(A correction has been made to the amount raised at the CEF fundraiser that is noted in the story. We apologize for the error.)
By Crystal Hayduk
The Chelsea School District (CSD) Board of Education met in the North Creek Elementary School media center on Oct. 8, in front of an audience of more than 70 teachers and community members. Many wore gold in support of teachers, who have been working without a new contract since the previous one expired on June 30.
Chelsea School District and the teachers’ collective bargaining unit, Chelsea Education Association (CEA), are presently at an impasse and in mediation. Both sides have filed for fact-finding, but a hearing date has not been scheduled.
During the first opportunity for public input, nine teachers, community members, and a representative from the Michigan Education Association addressed the board.
Chelsea High School (CHS) teacher Adam Schilt said he shares with his students about three values that shape his life: self-care, empathy, and advocacy; and therefore, he is compelled to speak. He listed the many areas in which teachers serve the students above and beyond their classroom instruction. “I believe that people who are worth immense sacrifice are well worth my time. Why can’t this district make a sacrifice for me? I feel hurt that I’m a budget item instead of a priority,” he said.
Echoing Schilt’s remarks was first grade teacher Chip Grover. She said that teachers spend “countless hours of extra time,” on added technology, new time-intensive curriculum, and the needs of the students. High health care costs and only one small cost of living raise in recent years have hurt teachers’ ability to meet the basic financial needs of their families, let alone save money. “I do what I can to take care of the people in my charge, but I can’t…take care of my family right now,” said Grover, closing her remarks with a plea to the district to reconsider their offer to the CEA.
Susanne Vanden Bosch was one of the mothers who addressed the board. She shared the story about her oldest daughter who was ill during her early years. After a difficult start at school, she is now a confident senior making good grades. “It only happened because of the amazing teachers in the CSD,” she said. “We’re sending a child out into the world to be successful, but we couldn’t have done it on our own. These people are changing lives.”
Vanden Bosch said she believes that fact-finding is not necessary and that if the district would negotiate “in good faith,” the contract problem could be resolved.
Parent Lisa Orlandi-Korner spoke about pay scales. Based on her research, the Consumer Price Index had risen 11% from 2011-2018. During the same time frame, teacher salaries had increased by 2.25%. “Inflation rose by 2.7% last year alone,” she said, “effectively wiping out their raises for the last seven years.”
Community member Wendy Arntson said, “Without the teachers, we’ve got nothing here and it’s going to affect everything, [including] real estate.”
Kelly Powers, Michigan Education Association UniServ director, told the board she has “…deep concerns about the tone of negotiations.” She listed behavior examples that led to the CEA bargaining team and membership feeling disrespected; and the CEA Crisis Team feels the district is trying to silence them when trying to share information with the public.
She emphasized the importance of changing the course of negotiations to create a climate of respect and trust. “Your district has not had easy bargaining in the past, but never felt disrespected by the board’s team until now, and it will ultimately affect the children,” she said.
Renae Kempf, CHS graduate and an administrator of the closed Facebook group, Chelsea Residents in the Know, said, “Despite the board and [Dr.] Helber’s best efforts, I will not be silenced; the teachers will not be silenced.” She urged the board to make financial decisions based on the present and not the past recession. “I think we can all agree that the teachers deserve better.”
Community member John Mann applauded the work of the board who has kept CSD fiscally sound through severe state funding cuts and declining student enrollment. He said that the use of social media over the contract issue has been “disgraceful. People are quick to jump to erroneous conclusions.”
Following public input, Board President Anne Mann said the board is appreciative of all that the district’s teachers do, as it is evident they are passionate about the children. She said that teachers are the neighbors, friends, and family of board members, and that their health and well-being is important. She’s learned that it is impossible to please everyone all the time, but that both sides can be heard, facts can be presented, and then informed decisions made.
The district and the CEA meet again for negotiations on Oct.11. If an agreement is reached, fact-finding will be canceled.
Superintendent Julie Helber also thanked the public who attended and those who commented.
Helber said that the board has a financial responsibility to the district to provide a balanced budget that will pay for many things, which includes programming and innovations that benefit the students. “It’s virtually impossible for you to really see all those moving parts, so I understand completely the comments that you make today,” she said. “We love you and appreciate what you do every day for our students.”
Helber reviewed a number of financial aspects at the board’s request. These factual items included the Michigan School Business Officials’ recommendation to carry a 15-20% fund balance, with additional information from Michelle Cowhy, assistant superintendent of finance and administrative services about total fund balance, restricted or assigned fund balance (set aside for specific district needs), and unassigned fund balance. Cowhy said she is running the numbers to ascertain what contract offer levels would cause the fund balance to dip below the district’s policy of a 15% fund balance within three years.
Helber distributed documents to board members with the teacher pay scales of the other school districts in the county, showing that Chelsea’s pay scale is competitive with Ann Arbor, Dexter, and Saline. Board member Tammy Lehman asked if any potential teachers had declined job offers due to pay. Helber said one had, but that teacher “would have caught up soon. But other districts have lost teachers to us, too.”
Board members reviewed changes in state law that have caused fluctuations in the number of days or minutes that school was in session since 2002. No pay changes have ever been associated with either increases or decreases in direct student time.
Other changes reviewed included health care insurance costs. The district’s current offer reduces the cost to the employees, but increases the cost to the district.
Marcus Kaemming, assistant superintendent of instruction, curriculum and human resources, talked about the dramatic changes in education over the last 13 years. “We have to continue to look at the things that will best support our kids for the world they are going to live in,” he said, adding that Title II funding (money used for professional development) is only half what it was just a few years ago.
Helber said the district is currently leasing much of their unused space, but should also look at developing innovative programs for students who aren’t on a college track, to get on-the-job experience, for example.
Finally, Mann clarified that district administration is at the negotiations table. The district hired a consultant to mentor Helber because this is her first time negotiating a contract. There can be a maximum of five members at the table per side, so on the district side, these include Bill Weber of the Michigan Leadership Institute assisting Helber, Marcus Kaemming, Cowhy, and either Mike Kapolka or Nick Angel alternating.
Lisa Kaemming, the reading specialist at North Creek, presented information about the Reading Recovery (RR) program to the board. Helping children to become early readers is critical because “literacy impacts other core areas,” she said.
The program serves children in first grade who did not reach kindergarten benchmarks. Approximately 4-6% of first graders are eligible for this support, which is a one-on-one program tailored to a student’s individual needs based on an initial and ongoing assessment of what the student already knows and what the student is ready to learn. A student receives RR support for 30 minutes a day, five days a week; it lasts from 12 to 20 weeks.
Lisa Kaemming said that because the unique needs of students can be addressed on an individual basis, they make faster progress than they would make in a small group setting.
There are two possible outcomes for students in RR. Students may catch up to reading at grade level, or students who still need support after 20 weeks are identified and referred for special education services.
She closed her presentation with a short video about the financial benefits of investing in reading specialists and reading recovery. It can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrAR5FrEBg.
In other board news:
Mann reported that the Chelsea Education Foundation breakfast raised more than $25,000.
The board thanked North Creek Principal Kimberly Gillow and her staff for hosting the meeting.
Note: The complete policy on public participation at board meetings can be found on the district website under Board Policy 0167.3 (http://www.neola.com/chelsea-mi/).
Upcoming date:
The next school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the board room at the Washington Street Education Center.
