Friday, January 27, 2012

Meet & Confer, Policies, Coffee & Politics, Scholarships


Meet & Confer on Special Ed Caseload and Kindergarten Expansion:  Our next Meet & Confer with the School Board will be Wednesday, February 1st, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, at the Staff Development Center.  Scheduled topics include:
  • Special Education and Speech Caseload and Workload
  • Kindergarten Expansion Proposal
We are getting a lot of interest in these topics – we hope you can join us for what will be a good discussion.  If you are interested in sharing a topic or speaking to one of these, contact Vice President LeMoyne Corgard at ahem@anoka.k12.mn.us.  If you would like to leave feedback on these topics in a more anonymous format, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MeetConfer2112 .

Tell us what you think about the Respectful Learning Environment Curriculum Policy:  The school board heard our concerns and those of the community over the past month. Due to general dissatisfaction with the proposal to replace the Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy with the Controversial Topics Policy, they went back to the drawing board.  The school board is now proposing a Respectful Learning Environment Curriculum Policy.  You can read the policy and give us your take on how it will work for your students here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RespectfulEnvironmentPolicy.  AHEM will discuss the policy and consider taking a position at our February 6 Representative Assembly meeting.  The school board is expected to vote on the policy at their February 13 meeting.

Coffee & Politics: The new legislative session has begun and AHEM is creating opportunities for members to meet with elected leaders.  Government Relations Chairs Val Holthus and Lindsay DenBleyker are setting up informal meetings at coffee shops – watch your mail for an invite if we schedule with your representatives.  Senate District 48 legislators Jim Abeler and Mike Jungbauer kicked off this year’s program at Caribou this past Thursday with a lively discussion with a great group of educators.  We also go to the Capitol with groups of members a couple of times a year.  If you are interesting in participating in a lobby day, email us at ahem@anoka.k12.mn.us.

Scholarships for Students of Union Members:  If you have a high school senior in your family, visit the Minnesota AFL-CIO Scholarship page at http://mnaflcio.org/about/scholarships-awards. Good luck!