LMEA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

October 10, 2005

NOTE: These minutes are also available online at www.lmeaonline.org.

President D. Pendino called the meeting to order at 4:04 PM .

Motion made to approve the September 2005 Executive Council minutes - second by J. Hemingway - Approved.

Officer’s Reports:

President’s Report: D. Pendino gave the following report:

1. New 10-20-70 healthcare cards were sent. The new PC15 cards are coming soon.

2. IAs 14 hour flextime - Principal is not allowed to determine hours – final approval is done

through the Director of Pupil Services.

3. Computer imaging is different on student computers but the same on teachers’ computers.

Staff should still be able to log on to access email.

4. Rounding for support personnel has been changed using an accepted industry/business 7

minute model instead of the 1 minute late/5 minute penalty originally prescribed.

• Sunshine guidelines – D. Pendino made motion that Sunshine Committee guidelines be amended as follows: “The chairperson for the Sunshine Committee is responsible for the sending of gifts, flowers, and fruit as needed according to the guidelines below. Contact with each of the secretaries in each building or division should be maintained to keep all notifications up to date. 1. Card sent to any member after five (5) days of absences. 2. Flowers or gifts sent to any member in case of major illness or accidents after fifteen (15) days of absence. ($45.00) 3. Flowers, fruit, or contributions sent to family upon the death of a member, a member’s immediate family, or death of a current LMSD student. ($55.00) 4. Card sent to member when married. 5. Card sent to member upon birth of a child. 6. Card sent to family upon the death of a retired member. 7. Any other occasion deemed necessary as approved by the officers. Card shall be cards purchased from the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund. (3 for $25).”

Questions about why the amounts are changing – expenses are increasing. Motion passed. Let D. Williams know about any illnesses, marriages, births, etc. D. Pendino made motion that this becomes new Policy and Practice #35 - Sec. by T. Tyler – Motion passed.

• D. Pendino made motion to change Policy and Practice #26 to change the daily meal allowance to $75. Sec. by A. Flicker – Motion passed.
• PSEA will be holding its annual Retirement Workshop/Dinner on Thursday 12/8 at the Williamson Restaurant in Willow Grove . Registration is $12. Registration forms are available from building reps.
• Last pay date in 2005 is scheduled for 12/30/05 . Due to the holiday employees would normally receive checks on 12/23 creating a 3 week gap until the first pay of the new year. D. Pendino made a motion to not invoke Article 25 Section B for the 12/30 pay date – Sec. by M. Stettner - Motion passed – This means employees will receive their pay/direct deposit on 12/30 and not on 12/23.
• D. Pendino made list of appointments to the following committees: Health & Safety – L. Giaquinto, J. Alvord, H. Erney, T. Quinlan, and A. Flicker. Professional Meetings – M. Galagher, G. Rosazza, and K. Thompson. Staff Development Council (SDC) – L. Pratt. Instruction & Curriculum Council (ICC) – J. Allison, B. Epstein, K. Esibill, B. Haley, C. Jawork, L. Marcuson, D. McAllister, C. McGeehan, D. Pendino, B. Persofsky, L. Pierce, S. Schindler, S. Waldman, and L. Pratt (liaison). ICC and SDC are important because they speak directly to the Assistant Superintendent. This is the formal mechanism through which we communicate to the Asst. Superintendent on issues regarding instruction and curriculum. Members are encouraged to know their building’s ICC rep.
• Applecore items were discussed.

VP Support: V. Fedeli gave the following report:

• Behavior Aides, Instructional Assistants, and Staff Nurses – The District has started to schedule after-school training sessions which will be credited towards your 14 hours of flex time. Contractually, the District must give you 2 weeks notice for the scheduled session and CAN NOT require you to stay beyond 1 hour on a single day without your consent. Upon notification if you are unable to attend please notify the District.
• Congratulations and keep up the good work to the 82 Transportation employees who received the new $50 bonus for perfect attendance in September.
• PSEA is asking for its members’ support in contacting their state legislators regarding proposals containing the mandatory back-end referendum provisions. If enacted, “back-end” referendum provisions would force school districts to seek VOTER approval for property tax increases and school budget increases. Voter approval will impact districts’ budgets and their ability to provide services. If this bill passes it would erase the decision of 390 districts across PA who voted to opt out of Act 72. Lawmakers should consider legislation that provides tax relief directly to property owners without placing unnecessary Act 72 requirements on school districts. By telling your state legislators “I would appreciate your support in opposing any action that would force mandatory or back-end referendum – will you help me?” you can let our lawmakers know you care about these issues as a school employee and taxpayer. Your local legislators’ names and phone numbers are on the back of your PSEA membership card.

1 st Vice President: NR

VP Professional: NR

Secretary Support: NR

Secretary Professional: NR

Treasurer: D. Mandarino made motion to accept the Financial Reports for August and September 2005 –

motion passed.

Committee Reports:

Constitution: P. Dawson reported they will review/discuss our constitution – if interested in helping on this committee contact P. Dawson. Their first meeting will probably be in late October.

Elections: Contact E. DiStefano (formerly Brophy) if you want your name on the ballot for the PSEA House of Delegates.

IPD: NR

CNC: C. SantaMaria reported they will meet on 10/20 – meetings will be a few days after CAPS meetings but fewer than last year since we are not negotiating.

FAC: NR

Health & Safety: A. Flicker reported their first meeting was 9/29. Committee is looking for reps from each building. Contact this committee if you have concerns in your building that have not been addressed after contacting your principal/supervisor. H&S reps from each building will have a journal in which to log accidents/problems. Also, District plans to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of air conditioning in the schools.

Legislation: NR

Minority Affairs: NR

PACE: C. SantaMaria reported that building reps have contribution forms – “10 bucks- No excuses!” All members are strongly urged to contribute to this worthwhile cause. Your donation can be spread out over 5 pays. So when you contribute $10 you can have it broken down into 5 $2 deductions! How easy is that?! PACE donations go toward funding pro-public education candidates in their campaigns. Dues money is not and cannot be used for these contributions. Contribution forms must be back to C. SantaMaria by December 9 to be eligible for the payroll deduction option. Highest percentage of contributors in their building/unit wins the illustrious and highly coveted PACE trophy.

PR&R: P. Dawson reported that they are filtering complaints to see whether they are “grieveable” or not.

Public Relations: NR

Social: NR

Special Services: NR

Sunshine: NR – but D. Williams thanked the Executive Council for updating this committee’s guidelines.

Membership: NR

CARE: M. Rios reported this committee is defined as an advisory committee made up of a various members in the educational community who address the needs of African-American students in our district. Summer programs, the FLOW mentor program, community outreach sessions, and other efforts are some of the products of this program.

Building Reports:

Belmont Hills: NR

Cynwyd: NR

Gladwyne: Concerns about how flex time is scheduled - Director of pupil services determines flex time. Concern about updates on employees’ sick day totals – information coming.

Merion: Concerns about hot rooms - signing in and lack of parking – Concern about parents parking in spots for teachers – will be investigated. Concerns about flex spending accounts – being investigated.

Penn Valley : Question about how much was contributed via LMEA to the Katrina relief fund - $400. Concern about letter regarding “rounding” rules. Some members did not get letters – letters will be sent. Clocking in early – disciplinary – doing this is interpreted by KRONOS as overtime. Members are reminded that we are to work our contracted hours. However we seem to be making progress in this issue. What happens if you are not highly qualified by June 2006? – LMSD does not receive Title 1 funds. Many questions regarding the flex time letter – see V. Fedeli’s report. Concern about support staff needing to access mylearningplan.com – will be investigated. Concern about not being able to use the flex plan debit card as it was advertised to us in the spring – being investigated.

Penn Wynne: NR

Bala Cynwyd: Concerns about punitive measures on signing in and its effect on evaluations – Concern about how these punitive measures were made known to the membership. – We have ‘Just Cause’ in our contract – this ensures that any disciplinary policy must be progressive. Concern about what level employees are evaluated on – will be investigated.

Welsh Valley: 1 on 1 aides want to know what to do with children if buses aren’t there at the end of their workday – Talk to principal – let principal decide – if decision violates the contract let D. Pendino know.

Lower Merion : Flex time issues – being investigated and progress being made. Issue about building clocks and KRONOS clocks showing different times – will be investigated.

Harriton: Concern about Powerschool – numerous issues exist about this – will be investigated. Dress code issues – there is no dress code for teachers. Concern about the logistics of one place to sign-in on a large campus – being investigated.

Building and Grounds: Concern about secretaries in operations having difficulties in signing in – being investigated.

Transportation LM: More concerns about punching/signing in.

A. Flicker made motion to adjourn – sec. by D. Mandarino. The meeting was adjourned at 5:54 PM .

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Stettner, Secretary