HSTA opposes arming teachers while superintendent, HPD decry threats to Hawaii schools
Arming teachers and bringing guns onto school campuses does nothing to protect students and teachers from gun violence, said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee, who was interviewed live Friday during a round table discussion on Hawaii Public Radio’s The Conversation program about gun threats in Hawaii’s schools.
Reacting to President Donald Trump’s proposal to allow school staff members such as teachers to carry guns, Rosenlee said that’s a bad idea.
At the Florida high school where 17 students and teachers were killed by a former student using a semi-automatic rifle last week, “There was a sheriff at that school, he had a gun. He was trained. And that sheriff didn’t want to go against an AR-15,” Rosenlee said. “Do we expect the math teacher or the lunch lady to do it? It’s ridiculous to make our schools armed camps. What’s the next step, are we going to put up machine gun nests and barbed wire as well?”
“Schools are places for people to learn. If you want to arm teachers, arm us with books, arm us with air conditioners, arm us with computers. Those are the things we need to be armed with,” Rosenlee continued. “Arming our schools is not going to make our schools a safe place. As a parent, I don’t want a teacher with a gun in that school because things happen when you have guns. Mistakes are made. Guns go off. I want my daughter to go to school where she’s in a safe place, where she has a chance to learn.”
At a joint news conference with the Honolulu Police Department Friday morning, Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto appeared to oppose the president’s idea of arming teachers.
Read the full story, which includes an update on school threats in Hawaii and a call for more counselors
From Hawaii Public Radio: Listen to the entire 52-minute live program with HSTA's Corey Rosenlee and other guests discussing school safety
From the NEA: Parents, educators 'overwhelmingly reject' arming school staff
From Politico: School safety money would be slashed in Trump budget
Two days before the school shooting in Florida that left 17 dead, the Trump administration proposed cutting millions in federal education programs meant to help prevent crime in schools and assist them in recovery from tragedies.
HSTA contract advisory: Education administration credits can now be used towards reclassification
The Hawaii State Teachers Association is pleased to announce we recently came to agreement with the Hawaii Department of Education regarding a pilot program allowing for bargaining unit 05 employees to use education administration credits towards reclassification.
The agreement reached modifies the following section of the HSTA collective bargaining agreement (contract) for school years 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020. The modification deletes the words “excluding education administration” for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020. The change means teachers may use education administration credits towards reclassification, within the guidelines provided.
The DOE memo about this pilot program can be found here.
The guidelines related to utilizing education administration courses for reclassification can be found here.
The guidelines provide details on the types of courses that qualify for this pilot program as well as the procedures to process the courses for approval and submit for reclassification. It is very important that teachers follow all of the procedures for administration approval, submission of forms and final submission of credits to the reclassification office. Failure to follow the procedures and/or late submission of credits will result in denial of credits being available for reclassification.
Read the complete contract advisory on educational administration credits here
HSTA Institute: You Are the Union!
HSTA has produced a video with images of a few of the thousands of teachers from across the state who participated in Teacher Institute events last week. Mahalo for the great turnout!
Thanks to all of you who voted in state and chapter elections during Institute. Ballots will be counted by the HSTA Elections Committee at the HSTA Honolulu Office on February 24, beginning at 9 a.m.Observers are welcome. State office winners will be announced once they have been certified by the HSTA's Board of Directors. Chapter office winners will be released once they have been certified by their chapter's executive board.
If you registered at Institute, you're still eligible for HSTA's iPad contest until midnight
 Member Matters iPad contest code: IREADMEMBERMATTERS During Institute Week, teachers across the state had the opportunity to enter to win one of three iPads and three HSTA prize packs. Teachers must be active members of HSTA and have registered at their respective Institute Day locations to win. You can still enter the contest now by clicking the link below and completing some of the ways to enter on the contest page. Don’t forget to use the Member Matters code above to earn five entries! Answer four multiple choice questions about HSTA for more entries.The more items you complete, the greater your chances are for winning! The contest ends Friday, Feb. 23 at 11:59 p.m. Click here to enter! bit.ly/institutecontest2018
Teaching license expiring? Renew now so the state pays for your renewal if you qualify
If this is the year your teacher license expires, you must renew by June 30 to assure that the state pays your $54 renewal fee. Otherwise, you have to cover the cost. The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board needs an up-to-date email address from you to remind you about upcoming deadlines and other important developments. Read HTSB reminders here. Just need to pay your license/permit fee? If you don’t qualify yet for the DOE fee payment, go online and pay your fee before June 30 to avoid a late fee.
Please take one minute to send an electronic testimony card to lawmakers; Just fill in your name and address and we'll do the rest
We need one minute of your time to make sure we adequately fund Hawaii’s public schools. All we are asking for is that the people of Hawaii get a chance to vote on whether they want to increase public funding for education. So we're asking you to submit an electronic testimony card with this language: RE: Hawaii’s public schools are chronically underfunded, leading to teacher shortages, large class sizes, and a failure to prepare our special needs students. I am asking you to support SB 2922 and HB 2608 to build the schools our keiki deserve by supporting a Constitutional Amendment that would allow the Legislature to fund a quality public education for all of Hawaii’s children, including the recruitment and retention of teachers, public preschools, lower class sizes, special education programming, career and technical education, art, music, Hawaiian studies, Hawaiian language instruction, and after school programs by establishing a surcharge on visitor accommodations and residential investment property valued at one million dollars or greater, excluding a homeowner’s primary residence, as provided by law. Could you take a minute to click this link and fill out your senator and representative's names (there's a drop down and an easy enter-your-address-find-your- lawmaker-link), your name and home address (important so lawmakers know you are a constituent) and we'll deliver the cards to lawmakers! Mahalo for again working together to ask legislators to fund a quality public education for all of Hawaii’s children. The link is also available at: bit.ly/hstaconam2018Mahalo, Mitzie Higa HSTA Government Relations Specialist
EUTF's 2018 rates; Find the best plan for you and your family
The Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (more commonly known as EUTF) provides medical, chiropractic, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to all eligible State of Hawaii, City and County employees and retirees. Each year, the EUTF holds an open enrollment period allowing for employees to modify their plan enrollments. Please see this chart for the EUTF and HSTA VB Health Benefit Premium Rates effective July 1, 2018. It is in every member’s best interest to analyze the health plans available and decide which plan(s) best meet member's and their family’s health care needs, taking cost and coverage into consideration. To help you with your decision, EUTF holds open enrollment informational sessions. HSTA understands how difficult it is for our members to attend these sessions as most of them happen during the work day. Therefore, HSTA has invited EUTF to participate in a Facebook live presentation on March 27.
Maui teacher appeals for leave sharing as she fights cancer
 Aloha,
My name is Zayna Stoycoff and I’m a teacher at Lokelani Intermediate school on Maui. I live in beautiful Kihei with my husband, and my daughter Holland, who is eight. In October 2017, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. To date I’ve had three surgeries, and I’m anticipating a minimum of two more. I’m currently undergoing a very strong regimen of chemotherapy, which has left me pretty much bedridden. This will be followed by radiation. Due to the nature of the treatments, my doctors have strongly suggested that I stay home for work. I’ve been off work without pay since October, and will not be returning until next school year. I’d love to be able to concentrate on healing, but unfortunately I have to worry about supporting my family. This illness has been a tremendous financial hardship for us. I’m humbly asking for any leave donations, that you are comfortable sharing with me. It will be greatly appreciated, and payed forward when I’m back on my feet. Please contact my SASA to process leave sharing information: Alicia L. Viernes ( Alicia_Viernes/LOKELANI/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us) Lokelani Intermediate School (808) 727-3310Mahalo!
HSTA Social Justice Summit March 3; Register now!
Hear from panelists including Bo Frank, a Radford High teacher and the parent of transgender student who began identifying as a girl at age 6 to talk about the difficulties transgender youth and their families face; Mara Pike from Mental Health America, who will talk about anti-bullying efforts, Rebecca Liebowitz from the New Mexico Law Center who will address the challenges of undocumented youth and the DACA program, plus Kathryn Xian from the Pacific Association to Stop Slavery, who will talk about human trafficking.
HawaiiUSA credit union stipend available: Apply now
The 2018 Stipend Application Form is now available on HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union's website for any interested DOE Professional or Para-Professionals. www.hawaiiusafcu.com/stipendAny member you know who has taken/completed any classes that helped further their career development may apply. Postmarked deadline to apply is March 16, 2018. Proceeds are derived from the Annual HawaiiUSA FCU Golf Tournament. For more details, they may also contact Hawaii DOE PDE3: (Kevin Okazaki (808) 441-8327)
HSTA VEBA open enrollment
The Membership Services Committee would like to remind you that it is open enrollment time for Critical Illness Insurance and Basic Plus Life Insurance from HSTA VEBA Benefits during the month of February. The VEBA Trust is also offering any teacher to enroll in their first VEBA benefit FREE Basic Long Term Care Insurance! That's right; your premium will be covered and paid for as long as you are an HSTA member. It's a great time to sign up for your first benefit! Maui Financial Education Workshops Are You on Track to Retire? Thursday, March 1 5:30 p.m. (Dinner) Maui Arts and Cultural Center One Cameron Way Kahului, HI 96732 Please RSVP to https://goo.gl/LKsWMBGetting Started (Designed for Millennials) Thursday, March 294 p.m. (Early Dinner) Wailuku Elementary School Library 355 South High StreetWailuku, HI 96793 Please RSVP by March 19 to https://goo.gl/g6pucZ Kauai Financial Education Workshops Getting Started (Designed for Millennials) Tuesday, March 274:00 pm (meal provided) Wilcox Elementary School Library 4319 Hardy Street Lihue, HI 96766 Please RSVP by March 19 https://goo.gl/DKyQ2VAre You on Track to Retire? Tuesday, April 174 p.m. (early dinner) Ho`okipa Café at Puakea Golf Course 4150 Nuhou StreetLihue, HI 96766 Please RSVP by April 6 https://goo.gl/A1wJZK Oahu: Are You on Track to Retire Workshops Tuesday, March 6 6 p.m. (Dinner) Prince Waikiki 100 Holomoana StreetHonolulu, HI 96815 Please RSVP by Feb. 22 to https://goo.gl/8wuCm7Tuesday, March 20 11 a.m. (Lunch) Prince Waikiki 100 Holomoana StreetHonolulu, HI 96815 Please RSVP by March 8 to https://goo.gl/U6AUKxTuesday, April 10 6 p.m. (Dinner) Waikele Country Club 94-200 Paioa PlaceWaipahu,HI 96797 Please RSVP by March 30 to https://goo.gl/PDduRr
Nominate a Hawaii teacher for the prestigious STACY award
Each year, each NEA affiliate nominates one outstanding educator for the NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence. These prestigious awards recognize, reward and promote excellence in both teaching and advocacy for the profession. They also honor public education and the dedicated members of the National Education Association. HSTA gives our state-level winner the STACY Award, in memory of the beloved late HSTA Deputy Executive Director Stacy Nishina, a former public school teacher from Kauai. Nominate a Hawaii teacher for an NEA Foundation Award by Feb. 26
Subscribe to and follow HSTA's social media accounts
Be sure to subscribe to HSTA's YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram for the latest videos, photos and news about our Association and public schools in Hawaii.
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