CAT Tracks for June 4, 2003 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Well, tomorrow is the day we have been waiting for...Thursday, June 5th...the last day of school! Or is it...

There seems to be some uncertainty about the last day of school. You have probably heard that ISBE has yet to approve May 7th as an Act of God Day. I think all of us have felt fairly confident that the delay in approval was just a glitch...what with so many districts being affected by the storms of early May...and the State concentrating on passing a budget. I still tend to believe that is the case.

HOWEVER...on Tuesday morning a new "rumor" spread through CHS...a "rumor" that had spread through CJHS on Monday. Apparently, another Act of God day is "in play"...an earlier day missed due during the snow and ice season. AND...get this..."rumor has it" that the Act of God day is in question because SOMEONE FORGOT to request it!!! (Would anyone happen to know the name of the person who was fired? I mean, this is a "new day" in CSD #1...firings for "not paperclipping", for "abandoning one's job by being hospitalized", for "exercising one's designated duty by trying to schedule graduation to avoid a major holiday.")

I certainly hope this is just a rumor...

However, since rumors tend to come true in CSD #1, a letter has been sent to the superintendent on behalf of the Association asking for a confirmation...and IF TRUE...what the District plans to do about it!?

I reminded the superintendent that employees who were docked 17 days last year "at the Board's pleasure" (and are still repaying loans) would NOT look kindly on being required to work beyond the scheduled end of the school year! I indicated that if that were to happen, we would expect additional per diem compensation for each day worked. I also informed him that many employees already had plans for those days...obligations made based upon the adopted calendar...obligations that could not be changed.

Hopefully, we will hear some definite news today...some good news...news that Thursday, June 5th, is indeed the last day of "the year that wouldn't end!"

In other news...

LUMP-SUM PAYMENTS - TIME & TAXES

The Association has corresponded with the superintendent concerning lump-sum payments. (Incidentally, I did not remind you this year of the May 15th deadline for requesting your summer money. The reason...there is a limit of 15 in the contract - with resignations and RIFs getting first priority. Since the District RIFed 25 teachers, there were no slots for volunteers.)

The superintendent HAS acknowledged that lump-sum payments must be made within 3 business days of the last day of school. Since school ends on June 5th, payments must be made by the close of business on June 10th...not June 13th as originally announced. (Omigod...you don't think that's why our Act of God days are in question...to conveniently delay the payment date until the regularly scheduled/announced day?! They wouldn't do THAT...would they?)

As far as the "rumor" of excess taxes ONCE AGAIN being deducted from the lump-sum payments... (Why can't we just do this...like we did in the past...for years!? I mean...Remember the days when pay day was NOT an adventure?) The Association has yet to receive a response on that one. The contract is perfectly clear: "Section 4.3 - Federal and State tax deducted from the lump-sum payment shall be at the approximate rate/amount as if payments had been made as normally scheduled." (What part of that did you not understand?) Stay tuned!

EXTRA-CURRICULAR POSITIONS

The Association has also corresponded with the superintendent about the advertisement of ALL coaching/sponsor positions for the 2003-2004 school year and the requirement that applications be made and interviews held. As you know, this is a blatant violation of past practice. During negotiations for our last contract, the Board of Education tried to do away with past practice...it was on the table. The Association indicated that eliminating past practice was a "deal breaker" for us and that it would greatly prolong negotiations...negotiations that lasted for over a year! We explained that to preserve the status quo - stability - we would have to (first think of and then) write language for the multitude of District practices that do NOT appear in the contract...at a time when the District was expressing its desire to reduce the amount of language in the contract. We were finally able to convince them to leave past practice alone. NOW...the BOE appears to be trying to accomplish unilaterally what they failed to get at the bargaining table!

At the last meeting of the BOE, two Board members indicated that the extra-curricular positions were NOT cut because of finances. Instead, ALL coaches/sponsors were fired so that the Board could "hire whomever we want"...to make sure that "quality people occupy the positions." Of course, they haven't said what the past occupants did wrong or what the future occupants would have to do that was different!

The Association advised the BOE to rescind its action and to rehire extra-curricular personnel according to past practice. If they are dissatisfied with extra-curricular personnel, they need to provide specific direction...give people an opportunity to prove they are "quality" people. In short, if the BOE has a concern, bring it to the bargaining table and reduce those concerns to mutually agreeable language on job descriptions and duties. (Just wondering...what would their definition of "quality" be..."F & F"...Friends and Family?)

Again...correspondence has been sent. The Association awaits a response.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Whenever our last day is...we shall scatter to parts unknown and seek well-deserved R & R. The last thing you will want to hear about is the latest doings in Crisis School District Number One. However, as CATs...we do have that "curiosity" thing! If the addiction gets too strong and you just "gotta know it"...the CAT website will stay active during the summer months.

DISCLAIMER: We can only report what we know...or the rumors we hear. Some of you have good connections...much better than mine. When you hear of something...let me know! As all good reporters do, I always try to get two sources for confimation prior to publication...which should provide you plausible deniability. The surest way to get in contact with me is through e-mail...I check it daily (Okay, several times a day!), even when out of town. You can send e-mail through the CAT Home Page or directly to me at rjnewell@midwest.net

REMINDER: The CAT Website is located at...