TAAAC Elections
Updates coming soon
Bill and Candidate Endorsements
Our union took the following positions at the February RA:
- SUPPORT: SB657: Anne Arundel County - Student Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Educators- Established
- OPPOSE: HB1395: Anne Arundel County Board of Education - Ombudsman - Establishment
- NO POSITION: HB881: Anne Arundel County – Public Schools – Innovative Scheduling Pilot Program
Door knocking with Dana Schallheim
We’ve talked about supporting our colleagues and our students; how about we also work to support our community? We’re door-knocking with Board of Education member Dana Schallheim to support her re-election campaign. She is TAAAC’s only endorsed candidate so far, as well as the only Board member to support a budget that would include all related service providers in NBC stipends, and we want to show our support!
Here are the details:
- When: Sunday, February 25 from 1:00 -3:00 p.m.
- Where: Received upon registration
- What: We're speaking with fellow educators about the importance of the upcoming elections
Anne Arundel County Budget
Now that the Board of Education has passed its budget, we have a lot of work to do to ensure the County Executive and County Council fund our schools! Already your advocacy has impacted how successful we will be in winning a strong contract, as Dr. Bedell listened and has proposed a 5% COLA! This is up from the original 3% proposal. We still have to work to prevent cuts to our healthcare and bring back the amendment to pay all AACPS educators the NBC stipend if they pursue that path.
So here’s how you can help:
So here’s how you can help:
- Write a valentine to County Executive Steuart Pittman asking him to increase the public education budget. He can help keep healthcare costs down and increase our wages. Basket mail your postcard back to the TAAAC Office by February 23
- Phone bank for our Budget Town Hall. Learn about the next steps to pass this budget, and advocate with the county executive. To help recruit colleagues to attend this event, we’re calling members every Tuesday
Scholarships for Graduating Seniors
The TAAAC Foundation for Educational Excellence is accepting applications for the annual scholarship program. Eleven scholarships are available for $300-500 each.
Applications are due April 2, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
Applications are due April 2, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
Bargaining Updates
At the bargaining table, AACPS still wants a 7% increase in what we pay (on the most popular plan, this would mean you are paying an additional 50% of what you are paying now).
See how this will impact you if you work:
See how this will impact you if you work:
Nominations
The Nominating Committee is accepting nominations for the Credentials Committee (8) and Nominating Committee (15).
UniServ Director Update
Here are the latest updates from our UniServ Directors:
- Department Chairs:
- Jason and Nicole met with Dr. Lucarelli and Scott McGuire about Department Chairs
- Positive conversation, a threshold of additional Teacher of Record classes was discussed, will follow up soon.
- Jason and Beth attended the first phase of Tom Stern Advocacy Training
- Mike attended the Winter Advocacy Retreat of the PSA
- UDs developed a draft of the Principal Rating Scale
- UDs developed a draft of an internal response to potential school closing events
- Climate surveys in the following buildings:
- Marley ES
- Lindale MS
- MacArthur MS
- Marley MS (coming soon)
- Other Building Stuff
- Tyler Heights – identified two new BRs, 1 new member recruited, and helping set up their FAC!
- Phoenix / Mary Moss realignment: met with AACOS, helping facilitate communication between AACPS and staff. Continuing to support Phoenix with district support to address the lack of safety in building
- Organizing:
- Birth to Five continues to work toward 60 signature goal (at 50). Also forming FAC with Mike’s support
- Old Mill hearing Numbers:
- ~90 RSVPs; 45 members signed in
- 35 members held signs made at RA
- ~12 TAAAC members testified
- PreK had 73 educators fill out the survey, 76 signed on to our letter, and a few met with AACPS (Michele Batten, Trish Saynuk and Sonya McElroy) to discuss letter/solutions, mostly well received, follow-up scheduled April 22nd.
- Committees:
- Racial Social Justice Committee and are planning to revamp the Mills King Awards
- Special Events committee hosted happy hour on January 25, in collaboration with Budget Hearing
- CAT planning Valentine's action and Townhall with Pittman
- UDs reached the January PAC Goal!
- ECE Committee: hot topic collab on 1.30, 12 attendees! (goal was 10) info well received looking to do another in-person March/April
- Representation:
- Several members have fallen into Lost Time
- Coverage concerns
- Some discipline wins
- Reprimand dropped to a counseling letter at Southern HS
- Reprimand dropped to warning letter at North County HS
- Warning dropped to counseling at OMMN
- Workload
- Extreme student behavior
- Sick Leave bank + healthcare level 2 grievances
MSEA Elections
Congratulations to TAAAC endorsed candidate Paul Lemle, who will serve as the next MSEA president.
Congratulations also to TAAAC member Russell Leone for his election to the MSEA Board of Directors.
Congratulations also to TAAAC member Russell Leone for his election to the MSEA Board of Directors.
