Mercer Island Education Association

In attendance: Mike R., Heather, Tani, Joy, Tom, Amy, Clay, Susan, Vicki, Miguel
Call to Order Start: 4:25

I.  Approval of Agenda
Changing order of meeting to allow all to be here for specific topics- Mike

II. Approval of minutes

III. NEW BUSINESS

- Budget Discussion Payment for Classified conference discussion – to support the staff members -$10/person for entry fees Clay – no more than 40 people attended last yr – Motion – For this year and conference – MIEA will pay $10 for each member who wishes to attend – up to a cap of $400. - passed

- Message after 1033
It has failed ! – still going to be a huge short fall in state budget

- DAC at HS
Open position on District Advisory Council – sounding board for Gary, staff / admin and community members

- Treasurer – correction – Secretary
Still we need one? – should we rotate the job?
Still need a complete Exec Board – Tani

- WEA Board Meeting FOCUS
Tani – CMIPS update on decisions – Feb 9th – three levies (General Fund; Transportation, Capital, and Technology),  endorcements, what MIEA needs to do – organize, mobilize, educate--  post cards, sign waving, letters to the editor, buttons, $ to campaign (money well spent)   “WE should to do this for US”

- Strategic Direction “set in Jello”
Mike – May WEA meeting  required a new Comprehensive Plan– 1. Not endorse candidates but policies, 2. need to position ourselves as the experts advocates for education, three legged stool – organization, bargaining, advocacy - , 3. Major issues: Ed Reform  performance pay,  hard to staff schools ,  evaluation  WEA needs to be part of the conversation instead of just saying no

- 2010 short session of legislature  $2bn more in cuts expected
IV. OLD BUSINESS

- By-law changes
Meeting  - Mike, Tom, and Mark – Nov 11 (no school) site /time TBD – first meeting results shared  at 18th Nov.

- Evaluation and goals

- Classified adverse action and the bargain

- Bargaining timeline
WEA – Bargaining Time – Tani, Heather, Angela attend – later this week
Tom- Bargaining issues:
Equity for stipends/salary increases
Placement of Para’s in elementary in Oct – classroom # don’t change as in secondary, support is not there as soon as it could.
Miguel – in transportation, less and less interest to be member of union, problems not resolved, no elections;  Para-pros – every year re hired, feeling a lack of training, feeling of uselessness
Susan – Gary came to meeting at IP today – 2020 vision – Board role in education in classroom ???

V.  Adjourn  - 6:05