HSA INSURANCE PRESENTATION POSTPONED!

Posted on April 8, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

HSA INSURANCE PRESENTATION POSTPONED!

This Thursday’s Board of Education meeting agenda indicates they will be discussing the current Health Insurance Plan.  It is very likely that the Board of Education will take action to move to another insurance carrier.  (It is not uncommon for Boards of Education to send health insurance out to bid to see if they can get a better rate from another insurance carrier.)

According to our contract, article 32 E page 25, “the BOE reserves the right to change insurance administrators/carriers/plans or self-insure for any of the insurance benefits described in this article at any time so long as it give prior notice to the Association and so long as the overall level of benefits (including out of pocket expenses for employees and their dependents) remains substantially equivalent to the overall level of benefits in effect immediately preceding any such change.”

In light of this very recent news, we feel it is best to postpone the HSA Insurance presentation so the presentation can be as up to date and as accurate as possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and will keep you informed of new developments as they occur.

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From Sheila Cohen, CEA President- Thank You for what you do each and every day.

Posted on March 30, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

Greetings, All.

This email is being sent to inform you and to let our members know that a Reform/Charter School group called A Better Connecticut is doing a “push poll” to get answers regarding teacher tenure, Charter Schools etc.  The poll is automated so you push buttons on your phone to answer year or no and the questions are phrased for you to give the responses they want (push poll).  We expect they will use these results to continue to bash unions and teachers to advance the corporate reform agenda.  Jennifer Alexander, the CEO of ConnCAN is listed as the president of A Better Connecticut.

Thank you all for what you do each and everyday!

Sincerely,

Sheila

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TRB (Teacher’s Retirement Board) UPDATE

Posted on March 27, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

In January we sent you a memo regarding TRB.  You should be aware of the following information.  Please read below, double-check your latest TRB statement and take action as needed!

While the TRB has made some progress in correcting errors found on these statements, many have yet to be corrected.

However, at this point, if you believe that there is an error on your 2013-14 statement and you have not yet received a corrected version, you are now advised to send a copy of the statement, along with an explanation of the error(s), to the TRB.

The address is: STRB, 765 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105-2822.

If you are retiring this year, you should attach a copy of the erroneous member statement to your retirement application, along with an explanation of the error(s).  Those who are retiring this year will be given priority in the correction process.

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HSA Insurance Presentation April 9th

Posted on March 20, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

ATTENTION RHTA MEMBERSHIP!

As of the 2016-2017* Contract, in alignment with Article 32, you will want to consider your INSURANCE benefit options……

Come to the

HSA INSURANCE PRESENTATION

BY

GAIL MCKINLEY-ANDERSON

THURSDAY APRIL 9TH

RHHS AUDITORIUM

2:30P.M. AND/OR 4:15P.M.

Make an INFORMED decision about your health insurance and better understand the HSA plan and the money you can save!

An added BONUS, come meet Kim Davis our new CEA Rep!

*Effective July 1, 2016, teachers who elect the OAP or POS coverage shall pay a premium share equal to the difference between the Board’s total contribution for similar coverage under the HSA (health savings account) plan, including the cost of the deductible contribution, and the annual cost of the OAP or POS coverage.

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2/25/15 Meeting Minutes

Posted on February 27, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

RHTA Minutes

www.rhta.org

February 25, 2015

  • BOE Meeting
    • GMS and Stevens have a boiler/HVAC project slated for this summer.
    • PD – Darlene is working on the Social Studies realignment to Common Core.
    • SBAC training information session for parents is scheduled for March 5 in the Council Chambers. An article will appear in the Rocky Hill Life regarding this meeting.
    • The BOE adopted the 2015-2016 operating budget with a few adjustment. There was a $232,000 reduction. This reduction is a typical prior to being submitted to the Town Council.
    • Elementary schools will participate in One Book, Ivan the Great, beginning on March 2nd (Dr. Seuss Day).
    • 5th grade option will again be offered at GMS for next year.
    • 3 Snow days so far – June 17th is currently the last day of school.
    • Class sizes: Stevens’ class sizes are within BOE range/guidelines.  West Hill has 8 classes past the BOE range/guidelines.
  • CEA
    • Visit cea.org often to keep yourself up to date on current events.
    • CEA RA Assembly – Lori Cebelius and Raisa Bublick will attend.
    • Hartford County Forum May 9th at the Chowder Pot. If interested in attending please contact Michelle Bartha
    • New Teacher Conference sponsored by CEA. See your building rep if you would like information and/or didn’t receive a notice in your mailbox.
    • Gail McKinnley Anderson has retired. She will still do the HSA (insurance) presentation in the spring.
    • Kim Davis is our new uni-serv rep, replacing Gail.
  • Reading Survey
    • Taken by grade K-3 teachers, given in school at no cost to the teacher, January to May and/or August to September time frame.
    • The district will handle scheduling time for each teacher to take the survey, this information will be forthcoming as soon as the state generates a list of teachers required to take the survey.
    • New:Results cannot be used in evaluation.
    • Results will be used to guide Professional Development.
    • The district plans to offer a few dates during the contractual day, for survey administration. Dates and details will be forthcoming from Darlene Brown’s office.
    • The district plans to offer options to prepare for the test. Once again, details on the options will be forthcoming from Darlene Brown’s office.

 

 

 

  • 457 and 403B Accounts
    • Both are pre-tax accounts. You can contribute to both accounts now.
    • The maximum you can contribute to the 457 depends on your age. The maximum you can contribute to a 403B is set by the IRS, currently approximately $20,000-22,000 per year.
    • The difference – you can withdraw from the 457 account before the age of 59 ½ without penalty.

 

  • Membership – members can log onto cea.org to update their own information. If your information is inaccurate on your CEA card, please update it.
  • Certification
    • It is your responsibility to know when your certification expires and to complete the necessary paperwork to keep it current.
  • RHTA Website
    • rhta.org please continue to check the website for up to date information regarding RHTA

 

 

NEXT MEETING:

Wednesday March 25, 2015

GMS Media Center

3:45 PM

PLEASE JOIN US!

 

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ESEA Authorization Alert

Posted on February 24, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

Dear Colleague:

In the coming weeks, lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are expected to overhaul and possibly repeal No Child Left Behind, the federal education law that has profoundly impacted you and your students — mandating unprecedented testing, labeling schools as failures, and diminishing the authority of teachers as professionals.

Imagine all the improvement you and your students would see if federal lawmakers get the new legislation right. The potential is enormous for the “new NCLB,” officially known as the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA).

Because the potential for improvement is enormous, we can’t sit on the sidelines.  Each of us needs to raise our voices, stand up for our students, and get public education back on the path to genuine accountability.

Please contact your federal lawmakers. Tell them that reauthorization of ESEA is an opportunity to set a new

vision of shared responsibility for a public education system that promotes opportunity, equity, and excellence for all students. In order to achieve these goals, your lawmakers should:

         Create a new system that advances opportunity and excellence for all students by developing quality school indicators—multiple measures of student growth—to support learning and target opportunity gaps.

         Make sure that all students have more time to learn and teachers have more time to teach.

         Reduce the number of federally mandated tests.

         Ensure qualified educators for all students and empower them to lead their professions.

We have a major opportunity in our hands to make serious changes to ESEA, but we have to take action and have others do the same. The House will be voting on a bill at the end of February, with full Senate action likely in March.

To contact your representative and senator, please go to http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=64033911

You also can call 866-331-7233 and tell Congress to pass a new ESEA bill that provides more opportunity for all students.

Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for children, teachers, and public education. Together we can make a better ESEA and better tomorrows for all of us.

Sincerely,

Sheila Cohen

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Foundations of Reading Survey Information

Posted on February 20, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

Follow this link to read more about the Foundations of Reading Survey.  All teachers in grades K-3 must complete the survey before the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

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1/28/2015 Meeting Minutes

Posted on February 3, 2015 by rockyhillteachersassociation

RHTA Minutes

January 28, 2015

  • CEA
    • Visit cea.org often to keep yourself up to date on current events.
    • We will be endorsing Sheila Cohen’s re-election.
    • New Teacher Conference sponsored by CEA. See your building rep if you would like information and/or didn’t receive a notice in your mailbox.
    • Gail McKinnley Anderson is retiring. She will still do the HSA (insurance) presentation in the spring.
    • Kim Davis is our new uni-serv rep, replacing Gail.
  • BOE Budget Meeting
    • Zito is requesting a 4.59% increase over last year’s budget.
    • Technology is a concern. West Hill and Stevens have smart boards already in place in grades 1-5 and they are being placed in Kindergarten as well.  When the students get to GMS there is significantly less technology available.  This year math and science rooms received ENO boards.  They would like to incorporate more technology.
    • Assistant principal for West Hill and a district wide behavior analyst is also being requested.
    • They are expecting elementary enrollment to increase.
    • 6% is slated for salary increases.
    • Tuition reimbursement account is already in a deficit this year. BOE does value the increase in education by employees.
    • Writers Workshop ~ Dr. Zito acknowledged that teachers came in during the summer (on their own time) to learn Writers Workshop and noted that it speaks volumes about our staff and their high level of dedication.
    • Morse was appreciative on behalf of the BOE and also noted that the Writers Workshop “coaches” should be “carrying most of the ball now”.
  • Reading Suvey
    • Taken by grade K-3 teachers, given in school at no cost to the teacher, January to May and/or August to September time frame.
    • The district will handle scheduling time for each teacher to take the survey, this information will be forthcoming as soon as the state generates a list of teachers required to take the survey.
    • Results cannot be used in evaluation.
    • Results will be used to guide Professional Development.
  • 457 and 403B Accounts
    • Both are pre-tax accounts. You can contribute to both accounts now.
    • The maximum you can contribute to the 457 depends on your age. The maximum you can contribute to a 403B is set by the IRS, currently approximately $20,000-22,000 per year.
    • The difference – you can withdraw from the 457 account before the age of 59 ½ without penalty.
  • Membership – members can log onto cea.org to update their own information. If your information is inaccurate on your CEA card, please update it.
  • Certification
    • It is your responsibility to know when your certification expires and to complete the necessary paperwork to keep it current.
  • RHTA Website
    • rhta.org please continue to check the website for up to date information regarding RHTA

 

 

NEXT MEETING:

Wednesday February 25, 2015

GMS Media Center

3:45PM

PLEASE JOIN US!

 

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10/22/2014 Meeting Minutes

Posted on October 27, 2014 by rockyhillteachersassociation

RHTA Minutes

October 22, 2014

 

  • CEA
    • Visit cea.org often to keep yourself up to date on current events and to read about CEA’s stance on the upcoming elections.
    • There are Uni-serve vacancies and positions open.
  • BOE Meeting Sept 18th.
    • Class size analysis – West Hill currently has 670 students enrolled and counting.
    • Board Guidelines 18-23 students for a 3rd grade class, however with the last minute increased Kindergarten enrollment, they took a 3rd grade teacher and put them in Kindergarten thus increasing the size of the 3rd grade classes.
    • Space issues are still a concern. Brainstorming ideas discussed included redistricting, creating a K-2, 3-5 school and/or moving another 5th grade class to GMS.
    • Tuition reimbursement account is already in a deficit this year. (If you are expecting and are eligible you will still receive your reimbursement.)
    • An elementary Assistant Principal position will be requested in next year’s budget.
    • RHHS – Congratulations! RHHS was in the top 10 for CAPT in terms of showing the most improvement.  They were commended and urged to continue moving forward.
    • RHHS graduation has been scheduled for Friday June 19th. A date is selected early so a venue for project graduation can be reserved.
    • Contract is currently sitting with the Town Council. It is expected that it will be accepted.
  • Student Vacations
    • A teacher is not required to give assignments ahead of time to a child who is away on vacation during school.
    • A teacher is not required to give extra help time to a child who was away on vacation.
  • Membership – members can log onto cea.org to update their own information. If your information is inaccurate on your CEA card, please update it.
  • 457 Account vs403B
    • Both are pre-tax accounts. You can contribute to both accounts now.
    • The maximum you can contribute to the 457 depends on your age. The maximum you can contribute to a 403B is set by the IRS, currently approximately $20,000-22,000 per year.
    • The difference – you can withdraw from the 457 account before the age of 59 ½ without penalty.
  •  Certification
    • It is your responsibility to know when your certification expires and to complete the necessary paperwork to keep it current.
  • RHTA Website
    • rhta.org please continue to check the website for up to date information regarding RHTA

 

  • RHHS Renovation
    • It is our understanding that any work being done, that would create an overwhelming amount of dust such as tile removal, has been scheduled for nights and/or weekends when the building is vacant of teachers and students.

 

 

NEXT MEETING:

Wednesday January 28, 2015

GMS Media Center

3:45 PM

PLEASE JOIN US!

 

 

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From CEA – Dannel Malloy vs. Tom Foley

Posted on October 23, 2014 by rockyhillteachersassociation

Examine the facts Dannel Malloy vs. Tom Foley

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