LAMPHERE FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
MFT & SRP #1614
September 2004

Contract: LFT members voted to ratify the one year contract for 2004-05. Thanks to the bargaining team members, Dave Wrobel, Chris Anderson, Barb Buczynski, Beth Sabo and Judy Schram for the time spent working for the LFT. Thanks to all of the members for attending the informational meetings and voting.  A special thanks to Election Committee member Ross Cardew for his work at the voting area.

 Pay Periods: Just a reminder that there will be an additional pay period this year. Those of you who elect 26 pay periods will get 27. Those that elect 21 pay periods will have 22.  If we had adhered to the contractual language for pay periods, your first paycheck would not have been until September 10th.  Because your annual pay will be spread over more pay dates, your actual check will look smaller, but you will receive the same pay.

 New Teachers:  Welcome to the Lamphere School District and to the Lamphere Federation of Teachers to Catherine Charnawskas, Science-High School, Margaret Squires, Art-High School, Alison Szafarczyk, Spanish-High School & Middle School,   Andrea Gordon, High School-ESL, Susan Kelner, Lamphere Center, Rebecca Smedley, Lamphere Center, Nan Bloss, Page-Instrumental Music, Amber Alcorn, Simonds-Kindergarten, Lindsey Range, Hiller-1st grade, Donna Troike, Social Worker-Lessenger and Nicole Sylva, Elementaries-Art. Don't hesitate to ask your colleagues for advice or help. Contact your union reps with any questions you may have.

Section 125:  Section 125 Accounts are up for renewal in October. New IRS rules now allow for reimbursement for some over-the-counter medications.  However vitamins and weight loss drugs remain non-reimbursable. For more information contact MEBS at flex@mebs.com. Submit your reimbursement for your 2003-04 accounts as soon as possible to MEBS. October is the deadline for reimbursement.  Forms can be obtained by calling or e-mailing Pat Wagner at the board office.

Labor Day and Labor Week: The traditional Labor Day parade is back. Members interested in participating
should contact Judy Schram for details.  Labor Fest 2004 will be on Sunday, September 12 at Ford Field from
11:00 a.m-6 p.m. Admission is free. There will be music, exhibits, food, games on the field and  marching bands
competition. Visit www.laborfestdetroit.org.

 NCLB: Updates to NCLB can be accessed at the American Federation of Teachers website, http://www.aft.org or at the MFT&SRP site, http://www.mftsrp.org.    Current legislation calls for teachers in several academic areas to be highly qualified by 2005-06. Members are encouraged to update their certification. While there has been some proposed legislation to change some aspects of the law nothing has yet passed.  

Register to Vote: In order to vote this November you must be registered thirty days before the election. You may register to vote by mail, at your county clerk’s office or at a Secretary of State branch office. More detailed information can be found at Michigan Secretary of State Publius Voter Information Center, http://www.sospublius.org/help/howtoregister.asap.

 Professional Development: The MFT& SRP is offering, “Managing Anti-Social Behavior”on September 7 & 9 at the Detroit MFT & SRP office from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Call the MFT & SRP office 1-313-393-2200  if you are interested in attending.

AFT Disaster Relief Fund: Members are encouraged to contribute to the relief fund. It will benefit members who have lost homes and property in Florida during the recent tropical storm and hurricane. The address is AFT Disaster Relief Fund, 555 New Jersey Ave., Washington, DC 20001-2079.

LFT Scholarship Winner: This year's LFT Scholarship winner was Jessica Pavlovich. She will be attending Central University.

LFT Executive Board Election: A reminder that nominations will soon be open for building representatives, all vice-presidents, secretary and president. Consider running. Put the yoU in Union!

Respectfully submitted,

 

Judy Schram

LFT Vice-President

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