Member Update 8/07/2009

Making Changes to Education at the National Level

The National Education Association (NEA) is our national teachers union. Every year there is a Representative Assembly (RA) where close to 10,000 teachers attend. At this meeting, Robert’s Rules of Order are followed as delegates create policy and framework for our NEA.

This year the Glendale Teachers Association, Allen Freemon was successful in moving a Legislative Amendment that will require NEA to lobby congress to add “language in the reauthorization of Elementary-Secondary Education Act (ESEA-also referred to as No Child Left Behind) addressing the need for ‘highly qualified’ teachers.”

It was the belief of your Glendale Representatives that classroom teaching experience is the most important experience that anyone can have in drafting and implementing policy and programs. Too many administrators are implementing policies without having enough current classroom experience in teaching today’s students or state standards.

ESEA requires that all teachers be “highly qualified” to be trusted with the responsibility of educating our country’s youth. Yet, ESEA has no requirement for “highly qualified” administrators. This inconsistency is nonsensical and needs to change. We believe it would be good for our schools to have all administrators return to the classroom to teach full time on a periodic basis.

Our position was brought up for debate in front of nearly 10,000 NEA delegates from all over the country. Our position passed. Hopefully, we will see some changes move ahead as our NEA lobbyists try to make improvements to the ESEA, with one of them being having standards for “highly qualified” administrators.

A big thank you to the eight delegates who attended the NEA RA in San Diego the first week of July: Tami Carlson, Steve Field, Allen Freemon, Phyllis Miller, Jana Wells, Bud Yoho, Pat Vakian and Sarkis Poladian.

GUSD April 7th Election Results!

The April 7th School Board election victory for Christine Walters reaffirmed the GTA’s key role in shaping the GUSD’s educational agenda.  The victories were particularly impressive considering the low voter turnout and the lack of attention the races received from the public and even within our own union.

  We should all be proud of the positive campaign that we ran.  The citizens of Glendale recognized the opinion of the teachers when going to the polls.  It speaks volumes about the respect we have within our community. 

This is the second election in a row that the GTA has endorsed a non-incumbent and helped them to victory!

We also applaud the community of Glendale in taking action and deciding who they would like to see lead our city and our schools.  Congratulations to Greg Krikorian, Joylene Wagner and Christine Walters.  We look forward to an improved cooperative and collaborative relationship over the next four years during their terms as Board members of the GUSD.

We thank Mr. Chakib Sambar for his contributions and services to the community, and we are sure he will continue to actively support the City of Glendale and our Glendale Schools.  His sacrifice to help our community and our schools is honored by all.

Member Update 4/9/2008

Election results for GTA-RA

Voting to elect the GTA-RA reps took place on March 18, 19 & 20. 

The voting results are as follows: (the 9 people with the most votes are the GTA-RA reps to Washington DC.)
 
1. Allen Freemon          339
2. Ken Niemeyer           331
3. Bud Yoho                 296
4 Tami Carlson             281
5. Steve Field               267
6. Pat Vakian                265
7. Sandy Fink               247
8. Alicia Harris              236
9. Sarkis Poladian         226
10.JacquelineDaVolio    219
11.Karine Armen          211
12.Carrie Olsen            200
13.Kimberly Sinclair      150
14. Lynn McGinnis        121

Thanks all members who participated in this election.  The top 9 elected officials will represent GTA membership at the annual National Education Association in Washington D.C. this summer.  These leaders will join 10,000 other teacher delegates in creating policy and giving direction to our national association.

May 14th GTA rally '08

Protesting the Budget Cuts

We took action!

On Wednesday May 14th the Day of the Teacher, the Glendale Teachers Association hosted a rally on Brand Boulevard.  The mission was to publicize the local impact our students and schools face if the Governor’s drastic proposal of slashing $4.8 billion in education funds statewide is implemented.

These statewide cuts would mean more than $10,000,000 less for the Glendale Unified School District per year.  This would result in California ranking 46th in the nation when it comes to the amount of money allocated to schools per student. 

We met at the Glendale Central Library at 222 E. Harvard Street. We had an informational march along Brand Blvd.  and returned to the Central Library for speeches and information.

Letter from the President

A Call to Action!

5/08

Team GTA,

I would like to give a big thank you to the teachers who dedicated their time on May 14th to attend the GTA rally. I commend those who actively go above and beyond the call of duty to support public education.

At the same time, I must be candid and let you know that if we are to make positive change, your attendance at these pubic events must increase! Our attendance at these events is recognized by local community leaders and influences their willingness to work with us and listen to our concerns.

Please look at the participation numbers for our school sites and commit to improving attendance at future events. If we’re going to protect public education, we need everybody to come on board! If not, we will continue to see public education erode.

United,
Allen Freemon

GTA floods BOE meeting

12/12/06

GTA members from all around the school district packed this Board of Education meeting to show the board and the district that the teachers are behind GTA.

All around the district, teachers are wearing their GTA shirts on Tuesdays to send the same message- WE ARE UNITED!

District officials had claimed that the GTA was out-of-touch with teachers, and that the teachers did not support them. This attempt to cause division among GUSD teachers backfired when these displays of teacher unity could not go unnoticed. So many dedicated GUSD teachers packed the board room to show their support and unity, that there were not enough places to sit or even stand. Many teachers looked on from outside the meeting room.

Although teachers overflowed into the hallway, trying to attend the meeting, empty chairs were reserved by the district for guests who were attending at their appointed time: all before GTA was allowed to voice their concerns.

G

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