MTA Links & Information
Grants to help students who
need a hand up.
2014
AFTER RENEWAL-KEEP ALL DOCUMENTATION IN A SAFE PLACE!
Re licensing questions: http://www.doe.mass.edu/recert/qa.html
•Align your Individual Professional Development Plans with school and/or district improvement goals
•Obtain supervisor approval indicating that 80% of the Professional Development Points (PDPs) are consistent with the educational goals of the school and/or district
•Earn a minimum of 10 hours in a topic
•Seek your supervisor's endorsement of their completed professional development plan prior to applying for recertification.
Plymouth Paraprofessionals - click this link to take an survey involving negotiations. click
The survey will close Thursday, January 15th.
Carver Paraprofessionals - a survey will be hand delivered January 8th. Please return survey by January 15th.
Meeting for all union members only January 22, 2015 in the CMHS auditorium at 3:15.
U.S. House extends tax deduction for educators' classroom purchases
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that revives the $250 tax credit for K-12 educators who spend their own money on classroom supplies and instructional materials.
Massachusetts educators turn back licensure threat
The past month has been a tumultuous one for Massachusetts educators as teaching licenses came under threat by an onerous new proposal from the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. But due to pressure from educators, the department withdrew the proposal, designed by private vendors at a taxpayer cost of $550,000.
Evaluation Process:
More detailed information available through MTA Educator Evaluation Toolkits
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REPRESENTATIVES NEEDED FOR ALL PLYMOUTH AND CARVER BUILDINGS: IMPORTANT UPDATES! Bring your questions!
2nd Wednesday of every month - 4:30 PCIS IMC
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SEI Endorsements: As a reminder, all educators who are seeking the SEI endorsement must apply for the endorsement in ELAR at gateway.edu.state.ma.us./elar/
MTA members may request assistance from MTA staff by sending an email to licensure@massteacher.org
Looking for information on Retell? Common Core? Parcc? MTA Educator Toolkits are a great resource!
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Background Checks:
The law requires all public and private preK-12 school employees in Massachusetts, as well as early childhood educators, to submit to fingerprint-based national and state criminal background checks. Specifically, all school-related personnel with the potential for direct and unmonitored contact with children will be subject to national and state fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
When do I have to submit to a fingerprint check? School employees and others (who might have direct and unmonitored contact with children) who began service for their school employer prior to July 1, 2013, shall submit fingerprints for national and state criminal background checks before the start of the 2016-2017 school year, on a phased-in basis and according to a schedule established by DESE.
Where will the fingerprinting take place?Fingerprinting will take place at sites to be identified around the state.
Plymouth
Please note the MorphoTrust USA? fingerprinting location in Plymouth, MA has moved. The
new location is 385 Court Street Suite 305/306, Plymouth, MA 02360. The hours of operation
are Tuesday and Thursday 9:00A-5:30P, Wednesday 10:00A-7:00P, Saturday 8:00A-2:00P.
How much does it cost? The law provides that the fee shall be $55 for employees who are certified pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, section 38G, and shall be $35 for employees who are not certified pursuant to section 38G. The law provides that the secretary of administration and finance, in consultation with the secretary of public safety and security and the commissioner of education, may increase the fee accordingly if the FBI increases the fee for its fingerprint background check service.
Many people have asked about the difference in the fee. This fee was set by the legislators and part of the law. Do I have to have my finger prints taken. No, but you will not be employable in a public school setting.
This is the website from Plymouth.
http://www.plymouth.k12.ma.us/uploaded/Human_Resources/Substitute_Teaching/Fingerprinting_Instructions.pdf
For more specific information - you can go to
http://www.massteacher.org/advocating/background_checks.aspx
EAPC/MTA/NEA DUES INFO-
- Please make sure to save your final December pay stub, as this will have information relevant for yearly tax purposes.
The link below will take you to a breakdown of dues information for 2014-2015 years. Please contact the EAPC office at office@plymouthcarvereducators.com if you have any questions.
Also, a couple quick reminders:
- Please make sure to check your first pay stub of the school year to ensure that your pay is correct and that the proper dues amount is being deducted.
Click on this link to see chart of new Plymouth health insurance copays: Link to Health Insurance Chart
- Non-Medicare eligible retirees' status was not changed. Those hired before 1986 may fall into this category - please call the Benefits office to see if you are in this group. These retirees may be eligible for Medicare through a spouse, or will have access to Blue Choice or Blue Care Elect in retirement.
Student and Staff Feedback in Educator Evaluation- Administration has agreed that there will be no system wide feedback process for this year!
DESE Regulation 603 CMR 35.07 identifies 3 categories of evidence to be used in the course of an educator's 5-step evaluation cycle. These include:
1. Products of Practice
2. Multiple Measures of Student Learning, Growth and Achievement
3. Other Evidence rated to Standards of Practice
The third category of evidence includes the use of student feedback. Beginning 2014-2015 school year, the school districts are to collect feedback from students for use in the educator evaluation. Administrators will be required to collect feedback from staff for use in their educator evaluation.
DESE does not require a particular instrument, however, they have published suggested surveys. Click the link here.
EAPC Negotiations will focus on these key concepts:
- Feedback should be meaningful and actionable.
- Feedback collection can take many forms-and does not have to include DESE's forms
- Feedback can be introduced to inform any part of the evaluation cycle
- No specific weights or formulas are connected in the use of feedback.