Meeting of the NASE Executive Committee
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 4:00
Community Room, JFK Middle School – Leeds will provide snacks
APPROVED 3/11/2025
In Attendance: (31 participants)
Ellen Brown, Joshua Katz, Andrea Egitto, Sara Simmons, Erica Lamanna, Karen Schiaffo, Vanessa Coates-Cooney, Holly Taylor, Danielle Kowal, Harry Wallace, Xristina Warren, Sandy Bombard, Helen Woods-Blake, Laila Copperansky, Carrie Foley, Kevin Schmith, Laura St. Pierre, Erica Caron, Jennifer Hayden, Kristin Thibedau, Heather Brown, Kate Fontaine, Paula Rigano-Murray, Brian Bagdon, Kim Bowler, Jaime Lawrence, Jake Gallant, Ryan Parent, Jessica Lavalle, Raymond Paquette, Emily Dumais
Excused:
Mareatha Wallace
Andrea calls the meeting to order at 4:01 pm.
Item I: Call to Order
Item II: Secretary’s Report
MOTION: to accept the Secretary’s Report
Entertained by: Andrea
Moved by: Sara
Seconded by: Jennifer
Motion Approved: unanimously, 1 abstention
Item III: Treasurer’s Report – see hard copies
- Please fill out the W4s and give back to Emily ASAP
- W-4 were sent out in the mail from Emily in the last week
MOTION: to accept the Treasurer’s Report
Entertained by: Andrea
Moved by: Paula
Seconded by: Kate
Motion Approved: unanimously
Item IV: MTA Red Cards
- We have different languages
- To be given to caregivers that could potentially intercepted or approached by an ICE agent
- Please take some before you leave to give out to caregivers from your buildings
- Andrea and Martin met with Portia around the communication around the ICE deportation protocols,
- to have clear message for building protocols
- bus stop protocols
- sharing a supportive message to the community
Item V: Bargaining discussion
- Last session February 4th was cancelled since the SC chair was sick
- Will be meeting February 27th
- SC will be meeting Thursday February 13th so hopefully will be able to meet with numbers/money information at the next meeting
- If you are an hourly employee, please email Martin the hours in a day and days in a year
- Portia projected at the finance committee that payroll for her next budget includes the calculated 3% COLA since that was used in the past (what she communicated at the meeting)
- Expanded bargaining including NASE members in the audience who are silent but will help during our caucus time.
- FOR THE FUTURE: for every 3rd year need to include a line item for negotiations
- EC would have to vote to pass to amend the budget in order to include this in the current budget
- Could include money for foods for late night meetings, stipends for those supporting
- UPCOMING DATES:
- February 27 – JFK Community room
- March 6, 20 – JFK Community room
- April 3, 17 – JFK Community room
MOTION: Include a line item for negotiations stipends for non-officer/members of the negotiation team ($350), ect.for this negotiation cycle which includes NPS & SVAHS
- 11 people, coming to $3,850
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: to exclude Unit B from the amendment of stipends → not accepted
Moved by: Paula
Seconded by: Erica
Motion Approved: passes by majority, yes – 21, no – 2, abstention – 6
MOTION: Include a line item for negotiations food for this negotiation cycle for up to $100 per meeting for NPS (up to 5 meetings, then revisit at the April)
Moved by: Erica
Seconded by: Paula
Motion Approved: passes , yes – 21, no – 2, abstention – 6
Item VI: New Business
- Andrea will follow up with Matt around the list of staff members and their roles on the committee for the special education programs in the elementary levels
- What is the MTA doing about the Trump administration with the secretary of education?
- There are meetings in process with
- What is the process for the BSS principal?
- People need to be accepted to be on the hiring committee, send a letter of interest to the Superintendent, if she accepts then you have to commit to the dates
- Timeline of the process for the JFK principal hiring will be starting this week
- BSS only currently has 1 paras when they had 2 openings with 1 other new hire as a retirement replacement
- Erica will follow up around the hiring process with the 2nd para hiring process
- Karen sent out the new prorated new member forms, please use this form
- Did Kristin ever have a conversation around JFK breakfast needs?
- There was some feedback from the paraeducator meetings around delegates pressured into not going to the meeting
- Please feel free to communicate and apologize on behalf if some feel uncomfortable or pushed towards a specific direction
- The NASE website now has a negotiations tab with the initial proposal and SC response
- MTA Annual meeting will be in Springfield at the MassMutual Center again in May 2-3, we typically send 12 members based on our membership numbers
- When you met with Portia did the grounds position get communicated?
- She mentioned that this is a Tony issue, it should be similar as a long term sub position, superintendent mentioned that she was in favor of getting this covered
- Has there been any communication around MCAS requirements being brought up again?
- This was discussed at a NHS department meeting, this team communicated and determined what will be the graduation competencies and MCAS is not on the list
Item VI: Adjourn
MOTION: to adjourn
Entertained by: Andrea
Moved by: Sara
Seconded by: Erica
Motion Approved: unanimously
Upcoming meetings:
February 11, 4:00 JFK – NASE Executive Committee Meeting
February 27, 5:30 JFK – Negotiations
March 4, 4:00 JFK – NASE Executive Board
March 6, 5:30 JFK – Negotiations
March 11, NASE Executive Committee Meeting