RCTA Representative Council Meeting Agenda
Redwood City Teachers’ Association Mission Statement: The Redwood City Teachers Association exists to promote and protect the professional health and longevity of its members. It is dedicated to the pursuit and support of excellent teaching, equity, collective bargaining, and fair working conditions. We are devoted to the education of the children, their families, and the community of Redwood City.
Monday, December 6th, 2021 3:30-5:30 PM
Zoom Meeting
1. Call meeting to order at 3:35 pm
2. Land Acknowledgement: We recognize the original stewards of this land that we live and work on; The Ramaytush Ohlone Nations.
3. Roll Call- Elected Site Representatives (✓ present)
Adelante Selby-Rita Melton and Yesenia Bravo ✓✓
Roy Cloud-Belinda Mendez and Maureen McPeek ✓✓
Roosevelt-Kohlby Hong and Chris Holm ✓
Hoover-Kevin Sugar ✓
Clifford- Jennifer Tanti ✓
Orion-Jackie Kroner ✓
North Star-Jacob Havey Brian Cagle will take info back
Garfield-Anum Khan ✓
MIT-Susanne Pillay
Kennedy-Cindy Meek ✓
Taft-Kerry Benjamin and Kim Combs ✓
Henry Ford-Angie Teupel and Sandra Covacha ✓✓
SDC Preschool - Bernadette Garcia ✓
Preschool -Aida Ortiz
Independent Study- Rebecca Robinson ✓
4. Approval of the Minutes
Motion to approve minutes from November 1, 2021 meeting met without objection.
5. Committee Reports
Treasurer's Report- Steve Murray
Final Budgets
Without Arbitration $165 dues/year goes to RCTA = $112.50 monthly deduction
With Arbitration: $180 dues/year goes to RCTA = $113.50 monthly deduction
Motion to discuss the budget, with the arbitration
Clarification: The increase would be $1 more per month
VOTE for Arbitration ($180/year)
Motion to approve the budget with added arbitration
Yes (Agree for $180) 15/15 Votes
No (Stay at $165) 0/15 Votes
Representative Council voted to approve the increased budget at $180/year from $165/year, a total increase of $1/month
Organizing Committee: Kevin Sugar
Morale issue, organizing may need a focus on morale on sites and increasing activity on sites.
RCTA Night Out: Local shops, restaurants, bars, etc. to fundraise and connect to the community. Proceeds would go to RCEF (Redwood City Educational Fund)
Hopes to make it an annual thing for RCTA in the Spring
Kevin needs volunteers to help find local shops willing to participate
3-4 members wanted to help make connections
Rita Melton volunteered
A general email will be sent to recruit more volunteers
Recognition of 20-30 years of service, a bbq during the Spring perhaps
Site Lunches from Erik’s
Henry Ford: Mon. Dec. 6
Roy Cloud: Mon. Dec. 13
North Star: Tues Dec. 14
Holiday Mixer: Friday, December 3rd at Margaritas
Attendance: 30
Cost: $915.62 total
Climate Committee: Kristy Herrera, Sigrid McCarthy, Silvia Antonelli, Chelsea Willimas
Report on 11/30 meeting
SDC class size increase. RCSD can put more students into SDC if they need to, the language in the contract allows them to surpass their “goal” limit.
Sick Days for COVID; staff feels punished for testing; RCTA is looking at demanding a bargain on this
Volunteer requirement doc needed for parent volunteers on campus during school hours
Outdoor Ed Make-Ups: John Baker wants all schools to make up for missed outdoor ed; not sure how this will work when teachers don’t want to go.
Report Card due dates are different across the district
Picture Days are pushed back for some sites
Water fountains should be turned off and unavailable to students at all sites.
Hoover’s fountains are on
Some site admins are not enforcing this
Martin Cervantes is in charge of this; reach out
Consistencies across the district; possible list of what should be consistent and what could be unique
District-wide concerns for 12/13 meeting
Hoover: Administrative-Teacher relationships are strained. Admin seems to be pointing fingers at teachers on behavior. Rebooting PBIS to try to “solve” the behavior challenges, but are not helping with more difficult behaviors. Teachers feel unsupported and blamed, but the admin’s lack of support is diminishing morale.
MS Clifford/Taft/Ford/MS Roosevelt/Hoover MS: Independent Study packet requests are ramping up on the holidays. Weeks of the curriculum are being requested frequently, and last minute.
The office is not providing the independent study packets to these students
Students are going out of town; no wifi, no connection- yet we have all online curriculum- this is a lot of work to make paper-based plans for 2 weeks.
There needs to be a UNIFORM, Written minimum advanced notice to get makeup work for independent study work.
The “legal” forms are not being provided to teachers at some sites. There is formal documentation needed for independent study- some sites are not using them, or using them but with 2 days of advanced notice.
RCSD Policy: The Independent study is due when you return to school?
- Cups or bottles. If RCSD is turning off the water fountains, students NEED access to water.
- Ford: PPE is not being provided to teachers at Ford; reusable masks have not been provided
to teachers for the students.
Cloud: Providing own cups for students; parents are being asked to donate masks. Admin has shared that kid masks are not being provided.
In most sites the office has masks; students go to the office.
Calendar Committee: Erinn Washburn, Brian Cagle, Pam Barsch
To help with 23-24 calendar
Currently, we have 7 non-student days and 2 are used for conferences.
Rep Council would like to not share the survey with members to prevent loss of the two days.
SDC Preschool does not get minimum days- those two days are essential to preschool for conferences.
Rep Council: Motion to Vote on NOT sharing the survey
Vote to NOT Survey: 17/24
Membership Committee:-Christina Granato ms.granato26@gmail.com
Address changes for CTA database-Christina Granato ms.granato26@gmail.com
Human Rights and Equity Committee: Erinn Washburn, Natalie Delahunt, Emily Farrell
CTA Training Coming Up: So You Want to Be an Anti-Racist Union (2 Day Conference)
No cost to RCTA; just time.
January 12 and 19: Link to Sign Up HERE
- Human Rights and Equity Conference
- March 4-6 in Los Angeles
Grievance Committee: Michelle Territo, Belinda Mendez
Want to join or start a committee?
Elections Committee
Representative Assembly (RA) election coming up (PAID OppotrunityP
Executive Board Elections
Organizing Committee
Retirement and Benefits
Community Outreach
Parent Liaison
6. Announcements:
-Covid and Covid Quarantine Leave
Workers’ Compensation Presumption (SB 1159) provides that all California employees who work outside their home at the direction of their employer between July 6, 2020, and January 1, 2023, and who test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of working at their job site are presumed to have contracted any COVID-19-related illness at work for purposes of awarding workers’ compensation benefits. Find more information from the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Cal OSHA emergency temporary standards exclusion pay requires employers to continue to provide full pay, benefits, and other employment rights (including job status) for employees who are excluded from the worksite due to a positive COVID-19 test or COVID-19 exposure and who are otherwise available and able to work. Exclusion pay is currently set to expire January 13, 2022, unless extended. Click here for more information from the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Otherwise, you must use your sick leave. If you have no more sick leave, the district will give you supplemental sick leave (differential pay-your wages minus sub costs).
Available Leaves for certificated employees
We are going to demand a bargain with RCSD to sign an MOU like Hillborough; which in essence is a local version of the bill in place due to COVID prior to September 2021.
Preschool students are ineligible for vaccinations; these teachers need protections
SDC preschool parents are not receiving the site-based COVID notifications on shared sites.
-NEA RA elections coming up! Here is the election timeline. If you are interested or want help filling out the paperwork, email Erinn at rctaprez@rctacares.com
-Up to date salary schedule
7. Member Concerns:
Conferences:
Two days isn’t enough time for some. 31 students with 30 minute conferences is 15.5 hours; beyond our 7 hours per day
Planning Pay MOU:
Site-based pay for weekend planning; this is not fair for schools whose funding is not equitable for our school populations.
8.4.4 planning is being pushed onto weekends, but weekends are additional pay, but does RCSD give money for 8.4.4 planning?
Where are the site funds coming from? Is it an equitable dispersion across sites?
Meeting adjourned at 5:07 pm
10 minute meeting To Do’s:
1. Decide when you will have your 10 minute meeting and invite your members
2. Slight increase in dues ($180/year)
3.. Need an elections committee!
4. Quarantine comes out of your sick days.
Resources:
Web: rctacares.com Facebook: @redwoodcityteachersassociation
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