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 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING: ATTENDED THE CEA SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE CEA SURVEY WAS FILLED OUT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKSHOPS WERE PROVIDED. THE WHEA WAS A GOLD SPONSOR FOR THE HANDS ACCROSS THE GREEN GOLF TOURNAMENT IN JULY. THIS WAS PROBABLY THE 13TH YEAR THAT WHEA HAS PARTICIPATED. THE NEW WHEA PRESIDENT, BRIAN PUTKONEN AND THE EXECUTIVE VP, RON WZIONTKO HAD WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND BI-WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. 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 AND PROMOTE MEMBERSHIP. WE ALSO GREETED TEACHERS WHO WERE NEW TO WEST HARTFORD AT THE NEW TEACHER SOCIAL IN AUGUST. TEACHERS FROM ACROSS WEST HARTFORD GATHERED TOGETHER AT THE WHEA'S ANNUAL FALL SOCIAL IN SEPTEMBER TO CELEBRATE THE START OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. WE ALSO PRESENTED OUR "TEACHER OF THE YEAR - EMILY MCMCURRAY" WITH A PLAQUE AND A CHECK FOR THIS YEAR'S DUES. WE MOVED TO OUR NEW GOOGLE SITE TO TRANSITION COMMUNICATIONS TO YOUR HOME EMAIL ADDRESSES. THIS SHIFT ENSURES PRIVACY AND PREVENTS EXTERNAL INFLUENCE ON OUR MESSAGES. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCIENCE TEACHER GRIEVANCE. THIS GRIEVANCE HAS TO DO WITH THE AMOUNT OF CLASSES AND LABS THAT ARE GIVEN TO TEACHERS. THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE TEAM HAVE DECIDED TO ESCALATE THE MATTER TO A HEARING BEFORE AN ARBITRATOR. THE DATE IS SET FOR JUNE 25TH AT 10:00AM. REP TRAINING OCCURRED ON JANUARY 20, 2024 AT THE CEA HEADQUARTERS IN HARTFORD. FIFTEEN MEMBERS ATTENDED THE 9-3 TRAINING. WE GATHERED MEMBERS TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK ON JANUARY 26 FOR OUR WINTER SOCIAL. OVER 85 MEMBERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE AS CEA RETIREMENT SPECIALIST ROBYN KAPLAN-CHO PRESENTED THE CEA'S RETIREMENT WORKSHOP TO WEST HARTFORD AND COUNTY TEACHERS IN THE AUDITORIUM AT BRISTOW MIDDLE SCHOOL ON APRIL 23, 2024. ROBYN COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES RELATED TO THE STATE TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SUCH AS RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY, PURCHASING ADDITIONAL SERVICE, HOW SOCIAL SECURITY MAY BE AFFECTED, RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE, AND CHOOSING A RETIREMENT PLAN. IN ADDITION, MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO ATTEND HARTFORD COUNTY FORUMS DURING THE YEAR. THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MET MONTHLY AND AS NEEDED TO EXECUTE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. MONTHLY REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS WERE HELD TO INFORM MEMBERS OF ISSUES OR CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SEVERAL TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR NEW WHEA REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR MENTORS WERE HELD. AS NEEDED, THE WHEA EXECUTIVE VP CALLED THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE GRIEVANCES. OR 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 SURVES ALL MEMBERS FOUR TIMES PER YEAR TO SHARE SAFETY CONCERNS. THE WHEA SENT A MEMBER OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL TO EVERY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. IN ADDITION, WHEA MEMBERS ARE SEATED ON THE PLEC, TOWNWIDE SAFETY & HEALTH, SUPERINTENDENT'S ADVISORY AND A DISTRICTWIDE STIPEND COMMITTEE. 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 ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE CEF HOLIDAY BEAR PROJECT. 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 SCHOLORSHIP FUND, WHICH PROVIDES SCHOLORSHIPS 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. FINALLY, OUR WHEA PRESIDENT ATTENDED 10- MINUTE BUILDING REP MEETINGS IN PERSON AND ONLINE.SHE REPRESENTED TEACHERS ON TEVAL ASSISTANCE PLANS AND HELD WEEKLY 1:1 MEETINGS WITH CEA UNISERV. OUR CURRENT CONTRACT IS SET TO CONCLUDE AT THE END OF THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. THE WHEA WILL INITIATE NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW CONTRACT STARTING AUGUST 2024, A PROCESS EXPECTED TO LAST UNTIL AT LEAST DECEMBER OF 2024 IF NOT INTO FEBRUARY OF 2025. THIS PROCESS INVOLVES THE DEDICZTED EFFORTS OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE, WHOSE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING DISCUSSIONS.