ATA WEEKLY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2022
Hispanic Heritage Month
"Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation" is the 2022 theme of Hispanic Heritage Month, which starts this week. The month recognizes and celebrates the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Involve students in relevant activities and lesson plans; find resources at nea.org and hispanicheritagemonth.gov/for-teachers.
Join CTA's Human Rights department for a Tuesday Takeover for Racial & Social Justice conversation about what it means to ensure that all Hispanic voices are represented and welcomed in order to build stronger communities and a stronger nation.
- Tues., Sept. 20, 4-5 p.m.; RSVP here.
Waffles and Fun
Open Positions in ATA Board of Directors
Segment Director (SGHS)
ATA needs a Segment Director for SGHS. This person would attend BOD and Rep Council meetings, lead site rep discussions, communicate with reps and members, send BOD meeting notes to reps, and facilitate grievances. This individual is elected by their site colleagues, and the winner is determined by a majority vote.
Human Rights
We need a Human Rights representative on our Board. Human rights issues are at the core of all public education components, including student learning and achievement, school culture, teacher quality, and parent and community engagement. The intent is to help create a more equitable union and public education system by helping to change behavior and practices that perpetuate inequality. Please contact ATA if this position appeals to you.
Women's Rights
ATA needs a Women's Rights representative on our Board. This individual would help identify issues and concerns impacting ATA female members and work with ATA Leadership to address these issues. They advocate on behalf of ATA female members and report directly to ATA. Please get in touch with ATA if you're interested in serving in this capacity.
Reporting Accidents & Incidents
Reporting accidents or incidents at work can be nerve-wracking, especially when under duress. Please review the following to help assist you in understanding how to proceed when faced with the following:
- If you get injured at work, report it to your site admin, then call Risk Management at (626) 943-6580. To protect yourself, report all injuries.
- If a student assaults you (Gen. Ed. or Sped), report it to your site admin, fill out an incident report AND file a police report (required by law). Contact ATA as soon as possible for support.
- If a student causes harm to themselves or another student, behaves aggressively, or destroys property, report the incident to your admin and write an incident report.
Weekly COVID Testing for Unvaccinated No Longer Required
This is because "weekly testing of unvaccinated groups is no longer slowing the spread as it did earlier in the pandemic due to the more infectious Omicron variants," said CDPH Director Dr. Tomas Aragon in a statement.
Schools and employers are encouraged to continue to provide testing resources to staff and students. And state public health leaders urge all individuals to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including the updated booster, to protect themselves from serious illness and slow the spread of the virus. Read the full statement here.
The Importance of School Meal Applications
To qualify for the funding, most schools must continue to collect school meal applications to identify students who can receive free or reduced-price meals. These applications also help schools qualify for other educational funding opportunities and resources. Check out the CDE California Universal Meals web page for details.
Site Visits Calendar
Site Communication
Be sure to set your monthly admin meetings to help build better communication.
- Ideally, set up your monthly meetings for the year.
- Reps solicit questions or concerns from unit members.
- Reps visit the admin in pairs to address the list of problems and any other issues at the site for answers/solutions.
- Be sure to contact ATA if you want support at your meeting.
Social Media hints and Tips
Below are some thinking points you should consider as you sharpen or modify your online presence...
The ease of use and perhaps the feeling of anonymity imparts a sense of power when we use social media... but as Peter Parker in Spiderman said as a quote of an even older idea ...
"With great power comes great responsibility."
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A nice overview of The Dos and Dont's of Social Media for Teachers from WeAreTeachers.com
From CTA - A Social Media Privacy and Security Guide:
Below are links to tips and tools to help control who can see what you share and how to secure your accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
From the NEA - Six Ways to Avoid Those Social Media Landmines
Here are a few social media tips for teachers who don't want to torture themselves over every Tweet, update, or Instagram pic.
Some common sense guidelines for educators who use social media
From the AUSD - A few of the Board policies may come into play if you are not VERY careful with your social media posts or follows...
Regulation 5141.42: Student-Employee Interaction - specifically section 5
5. As with in-person communications, employees must avoid appearances of impropriety and refrain from unauthorized and inappropriate communication with students. Factors that may be considered in determining whether the communication is inappropriate include, but are not limited to:
- Using personal social media sites or other electronic devices to communicate with students. (and parents)
** note this does not include one-way group texts via apps like Remind
Policy 4319.21: Professional Standards
Policy 4119.23: Unauthorized Release Of Confidential/Privileged Information
Our Recent Mandated Training sessions also cover the idea of boundaries, and I would include not just student boundaries but parents.
Sometimes a simple "like", "repost", or "retweet" can carry unintended "intent" because parents or students may view your social media posts as being done under your "color of authority" as an AUSD employee.
D. Byer
UPCOMING EVENTS
WSGV Teacher Residency Program:
The West San Gabriel Valley SELPA and Alder Graduate School are in the process of starting a Teacher Residency Program that will launch in June 2023. The residency model is patterned after professions such as doctors and lawyers. Our residents will work alongside a qualified mentor for an entire school year while working towards earning a Master's degree in Education and their preliminary Mild to Moderate Support Needs credential. Residents will take classes with a small cohort online and in weekly seminars to be held at the WSGV SELPA office. This learning model is a hands-on approach with a collaborative community for educational and emotional support. At the end of the year, we here at the WSGV SELPA will find each resident a teaching position within our fourteen member districts. Currently, we are offering a stipend of up to $25,000 for our residents. Applications to apply to our program are open at https://aldergse.edu/apply/.
If you have questions, please reach out to Jill Gulick, Coordinator of Teacher Residency at gulick_jill@ausd.us.
Food Pantry Dates
ATA Calendar
Fremont Walking Tour RSVP
CTA-Endorsed Insurance
California Casualty
The Standard
Learn more or apply for coverage at CTAMemberBenefits.org/TheStandard.