As negotiations begin, state reports record $1B surplus
The state was holding a record-setting $1 billion general treasury cash surplus when it closed the books on last fiscal year, an extraordinary sum that likely will alter the course of contract negotiations as the state and counties begin a new round of bargaining with Hawaii’s public employee unions, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday.
Wes Machida, director of the state Department of Budget and Finance, said the estimated $1 billion surplus for the year ending June 30 is the largest he can recall, and said the state was able to accumulate that large cash cushion by restricting state departments’ spending even as state tax collections exceeded the official projections. "For years, the state has balanced its books on the backs of our members by claiming poverty while other units were rewarded with higher pay," said HSTA Negotiations Committee Chair Osa Tui, the registrar at McKinley High. "At the same time, our members have had to jump through hoops to prove their effectiveness and have not been compensated accordingly. Now that the coffers are full, the state needs to respect our profession and make amends with our members." Please finish this Negotiations Compensation Survey by Monday, Aug. 29HSTA President Corey Rosenlee said Hawaii has a “teaching crisis” because Hawaii teachers are underpaid, which led to 625 teaching vacancies at the start of the school year.
“To continually underpay your teachers to the point where we don’t have teachers is a tragedy for the state, and so because they have this surplus, they need to start investing in our schools,” Rosenlee said.
HSTA and the state exchanged initial proposals in their first negotiations session Aug. 15.
Contract advisory: Educator Effectiveness System
Click here for an important EES update with FAQs
Changes to the Educator Effectiveness System (EES) for this school year eliminated the mandatory requirement for student assessment scores to be used as a component for teacher evaluation. The change in policy opened the door for the HSTA to modify its contract language requiring the use of test scores. The Board of Education policy and contract changes led to changes in the EES process for school year 2016-2017.
At the same BOE meeting where EES policy changes were approved in May, the EES Joint Committee submitted recommendations for changes. From there, Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi made the final decisions on possible EES changes. In mid-June the HSTA and our Joint Committee members were provided a draft of the new EES manual. In response, the HSTA provided six pages of feedback and concerns regarding the pending changes to the EES process and procedures.
The HSTA wants members to know that while we acknowledge that the superintendent has the final say on the design and implementation of the EES, we have serious concerns and do not agree with all the superintendent’s EES changes. Specifically, the HSTA does not support the change that requires an unsatisfactory rating on a teacher’s observation/working portfolio or core professionalism component to result in an overall unsatisfactory rating on the entire teacher practice rating. We believe that each section of teacher practice should be rated individually and calculated accordingly.
Click here for an important EES update with FAQs
Who is the Membership Services Committee?
The committee is composed of fellow teachers who represent all 12 chapters as well as retirees. Their goal is to help support you in your professional and personal lives by providing new educator meetings, member benefits, and pre-retirement workshops. They also work closely with the HSTA VEBA Trust to promote products that will help ensure the health and well being of you and your family.
Hawaiian Telcom delivers state-of-the-art TV service and Hawaii’s fastest Internet with speeds up to 1 Gig at amazing prices. With free installation, a 30-day money back guarantee and no contracts, you can’t lose. Switch now and save an additional 10 percent off TV and Internet service with your HSTA membership. Call 643-3456 today.
Benefits of Belonging
New educators, come find out how HSTA supports you!
Get connected to:
- Our HSTA community and member benefits
- HSTA VEBA Trust insurance plans and protection
- Our HYPE (Hawaii Young Professional Educators) program for new educators
- Professional development courses https://pd.hsta.org/events-training/
Benefits of Belonging meetings will be held:
Thursday, Sept. 8, 3:30 p.m.
Location: Maui High School Library, 660 Lono Ave.,
Kahului, Maui
Sign up for Maui Benefits of Belonging
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m.
Location: Hookele Elementary School, 511 Kunehi St.,
Kapolei, Oahu
Sign Up for Kapolei Benefits of Belonging
Tuesday, Sept. 20, 4 p.m.
Location: HSTA Headquarters, 1200 Ala Kapuna St., Honolulu, Oahu
Sign Up for HSTA/Red Hill Benefits of Belonging
Friday, Sept. 23, 5:30 p.m.
Location: Sodexo, UH Hilo Dining Hall, Hilo, Hawaii Island
Sign Up: Email Debra Borges atdeblani29@yahoo.com
Monday, Sept. 26, 4 p.m.
Location: Mililani High School HQuad, 95-1200 Meheula Parkway, Mililani, Oahu
Sign Up for the Mililani Benefits of Belonging
Tuesday, Sept. 27, 4 p.m.
Location: McKinley High School Library, 1039 South King St., Honolulu, Oahu
Sign Up for the McKinley Benefits of Belonging
While we all hope our members will remain healthy throughout their working years, the reality is we don’t know when we may become ill or injured and run out of paid sick leave days. The HSTA VEBA Trust is committed to HSTA members and offers a Short Term Income Protection plan especially for Active HSTA Members.
As an added benefit, the HSTA VEBA Trust will subsidize up to $10 of the monthly premium for members who enroll in and maintain the maximum coverage they are eligible for.
To learn more about this plan, visit our website at www.hstaveba.org or call the HSTA VEBA Trust office at 440-6940 (Oahu) or 1-800-637-4926 (Neighbor Islands).
McDonald’s of Hawaii celebrates teacher appreciation by giving teachers free coffee in September
When: Every Tuesday in September
What: McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii honors teachers with "Teacher Appreciation Month" in September
Where: All participating McDonald's Restaurants in Hawaii
Details: McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii wants to thank teachers for all they do for our keiki. During the month of September, teachers will get a free medium cup of hot or iced McCafe® Royal Kona Blend every Tuesday at participating McDonald's locations in Hawaii.
- No purchase necessary
- Teachers must present their valid 2016 school ID upon ordering
- Limit one free cup of coffee per person, per visit
- Offer dates:
- Tuesdays: Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27
- Offer times:
Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Info
ERS brown bag sessions will be held for members of different retirement plans this fall on Oahu.
Members can attend brown bag sessions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the City Financial Tower, ERS office, 201 Merchant St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, on the following dates based on their type of plan:
Non-Contributory Plan: Thurs., Sept. 8
Contributory Plan: Thurs., Sept. 22
Hybrid Plan: Thurs., Oct. 20
If you live on the neighbor islands, get in touch with your island's ERS representative for more information.
2016 fall retirement filing schedule
Thinking of retiring? Schedule your ERS counseling appointment now. ERS recommends you attend a pre-retirement informational session at least one year prior to your anticipated retirement date. Contact ERS approximately six to seven months before your retirement date to schedule a counseling appointment at the ERS' office.
For more information contact (808) 586-1735 or visit http:ers.ehawaii.gov under “Members>Retirement Planning”
- To retire Oct. 1, you must file by Sept. 1
- To retire Nov. 1, you must file by Sept. 30
- To retire Dec. 1, you must file by Nov. 1
- To retire Dec. 31, you must file by Dec. 1
Speak out for school improvements in ESSA survey; ESSA Town Hall set for Saturday on Molokai
Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the current state of public education in Hawaii and the ways in which you think it should be transformed. This is a teachers survey put together by Gov. David Ige's Every Student Succeeds Act Task Force.
Take the brief teachers' ESSA survey here.
It's important that the task force hears compelling stories from the classroom front lines by people in the best position to know what needs to change at the Department of Education: public school educators. Only two of the 19 members of the task force are public school teachers.
Please make time to show up and be heard at the upcoming ESSA meetings nearest you.
- Sat., Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Kaunakakai Elementary School, Molokai
- Wed., Sept. 7, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Maui High School, Maui
- Wed., Sept. 7, 6 to 8 p.m. Castle High School, Oahu
- Thurs., Sept. 8, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Lanai High and Elementary School, Lanai
- Wed., Sept. 14, 6 to 8 p.m., Moanalua High School, Oahu
For an updated town hall list and to register, click here.
These ESSA talking points can be used by teachers to prepare to speak at the task force meetings throughout the state that end Sept. 14.
Celebrate Peace Day with events on Hawaii Island and Oahu Sept. 24
HSTA's Youth, Human and Civil Rights Committee encourages teachers to celebrate the 2016 International Day of Peace by promoting peace education within their classrooms and conducting a peace education activity with their students.
This year's theme for Peace Day, celebrated worldwide on Sept. 21, is The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace
More information on the UN's Peace Day events
• Peace Poster Contest
Students and teachers from around the globe will be urged to express their own interpretation of this year’s Peace Poster Contest theme: “Peace = Future.”
For more on the Peace Poster Contest, click here.
Hawaii Peace Day Events
• Island of Oahu, Pearl City
Sat., Sept. 24, 2016
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
This year, Peace Day Hawaii will be held on the grounds of the Urban Garden Center, 955 Kamehameha Hwy., Pearl City, Oahu.
For more info on the Oahu Peace Day event, click here.
• Island of Hawaii, Honokaa
Peace Day Parade
Sat., Sept. 24, 2016
4 p.m.
Mamane Street; entertainment to include marching bands, taiko drummers, hula, bon dancers, cirque performers and multicultural music and entertainment.
Peace Day Festival, Honokaa
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016
5 - 7 p.m.
For more info on Big Island Peace Day events, click here.
Hawaii teachers recognized by president for excellence in math, science
President Barack Obama recognized four Hawaii public school teachers Monday as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The teachers will receive $10,000 each from the National Science Foundation and a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
“The Hawaii State Teachers Association is so proud that four of our members have gained national recognition for the excellent work they are doing with public school students,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee. “They represent the very best and we send our congratulations for their classroom leadership in science and math.”
The award recipients are as follows:
- Eliza Akana Yoshida, Puu Kukui Elementary (K-6 Math awardee)
- Stan Mesina, August Ahrens Elementary (K-6 Science awardee)
- Alicia Nakamitsu, Aiea High (7-12 Math awardee)
- Bryan Silver, Kalani High (7-12 Science awardee)
Read more about the 4 Hawaii teachers who won presidential honors in math, science
Know your rights: teacher protection
Your contract requires the employer to provide “legal counsel for teachers who are sued for actions taken by them in the course of their employment and within the scope of their duties and responsibilities” (Article X, page 47).
In addition to the contract requirements, the HSTA and National Education Association (NEA) membership entitles teachers to $1 million of professional liability insurance through the HSTA/NEA Educators Employment Liability (EEL) insurance program. Your coverage is worldwide, includes coverage on and off school grounds, and is in force 24 hours a day, as long as you are performing your educational employment activities.
For more details on the EEL program, click here You may also contact your local HSTA office for more information.
Read the Hawaii Edition of NEA Today that arrived in your mailbox this week
What kinds of similarities does the Kapolei Middle School librarian honored by the White House see between being a librarian and a musician?
Hawaii's teacher of the year grappled with whether to flash the shaka when she met President Barack Obama. What she decided, and why.
Excerpts on whole child education as well as retention and recruitment from Schools Our Keiki Deserve.
A negotiations timeline. What's involved in the bargaining process?
Read those stories and more in the summer edition of NEA Today. |
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