HSEA - What's Up?
Like Us....Love Us....Build Us
HSEA works to connect teachers with teachers while advancing the profession of teaching.
January 2016.....A new year, a new start! Here we go!
Words From Our President...
Decisions! I have been called for jury duty six times. Twice, the defendants accepted a plea bargain on trial day, so no juries were required. Once, the attorneys selected the jury before I was questioned. Thus, if you add 2 + 1 = 3 then subtract 3 from 6 and you get 3! (Lots of math for a humanities type!) So, I have been selected to serve on three juries.
Decisions! To serve on a jury, decisions need to be made. An attorney acquaintance years ago indicated to me that lawyers like to select teachers as jurors. Teachers made many decisions daily and have a reputation for fairness. Decision-making and fairness serve teachers well as well as jurors.
Decisions! Soon, the school board will make a decision as to what rate to seek for the operating referendum. In meetings I have attended, support seems to exist for increasing the current rate. Remember, that if the referendum does not pass, we would lose our current referendum and would be barred from requesting re-instatement or an increase until May, 2017.
Decisions! If the referendum fails, parents will not experience "fee relief" and even larger class sizes will result due to less teachers hired as well as reductions in administrative, teaching, and support staff.
Decisions! I do not share this information to scare you, but to inform you that this referendum decision affects not only you, but your colleagues. This referendum decision affects tax payers and affects students. Voters hold power in their hands.
Decisions! Remember that you are the best ambassadors for the school system. People trust teachers. So, have those conversations with neighbors if you live in the district, with community members, and with those parents. You have the right to act as a private citizen and use your freedom of speech with your private community using your own Wi-Fi or connectivity during your non-school hours. You have the freedom to influence the decision-makers outside of school.
Decisions! Remember to act as a private citizen on your own time at a non-school location. You may also get involved in the AdvanceHSE Political Action Committee as they work to try to influence the referendum decision. This group will have a web site, a twitter account, and other social media. This group will be "live" once the school board makes its recommendation decision on January 25.
Decisions! Thank you for being involved in this process. Thank you for being willing to volunteer, to chat, to be informed, and most importantly, to make a decision.
Decisions! And by the way, my jury experience was in Indianapolis with two criminal cases. One concerned an armed robbery and criminal confinement trial and the other was a child molestation trial. I also served as a juror on a civil trial that enabled me to channel my inner "Perry Mason" with twists and turns.
Decisions! Continue to make decisions daily based on fairness and equity. Thank you for your dedication to decision-making!
HSEA OFFICERS 2015-2016
President - Janet Chandler
Executive Vice-President - Karin Foster
Vice-President Membership & Elections - Deb Jackson
Vice-President Politcal Action - Ben Yoder
Vice-President Communications & Public Relations - Leslie Brown
Treasurer - Mary Carson
Secretary - Terri Zabonick
Who doesn't pay for cell phone service these days?
Health and Insurance Updates.......
Health Center News....
YODER'S YAPS....Everything You Need To Know About Politics and Political Action!
The 2016 session of the Indiana General Assembly will convene in January. Your voice as an education professional is critical to ensuring sound education policy is adopted.
Lobby Days
The most effective method of influencing policymaking is to lobby our legislators. ISTA will host several "Lobby Days" from Jan. - March to advance ISTA's legislative priority, which will address the teacher shortage by promoting professional respect, retaining experienced teachers and recruiting new professionals. The 2016 lobby days are scheduled for Feb. 9, Feb. 23, March 1 and March 8.
If you're unable to attend ISTA's news conference, legislative kickoff or lobby days, we encourage you to connect with your legislators in their districts.
For more information, please contact our VP of political action, Ben Yoder, at byoder@hse.k12.in.us
HSEA MEMBER(S) HIGHLIGHT!
Riverside Junior High....Neil Ogle
I have been a member of ISTA for 30 years and HSEA the last 28. I started teaching in Monroe County Community Schools in 1986 and I accepted the invitation to join the union at that point. I believe there is strength in numbers and that being a part of group like the teachers association has paid dividends in salary, working conditions as well as a myriad of other areas.
When I started teaching at HSE Middle School in 1988 it housed all 6th, 7th and 8th graders in the district. Fishers has changed a lot in the last 28 years but what has remained constant is the dedicated staffs of teachers who have helped to provide the excellent education of youth in this community.
JOIN ISTA-retired......
Why join?
- ISTA-Retired is a membership category of ISTA for ALL former and active education employees that:
- Offers a variety of information workshops/seminars
- Lobbies for COST-OF-LIVING increases and lobbies for a PERMANENT COLA rather than a yearly increase determined by the Legislature.
- Offers Local chapters and State council for ACTIVE PARTICIPATION in ISTA and NEA.
- Promotes the establishment of STATE FUNDING for retired education employee health insurancePREMIUMS.
- Represents member retirees with problems and concerns and attends State Teacher Retirement Fund Board meetings
- Offers Vision, Dental and Long Term Care Insurance plans through NEA.
- Provides member retirees and spouses eligibility for NEA's competitively priced group Medicare Supplement Insurance that is on average 15% lower than the nation's most popular medical supplement program.
For more information contact:
ISTA-Retired (800) 382-4037 or (317) 263-3400
This is YOUR newsletter too!
In the coming newsletters, remember, anyone who is a HSEA member is welcome to make a submission, or send information that you would like to see in the newsletter!
We will also be continuing to do the "member spotlight," so, if you'd like to nominate a member, or want to write something yourself, please let us know!
Send any submission, articles, etc. to: hseateachers@yahoo.com
Look for our next newsletter before our Winter break!