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AT THE CAPITOL CTA and CEA's "Adopt-a-Date" Campaign Builds Schools and Community Partnerships CEA President Tom Oviatt phone bank- ing in support of the override. RIGHT: One of CEA's most dedicated volunteers, JoAnn Cano, a reading teacher at Maryvale phone banking at Arizona Democratic Headquarters in Phoenix In October Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) Classroom Teachers' Association (CTA) and Classified Employees' Association (CEA) organized the "Adopt-a-Date" campaign in an effort to pass their bond and capital outlay override election this month. Every comprehensive high school in PUHSD historic coalition forming around the political success of "We are witnessing a PUHSD and, of course, our real goal – the best interests of our students and their families." —CTA Vice-President Paul Lowes became involved in the campaign by commit- ting site members to make phone calls every Tuesday and Thursday and distribute literature every Saturday in support of the bond and override. "It is important to be involved as this money helps to keep our facilities up to date and buys capital items we need to function such as textbooks and computers," says CEA President Tom Oviatt. "This relates to classi- fied staff needs as well as we have trades and crafts that will be needed and supported in these construc- tion projects and upkeep." The $230 million bond and nearly $13 million override This publication went to print before the results of the November 8 election would meet the construction and renovation needs of PUHSD for the next seven years. The majority of the bond is for building and land improvements to maintain facilities, such as replacement of roofs, flooring, heating and air conditioning systems, upgrades to auditoriums, concrete and asphalt repair, and painting. Other items in the bond would be safety and security upgrades, replacement of buses and campus vans, building renovations, and the construction 10 Winter 2011/12 ❘ AEA Advocate of two small spe- cialty schools. In addition to organizing school employee volunteers for the campaign, CTA and CEA have built partnerships with community leaders and businesses. "We are witnessing a historic coalition forming around the political success of PUHSD and, of course, our real goal – the best interests of our students and their families," says CTA Vice-President Paul Lowes. "It's the biggest teaming of pro-education forces ever in PUHSD – progressive activists, labor, educators, business, community, and ethnic groups are working together, and it could hardly be more exciting. This is the kind of coalition that bodes best for the future of public educa- tion in Phoenix." About 50 – 60 CTA and CEA members were involved in the campaign, along with about 10 – 12 administrators, including PUHSD Superintendent Dr. Kent Scribner. In addition, volunteers from construction vendors Jokake Construction, Kitchell, and Hardison-Downey participated in the campaign. The campaign made contact with tens of thousands of voters; at one time over 3,000 voters were called in one night. "I can't say whether we'll win this particular go-around, of course," says Lowes. "But it's pretty fair to say that we've made many more friends, and that's what I think will best serve our students over the long run. That's what has me jazzed." ✒