Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/61011
Getting down to business Highlights of the Representative Assembly, March 17, 2012 T he DSEA Representative Assembly, or RA, is the organizations' annual meet- ing, where elected delegates from every local come together once a year to conduct the business of the Association. In between RA's, the DSEA Executive Board carries out the policies established by the RA. • Recognized 43 first-time dele- gates • Held a moment of silence for the families of the seven students who committed suicide this year • Elected Dom Zaffora to a two- year term on the DSEA Exec. Board beginning in September. He is cur- rently president of the Woodbridge E.A., and finishing out an unex- pired Sussex County seat on the board. • Passed a much-discussed and revised New Business Item that calls for DSEA to initiate a review of the 2007 Legislative Study on Class Size, with a focus on current capacity formulas and how they can best be adjusted to adequately meet the needs of all of our schools, especially those with high concentrations of students living in poverty. www.dsea.org/AboutDSEA/DSEA RA.htm. theme baskets from each local, the DSEA Exec. Board and DSEA's staff union • Watched a video message from Gov. Markell who could not be there. "I often tell other Governors, how can we tell our kids to respect their teachers, if we do not respect the collective bargaining process?" Frederika Jenner addresses her first RA as president. Her speech is available at www.dsea.org/AboutDSEA/DSEARA. html. equitable' (as required by the Act), relative to other schools in New Castle County. The impact study would then begin a dialogue about this issue." • Approved carry-over funding rec- ommendations and other changes to the DSEA's mid-cycle budget. The next budget approval will be next year, for a 2013-2015 DSEA budget. • Approved four By-Law changes: to move the start-date for officer terms from September 1 to July 15; to streamline language related to making sure we communicate, in as many ways as possible, the results of DSEA elections to clarify the role of Mike Matthews of Red Clay, maker of the New Business Item motions above and below, voiced the concern that greater numbers of children in Brandywine, Red Clay, Colonial and Christina schools live in poverty. Discussing these issues with him is Karen Maurer, CREA, a sixth grade Social Studies teacher at Fifer Middle School. • Passed a second New Business Item directing the DSEA leadership to send a letter to the General Assembly to review the impact of the Neighborhood Schools Act. "A large portion of teachers in various New Castle County schools feel their programs are not 'fair and www.dsea.org Committees (to support ongoing operations) and Task Forces (for specific purpos- James Hill, of New Castle County Vo- Tech, increases his PAC donation. es); and to delete the section on var- ious budgetary funds since reserves and cash flow management are established by the Finance Task Force through budget motions which are approved by the Rep. Assembly each year. • Contributed an additional $6,554 to the DSEA and NEA Political Action Committee funds through direct donations from RA delegates, payroll deduction, and funds raised through a secret auction of donated • Heard an update from NEA's Susan Nogan, a senior policy ana- lyst, who talked about today's land- scape of education reform, the forces that are seeking to under- mine the teaching profession, priva- tize public schools, and strip educa- tors of their union rights. 59% of delegates attend RA* delegates allocated No. of Appoquinimink E.A. 13 Appoquinimink F.S. 2 Appoquinimink Paras 2 Brandywine E.A. Brandywine F.S. 17 2 Caesar Rodney EA/Aides14 Caesar Rodney S.S. 1 Cape Henlopen E.A. 7 Cape Henlopen S.S. 3 Capital Support Capital E.A. Capital Paras Capital Secretaries Christina E.A. Christina F.S. Christina Paras 1 9 2 1 25 3 5 Christina Secretaries 1 Colonial E.A. Colonial F.S. Mitchell Greenberg, an earth science geology teacher at A.I. duPont Middle School in Red Clay, shares his concerns about certain "ed reform" forces with NEA's Susan Nogan. • Were energized by Vice President Mike Hoffmann's speech about political action and member engagement. Mike contributes more than $2,000 to the DSEA and NEA PACs each year. "I believe in it. I give. I know the results of our work." • Heard report from NEA Director Mary Jo Faust about attracting and engaging our newest members, the "Millenials" to DSEA- our future. • Honored retiring leaders Dave Bradley of Brandywine and Tom Hurley of Special Schools for their many years of dedication and serv- ice to their colleagues, their local associations and DSEA • Heard an update from Jack Polidori, acting government rela- tions director, on what's going on in Legislative Hall regarding edu- cation and labor bills. See page 4. Colonial Paras Colonial Trans. Charter Schools Delmar E.A. 14 2 2 2 1 1 Dept. of Corrections 1 DSEA Exec. Board 25 DSEA/NEA-Retired 5 Indian River E.A. Lake Forest E.A. Laurel E.A. Milford E.A. NCCVT E.A. Polytech E.A. 14 8 5 6 8 2 Public Health Nurses/ 2 DHCI Red Clay E.A. Red Clay F.S. Red Clay Paras Seaford E.A. 21 3 3 4 Seaford Custodians 1 Seaford S.S. Smyrna E.A. Special Schools E.A. 1 Sussex Tech T.A. 2 Sussex Tech Support 1 Woodbridge E.A. Student Members Total 3 1 1 9 delegates attending 4 2 1 14 0 11 0 6 0 0 3 2 0 11 0 3 0 10 0 2 0 0 1 0 24 4 3 5 4 4 8 0 0 15 0 3 3 0 0 5 1 0 0 2 0 256 151 *DSEA policy mandates that RA dele- gate attendance be published. Next month: Photos from the "Celebration of Leadership" To see a list of all Award winners, go to www.dsea.org/About DSEA/RA.html. March/April 2012 DSEA ACTION! 5 No. of