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Sunday, September 17, 2017

Member Matters, posted 9-17-2-17 (dated 9-15-2017) Peace Day activities on Oahu and Hawaii Island; Free coffee; Free PD provider workshop; HSTA Benefits of Belonging, retirement workshops and more


        
Offer valid Sept. 19 and 26 at all McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii. Present your valid 2017-2018 school ID and receive a free medium hot or iced coffee.
Do you offer professional development to your colleagues? This free workshop is for you!


HSTA invites you to a free, one day workshop, to help you learn how to manage and grow your educational services business. This course is designed to support you in creating a platform to offer your expertise in a way that compensates you accordingly. The focus of this workshop is on the business side of operations, NOT adult learning theory or how to write professional development courses. 

The course will take place on Monday, Oct. 9 at the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership at the Richards Street YWCA downtown from 9 a.m.  to 3 p.m., with a working lunch included. The topics that will be covered by a variety of experts include:
 
  • Big Picture: Emerging Trends in Educational Consulting
  • The Consulting/Independent Contractor Model
  • Financial Management and Taxes
  • Cost, Pricing and Invoicing
  • Business Registration and Licensing

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by Oct. 1 at bit.ly/HSTAMINK  Space is very limited and seats will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Jessica Kato at jessicakato80@gmail.com with any questions.
 

Volunteer opportunity: Waianae Elementary to receive Labor of Love work Oct. 14

Please consider joining in the Labor of Love movement to help lift up students and create a better community by volunteering from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 14 for a half work day of campus improvement at Waianae Elementary. In addition to making improvements to the school's facilities, the effort by unions in Hawaii intends to fund Waianae's merit program to engender good behavior and academic success as well as provide each student with a school uniform t-shirt for their field trips. We need YOUR support as 300 volunteers are necessary to help make this Labor of Love a success.  Most of the volunteer work will be painting. The skilled labor will be carried out by members of trade unions. Sign up through the link below. Lunch is included.

Membership Services

SY16-17 Membership Services Committee
HILO 
HSTA New Teacher Dinner 
An evening filled with good food and information on the many benefits you receive as an HSTA member. You will also be able to meet our Hilo Chapter officers who are there to support you in your teaching profession.

Friday, Sept. 29, 5:30 p.m.
Nani Mau Gardens
RSVP by Sept 1 to Debra @ deblani29@yahoo.com

KONA
Whine & Dine – HYPE Event 
Wrap up your work week with Pau Hana Friday. Enjoy free food and network with our new educators and chapter leadership. Come with questions about your first two months of teaching and get them answered.

Kona Brewing Company
Friday, Sept. 295 - 7 p.m.
RSVP to bit.ly/929KonaBrew


Kona Chapter members: RSVP today for the Island $avings Plan workshop and receive a bento at the workshop Oct. 19.


LANAI 
Financial Planning 101
This seminar introduces members to the basics of financial planning. We will talk briefly about the State of Hawaii ERS pension, Social Security, the importance of the bank (savings and emergency funds), an introduction to insurance (life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance), and investing (pre-tax vs. after-tax investments, the power of compound interest, dollar-cost averaging, and NEA 403bs).
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 3 p.m.
Lanai RA, Classroom D-2, Lanai High and Elementary


MAUI 
Are You On Track To Retire? (Designed for those close to retirement)
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 5:30 p.m. (dinner provided)
Maui Arts and Cultural Center

Getting Started (Designed for millennials)
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. (lunch provided)
Maui Arts and Cultural Center

Hosted by our NEA MB Retirement Specialists, come find out about ERS, Social Security and other investment options. Seats are limited so please RSVP to Iris @ 808-951-7185 ext. 15.


OAHU
Are You On Track To Retire? 
Hosted by our NEA MB Retirement Specialists for you and your spouse.

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m. (dinner provided)
Oahu Country Club

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. (lunch provided)
Hawaii Prince Waikiki, Naio Room

Hosted by our NEA MB Retirement Specialists, come find out about ERS, social security, and other investment options.  Seats are limited so please RSVP to Tereen @ 808-951-7185 ext 21.

Benefits of Belonging 
Let's face it. We all could use extra help when it comes to our financial planning, income protection, long term care, and insurance needs. Meet the Specialists who will help you understand your HSTA benefit programs.

Thursday, Sept. 28, 4 p.m.
HSTA
1200 Ala Kapuna St.
RSVP by Sept. 21 to https://tinyurl.com/ycwoa42b

Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar 
Everyone dreams of retirement. Come find out how it’s possible from our HSTA-Rs and representatives from the State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS).

Thursday, Oct. 5, 4 p.m.
HSTA
1200 Ala Kapuna St.
RSVP by Sept. 22 to https://oct2017preretire.eventbrite.com

HSTA Baby Shower

Are you expecting or thinking about starting a family?  Questions about how long you can stay home with your baby? Let our UniServ Director share helpful information about the use of your sick leave, personal leave and family leave and the Maternity/Paternity Leave Sharing Program and Leave Without Pay for childcare so that you can plan and prepare for your time with your baby.  Do you need substitute teacher plans? We can cover that as well!

Thursday, Oct. 12
Vendor fair from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Speaker at 11 a.m.
RSVP by Oct. 2 to https://rsvphstababyshower2017.eventbrite.com

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.


From our August 25 Member Matters:

Here's a link to our new eight-minute Welcome to HSTA video that's a Google link instead of YouTube, allowing it to be played at DOE facilities.

Here's a Google link to HSTA's two-minute 2016-2017 Year of Action video, recapping major events of last school year.

Click here to look at the salary schedules.

HSTA members can find a PDF searchable copy of the new 2017-2021 HSTA Collective Bargaining Agreement (contract) at this link.

Here are resources for students, educators, and families to address and engage in the national dialogue about racism, hate and bias in the wake of recent events in Charlottesville.

From our August 18 Member Matters:

More information about the 21 hours of job-embedded professional development can be found in these DOE FAQs.

Guidelines for Reclassification of Teachers

Listen to the hour-long live interview with Hawaii Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto on KHPR.

From our August 11 Member Matters:

Read the criteria for earning probationary credit and tenure.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Posted 9-7-2017 (Sept. 6, 2017): Letter from HSTA president about DACA



                 
To my fellow educators:

On Monday, President Trump decided to end DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. These children have broken no law on their own accord and are productive Americans. There are 800,000 dreamers in the United States and potentially 2,000 here in Hawaii. These dreamers are not statistics. We know them and many of you have taught a dreamer in your class. They are our students and children; we have personally worked to help them improve their lives. We have even seen our dreamers go on to college, join the military to defend our country and become teachers in our neighboring classrooms.

To pull these children out of college, jobs and from their families is cruel and does not represent the values of the HSTA, NEA or the USA. As educators, we strive to give all children the equal opportunity of a quality education and a better life. We don’t ask about the immigration status of the children who enter our classrooms, and we work to educate them regardless of their background. Please urge Congress to act swiftly to pass the DREAM Act of 2017 – a permanent legislative solution that will provide a pathway toward citizenship for DACA recipients and Dreamers. Dial 1-855-764-1010 now to be connected to your members of Congress.  Here's an article with a link to urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act.

Here is a video link from NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia.

Our collective voice can make the difference in improving these children's lives and I urge you all to take action on their behalf.

Sincerely,

Corey Rosenlee
HSTA President
Copyright © 2017 Hawaii State Teachers Association, All rights reserved.
Mahalo for your engagement.

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Monday, September 4, 2017

Posted 9-4-2017 (Sept. 1, 2017): HSTA - Let us know your BOE and Legislature priorities!










The HSTA Government Relations Committee wants your input for its 2017-2018 legislative priorities.  The committee will use this feedback to craft its recommendations to the HSTA Board of Directors about HSTA priorities for the 2017-2018 Board of Education and 2018 legislative session.

Take HSTA’s legislative priorities survey 

The survey will close September 15, so please take a few minutes to answer questions as soon as you are able.


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.


Copyright © 2017 Hawaii State Teachers Association, All rights reserved.
Mahalo for your engagement.

Our mailing address is:
Hawaii State Teachers Association
1200 Ala Kapuna Street
HonoluluHI 96819

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Posted 8-29-2017 (July 28, 2017): HSTA: Contract hard copies arrive soon; EES manual now online; HSTA Maui sponsors forum with Gov. Ige Saturday; New HTSB system and website up Monda



2016-2017: A year of HSTA action


As teachers get ready to head back to work next week, it's a good time to look back at last school year, which was full of unprecedented action by thousands of teachers across the state, from sign waving to a huge march on the Capitol, to sending in and delivering testimony before key decision makers.

Watch this 2-minute video recapping a year of action that resulted in a strong four-year contract.
 

New contract should arrive at schools in mid-August
HSTA members can find a PDF searchable copy of the new 2017-2021 HSTA Collective Bargaining Agreement (contract) at this link.  We appreciate our members' patience while we got the contract document updated and formatted with all of the required changes. Hard copies of the contract should arrive at schools in mid August and will be distributed by HSTA Head Faculty Representatives.
Teachers will see a 13.6 percent compounded pay increase over the four-year contract with a re-opener after the second year only for health premiums and continuation of 21 hours for more pay.
 

2017-2018 EES manual is online
 
The Department of Education’s EES manual for 2017-2018 has gone live on the DOE website. Read the entire updated EES manual here.
Under our new contract, tenured, effective or better teachers will be streamlined (IPDP only) over the next two school years. Student learner outcomes (SLOs) are discontinued for tenured, effective teachers. The DOE is continuing the current EES system for non-tenured, less-than-effective and teachers with no rating. A joint committee will work with the new superintendent to "improve and develop a high quality teacher evaluation system" to begin in the 2019-2020 school year.
 

HSTA hosts Maui forum with Gov. Ige Saturday

Talk story with Gov. David Ige 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 29 in the multipurpose room at Baldwin High School in Wailuku.

The event is hosted by the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Questions can be referred to Alan Isbell, HSTA Maui Chapter president, at 281-5426 or at writenow808@gmail.com.
 

New HTSB system and website begin Monday 

The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board's new licensing system and website are set to be deployed on Monday, July 31.

New HTSB online licensing system launch. (Does not go live until Monday, July 31)

HTSB license and permit fee payment information.

Please contact HTSB at htsb@hawaii.gov or call 808-586-2600 if you have any questions.
 
Volunteer opportunity: Waianae Elementary to receive Labor of Love work Oct. 14

Please consider joining in the Labor of Love movement to help lift up students and create a better community by volunteering from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 14 for a half work day of campus improvement at Waianae Elementary. In addition to making improvements to the school's facilities, the effort by unions in Hawaii intends to fund Waianae's merit program to engender good behavior and academic success as well as provide each student with a school uniform t-shirt for their field trips. We need YOUR support as 300 volunteers are necessary to help make this Labor of Love a success.  Most of the volunteer work will be painting. The skilled labor will be carried out by members of trade unions. Sign up through the link below. Lunch is included.

Get involved in social justice  

Emerging leaders in HSTA have been digging deep into social justice work which was recently highlighted in NEA EDJustice, an effort that engages and mobilizes activists in the fight for racial, social and economic justice in public education. Their advocacy around teaching for joy and justice continued at the recent NEA RA in Boston, where Hawaii delegates were able to get new business items passed that increased teacher autonomy and professionalism with respect to Common Core State Standards (CCSS), engaged public school teachers in climate justice work and will educate public school teachers around the country about the events surrounding as well as the effects of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. The HSTA also recently published a new study by UH Manoa Professor Jonathan Okamura, entitled Unequal Opportunity: Ethnic Inequality in Public Education in Hawaii, which will inform our legislative efforts focusing on public school funding this year. (see below)

We would like to invite you to join us in these efforts to fight for equity and justice with and for our students, educators and school communities. Please complete this short survey, and email Amy Perruso at aperruso@hsta.org if you have any questions.
 

HSTA publishes Unequal Opportunity: Ethnic Inequality in Public Education in Hawaii 


 
In the publication “Unequal Opportunity: Ethnic Inequality in Public Education in Hawaii,” the HSTA demonstrates that ethnic inequality is “deeply entrenched in both [DOE and UH] sectors of public education.”
The publication focuses on ethnic inequality of student access, representation and graduation in both the DOE and UH systems, and argues that “the primary factor which maintains ethnic inequality in public education is the long-term under funding of the DOE and UH systems by the State Legislature, which continues to restrict the educational and broader socioeconomic advancement of minorities in Hawaii.”
Given the failure of the Legislature to respond to this issue in the last session, the timing of this publication by HSTA is critical and speaks to the importance of increased public awareness of the ways the starvation of the public education funding affects ALL of our children.
 

HSTA co-sponsors prison reform event Aug. 16 

HSTA's first social justice event of the new school year begins by taking steps to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center in partnership with HSTA presents "Dismantling Mass Incarceration: Prospects For Reform," a talk by Robert Perkinson, an associate professor of American Studies at UH Manoa. The event will be held Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 5:30 p.m., at Aliiolani Hale, 417 S. King Street, across from Iolani Palace. To RSVP and for more information, call the Judiciary History Center at 539-4999.

Perkinson is a nationally recognized prison expert whose book "Texas Tough: The Rise of America's Prison Empire" won the PEN American Center's John Kenneth Galbraith Award for best non-fiction book published in 2009 and 2010.

Read more about "Dismantling Mass Incarceration: Prospects For Reform," Aug. 16 at Aliiolani Hale.
 

Increase your skills and pay with HSTA PD! 
 
HSTA's professional development courses are open for enrollment, with teachers teaching teachers. The courses include 21st century learning, inclusion, STEM, environmental education, cultural-based education, classroom management and teacher leadership.

Read more about HSTA PD courses and register here.

Schools have been paying for teachers to take HSTA courses and receive PD credits, since they take place outside of the workday. To take advantage of this great deal, please register yourself for the course (so that you secure a seat) and once your school sends us payment, we will process a reimbursement to you. Schools can use HSTA Vendor #021749
 



Don’t miss out on teacher discounts: 
 
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.


Watch this 2-minute video recapping a year of action that resulted in a strong four-year contract.

HSTA members can find a PDF searchable copy of the new 2017-2021 HSTA Collective Bargaining Agreement (contract) at this link.

Read the entire updated EES manual here.

New HTSB online licensing system launch.  (Does not go live until Monday, July 31)

HTSB license and permit fee payment information.

Read more about "Dismantling Mass Incarceration: Prospects For Reform," Aug. 16 at Aliiolani Hale.

Unequal Opportunity: Ethnic Inequality in Public Education in Hawaii

Read more about the Labor of Love Oct. 14 effort to improve Waianae Elementary.

Sign up for the Labor of Love Oct. 14 effort to improve Waianae Elementary.

Read more about HSTA PD courses and register here.

From our last Member Matters July 14:
Copyright © 2017 Hawaii State Teachers Association, All rights reserved.
Mahalo for your engagement.

Our mailing address is:
Hawaii State Teachers Association
1200 Ala Kapuna Street
HonoluluHI 96819