SLTA Welcome Back Message

Dear SLTA Members,
Welcome Back to School.  Our “Not-Normal-Summer” went by quickly, and we’ll be greeting students in our “Not-Normal-School-Year” next week.  I hope you’re all getting oriented to the challenges that we face as educators this year. 
 
As much as this is a time of change and adjustment for public education, it’s also a time of change and adjustment for SLTA.  As you know, this summer was eventful.  From our successful fight to keep San Leandro charter free to negotiations for a Distance Learning MOU, concluding in a ratification vote, there has never been more SLTA activism. 
 
I am personally excited by the challenge of harnessing all the extraordinary energy that our members bring to the table.  Ultimately, SLTA works to build great public schools.  We have a lot of work to do. 
• Elections:  We’ll work to pass Proposition 15 (Schools and Community First), with a real potential to fix California’s broken Property Tax system and raise $12 Billion for California Schools and local services.
• Racial Justice: Our Human Rights/Social Justice Team will host a series of Forums for teachers and community members to talk about what our commitment to justice means for our schools.
• Expanded role in site decisions:  The Distance Learning MOU carries an expectation that teachers will be a part of site-based decisions.  That’s going to require expanded site-based activism.  By the way, each school should have site representative elections.  I will give guidelines for these elections at the August 25 Representative Council meeting.
• Communications Committee: with so many changes in education, we’ll need expanded surveys and more thoughtful use of our website and social media platform to gather Member opinions.
• Special Education Committee:  Last year, SLTA instituted a Special Education Committee to highlight issues that impact this important work.  That committee will be busy navigating the challenges of Distance Learning.
• Workshops and CTA resources:  Last year we scheduled several outstanding workshops, including a STRS workshop and a Special Ed workshop.  More great opportunities for you, our members, will be available this year.
 
Updates:
• There is still a lot of Bargaining to do.  First, we need to go back to the table to discuss how to return to live teaching.  Then, the entire contract expires at the end of the year.  We will start with a bargaining survey in January.
• Given the organizational discussion around the Lincoln High School schedule during MOU ratification, we resurveyed Lincoln teachers about the schedule they preferred.  A clear preference was stated, and SLTA renegotiated the Lincoln schedule with the District.  Lincoln will be operating under the same schedule as San Leandro High School.
 
If you haven’t done so, please check out our website at https://www.weareslta.org/, and follow us on Facebook.  Also, CTA’s website and NEA’s website are outstanding resources for everything from member benefits to lesson planning to the important political issues that impact schools.  Feel free to contact me using my personal email address at [email protected].
 
In Solidarity,
Thomas Morse
​SLTA President