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West Suburban Teachers Union, Local 571, IFT, AFT, AFL-CIOUnion MessengerMarch 2009Winter No Respite for West Suburban Staffhicago’s variable weather had littleimpact on activities for Local 571.In addition to an ER&D class that meetsweekly, officers represented the Local ata variety of events, workshops were conducted, and a number of meetings held.CDespite an overnight storm, over 75 Local 571 memberstook part in a Saturday seminar with Social SecurityAdministration and Teachers Retirement System representatives tailored for members 2-4 years from retirement.Pictured with Illinois attorney general Lisa Madigan (center), areLocal 571 area trustee Kathleen Greenawalt, president Jane Russell,vice-president Alice Kautsky, and legal defense secretary Ed Hohmanattend a dinner hosted by the Democratic Party of DuPage Countyon February 8. Over 500 guests included Governor Patrick Quinn,Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, and Comptroller Daniel Hynes.Local 571 COPE chair Edward Hohman displays anAFT award as Local 571 president Jane Russell pagesthrough the awards book. Story on page 2 of this issue.Inside this issue: From your president Has Illinois Really Changed? . .2WSTU Makes COPE Honor Roll. .2Brain Function & Academic Failure . .3Retiree Council News . .4IFT Member Survey Invitation. .4Fight For America’s Future . .5Termination, Dismissal, & RIF. .5Local 571 Officer Duties. .6AFT Member Benefits. .6WSTU Office Hours. .6Calendar and Reminders . .6March promises no rest as officers planthe #571 election and several PSRP members prepare for the Baltimore conference.Report Shows Limited Progresson State Standards“Closing the Expectations Gap,”released February 19 byAchieve, finds that, while some statesare taking the steps necessary to betterprepare students for college andcareers, progress in many states hasbeen slow. “We commend Achieve forcontinuing its quest to ensure thatevery child attending U.S. publicschools, regardless of where he or shelives, is taught to high-quality, internationally benchmarked standards,” AFTpresident Randi Weingarten says inresponse to the report. “The AFT hasbeen a longtime leader in the standardsmovement, and earlier this week wecalled for national standards.”“Achieve's report is based on thecommon-sense idea that students willlearn better if we define what they areexpected to learn and what skills weexpect them to acquire. We have madetoo little progress, despite decades ofSummer Holocaust Seminar(Continued on page 4)SAFE Program ExpandingSecondary school teachers who teachabout the Holocaust have a unique opportunity to participate in the “SummerSeminar Program on the Holocaust and Jewish Resistance.”WParticipants will be taught by prominentscholars in Poland and Israel from July 5-23,2009. The program is sponsored by theAmerican Federation of Teachers, the Educators Chapter of the Jewish Labor Committeeand the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors.The new benefits program, calledUnion SAFE (Security, Assistanceand Financial Education) provides anarray of benefits, including help forthose suffering from layoffs, soaringhospital costs, problems paying theirmortgage, and saving or paying forcollege. See the home page ofwww.wstu571.org for details.(Continued on page 5)ith many families in financialdistress, Union Plus is launching a program of new and enhancedbenefits to assist eligible unionmembers who are facing hardships.
Have Things in Illinois Really Changed?from your presidentAs we move into March, it seems not much haschanged in Illinois politics since last December.Political “scandals” persist as the state’s officers andGeneral Assembly try to start work at remedying a hugestate deficit.The most recent alert concerns two bills introduced to theIllinois Senate that would convert Illinois public employeepension plans from the current “defined benefit” system toa “defined contribution” system. In these economic times itwould be an even greater disaster to turn public pensiondollars into a “defined contribution” system. The IFT hasFortunately, through the hard work of many Americanvigorously fought on our behalf against similar previousFederation of Teachers members like yourselves, thefederal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) legislation and will continue to speak out against IllinoisSenate Bills 303 and 304 introduced by Senator Bill Bradywas passed. This bill includes funding for education:(R-Bloomington). 53.6 billion for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (can beAs the Illinois General Assembly moves forward, check theused for avoiding cutbacks, preventing layoffs, fundingschool modernization, or other education-related purposes IFT web site at least weekly to stay abreast of legislativehappenings affecting our jobs, our students, our familiesin K-12 and higher education)and working people in our state. 13 billion for Title ITogether, it is possible to make an 12.2 billion for IDEAimpact by contacting our electedrepresentatives. This is as simple 15.6 billion for Pell Grantsas sending an e-mail, making a 24.8 billion for qualifiedshort phone call or visiting a homeschool construction bondsoffice in your area. The officials and more.we elect are public servants. TheyThe next step is to ensure theseshould have an open door policyfunds are wisely invested. Statefor all of their constituents. Forand local levels must guaranteelegislators in our area with whomthat recovery money is used towe work most closely thatsupport and strengthen publiccertainly is true.education as well as health careShow your support. Be involved.and other public services.And thanks for all you do.The Obama administration has a new web site,http://www.recovery.gov/, where citizens can track everyIn unity,dollar spent. Illinois has a similar site,http://recovery.illinois.gov/.You may post comments andask questions on each of these online resources.On the IFT’s main web site, www.ift-aft.org, the Legislative radio button leads to an article on the federal stimulusbill with links to the U.S. Department of Education and theARRA web site. There is a state-by-state breakdown ofallocations, including amounts planned for Title I.Even though there may be an influx of federal dollars intoIllinois, the budget will still need to be balanced and statedebts paid. The IFT continues to work diligently for itsmembers by finding sponsors for IFT proposed bills,support for bills that will help our students, members andschools, and by monitoring proposed legislation. Shouldyou receive a “legislative action needed” alert from the IFTor through your council president, please respond as soonas is possible.Page 2Local 571 PresidentWest Suburban Teachers Named To AFTPartners In Political Education Honor RollThe IFT and six Illinois locals, including the WestSuburban Teachers Union, have been named to the2008 honor roll for its efforts to raise political funds forthe Committee on Political Education (COPE).An award plaque and book of honorees circulated atFebruary’s House of representatives meeting. VoluntaryCOPE contributions allow the AFT to represent membersin the political process and make our voices heard atevery level of government—local, state, and federal.Local 571 COPE funds have also helped Councils supporta number of school referenda campaigns.Union Messenger
Brain Function and Academic Failureby Bonnie SaraccoResearch has found that, althoughcertain demographics predictacademic failure, effective teachingcan help all students learn better.The National Institute of Child Healthand Human Development (NICHD)has also done extensive research onbrain function and academic failure.Brain scans of readers differedsignificantly from those of nonreaders.Among nonreaders alone, there was nosignificant difference. Brain scans ofadults who have not learned to readlooked like the brain scans of youngchildren who have not yet learned toread but will learn easily.This research used modern brain scantechnology and conducted the mostprecise studies of brain processing everdone to find a medical basis forlearning disability.The NICHD research, which sampledthe population across many dimensionssuch as IQ, gender, and age, found thatlearning disability is most accuratelydefined simply as low achievement ina specific academic area, such asreading or mathematics.The NICHD concluded that studentslabeled as learning disabled can benefitfrom the same instructional strategiesas other students and found noevidence to support the commonlyheld “discrepancy formula” foridentifying learning disabled students.tional strategies can work for high,medium, and low achievers, and thatinstruction designed to help speciallearners can also benefit the class as awhole.The tremendous challenges thatstudents present to teachers requireprecise and useful instructional tools,but teachers are often presented withinstructional tools that are mere fadsbased on the swinging pendulum ofeducational emphasis from teacherdirection to student-direction and back.Fortunately, the past 30 years ofempirical instructional design researchhas found durable instructional toolsthat are effective for almost allstudents.In our ER&D course, InstructionalStrategies that Work for all Disciplines, teachers become skilled atWhen the researchers looked at theusing six research-based instructionalsuccessful performance of anytools that work across grade levels andacademic task, the brain scans ofsubjects to prevent failure. These toolsstudents identified as having a learning Brain research in other areas of learn- are Big Ideas, Background Knowledge,disability were no different from theing, such as Michael Posner’s Images Mediated Scaffolding, Judiciousbrain scans of the students who simply of the Mind, has replicated theseReview, Strategic Information, andcould not perform the task. The brain findings and has also found the brainTextbook Analysis. This popular class,scans of both groups differed fromto be extremely flexible and adaptable. which also covers additional topicsthose of students who could performincluding rubrics design and questionAll of this is good news for teachersthe task.ing strategies, will be offered againbecause it means that the same instructhis summer.courtesy of xkcd.comMarch 2009Page 3
QUOTE OF NOTE: WHY THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT MATTERS“We cannot have a solid, stable retirement unless we have a solid,stable middle class. And unions are key to that middle class. Unionworkers are three times more likely to have a defined-benefit pension plan thannon-union workers. And union workers are five times more likely to havehealth insurance than non-union workers.”(Expectations Gap continued from page 1)work, and we need to change ourapproach in two fundamental ways,”Weingarten says.“First, we need to ensure that teachersare very involved in setting standards,and give teachers the tools andGeorge Kourpias, President Alliance for Retired Americans Feb. 11, 2009 conditions to help kids meet standards,including a core curriculum,assessments and time for professionalLocal 571 Retirees Council Newsdevelopment—all based on the stanecent articles on topics important to Local 571 retirees,dards. The failure to involve teachersas noted below and more, are available on the Retireesdoomed the standards movement.Council page of: http://www.wstu571.org. Additional“Second, we need to restart theinformation about each of these resource is also provided.discussion about creating high-qualityRAlliance for Retired Americans - Friday Alerts: Why Retirees Should Care About the Employee Free Choice Act Stimulus Legislation Signed - Offers Checks for Seniors, Help for Unemployed Retiree Health Care a “Sticking Point” in Auto Bailout Negotiations Deal Reached in Congress on 787 Billion Stimulus Plan House Passes Three Bills to Help Seniors Health Care Reform Efforts to Continue Without Tom Daschle Temporary Change to IRA Law May Affect Many Seniors Medicare Faces Management Problems “Doughnut Hole” in Medicare Part D Leads to Health Concerns for SeniorsJoin the ARA: www.retiredamericans.org/joinAFT Retirees e-Newsletter: (featured last month) Congress Passes 789.5 Billion Economic Recovery PackageTell the IFT how funding woesare impacting your job. Recovery Bill Offers Tax Relief to Retirees and Working Families AFT Campaign Generates Broad Support for Recovery PackageYour union wants to hear fromyou about how funding shortfallsin Illinois, for education and publicservices, are affecting you and thepeople you serve. Temporary Change to IRA Law May Affect Many Seniors Medicare Advantage Premiums Rose by 13 Percent This Year The Secrets of Eating for Your Age Thousands Turn Out To Urge Passage of Employee Free Choice ActIn addition to emailing IFT activistmembers a link to the surveys, nonactivist access to the surveys is nowposted on www.ift-aft.org. Key Healthcare Provisions of House Recovery Act White House To Push for Public Plan in Healthcare Reform Obama Reverses Bush Anti-Worker Executive Orders Quote of Note: Business on House Recovery BillJoin AFT Retiree e-News: http://www.unionvoice.org/aft retirement/joinPage 4content standards for all students. Mostof the effort has focused on states, andthis report makes clear that too fewstudents today are educated in anenvironment with clear benchmarks forhigh standards of achievement. AFordham Institute report on thevariability of No Child Left Behind'ssanctions also reinforces the need fornational standards. By bringingtogether a broad-based group of educators, elected officials, community leaders, content specialists and pedagogicalexperts to establish high-qualitynational standards, we can, in one fellswoop, remove a key obstacle—theuneven quality of state standards—toproviding better and more opportunities for America's children.” [AFT release]Your participation will ensure thatyour voice is heard in Springfieldduring this legislative session. Thankyou for taking the survey and sharingyour views.Union Messenger
Termination, Dismissal, and RIFTonight (February 13) Congress passed the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act. It now awaitsPresident Obama's signature. This is a remarkableaccomplishment made possible by the commitment andleadership of President Obama, House Speaker Pelosi andSenate Majority Leader Reid, and by your activism.I want to thank each and every one of you for your hardwork in helping get this important bill passed. The floodof support and activism from AFT members has beentruly remarkable. Through the union's "Fight for America's Future: It's Dollars and Sense" campaign, members across the country have come together to fight forthis recovery bill, from sending more than 30,000 lettersand placing thousands of calls to Congress, to meetingwith congressional and state elected leaders, to wearingblue in solidarity on February 10, "Unity Day."The AFT's voice was heard loud and clear in the monthsand days leading up to passage of this important piece oflegislation. But passing the recovery bill is merely thefirst step. The next step is to ensure the funds are investedwisely. We will continue to get our message out, now atthe state and local levels, to guarantee that the fundingprovided for in this package is used to support andstrengthen public education, healthcare and the otherpublic services so vital to our nation's growth andstability.In unity,Randi WeingartenThe complete text of President Randi Weingarten’sletter is available on wstu571.org — editorMarch is the time of the school year when schoolboards announce most decisions about staffingneeds for next year. As these decisions are made andannounced, the following information may be helpful. Non-tenure teachers may be dismissed without areason, provided the dismissal does not violateconstitutionally protected rights, during the firstthree years of full-time employment. Non-tenure teachers completing four consecutivefull-time years of teaching must receive specificreasons for dismissal. In either above situation, dismissed teachers mustreceive written notice at least forty five (45) daysbefore the end of the school term. A district’s failure toobserve this requirement will result in the teacher beingre-employed for the following school year. Non-tenure teachers are not entitled to a hearingwhen dismissed. The non-RIF (Reduction In Force) dismissal of a tenuredteacher must be for cause and the teacher is entitled to ahearing before an independent hearing officer. If a district implements a RIF program it must be done inaccordance with provisions of the school code and its owncollective bargaining agreement. An important distinction between teachers and support staffexists in the event of a RIF. Tenured teachers must receivenotice of a RIF sixty (60) days before the end of the schoolterm. Support personnel must receive a RIF notice thirty (30)days before the last day of employment which could bebefore the end of the school term.If your administration is considering such action yourCouncil leadership should contact the IFT Field ServiceDirector assigned to your Council to discuss the specificsof your situation in detail.(Holocaust Seminar continued from page 1)Applications are evaluated as they arereceived, so apply soon. All applications must be received by April 1.For information go 9 holocaust jewish resistan.html or call 212/477-0707. [Inside IFT]Teach Haitian Teachers ProgramInformation on a summer opportunityto teach teachers in Haiti is posted onthe Local 571 web site. Deadline forapplications is March 16.March 2009Page 5
Local 571 Officer Duties & ResponsibilitiesWSTUCalendarOfficers attend all meetings of the Executive Board and House of Representatives, and special meetings called by the president of Local 571. Eachshall serve on a committee if appointed. Officers are ex-officio members of eachLocal 571 Council. Officers are, by virtue of office, delegates to all conventions ofthe AFT, IFT, and Local 571. All Local 571 officers are bonded by the AFT.4/20—571 EB Meeting - Westmont - 5:30 p.m.4/20—571 HOR Meeting-Westmont - 6:45 p.m.4/25-26—IFT ULI - Westmont4/27-5/1—Local 571 Officer Elections(To be conducted at each Council’s direction)Mayb. Vice President: The vice president (and president) represents Local 571 as amember of the Union Building Fund (UBF) Board of Directors and reports businessat UBF meetings to the Local 571 Executive Board and House of Representatives.Currently, he/she chairs the Convention Committee. The vice president attendsofficial functions and presides over the Executive Board and House of Representatives in the absence of the president. The current vice president holds an elected officeas IFT vice president representing Local 571. 10 to 20 hours/month.AFT Robert G Porter ScholarshipsApplication deadline March 31Thomas H. Reece MemorialTeacher Education ScholarshipApplication deadline April 3Union Messengerf. Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for receiving and depositing monies fromdues and other sources. He/she chairs the budget committee, prepares the budget,annual financial statement, and monthly treasurer’s reports. The treasurer maintainsLocal 571’s financial records and disburses funds for approved obligations includingofficer, staff, and council payrolls. He/she keeps accurate records available at alltimes for the Executive Board and Audit Committee and submits quarterly and yearlyIRS forms. The treasurer arranges an annual audit by an impartial party. He/she workswith Council treasurers and their business offices as needed. 8 to 15 hours/month.Page 6WSTU OFFICE HOURSMONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00 AM—5:00 PMTHE LOCAL 571 OFFICE MAY BE CLOSED ONSCHOOL HOLIDAYS, PLEASE CALL AHEAD.National PSRP Conferencee. Financial Secretary: The financial secretary is responsible for monitoring allLocal 571 expenses and reconciling all expenses with the approved budget. He/sheprepares a report for each House of Representatives meeting, itemizing all expensesand their budgeted category. The financial secretary serves as chair of the Audit Committee and is responsible for monitoring and reporting Local 571’s non-budgetedrevenue and expenses. 8 to 15 hours/month.A(571 proposed budget presented to HOR)March 20-22 Baltimore Hilton Convention Centerd. Legal Defense Secretary: The legal defense secretary is responsible for chairingthe Arbitration and Legal Screening Committee, tracking Local 571’s legal defenseand arbitration expenses and for applying for AFT/IFT reimbursement funds.Currently, the legal defense secretary also chairs the Committee on Political Education (COPE), maintains the business and financial records for the COPE fund andmakes regular reports to the House of Representatives. 6 to 12 hours/month.cluding credit counseling, loans, andonline tax preparation. For information visit AFT Members Only at:http://www.aft.org/members.5/11—571 EB Meeting - Westmont - 5:30 p.m.5/11—571 HOR Meeting - Westmont - 6:45 p.m.Reminders c. Secretary: The secretary maintains the non-financial files and records and iscustodian of the seal and charter of the organization. He/she records and keeps minutes of all meetings of the Local 571 Executive Board and House of Representatives.He/she keeps a list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of members of theExecutive Board, delegates to the House of Representatives, and Local 571committees. 8 to 15 hours/month.FT memberbenefits include arange of financialproducts and servicesto help members, in-3/9—571 EB Meeting - Westmont - 5:30 p.m.3/9—571 HOR Meeting-Westmont - 6:45 p.m.3/19-22—AFT PSRP Conference - BaltimoreAprila. President: The president presides over all meetings (regular and special meetingsof the Local 571 Executive Board and House of Representatives). He/she appointscommittee chairpersons with the advice and approval of the Executive Board. Thepresident performs other duties that are ordinarily incumbent upon the office. He/sheis the ranking Local 571 delegate to all IFT, AFT, Local 571 and AFL-CIO Conventions. The president serves as a member of the Union Building Fund and as an IFTvice-president (if elected). This is a part-time or full-time position, minimum 20hrs/month or 20 hrs/week respectively.AFT Member Card/AFT Benefits—Financial ServicesMarchJane Russell, PresidentAlice Kautsky, Vice PresidentSandra Erickson, TreasurerCathleen Pope, SecretaryJonathan Pazol, Financial SecretaryEd Hohman, Legal Defense Secretary &COPE ChairpersonTom Smith, IFT Field Service DirectorMike Linder, IFT Field Service DirectorJudy Jennings, Office ManagerJulie Masterton, Office SecretaryMike Dale, Union Messenger EditorAndrew Bendelow, 571 WebmasterWest Suburban Teachers UnionLocal 571500 Oakmont LaneP.O. Box 390Westmont, IL 60559-0390Phone: 630-468-4098Fax: 630-468-4088E-mail: jjennings@ift-aft.orgWeb site: www.wstu571.orgUnion Messenger
American Federation of Teachers, the Educa-tors Chapter of the Jewish Labor Committee and the American Gathering of Jewish Holo-caust Survivors. (Continued on page 5) Summer Holocaust Seminar SAFE Program Expanding W ith many families in financial distress, Union Plus is launch-ing a prog
