kceakceakcea The official publication of the Knox County education Association A TEA/NEA Affiliate

AAADVOCATEDVOCATEDVOCATE ADVOCATE ADVOCATE

KCEA Officers

President

Kim Waller

Vice-President

Athanasios Bayiates

Secretary

Paula Brown

Treasurer

Karen Peterman

Executive Board

Past President

Dana Stanfield

High School Rep.

Evelyn Gill

High School Rep.

Bill Bell

High School Rep.

Wendie Love

Admin. Rep.

Linda Delaney

Minority at Large

Judy Carpenter

Middle School Rep.

Sherry Morgan

Middle School Rep.

Catherine Gettys

Elementary Rep.

Jennifer Atkins

Elementary Rep.

Laura Cain

Elementary Rep.

Kitty Creekmore

TEA Board Member

Jessica Holman

TEA Board Member

Terry Uselton

Staff

UniServ Director

Betty Crawford

Secretary

Abbie Hoover

I’m a Teacher: Politics Has Nothing to Do with Me By Kim Waller, KCEA President

Ever heard anyone you know say that? As anyone who knows me will tell you, I would never say teaching and

politics are not related. Almost everything we do has bee decided by someone who is elected by the public. Our

paychecks, health benefits, class size, retirement benefit, policies regarding student discipline, sick leave bank,

personal days, number of sick days…”No Child Left Behind” … ALL and more were determined by someone that

probably you and I stood in an election booth and pushed a button for. For this reason, we have a duty and

obligation to be aware of where candidates stand on issues related not only to children’s education, but to the

working conditions that we have as teachers.

During this most recent election, a handful of KCEA members called to ask why KCEA or TEA endorsed this

or that candidate. A lot of people, many of them retired teachers, routinely call the KCEA office on election day

and ask us who they should vote for. Many people vote for a candidate based on where that person stands on public

education.

While I can hope that all teachers make that a priority when voting , I understand that for some teachers, their

number one priority might be a social issue, such as abortion or gun control. When NEA, TEA, or KCEA issues an

endorsement, it is after a candidate has been interviewed by a group from the organization. That group is charged

with asking only about education issues. There are many races where TEA and KCEA make “no endorsement”

because, perhaps, candidates did not satisfy the committee with regard to education policies. Many KCEA

members have participated in candidate interviews, both in Knox County and in Nashville. When I sat in on the

senatorial interview last June in Nashville, I can tell you that only questions regarding education were asked. These

are typically questions related to charter schools, voucher programs, No Child Left Behind, merit pay, teachers’

right to bargain. Etc. It would not be acceptable for us to ask a candidate how he or she feels about the Iraq war.

Our ONLY issue is public education.

Let me also say that dues money our members pay is NOT used to give to political candidates. Both the NEA

and TEA have fundraising drives at different conferences and meetings, where those in attendance give money to

a political action fund, if they choose to. At last summer’s NEA Representative Assembly, delegates raised nearly

$2 million for political action This money is used for mailings, phone banks, and other advertising for candidates

who have earned an endorsement form NEA or TEA. The bottom line is this. Political action money is are given by

members. The only person in the voting booth is you. NEA, TEA, and KCEA are not in the booth pushing the

button for you. We just want you to give public education your priority.

CBM/RTI By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice-President

CBM/RTI are acronyms that many Knox County teachers have become familiar with in the last four months,

while some have grappled with them for over a year. CBM, or Curriculum Based Measurement, is a school-wide

reading and math test that is administered in the fall, winter, and spring. The results are used to determine which

students in your classroom that need to be S-Teamed. RTI, or Response To Interventions, is the intervention

process itself, that will lead to the identification of students with special needs. Students who are S-Teamed will

go through a series of three tiers , and at each tier of six weeks, it is up to the classroom teacher to assess weekly,

each student who had been identified by the CBM in their classroom to monitor the effectiveness of the

interventions and to determine if the student should progress to the next tier of the process. Knox County has

created this process in response to changes in federal law in how students should be identified for special

education services. However, as our classroom, we need to look at how it can be implemented in such a way that

it supports the work of teachers in the classroom. We at KCEA would like to know how CBM/RTI is affecting

your classroom, so that we can positively affect changes in this new process. If you could tell us by either

contacting the office or by contacting your building level representative about the amount of time you are now

spending to assess the students for the RTI process, whether or not you have sufficient materials to meet the

identified students; intervention needs, and any concerns or suggestions you have regarding the RTI process, it

would help us in making any needed changes.

November 2006 Volume XX, Issue #3

NCUEA Fall Conference By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice President KCEA President, Kim Waller, and Vice President, Athanasios

Bayiates attended the NCUEA fall conference, where a number of

national initiatives that affect our work in the classroom were

discussed. The reauthorization of ESEA, TABOR initiatives, and the

65% Deception were a few of the issues that were on the agenda.

The NCUEA, of which KCEA is a member, is the National

Council of Urban Education Associations. It is comprised of over

200 of the largest NEA affiliates in the country. As members of the

NCUEA, OUR Association is able to help shape NEA Resolutions,

legislative programs, and policy statements, It also provides us with

opportunities to see how other Associations are dealing with political

actions at the national, state, and local level and what resources and

tools are available to affect a positive agenda for our public schools.

While TABOR has not been introduced in the Tennessee

Legislature, the 65% Deception has been introduced by a legislator

from East Tennessee and has failed. It is important that we, as an

Association, are aware of initiatives that are being pushed by those

that do not support our great public schools, so that we can protect

them.

KCEA President, Kim Waller, will be sharing information about

NEA’s positive agenda for change in ESEA in the next issue of the

Advocate so that we can put to work the tools we acquired at this

year’s NCUEA Fall Conference.

If you would like more information on TABOR, the 65%

Deception, and other legislative attempts to weaken our great public

schools, visit www.nea.org.

Health Insurance

Cindy Buttry proposed, and the Knox County School

Board voted, to pick up the total increase in the health

insurance premiums this year. We would encourage all KCEA

members to contact Cindy Buttry and their individual school

board members to thank them for their support of the

educators of Knox County.

Salary Committee By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice-President

KCEA and the Knox County School Board created a

salary committee at the beginning of the year, to research

various proposals that have been put forward by school board

members. The committee constructed a survey, which was

sent to all school sites in Knox County, to get input, which

will be compiled and analyzed by TEA and KCEA.

The salary committee, along with the negotiations teams,

will use the results to guide their discussions about benefits

for the educators of Knox County. The results of the survey

will be presented to the Knox County School Board on

Monday, December 18th, at the AJ Building at 5:00 p.m.

KCEA is committed to professional pay for all educators

and we believe that resources that are available should be used

to increase all educators’ pay so that it reflects the education

and responsibility that educators have. While many outside of

our Association are focused on merit pay, we believe that we

need to focus on improving our salary schedule and providing

opportunities for teachers to grow. We will support proposals

tha tmake our great public schools better, by paying all our

educators the professional salaries that we deserve. If you

would like to share your thoughts and ideas, please contact

your building level KCEA Representative. We also encourage

all our members to come to the School Board workshop to

hear the survey results.

NCLB Update By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice President

NEA, along with nine NEA affiliates and nine school districts,

filed a lawsuit on April 20, 2005, claiming that the federal

government was violating the unfunded mandates provision of

NCLB by compelling states and school systems to use their own

funds to meet the requirements as set forth in NCLB. In November of

2005, a lower court dismissed the suit; however, NEA has made oral

arguments in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth

Circuit. To date, NCLB funding is $40 billion less than the original

amount promised by Congress to fund the many demands imposed

by the Act.

As the ESEA comes up for reauthorization in 2007, NEA, TEA,

and KCEA will be working to insure that federal funding is used to

provide teachers and education support professionals with the

resources and tools to get the job done. We know NCLB has

affected our classrooms, and by many outside assessments of NCLB,

it has been a failure. We, as educators, understand accountability. We

also know we need shared responsibility and that without adequate

yearly funding, we will not get adequate results.

Look for more information in the upcoming Advocate on how

you can get involved in the positive agenda for change. If you want

to see information on how NCLB is affecting school performance,

visit http://www.fairtest.org.

Contact Your Legislator By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice President

There is an important issue that will be coming up in the

Congress in the coming months. The issue will probably be

resolved by the current legislators, and that is the Classroom

Epense Tax Reduction. As you are aware, in 2002, Congress

passed legislation giving teachers a $250 federal tax deduction

for out-of-pocket expenses and it is expected to be extended

this year. However, Representative Dave Camp (R-MI) has

introduced the NEA supported Teacher Tax Relief Act (H.R.

2989), which would make the deduction permanent, increase

it to $400, and expand it to cover professional development

expenses. The Senate version has been introduced by Senators

Mary Landreieu (D-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and John

Warner (R-VA).

Contact our House Representative, Jimmy Duncan, and

Senators Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander and encourage them

to support this legislation.

Minority Affairs Cindy Buttry proposed, and the Knox County School

Board voted, to pick up the total increase in the health

insurance premiums this year. We would encourage all

KCEA members to contact Cindy Buttry and their

individual school board members to thank them for their

support of the educators of Knox County.

Great Public Schools Are

A Right For Every Child In the next four issues of the Advocate, we will review

the four parts of the NEA message for Great Public

Schools for Every child and what they mean.

Shared responsibility and mutual respect combine to

produce results that will help students succeed in life. In

addition to the familiar R’s, we need three more R’s:

Respect, Responsibility, and Results. Parents, students,

teachers, ESP’s, and all the members of the education

team, along with elected officials and the community,

must practice the three new R’s. We need mutual respect.

Students, parents, teachers, and the entire community are

responsible for helping students prepare for the future, The

community, led by elected officials, parents, and

concerned citizens, must make sure that public schools

have adequate resources. When we are discussing issues

that affect our schools at the local, state, and national level,

everyone, not just educators, must show respect and share

responsibility, so that we will get the results we all want:

Great public schools for every child.

They Call Him “Dr. Davis” Congratulations to KCEA member and principal at

Karns High School, Clifford Davis, for earning his

doctorate in education this fall. Nice work, Dr. Davis.

Another Milken Award

Winner in Knox County KCEA member and principal at Lonsdale Elementary

School, Lisa light, was surprised on October 26 at a

school-wide assembly by the Milken Family foundation

when they awarded her with a $25,000 check. We can’t

think of a more deserving recipient.

Legislative Agenda By Bill Bell, Legislative Committee Chair

The legislative dinner was attended by Mayor Mike

Ragsdale, Representative Joe Armstrong, and Representative

Harry Tindell. With the elections just completed, KCEA

members present at the meeting asked how our legislators will

be addressing members’ concerns such as health insurance

and changes in the state BEP formula in the next legislative

session. The representatives expressed the opinion that while

they supported the TEA goal of improving the state

contribution to locals’ health insurance plans, they would be

focusing on the changes in the BEP formula.

Other items critical to employees and students of Knox

County Schools were discussed. These included: forcing

teachers to perform medical procedures for students, such as

giving insulin shots, the possible effects of the sheriff’s

department pension, and virtual schools.

If we want to affect legislative action to support our great

public schools, we need to talk to our legislators, so they

know what the effects of their action will have on our

classrooms.

The visit to Knox County legislators in Nashville during

the 2007 legislative term will be in late February or March. If

you would like to attend, or if you would like to join our

grassroots political action effort, contact the KCEA office.

This is a great way for you to gain a voice in Tennessee’s

political arena. Come join us and let your voice be heard.

Eighteen Hours Explained By Athanasios Bayiates, KCEA Vice President

As we prepare for the upcoming changes in the

unscheduled in-service hours for the 2007-2008 school year, it

is important that there is an understanding of how and why

these changes were made. There is a misconception that

teachers will just be working tow uncompensated additional

days,. This is not true. What has happened is that two in-

service days were taken out of the calendar and converted into

two unscheduled in-service days.

The rationale is that a majority of teachers are, at this point,

attending over 6 hours of unscheduled in-service days, and

teacher would be better served with the opportunity to choose

in-service that would support what they are doing in their

classrooms.

The Professional Development Center is changing how in-

service hours are logged and providing a greater number of

opportunities for in-service on their website. If you have not

already received a card with a login name and password, you

should soon. If you have any question, please contact the

KCEA office.

Valuebuilder The NEA Valuebuilder program is the only retirement

program endorsed by the NEA. Knox County has two new

representatives to serve the needs of our members. Charles

Ewing and Andrea Carpenter have been endorsed by Security

Benefit to serve as the financial advisors for Valuebuilder.

Charles and Andrea are committed to public education and

service to help members understand their options as it relates to

their specific situation. They have an office in Alcoa and have

experience working with teachers in many areas of financial

services.

The Valuebuilder program offers mutual funds and variable

annuities for 403b’s. The program offers more than 30

investment options, pre-tax savings, tax deferred accumulation,

flexibility as well as an exclusive NEA endorsement. If you

currently have a Valuebuilder account or need to establish one,

they want you to understand your options. Valuebuilder has

many new options, such as more ways to invest and ways to

protect your future values that did not exist in the past. They

invite you to call them directly to explore your options. Please

call at 681.4040 or email them at andrea@ewinggroup.net

Message From NEA Member

Benefits What’s keeping you from enjoying the benefits of

homeownership?

Don’t let a home buying myth cause you to put your future

on hold. Read on to see how breaking down perceived bariers,

understanding the truth, and working with the NEA Home

Financing Program offered exclusively through Wells Fargo

Home Mortgage can help you make the investment of a lifetime.

Myth: “I can’t qualify for a mortgage with less-than-perfect

credit.”

Truth: Even with a limited or imperfect credit history, you

may still be able to qualify for home financing. The NEA Home

Financing Program has loan options with relaxed approval

guidelines that accommodate credit and income challenges.

Begin with the basics to achieve your goals: Check your

credit report and know your credit score. Lenders look at your

credit history to see how you’ve handled financial obligations in

the past. Lenders also look at your monthly debt to be sure

you’re able to add on a mortgage payment. So, if you plan to

buy a home, check your credit report before you apply. Your

credit score may be better—or easier to improve—than you

think.

Count on the NEA Home Financing Program to help you

move beyond credit challenges and into your own Home. KCEA

members can learn more by calling your certified TEA Home

Mortgage Consultant, Betsie Hughes, at tel. 865.690.2721 or on

the web at http://www.wfhm.com/betsie-hhughes.

Well Represented The following is a list of school sites whose Association

Representative attended the November KCEA Representative

Assembly:

5th Avenue

A.L. Lotts

Adrian Burnett

Austin East

Bearden Elementary

Bearden Middle

Bearden High

Beaumont

Belle Morris

Bonny Kate

Brickey McCloud

Carter High

Cedar Bluff Middle

Cedar Bluff Primary

Cedar Bluff Intermediate

Chilhowee Intermediate

Corryton

Dogwood

East Knox

Farragut High

Farragut Intermediate

Farragut Middle

Fountain City

Gibbs Primary

Green

Gresham Middle

Halls Elementary

Halls High

Halls Middle

Hardin Valley

Holson

Karns High

Karns Middle

Karns Elementary

KAEC

Lonsdale

Mooreland Heights

Mount Olive

New Hopewell

North Knox Vocational

Northwest Middle

Pleasant Ridge

Pond Gap

Powell elementary

Richard yoakley

Rocky Hill

Sarah Moore Green

Sequoyah

Shanondale

Spring Hill elementary

Transition School

Vine Middle

West Haven

West High

West Hills

West Valley

Whittle Springs,

Remember, your KCEA representative is there for you. If you

are ever in need of assistance or have any questions about

your profession or your professional Association, contact your

KCEA representative at your building or contact KCEA

directly.

Contact us:

KCEA 2411 Magnolia Ave.

Knoxville, TN 37917

Phone: 865.522.9793

Fax 865.522.9866

http://www.kceaintouch.org