West Hartford Education Association

WEST HARTFORD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (WHEA) IS TO COLLECTIVELY REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT'S PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS. WHEA IS COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE, RESPECT, AND INTEGRITY IN SERVING THE BEST EDUCATIONAL INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

DURING THE 20210-22 SCHOOL YEAR WE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING: THE WHEA PRESIDENT AND THE EXEC VP HAD BI-MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE NEW TEACHER MEETING AND LUNCHEON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO WELCOME THE TEACHERS. IN OCTOBER, THE WHEA CELEBRATED TEACHER APPRECIATION NIGHT VIEWING THE HARTFORD ATHLETIC SOCCER TEAM AT RENTSCHLER FIELD IN EAST HARTFORD. WHEA ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL HANDS ACROSS GREEN GOLF TOURNAMENT, SENDING A FOUR-SOME TO THE TOURNAMENT, INCLUDING OUR WHEA PRESIDENT, THERESA MCKEOWN. ON OCTOBER 27, 2021, WHEA MEMBERS VOTED TO RATIFY THE PROPOSED CONTRACT FOR THE 2022-2025 SCHOOL YEARS. THE WHEA NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE BEGAN MEETING AS A TEAM IN THE SPRING OF 2021 THROUGH OCTOBER OF 2021. TEACHERS WERE SURVEYED SO THE COMMITTEE COULD ADDRESS ISSUES RAISED BY MEMBERS THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS. THE COMMITTEE MET WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TEAM AND WHPS STAFF IN THREE NEGOTIATIONS MEETINGS AND ONE MEDIATION MEETING, ONE OF WHICH DID NOT END UNTIL 2:30 A.M. KEY CHANGES IN THE CONTRACT INCLUDE: O MOVEMENT IN STEPS AND SALARY FOR TEACHERS EMPLOYED PRIOR TO APRIL 1. O AN OPTION FOR EITHER A 10-MONTH PAYCHECK (20 CHECKS) OR A 12-MONTH PAYCHECK (24 CHECKS). THE BALLOON OPTION WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. O ADDING 2% TO THE MAX IN EACH OF THE SCHOOL YEARS COVERED BY THE CONTRACT. O NO LIMIT FOR THE NUMBER OF COURSES THAT CAN BE TAKEN EACH YEAR FOR POST MA GRADUATE STUDY AND APPROVED IN ADVANCE. THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT CAP CHANGED FROM UP TO 1,000 PER YEAR TO UP TO 1,500 PER YEAR FOR UP TO THREE COURSE CREDITS APPROVED IN ADVANCE. EXECUTIVE V.P. O ABSENCES FOR TEACHERS WHO CONTRACT A COMMUNICABLE DIS- EASE OTHER THAN COVID-19 THAT CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THEIR SCHOOL WILL NOT BE CHARGED AGAINST ANNUAL OR ACCRUED SICK DAYS. THE WHEA'S REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHEDULING COMMITTEE WERE ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 1, 2021. THE COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH THREE ADMINISTRATIVE REPRESENTATIVES, HAD BEEN TASKED WITH FORMULATING "AN EQUITABLE, CONSISTENT ELEMENTARY TEACHERS' SCHEDULE." ON DECEMBER 6, 2021, THE WHEA AND WEST HARTFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION REACHED A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA) TO TAKE STEPS TOWARD RESOLVING THE SUBSTITUTE SHORTAGE PROBLEM. THE MOA ALLOWS TEACHERS TO BE COMPENSATED FOR SUBSTITUTING FOR AN ABSENT TEACHER DURING THEIR PREPARATION PERIOD AND IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2021- 2022 SCHOOL YEAR. WHEA MEMBERS WORE BLACK ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2022 IN SOLIDARITY WITH TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE DAY WAS INTENDED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR PROPER MASKS, BETTER ACCESS TO TESTING, THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING DUE TO COVID-19 RELATED ABSENCES, AND A REQUEST FOR FLEXIBILITY WITH THE STATE'S LEGAL MINIMUM OF 180 SCHOOL DAYS FOR STUDENTS. THIS STATEWIDE INITIATIVE WAS ORGANIZED BY THE CONNECTICUT BOARDS OF EDUCATION UNION COALITION, AN ORGANIZATION OF WHICH THE WHEA IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER. ON FEBRUARY 2, 2022, THE WHEA FINALIZED NEGOTIATIONS WITH WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO REACH A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA) FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. THE MOA, SET TO EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2022, OUTLINES WORKING CONDITIONS RELATED TO COVID-19 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE MOA ADDRESSED PROVIDING WORK FOR STUDENTS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE AT THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS, GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS STREAMING INTO CLASSES, THE USE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OR SICK TIME FOR TEACHERS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE BASED ON CEA GUIDELINES AND VACCINATION STATUS, AND THE USE OF TIME FOR TEACHERS WITH IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE BUT CANNOT BE LEFT UNATTENDED. THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ARE UNKNOWN. WHILE WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS' MANAGEMENT DID NOT AGREE TO THE CLAUSE, "ALL TEACHERS WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE CONTRACTED COVID-19 AT WORK ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION," THE WHEA ENCOURAGED ANY MEMBER WHO BELIEVES THEY MAY HAVE CONTRACTED COVID-19 AS A RESULT OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT TO GET A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO THAT EFFECT AND TO REACH OUT TO THE WHEA TO FILE A WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIM. WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS CANNOT BE FILED RETROACTIVELY, SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS STEP BE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF CONTRACTING COVID-19. AFTER SIX MONTHS OF MEETINGS AND NEGOTIATIONS, THE WHEA VOTED TO RATIFY THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING PUT FORTH BY THE ELEMENTARY SCHEDULING COMMITTEE AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHEA AND WHPS. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE WAS, "TO FORMULATE A MORE EQUITABLE AND CONSISTENT ELEMENTARY SCHEDULE." IN ORDER TO RETAIN MEMBERS BY PROVIDING VALUE, WE ALSO SCHEDULED A RETIREMENT WORKSHOP. CEA'S RETIREMENT EXPERT, ROBYN KAPLAN-CHO WAS SCHEDULED TO PRESENT THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION TO MEMBERS. WHEA PRESIDENT THERESA MCKEOWN ANSWERED SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS. SHE SHARED THE WHEA RETIREMENT CHECKLIST ON OUR WEBSITE WITH THE LINK TO THE TRB HANDBOOK. MANY MEMBERS ATTENDED THIS INFORMATIVE WORKSHOP. IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND, ALL OF THE INFORMATION FROM CEA ABOUT WORKSHOPS THROUGH THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WAS SHARED SEVERAL TIMES TO ALL 860 MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO ATTEND HARTFORD COUNTY FORUMS DURING THE YEAR. THE PRESIDENT ATTENDED ALL OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY PRESIDENT'S FORUMS. 15+ MEMBERS SIGNED UP TO ATTEND THE CEA RA. THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MET MONTHLY AND AS NEEDED TO EXECUTE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. MONTHLY REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS WERE HELD TO INFORM MEMBERS OF ISSUES AND CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SEVERAL TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR NEW WHEA REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR MENTORS WERE HELD. AS NEEDED, THE WHEA EXEC VP CALLED THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE GRIEVANCES. OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD ALSO MET SEVERAL TIMES FOR EXECUTIVE TEAM WORKSHOPS WHERE WE DISCUSSED UPDATING OUR VISION, MISSION, GOALS AND PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. THE WHEA PRESIDENT ALSO SITS ON THE TOWN WIDE SAFETY COMMITTEE AND SURVEYS ALL MEMBERS FOUR TIMES PER YEAR TO SHARE SAFETY CONCERNS AT THIS MEETING. THE WHEA SENT A MEMBER OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL TO EVERY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. IN ADDITION, WHEA MEMBERS ARE SEATED ON THE PLEC (PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE), TOWNWIDE SAFETY & HEALTH, SUPERINTENDENT'S ADVISORY AND A DISTRICTWIDE STIPEND COMMITTEE. THE WHEA PRESIDENT ALSO SITS ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE DISTRICT PDEC (PLEC). IN DECEMBER, THE WHEA AGAIN MADE A DONATION TO CONARD'S JUNIOR CLASS HOLIDAY EFFORT; THEY SHOP FOR AND WRAP TOYS, GIFTS AND MUCH-NEEDED WARM CLOTHING FOR LESS FORTUNATE WEST HARTFORD STUDENTS. THE WHEA CONTINUED THE TRADITION OF CONTRIBUTING TO SAFE-GRAD AFTER-PROM PARTIES AT HALL AND CONARD HIGH SCHOOLS. WE MADE DONATIONS TO THE WEST HARTFORD SCHOLARSHIP FUND, WHICH PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, AND THE FOUNDATION FOR WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH SUPPORTS "EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES THAT ENHANCE AND ENLIVEN THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE FOR ALL WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS." WHEA MEMBERS ATTENDED THE CEA SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE CEA SURVEY WAS FILLED OUT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKSHOPS WERE PROVIDED. THE WHEA RECOGNITION DINNER WAS NOT HELD AGAIN THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT THE WHEA REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM CELEBRATED THOSE RETIREES WHO AGREED TO SHARE A VIDEO IN THEIR HONOR. THE VIDEOS WERE SENT TO ALL MEMBERS AND ARE HOUSED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE ALSO HONORED THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR WITH A PLAQUE PRESENTED BY LAST YEAR'S TOY. THE WHEA ALSO HONORED RETIREES AT OUR END-OF-YEAR SOCIAL. SARA TAMBORELLO, OF THE SEDGWICK ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TOOK OVER AS EDITOR OF THE WHEA WORLD NEWSLETTER BEGINNING IN THE FALL. THE WHEA REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL VOTED TO HONOR DAVID SIMON AS OUR MEMBER OF THE YEAR. A DONATION WAS MADE IN HIS HONOR TO THE FOUNDATION FOR WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS.