Member Matters for September 4, 2015

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21. The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” which aims to highlight the importance of all segments of society to work together to strive for peace.  On this day, the HSTA Youth, Human, and Civil Rights Committee encourages all members to do one thing to support Peace Day. Find out about events in Hawaii and classroom resourceshere>>>

Professional Development Member surveys show that professional development is important to teachers.  Take advantage of offerings available on HSTA's NEWProfessional Development website created for teachers by teachers. Sign up for these popular classes now: Singapore Math Foundations of Number Sense—3 PD Credits http://pd.hsta.org/courses/singapore-math-foundations-of-number-sense/ Class Start Dates: Hilo—10/5 (Hawaii Convention Center) Oahu—10/17 & 2/13 (Red Hill Elementary) Maui—2/13 (TBD) Kauai—3/21 (TBD) Family School Partnerships—3-PD Credits http://pd.hsta.org/courses/test-course-02/ Class Start Dates: Oahu—9/12 (University of Hawaii, Manoa—Free Parking Passes) “I Can Do It!” Effective Classroom Management Systems for Teachers—3-PD Credits http://pd.hsta.org/courses/course-3/ Class Start Dates: Oahu—9/12 (Farrington HS) Oahu—9/26 (Waikiki Elementary) Oahu—10/17 (Waikiki Elementary) Maui—10/17 (Paia & Pomaikai Elementary) Oahu—1/16 (HSTA) ___________________________ Are You Eligible for Student Loan Forgiveness? The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession. For information on whether you can get your federal student loans forgiven or canceled for your service as a teacher, go to the Federal Student Aid website. Reclassification Resource - August 20, 2015 Member Matters http://eepurl.com/bwGGfT YHCR Youth, Human, and Civil Rights Committee September 2015 Peace Day Deadline to nominate: January 11, 2016 Friend of Youth Award Pono Award January 18, 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade

From Our President Statewide Listening Tour  Thank you for coming out to share the issues impacting teachers and students. Temperature is just one issue that impacts teaching and learning environments. HSTA has been meeting with the Department of Education and Legislators. Heat abatement was on the Board of Education's September 1 agenda and HSTA President Corey Rosenlee was at the meeting to share HSTA's plan. Every education decision is a political decision. Each year the members from every chapter on the Government Relations Committee (GRC) strive to promote and advance the cause of public education through political and legislative activities. The Government Relations Committee encourages our members to help identify the legislative priorities they would like the Association, HSTA, to focus on during the legislative session via a survey open to all members.  Thank you to those who participated in this year’s survey.  See survey results here>>> Member responses helped the teachers on the Government Relations Committee formulate legislative priorities that were recommended to the Board of Directors for approval on August 29, 2015.   Read 2016 Legislative Priorities here>>> 2016 HSTA LOBBYING TEAM Mitzie Higa Teacher Lobbyist Kendra Ito-Mizota Government Relations Specialist Corey Rosenlee President Wilbert Holck Executive Director What are your chances of becoming disabled? The following statistics come from Council for Disability Awareness’ Personal Disability Quotient disability risk calculator: 1 A typical female, age 35, 5’4”, 125 pounds, non-smoker, who works mostly an office job, with some outdoor physical responsibilities, and who leads a healthy lifestyle has the following risks: A 24% chance of becoming disabled for 3 months or longer during her working career;                  -With a 38% chance that the disability would last                    5 years or longer                  -And with the average disability for someone like                   her lasting 82 months. If that same person used tobacco and weighed 160 pounds, the risk would increase to a 41% chance of becoming disabled for 3 months or longer. Learn more about long or short term disability income protection at our website,www.hstaveba.org or call our office at 808-440-6940 or 1-800-637-4926 (toll free from neighbor islands). 1.http://www.disabilitycanhappen.org/chances_disability/pdq.asp

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee talks about plans for air conditioning.

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee talks about plans for air conditioning. View this email in your browser

A Letter from the President

Aloha Colleagues, Yes, it is very hot; and temperatures have been rising in our classrooms. I want you to know that HSTA is working to give our members and our students better teaching and learning environments; and cooling our classrooms is an important element.  The heat impacts learning by taking away the opportunity for students to make every day in school count.  This is where the power of a union can make a difference.  We are meeting with the Department of Education and State Legislators to gather a workgroup of key stakeholders to address this important issue.   Work Toward Solutions Other Than Chasing the $1.7 billion Price Tag The Department of Education estimates it will cost $1.7 billion to air condition our classrooms.  That’s over $100,000 for one classroom.  The Legislature currently is allocating just a limited amount of funding to education each year, and this means the state averages air conditioning just one school every other year. If we don’t bring down the cost of air conditioning, then our schools will still be suffering through this problem into the next century. Our Suggestion:  We need to throw out the $1.7 billion dollar plan, because it is never going to happen.  We want to bring together stakeholders and rethink the problem and  bring down the cost so we actually address the issue of hot classrooms. 1.  Survey.  We need to think about the problem not as a school problem, but a classroom problem. Even in a school without air conditioning there are some classrooms that do have air conditioning.  In 2007, the Honolulu Advertiser stated that there were 7000 public school classrooms without AC. The DOE is working on a survey this month trying to assess how many classrooms have air conditioning. Note that even if they find 7000 classrooms at $100,000, the price tag would be $700 million, not $1.7 billion. 2. Alternatives and Solutions. Next we need to bring down the cost per room. The biggest expense in putting air conditioning in our classrooms is electrical. Hawaii’s public classrooms are on average over 65 years old, and the electrical infrastructure can’t handle the load of air conditioning. In order to put in air conditioning, the DOE needs to upgrade the electrical system and insulate the rooms to prevent higher electrical costs. Recently Pohakea Elementary put in air conditioning and that cost was $110,000 per room.  In order to solve this problem, HSTA is suggesting the DOE use a solar air conditioning instead. The DOE is already experimenting with an on-the-grid air conditioning system at Waianae High. http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29765380/pv-ac-cools-waianae-classroom We are also asking the DOE to experiment with an off-the- grid air conditioning system, that doesn’t require electrical upgrades or future costs. http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/off-the-grid-air-conditioning/. These systems can bring down the cost to $20,000 or less per room. While they may not work for every classroom, they could bring down the costs for an entire school. At $20,000 per class for 7000 classrooms we can bring down the cost from $1.7 billion to $140 million. This price becomes more manageable to ask the Legislature to fund. Even at $25 million a year, we could solve this problem in less than 6 years. 3. What can you do now to solve the problem? There are some schools that have the electrical system that can support air conditioning now. Teachers, parents, and community members can donate air conditioning for these classrooms, if your principal approves. Here's how http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ConnectWithUs/Organization/SchoolFacilities/Pages/AC-Donation.aspx 4. In the meantime, we are also looking at pursuing the option of “heat days” where school would be cancelled with the heat and humidity create a dangerous and unhealthy teaching and learning environment. We will keep you updated about the results of our meetings with decision-makers and community leaders as we work toward solutions to enhance teaching and learning conditions in our public schools. You are HSTA.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts and questions. Please email info@hsta.org.  Sincerely, Corey Rosenlee President

HSTA Petitions Ethics Commission

HSTA filed a Petition for a Declaratory Order with the State’s Ethics Commission (EC) to request clarification regarding the EC’s decision to prohibit teachers from accepting free travel and other benefits from tour companies while serving as chaperones for school trips.   View this email in your browser

Aloha Colleagues, We wanted to let you know that the HSTA has filed a Petition for Declaratory Order with the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission (EC). This Petition is in regards to the EC’s memo stating that State Ethics Code prohibits Department of Education (DOE) teachers and other state employees from accepting free travel and other benefits from tour companies while serving as chaperones on student educational trips. Every year, dozens of schools offer educational trips to their students and many have already started to plan and fundraise for upcoming trips. Our members dedicate personal time and resources to coordinate, chaperone and plan curriculum, often times supervising students in other cities and countries for 24 hours, for as long as the trip lasts. We believe that the decision by the EC is detrimental to our students, and we are exploring all legal options including the filing of today’s Petition. We will continue to keep you posted on any updates regarding this matter, and if it will impact school trips moving forward. Mahalo, Corey Rosenlee President

Teacher Institute Dates, SY 2015-2016

Save the date, Teacher Institute October 12-16 2015.
October 12-Oahu
October 13-Maui
October 14-Big Island
October 14-Kauai
October 16-Molokai
TBD-Lanai

HSTA Professional Development Website

New! HSTA Professional Development Website

Check out our courses at pd.hsta.org

• Search for the latest HSTA professional development courses made by teachers, for teachers. We are excited to announce the creation of our new Professional Development website: www.pd.hsta.org. 
• Conveniently pay your course fee online.

Listening Tour Schedule

Listening Tour

HILO:  Tuesday, September 8 – 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Hilo - ILWU Hall

Coming soon to a location near you! Join a members only listening tour

Thu, July 30, 2015 - 6:51

School has started and we want to hear what’s on your mind.

What is your vision for public education in Hawaii?  How can we make public education a priority in our state in order to create the schools our children deserve?

Please join us.  Light refreshments will be provided.

SAVE THE DATE!  Mark your calendars.

August 6, 2015, 11:24 a.m.,  Please watch for additional times and locations.

Updated August 7, 2015, 10:15 a.m.

Come to the Member Listening Tour!

“What is your vision for public education in Hawaii?”
“What are the impediments to that vision?”
“How can we change this?”

Download a schedule HERE » (pdf)
Updated August 24, 2015
Updated August 21, 2015
(Updated August 12, 2015)

Tuesday, August 11 – 3:15 p.m.
Molokai High School Library ~ Mahalo, Molokai Teachers!

Wednesday, August 12 – 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Pearl City High School Library ~Mahalo for sharing your thoughts!

Thursday, August 13 – 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Mililani High School, Room C-103

~Mahalo for the great Central turnout!  We appreciated hearing from you.

Information collected during the listening tour will be shared with members during Teacher Institute Week in October.
Click Here to see Teacher Institute Schedule.

Wednesday, August 19 - 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Kaimuki Middle School Library

~Thank you for today’s amazing opportunity to learn from each other!

Thursday, August 20 – 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Nanakuli High School Library ~ Mahalo!

Tuesday, August 25 – 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Kahuku High & Intermediate Cafeteria Kahuku DATE CHANGED to Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Wednesday, August 26 – 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Moanalua High School Room Q207 ~ Mahalo!
(Near the tennis court parking lot, first building on the right.)

Thursday, August 27 - 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall   ~ Mahalo Kauai Teachers!
(Exhibit Hall B at the North end of the building.)

Note NEW Date!  Tuesday, September 1 - 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Kahuku High & Intermediate Cafeteria

Wednesday, September 2 - 3:30-5:15 p.m.  
Kapolei Middle School Cafeteria

Tuesday, September 8 – 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Hilo - ILWU Hall

Thursday, September 10 – 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Baldwin High School Multipurpose Room

Tuesday, September 15 – 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Kailua High School Cafeteria

Wednesday, September 16 – 4:00-5:30 p.m.
McKinley High School - Hirata Hall

Thursday, September 17 – 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Kealakehe High School Cafeteria

Thursday, September 17 
Kohala Meeting Locations:

Kohala Elementary School:
Meet in the Teachers’ Lounge
Grades K-2 (10:40-11:00 a.m.)
Grades 3-5 (11:20-11:40 a.m.)
(Person of contact: Liz Bauer)

Kohala High School
Meet in the Teachers Lounge
12:21-12:51 p.m.
(Person of contact: Beldon Kealoha)

Kohala Middle School
Meeting place to be determined
12:39-1:09 p.m.

Tuesday, September 22 – 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Lanai High & Elementary School Cafeteria

Wednesday, September 23 – 3:00-5:30 p.m.
Honokaa High & Intermediate School

Thursday, September 24
Lahainaluna – TBD

- See more at: http://www.hsta.org/index.php/news/join-a-listening-tour#sthash.e0Dy5g7H.dpuf