It’s hard to know where to begin! We’re just starting our 6th week of school and the problems, worries and concerns continue to mount. Now, more than ever, the MTA needs your support and involvement. It is critical to document any contractual concerns and violations. Please utilize the structure available in each building—the building representatives and senior reps need to be aware of problems in order to begin the documentation process at the building level. For those of you who may not be aware, after the monthly meeting between the building reps and the building administrators, a summary of the meeting is written. At our monthly Executive Board meetings, copies of the building meeting reports are distributed to each officer and each Senior Building Representative. It is vital that we all know what is occurring across the district. Communication is key, and we need to ensure that the rights of our members are protected and that the contract is upheld.

Needless to say, we have a lot of work to do and the MTA is committed to working toward achieving the professional recognition and support which we so deserve (we are teachers, not “customers”). Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, our goals do not appear to be aligned with those of Central Administration and the Board of Education. For those who do not receive the Northern Orange edition of the Times Herald-Record, we are re-printing a paid ad that the MTA ran on Wednesday, October 5th. Also included in this edition is a recent article (again, from the Northern Orange edition of the TH-R) citing some of the dialogue from the October 6th Board of Education meeting.

Clearly, we have far too many members who are working under extremely handicapping conditions. If the Superintendent and the Board of Education choose to categorize our public comments as “airing dirty laundry” that is unfortunate because it only serves to reinforce what we already know—they are choosing not to listen to what we are reporting. They are choosing not to listen to the truth. What is appalling is that we have seen the disastrous effects when a Board of Education doesn’t act upon information brought forward in a truthful and open manner. How long can this district afford to play this dangerous and costly game? The MTA will not and can not be a part of anything less than total and honest disclosure.

It is hard not to think of the analogy between what is happening in this district and a children’s tale familiar to all. I will leave this snippet from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes as something to ponder.

The lords of the bedchamber, who were to carry his Majesty’s train felt about on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the mantle; and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the procession, through the streets of his capital; and all the people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, “Oh! How beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes! What a magnificent train there is to the mantle; and how gracefully the scarf hangs!” In short, no one would allow that he could not see these much-admired clothes; because, in doing so, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office. Certainly, none of the Emperor’s various suits, had ever made so great an impression, as these invisible ones.

“But the Emperor has nothing at all on!” said a little child.

“Listen to the voice of innocence!” exclaimed his father; and what the child had said was whispered from one to another.

“But he has nothing at all on!” at last cried out all the people. The Emperor was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a train, although, in reality, there was no train to hold.

I stated at the October 6th Board meeting that the MTA will continue to speak out and we will be the voice of truth. We will not pretend that what we see doesn’t exist!

The winners of the September 28, 2005 Building Representative election are:

CHORLEY
Lynann Day
Elizabeth Dino
Carol Kivell
Melissa Verbert

MAPLE HILL
Wendy DeGeorge
Nancy Healy
Emily Mesnick*
Elizabeth Muente*
Janet Myruski
Jean Parrella
Deborah Roberts*

MECHANICSTOWN
Phyllis Chapman*
David Craig
Kathleen Decker
Kristine Hanington
Matthew Kelly*
Kathy Zifchock*

MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Jonathan Castell*

TRUMAN MOON
Joanne Babcock
Gregg Farina
Frank Lentino
Joann Varcoe*

*Pending acceptance of write-in votes

(Reported by Lynann Day)

Even though this November’s elections are mostly for local offices, there will be two important items on the statewide ballot. These items are a constitutional amendment to change the state budget process and a $2.9 billion transportation bond act. NYSUT, our state affiliate, supports passage of both of these items.

The constitutional amendment would help clarify and bolster the Legislature’s role in the state budget process. The transportation bond act will help repair and rebuild the state’s aging infrastructure.

Be sure to exercise your right to vote on November 8th!

I missed my appointment with the lawyers on Will Day. How can I get my will written?
Other than waiting for the next Will Day, you can complete the Legal Security Package that was sent to you and mail it to the National Law Office. The attorneys will write the will and mail it to you for signing. While completing the document you can call the National Law Office and discuss any questions with an attorney.

This is my 11th year in the district but my memorandum still says I am on step 10? Why doesn’t it say step 11?
That’s because our salary schedule only has 10 steps. Once reaching step 10 your future memorandums will remain at step 10. Additional salary is earned through the longevities which are earned at the beginning of years 13, 16, 19, 22, 25 and 28.

I completed a 1 credit in-service course last fall, but my most recent credit history shows it as .5 on 9/1/2005? Why doesn’t it appear as 1.0 credit?
That course from last fall should appear on 2 lines on your credit history. There should be .5 credit with a 2/1/2005 date as well as the .5 on 9/1/2005. Last spring you received $20 credit for that course.

What is the number I need to call to get a vision voucher?
On July 1, 2005 we changed to a voucherless system. Just make your appointment at the provider and they will contact Davis Vision to determine your eligibility.

Any questions regarding retirement, salary, or the Benefit Fund, may be e-mailed to: questions@middletownteachers.org. Every question will receive a reply, and some may appear in future posts.

(Reported by Lois Samsel-Cronk)

This summer I attended the NYSUT Summer Leadership Conference in Princeton, New Jersey. I found the whole experience to be enlightening, from the workshops to the accommodations. The days were full of very informative workshops and the evenings were left for socializing, which turned out to be a real eye opener. My beliefs that our union is a strong unit were reinforced by the insight found while socializing. It was nice to meet people from other schools and pick their brains and reunite with fellow Middletown teachers who moved on.

I attended a two-day Basic Grievance workshop and found that our contract is very well written. It is a well-defined document that made others envious. There is not much room for misinterpretation with everything being spelled out clearly. Many of the other district’s contracts are brief and leave their Board of Educations room for self-interpretation.

I want to thank the MTA for sending me to a very beneficial conference. It was like being on a cruise, there was food everywhere, even for a vegan.

The ad seen below appeared in the Times Herald-Record ’s Northern Orange edition on Wednesday, October 5th. It was the unanimous decision of the MTA Executive Board to place this paid advertisement in order to publically state some of the many on-going concerns that have been voiced by our members. In addition, we wanted the community to know that we share their frustrations and concerns and that we will continue to speak out on behalf of what is right.

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ATTENTION MIDDLETOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT RESIDENTS

The Middletown Teachers Association shares the concerns of many members of the Middletown school community regarding the extremely difficult and problematic opening month of this school year.

On behalf of all students, parents and district staff, the MTA continues to present many areas of concern to administration and the Board of Education.

Some of the concerns are:
• Inconsistent bussing of students that leaves parents unsure as to when their children will safely arrive at home
• The cutting of student textbook and workbook orders without input from the teaching staff
• Overcrowded and inadequate teaching locations for many students and staff
• Restricted access, if any, to appropriate computer technology that was available last year
• The absence of clear, concise and timely communication from administration
• A high school master schedule that fails to meet the needs and requirements of many students
• Student schedules, when available, that do not match the class rosters distributed to teachers
• Individual class attendance that is being taken by high school teachers is neither collected nor processed
• The dangerous use of heavy construction equipment in close proximity to high school students and staff
• Unacceptable air quality and disruptive noise constantly being generated by the high school reconstruction project

The MTA will continue to push for the timely and positive resolution of these and other issues in order to ensure a safe, orderly and educationally sound learning environment for all students and staff.

Middletown Teachers Association
1 Beattie Avenue, Middletown, NY 10940

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“Then, he ended with a declaration: ‘I am asking for a moratorium on the blame game. Let’s start today.’ …Crescenzo was responding…to an ad in the Times Herald-Record this week taken out by the…MTA.”
For the complete October 8, 2005 TH-R article mentioning the ad, see:
MTA ad fires up school meeting
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/10/08/skuffle0.htm

A Department of Labor investigation last year cited Wal-Mart for 24 violations of child labor laws, including one incident in which a minor was injured while operating a chain saw. Wal-Mart also has a record of forcing employees to work “off the clock,” and the company’s own 2005 annual report shows that it has faced 44 wage and hour lawsuits.

Information about these $2000 grants, as well as the application and instructions are available at: NYSUT-Staples Grants 2005/2006