Meeting of the NASE Executive Board

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Room 200, Ryan Road Elementary School

APPROVED 5/7/2024

In Attendance: (10 participants)

Andrea Egitto, Vanessa Coates-Cooney, Kim Bowler, Erica Lamanna, Karen Schiaffo, Tammy Cook, Mike Parks, Cyndie Ouimette, Brian Bagdon, Sara Churchill-Winsor, 

Andrea calls the meeting to order at 4:09 pm.

Item I:  Call to Order and New Business

• The MOA to change the cook’s pay seems to be missing 
• End of the year party happening or not? Committee for this?
• Concern with Special Admin. Assistant is being pulled to be a bus monitor when the bus monitor is not in attendance multiple times a day since is trained from summer program needs, time sheets are being put in for this work → is there a plan to get someone else trained for this position
• Unit C members were overpaid by a day and the Superintendent wants to get that pay back over the next two pay periods → possibility to take over six pay periods?

Item II: Delegates for MTA Annual Meeting and Elections

• Need 1 more delegate for the MTA Annual Meeting please

Item III: Secretary’s Report

MOTION: to accept the Secretary’s Report 

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Erica

Seconded by: Cyndie

Motion Approved: unanimously

Item IV: Treasurer’s report 

Item V: Agenda for Annual Meeting at SVAHS

• SVAHS will provide snacks

• Delegate Nominations
• Secretary Report from last year’s Annual Meeting
• Proposed bylaw changes
• Honoring retirees
• Elections 
• Donations to the scholarship fund via Venmo
• Potentially have legislative action/push for big concerns around budget
• Share out a date for end of the year party (Thursday, June 13th)

Item VI: Officer Reports

Item VII: Adjourn

MOTION: to adjourn.

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Cyndie

Seconded by: Tammy

Motion Approved: unanimously

Upcoming meetings

April 11 – Standout 5:30, School Committee 6:30 JFK

Save the Date – NASE Annual Meeting – Wednesday, April 24, 3:30 refreshments

May 7, Executive Board meeting – 4:00, Ryan Road School

May 8, NASE meeting with NPS superintendent

May 14, Executive Committee meeting 4:00 – JFK – JFK will provide snacks

Officer Reports

Teachers (Unit A)

Admin (Unit B)

ESPs (Unit C)

Working towards a solution for the Unit C overpay error. Will be contacting HR around getting the pay back over potentially six pay periods for the 6.5 over pay time.

SVHS (Unit D)

Just confirmed an MOU for the start of school next year, which the union has signed and is waiting on the Board of Trustees. 

Clerical: (Unit E)

Coming up on 45 days for the clerical grievance. A special education admin assistant is being pulled to be a bus monitored due to training since there is nobody else available. 

Custodian (Unit F)

1 disciplinary issue is resolved. 

Cafeteria (Unit G)

There are multiple positions open – Leeds, NHS, Ryan Road, and at least 3 sub positions.

SVHS (Unit H)

Nothing to report at this point.

PR&R 

The 45 days is coming up for the clerical grievance. There is nothing else at this point that has come up.

Membership Coordinator

2 new members in March – Unit A and Unit C. Total of 68 new members this year alone with a grand membership total of 542 members.

Communications Coordinator

President’s and Vice President’s Report

Meeting of the NASE Executive Committee

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 4:00

JFK Middle School – JFK provide snacks

APPROVED 6/11/2024

In Attendance: (22 participants)

Vanessa Coates-Cooney, Sandy Bombard, Kim Bowler, Laura St. Pierre, Mareatha Wallace, Jennifer Hayden, Helen Woods, Xristina Warren, Sara Simmons, Tammy Cook, Kevin Schmith, Laila Copperansky, Daria Steward, Kira Henninger, Karen Schiaffo, Paula Rigano-Murray, Kate Fontaine, Erica Lamanna, Andrea Egitto, Tammy LaChance, Brian Bagdon, Jamie Lawrence, 

Excused:

Veronica Douglas, Danielle Kowal, Harrison Wallace,

Andrea calls the meeting to order at 4:01 pm.

Item I: Call to Order – Check in

Item II: New Business

• Pay for paras when they sub are less than sub pay
• Night shift differential with workloads are an issue with custodial workers
• National health insurance needs to start being a discussion for our union
• Out of paper products in all buildings since the budget freeze
• Remember that people are out there fighting for us, we are a team that has each other’s backs, and keep fighting that need for positivity with the moral feeling so low → BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER! SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER!
• The people who have received pink slips for either involuntary transfers or layoff to be shared during public comment at city council meeting so city councilors can see a face/person to make this situation more human

Item III: Secretary’s Report

• Amendment: add a member to the excused absences

MOTION: to accept the Secretary’s Report with amendment

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Kira

Seconded by: Sara

Motion Approved: unanimously

Item IV:  Treasurer’s report – budget for FY24

• This includes the March and April monthly budget being shared out
• Grant for this year’s end of year party was accepted

MOTION: to accept the Treasurer’s Report

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Kira

Seconded by: Jennifer

Motion Approved: unanimously

Item V: Resolution for a Cease Fire

• The Resolution 

• The survey has been created but has not gone on out to the members as of yet
  • The survey will go out in the next few days (most likely after Thursday)
• The MTA and the City of Northampton did pass a resolution

Item VI: NPS Budget season  

• • City Council Meeting on 5/16/24
    • Having a stand out at City Hall before the meeting on Thursday
    • Please have a 10 minute meeting 
      • Give flyers to members
      • Willing to do work to rule? Take the Google Form
      • Stand out at City Council on Thursday → wear NASE shirts
      • Pink slip people willing to stand up with Andrea at City Council meeting Thursday
    • Remind about City Council to Opt-In MGL Provision Vote in order to allow City Council to increase/add based on the School Committee recommendations

• Action Network Letter  

• • • Potential work to rule is being discussed as a result of the dissatisfaction around voting
      • Get a staff list of Unit A members and Paras around how they feel about going work to rule if the vote on Thursday does not go the way the union wants
      • Concern that we will not have 80% of members to agree to do so in this moment → we really need to make sure this is organized well
      • Google Form to be shared to get feedback on work to rule → get this information out to your buildings
    • At pubic comment talk about 1) how this will affect the kids and 2) the importance to opt-in which gives the flexibility to have options
    • Try and get students to come to this City Council meeting

• Letters to the Gazette

• Budget Hearings – May 29

• Council VOTE – June 6

Item VII: Adjourn

MOTION: to adjourn.

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Paula

Seconded by: Mareatha

Motion Approved: unanimously

Upcoming meetings:

June 4,  4:00 – NASE Executive Board Meeting

June 5, 3:45 – Meeting with the superintendent

June 11, 4:00 – NASE Executive Committee Meeting NEW DELEGATES JOIN- E  Board to provide snacks

June 13 3:00 – 7:00 – NASE End of Year Party, Look Park – Dow Pavilion

Officer Reports

Teachers (Unit A)

Budget organizing, city councils, western mass area labor federation, 42 unit members that have transfers/layoff, 5 discipline issues, 1 nonrenewal, held all A & C member meeting at Bridge and the principal to discuss concerns

Admin (Unit B)

Not present

ESPs (Unit C)

Budget organizing, negotiation of change in position, city councils, western mass area labor federation, held all A & C member meeting at Bridge and the principal to discuss concerns

SVHS (Unit D)

2 ongoing issues, 1 nonrenewal

Clerical: (Unit E)

Supporting 2 clerical reassignments and 1 layoff letter, closed out clerical grievance

Custodian (Unit F)

Not present

Cafeteria (Unit G)

Still multiple positions open, hired some subs

SVHS (Unit H)

Not present

PR&R 

Not present

Membership Coordinator

No new members, 542 members at this time

Communications Coordinator

Looking into an alternative to mailchimp that will allow to send out email grouping chains in a more efficient manner,

President’s and Vice President’s Report

Attended mta annual meeting, working on budget organizing, planned with WMALF for community forum, met with MTA organizer and financial guru to learn about budget information from department of revenue, planning standout for May 16 at community forum, upcoming mobilization of members, supporting layoffs and involuntary transfers,

Meeting of the NASE Executive Board

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 4:00

Room 200 Ryan Road Elementary School

APPROVED 10/1/2024

In Attendance: (11 participants)

Andrea Egitto, Karen Schiaffo, Vanessa Coates-Cooney, Kim Bowler, Tammy Cook, Paula Rigano-Murray, Kate Fontaine, Erica Lamanna, Brian Bagdon, Heather Brown, Emily Dumais, 

Andrea calls the meeting to order at 4:02 pm.

Item I: Call to Order and New Business

• Jason has been promoted and we will have a new field rep.
• The beginning of the year student emergency forms paperwork is 6 pages per student, and printing is problematic
• Questions around sick time for summer services work?
• Questions regarding removing the COVID vaccine requirement? 
  • Heather & Karen will follow up on this
• Questions around a monthly survey about budget cuts affecting teachers/staff?
  • Will think about this further once school is up and running (3-4 weeks)
• Questions around food services being on the Mayor strategic planning list?
  • The survey showed that foods were noted 

Item II: Secretary’s Report 

• Will bring June 2024 and September 2024 EB minutes for approval for October EB meeting

Item III:  Treasurer’s report – Discuss format

• Treasurer’s filing cabinet located in Kate Fontaine’s office at NHS
• Discuss formatting for future use

Item IV:  Plan for meetings/ negotiations

• Plan a listening tour at each building and gathering information from this
  • Last time this occurred in 2021 (hybrid schooling time) was in October
• Chapter coordinators think about chapter meetings in order to reach as many members as possible
• Potential shared google doc for requests/ideas per unit/chapter to share out for negotiations
• Would like to send out a demand to bargain in November
• SVAHS is also in a negotiation year this school year

Item V:  Officer Reports

Item VI:  Adjourn

MOTION: to adjourn.

Entertained by: Andrea

Moved by: Kate

Seconded by: Tammy

Motion Approved: unanimously

Upcoming meetings

Sept. 10, 4:00 JFK – NASE Executive Committee Meeting

Officer Reports

Teachers (Unit A)

Responding to the nonresponse to the vote of no confidence. Beginning to address PD. concerns around lack of staffing large elementary school class sizes, unfinished schedules at high school, vacant positions with no applicants for, and large classroom sizes. Inequities around classroom sizes. 

Admin (Unit B)

Got an extension until September 5th about vacation but back that was not honored by the district. Negotiating MOA for associate principal.

ESPs (Unit C)

COVID vaccine mandates that are affecting paras to be hired. Unhappy communication around the antisemitism PD with police presence.

SVHS (Unit D)

Most vacancies seemed to be filled at this time. Nothing to report at this time. 

Clerical: (Unit E)

Been working on equitable hours for clerical members for unpaid lunches. 

Custodian (Unit F)

Looking to hire a lead night at JFK and another member to be out for a potential month or so at JFK.

Cafeteria (Unit G)

No open positions at this time. Nothing to report at this time.

SVHS (Unit H)

Nothing to report at this time.

PR&R 

Nothing to report at this time.

Membership Coordinator

Ten processed new members and eight in the process. 

Communications Coordinator

Nothing to report at this time.

President’s and Vice President’s Report

Dealing with budget issues, working towards a resolution for the vote of no confidence, meeting with Superintendent and Mayor over the summer, monthly meetings are scheduled with the Superintendent at her office, attending MTA regional President’s meeting on Sept. 12

.

CAT TEAM – volunteers 

John Seamon- Ignalis – JFK

Mareatha Wallace JFK

Erica Caron JFK

Jenny Mae Viets NHS 

Jess Lavalle NHS 

Sue Sullivan NHS

Michele Bernhard NHS

Jake Gallant (NHS para)

Karen Hidalgo NHS

Ray Paquette – NHS

Beth Monopoli – BSS  

Jen Lucine-JSS

Huimin Wan- JSS

Sara Simmons RR

Cori Carey – RR

Lisa LaBeau- RR

Katie Dell’Olio  – Leeds

Ty Holter – NHS