Inside this issue: Convocation 16-17 WHEA Officers 1 WHEA, CEA & NEA news 2-6 Your Credit Union Quick Tips 7 Current Issues 8 WHEA World Special points of interest: Your 2016-2017 Officers: President Ted Goerner Executive V.P. Thomas Devine Administrative V.P. David Simon Treasurer Michelle Lacroix SEPT. 2016 VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 Editor Joyce Bogdan Convocation 16-17 On Monday, August 29, 2016 the West Hartford Public Schools started with the Convocation at Conard High School. The Welcome was given by Teresa Giolito, Principal of Smith STEM School. The Introduction of Guests was presented by Paul Vicinus, Jr., Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. There were Greetings from the Board of Education by Dr. Mark Over- myer-Velazques, Chairperson. Insights of a Student and the musical performances were given by students and teachers from Smith STEM School. Jennifer Lanese, 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year, introduced Stephen O’Brien the 2016- 2017 Teacher of the Year. The Inspirational Message was given by Tom Moore, Superintendent of Schools. School began for students on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. We are off to a new school year! The 2016-2017 West Hart- ford Teacher of the Year is Steve O’Brian, Aiken 5th grade teacher.
Transcript
Inside this issue:
Convocation 16-17
WHEA Officers
1
WHEA, CEA & NEA news
2-6
Your Credit Union
Quick Tips
7
Current Issues 8
WHEA World
Special points of
interest:
Your 2016-2017
Officers:
President Ted Goerner Executive V.P. Thomas Devine Administrative V.P. David Simon Treasurer Michelle Lacroix
SEPT. 2016 VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1
Editor Joyce Bogdan
Convocation 16-17
On Monday, August 29, 2016 the West Hartford Public Schools started with the Convocation at Conard High School. The Welcome was given by Teresa Giolito, Principal of Smith STEM School. The Introduction of Guests was
presented by Paul Vicinus, Jr., Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. There were Greetings from the Board of Education by Dr. Mark Over-myer-Velazques, Chairperson. Insights of a Student and the musical performances were given by students and teachers from Smith STEM School. Jennifer Lanese, 2015-2016
Teacher of the Year, introduced Stephen O’Brien the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year. The Inspirational Message was given by Tom Moore, Superintendent of Schools. School began for students on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. We are off to a new school year!
The 2016-2017 West Hart-ford Teacher of the Year is Steve O’Brian, Aiken 5th grade teacher.
WHEA, CEA & NEA News
Ethnic Affairs Committee On Friday, June 3, 2016 the WHEA Ethnic Affairs Committee held a Social Mixer at the World of Beer, Isham Road, West Hartford. Several members enjoyed visiting and talking with col-leagues.
The Ethnic Affairs Committee is looking for educators who are interested in participating and supporting the WHPS Future Educators of Diversity Program. They are looking for teachers in all grades that might like to mentor a high school student and/or open your classroom to a stu-dent intern. If you are interested please contact Jamahl Hines.
Page 2 WHEA WORLD Sept. 2016
From left to right in the photos, on the top left are teachers Lara White, Hall social studies and Andrea Carrrubba, Sedgwick special education; top right Pete Pfeffer, Sedgwick physical education, and Eric Feeney, Wolcott grade 3; bottom left Kristin O’Connor, Braeburn music; Jacqueline Sugrue, Aiken music, Sarah Lynch, Wolcott media specialist, and Boniface Jacobs, Conard Latin; on the bottom right are Conard teachers Bing Liu, Chinese, and Tim Decker, science.
WHEA, CEA & NEA News
Political Mixer
On Friday, October 21, 2016 at 7 P.M. WHEA will hold a Political Mixer. It will be held at the American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96, 45 Raymond Rd. in Blue Back Square. It is across from Whole Foods. There is parking available in the Isham parking garage. Be sure to bring
your parking ticket with you to be validated. The WHEA Political Action Committee sent out questionnaires to the candidates who are running in the election on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. You can see their responses on the website at www.whea.org. Come with your colleagues to meet the candidates in person and listen to the discussion. Any questions contact John Tracey Political Action Chair.
Tuition Reimbursement
The Tuition Reimbursement is for teachers taking graduate level courses. For this school year beginning on July 1, 2016 there will be $60,000 available for tuition reimbursement. Teachers who are taking graduate level courses need to submit pre-approval paperwork and are approved before taking a class. Preapproval forms are available in each school office. In an email from Laura Coyne in Human Resources, “Payment will be made after December 15, 2016 for any
course that has been completed. The amount of reimbursement will be dependent upon the cost of your course, and how many teachers apply to be reimbursed. Therefore the only guaran-tee in terms of a reimbursement amount is that you will get some money if you are preapproved and submit for reimbursement by December 1. The amount actually reimbursed will vary year to year but will not exceed $1000. You will be notified after December 1st as to the amount you
will be reimbursed.” If you have any questions you can email Laura Coyne.
Page 3 WHEA WORLD Sept. 2016
WHEA, CEA & NEA News
CEA Stronger Together—Upcoming Events
CEA Hartford County Forum will be held on Monday, October 17, 2016 at The Lodge at Maneeley’s in South Windsor. This is the business meeting for CEA with reports from the offi-cers and committees. Several WHEA members will be attending. If you are interested in at-
tending please contact Ted Goerner.
The Connecticut Education Foundation (CEF) is again receiving nominations for the 2016 Holi-day Bear Project. This is their holiday gift-giving project that links CEA members, the public and businesses with needy public school students. The deadline to nominate a child is Friday, October 21, 2016. Forms are available at http://www.cea.org.
CEA Summer Leadership
CEA Summer Leadership was held on Monday through Wednesday, August 1 through 3, 2016 at Mohegan Sun Convention Center, Uncasville, CT. Sessions include Building Representatives/Emerging Leaders, Beginning or Advanced Negotiators, Grievance Processing, New President Training, Organizing to Build Power, Incorporating Innovative Practices that Empower Teach-ers, Organizing Against the Workplace Bully. Several WHEA members attended. They were
Chris Bombara, Trevor Coon, Dino Demonti, Lisa Garand, Ted Goerner, Michelle Lacroix, Sho-shana Lapointe, Sheila Levanti, Bob Lorenzo, Theresa McKeown, and John Tracey. Shana La-Pointe attended “Bullying in the Workplace” with several other WHEA members. She said, “They were given the opportunity to look at the definition of a workplace bully, the types of ‘bullies’ that exist and some strategies to support colleagues in situations of bullying.”
Page 4 WHEA WORLD Sept. 2016
In the photos from left to right are Ted Goerner, Theresa McKeown, Dino Demonti, John Tracey, Bob Lorenzo, Lisa Garand, and Chris Bombara.
WHEA, CEA & NEA News
CEA Summer Leadership cont.
Page 5 WHEA WORLD Sept. 2016
WHEA members at CEA Summer Leadership at Mohegan Sun Convention Center, Uncasville.
WHEA, CEA & NEA News
CEA Hands Across the Green
CEA 22nd Annual Hands Across the Green Golf Tournament was held on Monday, July 11, 2016 at the Glastonbury Hills Country Club, 239 Country Club Rd., South Glastonbury, CT. Representing WHEA were teachers David Dippolino, Conard math, Theresa McKeown, Brae-
burn and Aiken Quest, Jeff Hall, Smith grade 4, and Eric Feeney, Wolcott grade 3.
NEA R/A The NEA R/A took place on Saturday, July 2 through Thursday, July 7 in Washington D.C. This is the main body of NEA that conducts the business for the year. For more information about the NEA R/A go to http://www.cea.org/about/ra/. Members from CEA attended to repre-
sent you.
Page 6 WHEA WORLD Sept. 2016
From left to right are teachers David Dippolino, Jeff Hall, Theresa McKeown, Eric Feeney.
Check out the Member Benefits pages at www.nea.org and www.cea.org.
Stay informed with
school policies and in-formation by visiting www.whps.org.
Read “WHEA World”
at www.whea.org. To add your news, please email the PR Chair.
Check out upcoming events, e-mail ad-dresses for officers at
www.whea.org.
Attend your building rep’s monthly 10- minute meetings. Stay informed!
Check out the home mailings from NEA and CEA. If you are not receiving them contact your building rep.
Watch for your news in upcoming editions.
Questions, con-
cerns? Talk to your building rep.
Check the website for the Foundation for West Hartford
Public Schools Grants at www.fwhps.org.
Your Credit
Quick Tips
Page 7 WHEA WORLD
Quote:
“Courage is like a
muscle. We strengthen it with
use. ”
Ruth Gordon
Sept. 2016
MicroSoft ClipArt
Franklin Trust Federal Credit Union
All West Hartford Public Schools staff, employees, volunteers, and students are eligible for membership in Franklin Trust Federal
Credit Union. The credit union offers a wide variety of products and services, including savings accounts, checking accounts, loans, mortgages, credit cards, debit cards, direct deposit, and on-line banking. In addition, they are part of a network of over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide.
Franklin Trust was founded as a teachers’ credit union in 1934. Now the fourth oldest federal credit union in the country, they are celebrating their 77th anniversary this year.
The credit union’s main office is at 632 Franklin Avenue in Hart-ford. For more information, including a form that allows you to sign up through the mail, call Franklin Trust at (860) 296-4379, ext.
203. They can be found on the web at www.franklintrust.org, as well as on Facebook and MySpace. advertisement
Current Issues
National, State News
The Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF) wanted a ruling requiring the state to provide adequate funding for all
schools. The court ruling went beyond the focus of the funding is-sue. This ruling will affect all teachers. The state is appealing some aspects of the ruling. CEA is working for teachers and sent out a flyer about this issue. Complete the postcard and mail it into CEA with your opinion. For more information go to www.cea.org.
Local News
The new Charter Oak International Academy was ready for opening
day for this school year 2016-2017. The new circular building
opened on schedule with state of the art classrooms and a central
courtyard for outdoor activities. There will be preK, kindergarten
through fifth grade classrooms. The building is 86,000 square feet
and expects to have almost 600 students and about 80 staff mem-
bers. Principal Juan Melian will continue to be the leader as they
begin in the new facility. The old building was built in 1929 and
