The School Board recently approved the attached District reorganization plan at the May 14 school board meeting.  The Superintendent claimed it will only cost $29,000 from the general fund.  He is relying heavily on Program Improvement funds.  This growth in upper-level bureaucracy is a clear sign that the District has money.  However, wIll the Distirct now bring back all the services that have been cut over the last four years?  We are still not operating at the same capacity we were at before the economic crisis of the the last few years.  More disconcerting was the entire Board's silence

Federation pleased with 2.75% growth factor for public schools

(Baton Rouge - June 6, 2013) After a four-year drought, educators are pleased that the legislature is including a 2.75% inflation factor – about $69 million – in the education budget for 2013-14, according to Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan.

Join other AFT members for an information session about the impact of the Affordable Care Act, particularly on part-time lecturers.  The information session will be on Tuesday, June 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 2875 W. Grand Blvd in Detroit.  Find more information on our Events page.

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In this Edition:

• Officer Election Results
• Constitution and Bylaws Results
• Committee membership appointments
• Transforming Site Stewards to Work Site Leaders
• Convention Report
• Know your Contract: Bumping and Order of Layoffs

Submitted By: Devin Hunter

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May/June Newsletter - PDF - Final

Phoenicia Elementary artists have been working diligently for many months to complete two school-wide art projects that connect to classroom curriculum.  Inspired by the local Leaping Trout Art Project and other community based art “themes” around the country, we dove into making trout themed art.  First and second grade students raised trout in the classroom from eggs to small fingerlings.  These were released into local waters on May 15^th. 

Grian is also known locally as the Ivy Vine Players.  Students were thrilled to get up close and learn the stories behind the characters, see tricks for making the puppets move and view a variety of different forms of puppetry.

This year’s Battle of the Books was another success!  The competition took place on the May 15^th, 2013 in the library.  Three teams of students competed in the jeopardy-style competition and answered questions about ten different books from this year’s list.  The list was made up of multiple genres (short stories, novels, poetry, and non-fiction) and included award winners such as Wonder, by Patricia Palacia, Trapped: how the World Recued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert, by Marc Aronson, and “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” by Sir Arthur

Dear OTA members,

Do you wonder how this period of time will be described in history books? This is something I contemplate often.