Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association

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TCTA/OEA Present

“I Can Do It!”

A Classroom Management Training

Saturday, February 27, 2010

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Morning and afternoon breaks with lunch included

Fulton Learning Center

8906 East 34th Street (between Memorial and Mingo)

To participate, you MUST register on the DK system.

FREE for TCTA members; Non-members – $25.00

The training will include information about five elements for successful classroom management:

1. Communication and learning styles

2. Interventions for difficult behaviors

3. Creating the smoothly flowing classroom

4. Tools to begin building positive parent/teacher relationships

5. Builders and blockers

TCTA OEA

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Schools Board posts 4 and 7 will be up for election next Tuesday, February 9. A TCTA interview committee met with the candidates, made recommendations to the TCTA Board, and the Board unanimously approved the following: TCTA endorses incumbent Matt Livingood for Post 7. In the Post 4 election, we were very impressed with both incumbent Bobbie Gray and challenger Anna America and have decided to make no endorsement but to encourage our members who live and work in that area to find out more about both candidates, their values, and their history with those schools.

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Districts Passing Tax Responsibility onto NBCTs

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January 27, 2010

The OEA was disappointed to learn today that at least two Oklahoma school districts are passing their tax responsibilities onto the National Board Certified teachers (NBCTs) in their districts.

The State Department of Education has notified districts that funding for the annual national certified bonuses will be coming soon. We thank State Supt. Sandy Garrett for her leadership to fully fund these bonuses.

Two districts have told their national certified teachers that since the state is not sending money to cover the district’s tax responsibility (FICA), the district will be passing those costs onto the NBCTs. In addition, the teachers will owe their portion of state and federal taxes on the bonuses.

About $355 will be taken off the top of the bonuses of the affected teachers, and then state and federal taxes will be deducted.

OEA Legal staff believes putting the district’s tax responsibility on the teachers is unlawful.

If your district is requiring you to pay its tax responsibility, call Lynn Tiefenthaler of the OEA Legal staff at 800-522-8091, ext. 344.

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The Tulsa Teachers Immediate Assistance Club is administered by TCTA. Unlike other member benefits, available only to TCTA members, the TTIAC is available to all TPS employees (subject to qualifications listed below). Its purpose is to provide financial assistance to a beneficiary upon the death of the TTIAC member. Organized in 1941, it has provided assistance to members for 61 years. Subject to qualifications, membership is available to full-time employees of TPS, their spouses and unmarried children.

For more information, click on the TTIAC link on the left-hand side of this page. Enrollment forms can be requested from TCTA.

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Starting on February 1st, teachers will not receive pay for covering other teachers’ classes. This is part of the district’s efforts to cut expenses due to the funding crisis. TCTA has negotiated language regarding the equitable assignment of teachers on plan periods: “A system will be used in each secondary school to assure that all certificated personnel who are assigned to cover classes when a teacher is absent, and no substitute is available, are assigned in an equitable manner. This pool of available personnel may vary from school to school but could include administrators. If the assigned person opts to exchange with another certificated employee, it will be the responsibility of both employees to notify the person in charge of the rotation system of the exchange. This rotation list will be available upon request to certificated personnel.” If you believe this rotation system is not being followed, call the TCTA Office at 918-749-2544.

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If you are an entry-year teacher going through the traditional state certification process, you should be having your third formal observation before your 150th day of employment so your evaluating administrator can complete the second observation instrument. Your second committee meeting should take place between the 70th and 100th day of employment. Please contact the TCTA office if you have questions or concerns.

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Regular office visit copays will double from $25 to $50. Instead of the state absorbing a scheduled 13 percent increase in insurance premiums set in July, the insurance board and insurance commissioner Kim Holland decided to save the state $27 million by shifting the expense to your pocket books. In August, the premium increase was reduced to 7 percent while your doctor visit and prescription drug copays increased. Prescription drug copays were $25-$50 now increased to $30-$60. All changes are effective January 2010.

You pay, they save

$50 copays for office visits
$5 increase on prescription drug copays
Teachers and state employees shoulder nearly half the burden of increased insurance costs.
Teachers still don’t receive benefits equal to legislators

While teachers get $442 monthly for individual coverage, legislators get $608 monthly for individual coverage.
While teachers get $0 monthly for family coverage, legislators get $1596 monthly for family coverage.
Contact your legislators.

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TCTA has negotiated language that teachers may apply for a transfer within 10 days of notification of a principal change.  The official notice is the announcement of the change on the school board agenda.

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