The Advocate - November 1, 2017

• What it Will Take to Fix PPS
• PAT 2018 Election Materials
• Winning Health Insurance Improvements
• Help PAT Engage!
• Promoting Racial Equity in PPS
• PERS Bubble and Mid-Year Retirement
• New Memoranda of Agreement
• Host a Guest Teacher for a Day
• OEA Promising Practice Grants
• Athletic Grants from OEA and California Casualty
• Social Movement Unionism: Hope in Hard Times
• Member-to-Member Specials
• Donate to the Sick Leave Bank

PAT members delivered a strong message to the School Board last week that the dysfunction in PPS has gone on long enough. BIG THANKS to Sarah Brown, Greg Burrill, and Francisca Alvarez for sharing powerful stories of what PPS cuts mean to educators and students. You can watch their comments on the PAT YouTube channel.

In my own testimony, I made it clear that if PPS wants to fix the very real problems in our District, administrators and Board members need to take off their rose-colored glasses and start listening to frontline educators.

Are you interested in getting more involved in PAT? 

Nominations will open at the November 1, 2017 PAT Representative Assembly (PAT RA) for several elected positions in PAT.  These positions are:  PAT President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, PAT Executive Board Directors (5 positions), and PAT Delegates to the Oregon Education Association and National Education Association Representative Assemblies. 

The PAT has achieved a significant improvement in member health benefits.  On September 28, 2017, PAT signed an agreement that ensured that our insurance plans were fully compliant with all elements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

That change has added a series of new components to PAT member benefits like preventive care, hearing aid coverage, positive changes in the out of pocket maximum calculations, and improvements in alternative care coverage.

PAT is conducting a listening campaign and it’s going great! 

On Friday, October 27^th, we were out listening to our colleagues at seven schools: Atkinson, Creston, Duniway, Grout, Lewis, Richmond, and Winterhaven. That brings our total to nine schools, but we’ve got lots of ground to cover.

The Racial Equity Task Force is hosting a Happy Hour/Social for PAT educators of color on Thursday, December 7^th from 4:30-6:30 PM at the PAT office: 345 NE 8^th Ave.

The Racial Equity Task Force is working on recommendations to PAT and PPS outlining how to advance racial equity in our schools. In order to better advocate for our members of color, we need to understand what issues you are facing at work. We want to hear from you!

The event is primarily our social, but please RSVP so we can tailor the event to your expectations, and order enough food.   

We have completed a PERS Bubble Agreement for this school year.  This Agreement allows members to retire and work until the end of the school year while collecting PERS benefits.  Members may start as early as December 1, 2017.  To retire by December 1^st, you must submit your intent to retire by November 6^th.  Please review the complete PERS Bubble Agreement for more details.  

PAT and the District have finalized three memoranda of Agreement (MOAs).  They can be accessed here:

• PERS Bubble Agreement
• School Mergers and Closures
• ACA Compliance
• PK-5 First Quarter Report Cards and Parent Teachers Conferences 

One of the most important events that PAT hosts is Teacher For a Day. We invite policy makers, community leaders, and other partners to see our classrooms first-hand.   This year, it will take place on Tuesday, December 12th. If you are interested in hosting a guest teacher in your classroom, or if you would like to nominate a colleague as a host, please sign up here or contact Madeleine Allen at [email protected]. 

Do you have a plan that could enhance your classroom skills or boost student achievement? An idea for a site-based professional development activity that could build partnerships? OEA’s Center for Great Public Schools awards Promising Practice Grants to individual PAT members. 

There are four $500 grants available to PAT members.  To apply, please complete the short application form available online. 

The completed grant application form must be sent to [email protected]  by December 11^th.