The Advocate - April 11, 2018

• President's Message: What It Takes To Create Safe and Supportive Schools 
• Transfer Timeline: Important Deadlines
• Portland Educators Endorse Candidates for May Election
• PAT Supports the Oregon Labor Candidate School
• Educator Round Table with Jo Ann Hardesty
• National Board Certification Workshop: May 3rd
• "I'll Be There" With Portland Jobs With Justice
• Healthcare for All Oregon: Inner City Blues Festival

Last week, PAT member Chris Riser was in the local and national news after PPS put him on administrative leave following a student-led Black Lives Matter walkout at Ockley Green. PAT continues to fully support Chris, and our union is committed to protecting his right to due process as well as privacy. We were inspired by the outpouring of community support for Chris, which also seems to have had an impact on the District.

The period to apply for vacancies in the Internal Phase closed on April 6^th.  Interviews for positions will occur April 9^th through April 13^th.  Around April 25^th, Human Resources will notify successful applicants when they have been selected for a position for the 2018-19 school year. Any unassigned educator who does not have an assignment will be placed into a vacant position based on licensure.  The External Phase vacancies will be posted April 28 (tentative) and will be ongoing from that date.  A vacancy may only be posted externally if there is no one unassigned who is properly licensed and competent for the position. For detailed information about the transfer process, interviewing, and layoffs, please review the following FAQs: 

• PAT Transfer Process
• FAQ: Unassignment and Transfer
• FAQ: Applying and Interviewing for Positions
• FAQ: Reduction in Staff/Layoff

The Portland Association of Teachers Political Action Committee (PAT PAC) is proud to announce its endorsements for the May 2018 primary election. The Board considers candidates’ positions on public education, their commitment to union values, their alignment to PAT strategic goals including racial equity, and their electability. We look forward to working with these candidates to improve our schools, and move our state, city, and county to better support our students and families.

Since it began in 2012, OLCS trains and supports union members across the state to run successfully for public office up and down the ticket.  Our labor “bench” across the state includes 110 members prepared to serve in public office.  In the last five years, thirty-one OLCS graduates ran for office and seventeen of them get elected. This year ten alumni will be on the ballot. 

OLCS annually provides a six-session class in Portland that runs October-March, a four-session class in Eugene from March to June, a summer alumni training, an educational day in the capitol during the Legislative session, and other networking and continuing education opportunities for our participants. 

The PAT Executive Board voted to continue our support of the Labor Candidate School with a contribution of $500 this year. If you are interested in learning more about OLCS or applying to one of their programs, look here http://www.oregonlaborcandidateschool.org/

Please join us at the PAT office for a round table discussion with Portland City Council candidate Jo Ann Hardesty on April 12^th from 4:30-6:00 PM. As educators, we know that there are many issues that impact our families and students both inside and outside of our classrooms. Share your experiences and challenges as well as your ideas about what can be done at the city level to support public education. 

Portland Jobs with Justice is a coalition of labor organizations and community groups dedicated to protecting the rights of working people. They have provided an enormous amount of support to PAT and other unions in the city over the years. In the last few months many union and community campaigns have reached a critical juncture, and Jobs with Justice has been an anchor of support and solidarity.

We encourage ALL PAT members to check the Jobs with Justice calendar of events, and if you can make time, support your union brothers and sisters throughout the region. You can find the events at https://jwjpdx.org/solidaritycalendar/

National Board Certification in Oregon is on the rise. Provisions in our contract and TSPC provide incentives and support for teachers who earn their National Board Certification. For more information on National Boards, the State Bill that provides funding for NBCT Candidates, incentives offered in PPS for National Board-Certified Teachers, or supports available for NBCT candidates, there will be an info session open to PAT members at the PAT Office (345 NE 8th Ave) on Thursday, May 3^rd from 4:30-6 PM. If you have questions, please contact Sara Daley, NBCT at [email protected]. Please RSVP online. 

PAT is once again sponsoring HCAO’s annual Blues Festival.  Health Care for All-Oregon is an advocacy organization working to bring an equitable, affordable, comprehensive, publicly funded health care system to all Oregonians.  The 7th Annual Inner City Blues Festival, “Healing the Healthcare Blues,” returns April 21st to the North Portland Eagles Lodge, 7611 N. Exeter. (at Lombard). Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and music runs until midnight.  Admission $20 in advance or $25 at the door.