The Advocate - April 26, 2017

• Making National News (for the Wrong Reasons)
• Organizing for May Day
• May Election Voter's Guide
• Support the Bond for Safe, Healthy, and Modern Schools!
• PAT Building Rep Elections
• PAT PAC Elections April 26th
• Please Donate to the Sick Leave Bank!

The proposed cuts in the state legislature are so devastating that we’ve made national news. In a recent NEA article, PAT member Sarah Spella laid out how cuts to art, music, and PE create additional workload for other classroom educators:

Since the 1800s, workers around the world have commemorated our struggles for labor rights and social justice on May 1^st. Teachers nationwide are celebrating May Day this year and we hope everyone in PAT will be able to participate. We’re coordinating our efforts through the OEA and NEA, in partnership with AROS, the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools.

On March 22, the PAT Representative Assembly voted to support the Portland Public Schools Bond. This bond is the second step in a 30-year strategic plan to modernize all our schools. Specifically, this bond will provide funds to fully rebuild or modernize four schools: Benson, Madison, Lincoln, and Kellogg. In addition, it will fund much-needed health and safety projects across the district, including removing lead, asbestos, and radon hazards, repairing roofs, seismic upgrading, and improving ADA accessibility. Learn more at www.healthyschoolspdx.com.

As the school year comes to a close, it’s time to elect your site’s PAT Building Representatives. Each site is entitled to one Rep per every nine members. 

Our building elections are how we ensure that Reps at each site are trusted, respected leaders. To run be a Rep for your sight, let you your current Head Rep know you are interested. Each site should create a ballot and hold an election at a 10-minute meeting before the end of the year.

For more information and resources, go to www.pdxteachers.org/pat_elections.

All active members of the PAT PAC (Portland Association of Teachers Political Action Committee) are invited to a brief meeting on Wednesday, April 26th, at 6:30 PM at the PAT office, immediately following the RA.

Recent changes to the contract increased the number of hours PAT may collect from members for the Sick Leave Bank. This helps ensure that hours will be available through the end of the school year for your colleagues who have exhausted their leave and need assistance. 

Donations of hours are still needed, as there are several pending applications for grants from the sick leave bank.

Please donate here – and thank you!