TABCO

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Welcome to TABCO

Unity...Now More Than Ever!

 

"I am committed to provide leadership for our County and responsiveness to our community’s needs." - Kevin Kamenetz

TABCO Makes Endorsements for Elected Offices - Endorses Kamenetz for County Executive

The TABCO Representative Assembly approved endorsements for various county elected positions and state wide races. “We stand behind our endorsement process and look to support candidates that will support public education and public educators,” commented President Bost. “We also look for candidates we believe will include TABCO in the decision making process at all levels as we move forward. Throughout this endorsement process, candidates completed lengthy questionnaires and sat for interviews, then the recommendations go through three levels before final approval. These are early endorsements because school’s out as of June 18 and we want to encourage our members to get out there and work for our endorsed candidates.”

County Executive- Kevin Kamenetz http://www.kevinforthecounty.com/2010/06/02/teachers-association-of-baltimore-county-endorse-kamenetz-for-county-executive/

For all endorsements click on the Politics page.

We realize these endorsements were made early because of the school year, but TABCO will again re-examine the campaigns and candidates following the primary election in September. No dues dollars go to any campaign, slate, or candidate. Assistance is provided through a separate fund that accepts voluntary contributions only from members. We strongly encourage everyone to make sure they are registered to vote, volunteer to help a candidate, and work the polls on Election Day. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact TABCO Vice President Abby Beytin at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

O’Malley named Greatest Education Governor at the NEA RA 

TABCO delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly (RA) watched proudly as Governor O’Malley received the Greatest Education Governor award. The annual award is presented to a governor who has made major, statewide efforts to improve public education. To view photos of the event: http://pressitt.com/smnr/NEA-names-Marylands-Martin-OMalley-Americas-Greatest-Education-Governor-/1890/

Despite facing a recession, O’Malley ensured that the state would move forward on public education, and authorizing the funding necessary to make great strides in closing the achievement gap. He’s insisted that underprivileged and minority students be taught by teachers as highly qualified as those who teach economically advantaged students.

“It’s the responsibility of those of us in government to stand by you, and to give you the tools, resources, and support that you need so that our students succeed in the classroom,” O’Malley told an appreciative audience of more than 8,100 delegates. “If we had just 50 of those, what a world it would be,” NEA President Dennis Van Roekel quipped after O’Malley’s speech. To hear O'Malley's speech go to: http://www.nea.org/grants/40203.htm#governoromalley

If you’re on Facebook, please click on the following link to join the Educators for O’Malley page. Once you join (or if you’ve already joined), please consider spreading it to your friends and family who are educators or who have an interest in education. Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Educators-For-Governor-OMalley/118034508229296.

In the spirit of back to school, NEA is sharing high-quality instructional materials for educators that are easily retrievable through these links. Welcome your students back to school with free resources that will engage and excite them.

Verizon Thinkfinity is the place to turn for free online resources that today's teachers and students love. Nowhere else will you find so many outstanding materials for teaching and learning - lesson plans, student interactives, worksheets, podcasts, and more – all created by leading educational organizations. Thinkfinity also offers free professional development that was named Best in Tech 2010 by Scholastic Administrator magazine.

Maryland grapples with how to evaluate teachers

Having passed an ambitious education reform law, Maryland is now wrestling with complex questions about how student test scores will be used to evaluate teachers.

No state is yet judging teachers based on student achievement — although a handful are trying — so there is no proven path to follow and there are many skeptics among teachers unions.

One of the most vexing issues is how the districts will evaluate teachers whose students don't take state tests such as those in music, physical education or first grade. Most teachers in the state don't teach a subject that is tested, but Maryland is committed to having student achievement count for 50 percent of an evaluation.

In addition, the state must determine how much progress students would be expected to make in a school year for a teacher to be graded effective or ineffective.
For more on this story, go to: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-teacher-evaluations-20100715,0,4696995,print.story

AIM progress reports are discontinued indefinitely and there seems to be no reason in the future for them to ever become mandatory.

 Teachers who choose to use them “voluntarily” can, and if you don’t want to use them you can throw them away.

Could it Happen to Me?  What If...

* A child was injured on the playground while you were covering a class?
* Your paycheck was shorted for no apparent reason?
* You are the object of a written complaint by a parent?
* You receive an unsatisfactory observation?
* You are reprimanded for something posted on "My Space."

Each of the above situations actually took place. We could have written 50 more examples. In each case, the Association provided help for the members involved and brought about a successful resolution of the problem. Isn't it time you joined TABCO?

TABCO Victories - 6 Arbitrations won to date:

 Brief descriptions of arbitration rulings, not actual wording.

#1- Western School of Technology- (A year ago) TABCO’s position was upheld that because of bus schedules, even at a magnet school, the work day for teachers cannot be extended beyond the 7 hour work day. Back pay was awarded.

#2- Lansdowne HS- TABCO’s position was upheld that parent conference nights can be scheduled, but teacher participation is not mandatory. Parent conferences shall be set through mutual agreement between the teacher and the parent. Back pay was awarded to those who had been required to stay.

#3- Stoneleigh ES- TABCO’s position was upheld that the Faculty Council and the administration shall mutually determine the number, type, and time (entire time) of non-emergency faculty meetings, and have mutual involvement in the development of the agenda.

#4- Sick Leave Bank- TABCO’s position was upheld that the TABCO Sick Leave Bank Committee decides approval and denial of sick leave bank claims after review. BCPS had given out over 250 days of bank days even after the bank denied payment. Repayment of the days given must be reimbursed to the bank by BCPS.

#5- Ridge Ruxton/White Oak School- TABCO’s position was upheld that the 7 hour work day cannot be extended when administrators assign or request teachers to supervise students when buses are late or students are not picked up by the end of the 7 hour day. That includes no assigned bus duty before the 7 hour day as well. We are working on appropriate back pay and other matters to finalize the case.

#6- In 2008-09 and our current year, many schools were allocated a set amount of money to fund EDAs that were not listed on Appendix D. The set amount did not provide for the negotiated amount and now we will be asking for documentation from teachers not paid accordingly to receive appropriate compensation as a result of the award.

School Reconstitution as an Education Reform Strategy? Read what the experts have to say. NEA publication outlines information about why reconstitution does not work as a school improvement strategy or to improve the achievement gap.

 Teacher Union Myths Revealed http://www.counterpunch.org/macaray03202009.html

NEA Pet Insurance Offered at http://www.neamb.com/home/1207_4466.htm

 A great gift idea... TABCO sells movie  tickets for the reduced rate of $6.00. The tickets are good at all AMC Theaters with no expiration date (some restrictions may apply).

Additional resources and items of interest:

Extra Duties Activities Clarification
How to Read Your Paycheck or visit http://www.bcps.org/offices/payroll/      
Review your teaching certificate!
NEW Homebuyers Incentives
NEA Dental & Vision Program
Auto & Homeowners Insurance for TABCO Members Only

 

 

 

 

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Key to Abbreviations Used on this Website

AR = Association Representative for TABCO
BCPS = Baltimore County Public Schools
BOD = TABCO Board of Directors
BOE = BCPS Board of Education
MSEA = Maryland State Education Association
NEA = National Education Association
RA = TABCO Representative Assembly
TABCO = Teachers Association of Baltimore County
TSLB = TABCO Sick Leave Bank