Thank you to everyone who attended the School Board meeting last night.
Some of you were not able to stay and wanted to know what I said during my report to the Board.
I have included an image of the sign for reference purposes.
Thanks,
Matt Provost

“Since becoming the Faculty Association President a little over two years ago, I have sought to effect a positive change on the relationship between the Faculty Association and the District Office. In this effort, I have worked closely with Superintendents, Site Administrators, District Staff and members of both the Certificated and Classified Staffs. Unfortunately, due to recent events, I feel as though my efforts may be in vain.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the District is in great financial shape. Enrollment is up and revenue is up. The District will receive a 3.71% cost of living increase from the State and has forecast a 10 million dollar increase in unrestricted funds. During Negotiations, The Faculty Association has simply asked for their fair share of this increased revenue. However, the District’s financial offer to the Faculty Association, of only 1.93%, is only a fraction of this increased revenue. The District’s last financial offer to the Faculty Association included an additional .07% above their previous offer. Not .7% but .07%. This type of Negotiating is not only a slap in the face and disrespectful to all of our members, but is a means to tear us farther apart.

Additionally, The District would like to end our member’s right to voluntarily transfer to other sites. This is a right we have had for over 25 years. It has allowed teachers to find a new home where they can spread their expertise and rejuvenate their careers. We have been given no reasonable reason to take the Voluntary Transfer language out of the contract. We were just told that it will change. The Faculty Association has tried to compromise and has offered other solutions in the hopes of meeting somewhere on middle ground. Yet the district has said “No” on every occasion and refuses to compromise on the Voluntary Transfer Language. This does not seem like negotiating to me, but seems more like dictating.

If you take a close look at the District’s Budget for the 2018-2019 school year, it is evident that in the minds of the District Office, Members of the Faculty Association are an afterthought. Perhaps this is evident in the fact that the percentage of the budget dedicated to the certificated staff continues to get smaller and smaller every year. The sign that you recently posted on the front of the District Office tells us exactly how you feel about us.

I think we can all agree that we need to do what is best for the students of our District. I hope we can reach an agreement sometime soon and I look forward to a brighter future.”