Site Level Actions, Next Bargaining Session, Superintendent Search, Teacher of the Year, Applause

Work to Rule & Other Site Level Actions: You may have heard that some sites have decided to do some form of work to rule or other actions to show unity and resolve for a fair, competitive contract settlement. About seven sites are now doing an action where they walk in together at the beginning of the duty day and walk out at the end. Some are doing a once a week work to rule action where they drop voluntary duties on that day. Other sites are doing activities like sharing pictures of their site in red, having a "party in the parking lot" on Wednesdays, door prize drawings for those who attend a bargaining session, and more.  Visit our Facebook page to see pics from around the district: http://tinyurl.com/k74raam

As a democratic, member driven organization, know that you have the power to create the kind of activities that fit your site.  Of course, we will continue to ramp up district wide actions, but you are not limited to those. Want to do something where you are? Talk to your colleagues and building representatives and we will help provide the infrastructure to make it happen.

Next Bargaining Session: Our next bargaining session is Thursday, November 21st, 4:45 pm at the ESC (the exact room is still being determined). As always, you are welcome to see the process first hand and discuss it with your negotiators afterward.

Superintendent Search Survey: We've heard a number of members say they didn't realize the superintendent search survey was something they can fill out too. If you'd like to give input on what you want to see in our next superintendent, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BCSVYSN

Teacher of the Year: You have until Friday to nominate someone for Teacher of the Year.  The form is very simple and whether or not the nominee chooses to participate in the process, they will appreciate the pat on the back from a colleague. Take (literally) five minutes to fill out the form at http://www.educationminnesota.org/en/events/toy/toy-nomination.aspx and make a colleague's day.

Applause: It's time to give each other an APPLAUSE for the outstanding efforts we see each day. Take a moment to recognize a teacher/member who makes a difference. We'll draw five members to receive a $25 gift card and let all of those mentioned know their great work has been noticed.  Look for APPLAUSE forms coming soon in your P.O. Box.

Bargaining, Veterans Day, School Board Election, Calendar Survey

Bargaining Update:  We did see clear evidence of a response to our wearing red and statement to the school board. We still have a lot of work to do, but your efforts are having a positive effect. Check ahemnegotiationsnews.blogspot.com for the details and keep up Red for Ed on Wednesdays.

Veterans Day: On Monday, we honor the contribution of our military veterans. We want to thank all of our colleagues who not only serve our students as educators, but serve(d) our country in the armed forces. One way we as AHEM members support our troops is to support the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program that supports military connected students and families. If you are a Vet or have military dependents within our school district, please contact the Anoka Beyond the Yellow Ribbon team at anokaareaBTYR@yahoo.com with questions or concerns.

School Board Election Results: Congratulations to incumbents Jeff Simon & Bill Harvey and newcomer William Fields on their election to the Anoka-Hennepin school board on Tuesday. To see the specific results of this or any of the other races held Tuesday, visit http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/ENR/home/6

Calendar Survey Questions on Staff Planning Days: We heard a number of concerns about the first two questions on the District Calendar Committee Survey. They ask whether you would support using staff planning days for staff development and/or collaborative team time. There are those that believe teachers would be in favor of moving away from the current practice of not using that time for anything other than independently directed work time for teachers, and others who believe that teachers are very against changing the use of that time. We need you to settle that argument by completing the survey and telling us what you think. Here is that link: use of that time. We need you to settle that argument by completing the survey and telling us what you think. Here is that link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014-15_District_Calendar_Inputhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014-15_District_Calendar_Input

Calendar Survey, Bargaining Session Wednesday, Teacher of the Year

Calendar Survey: The process has begun to set next year's calendar. Please respond to the survey you heard about in an email from Hattie Leary a couple days ago. You'll see questions on issues ranging from when you'd like to see breaks to whether you want your some of your staff planning/grading days to be used for staff development or collaboration instead. The calendar committee, which has representation from a number of groups including AHEM, will use your responses to build a proposal the school board will vote on in January. We can better represent your interests if you give your feedback – so fill out the survey today! Here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014-15_District_Calendar_Input

Tomorrow's Bargaining Session: We meet with the district for the tenth time tomorrow. Join us Wednesday, November 6th, 4:45 pm, at the AHEM Office (3200 Main Street, Suite 360, Coon Rapids – top of the Wells Fargo Bank Building in the Riverdale Shopping Area). You're attendance helps all of us stay focused on what matters – hope to see you there! For an update on where we are, you can always visit www.ahemnegotiationsnews.blogspot.com

Red for Ed on Wednesdays: This movement is growing. We are wearing Red for Public Education on Wednesdays to show unity around our bargaining, but it's more than that.  Red for Ed is a national movement to support the students and professionals in public schools. So, dig out that favorite red shirt, scarf, and/or your AHEM button and join movement every Wednesday.

Teacher of the Year: Take a moment to honor a valued colleague.  Anyone can nominate an educator for Education Minnesota's Teacher of the Year program. Our district has had a number of nominees honored through this program, and we'd love to see more. Not only will nominating a colleague give them a lift, you'll feel good about it too. Visit here for the short online nomination form: http://www.educationminnesota.org/en/news/edmnupdates/2013/100113-totynominations.aspx

Monday's Successful School Board Meeting

Thank you to the approximately 250 members who packed the school board meeting in red last night!  The over capacity crowd sent a strong message that we are engaged and united behind a fair, competitive, and affordable settlement. You can see pictures at our Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota Facebook page (facebook.com/pages/Anoka-Hennepin-Education-Minnesota) and visit ahemnegotiationsnews.blogspot.com for the statement our negotiators shared with the school board.

Next opportunities to show your support include wearing Red on Wednesdays and attending our next bargaining session Wednesday, November 6th, 4:45 pm, at the AHEM office. 

Thank you again and let's keep up the momentum!

Bargaining, School Board Meeting, Buttons

Wednesday's Bargaining Session: Wednesday's bargaining session yielded no real progress. The district presented "an alternate economic offer". They changed their salary schedule improvement by just fractions of a percent while adding a new step in between Step 11 and Career 1. The district team admitted that any increase in one part of the offer came from a decrease somewhere else. In summary, we have had three economic offers from the district that are effectively the same value as our last settlement, despite an improvement in district finances. For details visit http://ahemnegotiationsnews.blogspot.com.

We Need You at Monday's School Board Meeting: To avoid getting bogged down, we are delivering a message to the school board that it's time for a fair, competitive settlement. We need you behind us, both figuratively and literally, to get the process moving in the right direction. Please join us at the school board meeting:

• Monday, October 28th,
• 6:30 pm – about 7:00 pm
• Sandburg Educational Center  
• Wear Red

The meeting starts with about 20 minutes of student recognition where we can help celebrate students' accomplishments, then moves to an open forum.  AHEM negotiators will address the board and your presence in red as we speak will make an impact. See you Monday!

Good Question: Can I wear an AHEM button at school? Yes! Wearing buttons or t-shirts is not a problem. If a student asks why you are wearing it, you can simply say something like "AHEM is my union" and get back to the important work you do preparing students for a bright future.

Bargaining – We Need Your Support

Now that major proposals are all on the table, it's time to ramp up.  To show the district that we are serious about a fair, competitive settlement, we need your help:

Red on Wednesday! Show support for the process and your negotiations team by wearing red this Wednesday. Nothing gets the word out that we are together than a visible show of support. Digging out that red sweater is more than fashion, it's a show of unity and resolve.

Bargaining Session Wednesday: Join us this Wednesday, October 23rd, 4:45 pm, Erling Johnson Room A at the ESC (due to increasing turnout by AHEM members, we've moved to a larger room). It's the district's turn to respond on a number of issues, including the economic offer. Come hear their positions for yourself and show them very directly that you are watching and engaged.

School Board Meeting on Monday: We plan to extend an invitation to school board members to join us at the table at the Monday, October 28th board meeting. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm with an open forum early on the agenda. There, AHEM Negotiators will make a statement to engage the school board more fully in the process. Your attendance in red during that part of the meeting will make a strong statement.

By supporting one or more of these shows of togetherness, you will be directly supporting a fair, competitive settlement. We need you – see you in red!

Bargaining, Meet & Confer, School Board Elections, Veterans Day

Bargaining: We met for session #8 this past Wednesday.  Virtually everything is now on the table, so it's time to really get down to business.  The details of the session can be found here: www.ahemnegotiationsnews.blogspot.com.  Our next two sessions will be Wednesday, October 23rd,  4:45 – 6:45 pm, at the ESC and Wednesday, November 6th, 4:45 – 6:45 pm, AHEM Office 


Meet & Confer: You are invited to discuss the following topics with our school board this Wednesday:

• Traveling Teachers' Issues
• Special Needs of Students Regarding Clustering
• Media Specialists Perspective on the Book "Eleanor & Park"
• Open Forum (where you can bring issues not listed here)

Wear red and meet us Wednesday, October 9th, 6:00 pm in the Ehrling Johnson Rooms at the ESC. Support your colleagues and educate our board about key issues in our classrooms. 


School Board Election Forum: Half of our district's school board seats are up for election this November 5th. Meet the candidates at the League of Women Voters forum on Tuesday, October 8th at 6:30 at the Sandburg building in Anoka.  All the candidates have agreed to participate: 

• District 3 (Champlin, Dayton and parts of Coon Rapids): Bill Harvey and Grace Baltich
• District 4 (Ham Lake, Nowthen, and parts of Andover and Ramsey): Janelle Kirkeide, William Fields and Paul Meunier.
• District 6 (parts of Coon Rapids and Andover): Jeff Simon

Veterans Day: Getting ready to celebrate Veterans Day with your students? Visit NEA's lesson plan area at http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/veterans-day-activities-intro.html for some good ideas. Honoring Veterans Day is another way to show military connected families that we support them.