Portland Association of Teachers

Celebrate Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15th is the beginning of Latinx Heritage Month!

Celebrate with your Students!

The PAT Racial Equity Committee and the Social Justice Committee have pulled together a wide variety of resources including:

Find more resources for educators here.

Affinity Spaces for Latinx Educators

PAT Members are hosting affinity space for Latinx educators twice a week:

Tuesdays, 7:30-8 am

Cafecito y comunidad affinity space for Latinx folks in PPS

Join Here!

Fridays (times alternate)

Latinx affinity space for PAT members.

Latinx Heritage Books for Children

Latinx Educators: Volunteer to Read to Book

The Racial Equity Committee is also interested in launching a book reading program where educators can volunteer one hour of their time to read a book specific to Latinx culture. This book reading will be recorded via Zoom and all readings will be posted on the PAT website and PAT YouTube channel. These recordings can be incorporated into your curriculum design for Latinx Heritage Month and you can use the recordings for your asynchronous content for your students.

To volunteer, please complete this form and we will be in contact with you to schedule a recording time. We will search for an e-book version of your book to display online. If you do not have a Latinx Heritage book in mind, check out the books lists above!

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Register to Vote by October 13th

Are You Registered to Vote?

The deadline to register to vote in Oregon in the upcoming election is October 13, 2020. You’ll also need to update your registration if you’ve moved since you last registered. Registering is easy and can be done online.

Since it is so important that everyone participates in voting, please make sure to mention the October 13 voting registration deadline to your students, and encourage them to remind their parents.

Need to register to vote?- Register here: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en

Not sure if you’re registered correctly? Check here: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do?lang=eng&source=SOS

Need to update your registration? Enter your info here, then click “Update Registration”:

https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do?lang=eng&source=SOS

Voting is a vital part of our democracy, and your power is in your vote- but you can’t vote if you’re not registered!
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Get Counted: 2020 Census

The final deadline for the 2020 United States Census is September 30th. You can still participate and ensure you are counted. Please visit https://2020census.gov/en.html to complete the questionnaire and be counted.

Participation in the Census is safe, important, and necessary. The Census affects $800 billion in public education funding, and we want to make sure our community is counted and will receive its fair share of federal and state funding for schools and other critical services.

Please educate your students about the Census, and encourage them to talk to their families about the importance of getting counted. For resources and ideas, visit https://www.nea.org/2020-census.
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“How to Be an Anti-Racist” Book Group
Start a Book Discussion Group with your Colleagues
This summer the PAT Executive Board and Committees Chairs committed to reading and discussing Ibram X Kendi’s book, How to be an Anti-racist. Educators from Bridlemile, DART, and Gray MS organized discussion groups for members there as well.

We invite you to organize an Anti-Racist book study with your colleagues as well. Here are some easy steps to get you started:

Invite your colleagues to join you

Acquire the Book: You can download the audio or e-book version of How to be an Anti-racist by Ibram X. Kendi from the Multnomah County Library with no wait, for free!

Set the pace: We recommend meeting for 30 minutes, once a week, for 4 weeks, discussing about 4 chapters each week.Set the calendar: Pick a time and create a video-chat link. Pick someone to send out reminders each week.

Facilitate the discussion: You can pick someone to facilitate the whole process, or switch facilitators each week. It can be helpful to have discussion questions/homework ahead of time, like

What concept or story from this week’s reading is especially applicable to your classroom?

What is a sentence or paragraph from this week that really spoke to you and why?

What did you learn that you were not aware of before?

Or use the official book Book Club Kit questions

Please let us know if you are interested in organizing an anti-racist book group at your site. If you need support around this, or want to talk it through, e-mail diana.collins@oregoned.org.
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Event: How to Be an Anti-Racist: An Evening of Art + Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

PAT is proud to sponsor Human Solutions’ event: “How to Be an Anti-Racist: An Evening of Art + Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi”. This free on-line event is an invitation to understand and embrace anti-racism. Here are the details:

Join us on Thursday, October 1 at 6:30pm, for a thought-provoking evening of art & conversation, featuring performing artists, Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of the bestselling book “How To Be An Anti-Racist,” with performing artists curated by BoomArts.

Guests will see relevant performances by local artists, hear a 20-minute presentation by Dr. Kendi and a 20-minute conversation with Dr. Kendi and Commissioner Hardesty, followed by 15 minutes of audience Q & A.

Register today to reserve a space: https://www.humansolutions.org/antiracist

HUNGRY? Order dinner from one these Black-owned restaurants: https://iloveblackfood.com/pdx-directory/
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Event: LERC Workshops
LERC Workshop Series: “The Intersection of Racial Justice and Worker Advocacy”

This fall the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon is organizing a workshop series “The Intersection of Racial Justice and Worker Advocacy.” All talks are free and open to all. Learn more and sign up on the LERC website.

Please mark your calendar for upcoming sessions:
- September 30, 5–6:15 PM, Interrupting Systems of Oppression in our Unions. This training will explore how institutional racism shows up in our society and the labor movement. Participants will identify historical and institutional barriers in our unions to building stronger, inclusive unions that fight for all workers.
- October 14, 5–6:15 PM, Exploring Systemic Racism in Arbitration. Unions rely heavily on arbitration to resolve contract disputes. Arbitration is not immune from the impact of institutionalized racism. How does racial and gender bias show up in the arbitration process and what can unions do to combat it? (Note: this session is at the same time as our Rep Assembly, so if you are a rep and want to attend, please make sure another rep from your site is able to attend the RA.)
- October 21, 5–6:15 PM, Toolbox Essentials for Creating Racial Justice. Allies for racial justice work in three overlapping domains, directly with union members, with our unions as institutions, and within the broader community and culture. This workshop will help unionists explore the complexities of creating an inclusive culture while engaging at all three levels.
This fall the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon is organizing a workshop series “The Intersection of Racial Justice and Worker Advocacy.” All talks are free and open to all. Learn more and sign up on the LERC website.

Please mark your calendar for upcoming sessions:
- September 30, 5–6:15 PM, Interrupting Systems of Oppression in our Unions. This training will explore how institutional racism shows up in our society and the labor movement. Participants will identify historical and institutional barriers in our unions to building stronger, inclusive unions that fight for all workers.
- October 14, 5–6:15 PM, Exploring Systemic Racism in Arbitration. Unions rely heavily on arbitration to resolve contract disputes. Arbitration is not immune from the impact of institutionalized racism. How does racial and gender bias show up in the arbitration process and what can unions do to combat it? (Note: this session is at the same time as our Rep Assembly, so if you are a rep and want to attend, please make sure another rep from your site is able to attend the RA.)
- October 21, 5–6:15 PM, Toolbox Essentials for Creating Racial Justice. Allies for racial justice work in three overlapping domains, directly with union members, with our unions as institutions, and within the broader community and culture. This workshop will help unionists explore the complexities of creating an inclusive culture while engaging at all three levels.
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You are Invited: Jobs with Justice 2020 Virtual Annual Dinner!

PAT is proud to partner with Jobs with Justice, and we are once again sponsoring the annual fundraising dinner. This year, the event will take place virtually on Thursday September 24, 2020 at 6pm. Since it is virtual, there is room for all to attend! The program will be hosted on Zoom and will feature a keynote address from Bobbin Singh, founding Executive Director of Oregon Justice Resource Center. Learn more here.
Join a PAT Committee

RSVP for a PAT Committee Meeting

PAT is known around the state and country for being a strong and powerful union. Part of what makes this possible is the strength of our committees within the union. Our committees give members a way to be involved based on their own interests. Most of our committees are open to all members. We want you to get involved. Your voice will make a difference. Click on this link to get involved with one or more committees.

The committees listed below are open to any PAT member wishing to participate. Our committees meet monthly and virtually on Zoom, usually in the late afternoon or early evening. Committee meeting dates and start times are available on our calendar.

The Instructional and Professional Development Committee meets with PPS leadership monthly to advocate for better district-wide programs for all PAT members. Upcoming Meeting: 4:30pm, Wednesday, September 23^rd.

The Legislative Committee works to support local legislation, elected leaders, and candidates for elected office who share our values, so that educators can influence our government to recognize the needs of our students and our profession. Upcoming Meeting: 5:00pm, Thursday, October 1^st.

The Membership Committee offers workshops to help PAT members with issues such as student loan forgiveness, retirement planning, and interview skills for the transfer process. It also plans member activities such as the annual PAT “Party in the Park” and Retiree Reception. Upcoming Meeting: 4:00pm, Thursday, October 1^st.

The Racial Equity Committee is comprised of educators of color whose goal is to build organizational capacity within PAT to honor, acknowledge, and center the lived experiences and stories of educators, with students of color, within our union and inside PPS. Upcoming Meeting: 4:30pm, Wednesday, September 30^th.

Social Justice and Community Outreach Committee members strengthen ties with other labor and community organizations and conduct open forums on topics like Special Education, Immigration Rights and Climate Justice. Upcoming Meeting: 4:30pm, Wednesday, September 30^th.

The Substitute Teacher Committee discusses best practice for substitute teachers and supports the bargaining team. Their work, along with our collective efforts, helped PAT win the strongest Substitute Teacher contract in Oregon. Upcoming Meeting: 4:30pm, Wednesday, September 23^rd.

Please visit our Committees Page to learn more about all our committees and their work.
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PAT Advocacy Cadre

Introducing the New PAT Advocacy Cadre Hotline

We are excited to launch the PAT Advocacy Cadre, a group of 10 member-educators who will work closely with the UniServ Consultants to become experts on our contracts, and to support members who need help navigating the language of our union contracts.

PAT Advocacy Cadre Hotline Hours

Mondays, 5:00-6:30 pm, starting August 31st.

Phone: (503) 495-2144 (leave a voicemail and you will get a call back during hotline hours)
Zoom Drop-In (open 5-6:30pm on Hotline Mondays)
Email: askpat@oregoned.org (send a message and you will get a response during hotline hours)

Meet The PAT Advocacy Cadre

¡Hola a todos! My name is Angela Bonilla and I am an Instructional Coach at Scott School K-5. This will be my 5th year teaching at PPS and first year out of my Spanish DLI classroom. I am extremely excited to be an advocate and resource for educators; ¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!
Tom Aaron Gevurtz teaches 2nd and 3rd graders in the Chinese Dual Language program at Harrison Park K8; the English side. 2020-2021 is my 27th year teaching Kindergarten through 8th grade. I look forward to advocating for all PAT members!
Emily Golden-Fields is a substitute teacher who has worked in PPS since 2016. She teaches in schools throughout the district, and has taught a variety of grade levels: kindergarten through high school. She is excited to support and empower members as an advocate!
Adama Goudiaby
My name is Hanna McGrath and I am currently teaching 8th grade Language Arts at Lane Middle School. Before joining PPS, I worked in a number of Portland’s youth-based non-profits with a focus on our youth houselessness crisis and literacy.
Jackson Mowe started with PPS as a paraeducator in 2013. He is currently teaching fourth grade at Grout Elementary. He believes strongly in the power of collective action and is ready to advocate on your behalf.
My name is Nahir Pérez. I am a 3rd grade Spanish Immersion teacher at Rigler Elementary. This is my 4th year teaching for the district. I am originally from Panamá City, Panamá and moved to the United States when I was 7. I went through PPS for schooling starting at Beach Elementary, DaVinci Arts Middle School and Benson High School.
My name is Charity Powell, I am a Special Education Teacher at Laurelhurst School, and mom to an incoming kindergartener. I have worked for PPS since 2002. Over the years, I have taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade as a General Education Teacher, and Kindergarten through 8th grade as a Special Education Learning Center Teacher.
My name is Maggie Raczek. I am a Science teacher at Lincoln High School. This is my 22nd year with PPS. I look forward to advocating for PAT members.
Michele Stahlecker

Latest from the blog

August 20 Email from PAT- re Building Access Prior to Start of School Year

Dear PAT Educator,

Today is the first day that educators can access their building to prepare for the school year, according to our contract. We have heard from many educators who wish to enter their classrooms to prepare for the year and access materials.

Article 19.5 of the PAT/PPS Collective Bargaining Agreement states, “Professional educators shall have access to their worksites to unpack and organize their rooms as soon as possible but, at minimum, one (1) week prior to their first work day.” If your administrator has not already announced a schedule to safely re-enter the building, contact your building administrator to schedule a time to re-enter the building.

If your administrator refuses to admit you into the building, citing Covid procedures, please contact your Uniserv Representative at PAT. While we want to remain sensitive to PPS’s attempts to implement Covid safe re-entry plans, we believe PPS has had sufficient time to design these re-entry plans, especially considering the deadline to re-enter the building is today.

Portland Association of Teachers
http://www.pdxteachers.org/
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Have You NOT Received ANY Payments for Work Share or Unemployment Yet?
Dear Educator,

As of last Thursday, July 16^th, the majority of members received all of their Unemployment checks and Work Share checks. However, there are still many members who have not received any Work Share or Unemployment checks due to the following reasons:
1. They are receiving income from a second source. This includes another pension, income from a second job, income from a trust or estate, or income from a small family business.
2. They just retired.
3. They incorrectly filled out their two-page Work Share application. (The two page application filled out by members in May.)
PPS is aware of these three categories of individuals who have not yet received any of their payments. PPS HR is slowly working its way through a list of employees and either emailing educators or calling educators to follow up.

If you have emailed PAT since July 13 about having not received any payments yet (either emailed your UniServ Consultant or the PAT general email address), we have your name and are compiling a list to forward to PPS HR.

However, if you have not received any payments yet, have not contacted your UniServ Consultant or PAT since July 13, and you have not received a call or email from PPS HR recently, please enter your contact info on this form. We want to have a list to forward to PPS HR, and we also want to make sure that everyone receives the payments they are owed.

In Solidarity,

Portland Association of Teachers
http://www.pdxteachers.org/
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