporate welfare.
Just take a look at where the money is going and you'll begin to understand. Millions of dollars for tests and the computers necessary to administer them. Who's making the money? McGraw Hill, Pearson, Microsoft and a handfull of others. If you want the responsible use of your tax dollars, go speak to the politicians who are dictating where the dollars go.
Here's a reality check for you, the people making nearly all the decisions about where education money is going have never spent a day in a classroom. That includes the US Education Secretary Arnie Duncan. Arnie Duncan never spent a day teaching a class but directs where your tax education dollars go.
It's a simple formula, setup impossible standards, demonize educators and pretend to swoop in and save the day (you even get to union bash). The State will take over and fix the system. Only they took over East Aurora 15 years ago (They dictate everything) and nothing has changed except where your tax dollars are going.
Have you ever heard of Eminent Domain? They can take the properties and give the owners the fair market value. The owners don't just get to set any price they want. It's based on the communities value. There is never a reason for concealing pubic spending unless you are doing something illegal. Ralph Padron really needs to FOIA the land deal discussion and find out if the open meeting act was violated. I'd be willing to bet that it was.
Also, the last thing East High needs is to be expanded. There needs to be a second high school. Adding more classes don't make the hallways any larger or the lunch room, auditorium band room and gyms bigger. It's so overcrowded now that teachers can't stand in the hallways to supervise passing periods. It's simply too crowded and they would hinder the little flow that is available. We now have to go to NIU for graduation because the facilities are way too small. How will it be if it is expanded so we can fit another thousand kids in there?
I believe it is private session, like Screwed said, because they have something to hide. No transparency. If some of those people in previous threads believe the Board President is looking out for them and their fair wage, it is no wonder they have been left behind on previous contracts. I see from comments here, some teachers have the scoop on what is really being written and offered in their contract, do NOT sell yourselves short. The teachers and our students deserve better. You have a union person sitting on the board, he is not Chapa LaVia's mole, nor is he a small business owner taking advantage of low wage workers. Nor is he trying to employ all his buddies within the district. Email him, find out if he and others are getting the facts from the Bargaining table. Make them aware of the conditions the teachers have been working. The PR and admin have been keeping their shortcomings of teachers curriculum being ready for classrooms a secret. We have much overcrowding throughout the district. But they tell us all is well. While teachers are struggling with getting fair wages, they are also burdened with additional workloads above their initial job description. Overcrowding, no admin support, underpaid, overworked..... Good luck, sincerely, with getting a fair contract!
Corp. Prof. I have no doubt what you say is all true. I have read articles about Pearson and the likes. Its all about the money. I thought the state was suppose to have taken over D131 years ago, after it went a specified number of years without meeting and exceeding. Yet those in charge would send in the "changes and improvements" they were making and it would satisfy the rule makers and give them a pass for year after year. It was all just a bunch of creative rewriting of the same basic curriculum plans for improvement. Those who were to be enforcing and monitoring those that were failing would give them a slap on the wrist and they were good to go for another period of year(s).
As for going to the politicians.....we had Linda Chapa-LaVia, living right here on the eastside. I will give it to her, she is a true politician. She will shake the hands and say she will be where ever she is needed, yet when she was in working with the state on education, nothing happened to help Aurora. Now she has Arroyo on "board" so if she gets in as mayor, she has her spokeperson getting approvals for those Eminent deals, just like Weisner did for drive in and other EA tax properties. He had the boards support, which was basically the voters elected reps to support his plans. Look where that got D131. where is the piece of property the district was suppose to receive from Bigelow, out there where the drive in used to be? So much has been so obviously un "Fair" yet business goes on as usual. :(
Would that be Alex Arroyo, he just voted to outsource the B&G snow plowing with Dick Leonard who did get his buddy a job. At least the other members had common sense and voted them down
Arroyo feel asleep at the last meeting I would not pin my hopes for him. I has also disappointed when he sided with Leonard to attack many maintenance workers who campaigned for him.
I also heard very clearly the same message they are looking at expanding EAHS. Building a new HS will not happen as long as Ward one and the Stonegate group control the BOE. Our parents our too uneducated to come to meeting and ask why their child is being taught by a Sub very week. Ask around the district how many open positions we have. Arroyo is a hack for Chapa. What has she done for education. Oh I guess a bunch of unfunded mandates.
The last two contracts of which the current President resided over have seen the largest increases in district history. The current BOE can not be blamed for what happened in the past. That said , Johnson did get us big raises, but she also increased the hours we work. PLC time has been a waste and poor administrative planning makes it impossible. Elementary did get additional daily instruction time. Ask yourself did we really win. Johnson will claim that is what other districts work instruction time. She forgets we do not make what other districts get paid.
It is a mixed bag with her some good, some bad, but I do believe the new members are trying hard. They certainly would have not given Hanley a $40,000 raise. With Johnson track record, Hanley should get his resume ready.
I will read the fine print because I am sure our raise will come with a giveback. We can not rely on Intherm to have our backs.
Real estate is talked about in executive session because there are negotiations taking place. The districts positions can not be discussed in the open . If the land owners would have an upper hand. That's why most layman should stick to what you know. Land acquisition discussion in executive session does not violate the OMA
Somebody needs to explain the sledding hill where the tennis courts used to be. I have never seen such a lopsided construction project in my life. The courts will be practically unusable. The district will certainly never be able to host a tennis competition on those courts. One player will be playing sideways and downhill while the other player will be playing sideways and uphill.
I can’t imagine that the courts were designed that way by the engineer. If they were, the courts should be replaced at the engineers cost. If the courts were designed correctly by the engineer and the contractor just decided to cut costs (Much more likely) by not bringing in the fill necessary to level the courts, it should be ripped up and resurfaced at the contractors’ expense.
Please recall it been decades since the courts have been resurfaced because the cost was approximately $600,000.00 Our kids will be playing on those courts for decades more. For $600,000.00, the contractor could at least level the playing surfaces. I hope somebody in the district (or City of Aurora or the Aurora Park District)is smart enough to withhold payment until the project is completed the correct way. Just because we are on the East Side doesn’t mean that our kids deserve substandard everything. Our taxpayers worked too hard for the $600,000.00 that this contractor is making. The taxpayers deserve full value for their tax dollars.
How long before we find out that the contractor was another buddy of Dick Leonard?
I am so sick of listening to these selfish whiny oldsters who after raising their own families on everybody else tax dollars, just want to deprive every other family the ability to educate their children because their kids are grown . Just look at the facts. The selfish whiny oldsters in Ward 1 are complaining about the tax rate they are paying in East Aurora but if you move their McMansions just a few blocks East into 204 they would be paying 50% more in taxes. If you moved their homes into Oswego, their taxes would be twice what they are paying now. Everybody is paying a lot for taxes, especially those who are fortunate enough to be able to afford homes as big and beautiful as the ones in Ward 1. It does make a person wonder why a retired person or couple need a home that's up to 3000 square feet?
Somebody needs to get out the vote in the rest of the East Side. If not these few selfish whiny oldsters are going to continue to deprive our kids an adequate education.
EAHS has a dictator, not a principal. He has that administration looking to micro-manage and come down hard on all support staff for no other reason than stuff rolls down hill. How many secretaries is he going to make cry and how many AP's and Deans will he come down on so hard that they turn around and let loose on staff beneath them because they are so frustrated. And finally us in maintenance/custodial...we are just pieces of trash to be talked to with no respect or common courtesy at all.
I attended a the meeting and other than Strand and Johnson. The other board members had a political agenda. They are grandstanders that played to the crowd that elected them.
Of course the Matt Handley incompetence never stops. The sound was bad and no screen presentations so you had no clue what was being talked about.
Crespo looked so innocent at his fisrt BOE meeting where many of us came to speak up for Spencer Byrd, but as Crespo brought his entire family and sat in the front row that was reserved for him right by the podium, people did not. Crespo IS a dictator! Shouldn't his main concern be the kids in his building?! Wake Up! Kids learn by example and you are a poor one Mr. Crespo!
To: East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education From: Ralph Padron Against: Matthew Hanley-Mark Truckenbrod-Michael Popp
Date: Sept 8 2015 Time: 9:45PM Location: Aurora East High School Auditorium Lobby Purpose: Attend Board of Ed Meeting & participate in Public Comments to expose
Facts: I was seated the entire evening at the last row on aisle Matt Hanley and Mark Truckenbrod stood behind me the entire evening
Upon departing (no one else around) Hanley said to me “Only 3 mistakes tonight” I responded “Prove me Wrong” I departed and walked in lobby to exit the building. Hanley & Truckenbrod immediately followed me, then Matt Hanley stated to me “You (Ralph) said you wanted to visit some rooms which you aren’t authorized to, I (Hanley) am here to escort you out of the building to insure you don’t visit them”
I stopped and turned to him and said “Are you telling me I am a Security Risk”
Hanley: “ I consider anyone a risk who goes into an area they aren’t allowed to be in” *Note: Matt Hanley INITIATED comments to me NOT vice versa.
I immediately departed without further conversation
It appeared Mark Truckenbrod was doing a video of this exchange.
Questions 1 Did Mike Popp order these 2 Employees to intimidate me 2 WHY DID MATT HANLEY NOT KEEP HIS COMMENTS TO HIMSELF THUS AVOIDING A CONFRONTATION 3 Was his motive to antagonize me in hope of a negative reaction thus having a reason to call the Aurora Police 4 What was the purpose of Mark Truckenbrod’s presence 5 Was I the only one “Targeted/Singled Out” as a “Threat to security”
6 WAS I THE ONLY ONE ESCORTED OUT OF THE BUILDING
Background
I have publicly brought out several times the promotion and $40K Raise (benefits included) Superintendent Mike Popp hurriedly made prior to the new Board of Education taking office.
I currently have FOIA requests regarding Hanley’s spending of Taxpayer Dollars The attached email will explain what led up to Hanley’s actions
Closing Comments
My speech that evening was intended to bring out publicly another major scandal involving in $500,000.00 of Taxpayer Dollars
Aurora residents gave me an overwhelming “Support, Thanks and Words of Gratitude” for my efforts and information being provided to them.
Those in attendance commented they were not aware of the violations and requested I continue to bring out more of the Wasteful Spending and “Get them Crooks”
Upon arriving home and explaining the incident to my wife (Lorryl Denny retired teacher 131) She became very angry and felt threatened because Matt Hanley lives very close to us and fears retaliation therefore I am compelled to inform the East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education and other agencies aware of this despicable incident.
I am requesting the East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education conduct a thorough investigation of this blatant incident and hold accountable those responsible.
I have attached the Matthew Hanley’s email referencing his comments To this day I have not had a response
Look forward to your prompt response and acknowledgment
Mr. Hanley proved his incompetence last week, when he DID NOT do his job informing the public about the change of location and time for the very important School Board meeting Monday evening.
Ms. Johnson did Mr. Hanley's job instead, graciously responding to two community members who called her on Friday afternoon. Then this blog picked up the ball and made the correct information known.
And now we find out that Mr. Hanley is not only incompetent; he is vindictive and hot-tempered as well.
Central Office should make better use of their time
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Dr Popp told everyone at the HS to lock their doors a large angry group that would create a security risk was coming the school. We then find out the group was a group of taxpayers and seniors. The room has not set up for anyone to hear because Dr Popp ordered this. Now we find out it was Ralph Padron. When will it stop.
Okay, this is beyond stoooopid! And here's another thing Dr. Popp, if there was a security risk because of a "large angry mob" you should not have let ANYONE in that building and cancelled the meeting. It is SO obvious you tried to set up Padron. Are those the actions of a Superintendent?? Hanley and Truckenbrod acting like mob thugs and you playing the part of Don Corleone!? Oh PLEASE tell me someone is writing a book about this!
So they host a meeting with the residents many of them senior citizens and they consider them a security risk. Really? sounds like a set up. Did they think the senior citizens had guns and knifes or did they think they would paint gang signs in the washrooms. Now I have heard everything.
As a life long resident of Aurora, I don't think we should be dissing the Ward 1 residents anymore. That 25 percent of the district pays 75 percent of the real estate taxes for the schools here. I begrudgingly admit that is unfair. Started thinking that if they were not here, we would really be in trouble. Learned a lot this past week. Also learned that the district spends 11,000 per child.
The amount of tax dollars wasted by Ralph Padron does not come anywhere close to the $40,000 of tax dollars wasted on a raise for a community relations director who couldn't be bothered to inform the public about the correct time & place of a very important School Board meeting.
And the thousands of dollars spent on the salaries of those in the central office who couldn't be bothered to pick up their phones to answer a simple question on a Friday afternoon before a three-day weekend.
Life long resident must be in Ward one. If they are paying 75% of the taxes for schools, they must be paying a higher percentage for police and fire services in Aurora, also. Why aren't they at the community and city council meetings packing the house on how unfair it is they should pay for those services, and they do not use them. Many of those people out there, complaining about the high taxes, including board members who support their griping and take pity on them, are people who have moved here within the last 10 years or so. They raised their children and paid taxes somewhere else, and reaped tax benefits from seniors in other communities who paid for their children's schools. Then they move to Aurora, in a newly constructed community, and want the laws and rules re-written especially for them.
I am a life long resident, too, and have paid taxes in this EA community my entire adult life. Maybe not at the rate of those who chose to buy into the high rent district, but I have paid for 40+ years and no longer have children in school. Do I get a break, too? I have never had a fire truck called to my home, can I get a break? If I don't use the parks, can I get a reduced tax bill on that portion, also. As seniors or or adults, when you bought into this community, were old enough to know better than to think you would get that nice house and neighborhood and not have to pay for it. Taxes and death.....we all know are part of life. From all the complaining I have heard and read, none if it has addressed the root of, what some seem to feel is the problem. Paying for the education of the children. Rather than complain about your tax rate, make those responsible for the schools, the administrators and board, be more acccoutable and transparent what they are doing with your money. No! You would rather have your tax break be on the backs of the children, rather than your peers, those delegating from central office where they spend those tax dollars, those people, many of which do NOT live in our district.
Get a clue, most of you will be buried before things change in EA, because no one is actually working towards or demanding change in the way business is done in our schools. Save your breath and enjoy your golden years. If your taxes are burdening you to the point you can no longer do so, then you were living beyond your means to begin with. The district complains about some man causing grief for making FOIA requests......how much time and money has been wasted catering to these people complaining about their taxes, to the point the board meeting was moved to a different venue?
Excuse my rant, no don't excuse me! I am disgusted with the "me" mentality taking over our society. These property tax whiners are no different than those looting stores during rioting. When things don't go the way you think they should, take things, that don't belong to you, from other, hard working, people. How is this action justifiable? You pay taxes for emergency vehicles. Call a waaaambulance and leave the taxes for our children's education alone.
Not only was the the message system changes by Crespo to "press 1 for Spanish"!! It cut off the english version of the message if it went to your voice mail!
I work at EA as a secretary and have been told that I need to learn basic bilingual terms. I was hired over 20 years ago and we have many translators. I do my job efficiently, but I have been harassed, and made to feel like I am a mental midget. Complaints about Harassment go to Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod. They are known bullies. Speaking to the board is not a option. Mr Darby and Strand have children in the school and have done nothing. They well know that Mr Crespo speaks Spanish all day to the Hispanic students assuming that is how they want to be addressed. Ms Strand was present when that occurred. This district is in such a mess we have returned to the serial bully days. Dr Popp certainly has the right name "Michael".
It looks like we will be voting our contract along with the next BOE meeting We need to send the district a message and VOTE IT DOWN. I work at the HS as well. Crespo has made staff cry and constantly tells us to greet everyone in Spanish. He is supported by Mark Thruckenbrod who is bring in more d204 people. Renners job is now filled with two ex 204 cronies that retired. We have many ex PE teachers that have filled the role of AD through the years that would have gladly pitched in. We also have have Nestor Garcia who does nothing and could have watched the department. The cronies only show up long enough to clock in and are not seen afterwards. Wake up BOE Dr Popp is stealing the district blind and hiring all his friends. Cronism is alive and well when will the BOE stand up. As for Mr Darby who claimed things will change and was always hanging around the HS before he was on the BOE now he is not seen. As for Strand she delivered snacks for the first day of school and also has not been seen since. Arroyo has been in the HS numberous times speaking Spanish with Crespo. Does not realize English is the national language.
Rumor among the secretaries is Diane Thomas (girlfriend to Darby). was taken care of
Our problems are NOT just EA problems! When will the U.S. wake up? AJ+ - Where Have All the Teachers Gone? | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/612554595552718/
I work at East High as Mr. Crespo's Secretary and have not heard that Mr. Crespo is requiring anyone to learn basic bilingual terms. I do think that it's helpful though to know a few bilingual terms, so that when Spanish-only speaking parents come in, we can let them know that someone will be there soon to assist them. A simple three word phrase such as "one moment, please" in Spanish while you call for someone to assist with translation certainly isn't too much to ask. We sometimes need to stop thinking in terms of only ourselves and put ourselves in the other person's shoes.
I hear they are frontloading the contract so it “looks like” we are getting more money when they are really offering little more than they did last time. I hear that the teachers with a masters degree are being offered 7% the first year and only 2% the second. The teachers with a bachelors are being offered 4% the first year and only 1% the second. Averaged out, it is equivalent for those with a masters degree getting 4% each year and those with a bachelors degree are only getting 2.5%. What the teachers here need to realize is that this offer will leave falling even farther behind out neighboring districts. When they are making up to $40,000.00 more than East Aurora, their 3% is more than our 4% and much more than our 2.5%. Here is the math:
At the 23 year mark with a doctorate degree: East Aurora $74,248 times 7% first year and 2% second year: Total raise $6,786.27 Geneva $114,102 times 3% each year for two years :Total raise $6,948.81
As you can see, those with a masters degree are still falling farther behind (Not to mention they will be cheated out of more than $40,000.00 again). Those with a bachelors degree will be falling way behind neighboring districts. Until we start receiving a competitive wage, the children will continue to deal with less than stellar teachers (not to mention the classes without a teacher). Currently there are 92 jobs posted in District 131. This a month after school began.
Joan Glotzbach has been heard saying that she believes that they can split the teachers vote with this deception just enough to get it passed. The woman (term used loosely) has NO respect for the teachers or the union (of course, bringing up one lousy contract after another, the teachers have no respect for the union either). Joan has been verbally insulting to us on many occasions. We need to send her and the district an even louder message this time with our NO vote.
Hopefully Bardwell will actually read the contract this time instead of just listening to their union rep. Steven Huffman. It was crap then and it’s crap now. Don’t’ be the only school to pass the contract this time.
Kim, I agree with you. Common courtesy would seem to include being able to communicate at least a few phrases in the language spoken by a majority of families in our district.
However, I do not believe that Spanish should supersede English ("press 1 for Spanish; press 2 for English"). We are Americans, and our common language is English. Anyone who takes a citizenship test to become a citizen of this country is legally REQUIRED to learn to speak, read, and write English (unless they are over a certain age). Most Mexican immigrants I know personally take pride in being bilingual; they speak Spanish at home with their families and close friends, and English when they shop, go to school, or work. If Mr. Crespo is assuming that Hispanic students prefer to be addressed in Spanish then he is clueless about how most families in our district want their children to be educated.
The teachers just have to remember that the system is designed to find out what the bare minimum is that 50% +1 teacher/staff will vote yes to. Vote NO and they have to put more money in. The power is in the teachers/staff vote. Just vote NO. Don't let the district split our ranks. Eventually if we reach an impass, an arbiter will be brought in. The first thing the arbiter is required to do is look at the salaries in the surrounding communities and realize just how underpaid District 131 teachers are.
Don't forget to demand to see the vote counted in your building. Don't let them steal the election in a dark backroom. Know your buildings vote total and report it to everyone. Doublecheck it against the official vote count.
Kim is Crespo's secretary and has always been a kiss up. She has not been berated and in fact facilitated the change. In fact she is behind telling Crespo we are not treating parents fairly. Kim s not on the front lines. The students swear at us and flash gang signs. Not one administrator will stop them this year because of Crespo. He is very pro Spanish only.
Crespo also treats the janitors like dirt. He removed fire doors and it was reported to Dimare and Thruckenbrod but again nobody did anything. The administration needs to make it work with him because they fired Byrd who improved the school. Nobody will vote for the contract because of Crespo at the HS. Whatever raise we get is not worth being abused by him.
It would be a mediator, so if you are a secretary or support staff your increase will get lowed because the district will take that offer off the table. Non certified is paid $2.00 to $4.00 higher. BA degrees are competitive at 3.5% and MS degrees with a 7% increase is at the level of other districts . Remember a mediator will have to look at a District funded by State aid not the surrounding districts. Go ahead vote no you will get less and stop comparing yourself to other districts. The students don't come close to performing like the districts you compare yourself with.
Did anybody expect that the teachers and staff would be offered a fair contract? This is District 131. The teachers and staff have been getting royally screwed for decades. The only ones who are taken care of in District 131 are the administrators who do the screwing. They are paid top dollar. Well, them and Matt Hanley who covers their hind sides. Must be nice to be getting a $40,000 raise (50%)when you were way overpaid to begin with. The teachers are underpaid by as much as $40,000 and they will have to fight for scraps.
I guess we should also be looking at how well Sara will be taken care of. Just a reminder that Mary Dudzienski (two contracts ago) was getting $145,000.00 (twice the money teachers at the top of the salary schedule make now)from the district while she was union president and Adam Harding (the last contract) switched to the administrative team with a huge raise as soon as that contract was signed.
It appears that the district and the union leadership are working together to screw over the teachers. It's no wonder that everytime that Sara speaks she talks about what a great relationship the union has with the administration. Of course she hasn't spoken to the staff since May when she couldn't understand why the staff was angry. She hasn't even been in her office at the high school when teachers have gone to find her. She has been AWOL for 4 months. Probably getting support hugs from Joan Glotzbach.
Where are you getting your facts? Please document any official source for your outrageous statements. At 7% a year, it would take about 15 years to begin to become competitive. Let's review (This has been posted on the blog before.
"Percentages mean nothing if salaries are not comparable to start with. Why would anybody in their right mind do the same job they would elsewhere for $25,000-$40,000 less money? Here is a list of salaries by district at the 23 year mark with a doctorate degree. It becomes abundantly clear why teachers leave District 131 in droves. 3% is a slap in the face to every hard working teacher in East Aurora. If the teachers in District 131 are not offered a competitive salary, the students of District 131 will always receive a substandard education.
East Aurora $74,248 West Aurora $106,287 Indian Prairie $106.966 Batavia $114,102 Geneva $100,069 Oswego $104,056 Naperville 203 $113,566"
We have the most challenging students of any of these districts. Anybody who has looked at the research knows that children of poverty never test as well as their more affluent peers. That does not mean that their teachers deserve to be cheated out of a fair days wage.
The teachers in East Aurora have the same bills to pay as the other teachers in this community. They deserve a salary that doesn't qualify them for food stamps. That's correct, a family of 4 who is attempting to live on a first years teachers salary from East Aurora is eligible for the states SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Supplemental Healthcare Coverage.
Nobody has the authority to reduce anybodies salary. The secretaries are not going to receive less money. If it was tried, we would all walk. STRIKE TIME
I work at 131 but I also realize they can not pay us for 15 years of mismanagement. I also realize that ISBE aid districts pay less. I have chosen to work and provide for the most needy, it is my christian belief. If money is your issue them a new district that pays better is what is best.
It does anger me that Dr Popp gave Mr Hanley n 50% raise. It is the talk of every building. I remember when they first hired him he stated he would tell the story of EA. That has not been accomplished. It would go along way if the Board of Ed would comment on his continued salary. I have heard many are not happy and when a group asked Ms Johnson she stated she did not vote for that. Joan Glotzbach is another problem her actions towards teachers and treatment of bilingual teachers for years has been well documented.
I will vote yes since it is now a two year contract and watch and listen the way teachers are treated.
Here are some of the points I found with the new contract offer:
Teachers with a Masters will receive 7% the first year and 2.5% the second. Teachers with a Bachelors will receive 3.5% the first year and 2.5% the second. Secretaries and support staff will receive 3% the first year and 2.5% the second.
Only two year contract Teachers retiring will receive only 6%, NOT 7% Stipends salaries are not increased for two years and coaches steps are frozen for a year. This will effect your money for every year in the future that you coach. Some stipends reduced to AA classification (They will be paid only half of the lowest stipend). Sub Pay / Class coverage is frozen at 2014-2015 rate for the next two years. Summer school and summer camp salaries are frozen for two years No more recognition of professional development for lane advancement Teachers will have NO protections from administrators with observations. No recourse if the administration is out for you. The district will pay for only one hour of the mandated training they are requiring of us. All the trainings (about 8 hours) are required every other year.
There are still NO PROTECTIONS for escalating insurance costs to teachers and staff. The only protections are for the district.
Special salary provisions continue to allow the administration to pay bi-lingual more than everyone else.
The district wants us to believe that we are getting a bigger raise than we are. With all the freezes and cost increases, we’ll be lucky to break even.
Here are links to what the other teachers in Aurora are making. Take a look at what the district is offering and compare your salary to West Aurora and Indian Prairie 204. Then you will begin to understand just how badly cheated the teachers in District 131 are.
Indian Prairie 204 (Please note that this is last years rate as they are in negotiations also: http://www.ipsd.org/uploads/HR/IPEAContract1215.pdf
West Aurora 129 http://www.sd129.org/Page/244 See pages 63, 68 and 72
Sara is not around to answer questions she thinks she can rush us in a two hour meeting. Many unanswered questions 7% looks great but we don't know about insurance and the salary schedule does not reflect our step raises. It looks like they went away. That is why Sara is hiding.
They took away our step increase and will not tell us about insurance. The non certified understand exactly what they are getting. They get a straight 3% and then the same as all of us the following year. So much for going to college and paying off your loans. I will VOTE NO NO NO. We are getting screwed!
EA teachers you are being railroaded ! This is NOT the Union I helped get started some 30 years ago when I proudly wore the Vote AFT button! I worked on the first negotiated contract and many, many after, and felt good about what we were presenting to the staff. I have felt for years that this Union has become an appendage of the Administration and the leadership has become more concerned with feathering their own nests than looking out for the teachers' best interests. " Hang together " and vote NO, or you may "hang separately" !
To "Getting Screwed"....If you look at the contract the changes are in red. The salary schedule is the same set up as the 2012-15 contract for certified staff, so there will be step advancement for everyone on the schedule. No one is "frozen" on their current step. This results in 3.5% increase for those in the BS lanes and 7.0% for those in the MS lanes for 2015-16 and 2.5% increase for all regardless of lane for 2016-17. That's 6.0% for 2 years for BS and 9.5% for MS.
Insurance has not changed that is why it is not in red. It remains at the 105% cap as it did for 2012-15. The insurance costs (our contribution each paycheck) are not part of the contract since they are not calculated until the end of each calendar year. In the last 3 year contract we did not know our insurance costs until October of each year when open enrollment was about to start. Those costs or adjustments took place in January each year. That's how insurance works and has nothing to do with our contract. The 105% is part of the contract and it appears they were able to return to that number rather than 103% in the first proposal in May.
I,for one, will attend the meeting on Thursday, but it's also nice for those that cannot because of prior commitments will have the presentation emailed to them. I'll base my informed decision on the reading of the changes and then any questions that can be answered on Thursday.
Joe Harmond said we will not get better than a 9.5% package but failed to tell everyone they lost their step increase. Sara has her phone turned off. Joe got caught in a lie today when administration left him talk up the contract on district time. Who does Joe serve ; he is a teacher on administration wages.
Prospect Heights has struck their district this morning over the lowest wages in their area . Those teachers have taken a stand and this district might want to follow suit. Not only are the wages low but schools are over crowded and have many more problems. This district made it on the News this morning so can you and then get your messages out.
They will not help pay for the offset of insurance premium ( Page 72, #3) This means support staff who works less than 7 hours will be back to paying part-time insurance rates!! For me to provide insurance for my family I will be paying $1,000 a month!! I might as well not work and go on WIC like everyone else!
TOOK AWAY LONGEVITY!!! Why would they take it away if we are suppose to keep getting paid the same until the new contract is voted in.
If I was teaching in Prospect Heights I would be making $20,000.00 more than I do here. That is after the pay cut they took in their last contract. Being paid $20,000.00 more than us, they are striking to receive a fair wage. What does that say about us? It tells me that the teachers of District 131 are idiots. If we can't take care of our own interests, how can we be trusted to look out for the children we teach? It's time to make a major stand.
And to read the contract, the teachers should get off their half moons and get to the meeting. Anybody who votes based on the sales pitch put together by the district deserves the screwing they get.
Look and Listen, what did you expect from Joe Harmon??
He was one of the 3 EAHS principals in 2005 who stood their ground against our community (students, parents, alums, fellow teachers) and screwed the long-time band director out of his high school position. He proved then that he was no friend to us teachers.
Now he wants us to believe he's in our corner?
A leopard doesn't change his spots. Or in Harmon's case, a snake in the grass.
The union agreed to to the contract their initials are all over it. I questioned members of the negotiations team and they stated Joe Harmond helped with the wage schedules. Yeah, he helped alright he cheated us out of out $1000 increase for years of service. Joe is not to be trusted and Sara should put the contract presentation together. the problem is Sara is not as sneaky as Joe Harmond. Joe was taken care of by administration he is still paid as if he is a AP. Let's send the union a message and vote NO. Afterall they sold us out. They are in a position to say NO and they did not. Enclose a note of NO confidence in Sara.
I encourage everyone to come and listen to our royal screwing. The union agreed to a 3.5% to 7% raise. If you subtract the overall 2% step a teacher with a BA is making less than a non certified raise. If you add insurances increases we are giving back. This while Handley gets a 50% increase. VOTE NO and STRIKE
The Union President, or his/her designee, shall be released from his/her regular duties to the district on a daily basis for each school day; provided, however, the amount of release time shall be reviewed by the Union and the District during the second year of this Agreement. It is understood that the released time will be used to attend to the duties of the Union President. In the absence of the President, or as may be needed for support staff or office personnel, the applicable Vice-President shall be released for up to a total of five (5) school days per year without loss of pay for the investigation of grievances or other activities relating to personnel issues.
This is why Sara sold us out. She does teach, nor does she know what it takes. She will soon become a Special Ed facilitator. You heard it here first
I mentioned that portion of the contract in a previous comment, but it wasn't approved. Good to know she's helping herself out with the contract while saying nothing for the rest of us.
The Power is in the People if They are Strong Enough to Stand
said...
I guess after the last NO vote in the spring, the district figured out that Sara Imthurn is totally incompetent. That's why they put together the PowerPoint for her this time. It's nothing more than a big sales pitch for another bad contract that screws over all the District 131 employees.
Joan has made it clear that she doesn't give a damn about the employees of the district. She thinks she can divide and conquer us. Let's send her a very loud and clear message.
Everybody needs to show up at the high school today. Even though they had the offer last week, it was deliberately withheld until after the day began on Monday. This way nobody had time to look at it before our building meetings Monday. Today is our one and only chance to come together and brainstorm.
If you are counting on just the PowerPoint that is going to be presented, you won't know what's really happening. You will just be getting the Districts sales pitch.
Tell everybody to be at East High at 4:00. I'll see you there.
EAHS is on a soft lock down today due to a gang war. A 14 year old was killed last night (Daniel) is what we face daily. I would like to see a 204 teacher survive one month Dr Popp and his admins have come here and are using this school district to build resumes and make a big buck while teachers get scraps.
The power point presentation was put together by Joe Harmond and the district it is filled with lies. Lets come to the meeting and work in unity to vote no.
I am saddened when we lose a student and I will pray for him today. What is the 40,000 increase to Matt Hanley doing to help our students?
there's nothing like waiting until the last minute
said...
When is the vote? Tomorrow? Glad they have the presentation the evening before so that we don't have much time to ask questions and have them answered :( I hope I'm wrong about that, but I've had the absolute bare minimum communication regarding this fiasco. I noticed that Prospect Heights says that they can't afford to pay teachers more-they don't have the money. That will be difficult to East Autora to explain if we were to strike-with all of the money that is being thrown around to administrators. Pretty sad with the income we are paid, the class size numbers, and that the curriculum at the junior high level is not yet completed. Shouldn't those administrators getting the big bucks be taking care of that, instead of dumping it all on the backs of teachers who already have very little time?
The contract vote is Monday. They want NO communication, they think they can slip one by us. I will go to the meeting and take notes for my friends who are stuck coaching elementary intramurals tonight and getting rushed with open houses. Sarah has had the contract for two weeks she could have set up other meetings. That is WHY we are screwed
What a Joke the union meeting was tonight. This contract obviously has everyone pissed off. Those with a masters are pissed that they are making $20,000-$40,000 less than surrounding districts. Those with a bachelors are pissed that they get 3% while teachers with a masters get 7%. Secretaries and support staff are getting nothing more in this contract offer than they rejected in the last contract.
Sara tried to control every aspect of the meeting and just came across as offensively as a district administrator in the process. There was the joke of a PowerPoint that only highlighted the positives and did not fairly present the good and bad as is legally required. They should have presented all the facts. She then required us to present our questions on index cards. The negotiating committee sorted out which questions would and would not be answered. At 5:00 Sara cut everyone off. She claimed that all the questions had been answered. Several people stated that their questions had not been addressed. Sara just blew them off and left the building.
In addition to the PowerPoint, Sara presented several pages of "Info" about what would happen if we voted NO and if we voted to strike. It was very offensive and threatening. People were so offended that they walked out of the meeting. It was done in a very inappropriate way and I will be consulting an attorney to find out if it constitutes filing an unfair labor practices charge against Sara and the AFT.
Probably just as offensive (but not legally so) was when a teacher asked her a question about the salaries comparing the salaries on the East and West sides. Sara's response was "That was addressed during the PowerPoint, DUH". She said this to his face in a very rude and unprofessional way. Fortunately, he remained calm and professional even as she embarrassed herself. He then restated his question and it turned out that Sara misunderstood the question to begin with. She then moved to another question and ignored the teacher.
Many questions were not answered and people commented about it. Statements like, You did not answer my question or will you please answer the question I asked. Many questions that were given to Sara on the index cards were simply ignored, the most notable was about MOU's (Memorandum of Understanding). Since the last contract was voted on by the membership, there have been 47 changes to the contract language signed and enacted by Sara Imthurn and Joan Glotzbach (There is nothing in the contract to give Sara this authority) . What is the point of having a contract if everything can be changed by Sara and Joan in a back room. Just look at our contract now. It's more than twice as thick as it was three years ago. All those extra pages have us running around in circles while adding protections for the district.
Another revelation was that our surrounding districts are actually making thousands more than we thought by looking at our contracts side by side. Apparently we are paying for our own pension payments while the other teachers are all having their pensions paid for by their districts (Just like our administrators get). Bottom line, their teachers are much farther ahead of us in salary than we knew.
After the union leadership left, there was conversation about both a NO Vote of Confidence in Sara and what it would take to decertify the AFT so the NEA could represent us. It wouldn't take much. We would need to have at least 30% of the membership sign a petition for decertification. At that point the National Labor Relations Board would call for a full vote of the membership. If 50% +1 vote for decertification, the union is out. If more than 50% sign the decertification petition, we could go directly to the school board and request to remove the union. If they agreed we could remove them directly. We would then only have to wait for one year before voting to bring in the NEA.
Sara has got to go AND the AFT for that matter. Did everybody else notice that not one person showed up for todays meeting from AFT 604? Carla Hettinger was nowhere to be found. We are paying collectively almost a million dollars every year in union dues, most of which goes to the IFT and AFT (not kept in district) and our Local 604 Rep. couldn't drag her a$$ out and face us? If we are not being represented, why would we keep giving them our money?
By the way, for those who don't know, our union had to pay out a hansome settlement to Bob Green for not representing him when he was terminated. Before he was terminated, they claimed that they would supply him a lawyer IF he was terminated. After he was terminated, they claimed since he was no longer employed by District 131. he was no longer a union member and therefor was not eligible for union representation. The union worked with the district to try and royally screw him. It should be a lesson to all of us. The union is definately NOT on our side.
So much for Annette Johnson's Statements at the Red and Black Assembly about hearing the teachers and how the Board would be closing the gap between our salaries and the other schools in this town. Apparently, it was all just for cheap applause on opening day. What we need is for the entire staff to go door to door next election and get her out of office. It's time that we start getting politically active. As teachers, we touch nealy every family on the East Side of Aurora. If we could get organized, we would becaome an unstopable force in this town.
When the teachers vote No the public will find out about the 7% raises that coupled with horrible test scores will not look good. Does anyone really believe the district is going to give everyone a $20,000 to 40,000 raise.
Thank you for updated those of us who couldn't attend the meeting tonight. I thank you in advance for checking on the unfair labor practices and I would definitely provide a vote of no confidence in Sara. I can't believe that the more I hear about her, the deeper she seems to be in the pockets of the Board and Admin.
Your concern is not invalid, and I know some people who were considering a "yes" vote who then changed their minds after the meeting. Sarah was extremely rude to the membership Thursday night at the meeting. The presentation and their answers to questions seemed doctored and biased. Why are they trying to sell this contract to the members?
I can understand that last spring's meeting got out of hand from her point of view, but if we can't bring concerns and frustration to that forum, where do we bring them? Additionally, they implied we hadn't read the contract and that is why we had questions, but since most of us aren't labor experts, many of us needed clarification on several points. They refused to provide that. Why? How can I make an informed vote if I don't understand the language? Do I need to hire my own attorney to represent me when I pay this body to do so?
It is unfortunate that many will vote against the contract simply to make a statement to Sarah and the union that we refuse to be disrespected any longer.
Regarding, test scores, there was an article yesterday stating that 70% of Illinois students did not meet expectations on the PARCC, so EA is in good company on that front.
Teachers with BA degrees are getting 3.5% and MS degrees are getting 7%.The following year we all get the same 2.75% that is the part I have a problem with . Sara also attempted to intimidate us by giving us a letter if we don't pass the contract we are powerless. The last contract they agreed too only had a 3% raise. It is time to get new leadership we need to vote Sara out with a vote of no confidence and send Hettinger packing with her. The raises we have gotten in the past are causing us a problem there is no way to make up the past which is all our unions fault. These are the types of contracts we should have had for years but now we will look greedy. This is the first time we have stood our ground. We must continue to stand our ground UNITY.
I do think Sara is in the pocket of Glotzbach. Sara also did not speak up against Hanley which many members wanted to see. I was voting yes but now I will vote no. I do feel they have attempted to bring up the wages. That would be the board not the administration. The last board/admin offered only .8% to 3%. Sara does have sweetheart deal that Glotzbach promised her. Missing in action was Hettinger who called the shots for years. We pay the local big$$$ and she never takes a stand. I also recall Sara sitting with Glotzbach and praising her for the evaluation work. For me this is more about no confidence that the contract itself. I do understand 7% will look good to many but the other story needs to be told. The board also needs to take a stand on Glotzbach and Hanley. I would also like to see a BOE member join the labor management meetings and see the way we are being treated. Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod are rude and Popp just sits and returns emails. He never steps in to correct rude behavior.
Danger! Educated Union member is the fear of your district. For many years unions had served their members well and were a force to be reckoned with. As years passed,members relied on the officials of their union to do right by them, just like we rely on our elected officials.......including school board members! They were voted into position by the union membership, the community members. Their first duty is to those who elected them, not those who want favors in return for service. More union members are asking questions, becoming educated and wanting more transparency and accountability. Of course that does not sit well with those who are trying to sit on the fence. Some will answer with whatever it takes to please.......as in Johnsons comments to do right by the teachers. Or they get angry and hostile at those who dare ask them questions. ( they cannot answer honestly).
Previous changes in the district claimed creating all day Kindergarten and bilingual preschool would be the change the district needed to improve our report card. They are not going to help, if the curriculum is left floundering for teachers to create their own individual plans. I hope the teachers are able to stand 100% strong, united and get the long overdue acknowledgement they deserve for being underpaid for the challenges In their classrooms and in the lack of support they receive from the administrative office.
I took part in the last contract as well as this last one. The difference is Johnson actually participated in the last contract by attending meetings. This time she was absent. I am guessing they assumed 7% would buy us off. However the Board is not listening. Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach are rude and the lack of trust is there. Johnson needs to hear their rude behavior and report back to the board. ct
We also expect a statement from Johnson or the Board on Hanley. Last time she made it very clear administration would pay for insurance and many heads would roll when she heard our horrible working conditions. I do not want Arroyo shaking hands and making promises he will never keep. Johnson needs to step up.
Sara is in the back pocket of administration, specifically Glotzbach, looking out for herself- - pay our pensions just like neighboring districts and bring us up to par--VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No backroom deals you work for us!!!!!!!!! You act insulted when we ask questions THIS IS OUR RIGHT THIS IS OUR future!!! Because we are in the service industry we are not donating our time- we are working professionals- unlike Matt Hanley who farms out his writing and editing assignment and the new 204 admins who are brought in 20-30 k raises and were being let go in their previous positions!!
All of these previous comments about the Union trying to bamboozle the staff are "spot on"! This old dog would never be wearing the Vote AFT button today! Stick together EA Strong!! If you don't stand for something,you'll fall for anything! Do not be lured by this crock of blarney they're trying to shove down your throats! Ready to carry a sign with my former colleagues!
Remember this when you VOTE NO on Monday, we have have the highest paid administrators and the lowest paid teachers by far in Kane County. In the past 20 years, we have added 10% more teachers and more than 50% more administrators. It's time we send this district a loud and clear message. VOTE NO
Michael Popp $215,800.00 Base Salary $8,672.16 Insurance $22,486.36 Pension $246,958.52 Total Compensation
Beatriz Reyes-Childress $148,625.00 Base Salary $18,984.96 Insurance $15,486.73 Pension $183,096.69 Total Compensation
Joan Glotzbach $148,625.00 Base Salary $10,389.12 Insurance $15,486.73 Pension $174,500.85 Total Compensation
Christi Tyler $145,000.00 Base Salary $7,647.12 Insurance $15,109.00 Pension $167,756.12 Total Compensation
Sarah Waddell $145,000.00 Base Salary $7,647.12 Insurance $15,109.00 Pension $167,756.12 Total Compensation
Mark Truckenbrod $128,000.00 Base Salary $18,942.72 Insurance $13,337.60 Pension $160,280.32 Total Compensation
Rehman Ali $125,911.00 Base Salary $15,458.64 Insurance $5,666.00 Pension $147,035.64 Total Compensation
Carla Johnson $123,000.00 Base Salary $7,610.64 Insurance $12,816.60 Pension $143,427.24 Total Compensation
Suzanne Bement-Withrow $123,000.00 Base Salary $6,548.16 Insurance $12,816.60 Pension $142,364.76 Total Compensation
Marty Feltes $123,000.00 Base Salary $7,556.48 Insurance $5,535.00 Pension $136,101.48 Total Compensation
You don't need a lawyer to decypher the contract. The issue isn't that it's written in legalease, it's that the people writing the contract couldn't pass state standards for English. The contract is written so poorly (probably deliberately so) and anytime it's no longer convenient for Joan, she claims they meant something else or goes to Sara and demands another MOU.
What teachers should also notice is the size of the 2 latest contracts. Starting with the last contract it has more than doubled in length. Nearly all the additions have been through MOU's. Joan dictates all sorts of directives and Sara simply signs them in without ever consulting the membership (or getting the membership any compensation for the added work).
Sara claimed several times that she is just one member of the union with no more power than any other but it's clear that nothing could be further from the truth. She is using her power to help the district screw over the teachers. Speaking to members of the negotiating team, it was clear that not even they agree with Sara. Sara has lost all confidence of the membership, even those closest to her. When the vote comes back with a resounding NO, if Sara had any ethics she would step aside and let a new leader take her place. Somebody the membership would have confidence in.
I don't know what makes some of these commenters think Johnson is any better than Sara, in supporting the union. She will say what makes you happy to your face then flip behind your back. She is NON union. She has never supported working class people. She looks down her nose at all. I hope the union stands strong. I will do all I can as a community member to let others know you have good cause to vote no and/or go one strike. I will keep good thoughts for your local to get better representation and success in your contract. Bless you all, the teachers in EA, for being their for our children for so many years without administrative support.
Hey! That is a thought! The teachers have had to create their own curriculum and such for so long, not just here, but across the country, why not do as some companies do and create employee run public schools!! Much money would be saved, to cut admin and put the money into teaching and education...well, maybe I need another cup of coffee, to wake up. ;)
Hopefully , the board will use the failed contract to fire Popp. The Popp era has brought anger and resentment to the staff. The Curiculum is a mess they keep rewriting it and changing . There are so many teachers missing for classrooms now or not hired they are using music, and art teachers to cover classes. That means in many don't het elementary band . Forget the PE classes they have become a large holding room with the average class size around 50 kids.
The Hanley situation shows a lack of care for teachers and Glotzbach runs the district. It seems the emails have tripled since she has been put in charge of the elementary school. Why the expanded her role; it just tells teachers she will evaluate what she deems outspoken out of the district. Sara has publically commented she is great. Why has the contract doubled? This is Joan's way of controlling us.
Sara, needs to get replaced what she did not tell us is well on strike the union has to pay us enough for our insurance costs. Funny how she misrepresented that. The district will also have to pay our entire contract. Sara needs to step down and Gentile needs to take over. Saras lack of mobility stops her from touring building. She refused to have three meeting like many had asked. The elementary , middle school and HS had different needs. Many teachers could not get to the meeting.
It is also my understanding that members of the team have asked for Johnson to be a part of contract talks. Sara has shut that down for Glotzbach. The administration does not tell the board what is happening and much dirt would come out. Many believe the board changed and they gave us more money. We can only do better by the board joining us. It is about money but it is also about the way we are getting treated. Hopefully, many will realize vote NO and demand the board address the bully tactics of administration.
I have been on the last contract negotiation team when Roberts was Superintendent. Johnson was part of that team and was very hard on administration. I have never heard or witnessed her saying anything about teachers. In fact Johnson clearly told union members administration would pay like the teachers for insurance and would loss vacation and sick days. She also stopped Glotzbach, Adams and the lawyer from running rough shot over teachers. I will never forget the eye opener she had when looking at the long of teacher complaints by building.
Recently, I spoke with Arroyo and found out not only is the board not in negotiations but they have NEVER seen our survey. Johnson, or someone needs to get 'the list' and stop the reign of terror Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod are enforcing. Thruckenbrod opens makes jokes about teachers from 131 being lazy. He always months off about 204 having better teachers. Popp remains silent. Sara is afraid of him, in fact he made her cry. VOTE NO and demand our union share the survey. My guess is Sara is covering for administration.
The first round of PARCC test results are in for Illinois. PARCC says that less than 20% of Illinois students met standards and 0% of Illinois high school students "exceeded standards" on the math test.
That's right. 0% of the Illinois students at the tops of their classes in nationally-recognized high schools exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois students with high scores on the AP Calculus AB exam exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois National Merit Semifinalists exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois students with perfect scores on the ACT math section exceeded PARCC standards.
Is it possible that the PARCC test is wrong, and the $40,000,000 that Illinois taxpayers spent on it was wasted?
The town of Aurora has always treated the people of the East Side like second class citizens. It goes all the way back to the 1800's when industry boomed on the Fox River. The West Side was where the white collar workers (The owners, managers, etc.) lived, the East Side was where the blue collar workers (skilled workers, laborers, etc.) lived.
The West Side has always dominated Aurora Politics and more importantly controlled the money. Just look where the businesses are, the libraries, park district facilities etc. In fact, the only major project the city has on the East Side is the Police Palace. We do have the Outlet Mall (Big Money) on the East Side of the Fox River, yet somehow the town made sure that the tax dollars go to the West Side Schools.
It's time that the East Side demand better especially for their children. These kids are extremely talented in so many ways yet are deprived all the time. They deserve to be supported especially in their schools. Having excellent teachers may be the only way out of the generational poverty they find themselves in. Change has always begun with the next generation. It's time for that change in Aurora.
Our vote on Monday is not just about supporting teachers in a fair and equitable manner, it's about the future of 15,000 students currently enrolled in East Aurora Schools and all the children that will follow them. If you care about the children that you teach, you must take the bold step to ensure that they always have the best teachers possible.
Many tea teachers are afraid of having to pay their insurance and getting Cobra notices if they vote strike. We must educate them. Insurance is taken out of checks a month in advance something the union failed to tell us. Thus we are covered and the community will not tolerate students not in school for one month. Another point is Mediation, that will mean the union will be forced to use their own lawyer not the districts. Carla may not get yearly vacation/cruise for this one. Money is very important but so are all the working conditions.
I will not take empty promises millions have been wasted. Sara has nerve to state she is only one voice. SHE is the President. Sara is busy making back room deals so she will not have to teach.
I and others made a mistake by listening to Adam Harding "another sell out" last time. Not Again! The board needs to hear our true demands and understand what is in the surveys teachers are complaining about. Arroyo made the comment he has no idea what teachers concerns are nor did he get the contract. They only get the contract when we do. He did not realize the classrooms are missing proper desks, books, leaky windows with mold or fans much less A/C.
I regret listening and partaking in the lies administration told about the board, namely Johnson. DeMar and Mcmahon, as well as others asked us to boycott a Christmas party a few years back. We now find out is was about them paying for insurance and trimmed back sick days. I will never back administration! What have they done for us. Today we work with no Curriculum and endless meeting that result in doing the job of adminis. I will spread the word tomorrow in the parking lots, and at lunch. VOTE NO AND SPEAK UP.
Uh....hey dummy....the PARCC test was of algebra. I am embarrassed if you are a teacher and don't know that none of our AP kids would have taken this test. No merit scholars, no kids taking the ACT. You are someone that tries to pretend they know something, and it turns out, you don't know much.
EA teachers, listen well to what is being said here, it is all accurate. You have some chance with a resounding NO VOTE to wake up the BOE, pathetic Union leadership, and shake those top heavy Administration trees! Those trees need some serious pruning, you have the power to do it!
Unfortunately, I don't think the word is getting out about how little the latest contract provides, and that worries me for tomorrow's vote. Many see the red revisions/additions and see the increase given the first year, and take that as the sign of a good contract. Since the last draft was emailed out on Monday (the same day as many faculty meetings), many employees remained in the dark. Someone at my staff meeting asked for specifics and salary increases from our school rep, and he was unable to answer the question because he didn't have a chance to yet review it that same afternoon (you know, because he had TEACHING to do). Way to leave the employees uninformed, Union.
The administrators are hoping the contract will pass so that they can finally take their big raises and build that administrative palace they have been planning since Popp took over. Of course, they will be using all the money they are saving by not paying teachers and staff. It's been very hard for them to keep quiet about it. Why they need an administrative palace is beyond me. If they were doing their jobs they would be spending most of their time in the schools NOT in some posh office planning more layers of administraive BS. It's like all those committees that Sara and the administrators are runnning, they have meeting after meeting and ignore everything when the contract was put together. Nothing discussed in those meetings made it to the contract. Maybe the administrators need fancy offices to host all those attorneys who keep suing the district over administrative and board screw ups.
I have worked at Hermes for years and no admin ever told us to boycott Christmas parties...if anything they recruit people to go because no one wanted to!!
Make sure you witness the vote count in your building and post it here when you know. This is from the board packet for Monday nights board meeting. Item number:
XIV. Additional Action Items: A. Motion to Approve the Contractual Agreement, 2015-2017, East Aurora Council IFT/AFT Local 604 and the Board of Education, East Aurora School District No. 131
I don't recall this with the first contract offer. Are they just being prepared? OR do they know the vote count before we go to the polls?
It official 308 YES votes - 807 NO votes. The contract was voted down. Interesting that this was not addressed during the board meeting tonight. Now the question is what will Sara do with this power we have given to her? This is two contract offers that we have voted down. Will she use the power to get us a fair wage that is competitive with the surrounding districts or will she use it to try and feather her own nest?
Considering that this is the best chance that we have ever had to get a fair contract, we deserve to have a union president that works for us full time. The health issues that Sara's father has (not to mention her own)are keeping her gone most of the time. I've stopped by her office every day since school started and she has not been there once. Sara can not do the job that she was elected to do. If she had any ethics at all, she would step aside and let her vice president become acting union president OR just step down so the vice president would have a stronger voice (Even better for the membership). If Sara was acting in the interest of the members, this would be an easy decision. If all she cares about is her own interests, she will stay put and let the staff get screwed once again.
The time is NOW. Sara, please do what's right for the people you claim to serve. Step down.
Sara needs to step down and the union leadership needs to demand it. We also do not need any help from Carla. We have a meeting today and our voice needs to be heard load and clear. Sara did not get information out to all members and she did not get a accurate survey out. Sara has never spoken up for teachers in public, nor has she addressed wage inequities between administration and teachers. Sara could have publically commented on Matt Hanley but again it showed she is on the side of administration. Sara also praised Joan Glotzbach in public for writing a evaluation process that is unfair. Sara cried when Mark Thruckenbrod told her to keep members in check at a board meeting. We need to ask her to step down tonight and allow Jennifer to finish her term. Is this a leader we need!
I would like to know how many of us were hoping to access the previous contract retirement incentive. Four years at 6% each year would not have taken my salary to six figures. I am not a politician nor a CEO. Such incentive would have given me a basic and decent amount to average and calculate retirement. I do not know how we let that one slip! The salary offers are also dismal. Along the years I have seen more and more colleagues leaving the district for a better job offer. Is it too much to hope that after a life devoted to teaching the children at East Aurora, we would be deserving of such incentives? Our union has failed us miserably by not keeping us informed and we have failed to make them accountable. There's still time!
It's interesting that two hours after the staff rejects the contract proposal, the board is using millions to "pay down it's debt", thereby depleting it's cash reserves. Everyone knows that this is just a ploy to claim broke and again try to screw the teachers and staff over. If the district is sitting with cash in the bank, you know the mediator will want to give teachers and staff more money. This district leadership will stop at nothing to ensure that the children of District 131 will never have a competent staff to teach them.
We've also been informed that the board has already stated that they will never agree to binding arbitration. If an arbitrator came in, they would look at the district finances and the salaries of teachers in the surrounding communities to determine what is a fair and equitable wage for us. That is the last thing that the board and central office administrators want. They would pay us nothing if they could.
The board knows that if a fair and impartial person with the power to change things looked at how this district is run, it would not be good for them. Instead they know that Sara is weak (or in their pocket) and they will be much better off dealing directly with her. It's a real shame that now when we have the membership that is ready for the change this district needs, we have an extremely weak person at the helm.
We need to speak with a clear and unified voice when our demands are made to the mediator. A fair and eqitable salary, comparable to the other districts in Aurora is our one and only demand. All the other crap that Sara and the district keep bringing up is the distraction meant to keep the teachers of District 131 in poverty right along with the children they serve. Don't be fooled, the board and the administrators know that money is the key to control. It's time the staff educates themselves. We are not volunteers or missionaries, we are professionals who deserve equal pay for our expertise and labor. We perform miracles every day with the Illinois' poorest and most challenging students. It way past time that the district acknowledges that in our paychecks.
Sara shouldn't be getting paid by the union. Carla Hettinger, Adam Harding and Dick Manley are getting six figure salaries off our union dues. In fact we give the AFT nearly a million dollars a year and get almost nothing in return.
I thought teachers in 131 did not make this much why is the district paying her salary she works for the union or does she? Why do we use the districts lawyer It seems with all the money we pay in dues we should have are own lawyer. The union is telling us the district will not pay our insurance well on strike. The union has millions they should pay for the first month. How is the money accounted for at the AFT perhaps we should hire Ralph Padron to look into the AFT. Carla is making a six figure salary and also gets several paid union vacations for her and her husband yet the union will not pay a lawyer. Really?
Sara was asked to step down by teachers and did not. I guess we know why and the district should not pay her salary it makes her accountable to them. We call Sara with many complaints none of which get handled. In talking with school board members they do not realize what our working are like. We are angry and a Strike is the only way will will get action. I understand we can not all get a $40,000 raise but we need respect and the Matt Hanley situation was a kick in the a**. Sorry I feel used and abused today by our union and our administration.
I am inviting you, Ms Johnson to walk over and visit our open house. Get know why the contract is failing. We will not discuss money just the list of complaints administration is not covering.
I could believe when I saw the story today about the Board suddenly deciding to pay off millions in debt! So who exactly will be meeting with the mediator? Sara and union building reps? I just want to make sure that the mediator is truly getting the whole story and hearing our genuine needs.
The district pays bonds each time they are callable. They are callable in 2016 and if you had attended the many presentations they made a minimum payment of 2 million. I think the payment should have been larger and many speakers agreed. Some of the other board members wanted larger payments Johnson and Strand will never get reelected. In fact Mr Laesch was not listened to when he asked for a 8 million and Johnson would not show us our tax savings.
Kudos to Alderwomen Lyn Johnson for pointing out what a waste land 131 is. The facts and figures speak for themselves. They should give us 8 million and not waste any more money. A 7&% raise in today's workplace is unheard of. LET THEM STRIKE.
Taxpayer1 your comments along with Alderwomen Lyn Johnson are pure racism. It is clearly a issue with not wanting to educate minority children. I am wondering if the children had been white if Lyn Johnson would have ever commented. It also makes you wonder why a community would demand accountability about spending on children but clap for a shoplifter.
Yikes, whoever you are..... Come on over to any one of the EA elementary schools......visit a class with 30 some children, and tell that teacher who has no curriculum, no support from above, and is paying him/her self for the resources needed to run a classroom,( because there's no more money for this or that) ,they don't deserve a decent competitive salary! I can't tell you how many more dollars I have in my pocket because I am now retired and don't have the monthly expense of subsidizing a classroom in good ol' EA.......
I am proud that I worked with some of the very best classroom teachers you will ever meet, kind,caring, compassionate people doing their best every day for the kids in 131.......You should be thanking your lucky stars such people gave stayed in this district, and cherish them for what they do. This old dog knows!
Actually, the word "your" WAS spelled correctly. It was used incorrectly (it should have been "you're", which is the contraction for "you are") That's a common error, and could have just been the result of someone being in a hurry to type a comment. On my iPhone there are suggested words that pop up above the keyboard, and maybe "your" was selected instead of "you're".
If you're going to be that picky about a small error (and on a BLOG, at that!), then at least identify it correctly...it was a mistake in grammar, not spelling!
What a joke the Beacon article was. I can understand why Annette Johnson is make false statements like "deemed fair and competitive". I guess the fact that I would be making $35,000 less than if I was on the other side of the Fox River is what Annette Johnson considers "fair and competitive". Of course, we have seen on many occasions Annette Johnson's deep contempt for low income minority children and families. We've all heard the recording of her screaming at Ray Hull about his low income mother as he was growing up. It was unforgivable. Her absolute hatred for minorities is so apparent.
What is most frustrating is Sara Imthurn's statements. "the membership have expressed concerns with "resources" not being provided that are making it difficult for them in the classroom" and "staff is very concerned with the curriculum and how the curriculum is being developed".
Here it is so simply put that even Sara should be able to understand it; "IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID". The teachers of District 131 deserve a compensation package that is comparable with the compensation of the surrounding districts in Kane County. Receiving pay that is $5,000 to $50,000 less than the other side of the river is not "fair and competitive". It is insulting and disgraceful. It is also the reason why District 131 can't keep staff members, fill all positions or create any initiatives that last for even a year.
It's a real shame that Sara refuses to step down. Other members of the negotiating understand what needs to be done and how to do it but our union bi-laws give them no power to act. It all starts and ends with Sara. She is going to be the entire reason why the teachers and staff are cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Here is a solution 1 if Sara refuses to step down, keep voting NO until at least MAY. In May we can vote Sara out of office and can start to be represented by somebody who can stand up to Annette Johnson and the district administration, somebody who has the cajones to demand a REAL fair and equitable salary package.
Here is solution 2. Decertify the AFT in District 131.
It's a spelling error. Not knowing how to spell the correct homophone is a spelling error. Just like incorrectly spelling whether vs weather. You're not spelling the word correctly!
And if you can't use technology without choosing the right word prediction, you need to be aware that your audience is full of tax payers that want the best for their kids.
If you are using this forum to advocate for education, act like you are educated. Don't make excuses!
Seems some people will nitpick some minor error, that may have been caused by auto correction. Makes you wonder why someone would want to attempt to minimize the content of a very sincere, insightful message. Another popular tactic of EA PR....distraction, maybe?
I wanted to say thanks to old dog. This person has often posted the birds eye view, and as a parent of students in 131 I see what old dog is talking about, but I do not feel qualified to speak on behalf of the teachers. I pray they get improvements in their contract that address class size, curriculum and ....yes.....wage increases. I would not mind my taxes going up to pay teachers, but with this district, those in charge have not been good stewards of the resources given them to educate our children.
Thank you old dog and good luck to the EA teachers!
September 24, 2015 Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer East Aurora School District 131 417 5th Street Aurora, IL 60505
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Dear Mr. Hanley
1. Salary Contract History for Matthew Hanley from day of hire 2. Power Point (Services Rendered) Vendor Purchase Order & Invoice utilized for Red & Black Day Presentation 3. Application, Job Description & Current pay scale for Luis Salas 4. Sara Imthurn 2013 Stipend for $ 4,680.92 report/description 5. Sara Imthurn (Full Release) chain of command/supervisor & employee attendance records summary from July 1 2015 – Oct 1 2015
I understand that the Act permits a public body to charge a reasonable copying fee not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction and not including the costs of any search or review of the records. I am asking that any fees be waived per 5ILCS140/6(c).
You need to be the one to get some cajones. Where were you at the last union meeting? Did you attend and request Sara to step down? Or are you just content to hide behind a blog and throw stones (without having any of your own?)?
Your solution #2 is exactly what the district would want. If you decertify the AFT then the employees MUST go without representation for at least one year. Imagine what administration could do within that time frame? Increase your hours? YUP! Increase your workload? YUP! Release all that don't comply for being insubordinate? YUP!
The public is going to laugh at this group of employees for turning down 7% increases while the rest of the state is still crippled due to the recession. If you want more than what you are getting- go teach elsewhere.
In a world that u means you r means are and abbreviations are the norm only Mattt Hanley would have the time to worry about grammar.. Auto fill is what most people use.
Old dog thanks the EA parent who supports my wonderful colleagues! I have only the greatest admiration and respect for each and every teacher I was proud to work with during my 36 years in d131! Let's hope their concerns are heard loudly and addressed!
Matt you need to get some cahones! you haven't fought for anything, and with little or no talent you were handed a $40,000 raise for outsourcing and buying ghostwriters. I am not a volunteer and work with kids who would chew you alive in ten seconds flat. Quit attacking us!! we have the highest paid admins in the area and the lowest paid teachers and when we attempt to address this discrepancy you come in like Popp's pit bull and snarl. "All sound, and fury, signifying nothing."
Isn't this what already happens annually in EA? Teachers get experience and then move on to a place where the wages are competitive. This is exactly how the district has designed the pay schedule. Bring the teachers in at a competitive wage and then let them go and bring their experience to another district. Are those children, because of their skin color and socioeconomic status more deserving of experienced teachers than the children of 131 are? I don't think so, and I don't think it's greedy or ridiculous for a person who devotes their life to educating children to ask for a competitive wage.
You either don't know what you are talking about or are being purposely deceitful. You mention the 7% (even though most teachers would only receive 3%) but you don't mention the 2 1/2% offer the next year. You also don't acknowledge that base salary is just one part of a teachers salary. Did you mention how the district was going to freeze all other parts of a teachers salary including stipends (In fact some were even lowered) coverage pay, summer school pay, the added day without compensation, etc. In reality, it came to no more than a 2-3% increase per year.
As for where I have been during meetings and what I have stated, you have no idea what you're talking about, you are just assuming.
We all know that there are some vindictive people on the board and in the Central Office who would try to use one year in Scenario 2 to further harrass and torment certain people but how would that be any different than now. The reality is that there are NO protections for the teachers in the contract that aren't already part of State Law. That coupled with the lowest pay in the six county area makes a person wonder why we are giving the AFT more than $900,000 a year. The NEA would be a definate improvement. That's probably why you are trying to use scare tactics to frighten teachers away from it. It certainly sounds like something Annette Johnson and Joan Glotzbach would say.
Looking at the comments Sara made to the Beacon, it is clear that she is not qualified to take the East Aurora Staff through this. If she can't figure out and clearly communicate that it is all about how the teachers are being cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars every year, she doesn't belong in the position of union president.
We must remain united both against the district and our union leadership.
If losing 300-500 teachers a year isn't a clue that you need to create a competitive salary schedule, what is. It is so obvious that the board and administrators don't give a damn about the children of East Aurora. It is just a place to pad their resumes and push their racist agendas. These children don't have a chance with this system that deliberately keeps them in poverty.
Sara is a big problem but the bigger problem is Dick Manley. Dick Manley is the President of AFT Local 604 and he is the one calling the shots in our union. If we don't put any pressure on him, nothing is ever going to change. Maybe if we withheld a payment or two, I'm sure we would finally start seeing some AFT people down here trying to rectify a few situations. They certainly don't want to lose nearly a million dollars a year. They wouldn't be able to pay themselves all those six figure salaries for doing nothing.
It's not all pay, please focus on other areas
said...
I voted against the contract because it was not explained and we had many unanswered questioned. I could not go to the meeting because I coach a after school program. My wages are competitive at 6 years but this is the only opportunity I see for teachers to improve working conditions. The following needs to get addressed
Instruction time, curriculum, TRS, class size, subs, stipend pay, evaluations, second year contract all at 2.75% and protected time. The increase given looks fair but the union sold us out on many categories.
Basically, Sara should step down and all 57 areas mentioned in the article need to be reviewed.
My prediction is Glotzbach, Popp and hanley will get fired. Don't count the BOE out. The offer from the old board to the new board was double. We have to stand in unity. Glotzbach was moved out of HR, something she doesot acknowledge and is rarely seen in schools. We can change the schools together as long as we are unified.
I do know from sources on or around the BOE there is no love lost between administration and Johnson.
Great rebuttals, but let's look at the facts (I'll even provide some resources so you can check 'em for yourself)...
Most teachers within the district have a Masters or Above. ISEBE report card states 53.3% of EA teachers do (http://illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?source=EducatorInformation&source2=TeacherEducation&Districtid=31045131022)
Sooooo MOST teachers would receive the 7% and then a cost of living increase the following year.
Please provide the facts on which stipends were "lowered"- I'm curious to see that.
Also please provide the math that you used to arrive at the conclusion of "In reality, it came to no more than a 2-3% increase per year". Again I think the facts are interfering with your reality.
I do know what I am talking about in meetings. At the last union meeting (and actually at ALL of them) there has been no talk or request made to Sara to step down. That is not an assumption. Again the facts remain that you would rather throw stones from the comfort the internet.
Let's take a look at your comment that without representation it would be no different then what we already have in the district since "the reality is that there are NO protections for the teachers in the contract that aren't already part of State Law." Again your reality must be your perception as I offer the following list of CBA protections that are NOT governed by State Law: work day length, plan/ prep time, reimbursement for classroom supplies, guaranteed tutor assistance for class sizes, due process, progressive discipline, grievance procedures, sick day and personal day allotments, etc.
Those "State Law" provisions coupled with the lowest pay in the six county area- Please provide the 6 counties and take a look at the actual pay across the board. I believe you may find that there are discrepancies, but do you actually think any of those gaps may be closed in one contract settlement? Again the PR battle will be lost as the state average of settlements has been at 3% annually and this package was above that. Also while you are researching the surrounding districts within the "six counties" take a look at the NEA and their dues structure. You will find that more money will be spent.
You state that the issue is teachers being "cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars every year..." How are we being cheated when we CHOSE to work here. Again if you don't like it and think you can make more elsewhere, how do they say "Don't let the door hit you...."
You also continue to rattle on about Sara and that "she doesn't belong in the position of union president." Again the facts are that she was elected by us last year and every member has the opportunity to run for that position. Again if you want to change it do something about it beyond blogging.
I do want to give you credit in a statement you made that I agree with and that is "We must remain united...against the district..", but what I don't agree with is your comment that is inclusive of the union. Remember the union is me and you and our colleagues, it is not some entity that we can place blame to. WE ARE THE UNION and therefore when you bash our leadership you are bashing yourself. WE as a union must stand united against the district. United we bargain, Divided we BEG. SOLIDARITY...
I do look forward to your rebuttal and see you at the next union meeting- awaiting your motion to remove our leadership ;-)
Old Dog...if you spent 36 yrs working in EA then you are part of the problem as to why there is such a gap between salaries now and other districts. Thanks for nothing to benefit the current group working.
My friend just took a teaching job in SD 131. She feels that the ELA curriculum is a joke. But more overriding is that the make up of the classrooms are much more English Language Learners and the curriculum does not support what they need to learn. Recently at the curriculum night less then 20% of her parents showed up. Do does this tell you it is it a teachers fault, community fault, cultural fault, city fault? So the school district, teachers union, city, and parents must come together to common understanding of education in SD 131. Stop pointing figures at named people and look at everyone and everything.
EA does not have a commercial tax base to supplement the residential property taxes. Please look at the revenue stream of the other districts you folks continue to compare east to. All economic packages have to have revenue to sustain them long term. EA is dependent on the State for the majority of revenue; None of the others have such dependency . Teachers pay , program cuts and overcrowding became an issue at EA in the 80's during the recession; ask coach Keyon. When other districts passed referendums to raise pay among other things the East voters said no. 2008 referendum helped to slow the cuts but you can never catch up because nothing else has changed. Racism is and always will play a role in EA decisions but the administration is not alone. Go ahead and fire everyone but it will not change the reality of a lack of sustainable , reliable revenue stream. The residents of Stonegate have more pull than the teachers and they should; they foot the bill. Compromise is possible when reasonable adults come together for the students who have no one really speaking or them. Your demands out not outrageous but as a taxpayer please find a compromise.
Wear blue and walk in at 7:45 am as a group. Leave @ 3:15am. They emailed the staff that in January our hours will get extended, they assume the contract will pass. We need to send them a message. Our battle cry is LET US TEACH. The 204 group thinks we are lazy and stupid. If we do not demand our rights and pay now we will get forever screwed. In two years they are talking money only. If this is allowed we will have no rights, evaluations that will stop us from speaking out, double the work hours and low pay. Glotzbach is the puppet master.
First, you are looking at last years data, not this year. When you have a district that replaces a third to half its staff every year, you may want to use this years data. Looking at the past 15 years of staff data, eight of the past 15 years shows that 8 of those years had less than half of the staff with a masters degree. The lowest level was 32.5% of the staff. Now if you include everyone in union (secretaries, support staff) only about a third would receive the 7% increase.
You also mention the cost of living raise we are to receive next year. Apparently you believe the false numbers fed to you by the government. Isn’t it interesting that every year for the past 25 years the inflation rate is about 3%? In all of history, no economy has ever been that stable, especially considering the turmoil our economy has had since the financial meltdown. The fact is IF the government used the same economic formulas it did in all years prior to 1980, the average inflation rate over the last 25 years is about 8%. The government doesn’t tell you that because salary increases, pension increases, social security etc. are all linked to CPI. We have been falling behind every year for the past 30+.
Some stipends were lowered in the last contract by the insertion of a SLASH between certain words. Teachers who were making a full class A stipend were told AFTER they completed the work that the SLASH meant that they would only receive half the money that their category should have received. In the latest contract, there is a NEW category added called class AA. This category is paid HALF of a class A stipend yet requires the same number of hours of work as a class A. So YES, some stipends have been and would be receiving less money.
You are correct nobody has yet stood up and told Sara in a meeting to step down. I know because I have been at all these meetings also. That being said, I was at the informational meeting a week ago Thursday. After Sara walked out without answering many teachers questions, there were around 40-50 staff members including many building reps. who had a discussion about how there was little to no faith in our current leadership. Discussion items included a no confidence vote in Sara and decertification of the union. Information was shared about the procedures for doing both. I was also at the last general meeting. After that meeting, as Sara walked to and sat in her car alone, a group including building reps and even members of the negotiating team had a discussion. Everyone knows that Sara is not up to this challenge but they are unsure what would be the best way to proceed. We understand that Sara is going through a very difficult time now with the sickness and death of her father but nobody wants to lose the best chance we’ve had for a competitive wage because of her troubles. As for voting Sara in as president, I wouldn’t call it a vote when there is only one candidate.
Let’s look at the protections that you commented on. WORK DAY LENGTH, PLAN/PREP TIME : That is only in regards to the amount of time that a teacher is required to be in the school building/classroom. If the administrators are giving you hours of administrative tasks that can only be completed outside of the contractual day, it’s of little protection of personal time. REIMBURSMENT OF CLASSROOM SUPPLIES: Only in District 131 are basic classroom supplies an item that would need to be negotiated. It’s an employers responsibility to supply materials needed to complete a job. TUTOR ASSISTANCE: That’s one tutor per building to assist with classes over thirty students. If 25 classes are all over thirty students, what’s the point? It’s an impossible task. DUE PROCESS/PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE: Apparently you’ve never been a part of a discipline meeting. The teacher is not informed of what allegations are being made until they are in the meeting (No opportunity to prepare a defense) and their representative (building rep) can do nothing except take notes. The districts due process is a joke that would not stand up to legal scrutiny. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES: What’s the point if our union refuses to grieve or back up a teacher who does? SICK DAYS/PERSONAL DAYS: That one I’ll give you.
If you don’t know what the Chicagoland Six County Area is, you must not have grown up in the Chicagoland Area. It includes McHenry, Lake, Will, Kane, Cook and DuPage Counties.
Teachers should be able to make a fair and competitive wage where they work. I don’t believe that they should move to another district to be treated fairly. The change must come from within. People like you are why we lose a third to half our staff every year. You think it’s fine to just take whatever scraps they offer. It’s not and we are the ones who have to stand up to make it happen. It’s that or become one of the thousands of teachers who have left District 131 for better positions. As for standing united, if think what they are offering is fair and competitive, you are the one dividing us. The majority has spoken twice now and overwhelmingly said that it is not a fair and competitive wage. Stand with us or stand aside.
Annette was furious that the contract didn't pass. Annette was heard stating "Fine, if they want more money, we'll F*#& them with insurance". Annette understands clearly that compensation is a combination of Base Salary, Pension and Insurance. The staff of District 131 needs to also understand this. Unfortunately, most of us only see two little boxes, we never look past our own base salary. We are supposed to be teachers, it's time we get educated on our own contract.
A professional negotiator is what we need. No matter how good (or bad) our negotiating team is, they have to know that they are going to be evaluated (directly or indirectly) by the administrators across the table from them. This is a conflict of interest as they all have to be concerned for their own future in the district.
According to the AFT Local 604 website, there are many services available to a district union during negotiations. They must first be requested by the union president. If Carla and 604 are not involved, it is most likely due to the union president not requesting such assistance. Why has Sara NOT requested the services that we have spent years paying for. If she has requested help, it should be documented so that we know that the issue is with Local 604.
More lies, I talked with Annette Johnson and she is very angry with administration. She wants a survey and has said she is upset that not all building have the consistent work rules. She is not pro administration, name a administrator she likes. Since the new board was elected the offer for MS teachers went up substantially. I also heard the board recently obtained a survey that our union gave to Popp, Glotzbach, Hull and Strand a year ago. The other board members never recieved it from Sara, Popp, Glotzbach, Strand or Hull.. The issues in the survey had never been addressed.
I will wait and see and now that Johnson will be part of negotiations we will see how long it takes to address some major issues.
I have heard just recently that a student at one of the middle schools was knifed at school. A ambulance came at took care of the student and they went back to school. I can't imagine how a teacher would feel about this happening but from what I hear they see a lot of abuse by students of other students. While Ms. Johnson complains about the teachers wanting more she should walk a mile in their shoes and what they go through. Our schools are in terrible shape and are at least 50 years old and are falling apart. Johnson thinks like a business person a school district isn't a business they are suppose to give a safe place for students to go to school. They are suppose to give students and taxpayers a place for students to thrive. Now is time for the teachers to stand up. When a Board President says "Fine, if they want more money, we'll F*#& them with insurance" you know she is a bully and doesn't care about the teachers or students of this district. Again we have a board that is dysfunctional by making Johnson the President of the board because the others where only running for their own agenda and not for the best interest of the students and teachers.
If what you are saying is true, it's will be very simple. Annette and the board can raise our salaries to the same level as the West Side. Just take their salary schedule including base pay, pension payments, stipends and insurance and adopt it for East Aurora. Or better yet, just use the West contract in it's entirety.
Anette has also stated that the district will not agree to binding arbitration, she could simply bring in an arbitrator and let them do all the work to figure out what really is a fair and competitive compensation package.
You claim that Annette doesn't like any administrators. If that is true, she certainly pays the people she doesn't like very well. I think the teachers would like to be among those she doesn't like, it would be much more profitable.
If Johnson is very angry with the administration, it's only because she doesn't think that they did enough to screw over the teachers and staff. She and the board pay the administrators top dollar to keep the staff in place and she doesn't feel they are doing their job. It's clear that she doesn't give a damn about the staff. She stood in front of us at Red and Black and stated that she would make sure that the teachers would be offered a fair contract. She was just quoted this week in the Beacon that the board had offered the teachers a competitive contract. It's all lies. Even with the 7% increase, I would be making more than $35,000 less than I would on the West Side. How is that fair and competitive?
There is a reason that she doesn't want binding arbitration. She knows just how much the district is screwing over the teachers and further knows that any impartial person with power would remedy the situation. An arbitrator would look at financial reserves, surrounding compensation and percentage of budget spent on teacher salaries. The the average that districts spend on salaries is between 70%-80% of the district budget. In District 131 we use 58% of the budget on teacher salaries. With a budget of 138 milliion dollars, if we used 75% for educators that would mean an additional 24 million dollars for salaries. It makes a person wonder where the board is spending all these additional millions that it has been saving on teacher salaries?
It sounds like the blogmaster is at it again. She admits that she only posts to get others excited. Everyone knows she does not like Johnson so be careful what you read. As a former union person I know mediation is the first step. As a taxpayer 3.5% to 7% is more than a fair offer. As a board watcher the only board member currently on the board that voted for Hanley was Strand. It's funny that the blog master supported Strand and others that voted for the Hanley raise.
Before you write a student was stabbed name the school. The Aurora Beacon would certainly report it.
We need to meet as a group and attend BOE meetings. The BOE needs to hear us loud and clear. I am one of the teachers who will get paid to scale but let me teach. The endless meeting are a waste of time.
Say what you want about Annette Johnson wanting to screw teachers, but she's a businesswoman and has to look at the bottom line and save taxpayers money where she can.
And remember, it was Annette who answered her phone and informed two community members who called her about the recent School Board meeting change. Our expensive Community Relations Director and the rest of the folks at the central office couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone on a Friday afternoon. Annette's responsiveness earned her some respect from oldtimers like me.
The problem is that she does think about schools like a business. She wants to see how much she can keep in the bank. Her first duty is to the children. Second is balancing a budget and last should be making a profit.
Who gives a damn if she answered the phone and tried to cover her butt. The board oversees the administration. If she can't even make sure the board meeting announcements are made in a timely manner, does anyone believe that district business is being taken care of?
Johnson was very effective in with the last contract and this time our wages went up. The administration insulted us with a .8% raise. It seems the new board is attempting to bring our salaries up. I will wait and see before passing judgement.
The district has been run financially well under Johnson. The learning side not at all. The credit should go to attempting to clean house for Johnson. I am sure without her Marin Gonzalez, Conrad, Aird, Adams, and Augustine would still be around. Johnson also did some good things with the building and can be credited with the Benevides Center, and Magnet School. I retired when wages under her started to come up. Like her or not she along with her BOE members brought change to the district.
I mistakenly listened to the Strand rhetoric and have not been pleased. Her group claimed they would address concerns and looking back it was the most disfunctional year 131 experienced. When I heard the first propriety was an administration center and then giving Hanley a 40,000 raise while telling teachers they are only worth 1% was unthinkable. Strand should resign for her involvement in this.
I will say Johnson needs to return to who she was and get her fellow BOE members to clean house. Only Johnson has been around long enough to lead this. Many are counting on her and I hope she steps up. I hear from many people and this is repeated continuously. I also understand why no BOE member wants to step just looking back on what Johnson has been put through.
The fight is with our union. Hettinger must be posting about Johnson to make excuses for herself and Sarah. They signed every page and agreed with the administration. Carla must be worried that enough dollars will not be left over for her vacation. They are the problem and even today many teachers did not join the protest. Administration was doing a head count and without good representation teachers walking out will suffer. The teachers I spoke with will not join the group because our union is a piece of shi* and everyone knows Gloztbach is making her list and checking it twice. We have heard from creditable sources that Sarah and Carla made phone calls to board members when it was rumored Glotzbach contract would not be redone. Let us nt forget publically Sarah praised Glotzbach. No diversion, our problem is Sarah and Carla. My money is on Johnson to support teachers more than our union.
Sept 28, 2015 Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer East Aurora School District 131 417 5th Street Aurora, IL 60505
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Dear Mr. Hanley
Please provide the following documents:
August 15 2015 thru current Sept 30 2015 Time Sheets and Pay Stubs for two interim Athletic Directors at East High
Contractual, Job Description, Pay stubs for Sandy Kelly
Time Sheets for Scott Osman from July 1 2013 – current Sept 30 2015
Time Sheets for Luis Salas August 1 2015 – Sept 30 2015
Pay Stubs for Luis Salas & Scott Osman August 1 2015 – Sept 30 2015
I understand that the Act permits a public body to charge a reasonable copying fee not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction and not including the costs of any search or review of the records. I am asking that any fees be waived per 5ILCS140/6(c).
My name is Annette Johnson, bragging about my myself. I declared years ago that the finances were fixed but the proof is in the pudding. It's always someone else's fault. When I was quoted as saying i thought the offer was good one, I MEANT It folks. Stop acting like a love structure teen who won't accept it when the boy says I don't love you. The vote for the contract would not have been on the agenda if I didn't like. Wake the heck up folks
Speaking of cronyism, Ralph the two A/D positions come in by 9 am leave and never account for their time. We now have a retiree helping out, something that was suggested when Renner got sick. There is now a time are scandle and staff at EAHS are afraid to speak up. This is another Popp ghost payroll scandle in the making. This all comes while we do not receive proper pay. When is the BOE going to wake up and investigate.
We all know Popp allowed Feltes to steal and give cronies millions of undocumented work. When will it end? We all know Hanley got a big raise because he s aware of crony emails and text messages. If you want to know why BOE the teachers will not settle look and listen.
Date: September 29, 2015 To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 Subject: Phone Records Larry Wilson Michael Golonka Board of Ed Recent FOIA response uncovers the following:
Questionable phone calls to/from former Director of Bldg & Grounds Marty Feltes. During a 3 month period Larry Wilson had a total of 1,849 phone calls
July 566 Aug 530 Sept 753
Suspicious Long distance calls also appeared
Questions: Prior to July 2015, what is the history of more violations Aren’t these cell phones for official school business only Why would a custodian have 1,849 calls in 3 months Who is responsible for monitoring the activity of these individuals Would an audit prove more widespread abuse of District issued phones Is Disciplinary Action in order for the above violations Will there be an internal audit of some very frequent calls made to certain numbers
This is another of a series of shameful activity at Dist 131. I was told this was under review several months ago yet nothing came out of it. I am requesting a full audit on the policy and procedures in District issued phones to insure these violations corrected. Again Taxpayer Dollars are paying for this unacceptable activity.
Larry Wilson has been in District 131 for more than thirty years. His children and grandchildren have gone to EA schools. He was in the paper a few months back because of his love and dedication to District 131. Don't assume that there has been wrongdoing. If he is supervising maintenance crews, it may be much more efficient to be making calls instead of driving all over the East Side all day. This is why people have little respect for Ralph Padron. He insinuates corruption before doing any real investigation. He just just takes one fact out of context and draws conclusions.
You CANNOT be serious! First, Wilson is NOT a supervisor! Why is he making all of these calls to Marty Feltes AFTER Feltes was fired? And during work hours? It is because Dick Leonard and Marty Feltes asked him to spy on his co-workers and report back to them. Who cares how long he has been there! Is that supposed to give him some kind of credibility? It seems that you "Throwing Stones Again" are the one who is not being factual here nor do you have any real insight into the situation.
All of the district employees are scamers. Wilson is not the only one abusing the phones all of the B& G guys do it. The district should form charters schools and outsource the maintenance department. The district is corrupt and exploit the most vunerable.
Oh yea charter schools. They will make 100,000,000 in profit. All that money is taken from the tax payers and never gets to the education of children. It's all just corporate profit. Charter schools are the biggest scammers of all.
Too bad we can't outsource Dick Leonard. All he does is try to cause havoc in a district that is trying to recover from his friend Marty Feltes' mayhem. A person who is supposed to be on the the board to help only hurts our school system every chance he gets. He has a personal vendetta against the hard working staff in the maintenance department. Why is he always up on the hill trying to influence the new B&G Director?
Dick lied at a board meeting about the state of the heat exchangers saying they were blowing poisonous gas into the classrooms and that is why his buddy had to replace them all at an enormous cost to this district . There was NEVER any danger to the kids, he was trying to scare us using the kids. Low. In an ironic twist, the inept installation of these unneeded heat exhangers caused a hazardous mold situation which was dangerous to everyone health!
Now, he wants to outsource the teachers?!! Who's left? Who else can we outsource that is ticking off Dick? He will never step down because he needs to have an inside view on what is going on with the investigation into his buddy's misdoings and to protect the people that he has "spying" for him including Wilson (well, that and his free internet).
Dick Leonard was in today putting pressure on DiMare to save Larry Wilson. No doubt Dick still needs his source to rat on hard working employees. Funny how he has no problem with Wilson stealing time from the district but of course Feltes was stealing the district blind. Wilson sleeps all day and has been protected by Leonard and Hull for years. Wilson is famous for playing the race card.
The school district has many employees in maintenance that have their own businesses and have been operating out of the "Hill" for years. Making personnel calls wasting time. Alex Dimare now realizes what Feltes was up against. The school board is now in the position to outsource and give zero raises. In fact they should get outsourced. The money they save should go to the teachers.
On top of calling Feltes they have been calling Ralph and Dave Finley. It shows they are all backstabbers.
FYI "Hey Ralph thanks for the tip" When people were given these phones, they were told to keep them turned on 24/7 in case they were needed and in return they could use them as their personal phones as there is no texting or data included. We are on call all the time, even when we are at home. Get YOUR facts straight!
Scott Sweigart told us to use these as personal phones, but to not make any calls that would cost extra money since we had to have them on us at all times anyway. What about the Administration's phones? I am sure they do the same since the entire district is on an unlimited plan. And I am sure we won't ever hear about them because they covered their tracks in one way or another. We were tormented on a daily basis by Feltes. It's called Adult Bullying and none of the supervisors or anyone in administration would listen to us, so who cares if some of us called Ralph or Dave or the Pope for that matter? We use the phones as we were instructed to do. If it does not go into an excessive amount over one hour (lunch and 2 breaks) it should not be an issue, but Dick Leonard is to hot to trot on outsourcing because he wants payback for his friend Feltes (the real thief btw) he will always be shouting this anytime he can.
You sound like a bitter angry maintenance person who should be working but on district time and computer is using the internet. The tax payers got your story all d131 employees are worthless and should get outsourced and Charter Schools brought in.
Any use of district money for personal use is against the law. It doesn't matter if you are on 24/7 no manager has the right to say there is unlimited minutes so you can use them for personal use. Does this district not give Ethic's training? Maybe we wouldn't need so many minutes if they weren't being used for personal use. Just like the credit cards awhile back and it took the Beacon to let the Board they misuse of them. So for get YOUR facts straight you need to learn the law and as a taxpayer of this district I believe you are a criminal. Does this board look at the bills when they approve them?
This board is such a joke. We the community voted new members in thinking that things would change and we know no one person can change things but the misuse of district money needs to stop.
Taxpayer8, you must live under a rock. Unlimited means Unlimited. There is no way you are going to know when district business is going to happen all the time, so they have to buy unlimited minutes. Use lots or use none, it's going to cost the same amount. And the district gets a discount. You're point is invalid.
Taxpayer 8 of course you don't know the facts. The credit cards were fixed by the BOE not the Beacon. The credit cards were taken to the Beacon by Richard Leonard. Employees were terminated and multi trips to Menards stopped. You can complain about the BOE but they put a stop to it. What did boards of the past do nothing.
Okay, Matt Hanley, you just keep on posting ^^^ for your handlers. There is no use of district money for personal matters when it comes to the phones-NONE. Those are the facts. Don't tell me that no one in the admin does not call their spouse or child on a district phone??! Yes, let's check the admins phone records..oh, we can't because they bought out all their district accounts and made them their personal accounts to avoid FOIAs. Now, they are not used so much. How many phones do you carry at one time? And you are the ones making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year wasting huge amounts of money!! Trying again to divert from the real reason Ralph Padron FOIAed the phone records, Larry Wilson. Hanley you cost us another 40K a year. Give that to the teachers!
At the high school, there is one phone for every department. That means every 20-30 teachers has to share one phone. When they need to make parent phone calls, they use their personal cell phones and block the number. How is it that professionals are denied a proper phone system (one per room like most schools) and the district is paying for Dick Leonard's home Internet and the maintenance department's mobile phones?
This is why teachers voted down the contract. They receive little respect from admin, and the community blames them for poor results, all while not supplying teachers with the tools they need.
Well if the Admins are using there own money to pay for their phones for whatever reason good for them. This in not Matt Hanley.
I was talking about when the State changed the FOIA back four years ago and found how Amins and some teacher was buy personal items with the cards. Johnson took them away for awhile and the brought them back but I bet they still are checking those receipts.
Just because you have unlimited minutes does not mean you can use the phone for personal use that would be like the Mernard's incident and you say those involved got fired then so should employees using district phones for personal business. Yes, they could track that if they where checking the bills.
The Boards from years ago did run the district well we had students that excelled and we weren't on a watch list. The schools weren't over crowded. This board picks and chooses their fights.
I do believe the teachers should get paid more but now the ball is in your court. You voted the contract down do something. Two districts around us have struck. One went back with a good contract the other is in the process of trying to get a fair contract. Maybe some of this misuse of money could come out of a strike and the teachers could get a fair contract and better working conditions.
Maybe the BOE should check Hanleys phone. They will find how many times they are attached to Popps a**. Popp uses this district to build his resume for himself and his friends. Here's hoping that the BOE grows a pair and gets rid of Hanley, Thuckenbrod and Glotzbach. They are destroying us. They have made coming to work miserable. Many will vote no just because of the way we are treated.
Also someone should check on the spending at EAHS. The 204 connection in the ADs department has been spending like drunks. The BOE will never see it because the spending is coming out of the EAHS account and never hits the bill list. Crespo also signed off on ghost payroll for Popps buddies. The BOE needs to get serious.
Ralph I found this website to report what you believe might be happening the School Districts. This is the US Department of Ed. I don't know if you have seen this so I thought I'd post it. I have something I'm going to send in. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html
In the district today they use P cards and the details are shown on the bill list. Recently the board caught administration buying the new I phone 6. The board pitched a fit and now the admins are hiding purchases for the 204 click in the EAHS account. The BOE needs to check this out since they are not part of the bills. Thuckenbrod was bought a sound system recently from the HS account and it was a home system. The Tech department was never asked to install it and nobody knows the location of it. There was a another incident like that last year when Ali complained he was gone. Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach also hide vacations in Title.
Last year a business office employee retired early after being harassed by Tyler and Hanley for complaining about Feltes. Johnson continued to vote no but other board members all voted yes eventually they were exposed. Everyone in SSC administration is afraid of the BOE and certainly Johnson. The complaints about Johnson are from admins who use innocent teachers or gullible board members like Strand to talk about how mean she is.
Many employees are happy with the new board that they keep admins on their toes and maybe the teachers can come to the board members and share their working experiences. They may gets issues fixed the silent group of faithful 131 did.
We need to share everyone knows the admins that have bullied us for years are all looking for jobs.
Why are we as EA teachers not all standing together and united at the front of our schools and at the flag poles? We all are aware that our most recent contract was voted "NO." Our collective concerns have not been resolved at an acceptable level. Furthermore, it is up to all of us to remain informed or take action into our own hands to get informed. The more we as EA teachers are informed the greater our ability and power to assist others. There is strength in EDUCATION! Please do not allow yourself to be placed into a mentality of fear. Isn't this what we are all puzzled by when an abused spouse allows themself to continue to be abused and not take the necessary action to correct the issue? EA please be sure to share valuable information that has been provided to you. What we are learning is that there are many EA members that have not been made aware of the facts. EA get informed, share information, attend the board meeting, continue to stand united at the front of your assigned building. Do not allow fear to get the best of you or your fellow colleagues. WE all DESERVE a fair and competitive wage. EA teachers, WE are the best of the best, no matter what others may want to believe. WE love our EA CHILDREN! We simply DEMAND A FAIR wage that IS EQUAL to OUR committment to our EA children!!!
I am not a district employee, but I have been a member of this district my entire life. The preceding comment has some valid points. The main one being, teachers need to educate themselves and other members of their union. I have seen bumper stickers and buttons that say "Beware- Educated Union member" District 131 has an undeserved reputation that it has been unable to shake for well over 30 years. The same is true of union members. Management and administrators assume members follow like sheep. Most times, like with any elected position, we the voters expect that those we elect will work in our best interest. Too often, those put into position forget where they came from and forget those that put them In position. That is why it is important for members to stay informed, become educated about those decisions affecting your life and livelihood. I have stayed involved with the community. I see our teachers working hard to give the EA students an education and school experience they can be proud of. Sadly, they seem to be fighting against a current of lackadaisical admins and school board. Hang strong EA educators. You deserve better pay and working conditions. Prayers for all.
There would be no hiding anything if the Board followed the IL School Code and had who ever had pro cards turn them in to the employee that is suppose to check to see if the receipt is district business. Again this district does not give Ethics training as they should the board is a joke in this.
It is not the boards job to run the district. Johnson has no more power than the others but they are to weak to stop her. We have a Superintendent that is suppose to run the district and for those that keep bring up the D204 buddies remember the board has to approve the hiring.
It is the boards job that needs question why we do not have a curriculum, allocate money and hire a experienced superintendent. That was not achieved by the board that hired Popp and his 204 cronies. It is your backward thinking Taxpayer 8 that was lead to the decline of 131. Taxpayer8 you talk of Il Code stop throwing around language with no substance to it. You must be a supporter of the BOE from hell thank goodness the real taxpayers threw the bums out.
It is the boards jobs to manage the superintendent. When the superintendents main goal is to build an administration center and give Hanley a $40,000 raise they better start managing him. When the superintendent allows out of control spending like Marty Feltes and hires all his loser friends. from 204 the board needs to step in. When the superintendent has no idea of our student needs and gives teacher no curriculum or tools to teach the better ask the right questions.
All of these issues including non stop meeting that take teachers away from students and have created our current environment. Taxpayer 8 you have no clue what goes on daily. The board is our only defense. Get informed!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!
201 comments:
1 – 200 of 201 Newer› Newest»Fairness is when people are treated the way they treated others.
Fairness is paying a competitive wage so that all your best workers don't flee to the neighboring districts. If the district can pay every contractor who works in our buildings the same wage they make in neighboring districts, they can pay their teachers and staff a competitive wage and not just to the first year teachers.
In this last contract offer, they had to add a clause that if an experienced teacher was making less than a first year teacher after receiving their raise, their salary would be increased to the first year teachers salary. That is because to be competitive at the beginning of the contract and be able to recruit teachers with no experience the had to raise the first year teachers salary higher than teachers with up to seven years experience.
This last contract showed the board and administrations true priorities. They want a teaching staff that is primarily 1st year teachers. They want to pay bargain basement prices for teachers. Once again, the education of the East Aurora Children is never the priority.
The only questions are, where will they be spending all the money they are not spending on education and who will be skimming off the top? It shouldn't be too hard to guess.
Fairness is when those elected to oversee the "school district," make sure those hired to run the district, maximize the use of the funds they receive to educate the children in the district. Resulting in community members feeling their tax dollars are being used wisely when they see state report cards showing most students meeting and exceeding the set standards in all grade levels reported.
I don't mind paying my fair share, if those with the power, are good stewards of the resources they are delegated to manage.
To: look and Listen,
Dr. Popp has also stated on many occasions that his priority is to build a new administrative center. Why would a simple land deal have to be shrouded in executive session except to cloud transparency? Why would the community be excluded from a voice in a simple land deal?
I'll tell you what, let's see if the district would make a deal. If the money is to build a second high school (something that is desperately needed along with another middle school and a couple of more elementary schools) the teachers will accept the 3.5%-7% raise mentioned on the blog. If the land is for a new administrative center, the teachers and staff receive a wage that is comparable to West Aurora 129 and Indian Prairie 204. Of course if the board would release the address of the land, we would know immediately if the land was large enough for a new high school or just an administrative center.
They would have complete control in such a deal and will still never make it. Guess why.
If they are in the market for houses around EA residents owning those homes would raise the price. I am thinking that is why it is private.
To: whiny oldster (Not)
Out of the 600 high schools in Illinois (Not including the hundreds of non-public schools who are excused from the test and you don't know their rankings) only 8 high schools met standards last year. Damn near everyone is failing. Why? Because if a school is failing, the state gets to dictate everything, including where every school spends it money. It's just one more way that those in power are funneling public monies to those who are politically connected. In other words, it's another form of corporate welfare.
Just take a look at where the money is going and you'll begin to understand. Millions of dollars for tests and the computers necessary to administer them. Who's making the money? McGraw Hill, Pearson, Microsoft and a handfull of others. If you want the responsible use of your tax dollars, go speak to the politicians who are dictating where the dollars go.
Here's a reality check for you, the people making nearly all the decisions about where education money is going have never spent a day in a classroom. That includes the US Education Secretary Arnie Duncan. Arnie Duncan never spent a day teaching a class but directs where your tax education dollars go.
It's a simple formula, setup impossible standards, demonize educators and pretend to swoop in and save the day (you even get to union bash). The State will take over and fix the system. Only they took over East Aurora 15 years ago (They dictate everything) and nothing has changed except where your tax dollars are going.
To: Just Sayin
Have you ever heard of Eminent Domain? They can take the properties and give the owners the fair market value. The owners don't just get to set any price they want. It's based on the communities value. There is never a reason for concealing pubic spending unless you are doing something illegal. Ralph Padron really needs to FOIA the land deal discussion and find out if the open meeting act was violated. I'd be willing to bet that it was.
Also, the last thing East High needs is to be expanded. There needs to be a second high school. Adding more classes don't make the hallways any larger or the lunch room, auditorium band room and gyms bigger. It's so overcrowded now that teachers can't stand in the hallways to supervise passing periods. It's simply too crowded and they would hinder the little flow that is available. We now have to go to NIU for graduation because the facilities are way too small. How will it be if it is expanded so we can fit another thousand kids in there?
I believe it is private session, like Screwed said, because they have something to hide. No transparency. If some of those people in previous threads believe the Board President is looking out for them and their fair wage, it is no wonder they have been left behind on previous contracts. I see from comments here, some teachers have the scoop on what is really being written and offered in their contract, do NOT sell yourselves short. The teachers and our students deserve better. You have a union person sitting on the board, he is not Chapa LaVia's mole, nor is he a small business owner taking advantage of low wage workers. Nor is he trying to employ all his buddies within the district.
Email him, find out if he and others are getting the facts from the Bargaining table. Make them aware of the conditions the teachers have been working. The PR and admin have been keeping their shortcomings of teachers curriculum being ready for classrooms a secret. We have much overcrowding throughout the district. But they tell us all is well. While teachers are struggling with getting fair wages, they are also burdened with additional workloads above their initial job description. Overcrowding, no admin support, underpaid, overworked..... Good luck, sincerely, with getting a fair contract!
Corp. Prof. I have no doubt what you say is all true. I have read articles about Pearson and the likes. Its all about the money. I thought the state was suppose to have taken over D131 years ago, after it went a specified number of years without meeting and exceeding. Yet those in charge would send in the "changes and improvements" they were making and it would satisfy the rule makers and give them a pass for year after year. It was all just a bunch of creative rewriting of the same basic curriculum plans for improvement. Those who were to be enforcing and monitoring those that were failing would give them a slap on the wrist and they were good to go for another period of year(s).
As for going to the politicians.....we had Linda Chapa-LaVia, living right here on the eastside. I will give it to her, she is a true politician. She will shake the hands and say she will be where ever she is needed, yet when she was in working with the state on education, nothing happened to help Aurora. Now she has Arroyo on "board" so if she gets in as mayor, she has her spokeperson getting approvals for those Eminent deals, just like Weisner did for drive in and other EA tax properties. He had the boards support, which was basically the voters elected reps to support his plans. Look where that got D131. where is the piece of property the district was suppose to receive from Bigelow, out there where the drive in used to be? So much has been so obviously un "Fair" yet business goes on as usual. :(
Would that be Alex Arroyo, he just voted to outsource the B&G snow plowing with Dick Leonard who did get his buddy a job. At least the other members had common sense and voted them down
Alex is the mayoral candidate mole. Laesch Is the union member.
Arroyo feel asleep at the last meeting I would not pin my hopes for him. I has also disappointed when he sided with Leonard to attack many maintenance workers who campaigned for him.
I also heard very clearly the same message they are looking at expanding EAHS. Building a new HS will not happen as long as Ward one and the Stonegate group control the BOE. Our parents our too uneducated to come to meeting and ask why their child is being taught by a Sub very week. Ask around the district how many open positions we have. Arroyo is a hack for Chapa. What has she done for education. Oh I guess a bunch of unfunded mandates.
The last two contracts of which the current President resided over have seen the largest increases in district history. The current BOE can not be blamed for what happened in the past. That said , Johnson did get us big raises, but she also increased the hours we work. PLC time has been a waste and poor administrative planning makes it impossible. Elementary did get additional daily instruction time. Ask yourself did we really win. Johnson will claim that is what other districts work instruction time. She forgets we do not make what other districts get paid.
It is a mixed bag with her some good, some bad, but I do believe the new members are trying hard. They certainly would have not given Hanley a $40,000 raise. With Johnson track record, Hanley should get his resume ready.
I will read the fine print because I am sure our raise will come with a giveback. We can not rely on Intherm to have our backs.
Real estate is talked about in executive session because there are negotiations taking place. The districts positions can not be discussed in the open . If the land owners would have an upper hand. That's why most layman should stick to what you know. Land acquisition discussion in executive session does not violate the OMA
Somebody needs to explain the sledding hill where the tennis courts used to be. I have never seen such a lopsided construction project in my life. The courts will be practically unusable. The district will certainly never be able to host a tennis competition on those courts. One player will be playing sideways and downhill while the other player will be playing sideways and uphill.
I can’t imagine that the courts were designed that way by the engineer. If they were, the courts should be replaced at the engineers cost. If the courts were designed correctly by the engineer and the contractor just decided to cut costs (Much more likely) by not bringing in the fill necessary to level the courts, it should be ripped up and resurfaced at the contractors’ expense.
Please recall it been decades since the courts have been resurfaced because the cost was approximately $600,000.00 Our kids will be playing on those courts for decades more. For $600,000.00, the contractor could at least level the playing surfaces. I hope somebody in the district (or City of Aurora or the Aurora Park District)is smart enough to withhold payment until the project is completed the correct way. Just because we are on the East Side doesn’t mean that our kids deserve substandard everything. Our taxpayers worked too hard for the $600,000.00 that this contractor is making. The taxpayers deserve full value for their tax dollars.
How long before we find out that the contractor was another buddy of Dick Leonard?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-bond-reactions-st-0910-20150909-story.html
I am so sick of listening to these selfish whiny oldsters who after raising their own families on everybody else tax dollars, just want to deprive every other family the ability to educate their children because their kids are grown . Just look at the facts. The selfish whiny oldsters in Ward 1 are complaining about the tax rate they are paying in East Aurora but if you move their McMansions just a few blocks East into 204 they would be paying 50% more in taxes. If you moved their homes into Oswego, their taxes would be twice what they are paying now. Everybody is paying a lot for taxes, especially those who are fortunate enough to be able to afford homes as big and beautiful as the ones in Ward 1. It does make a person wonder why a retired person or couple need a home that's up to 3000 square feet?
Somebody needs to get out the vote in the rest of the East Side. If not these few selfish whiny oldsters are going to continue to deprive our kids an adequate education.
EAHS has a dictator, not a principal. He has that administration looking to micro-manage and come down hard on all support staff for no other reason than stuff rolls down hill. How many secretaries is he going to make cry and how many AP's and Deans will he come down on so hard that they turn around and let loose on staff beneath them because they are so frustrated. And finally us in maintenance/custodial...we are just pieces of trash to be talked to with no respect or common courtesy at all.
I attended a the meeting and other than Strand and Johnson. The other board members had a political agenda. They are grandstanders that played to the crowd that elected them.
Of course the Matt Handley incompetence never stops. The sound was bad and no screen presentations so you had no clue what was being talked about.
Crespo looked so innocent at his fisrt BOE meeting where many of us came to speak up for Spencer Byrd, but as Crespo brought his entire family and sat in the front row that was reserved for him right by the podium, people did not. Crespo IS a dictator! Shouldn't his main concern be the kids in his building?! Wake Up! Kids learn by example and you are a poor one Mr. Crespo!
OFFICIAL COMPLAINT
INTIMIDATION & HARRASSMENT
To: East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education
From: Ralph Padron
Against: Matthew Hanley-Mark Truckenbrod-Michael Popp
Date: Sept 8 2015
Time: 9:45PM
Location: Aurora East High School Auditorium Lobby
Purpose: Attend Board of Ed Meeting & participate in Public Comments to expose
Facts:
I was seated the entire evening at the last row on aisle
Matt Hanley and Mark Truckenbrod stood behind me the entire evening
Upon departing (no one else around) Hanley said to me “Only 3 mistakes tonight”
I responded “Prove me Wrong”
I departed and walked in lobby to exit the building.
Hanley & Truckenbrod immediately followed me, then Matt Hanley stated to me
“You (Ralph) said you wanted to visit some rooms which you aren’t authorized to,
I (Hanley) am here to escort you out of the building to insure you don’t visit them”
I stopped and turned to him and said
“Are you telling me I am a Security Risk”
Hanley: “ I consider anyone a risk who goes into an area they aren’t allowed to be in”
*Note: Matt Hanley INITIATED comments to me NOT vice versa.
I immediately departed without further conversation
It appeared Mark Truckenbrod was doing a video of this exchange.
Questions
1 Did Mike Popp order these 2 Employees to intimidate me
2 WHY DID MATT HANLEY NOT KEEP HIS COMMENTS TO HIMSELF THUS AVOIDING A CONFRONTATION
3 Was his motive to antagonize me in hope of a negative reaction thus having a reason to call the Aurora Police
4 What was the purpose of Mark Truckenbrod’s presence
5 Was I the only one “Targeted/Singled Out” as a “Threat to security”
6 WAS I THE ONLY ONE ESCORTED OUT OF THE BUILDING
Background
I have publicly brought out several times the promotion and $40K Raise (benefits included) Superintendent Mike Popp hurriedly made prior to the new Board of Education taking office.
I currently have FOIA requests regarding Hanley’s spending of Taxpayer Dollars
The attached email will explain what led up to Hanley’s actions
Closing Comments
My speech that evening was intended to bring out publicly another major scandal involving in $500,000.00 of Taxpayer Dollars
Aurora residents gave me an overwhelming “Support, Thanks and Words of Gratitude” for my efforts and information being provided to them.
Those in attendance commented they were not aware of the violations and requested I continue to bring out more of the Wasteful Spending and “Get them Crooks”
Upon arriving home and explaining the incident to my wife (Lorryl Denny retired teacher 131) She became very angry and felt threatened because Matt Hanley lives very close to us and fears retaliation therefore I am compelled to inform the East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education and other agencies aware of this despicable incident.
I am requesting the East Aurora Dist 131 Board of Education conduct a thorough investigation of this blatant incident and hold accountable those responsible.
I have attached the Matthew Hanley’s email referencing his comments
To this day I have not had a response
Look forward to your prompt response and acknowledgment
Respectfully
Ralph Padron
Again, what are we paying $120K for???
Mr. Hanley proved his incompetence last week, when he DID NOT do his job informing the public about the change of location and time for the very important School Board meeting Monday evening.
Ms. Johnson did Mr. Hanley's job instead, graciously responding to two community members who called her on Friday afternoon. Then this blog picked up the ball and made the correct information known.
And now we find out that Mr. Hanley is not only incompetent; he is vindictive and hot-tempered as well.
Stay tuned for more drama in District 131!
Get rid of Hanley already! He is going to be a big liability just like Feltes was.
Dr Popp told everyone at the HS to lock their doors a large angry group that would create a security risk was coming the school. We then find out the group was a group of taxpayers and seniors. The room has not set up for anyone to hear because Dr Popp ordered this. Now we find out it was Ralph Padron. When will it stop.
Okay, this is beyond stoooopid! And here's another thing Dr. Popp, if there was a security risk because of a "large angry mob" you should not have let ANYONE in that building and cancelled the meeting. It is SO obvious you tried to set up Padron. Are those the actions of a Superintendent?? Hanley and Truckenbrod acting like mob thugs and you playing the part of Don Corleone!? Oh PLEASE tell me someone is writing a book about this!
Ralph, you are an irritant. I don't blame them for watching you.
Funny....how can we lock our doors when half of us don't have keys or they keep switching the locks?
This district has had self-serving, arrogant administrators for many years.
Padron's part of the solution, not part of the problem.
So they host a meeting with the residents many of them senior citizens and they consider them a security risk. Really? sounds like a set up. Did they think the senior citizens had guns and knifes or did they think they would paint gang signs in the washrooms. Now I have heard everything.
Padron is wasting your tax dollars and vilifying your school district! How do you not see that? How do you not see the damage he causes?
As a life long resident of Aurora, I don't think we should be dissing the Ward 1 residents anymore. That 25 percent of the district pays 75 percent of the real estate taxes for the schools here. I begrudgingly admit that is unfair. Started thinking that if they were not here, we would really be in trouble. Learned a lot this past week. Also learned that the district spends 11,000 per child.
The amount of tax dollars wasted by Ralph Padron does not come anywhere close to the $40,000 of tax dollars wasted on a raise for a community relations director who couldn't be bothered to inform the public about the correct time & place of a very important School Board meeting.
And the thousands of dollars spent on the salaries of those in the central office who couldn't be bothered to pick up their phones to answer a simple question on a Friday afternoon before a three-day weekend.
Crespo made Spanish the #1 language of the land this week by changing the message system to press 1 for Spanish and 2 for English.
Mr Padron should be allowed to tour the HS at leasure his Federal and State tax dollars pay for EA not just the residents of Ward 1.
Life long resident must be in Ward one. If they are paying 75% of the taxes for schools, they must be paying a higher percentage for police and fire services in Aurora, also. Why aren't they at the community and city council meetings packing the house on how unfair it is they should pay for those services, and they do not use them. Many of those people out there, complaining about the high taxes, including board members who support their griping and take pity on them, are people who have moved here within the last 10 years or so. They raised their children and paid taxes somewhere else, and reaped tax benefits from seniors in other communities who paid for their children's schools. Then they move to Aurora, in a newly constructed community, and want the laws and rules re-written especially for them.
I am a life long resident, too, and have paid taxes in this EA community my entire adult life. Maybe not at the rate of those who chose to buy into the high rent district, but I have paid for 40+ years and no longer have children in school. Do I get a break, too? I have never had a fire truck called to my home, can I get a break? If I don't use the parks, can I get a reduced tax bill on that portion, also. As seniors or or adults, when you bought into this community, were old enough to know better than to think you would get that nice house and neighborhood and not have to pay for it. Taxes and death.....we all know are part of life. From all the complaining I have heard and read, none if it has addressed the root of, what some seem to feel is the problem. Paying for the education of the children. Rather than complain about your tax rate, make those responsible for the schools, the administrators and board, be more acccoutable and transparent what they are doing with your money. No! You would rather have your tax break be on the backs of the children, rather than your peers, those delegating from central office where they spend those tax dollars, those people, many of which do NOT live in our district.
Get a clue, most of you will be buried before things change in EA, because no one is actually working towards or demanding change in the way business is done in our schools. Save your breath and enjoy your golden years. If your taxes are burdening you to the point you can no longer do so, then you were living beyond your means to begin with.
The district complains about some man causing grief for making FOIA requests......how much time and money has been wasted catering to these people complaining about their taxes, to the point the board meeting was moved to a different venue?
Excuse my rant, no don't excuse me! I am disgusted with the "me" mentality taking over our society. These property tax whiners are no different than those looting stores during rioting. When things don't go the way you think they should, take things, that don't belong to you, from other, hard working, people. How is this action justifiable? You pay taxes for emergency vehicles. Call a waaaambulance and leave the taxes for our children's education alone.
Not only was the the message system changes by Crespo to "press 1 for Spanish"!! It cut off the english version of the message if it went to your voice mail!
Amen Old enough to know better said..
I work at EA as a secretary and have been told that I need to learn basic bilingual terms. I was hired over 20 years ago and we have many translators. I do my job efficiently, but I have been harassed, and made to feel like I am a mental midget. Complaints about Harassment go to Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod. They are known bullies. Speaking to the board is not a option. Mr Darby and Strand have children in the school and have done nothing. They well know that Mr Crespo speaks Spanish all day to the Hispanic students assuming that is how they want to be addressed. Ms Strand was present when that occurred. This district is in such a mess we have returned to the serial bully days. Dr Popp certainly has the right name "Michael".
It looks like we will be voting our contract along with the next BOE meeting We need to send the district a message and VOTE IT DOWN. I work at the HS as well. Crespo has made staff cry and constantly tells us to greet everyone in Spanish. He is supported by Mark Thruckenbrod who is bring in more d204 people. Renners job is now filled with two ex 204 cronies that retired. We have many ex PE teachers that have filled the role of AD through the years that would have gladly pitched in. We also have have Nestor Garcia who does nothing and could have watched the department. The cronies only show up long enough to clock in and are not seen afterwards. Wake up BOE Dr Popp is stealing the district blind and hiring all his friends.
Cronism is alive and well when will the BOE stand up. As for Mr Darby who claimed things will change and was always hanging around the HS before he was on the BOE now he is not seen. As for Strand she delivered snacks for the first day of school and also has not been seen since. Arroyo has been in the HS numberous times speaking Spanish with Crespo. Does not realize English is the national language.
Rumor among the secretaries is Diane Thomas (girlfriend to Darby). was taken care of
Our problems are NOT just EA problems! When will the U.S. wake up?
AJ+ - Where Have All the Teachers Gone? | Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/612554595552718/
I work at East High as Mr. Crespo's Secretary and have not heard that Mr. Crespo is requiring anyone to learn basic bilingual terms. I do think that it's helpful though to know a few bilingual terms, so that when Spanish-only speaking parents come in, we can let them know that someone will be there soon to assist them. A simple three word phrase such as "one moment, please" in Spanish while you call for someone to assist with translation certainly isn't too much to ask. We sometimes need to stop thinking in terms of only ourselves and put ourselves in the other person's shoes.
I hear they are frontloading the contract so it “looks like” we are getting more money when they are really offering little more than they did last time. I hear that the teachers with a masters degree are being offered 7% the first year and only 2% the second. The teachers with a bachelors are being offered 4% the first year and only 1% the second. Averaged out, it is equivalent for those with a masters degree getting 4% each year and those with a bachelors degree are only getting 2.5%. What the teachers here need to realize is that this offer will leave falling even farther behind out neighboring districts. When they are making up to $40,000.00 more than East Aurora, their 3% is more than our 4% and much more than our 2.5%. Here is the math:
At the 23 year mark with a doctorate degree:
East Aurora $74,248 times 7% first year and 2% second year: Total raise $6,786.27
Geneva $114,102 times 3% each year for two years :Total raise $6,948.81
As you can see, those with a masters degree are still falling farther behind (Not to mention they will be cheated out of more than $40,000.00 again). Those with a bachelors degree will be falling way behind neighboring districts. Until we start receiving a competitive wage, the children will continue to deal with less than stellar teachers (not to mention the classes without a teacher). Currently there are 92 jobs posted in District 131. This a month after school began.
Joan Glotzbach has been heard saying that she believes that they can split the teachers vote with this deception just enough to get it passed. The woman (term used loosely) has NO respect for the teachers or the union (of course, bringing up one lousy contract after another, the teachers have no respect for the union either). Joan has been verbally insulting to us on many occasions. We need to send her and the district an even louder message this time with our NO vote.
Hopefully Bardwell will actually read the contract this time instead of just listening to their union rep. Steven Huffman. It was crap then and it’s crap now. Don’t’ be the only school to pass the contract this time.
Kim, I agree with you. Common courtesy would seem to include being able to communicate at least a few phrases in the language spoken by a majority of families in our district.
However, I do not believe that Spanish should supersede English ("press 1 for Spanish; press 2 for English"). We are Americans, and our common language is English. Anyone who takes a citizenship test to become a citizen of this country is legally REQUIRED to learn to speak, read, and write English (unless they are over a certain age). Most Mexican immigrants I know personally take pride in being bilingual; they speak Spanish at home with their families and close friends, and English when they shop, go to school, or work. If Mr. Crespo is assuming that Hispanic students prefer to be addressed in Spanish then he is clueless about how most families in our district want their children to be educated.
The teachers just have to remember that the system is designed to find out what the bare minimum is that 50% +1 teacher/staff will vote yes to. Vote NO and they have to put more money in. The power is in the teachers/staff vote. Just vote NO. Don't let the district split our ranks. Eventually if we reach an impass, an arbiter will be brought in. The first thing the arbiter is required to do is look at the salaries in the surrounding communities and realize just how underpaid District 131 teachers are.
Don't forget to demand to see the vote counted in your building. Don't let them steal the election in a dark backroom. Know your buildings vote total and report it to everyone. Doublecheck it against the official vote count.
Kim is Crespo's secretary and has always been a kiss up. She has not been berated and in fact facilitated the change. In fact she is behind telling Crespo we are not treating parents fairly. Kim s not on the front lines. The students swear at us and flash gang signs. Not one administrator will stop them this year because of Crespo. He is very pro Spanish only.
Crespo also treats the janitors like dirt. He removed fire doors and it was reported to Dimare and Thruckenbrod but again nobody did anything. The administration needs to make it work with him because they fired Byrd who improved the school. Nobody will vote for the contract because of Crespo at the HS. Whatever raise we get is not worth being abused by him.
Get your facts straight.
It would be a mediator, so if you are a secretary or support staff your increase will get lowed because the district will take that offer off the table. Non certified is paid $2.00 to $4.00 higher. BA degrees are competitive at 3.5% and MS degrees with a 7% increase is at the level of other districts . Remember a mediator will have to look at a District funded by State aid not the surrounding districts. Go ahead vote no you will get less and stop comparing yourself to other districts. The students don't come close to performing like the districts you compare yourself with.
If the District had money for Matt Hanley they have money for us. VOTE NO. Everyone needs a fair wage!
Did anybody expect that the teachers and staff would be offered a fair contract? This is District 131. The teachers and staff have been getting royally screwed for decades. The only ones who are taken care of in District 131 are the administrators who do the screwing. They are paid top dollar. Well, them and Matt Hanley who covers their hind sides. Must be nice to be getting a $40,000 raise (50%)when you were way overpaid to begin with. The teachers are underpaid by as much as $40,000 and they will have to fight for scraps.
I guess we should also be looking at how well Sara will be taken care of. Just a reminder that Mary Dudzienski (two contracts ago) was getting $145,000.00 (twice the money teachers at the top of the salary schedule make now)from the district while she was union president and Adam Harding (the last contract) switched to the administrative team with a huge raise as soon as that contract was signed.
It appears that the district and the union leadership are working together to screw over the teachers. It's no wonder that everytime that Sara speaks she talks about what a great relationship the union has with the administration. Of course she hasn't spoken to the staff since May when she couldn't understand why the staff was angry. She hasn't even been in her office at the high school when teachers have gone to find her. She has been AWOL for 4 months. Probably getting support hugs from Joan Glotzbach.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-new-hill-st-0913-20150911-story.html
The West Side is doing all these construction projects AND paying their teachers a fair wage.
To: Go Ahead
Where are you getting your facts? Please document any official source for your outrageous statements. At 7% a year, it would take about 15 years to begin to become competitive. Let's review (This has been posted on the blog before.
"Percentages mean nothing if salaries are not comparable to start with. Why would anybody in their right mind do the same job they would elsewhere for $25,000-$40,000 less money? Here is a list of salaries by district at the 23 year mark with a doctorate degree. It becomes abundantly clear why teachers leave District 131 in droves. 3% is a slap in the face to every hard working teacher in East Aurora. If the teachers in District 131 are not offered a competitive salary, the students of District 131 will always receive a substandard education.
East Aurora $74,248
West Aurora $106,287
Indian Prairie $106.966
Batavia $114,102
Geneva $100,069
Oswego $104,056
Naperville 203 $113,566"
We have the most challenging students of any of these districts. Anybody who has looked at the research knows that children of poverty never test as well as their more affluent peers. That does not mean that their teachers deserve to be cheated out of a fair days wage.
The teachers in East Aurora have the same bills to pay as the other teachers in this community. They deserve a salary that doesn't qualify them for food stamps. That's correct, a family of 4 who is attempting to live on a first years teachers salary from East Aurora is eligible for the states SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Supplemental Healthcare Coverage.
Nobody has the authority to reduce anybodies salary. The secretaries are not going to receive less money. If it was tried, we would all walk. STRIKE TIME
I work at 131 but I also realize they can not pay us for 15 years of mismanagement. I also realize that ISBE aid districts pay less. I have chosen to work and provide for the most needy, it is my christian belief. If money is your issue them a new district that pays better is what is best.
It does anger me that Dr Popp gave Mr Hanley n 50% raise. It is the talk of every building. I remember when they first hired him he stated he would tell the story of EA. That has not been accomplished. It would go along way if the Board of Ed would comment on his continued salary. I have heard many are not happy and when a group asked Ms Johnson she stated she did not vote for that. Joan Glotzbach is another problem her actions towards teachers and treatment of bilingual teachers for years has been well documented.
I will vote yes since it is now a two year contract and watch and listen the way teachers are treated.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-little-theatre-st-0913-20150915-story.html
Here are some of the points I found with the new contract offer:
Teachers with a Masters will receive 7% the first year and 2.5% the second.
Teachers with a Bachelors will receive 3.5% the first year and 2.5% the second.
Secretaries and support staff will receive 3% the first year and 2.5% the second.
Only two year contract
Teachers retiring will receive only 6%, NOT 7%
Stipends salaries are not increased for two years and coaches steps are frozen for a year. This will effect your money for every year in the future that you coach.
Some stipends reduced to AA classification (They will be paid only half of the lowest stipend).
Sub Pay / Class coverage is frozen at 2014-2015 rate for the next two years.
Summer school and summer camp salaries are frozen for two years
No more recognition of professional development for lane advancement
Teachers will have NO protections from administrators with observations. No recourse if the administration is out for you.
The district will pay for only one hour of the mandated training they are requiring of us. All the trainings (about 8 hours) are required every other year.
There are still NO PROTECTIONS for escalating insurance costs to teachers and staff. The only protections are for the district.
Special salary provisions continue to allow the administration to pay bi-lingual more than everyone else.
The district wants us to believe that we are getting a bigger raise than we are. With all the freezes and cost increases, we’ll be lucky to break even.
!!!!!!!!!! VOTE NO !!!!!!!!!!
Here are links to what the other teachers in Aurora are making. Take a look at what the district is offering and compare your salary to West Aurora and Indian Prairie 204. Then you will begin to understand just how badly cheated the teachers in District 131 are.
Indian Prairie 204 (Please note that this is last years rate as they are in negotiations also:
http://www.ipsd.org/uploads/HR/IPEAContract1215.pdf
West Aurora 129
http://www.sd129.org/Page/244
See pages 63, 68 and 72
VOTE NO NO NO
VOTE NO BOYCOTT THE MEETING
Sara is not around to answer questions she thinks she can rush us in a two hour meeting. Many unanswered questions 7% looks great but we don't know about insurance and the salary schedule does not reflect our step raises. It looks like they went away. That is why Sara is hiding.
That is all. And I still don't agree with only a 2.5% raise next year.
Fair is not fair!!!
They took away our step increase and will not tell us about insurance. The non certified understand exactly what they are getting. They get a straight 3% and then the same as all of us the following year. So much for going to college and paying off your loans. I will VOTE NO NO NO. We are getting screwed!
EA teachers you are being railroaded ! This is NOT the Union I helped get started some 30 years ago when I proudly wore the Vote AFT button! I worked on the first negotiated contract and many, many after, and felt good about what we were presenting to the staff.
I have felt for years that this Union has become an appendage of the Administration and the leadership has become more concerned with feathering their own nests than looking out for the teachers' best interests.
" Hang together " and vote NO, or you may "hang separately" !
Been there!
To "Getting Screwed"....If you look at the contract the changes are in red. The salary schedule is the same set up as the 2012-15 contract for certified staff, so there will be step advancement for everyone on the schedule. No one is "frozen" on their current step. This results in 3.5% increase for those in the BS lanes and 7.0% for those in the MS lanes for 2015-16 and 2.5% increase for all regardless of lane for 2016-17. That's 6.0% for 2 years for BS and 9.5% for MS.
Insurance has not changed that is why it is not in red. It remains at the 105% cap as it did for 2012-15. The insurance costs (our contribution each paycheck) are not part of the contract since they are not calculated until the end of each calendar year. In the last 3 year contract we did not know our insurance costs until October of each year when open enrollment was about to start. Those costs or adjustments took place in January each year. That's how insurance works and has nothing to do with our contract. The 105% is part of the contract and it appears they were able to return to that number rather than 103% in the first proposal in May.
I,for one, will attend the meeting on Thursday, but it's also nice for those that cannot because of prior commitments will have the presentation emailed to them. I'll base my informed decision on the reading of the changes and then any questions that can be answered on Thursday.
Joe Harmond said we will not get better than a 9.5% package but failed to tell everyone they lost their step increase. Sara has her phone turned off. Joe got caught in a lie today when administration left him talk up the contract on district time. Who does Joe serve ; he is a teacher on administration wages.
Prospect Heights has struck their district this morning over the lowest wages in their area . Those teachers have taken a stand and this district might want to follow suit. Not only are the wages low but schools are over crowded and have many more problems. This district made it on the News this morning so can you and then get your messages out.
SUPPORT STAFF BEWARE VOTE NO!
They will not help pay for the offset of insurance premium ( Page 72, #3) This means support staff who works less than 7 hours will be back to paying part-time insurance rates!! For me to provide insurance for my family I will be paying $1,000 a month!! I might as well not work and go on WIC like everyone else!
TOOK AWAY LONGEVITY!!!
Why would they take it away if we are suppose to keep getting paid the same until the new contract is voted in.
VOTE NO!!!
If I was teaching in Prospect Heights I would be making $20,000.00 more than I do here. That is after the pay cut they took in their last contract. Being paid $20,000.00 more than us, they are striking to receive a fair wage. What does that say about us? It tells me that the teachers of District 131 are idiots. If we can't take care of our own interests, how can we be trusted to look out for the children we teach? It's time to make a major stand.
And to read the contract, the teachers should get off their half moons and get to the meeting. Anybody who votes based on the sales pitch put together by the district deserves the screwing they get.
Look and Listen, what did you expect from Joe Harmon??
He was one of the 3 EAHS principals in 2005 who stood their ground against our community (students, parents, alums, fellow teachers) and screwed the long-time band director out of his high school position. He proved then that he was no friend to us teachers.
Now he wants us to believe he's in our corner?
A leopard doesn't change his spots. Or in Harmon's case, a snake in the grass.
The union agreed to to the contract their initials are all over it. I questioned members of the negotiations team and they stated Joe Harmond helped with the wage schedules. Yeah, he helped alright he cheated us out of out $1000 increase for years of service. Joe is not to be trusted and Sara should put the contract presentation together. the problem is Sara is not as sneaky as Joe Harmond. Joe was taken care of by administration he is still paid as if he is a AP. Let's send the union a message and vote NO. Afterall they sold us out. They are in a position to say NO and they did not. Enclose a note of NO confidence in Sara.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-njrotc-st-0911-20150916-story.html
I encourage everyone to come and listen to our royal screwing. The union agreed to a 3.5% to 7% raise. If you subtract the overall 2% step a teacher with a BA is making less than a non certified raise. If you add insurances increases we are giving back. This while Handley gets a 50% increase. VOTE NO and STRIKE
The Union President, or his/her designee, shall be released from his/her regular duties to the district on a daily basis for each school day; provided, however, the amount of release time shall be reviewed by the Union and the District during the second year of this Agreement. It is understood that the released time will be used to attend to the duties of the Union President. In the absence of the President, or as may be needed for support staff or office personnel, the applicable Vice-President shall be released for up to a total of five (5) school days per year without loss of pay for the investigation of grievances or other activities relating to personnel issues.
This is why Sara sold us out. She does teach, nor does she know what it takes. She will soon become a Special Ed facilitator. You heard it here first
I mentioned that portion of the contract in a previous comment, but it wasn't approved. Good to know she's helping herself out with the contract while saying nothing for the rest of us.
And let's not forget that neighboring districts get their retirement paid for! So basically add 7% on to their salaries, then compare. NO NO NO
I guess after the last NO vote in the spring, the district figured out that Sara Imthurn is totally incompetent. That's why they put together the PowerPoint for her this time. It's nothing more than a big sales pitch for another bad contract that screws over all the District 131 employees.
Joan has made it clear that she doesn't give a damn about the employees of the district. She thinks she can divide and conquer us. Let's send her a very loud and clear message.
!!!VOTE NO!!!
!!!VOTE NO!!!
!!!VOTE NO!!!
Everybody needs to show up at the high school today. Even though they had the offer last week, it was deliberately withheld until after the day began on Monday. This way nobody had time to look at it before our building meetings Monday. Today is our one and only chance to come together and brainstorm.
If you are counting on just the PowerPoint that is going to be presented, you won't know what's really happening. You will just be getting the Districts sales pitch.
Tell everybody to be at East High at 4:00. I'll see you there.
EAHS is on a soft lock down today due to a gang war. A 14 year old was killed last night (Daniel) is what we face daily. I would like to see a 204 teacher survive one month Dr Popp and his admins have come here and are using this school district to build resumes and make a big buck while teachers get scraps.
The power point presentation was put together by Joe Harmond and the district it is filled with lies. Lets come to the meeting and work in unity to vote no.
I am saddened when we lose a student and I will pray for him today. What is the 40,000 increase to Matt Hanley doing to help our students?
When is the vote? Tomorrow? Glad they have the presentation the evening before so that we don't have much time to ask questions and have them answered :( I hope I'm wrong about that, but I've had the absolute bare minimum communication regarding this fiasco.
I noticed that Prospect Heights says that they can't afford to pay teachers more-they don't have the money. That will be difficult to East Autora to explain if we were to strike-with all of the money that is being thrown around to administrators.
Pretty sad with the income we are paid, the class size numbers, and that the curriculum at the junior high level is not yet completed. Shouldn't those administrators getting the big bucks be taking care of that, instead of dumping it all on the backs of teachers who already have very little time?
Evidently there's going to be a PowerPoint presentation on FOIA's at next Monday's School Board meeting:
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=37613434
The contract vote is Monday. They want NO communication, they think they can slip one by us. I will go to the meeting and take notes for my friends who are stuck coaching elementary intramurals tonight and getting rushed with open houses. Sarah has had the contract for two weeks she could have set up other meetings. That is WHY we are screwed
What a Joke the union meeting was tonight. This contract obviously has everyone pissed off. Those with a masters are pissed that they are making $20,000-$40,000 less than surrounding districts. Those with a bachelors are pissed that they get 3% while teachers with a masters get 7%. Secretaries and support staff are getting nothing more in this contract offer than they rejected in the last contract.
Sara tried to control every aspect of the meeting and just came across as offensively as a district administrator in the process. There was the joke of a PowerPoint that only highlighted the positives and did not fairly present the good and bad as is legally required. They should have presented all the facts. She then required us to present our questions on index cards. The negotiating committee sorted out which questions would and would not be answered. At 5:00 Sara cut everyone off. She claimed that all the questions had been answered. Several people stated that their questions had not been addressed. Sara just blew them off and left the building.
In addition to the PowerPoint, Sara presented several pages of "Info" about what would happen if we voted NO and if we voted to strike. It was very offensive and threatening. People were so offended that they walked out of the meeting. It was done in a very inappropriate way and I will be consulting an attorney to find out if it constitutes filing an unfair labor practices charge against Sara and the AFT.
Probably just as offensive (but not legally so) was when a teacher asked her a question about the salaries comparing the salaries on the East and West sides. Sara's response was "That was addressed during the PowerPoint, DUH". She said this to his face in a very rude and unprofessional way. Fortunately, he remained calm and professional even as she embarrassed herself. He then restated his question and it turned out that Sara misunderstood the question to begin with. She then moved to another question and ignored the teacher.
Many questions were not answered and people commented about it. Statements like, You did not answer my question or will you please answer the question I asked. Many questions that were given to Sara on the index cards were simply ignored, the most notable was about MOU's (Memorandum of Understanding). Since the last contract was voted on by the membership, there have been 47 changes to the contract language signed and enacted by Sara Imthurn and Joan Glotzbach (There is nothing in the contract to give Sara this authority) . What is the point of having a contract if everything can be changed by Sara and Joan in a back room. Just look at our contract now. It's more than twice as thick as it was three years ago. All those extra pages have us running around in circles while adding protections for the district.
Another revelation was that our surrounding districts are actually making thousands more than we thought by looking at our contracts side by side. Apparently we are paying for our own pension payments while the other teachers are all having their pensions paid for by their districts (Just like our administrators get). Bottom line, their teachers are much farther ahead of us in salary than we knew.
After the union leadership left, there was conversation about both a NO Vote of Confidence in Sara and what it would take to decertify the AFT so the NEA could represent us. It wouldn't take much. We would need to have at least 30% of the membership sign a petition for decertification. At that point the National Labor Relations Board would call for a full vote of the membership. If 50% +1 vote for decertification, the union is out. If more than 50% sign the decertification petition, we could go directly to the school board and request to remove the union. If they agreed we could remove them directly. We would then only have to wait for one year before voting to bring in the NEA.
For now it's very simple: VOTE NO on Monday.
Sara has got to go AND the AFT for that matter. Did everybody else notice that not one person showed up for todays meeting from AFT 604? Carla Hettinger was nowhere to be found. We are paying collectively almost a million dollars every year in union dues, most of which goes to the IFT and AFT (not kept in district) and our Local 604 Rep. couldn't drag her a$$ out and face us? If we are not being represented, why would we keep giving them our money?
By the way, for those who don't know, our union had to pay out a hansome settlement to Bob Green for not representing him when he was terminated. Before he was terminated, they claimed that they would supply him a lawyer IF he was terminated. After he was terminated, they claimed since he was no longer employed by District 131. he was no longer a union member and therefor was not eligible for union representation. The union worked with the district to try and royally screw him. It should be a lesson to all of us. The union is definately NOT on our side.
So much for Annette Johnson's Statements at the Red and Black Assembly about hearing the teachers and how the Board would be closing the gap between our salaries and the other schools in this town. Apparently, it was all just for cheap applause on opening day. What we need is for the entire staff to go door to door next election and get her out of office. It's time that we start getting politically active. As teachers, we touch nealy every family on the East Side of Aurora. If we could get organized, we would becaome an unstopable force in this town.
When the teachers vote No the public will find out about the 7% raises that coupled with horrible test scores will not look good. Does anyone really believe the district is going to give everyone a $20,000 to 40,000 raise.
Thank you for updated those of us who couldn't attend the meeting tonight. I thank you in advance for checking on the unfair labor practices and I would definitely provide a vote of no confidence in Sara. I can't believe that the more I hear about her, the deeper she seems to be in the pockets of the Board and Admin.
Remember this when you vote
MATT HANLEY
$ 120,000.00 Salary
$ 11,280.00 Pension
$ 131,280.00 TOTAL
JOAN GLOTZBACH
$ 148,625.00 Salary
$ 10,389.12 Insurance
$ 15,486.73 Pension
$ 174,500.85 Total
Your concern is not invalid, and I know some people who were considering a "yes" vote who then changed their minds after the meeting. Sarah was extremely rude to the membership Thursday night at the meeting. The presentation and their answers to questions seemed doctored and biased. Why are they trying to sell this contract to the members?
I can understand that last spring's meeting got out of hand from her point of view, but if we can't bring concerns and frustration to that forum, where do we bring them? Additionally, they implied we hadn't read the contract and that is why we had questions, but since most of us aren't labor experts, many of us needed clarification on several points. They refused to provide that. Why? How can I make an informed vote if I don't understand the language? Do I need to hire my own attorney to represent me when I pay this body to do so?
It is unfortunate that many will vote against the contract simply to make a statement to Sarah and the union that we refuse to be disrespected any longer.
Regarding, test scores, there was an article yesterday stating that 70% of Illinois students did not meet expectations on the PARCC, so EA is in good company on that front.
Teachers with BA degrees are getting 3.5% and MS degrees are getting 7%.The following year we all get the same 2.75% that is the part I have a problem with . Sara also attempted to intimidate us by giving us a letter if we don't pass the contract we are powerless. The last contract they agreed too only had a 3% raise. It is time to get new leadership we need to vote Sara out with a vote of no confidence and send Hettinger packing with her. The raises we have gotten in the past are causing us a problem there is no way to make up the past which is all our unions fault. These are the types of contracts we should have had for years but now we will look greedy. This is the first time we have stood our ground. We must continue to stand our ground UNITY.
I do think Sara is in the pocket of Glotzbach. Sara also did not speak up against Hanley which many members wanted to see. I was voting yes but now I will vote no. I do feel they have attempted to bring up the wages. That would be the board not the administration. The last board/admin offered only .8% to 3%. Sara does have sweetheart deal that Glotzbach promised her. Missing in action was Hettinger who called the shots for years. We pay the local big$$$ and she never takes a stand. I also recall Sara sitting with Glotzbach and praising her for the evaluation work. For me this is more about no confidence that the contract itself. I do understand 7% will look good to many but the other story needs to be told. The board also needs to take a stand on Glotzbach and Hanley. I would also like to see a BOE member join the labor management meetings and see the way we are being treated. Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod are rude and Popp just sits and returns emails. He never steps in to correct rude behavior.
Danger! Educated Union member is the fear of your district.
For many years unions had served their members well and were a force to be reckoned with. As years passed,members relied on the officials of their union to do right by them, just like we rely on our elected officials.......including school board members! They were voted into position by the union membership, the community members. Their first duty is to those who elected them, not those who want favors in return for service. More union members are asking questions, becoming educated and wanting more transparency and accountability. Of course that does not sit well with those who are trying to sit on the fence. Some will answer with whatever it takes to please.......as in Johnsons comments to do right by the teachers. Or they get angry and hostile at those who dare ask them questions. ( they cannot answer honestly).
Previous changes in the district claimed creating all day Kindergarten and bilingual preschool would be the change the district needed to improve our report card. They are not going to help, if the curriculum is left floundering for teachers to create their own individual plans. I hope the teachers are able to stand 100% strong, united and get the long overdue acknowledgement they deserve for being underpaid for the challenges In their classrooms and in the lack of support they receive from the administrative office.
I took part in the last contract as well as this last one. The difference is Johnson actually participated in the last contract by attending meetings. This time she was absent. I am guessing they assumed 7% would buy us off. However the Board is not listening. Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach are rude and the lack of trust is there. Johnson needs to hear their rude behavior and report back to the board. ct
We also expect a statement from Johnson or the Board on Hanley. Last time she made it very clear administration would pay for insurance and many heads would roll when she heard our horrible working conditions. I do not want Arroyo shaking hands and making promises he will never keep. Johnson needs to step up.
Sara is in the back pocket of administration, specifically Glotzbach, looking out for herself- - pay our pensions just like neighboring districts and bring us up to par--VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No backroom deals you work for us!!!!!!!!! You act insulted when we ask questions THIS IS OUR RIGHT THIS IS OUR future!!! Because we are in the service industry we are not donating our time- we are working professionals- unlike Matt Hanley who farms out his writing and editing assignment and the new 204 admins who are brought in 20-30 k raises and were being let go in their previous positions!!
All of these previous comments about the Union trying to bamboozle the staff are "spot on"!
This old dog would never be wearing the Vote AFT button today!
Stick together EA Strong!! If you don't stand for something,you'll fall for anything!
Do not be lured by this crock of blarney they're trying to shove down your throats!
Ready to carry a sign with my former colleagues!
Remember this when you VOTE NO on Monday, we have have the highest paid administrators and the lowest paid teachers by far in Kane County. In the past 20 years, we have added 10% more teachers and more than 50% more administrators. It's time we send this district a loud and clear message. VOTE NO
Michael Popp
$215,800.00 Base Salary
$8,672.16 Insurance
$22,486.36 Pension
$246,958.52 Total Compensation
Beatriz Reyes-Childress
$148,625.00 Base Salary
$18,984.96 Insurance
$15,486.73 Pension
$183,096.69 Total Compensation
Joan Glotzbach
$148,625.00 Base Salary
$10,389.12 Insurance
$15,486.73 Pension
$174,500.85 Total Compensation
Christi Tyler
$145,000.00 Base Salary
$7,647.12 Insurance
$15,109.00 Pension
$167,756.12 Total Compensation
Sarah Waddell
$145,000.00 Base Salary
$7,647.12 Insurance
$15,109.00 Pension
$167,756.12 Total Compensation
Mark Truckenbrod
$128,000.00 Base Salary
$18,942.72 Insurance
$13,337.60 Pension
$160,280.32 Total Compensation
Rehman Ali
$125,911.00 Base Salary
$15,458.64 Insurance
$5,666.00 Pension
$147,035.64 Total Compensation
Carla Johnson
$123,000.00 Base Salary
$7,610.64 Insurance
$12,816.60 Pension
$143,427.24 Total Compensation
Suzanne Bement-Withrow
$123,000.00 Base Salary
$6,548.16 Insurance
$12,816.60 Pension
$142,364.76 Total Compensation
Marty Feltes
$123,000.00 Base Salary
$7,556.48 Insurance
$5,535.00 Pension
$136,101.48 Total Compensation
Total $1,669,277.74
To: Valid Concern
You don't need a lawyer to decypher the contract. The issue isn't that it's written in legalease, it's that the people writing the contract couldn't pass state standards for English. The contract is written so poorly (probably deliberately so) and anytime it's no longer convenient for Joan, she claims they meant something else or goes to Sara and demands another MOU.
What teachers should also notice is the size of the 2 latest contracts. Starting with the last contract it has more than doubled in length. Nearly all the additions have been through MOU's. Joan dictates all sorts of directives and Sara simply signs them in without ever consulting the membership (or getting the membership any compensation for the added work).
Sara claimed several times that she is just one member of the union with no more power than any other but it's clear that nothing could be further from the truth. She is using her power to help the district screw over the teachers. Speaking to members of the negotiating team, it was clear that not even they agree with Sara. Sara has lost all confidence of the membership, even those closest to her. When the vote comes back with a resounding NO, if Sara had any ethics she would step aside and let a new leader take her place. Somebody the membership would have confidence in.
I don't know what makes some of these commenters think Johnson is any better than Sara, in supporting the union. She will say what makes you happy to your face then flip behind your back. She is NON union. She has never supported working class people. She looks down her nose at all. I hope the union stands strong. I will do all I can as a community member to let others know you have good cause to vote no and/or go one strike. I will keep good thoughts for your local to get better representation and success in your contract. Bless you all, the teachers in EA, for being their for our children for so many years without administrative support.
Hey! That is a thought! The teachers have had to create their own curriculum and such for so long, not just here, but across the country, why not do as some companies do and create employee run public schools!! Much money would be saved, to cut admin and put the money into teaching and education...well, maybe I need another cup of coffee, to wake up. ;)
Sincere best wishes.
Hopefully , the board will use the failed contract to fire Popp. The Popp era has brought anger and resentment to the staff. The Curiculum is a mess they keep rewriting it and changing . There are so many teachers missing for classrooms now or not hired they are using music, and art teachers to cover classes. That means in many don't het elementary band . Forget the PE classes they have become a large holding room with the average class size around 50 kids.
The Hanley situation shows a lack of care for teachers and Glotzbach runs the district. It seems the emails have tripled since she has been put in charge of the elementary school. Why the expanded her role; it just tells teachers she will evaluate what she deems outspoken out of the district. Sara has publically commented she is great. Why has the contract doubled? This is Joan's way of controlling us.
Sara, needs to get replaced what she did not tell us is well on strike the union has to pay us enough for our insurance costs. Funny how she misrepresented that. The district will also have to pay our entire contract. Sara needs to step down and Gentile needs to take over. Saras lack of mobility stops her from touring building. She refused to have three meeting like many had asked. The elementary , middle school and HS had different needs. Many teachers could not get to the meeting.
It is also my understanding that members of the team have asked for Johnson to be a part of contract talks. Sara has shut that down for Glotzbach. The administration does not tell the board what is happening and much dirt would come out. Many believe the board changed and they gave us more money. We can only do better by the board joining us. It is about money but it is also about the way we are getting treated. Hopefully, many will realize vote NO and demand the board address the bully tactics of administration.
I have been on the last contract negotiation team when Roberts was Superintendent. Johnson was part of that team and was very hard on administration. I have never heard or witnessed her saying anything about teachers. In fact Johnson clearly told union members administration would pay like the teachers for insurance and would loss vacation and sick days. She also stopped Glotzbach, Adams and the lawyer from running rough shot over teachers. I will never forget the eye opener she had when looking at the long of teacher complaints by building.
Recently, I spoke with Arroyo and found out not only is the board not in negotiations but they have NEVER seen our survey. Johnson, or someone needs to get 'the list' and stop the reign of terror Glotzbach and Thruckenbrod are enforcing. Thruckenbrod opens makes jokes about teachers from 131 being lazy. He always months off about 204 having better teachers. Popp remains silent. Sara is afraid of him, in fact he made her cry. VOTE NO and demand our union share the survey. My guess is Sara is covering for administration.
The first round of PARCC test results are in for Illinois. PARCC says that less than 20% of Illinois students met standards and 0% of Illinois high school students "exceeded standards" on the math test.
That's right. 0% of the Illinois students at the tops of their classes in nationally-recognized high schools exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois students with high scores on the AP Calculus AB exam exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois National Merit Semifinalists exceeded PARCC standards. 0% of the Illinois students with perfect scores on the ACT math section exceeded PARCC standards.
Is it possible that the PARCC test is wrong, and the $40,000,000 that Illinois taxpayers spent on it was wasted?
Who do we see about that?
If you are reading the blog, I am sure you are voting and voting no. Our mission is to talk to as many teachers and staff about voting no.
The town of Aurora has always treated the people of the East Side like second class citizens. It goes all the way back to the 1800's when industry boomed on the Fox River. The West Side was where the white collar workers (The owners, managers, etc.) lived, the East Side was where the blue collar workers (skilled workers, laborers, etc.) lived.
The West Side has always dominated Aurora Politics and more importantly controlled the money. Just look where the businesses are, the libraries, park district facilities etc. In fact, the only major project the city has on the East Side is the Police Palace. We do have the Outlet Mall (Big Money) on the East Side of the Fox River, yet somehow the town made sure that the tax dollars go to the West Side Schools.
It's time that the East Side demand better especially for their children. These kids are extremely talented in so many ways yet are deprived all the time. They deserve to be supported especially in their schools. Having excellent teachers may be the only way out of the generational poverty they find themselves in. Change has always begun with the next generation. It's time for that change in Aurora.
Our vote on Monday is not just about supporting teachers in a fair and equitable manner, it's about the future of 15,000 students currently enrolled in East Aurora Schools and all the children that will follow them. If you care about the children that you teach, you must take the bold step to ensure that they always have the best teachers possible.
The Time is NOW: VOTE NO
Good point voting NO
Many tea teachers are afraid of having to pay their insurance and getting Cobra notices if they vote strike. We must educate them. Insurance is taken out of checks a month in advance something the union failed to tell us. Thus we are covered and the community will not tolerate students not in school for one month. Another point is Mediation, that will mean the union will be forced to use their own lawyer not the districts. Carla may not get yearly vacation/cruise for this one. Money is very important but so are all the working conditions.
I will not take empty promises millions have been wasted. Sara has nerve to state she is only one voice. SHE is the President. Sara is busy making back room deals so she will not have to teach.
I and others made a mistake by listening to Adam Harding "another sell out" last time. Not Again! The board needs to hear our true demands and understand what is in the surveys teachers are complaining about. Arroyo made the comment he has no idea what teachers concerns are nor did he get the contract. They only get the contract when we do. He did not realize the classrooms are missing proper desks, books, leaky windows with mold or fans much less A/C.
I regret listening and partaking in the lies administration told about the board, namely Johnson. DeMar and Mcmahon, as well as others asked us to boycott a Christmas party a few years back. We now find out is was about them paying for insurance and trimmed back sick days. I will never back administration! What have they done for us. Today we work with no Curriculum and endless meeting that result in doing the job of adminis. I will spread the word tomorrow in the parking lots, and at lunch. VOTE NO AND SPEAK UP.
Uh....hey dummy....the PARCC test was of algebra. I am embarrassed if you are a teacher and don't know that none of our AP kids would have taken this test. No merit scholars, no kids taking the ACT. You are someone that tries to pretend they know something, and it turns out, you don't know much.
EA teachers, listen well to what is being said here, it is all accurate.
You have some chance with a resounding NO VOTE to wake up the BOE, pathetic Union leadership, and shake those top heavy Administration trees! Those trees need some serious pruning, you have the power to do it!
Stand strong and United!
I heard several years ago that Batavia District 101 was getting TIF money from the outlet mall. What the hell?!
Unfortunately, I don't think the word is getting out about how little the latest contract provides, and that worries me for tomorrow's vote. Many see the red revisions/additions and see the increase given the first year, and take that as the sign of a good contract. Since the last draft was emailed out on Monday (the same day as many faculty meetings), many employees remained in the dark. Someone at my staff meeting asked for specifics and salary increases from our school rep, and he was unable to answer the question because he didn't have a chance to yet review it that same afternoon (you know, because he had TEACHING to do). Way to leave the employees uninformed, Union.
The administrators are hoping the contract will pass so that they can finally take their big raises and build that administrative palace they have been planning since Popp took over. Of course, they will be using all the money they are saving by not paying teachers and staff. It's been very hard for them to keep quiet about it. Why they need an administrative palace is beyond me. If they were doing their jobs they would be spending most of their time in the schools NOT in some posh office planning more layers of administraive BS. It's like all those committees that Sara and the administrators are runnning, they have meeting after meeting and ignore everything when the contract was put together. Nothing discussed in those meetings made it to the contract. Maybe the administrators need fancy offices to host all those attorneys who keep suing the district over administrative and board screw ups.
I have worked at Hermes for years and no admin ever told us to boycott Christmas parties...if anything they recruit people to go because no one wanted to!!
Make sure you witness the vote count in your building and post it here when you know. This is from the board packet for Monday nights board meeting. Item number:
XIV. Additional Action Items: A. Motion to Approve the Contractual Agreement, 2015-2017, East Aurora Council IFT/AFT Local 604 and the Board of Education, East Aurora School District No. 131
I don't recall this with the first contract offer. Are they just being prepared? OR do they know the vote count before we go to the polls?
Remember !!!!!VOTE NO!!!!!
http://www.d131.org/newsDetail.asp?id=3489&guid=
Many cheers for EA teachers standing strong!
It official 308 YES votes - 807 NO votes. The contract was voted down. Interesting that this was not addressed during the board meeting tonight. Now the question is what will Sara do with this power we have given to her? This is two contract offers that we have voted down. Will she use the power to get us a fair wage that is competitive with the surrounding districts or will she use it to try and feather her own nest?
Considering that this is the best chance that we have ever had to get a fair contract, we deserve to have a union president that works for us full time. The health issues that Sara's father has (not to mention her own)are keeping her gone most of the time. I've stopped by her office every day since school started and she has not been there once. Sara can not do the job that she was elected to do. If she had any ethics at all, she would step aside and let her vice president become acting union president OR just step down so the vice president would have a stronger voice (Even better for the membership). If Sara was acting in the interest of the members, this would be an easy decision. If all she cares about is her own interests, she will stay put and let the staff get screwed once again.
The time is NOW. Sara, please do what's right for the people you claim to serve. Step down.
Sara needs to step down and the union leadership needs to demand it. We also do not need any help from Carla. We have a meeting today and our voice needs to be heard load and clear. Sara did not get information out to all members and she did not get a accurate survey out. Sara has never spoken up for teachers in public, nor has she addressed wage inequities between administration and teachers. Sara could have publically commented on Matt Hanley but again it showed she is on the side of administration. Sara also praised Joan Glotzbach in public for writing a evaluation process that is unfair. Sara cried when Mark Thruckenbrod told her to keep members in check at a board meeting. We need to ask her to step down tonight and allow Jennifer to finish her term. Is this a leader we need!
Here is another fact from 2015 School Year
Sara Imthurn Compensation
$ 89,375.00 Salary
6,230.16 Insurance
$ 95,605.16 Total
Teachers: What is her salary from the Union
Please contact me
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-st-0923-20150922-story.html
I would like to know how many of us were hoping to access the previous contract retirement incentive. Four years at 6% each year would not have taken my salary to six figures. I am not a politician nor a CEO. Such incentive would have given me a basic and decent amount to average and calculate retirement. I do not know how we let that one slip! The salary offers are also dismal. Along the years I have seen more and more colleagues leaving the district for a better job offer. Is it too much to hope that after a life devoted to teaching the children at East Aurora, we would be deserving of such incentives? Our union has failed us miserably by not keeping us informed and we have failed to make them accountable. There's still time!
It's interesting that two hours after the staff rejects the contract proposal, the board is using millions to "pay down it's debt", thereby depleting it's cash reserves. Everyone knows that this is just a ploy to claim broke and again try to screw the teachers and staff over. If the district is sitting with cash in the bank, you know the mediator will want to give teachers and staff more money. This district leadership will stop at nothing to ensure that the children of District 131 will never have a competent staff to teach them.
We've also been informed that the board has already stated that they will never agree to binding arbitration. If an arbitrator came in, they would look at the district finances and the salaries of teachers in the surrounding communities to determine what is a fair and equitable wage for us. That is the last thing that the board and central office administrators want. They would pay us nothing if they could.
The board knows that if a fair and impartial person with the power to change things looked at how this district is run, it would not be good for them. Instead they know that Sara is weak (or in their pocket) and they will be much better off dealing directly with her. It's a real shame that now when we have the membership that is ready for the change this district needs, we have an extremely weak person at the helm.
We need to speak with a clear and unified voice when our demands are made to the mediator. A fair and eqitable salary, comparable to the other districts in Aurora is our one and only demand. All the other crap that Sara and the district keep bringing up is the distraction meant to keep the teachers of District 131 in poverty right along with the children they serve. Don't be fooled, the board and the administrators know that money is the key to control. It's time the staff educates themselves. We are not volunteers or missionaries, we are professionals who deserve equal pay for our expertise and labor. We perform miracles every day with the Illinois' poorest and most challenging students. It way past time that the district acknowledges that in our paychecks.
Sara shouldn't be getting paid by the union. Carla Hettinger, Adam Harding and Dick Manley are getting six figure salaries off our union dues. In fact we give the AFT nearly a million dollars a year and get almost nothing in return.
I thought teachers in 131 did not make this much why is the district paying her salary she works for the union or does she? Why do we use the districts lawyer It seems with all the money we pay in dues we should have are own lawyer. The union is telling us the district will not pay our insurance well on strike. The union has millions they should pay for the first month. How is the money accounted for at the AFT perhaps we should hire Ralph Padron to look into the AFT. Carla is making a six figure salary and also gets several paid union vacations for her and her husband yet the union will not pay a lawyer. Really?
Sara was asked to step down by teachers and did not. I guess we know why and the district should not pay her salary it makes her accountable to them. We call Sara with many complaints none of which get handled. In talking with school board members they do not realize what our working are like. We are angry and a Strike is the only way will will get action. I understand we can not all get a $40,000 raise but we need respect and the Matt Hanley situation was a kick in the a**. Sorry I feel used and abused today by our union and our administration.
I am inviting you, Ms Johnson to walk over and visit our open house. Get know why the contract is failing. We will not discuss money just the list of complaints administration is not covering.
I could believe when I saw the story today about the Board suddenly deciding to pay off millions in debt!
So who exactly will be meeting with the mediator? Sara and union building reps? I just want to make sure that the mediator is truly getting the whole story and hearing our genuine needs.
The district pays bonds each time they are callable. They are callable in 2016 and if you had attended the many presentations they made a minimum payment of 2 million. I think the payment should have been larger and many speakers agreed. Some of the other board members wanted larger payments Johnson and Strand will never get reelected. In fact Mr Laesch was not listened to when he asked for a 8 million and Johnson would not show us our tax savings.
Kudos to Alderwomen Lyn Johnson for pointing out what a waste land 131 is. The facts and figures speak for themselves. They should give us 8 million and not waste any more money. A 7&% raise in today's workplace is unheard of. LET THEM STRIKE.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-football-rivalry-st-0924-20150923-story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-teachers-st-0924-20150923-story.html
Taxpayer1 your comments along with Alderwomen Lyn Johnson are pure racism. It is clearly a issue with not wanting to educate minority children. I am wondering if the children had been white if Lyn Johnson would have ever commented. It also makes you wonder why a community would demand accountability about spending on children but clap for a shoplifter.
Yep. Let's give you a raise! You can't even spell YOU'RE correctly. Future of our students? Yikes!
Yikes, whoever you are.....
Come on over to any one of the EA elementary schools......visit a class with 30 some children, and tell that teacher who has no curriculum, no support from above, and is paying him/her self for the resources needed to run a classroom,( because there's no more money for this or that) ,they don't deserve a decent competitive salary!
I can't tell you how many more dollars I have in my pocket because I am now retired and don't have the monthly expense of subsidizing a classroom in good ol' EA.......
I am proud that I worked with some of the very best classroom teachers you will ever meet, kind,caring, compassionate people doing their best every day for the kids in 131.......You should be thanking your lucky stars such people gave stayed in this district, and cherish them for what they do.
This old dog knows!
Kind, caring and compassionate are fabulous qualities. But our kids deserve teachers that can spell, too!
Actually, the word "your" WAS spelled correctly. It was used incorrectly (it should have been "you're", which is the contraction for "you are") That's a common error, and could have just been the result of someone being in a hurry to type a comment. On my iPhone there are suggested words that pop up above the keyboard, and maybe "your" was selected instead of "you're".
If you're going to be that picky about a small error (and on a BLOG, at that!), then at least identify it correctly...it was a mistake in grammar, not spelling!
What a joke the Beacon article was. I can understand why Annette Johnson is make false statements like "deemed fair and competitive". I guess the fact that I would be making $35,000 less than if I was on the other side of the Fox River is what Annette Johnson considers "fair and competitive". Of course, we have seen on many occasions Annette Johnson's deep contempt for low income minority children and families. We've all heard the recording of her screaming at Ray Hull about his low income mother as he was growing up. It was unforgivable. Her absolute hatred for minorities is so apparent.
What is most frustrating is Sara Imthurn's statements. "the membership have expressed concerns with "resources" not being provided that are making it difficult for them in the classroom" and "staff is very concerned with the curriculum and how the curriculum is being developed".
Here it is so simply put that even Sara should be able to understand it; "IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID". The teachers of District 131 deserve a compensation package that is comparable with the compensation of the surrounding districts in Kane County. Receiving pay that is $5,000 to $50,000 less than the other side of the river is not "fair and competitive". It is insulting and disgraceful. It is also the reason why District 131 can't keep staff members, fill all positions or create any initiatives that last for even a year.
It's a real shame that Sara refuses to step down. Other members of the negotiating understand what needs to be done and how to do it but our union bi-laws give them no power to act. It all starts and ends with Sara. She is going to be the entire reason why the teachers and staff are cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Here is a solution 1 if Sara refuses to step down, keep voting NO until at least MAY. In May we can vote Sara out of office and can start to be represented by somebody who can stand up to Annette Johnson and the district administration, somebody who has the cajones to demand a REAL fair and equitable salary package.
Here is solution 2. Decertify the AFT in District 131.
Remember when consoling a Grammer Nazi to say Their, There, They're.
You're or your who cares. I pads put in words if you just type a few letters. Get a life.
It's a spelling error. Not knowing how to spell the correct homophone is a spelling error. Just like incorrectly spelling whether vs weather. You're not spelling the word correctly!
And if you can't use technology without choosing the right word prediction, you need to be aware that your audience is full of tax payers that want the best for their kids.
If you are using this forum to advocate for education, act like you are educated. Don't make excuses!
Seems some people will nitpick some minor error, that may have been caused by auto correction. Makes you wonder why someone would want to attempt to minimize the content of a very sincere, insightful message. Another popular tactic of EA PR....distraction, maybe?
I wanted to say thanks to old dog. This person has often posted the birds eye view, and as a parent of students in 131 I see what old dog is talking about, but I do not feel qualified to speak on behalf of the teachers. I pray they get improvements in their contract that address class size, curriculum and ....yes.....wage increases. I would not mind my taxes going up to pay teachers, but with this district, those in charge have not been good stewards of the resources given them to educate our children.
Thank you old dog and good luck to the EA teachers!
Facts & Questions
Sara Imthurn History
2015 2014 2013 2012
Salary $ 89,375.00 86,174.00 84,174.00 79,139.00
Insurance 6,230.16 5,713.80 8,011.60 7,789.68
Stipends 4,680.92
TOTAL $ 95,605.16 91,887.80 96,866.52 86,928.68
Note: Stipend in 2013
5K salary increase 2012
September 24, 2015
Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer
East Aurora School District 131
417 5th Street
Aurora, IL 60505
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Dear Mr. Hanley
1. Salary Contract History for Matthew Hanley from day of hire
2. Power Point (Services Rendered) Vendor Purchase Order & Invoice utilized for Red & Black Day Presentation
3. Application, Job Description & Current pay scale for Luis Salas
4. Sara Imthurn 2013 Stipend for $ 4,680.92 report/description
5. Sara Imthurn (Full Release) chain of command/supervisor & employee attendance records summary from July 1 2015 – Oct 1 2015
I understand that the Act permits a public body to charge a reasonable copying fee not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction and not including the costs of any search or review of the records. I am asking that any fees be waived per 5ILCS140/6(c).
Respectfully,
Ralph Padron
To Continued corruption in EA:
You need to be the one to get some cajones. Where were you at the last union meeting? Did you attend and request Sara to step down? Or are you just content to hide behind a blog and throw stones (without having any of your own?)?
Your solution #2 is exactly what the district would want. If you decertify the AFT then the employees MUST go without representation for at least one year. Imagine what administration could do within that time frame? Increase your hours? YUP! Increase your workload? YUP! Release all that don't comply for being insubordinate? YUP!
The public is going to laugh at this group of employees for turning down 7% increases while the rest of the state is still crippled due to the recession. If you want more than what you are getting- go teach elsewhere.
AMEN!!!!!!
In a world that u means you r means are and abbreviations are the norm only Mattt Hanley would have the time to worry about grammar.. Auto fill is what most people use.
Old dog thanks the EA parent who supports my wonderful colleagues!
I have only the greatest admiration and respect for each and every teacher I was proud to work with during my 36 years in d131!
Let's hope their concerns are heard loudly and addressed!
Matt you need to get some cahones! you haven't fought for anything, and with little or no talent you were handed a $40,000 raise for outsourcing and buying ghostwriters. I am not a volunteer and work with kids who would chew you alive in ten seconds flat. Quit attacking us!! we have the highest paid admins in the area and the lowest paid teachers and when we attempt to address this discrepancy you come in like Popp's pit bull and snarl. "All sound, and fury, signifying nothing."
Isn't this what already happens annually in EA? Teachers get experience and then move on to a place where the wages are competitive. This is exactly how the district has designed the pay schedule. Bring the teachers in at a competitive wage and then let them go and bring their experience to another district. Are those children, because of their skin color and socioeconomic status more deserving of experienced teachers than the children of 131 are? I don't think so, and I don't think it's greedy or ridiculous for a person who devotes their life to educating children to ask for a competitive wage.
To: playing into admins hands
You either don't know what you are talking about or are being purposely deceitful. You mention the 7% (even though most teachers would only receive 3%) but you don't mention the 2 1/2% offer the next year. You also don't acknowledge that base salary is just one part of a teachers salary. Did you mention how the district was going to freeze all other parts of a teachers salary including stipends (In fact some were even lowered) coverage pay, summer school pay, the added day without compensation, etc. In reality, it came to no more than a 2-3% increase per year.
As for where I have been during meetings and what I have stated, you have no idea what you're talking about, you are just assuming.
We all know that there are some vindictive people on the board and in the Central Office who would try to use one year in Scenario 2 to further harrass and torment certain people but how would that be any different than now. The reality is that there are NO protections for the teachers in the contract that aren't already part of State Law. That coupled with the lowest pay in the six county area makes a person wonder why we are giving the AFT more than $900,000 a year. The NEA would be a definate improvement. That's probably why you are trying to use scare tactics to frighten teachers away from it. It certainly sounds like something Annette Johnson and Joan Glotzbach would say.
Looking at the comments Sara made to the Beacon, it is clear that she is not qualified to take the East Aurora Staff through this. If she can't figure out and clearly communicate that it is all about how the teachers are being cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars every year, she doesn't belong in the position of union president.
We must remain united both against the district and our union leadership.
If losing 300-500 teachers a year isn't a clue that you need to create a competitive salary schedule, what is. It is so obvious that the board and administrators don't give a damn about the children of East Aurora. It is just a place to pad their resumes and push their racist agendas. These children don't have a chance with this system that deliberately keeps them in poverty.
Sara is a big problem but the bigger problem is Dick Manley. Dick Manley is the President of AFT Local 604 and he is the one calling the shots in our union. If we don't put any pressure on him, nothing is ever going to change. Maybe if we withheld a payment or two, I'm sure we would finally start seeing some AFT people down here trying to rectify a few situations. They certainly don't want to lose nearly a million dollars a year. They wouldn't be able to pay themselves all those six figure salaries for doing nothing.
I voted against the contract because it was not explained and we had many unanswered questioned. I could not go to the meeting because I coach a after school program. My wages are competitive at 6 years but this is the only opportunity I see for teachers to improve working conditions. The following needs to get addressed
Instruction time, curriculum, TRS, class size, subs, stipend pay, evaluations, second year contract all at 2.75% and protected time. The increase given looks fair but the union sold us out on many categories.
Basically, Sara should step down and all 57 areas mentioned in the article need to be reviewed.
My prediction is Glotzbach, Popp and hanley will get fired. Don't count the BOE out. The offer from the old board to the new board was double. We have to stand in unity.
Glotzbach was moved out of HR, something she doesot acknowledge and is rarely seen in schools. We can change the schools together as long as we are unified.
I do know from sources on or around the BOE there is no love lost between administration and Johnson.
To: Continues Corruption in East Aurora
Great rebuttals, but let's look at the facts (I'll even provide some resources so you can check 'em for yourself)...
Most teachers within the district have a Masters or Above. ISEBE report card states 53.3% of EA teachers do (http://illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?source=EducatorInformation&source2=TeacherEducation&Districtid=31045131022)
Sooooo MOST teachers would receive the 7% and then a cost of living increase the following year.
Please provide the facts on which stipends were "lowered"- I'm curious to see that.
Also please provide the math that you used to arrive at the conclusion of "In reality, it came to no more than a 2-3% increase per year". Again I think the facts are interfering with your reality.
I do know what I am talking about in meetings. At the last union meeting (and actually at ALL of them) there has been no talk or request made to Sara to step down. That is not an assumption. Again the facts remain that you would rather throw stones from the comfort the internet.
Let's take a look at your comment that without representation it would be no different then what we already have in the district since "the reality is that there are NO protections for the teachers in the contract that aren't already part of State Law." Again your reality must be your perception as I offer the following list of CBA protections that are NOT governed by State Law: work day length, plan/ prep time, reimbursement for classroom supplies, guaranteed tutor assistance for class sizes, due process, progressive discipline, grievance procedures, sick day and personal day allotments, etc.
Here are the links for you to cross reference:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=1005&ChapterID=17
http://www.d131.org/Employment/Combined%20Agreement%20signature%20copy%20%20091312.pdf
Those "State Law" provisions coupled with the lowest pay in the six county area- Please provide the 6 counties and take a look at the actual pay across the board. I believe you may find that there are discrepancies, but do you actually think any of those gaps may be closed in one contract settlement? Again the PR battle will be lost as the state average of settlements has been at 3% annually and this package was above that. Also while you are researching the surrounding districts within the "six counties" take a look at the NEA and their dues structure. You will find that more money will be spent.
You state that the issue is teachers being "cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars every year..." How are we being cheated when we CHOSE to work here. Again if you don't like it and think you can make more elsewhere, how do they say "Don't let the door hit you...."
You also continue to rattle on about Sara and that "she doesn't belong in the position of union president." Again the facts are that she was elected by us last year and every member has the opportunity to run for that position. Again if you want to change it do something about it beyond blogging.
I do want to give you credit in a statement you made that I agree with and that is "We must remain united...against the district..", but what I don't agree with is your comment that is inclusive of the union. Remember the union is me and you and our colleagues, it is not some entity that we can place blame to. WE ARE THE UNION and therefore when you bash our leadership you are bashing yourself. WE as a union must stand united against the district. United we bargain, Divided we BEG. SOLIDARITY...
I do look forward to your rebuttal and see you at the next union meeting- awaiting your motion to remove our leadership ;-)
Old Dog...if you spent 36 yrs working in EA then you are part of the problem as to why there is such a gap between salaries now and other districts. Thanks for nothing to benefit the current group working.
Woof woof
My friend just took a teaching job in SD 131. She feels that the ELA curriculum is a joke. But more overriding is that the make up of the classrooms are much more English Language Learners and the curriculum does not support what they need to learn. Recently at the curriculum night less then 20% of her parents showed up. Do does this tell you it is it a teachers fault, community fault, cultural fault, city fault? So the school district, teachers union, city, and parents must come together to common understanding of education in SD 131. Stop pointing figures at named people and look at everyone and everything.
EA does not have a commercial tax base to supplement the residential property taxes. Please look at the revenue stream of the other districts you folks continue to compare east to. All economic packages have to have revenue to sustain them long term. EA is dependent on the State for the majority of revenue; None of the others have such dependency . Teachers pay , program cuts and overcrowding became an issue at EA in the 80's during the recession; ask coach Keyon. When other districts passed referendums to raise pay among other things the East voters said no. 2008 referendum helped to slow the cuts but you can never catch up because nothing else has changed. Racism is and always will play a role in EA decisions but the administration is not alone. Go ahead and fire everyone but it will not change the reality of a lack of sustainable , reliable revenue stream. The residents of Stonegate have more pull than the teachers and they should; they foot the bill. Compromise is possible when reasonable adults come together for the students who have no one really speaking or them. Your demands out not outrageous but as a taxpayer please find a compromise.
Great post!!!!!!
Unity
Wear blue and walk in at 7:45 am as a group. Leave @ 3:15am. They emailed the staff that in January our hours will get extended, they assume the contract will pass. We need to send them a message. Our battle cry is LET US TEACH. The 204 group thinks we are lazy and stupid. If we do not demand our rights and pay now we will get forever screwed. In two years they are talking money only. If this is allowed we will have no rights, evaluations that will stop us from speaking out, double the work hours and low pay. Glotzbach is the puppet master.
Stand united.
To: playing into admins hands (Part 1)
First, you are looking at last years data, not this year. When you have a district that replaces a third to half its staff every year, you may want to use this years data. Looking at the past 15 years of staff data, eight of the past 15 years shows that 8 of those years had less than half of the staff with a masters degree. The lowest level was 32.5% of the staff. Now if you include everyone in union (secretaries, support staff) only about a third would receive the 7% increase.
You also mention the cost of living raise we are to receive next year. Apparently you believe the false numbers fed to you by the government. Isn’t it interesting that every year for the past 25 years the inflation rate is about 3%? In all of history, no economy has ever been that stable, especially considering the turmoil our economy has had since the financial meltdown. The fact is IF the government used the same economic formulas it did in all years prior to 1980, the average inflation rate over the last 25 years is about 8%. The government doesn’t tell you that because salary increases, pension increases, social security etc. are all linked to CPI. We have been falling behind every year for the past 30+.
Some stipends were lowered in the last contract by the insertion of a SLASH between certain words. Teachers who were making a full class A stipend were told AFTER they completed the work that the SLASH meant that they would only receive half the money that their category should have received. In the latest contract, there is a NEW category added called class AA. This category is paid HALF of a class A stipend yet requires the same number of hours of work as a class A. So YES, some stipends have been and would be receiving less money.
You are correct nobody has yet stood up and told Sara in a meeting to step down. I know because I have been at all these meetings also. That being said, I was at the informational meeting a week ago Thursday. After Sara walked out without answering many teachers questions, there were around 40-50 staff members including many building reps. who had a discussion about how there was little to no faith in our current leadership. Discussion items included a no confidence vote in Sara and decertification of the union. Information was shared about the procedures for doing both. I was also at the last general meeting. After that meeting, as Sara walked to and sat in her car alone, a group including building reps and even members of the negotiating team had a discussion. Everyone knows that Sara is not up to this challenge but they are unsure what would be the best way to proceed. We understand that Sara is going through a very difficult time now with the sickness and death of her father but nobody wants to lose the best chance we’ve had for a competitive wage because of her troubles. As for voting Sara in as president, I wouldn’t call it a vote when there is only one candidate.
To: playing into admins hands (Part 2)
Let’s look at the protections that you commented on. WORK DAY LENGTH, PLAN/PREP TIME : That is only in regards to the amount of time that a teacher is required to be in the school building/classroom. If the administrators are giving you hours of administrative tasks that can only be completed outside of the contractual day, it’s of little protection of personal time. REIMBURSMENT OF CLASSROOM SUPPLIES: Only in District 131 are basic classroom supplies an item that would need to be negotiated. It’s an employers responsibility to supply materials needed to complete a job. TUTOR ASSISTANCE: That’s one tutor per building to assist with classes over thirty students. If 25 classes are all over thirty students, what’s the point? It’s an impossible task. DUE PROCESS/PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE: Apparently you’ve never been a part of a discipline meeting. The teacher is not informed of what allegations are being made until they are in the meeting (No opportunity to prepare a defense) and their representative (building rep) can do nothing except take notes. The districts due process is a joke that would not stand up to legal scrutiny. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES: What’s the point if our union refuses to grieve or back up a teacher who does? SICK DAYS/PERSONAL DAYS: That one I’ll give you.
If you don’t know what the Chicagoland Six County Area is, you must not have grown up in the Chicagoland Area. It includes McHenry, Lake, Will, Kane, Cook and DuPage Counties.
Teachers should be able to make a fair and competitive wage where they work. I don’t believe that they should move to another district to be treated fairly. The change must come from within. People like you are why we lose a third to half our staff every year. You think it’s fine to just take whatever scraps they offer. It’s not and we are the ones who have to stand up to make it happen. It’s that or become one of the thousands of teachers who have left District 131 for better positions. As for standing united, if think what they are offering is fair and competitive, you are the one dividing us. The majority has spoken twice now and overwhelmingly said that it is not a fair and competitive wage. Stand with us or stand aside.
Annette was furious that the contract didn't pass. Annette was heard stating "Fine, if they want more money, we'll F*#& them with insurance". Annette understands clearly that compensation is a combination of Base Salary, Pension and Insurance. The staff of District 131 needs to also understand this. Unfortunately, most of us only see two little boxes, we never look past our own base salary. We are supposed to be teachers, it's time we get educated on our own contract.
A professional negotiator is what we need. No matter how good (or bad) our negotiating team is, they have to know that they are going to be evaluated (directly or indirectly) by the administrators across the table from them. This is a conflict of interest as they all have to be concerned for their own future in the district.
According to the AFT Local 604 website, there are many services available to a district union during negotiations. They must first be requested by the union president. If Carla and 604 are not involved, it is most likely due to the union president not requesting such assistance. Why has Sara NOT requested the services that we have spent years paying for. If she has requested help, it should be documented so that we know that the issue is with Local 604.
More lies, I talked with Annette Johnson and she is very angry with administration. She wants a survey and has said she is upset that not all building have the consistent work rules. She is not pro administration, name a administrator she likes. Since the new board was elected the offer for MS teachers went up substantially. I also heard the board recently obtained a survey that our union gave to Popp, Glotzbach, Hull and Strand a year ago. The other board members never recieved it from Sara, Popp, Glotzbach, Strand or Hull.. The issues in the survey had never been addressed.
I will wait and see and now that Johnson will be part of negotiations we will see how long it takes to address some major issues.
I have heard just recently that a student at one of the middle schools was knifed at school. A ambulance came at took care of the student and they went back to school. I can't imagine how a teacher would feel about this happening but from what I hear they see a lot of abuse by students of other students. While Ms. Johnson complains about the teachers wanting more she should walk a mile in their shoes and what they go through. Our schools are in terrible shape and are at least 50 years old and are falling apart. Johnson thinks like a business person a school district isn't a business they are suppose to give a safe place for students to go to school. They are suppose to give students and taxpayers a place for students to thrive. Now is time for the teachers to stand up. When a Board President says "Fine, if they want more money, we'll F*#& them with insurance" you know she is a bully and doesn't care about the teachers or students of this district. Again we have a board that is dysfunctional by making Johnson the President of the board because the others where only running for their own agenda and not for the best interest of the students and teachers.
To: Tell the Truth
If what you are saying is true, it's will be very simple. Annette and the board can raise our salaries to the same level as the West Side. Just take their salary schedule including base pay, pension payments, stipends and insurance and adopt it for East Aurora. Or better yet, just use the West contract in it's entirety.
Anette has also stated that the district will not agree to binding arbitration, she could simply bring in an arbitrator and let them do all the work to figure out what really is a fair and competitive compensation package.
You claim that Annette doesn't like any administrators. If that is true, she certainly pays the people she doesn't like very well. I think the teachers would like to be among those she doesn't like, it would be much more profitable.
If Johnson is very angry with the administration, it's only because she doesn't think that they did enough to screw over the teachers and staff. She and the board pay the administrators top dollar to keep the staff in place and she doesn't feel they are doing their job. It's clear that she doesn't give a damn about the staff. She stood in front of us at Red and Black and stated that she would make sure that the teachers would be offered a fair contract. She was just quoted this week in the Beacon that the board had offered the teachers a competitive contract. It's all lies. Even with the 7% increase, I would be making more than $35,000 less than I would on the West Side. How is that fair and competitive?
There is a reason that she doesn't want binding arbitration. She knows just how much the district is screwing over the teachers and further knows that any impartial person with power would remedy the situation. An arbitrator would look at financial reserves, surrounding compensation and percentage of budget spent on teacher salaries. The the average that districts spend on salaries is between 70%-80% of the district budget. In District 131 we use 58% of the budget on teacher salaries. With a budget of 138 milliion dollars, if we used 75% for educators that would mean an additional 24 million dollars for salaries. It makes a person wonder where the board is spending all these additional millions that it has been saving on teacher salaries?
It sounds like the blogmaster is at it again. She admits that she only posts to get others excited. Everyone knows she does not like Johnson so be careful what you read. As a former union person I know mediation is the first step. As a taxpayer 3.5% to 7% is more than a fair offer. As a board watcher the only board member currently on the board that voted for Hanley was Strand. It's funny that the blog master supported Strand and others that voted for the Hanley raise.
Before you write a student was stabbed name the school. The Aurora Beacon would certainly report it.
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicAgenda.aspx?ak=1000306&mk=50174867
Sitting outside waiting to walk in together
We need to meet as a group and attend BOE meetings. The BOE needs to hear us loud and clear. I am one of the teachers who will get paid to scale but let me teach. The endless meeting are a waste of time.
Say what you want about Annette Johnson wanting to screw teachers, but she's a businesswoman and has to look at the bottom line and save taxpayers money where she can.
And remember, it was Annette who answered her phone and informed two community members who called her about the recent School Board meeting change. Our expensive Community Relations Director and the rest of the folks at the central office couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone on a Friday afternoon. Annette's responsiveness earned her some respect from oldtimers like me.
The problem is that she does think about schools like a business. She wants to see how much she can keep in the bank. Her first duty is to the children. Second is balancing a budget and last should be making a profit.
Who gives a damn if she answered the phone and tried to cover her butt. The board oversees the administration. If she can't even make sure the board meeting announcements are made in a timely manner, does anyone believe that district business is being taken care of?
Johnson was very effective in with the last contract and this time our wages went up. The administration insulted us with a .8% raise. It seems the new board is attempting to bring our salaries up. I will wait and see before passing judgement.
The district has been run financially well under Johnson. The learning side not at all. The credit should go to attempting to clean house for Johnson. I am sure without her Marin Gonzalez, Conrad, Aird, Adams, and Augustine would still be around. Johnson also did some good things with the building and can be credited with the Benevides Center, and Magnet School. I retired when wages under her started to come up. Like her or not she along with her BOE members brought change to the district.
I mistakenly listened to the Strand rhetoric and have not been pleased. Her group claimed they would address concerns and looking back it was the most disfunctional year 131 experienced. When I heard the first propriety was an administration center and then giving Hanley a 40,000 raise while telling teachers they are only worth 1% was unthinkable. Strand should resign for her involvement in this.
I will say Johnson needs to return to who she was and get her fellow BOE members to clean house. Only Johnson has been around long enough to lead this. Many are counting on her and I hope she steps up. I hear from many people and this is repeated continuously. I also understand why no BOE member wants to step just looking back on what Johnson has been put through.
The fight is with our union. Hettinger must be posting about Johnson to make excuses for herself and Sarah. They signed every page and agreed with the administration. Carla must be worried that enough dollars will not be left over for her vacation. They are the problem and even today many teachers did not join the protest. Administration was doing a head count and without good representation teachers walking out will suffer. The teachers I spoke with will not join the group because our union is a piece of shi* and everyone knows Gloztbach is making her list and checking it twice. We have heard from creditable sources that Sarah and Carla made phone calls to board members when it was rumored Glotzbach contract would not be redone. Let us nt forget publically Sarah praised Glotzbach. No diversion, our problem is Sarah and Carla. My money is on Johnson to support teachers more than our union.
Sept 28, 2015
Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer
East Aurora School District 131
417 5th Street
Aurora, IL 60505
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Dear Mr. Hanley
Please provide the following documents:
August 15 2015 thru current Sept 30 2015
Time Sheets and Pay Stubs for two interim Athletic Directors at East High
Contractual, Job Description, Pay stubs for Sandy Kelly
Time Sheets for Scott Osman from July 1 2013 – current Sept 30 2015
Time Sheets for Luis Salas August 1 2015 – Sept 30 2015
Pay Stubs for Luis Salas & Scott Osman August 1 2015 – Sept 30 2015
I understand that the Act permits a public body to charge a reasonable copying fee not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction and not including the costs of any search or review of the records. I am asking that any fees be waived per 5ILCS140/6(c).
Respectfully,
Ralph Padron
Regarding the two "interim" athletic directors (I mean good friends with Dr. Popp and Truckenbroad from D204):
What do these 2 interims actually do?
Who runs the day to day of the AD office?
What was the process of hiring these 2?
Was it ever posted?
Seems like some big time cronyism is happening here at the taxpayers expense...
http://www.d131.org/newsDetail.asp?id=3519&guid=
My name is Annette Johnson, bragging about my myself. I declared years ago that the finances were fixed but the proof is in the pudding. It's always someone else's fault. When I was quoted as saying i thought the offer was good one, I MEANT It folks. Stop acting like a love structure teen who won't accept it when the boy says I don't love you. The vote for the contract would not have been on the agenda if I didn't like. Wake the heck up folks
Wow and you deserve a raise.
Wow we have teachers, staff or secretaries that can not differentiate between structure and struck.
Speaking of cronyism, Ralph the two A/D positions come in by 9 am leave and never account for their time. We now have a retiree helping out, something that was suggested when Renner got sick. There is now a time are scandle and staff at EAHS are afraid to speak up. This is another Popp ghost payroll scandle in the making. This all comes while we do not receive proper pay. When is the BOE going to wake up and investigate.
We all know Popp allowed Feltes to steal and give cronies millions of undocumented work. When will it end? We all know Hanley got a big raise because he s aware of crony emails and text messages. If you want to know why BOE the teachers will not settle look and listen.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/opinion/ct-abn-crosby-east-football-st-0930-20150930-story.html
Date: September 29, 2015
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131
Subject: Phone Records Larry Wilson Michael Golonka
Board of Ed
Recent FOIA response uncovers the following:
Questionable phone calls to/from former Director of Bldg & Grounds Marty Feltes.
During a 3 month period Larry Wilson had a total of 1,849 phone calls
July 566
Aug 530
Sept 753
Suspicious Long distance calls also appeared
Questions:
Prior to July 2015, what is the history of more violations
Aren’t these cell phones for official school business only
Why would a custodian have 1,849 calls in 3 months
Who is responsible for monitoring the activity of these individuals
Would an audit prove more widespread abuse of District issued phones
Is Disciplinary Action in order for the above violations
Will there be an internal audit of some very frequent calls made to certain numbers
This is another of a series of shameful activity at Dist 131. I was told this was under review several months ago yet nothing came out of it.
I am requesting a full audit on the policy and procedures in District issued phones to insure these violations corrected.
Again Taxpayer Dollars are paying for this unacceptable activity.
Respectfully
Ralph Padron
This man should be fired. When will the CORUPTION stop you know Marty Feltes is still in control. Why is he even allowed to have a phone.
Larry Wilson has been in District 131 for more than thirty years. His children and grandchildren have gone to EA schools. He was in the paper a few months back because of his love and dedication to District 131. Don't assume that there has been wrongdoing. If he is supervising maintenance crews, it may be much more efficient to be making calls instead of driving all over the East Side all day. This is why people have little respect for Ralph Padron. He insinuates corruption before doing any real investigation. He just just takes one fact out of context and draws conclusions.
You CANNOT be serious! First, Wilson is NOT a supervisor! Why is he making all of these calls to Marty Feltes AFTER Feltes was fired? And during work hours? It is because Dick Leonard and Marty Feltes asked him to spy on his co-workers and report back to them.
Who cares how long he has been there! Is that supposed to give him some kind of credibility? It seems that you "Throwing Stones Again" are the one who is not being factual here nor do you have any real insight into the situation.
All of the district employees are scamers. Wilson is not the only one abusing the phones all of the B& G guys do it. The district should form charters schools and outsource the maintenance department. The district is corrupt and exploit the most vunerable.
Oh yea charter schools. They will make 100,000,000 in profit. All that money is taken from the tax payers and never gets to the education of children. It's all just corporate profit. Charter schools are the biggest scammers of all.
Too bad we can't outsource Dick Leonard. All he does is try to cause havoc in a district that is trying to recover from his friend Marty Feltes' mayhem. A person who is supposed to be on the the board to help only hurts our school system every chance he gets. He has a personal vendetta against the hard working staff in the maintenance department. Why is he always up on the hill trying to influence the new B&G Director?
Dick lied at a board meeting about the state of the heat exchangers saying they were blowing poisonous gas into the classrooms and that is why his buddy had to replace them all at an enormous cost to this district . There was NEVER any danger to the kids, he was trying to scare us using the kids. Low. In an ironic twist, the inept installation of these unneeded heat exhangers caused a hazardous mold situation which was dangerous to everyone health!
Now, he wants to outsource the teachers?!! Who's left? Who else can we outsource that is ticking off Dick? He will never step down because he needs to have an inside view on what is going on with the investigation into his buddy's misdoings and to protect the people that he has "spying" for him including Wilson (well, that and his free internet).
Dick Leonard was in today putting pressure on DiMare to save Larry Wilson. No doubt Dick still needs his source to rat on hard working employees. Funny how he has no problem with Wilson stealing time from the district but of course Feltes was stealing the district blind. Wilson sleeps all day and has been protected by Leonard and Hull for years. Wilson is famous for playing the race card.
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=37679706
Hey Ralph thanks for the tip.
The school district has many employees in maintenance that have their own businesses and have been operating out of the "Hill" for years. Making personnel calls wasting time. Alex Dimare now realizes what Feltes was up against. The school board is now in the position to outsource and give zero raises. In fact they should get outsourced. The money they save should go to the teachers.
On top of calling Feltes they have been calling Ralph and Dave Finley. It shows they are all backstabbers.
FYI "Hey Ralph thanks for the tip" When people were given these phones, they were told to keep them turned on 24/7 in case they were needed and in return they could use them as their personal phones as there is no texting or data included. We are on call all the time, even when we are at home. Get YOUR facts straight!
Scott Sweigart told us to use these as personal phones, but to not make any calls that would cost extra money since we had to have them on us at all times anyway. What about the Administration's phones? I am sure they do the same since the entire district is on an unlimited plan. And I am sure we won't ever hear about them because they covered their tracks in one way or another. We were tormented on a daily basis by Feltes. It's called Adult Bullying and none of the supervisors or anyone in administration would listen to us, so who cares if some of us called Ralph or Dave or the Pope for that matter? We use the phones as we were instructed to do. If it does not go into an excessive amount over one hour (lunch and 2 breaks) it should not be an issue, but Dick Leonard is to hot to trot on outsourcing because he wants payback for his friend Feltes (the real thief btw) he will always be shouting this anytime he can.
You sound like a bitter angry maintenance person who should be working but on district time and computer is using the internet. The tax payers got your story all d131 employees are worthless and should get outsourced and Charter Schools brought in.
Look at the scores and dropout rates
Any use of district money for personal use is against the law. It doesn't matter if you are on 24/7 no manager has the right to say there is unlimited minutes so you can use them for personal use. Does this district not give Ethic's training? Maybe we wouldn't need so many minutes if they weren't being used for personal use. Just like the credit cards awhile back and it took the Beacon to let the Board they misuse of them. So for get YOUR facts straight you need to learn the law and as a taxpayer of this district I believe you are a criminal. Does this board look at the bills when they approve them?
This board is such a joke. We the community voted new members in thinking that things would change and we know no one person can change things but the misuse of district money needs to stop.
Taxpayer8, you must live under a rock. Unlimited means Unlimited. There is no way you are going to know when district business is going to happen all the time, so they have to buy unlimited minutes. Use lots or use none, it's going to cost the same amount. And the district gets a discount. You're point is invalid.
Taxpayer 8 of course you don't know the facts. The credit cards were fixed by the BOE not the Beacon. The credit cards were taken to the Beacon by Richard Leonard. Employees were terminated and multi trips to Menards stopped. You can complain about the BOE but they put a stop to it. What did boards of the past do nothing.
Okay, Matt Hanley, you just keep on posting ^^^ for your handlers. There is no use of district money for personal matters when it comes to the phones-NONE. Those are the facts. Don't tell me that no one in the admin does not call their spouse or child on a district phone??! Yes, let's check the admins phone records..oh, we can't because they bought out all their district accounts and made them their personal accounts to avoid FOIAs. Now, they are not used so much. How many phones do you carry at one time? And you are the ones making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year wasting huge amounts of money!!
Trying again to divert from the real reason Ralph Padron FOIAed the phone records, Larry Wilson. Hanley you cost us another 40K a year. Give that to the teachers!
At the high school, there is one phone for every department. That means every 20-30 teachers has to share one phone. When they need to make parent phone calls, they use their personal cell phones and block the number. How is it that professionals are denied a proper phone system (one per room like most schools) and the district is paying for Dick Leonard's home Internet and the maintenance department's mobile phones?
This is why teachers voted down the contract. They receive little respect from admin, and the community blames them for poor results, all while not supplying teachers with the tools they need.
Well if the Admins are using there own money to pay for their phones for whatever reason good for them. This in not Matt Hanley.
I was talking about when the State changed the FOIA back four years ago and found how Amins and some teacher was buy personal items with the cards. Johnson took them away for awhile and the brought them back but I bet they still are checking those receipts.
Just because you have unlimited minutes does not mean you can use the phone for personal use that would be like the Mernard's incident and you say those involved got fired then so should employees using district phones for personal business. Yes, they could track that if they where checking the bills.
The Boards from years ago did run the district well we had students that excelled and we weren't on a watch list. The schools weren't over crowded. This board picks and chooses their fights.
I do believe the teachers should get paid more but now the ball is in your court. You voted the contract down do something. Two districts around us have struck. One went back with a good contract the other is in the process of trying to get a fair contract. Maybe some of this misuse of money could come out of a strike and the teachers could get a fair contract and better working conditions.
Maybe the BOE should check Hanleys phone. They will find how many times they are attached to Popps a**. Popp uses this district to build his resume for himself and his friends. Here's hoping that the BOE grows a pair and gets rid of Hanley, Thuckenbrod and Glotzbach. They are destroying us. They have made coming to work miserable. Many will vote no just because of the way we are treated.
Also someone should check on the spending at EAHS. The 204 connection in the ADs department has been spending like drunks. The BOE will never see it because the spending is coming out of the EAHS account and never hits the bill list. Crespo also signed off on ghost payroll for Popps buddies. The BOE needs to get serious.
Ralph I found this website to report what you believe might be happening the School Districts. This is the US Department of Ed. I don't know if you have seen this so I thought I'd post it. I have something I'm going to send in.
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html
In the district today they use P cards and the details are shown on the bill list. Recently the board caught administration buying the new I phone 6. The board pitched a fit and now the admins are hiding purchases for the 204 click in the EAHS account. The BOE needs to check this out since they are not part of the bills. Thuckenbrod was bought a sound system recently from the HS account and it was a home system. The Tech department was never asked to install it and nobody knows the location of it. There was a another incident like that last year when Ali complained he was gone. Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach also hide vacations in Title.
Last year a business office employee retired early after being harassed by Tyler and Hanley for complaining about Feltes. Johnson continued to vote no but other board members all voted yes eventually they were exposed. Everyone in SSC administration is afraid of the BOE and certainly Johnson. The complaints about Johnson are from admins who use innocent teachers or gullible board members like Strand to talk about how mean she is.
Many employees are happy with the new board that they keep admins on their toes and maybe the teachers can come to the board members and share their working experiences. They may gets issues fixed the silent group of faithful 131 did.
We need to share everyone knows the admins that have bullied us for years are all looking for jobs.
Why are we as EA teachers not all standing together and united at the front of our schools and at the flag poles? We all are aware that our most recent contract was voted "NO." Our collective concerns have not been resolved at an acceptable level. Furthermore, it is up to all of us to remain informed or take action into our own hands to get informed. The more we as EA teachers are informed the greater our ability and power to assist others. There is strength in EDUCATION! Please do not allow yourself to be placed into a mentality of fear. Isn't this what we are all puzzled by when an abused spouse allows themself to continue to be abused and not take the necessary action to correct the issue? EA please be sure to share valuable information that has been provided to you. What we are learning is that there are many EA members that have not been made aware of the facts. EA get informed, share information, attend the board meeting, continue to stand united at the front of your assigned building. Do not allow fear to get the best of you or your fellow colleagues. WE all DESERVE a fair and competitive wage. EA teachers, WE are the best of the best, no matter what others may want to believe. WE love our EA CHILDREN! We simply DEMAND A FAIR wage that IS EQUAL to OUR committment to our EA children!!!
I am not a district employee, but I have been a member of this district my entire life. The preceding comment has some valid points. The main one being, teachers need to educate themselves and other members of their union. I have seen bumper stickers and buttons that say "Beware- Educated Union member" District 131 has an undeserved reputation that it has been unable to shake for well over 30 years. The same is true of union members. Management and administrators assume members follow like sheep. Most times, like with any elected position, we the voters expect that those we elect will work in our best interest. Too often, those put into position forget where they came from and forget those that put them In position. That is why it is important for members to stay informed, become educated about those decisions affecting your life and livelihood.
I have stayed involved with the community. I see our teachers working hard to give the EA students an education and school experience they can be proud of. Sadly, they seem to be fighting against a current of lackadaisical admins and school board.
Hang strong EA educators. You deserve better pay and working conditions. Prayers for all.
There would be no hiding anything if the Board followed the IL School Code and had who ever had pro cards turn them in to the employee that is suppose to check to see if the receipt is district business. Again this district does not give Ethics training as they should the board is a joke in this.
It is not the boards job to run the district. Johnson has no more power than the others but they are to weak to stop her. We have a Superintendent that is suppose to run the district and for those that keep bring up the D204 buddies remember the board has to approve the hiring.
It is the boards job that needs question why we do not have a curriculum, allocate money and hire a experienced superintendent. That was not achieved by the board that hired Popp and his 204 cronies. It is your backward thinking Taxpayer 8 that was lead to the decline of 131. Taxpayer8 you talk of Il Code stop throwing around language with no substance to it. You must be a supporter of the BOE from hell thank goodness the real taxpayers threw the bums out.
It is the boards jobs to manage the superintendent. When the superintendents main goal is to build an administration center and give Hanley a $40,000 raise they better start managing him. When the superintendent allows out of control spending like Marty Feltes and hires all his loser friends. from 204 the board needs to step in. When the superintendent has no idea of our student needs and gives teacher no curriculum or tools to teach the better ask the right questions.
All of these issues including non stop meeting that take teachers away from students and have created our current environment. Taxpayer 8 you have no clue what goes on daily. The board is our only defense. Get informed!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!
Here is the url for the IL Code for credit cards. 105 ILCS 5/10
-
20.21.
23 Ill.Admin.Code §
100.70
(d).
Here is the URL of D204 Board Policy that explains it. http://board.ipsd.org/Uploads/Policies/Section%204/0455.pdf
If you don't have a curriculum you need to address the board about it.
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