Week of January 4, 2021
Welcome to 2021!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a restful break. The calendar has turned to 2021 and I'm going with the mindset that things are going to get better as we move through winter into spring. It will not be easy, none of this has been easy, but I am hopeful as the vaccine rolls out, and we had to warmer months, things will continue to get better. We still have many obstacles to overcome, but it won't be impossible.
As we start back today, we jump right back in full-throttle. The Board of Education will be meeting tonight. They start with an Organizational Meeting. The President and Clerk will be elected and committee membership could be shuffled. That meet begins at 6:00pm via Zoom. Immediately following that meeting will be the regular Board of Education meeting. The agendas are linked below in the Upcoming Events section. I will continue to provide updates will pertinent information at the end of each meeting.
I wish you all a great first day back!
How to Apply for EMFLEA: Send a letter to Dana O'Gara at HR with your specific situation.
EFMLEA Explained
What is it: Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act (EMFLEA)
When did it start: March 2020 as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
Who is it for: This was a temporary expansion to allow parent/guardians paid leave - up to 12 weeks - to care for their dependent(s) during COVID-19. Qualification is all based on the child/ren's school or child care situation, not the employer's current employment situation.
What does it provide: Up to 12 weeks paid at 2/3s of your salary; make up the difference by using 1/3 of a sick day, per day
Why did Adam send out an email about a grievance: EFMLEA in the FFCRA expired on December 31, 2020, however, the approved MOU stated that the provisions of the Emergency Family Medical Expansion Leave Act will remain intact for all staff members through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Initially, the district disagreed with the Union's interpretation on the language. Adam field a class action grievance on December 22nd to make sure the language was honored. The district agreed to keep the language intact through the rest of the 2020-2021 school year.
Other Important Things to Know: EFMLEA and FMLA use the same 12 weeks. In other words, you have 12 weeks TOTAL between EFMLEA and FMLA. Nashua uses a rolling 12 weeks which means if you use FMLA/EFMLEA starting September 1st and used all 12 weeks, you start regaining FMLA time on September 1, 2021.
NTU COPE
NEW UPDATES!!!
Upcoming Meetings: no meeting scheduled
Know Your Contract
Teacher Retirement Deadline Notice
Attention teachers considering retirement at the end of this school year!!!
Under Article 4.9A of the contract, in order to be eligible for your severance, you must submit a binding letter of retirement to the Superintendent no later than February 1, 2021.
I would also suggest that you set up an appointment with the New Hampshire Retirement System. In order to receive your severance, you must provide a copy of your first retirement check.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Unit Updates
Teachers
The Teacher Negotiations team will have an internal meeting on January 6th and then a formal negotiations session on January 7th. On January 7th, we expect to begin exchanging and discussing proposals. The current teachers' contract expires on August 31, 2021.
Para-Educators
We have our 10th negotiations session on January 11th. We are continuing to review proposals and response to the district. The current para-educator contract expired on June 30, 2020.
Food Service
The Food Service Negotiations team will have an internal meeting on January 14th. The team will have it's first formal negotiations session with the district on January 21st. On the 21st, we expect the agree to the ground rules and set up future meeting dates. The current food service contract expires on August 31, 2021.
Secretaries
The current secretaries contract expires on June 30, 2022. I expect that the team will begin working internally later this spring.
We all know that our jobs can be stressful, now more than ever! Add on top of that the responsibilities we all have outside of school, it can sometimes seem overwhelming. Over the past year, there have been more and more stories about employees reaching their breaking point and not knowing what to do. The City of Nashua, through Anthem, offers, a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL service call the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This service is open to all district employees, regardless if you have insurance through the district. The service is in place to offer assistance for a variety of challenges you may be facing: the stress of your job, being behind on bills, looking for daycare, etc. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To access this information, please visit www.anthemeap.com. Under "Members" click Login; then type City of Nashua.
Scholarship Opportunities
AFT Robert G. Porter Scholars Program - 2021
Union Plus Scholarship Program - 2021 - Closes this month!
Closes January 31, 2021
Sponsored by the Union Plus Education Foundation. The program is open to members, spouses and dependent children of unions participating in any of the Union Plus programs. See the Union Plus Scholarship Program website (link is external) for more information.
New Year's Resolution
Well, we've finally made it to 2021. With each new year, comes a time of rejuvenation, new goals, and new hopes. Many people also come up with a New Year's Resolution. Did you? This week's Just for Fun is simple: did you create a New Year's Resolution? Results next week with a new Just for Fun!
For the NTU calendar, click here
For the BOE calendar, click here
For the BOE agendas and minutes, click here
Upcoming Events
- January 4th
- January 5th
- Executive Board, 4:00pm, via Zoom
- January 6th
- Internal Teacher Negotiations, 2:00pm, via Zoom
- January 7th
- Teacher Negotiations, 4:00pm, via Zoom (Negotiating Team Only)
- January 9th
- Teacher Leaders Program, via Zoom
- January 11th
- Para-Educator Negotiations, 1:00pm, via Zoom (Negotiating Team Only)
- January 12th
- Board of Directors, 4:15pm, via Zoom
- January 14th
- Internal Food Service Negotiations, 2:00pm, via Zoom
- January 18th
- No School; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- January 21st
- Food Service Negotiations, 2:00pm, via Zoom (Negotiating Team Only)
