No Pay Raise in Seven Years? Support Walton County Teachers!

[pelican41]

"Anderson said if the board were to accept WCEA’s proposal, its state-mandated fund balance would dip dangerously low. It might even require the district to declare a state of financial emergency."

"If the teachers can’t reach an agreement by June 1, the district will only get the 24 percent approved for the support personnel and forfeit the rest."

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/walton-teachers-union-stands-firm-in-pay-talks-1.296096

 

[Jdarg]

School board meeting in DeFuniak at 5 pm tomorrow night (Tuesday). From my inbox- thanks to everyone who has been following the school district news and has helped push these important issues!


Tomorrow – Tuesday, April 1 at 5pm – the Walton County School Board will hold its FINAL vote on whether to place the superintendent selection issue and the budget/tax issue as referendums on the August 26, 2014 ballot.
Thanks to YOUR efforts in reaching out to the board, we’re one step closer to a full public referendum on these important issues!
Can you attend the meeting tomorrow evening and voice your support for placing these items on the August 26 ballot? The meeting will be held at 5pm at the Tivoli Administrative Complex, 145 Park Street, DeFuniak Springs.
Even if you can’t make it, will you consider sending the following email to members of the Walton County School Board tonight or tomorrow morning? They need to hear from all of us one more time before they vote!
All you need to do is copy the school board's e-mail addresses into the “to” field of your email, and copy the content of the e-mail (which you can personalize), as well.
Here's the info for the e-mail...and thank you again:
[Copy these addresses into the ‘to’ field]:
SmithG@walton.k12.fl.us; Leddonf@walton.k12.fl.us; RobertsS@walton.k12.fl.us; davisMAR@walton.k12.fl.us; WallaceD@walton.k12.fl.us; waltoncitizens@gmail.com
[Subject]: Please Vote Yes!
[Content]:
I am writing to encourage you, once again, to place the Half Mill transfer and the superintendent selection referendums on the August 26, 2014 ballot.
I strongly believe that the public should have the opportunity to vote on these important issues in August – and I hope we can count on your support.

 

[Bob Wells]

School board meeting in DeFuniak at 5 pm tomorrow night (Tuesday). From my inbox- thanks to everyone who has been following the school district news and has helped push these important issues!


Tomorrow – Tuesday, April 1 at 5pm – the Walton County School Board will hold its FINAL vote on whether to place the superintendent selection issue and the budget/tax issue as referendums on the August 26, 2014 ballot.
Thanks to YOUR efforts in reaching out to the board, we’re one step closer to a full public referendum on these important issues!
Can you attend the meeting tomorrow evening and voice your support for placing these items on the August 26 ballot? The meeting will be held at 5pm at the Tivoli Administrative Complex, 145 Park Street, DeFuniak Springs.
Even if you can’t make it, will you consider sending the following email to members of the Walton County School Board tonight or tomorrow morning? They need to hear from all of us one more time before they vote!
All you need to do is copy the school board's e-mail addresses into the “to” field of your email, and copy the content of the e-mail (which you can personalize), as well.
Here's the info for the e-mail...and thank you again:
[Copy these addresses into the ‘to’ field]:
SmithG@walton.k12.fl.us; Leddonf@walton.k12.fl.us; RobertsS@walton.k12.fl.us; davisMAR@walton.k12.fl.us; WallaceD@walton.k12.fl.us; waltoncitizens@gmail.com
[Subject]: Please Vote Yes!
[Content]:
I am writing to encourage you, once again, to place the Half Mill transfer and the superintendent selection referendums on the August 26, 2014 ballot.
I strongly believe that the public should have the opportunity to vote on these important issues in August – and I hope we can count on your support.

So let me ask you a question, if you could vote today on the 1/2 mil transfer how would you vote?

 

[Jdarg]

Yes, of course. The vote moves the money from the money from the operating to the general fund, freeing it up for more uses. It is revenue neutral, not a new tax or anything, just moving the funds. It keeps $5 million very much needed dollars in the budget.

This referendum vote is to get it on the ballot in August, instead of a special election in May, which is costly.

 

[Bob Wells]

Yes, of course. The vote moves the money from the money from the operating to the general fund, freeing it up for more uses. It is revenue neutral, not a new tax or anything, just moving the funds. It keeps $5 million very much needed dollars in the budget.

This referendum vote is to get it on the ballot in August, instead of a special election in May, which is costly.

I understand the rational, my concern is that under the current political climate that it could easily fail.

 

[Jdarg]

It's an easy vote - yes on both! I am looking at these referendums as an opportunity to accelerate a meaningful and very public dialogue about our schools.

 

[Bob Wells]

Disappointed that Superintendent Anderson did not present the contract proposal from the teachers association to the school board to allow them to make a decision on the cost. Based on the article in the Defuniak Herald she said the difference would have put them below the requirements they must have in the bank. That was my shorten version of what I read. Seems odd that was mentioned outside of executive session. Teachers, don't negotiate against yourselves and don't let them bring back the same crap to the table!

 

[Bob Hudson]

Teachers are gaining their Voice !!!!


Several Walton County teachers talk about their pay

By KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News
Published: Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 17:09 PM.


After remaining quiet on the issue for months, a handful of Walton County teachers stepped forward to talk about their pay.

The educators said it was time to get their side out to the public, especially since another negotiation meeting is scheduled for this afternoon.

“I can’t even live in Santa Rosa Beach where I teach because I can’t afford it,” said Chris Mayer, who teaches at Emerald Coast Middle School.

The year after he was hired in 2007-08, Mayer said his pay dropped by more than $600 because the pay scale negotiated by the Walton County Education Association and the Walton County School Board called for less money for his experience the second year.

By the third year, he was back to his first year pay. His salary remained the same in the fourth year, but the fifth year remains unsettled.

Teachers initially hoped their pay would increase this year because Gov. Rick Scott declared he was setting aside money for teachers.

Instead of using all the money to pay teachers, the board and union put forth separate pay increase votes for staff and teachers.

Support staff approved their pay proposal increase, but the teachers shot theirs down.

In the month since, WCEA has proposed a salary schedule that would give all teachers about a 3 percent pay increase. They will find out Monday if the board will take it up. If an agreement can’t be reached, an impasse might be declared.

“We want it to end, but we want it to end fairly,” said teacher Elizabeth Adamson.

The teachers say they want to be able to support their families without government assistance or second jobs like Tracy Nick and her husband, who is also a teacher.

Nick has a master’s degree and teaches AP classes at South Walton High School, but she says her pay isn’t enough to cover basic costs of living.

“I’m just tired of struggling,” Nick said.

Want to go? The negotiation meeting begins Monday at 4:30 p.m. at the Wise Center located at 555 Walton Road in DeFuniak Springs.

 

[Bob Wells]

Stay strong teachers...

 

[Andy A]

Put simply and succinctly, what a travesty! 3%????? What a school board and administration!