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, April 5, 2021 4:00-5:30PM
Zoom link:
1. Call meeting to order at: 4:04 pm
2. Land Acknowledgment: With gratitude, we practice this work on the traditional lands of the Ohlone Nations. Intertribal Friendship House
3. Roll Call Site Reps: (✓present)
Rita Melton-Adelante/Selby
Yessenia Bravo-Adelante/Selby ✓
Carol Marque-Clifford ✓
Anum Khan-Garfield ✓
Sandra Covacha-Henry Ford ✓
Angie Teupel-Henry Ford ✓
Kevin Sugar-Hoover
Julie Gordon-Kennedy ✓
Ann Berljafa-Orion and Staff Development✓
Jackie Kroner-Orion
Susanne Pillay-McKinley ✓
Brenda Whitla-Pinto-North Star
Chris Holm-Roosevelt ✓
Maureen McPeek-Roosevelt ✓
Belinda Mendez-Roy Cloud ✓Christina Grenato will take info back for Roy Cloud
Kim Combs-Taft Sigrid McCarthy will take info back to Taft
Aida Ortiz-CDC Indra Hernandez will take info back for CDC
Bernadette Garcia-SDC preschool
Lisa Cox-Nurses
Diana Ayllon-Nurses
4. Review and Approve 3/1/21 Minutes
Motion to approve 3/1/21 Minutes met without objection
5. Committee Reports
-Retirement Committee:
Collecting names of retirees and planning an event.
Maybe outdoors in person???
If you know of anyone retiring on your site, please reach out to Ann Berlijafa at the above email.
In the past, we held a dinner for the Retiree and guests with a certificate presentation.
We’ve also held retirement celebrations at the end of the year Rep Council party, to allow more people to attend and celebrate the retirees.
The next step is picking a venue.
Possible venues: Angelicas, Mastral’s, Iron Gate
June 7th last Rep Council Meeting will be the celebration for Retirees as well
-Any committee that would like to give a brief report?
6. Unfinished Business:
Proposed RCTA bylaw amendment
Proposed language for RCTA bylaws (addition):
XVII. WAIVERS
The RCTA president will discuss the circumstances of a class size waiver with the Executive Board. 3/5 vote of the Executive Board is required for the signing of a class size waiver.
The RCTA President will not sign off on class size waivers for non-tenured teachers, especially those in their first two years in the profession.
The waiver process allows teachers to have more than contracted class size. RCTA has observed that many times new teachers are targeted to increase class size with a waiver, and we think the coercion of new teachers in not okay, as these teachers are less likely to say no to a waiver because of fear of retaliation such as losing their job (as an untenured teacher).
Why do we need the language in the bylaws?
In 2020-21 school year, RCSD approached Erinn to sign a waiver
Not knowing much about the waiver process yet as a new RCTA Pres. Erinn went to Executive board to clarify this waiver process, and learned that RCTA historically tries not to grant these waivers knowing there is little benefit to students/teachers
We want protection from having to deal with waivers.
Opposition Opinion
SM: We fought long for a cap on class size. RCSD tries to take advantage of new teachers and admin to increase size with waivers. RCTA has not granted many waivers in the past. By adding waiver language, we are promoting waiver consideration, which we do not want. Waivers do not benefit our students or teachers, so why do we need to include language on the waivers. The intention is to stand by the limits on class size, unless there are significant considerations for the waiver, by seasoned teachers. The district uses waivers for their own convenience, recognizing that the waivers almost only benefit the district and not students or teachers, we should not encourage this language in the bylaws to eliminate the invitation for RCSD to increase waiver applications. Any language included in the bylaws should mirror the contract.
Executive board will work on re-writing this article.
If anyone wants to present language, email Erinn Washburn at RCTApres@RCTAcares.com
-Rep council vote on May 3rd
7. New Business
Highlights + Questions
Safety
PPE request forms available through the front desk.
Air purifier and Merv-13 in every room
Close contact (requires quarantine) = within 6ft of positive case for 15 minutes or more.
If you do not have air purifiers contact your admin ASAP
What is going to happen if a teacher has to quarantine, especially in middle school, do they get a sub or do the kids go home and work distance. What if there are no subs?
Why are there travel limitations on teachers, but students/families who are traveling do not have to quarantine? Families cannot be mandated to quarantine or test, but sites are encouraging
Class Set up
Two days asynchronous taken before spring break
Student Enrollment
Currently, must be 6ft apart, but may be as little as 3 ft?
San Mateo Union High School has implemented the 3ft rule, but it is at district discretion. RCSD has to make the choice for our sites, but will hopefully only open up more seats for students who want to come back, but couldn’t due to spacing.
There is a signed Student/Parent contract you can refer to if there are issues.
Teachers have received formal warnings for mandating student spacing and mask wearing. If this applies to your, reach out to Michelle Territo IMMEDIATELY.
Students HAVE to have the contracts signed to be in class. If they do not have it signed, then students should not be in your classroom. Reach out to admin to learn about who/where your contracts are or if there is a central logging system.
Who is tracking student health and wellness surveys? What if the surveys are filled out on paper for accessibility?
If two teachers want the same position at a site, HR will follow Article 11 to determine who gets the position.
Seniority will lead employment decisions.
If a tenured teacher is displaced due to numbers, you need to look internally at the job postings sent out by HR, reach out to HR to declare your interest in open positions. Do not expect HR to reach out to you.
Compensation
TK-8th grade: $58 per day on campus with students (up to 4 days/week))
Preschool: $39 per day on campus with students (up to 4 days/week))
These started MARCH 22, backlog if you have been on campus since/before March 22.
The time sheet only applies to those who have been in person WITH students in your classroom since March 22.
All RCTA members, including specialists working with students get this stipend!
Wednesdays do not apply to this timesheet as it is a planning day.
Schedules/Workday
6.5 hours of uninterrupted prep time. 100% teacher directed. Option to work on or off site.
Simultaneous instruction (roomise and zoomies at the same time) WILL NOT BE REQUIRED.
Teachers can choose simultaneous, but cannot be required by administration to teacher simultaneously
Leave
SB 95 is back and retroactive to Jan 1st 2021
Erinn is planning on speaking to the district on how to reclaim our sick/personal days we’ve used according to the new leave guidelines in effect.
Motion to extend the meeting 10 extra minutes at 5:30-5:40
Distance Learning
Teachers can discuss the possibility of working remotely with their Administrator….
8. Member Concerns
Is PE equipment shareable now? This is site by site decision. Handwashing and limited sharing is happening on some campuses, some are not sharing at all.
Sub plan requirements for extended Family leave? How many async sub plans can be expected in extended leave emergencies if there are no subs to cover?
9. Announcements
Autism Acceptance Month Resources-Thanks, Alison Sudol!
-Any other announcements
Meeting adjourned at: 5:39
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10 minute meeting To Do’s: Click on the links to view agenda bookmarks
Resources:
Web: rctacares.com Facebook: @redwoodcityteachersassociation
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