Deadline delay

Colleagues, You may have noticed a slight change in the WEA calendar. That is because of the revent weekend outage in TeachPoint. To ensure that summative reports for those on one-year plans reach the required standard of accuracy, rigor, and reliability, the deadline has been pushed from May 15 to May 20. This was upon a vote by the WEA Board of Directors.

Our next superintendent

In all likelihood, I met Wareham's next superintendent today. However, I also met four others who want that job and won't be offered the post. The afternoon was a valuable one, and a reminder of the range of people working for the best for Wareham's schools in the community. While the parents, business and non-profit leaders, staff, administration and town government officials don't all agree on how to get to success, or what "success" even looks like, it needs to be remembered that we're all on the same side. It is also a good opportunity to remember that there are so many routes -- and the different choices before the school committee are as much among different ways to envision and judge success as among different candidates for the post. The process of selecting a superintendent has changed even since it began earlier this year. The candidate slate wasn't too predictable, but neither are Wareham's challenges. It's not easy to pick the right person for the moment and the future. It's not easy to separate the right answers in an interview from the right person for a post. Here's hoping the school committee makes the right choice to find the best fit for the schools of Wareham, and everyone who is working for their success.

Upcoming RIF notices

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not sure I remember a spring that did not come with reduction in force (RIF) notices due to budget cuts in Wareham. This spring is no different. Below is a short explanation of why those notices are coming, and what is going to happen. This past Monday, Town Meeting voted to delay resolving next year's budget until June 18. At this point, the school committee is looking to spend $700,000 more than the town of Wareham is ready to give it. This move allows for further negotiations to close that gap. However, contracts between the Wareham Public Schools and the Wareham Education Association require that "whenever possible" notice of layoff be given by May 15. In practice, that means that the district provides laayoff notices on assumption of the worst-case scenario. In this case, that scenario would be that the schools cut the full $1.7 million the Town of Wareham required. During an earlier budget workshop, the principals of the elementary and middle schools gave specific plans for how they would implement these further cuts, and which positions would be cut. The high school principal did not. For details about your specific school, the video may prove useful. These RIF notices can be expected to implement the plans given at that workshop. Three final notes: -The Unit A contract is specific about the use of seniority in these cases. If a member's position is cut, s/he may have the right to "bump" another, more junior member out of a position for which s/he is qualified by dint of longer service to Wareham. This can result in a chain reaction of building transfers. This is why the seniority list is so important. -The schools plan for the worst, but that does not mean the worst shall happen. In several cases, recalls have gone out over the summer or just before the school year. If town meeting in June passes a budget in alignment with what the school committee has written, then the lion's share of those RIF notices would be reversed. -It is the intention of the WEA to meet with WPS administration to ensure the notices that go out conform with the contract to avoid the need for grievances after the fact. Updates will follow.

Apologies...

I've not done the best job keeping up the blog, getting into the habit of posting updates on WEA's Facebook page. However, many members do not have Facebook accounts. With that in mind, some updates are in order here:

• An agreement in principle on insurance has been reached; details are available on the website.
• The deadline for year-end observations -- summative evaluations for those on one-year plans and formative evaluations for those on two-year plans in less than a month away. Please email the WEA with any irregularities or concerns with the evaluation process as it has affected you.
• The Unit C negotiations process will begin at the outset of May.

That's about it for the moment...but more will surely follow. Have a great vacation...

Insurance update

Here's what we know about insurance: - It's going to cost us money. This is being done to save the town money, and the rest will come from us as town employees. - There's no legal lever to stop this change, and I've not been made aware of an effective political lever to stop it. - We'll know the nature of the changes by mid-April. - The date any changes will go into effect is July 1, 2013. What we don't know: - How we'll be obtaining our insurance. Proposals mooted have included through the state's GIC, the county's Mayflower group, or remaining with self-insured Wareham. - From which providers we'll be choosing. Blue Cross may remain a choice, or possibly not. - What will cost more: premiums, copays, deductibles, or some combination of all of them. I will say this: Derek Sullivan has been working in good faith with the employees of the Town of Wareham, and has proven approachable and open-minded in finding ways to make these changes as smooth and accessible for members. The issue is that this question is outside everyone's area of expertise, so as we work with consultants obtained by the WEA/MTA and the Town, we discover, balance, and sometimes dispose of alternatives. Nothing is decided at ths point. I have changed my mind not a couple times based on new information. Often, we are not just comparing dollar amounts, but trying to put a value on non-monetary questions -- what is it worth to keep Blue Cross? What is it worth to remain with or leave the management of the Town of Wareham? I will be updating the Board of the WEA at our April 1 meeting at the WHS library and perhaps asking for a vote if the situation crystallized by then. The meeting, like all WEA Board meetings, is open to all members.

Insurance, budget, and evaluations

On insurance, a meeting has been scheduled for March 7. All indications are that the town is moving ahead with unilateral changes to our health insurance as allowed under the law. A further update will be on offer after the meeting. To my understanding the School Committee announced its perception that the current state of the budget will necessitate cutting 14 to 16 full-time equivalent positions in Wareham over the summer. This is an initial prognosis and experience shows that it is far too early to take this as a final number. Finally, please contact the WEA with concerns about evaluations. The Association cannot protect all of us without being told what is occurring in the hallways of the schools; I'm committed to ensuring that the WEA ensures everyone has a fair go, but cannot contest an issue about which I know nothing. As is often said in our buildings in other circumstances, if you have a question or concern, chances are other people have the same.

Superintendent Search

Colleagues, I hope you will be able to go to one of the focus groups in Wareham Middle School next week run by the firm tasked with helping hire the next superintendent of our schools. They are scheduled by level, but if you can't make "your" forum, feel free to attend the others. Monday 3:00 - WHS/West Tuesday 3:00 - WMS/Co-op Wednesday 3:30 - Elem./East Also, the firm has an online survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QMXG779.... plese fill it out and encourage everyone else to do so.