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Welcome to ODE’s web site.
We’re glad you’re visiting with us!
Your input counts, please send feedback to ode_office@yahoo.com .
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About Us
Click here for information about the ODE board, our mission and more.
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Articles
Click here for informative reading regarding Atlanta’s DeKalb county education system and more.
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Calendar
See current and important events.
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Members
Click here for ODE applications, newsletters, bylaws.
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Communicate
Post or answer messages on ODE’s message board.
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Community Outreach
Visit this section for community organization development news.
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Links
ODE has a wide selection of important links to important organizations and business in Atlanta and the U.S.
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Please Click here to visit or subscribe to
Subscribe to ODENews
Send a blank email to
ODENews-subscribe@yahoogrou ps.com |
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What’s New!
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Update on ODE's Reaction To The Superintendent's Pay Raise
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***Black-Out Thursday
Thank you for your awesome participation! If you have pictures of your staff dressed in black, please forward them to us so we can post them on the ODE website this afternoon. We have reports of nearly 100% participation at some schools! Please send us a report as to what percentage of employees are participating in Black-Out Thursday at your school.
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***ODE General Membership Meeting
When: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 2:00pm
Where: Oakhurst Presbyterian Church
118 2nd Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030 (Corner of East Lake and 2nd Avenue)
Parking is limited so we encourage car pooling. We were unable to secure a larger facility on such short notice.
***Picket at DeKalb Board of Education Meeting
Monday, January 11, 2010 4:30-7:00
Please arrive at Building A by 5:00pm.
Picket signs will be provided. Please bring a bell with you.
***Pack the DeKalb Board of Education Meeting
Monday, January 11, 2010 at 6:00pm in Building A
This is the business meeting so we will not be able to speak. We need to pack the room and show, by our silent presence, our displeasure with their decisions.
This has been a great start!
Please feel free to forward to PERSONAL e-mail addresses of other members. Please DO NOT forward this to any first class address.
Please accept our apologies if you receive this e-mail more than once. We are using all available lists to distribute information. Please encourage all members in your building to join ODENews. To join ODENews, send a blank e-mail to
ODENews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the officers listed below.
David Schutten
President
presode@aol.com
Nicole Duff
1st Vice President
mrsnd1920@yahoo.com
Lisa Morgan
2nd Vice President
lamorgan7@mindspring.com
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ODE Statement Concerning Possible Changes to Superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis’ Contract
The members of the Organization of DeKalb Educators are extremely disappointed and insulted that the Board of Education would even consider granting Dr. Lewis a raise or other increase in compensation in the midst of the present economic turmoil, as well as the District Attorney’s ongoing investigation into possible financial improprieties within the school system.
>> Read More
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REMINDER: ODE Election Deadline is January 15, 2010 @ 5:00 P.M.
The deadline for nomination forms for the upcoming 2010 ODE election is fast approaching.
Nomination forms are available for:
President
1st Vice-President
2nd Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Elementary School Representative at Large
Middle School Representative at Large
High School Representative at Large
Political Action Committee Representatives
NEA-RA Delegates
Biographies of no more than 150 words, single spaced, 12 point font and photos (jpeg/passport size, if available) are due in to the ODE Office by 5:00 P.M. on January 15, 2010.
All forms and election information are available at: www.odegaenea.org and at the ODE Office.
>> Read More
Organization of DeKalb Educators Candidate Intent Form
2010 NEA Representative Assembly Delegate
Candidates who wish to have biographies distributed in an ODE mailing must have the information delivered to the Credentials and Elections Committee c/o the ODE
office no later than 5:00 P.M. on January 15, 2010.
>> Click Here for Form
2010 Elections Procedures and Guidelines for Candidates
>> Click Here for Form
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ODE News Flash
>> Click here for ODE August 2009 Newsletter
Year At-A-Glance Calendar
>> Click here for Calendar
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 Special Announcements
Levi A. Simon III Scholarship
2010 Application and Tips
Scholarship applications will be accepted between January 12 and March 26, 2010.
The application deadline has been extended. Applications now must be received in the ODE Office on or before Friday, March 26, 2010.
>> Please Click here for more information and application
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ODE Newspaper Ad
>> Click here to view
ODE/GAE Dues Payment Conversion Form
This for is for existing members to convert to Payroll Deduction
>> Click here for form
GAE / NEA Membership Form
>> Click here for form
Hospitality Request
>> Click here for form
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GAE / NEA
Membership Enrollment Form
Year: September 1, 2009 - August 31, 2010
>> Click Here
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ODE Members Produce Record Attendance at DCSS Budget Meeting
Several hundred members of the Organization of DeKalb Educators packed the auditorium and hallways outside the Jim Cherry Library at Perimeter College Wednesday evening. They were present to hear the presentation of the proposed budget for the 2008-2009 school year and voice their frustration that no STEP raises are included.
During the presentation of the budget Chief Financial Officer Marcus Turk’s stated that “… a job and a small raise are better than no job at all.” Increased costs for utilities and fuel as well as the current economic climate were cited as issues addressed in drafting the proposed budget. Many ODE members later stated that they were offended by the comments. “All those price increases affect us, too. We still have to have gas to get to work and food to feed our families,” said Debra White, bus driver.
Sixteen speakers were given the opportunity to address the Board of Education concerning their issues with the proposal. Eleven of the speakers were members of ODE.
Interest Based Bargaining Chair Lisa Morgan, Midway ES, presented the members of the board with a comparison of the DCSS salary schedule to six other core Metro-Atlanta systems. “Out of the 120 possible steps, DeKalb County ranked fifth, sixth, or seventh 61 times.” Morgan went on to say that “if it’s this bad for the teachers, it must be much worse for the cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and custodians.”
Jeff Bragg, Cross Keys HS, addressed the impact no STEP increase would have on staff morale. He pointed out that the approximately 20 million dollars needed for the increases is equivalent to 2% of the total budget.
“I don’t want to be forced to choose between my health and my job,” stated ESP Chair Sallee Arnold. A paraprofessional at Marbut ES, Arnold reminded the Board of Education that employees will experience a 7.5% increase in health care premiums. “For many of our members the cost-of-living adjustment won’t even cover that.”
ODE President David Schutten asked all present to take their concerns to the party ultimately responsible for reduced funding to the school system. He pointed out that Governor Sonny Perdue has extended austerity cuts that have reduced funding to DCSS by over $93 million since 2003.
Trina Knox, Henderson MS, stated, “I’ve already signed a contract for next year so I will be returning to DeKalb. But without a step increase, rising fuel costs may force me to consider working in Gwinnett County where I live.”
“I’ve already waited three years for a STEP increase,” said Sherica Freeman from Open Campus HS. “And now you expect me to wait another year. You have to do something for those of us new to teaching. We’re the future of the school system.”
Judi Polacek, Hawthorne ES, Antoinette Smith, Cedar Grove MS and Judith LaRoue, Midway ES spoke concerning the demands on school system employees and the seeming lack of respect they receive in turn.
ODE First Vice President Nicole Duff asked that board members review the comparison presented earlier and notice that there is an apparent disincentive for teachers to further their education. “I am working on a degree right now and the salary increase for that degree makes me question whether the county appreciates those of us who work hard to increase our knowledge and skills.”
“We expect you (the Board of Education) to be fighting for us,” declared David Runyon of Dunwoody HS.
After all the public comments, Dr. Crawford Lewis, Superintendent, vowed that his senior staff would re-examine every item in the proposed budget. “I’m not making any promises,” he cautioned.
Lisa Morgan
Interest Based Bargaining Chair
>> Click here to view DCSS Pay Rankings
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 Shaw University Scholarships Applications
ODE President David Schutten is working with the Shaw University Board of Trustees to identify 10 seniors in the DeKalb County Public Schools or children of ODE members to receive full President's Scholarship to the university.
Shaw is a Historically Black College located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Students planning to major in Math or Science are especially encouraged to apply.
For more information about Shaw visit their web site at www.shawuniveristy.edu . For more information about applying for a President's Scholarship contact David Schutten at the ODE office, 678-837-1170, or Mr. Joe Bell at 912-238-1752.
Any students or parents who would like more information about Shaw University should contact Mr. Andre Sifford at Towers High School.
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DeVry University Passport 2 College
DeVry University is offering free college credit classes to high school students graduating in 2009 or 2010. Two classes are available at the Decatur campus. For more information visit www.atl.devry.edu/passport2college or e-mail bwright@devry.edu , or call 404-292-7900, ext. 2357.
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ODE Constitution Ratified rev. 9202007
>> view
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ODE Negotiates Higher Cost of Living Adjustment
for Staff in DCSS Budget
The ODE Bargaining Committee successfully negotiated an increase in Superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis’s proposed COLA for employees in the DCSS 2007-2008 budget. Dr Lewis initially recommended a 2% COLA for all employees. Collective Bargaining Chair, Lisa Morgan; ODE President David Schutten; and UniServ Directors Tommy Green and Tricia Audrain met with Dr. Lewis, Chief Finance Officer Marcus Turk and Assistant to the Superintendent Debbie Loeb after the first budget hearing. Morgan and Schutten stressed ODE’s historical position that DCSS not lower local supplements. At a follow up meeting a few days later, Schutten, Morgan, ODE Vice President Nicole Duff, and ODE Grievance Chair Rosilind Taylor met again with Lewis, Turk and Loeb. At that time Mr. Turk proposed a 2.87% pay COLA which would ensure no certified teacher’s local supplement would be decreased.
At the second budget hearing on April 17, Schutten, Duff, Morgan and ODE Executive Board member Lila Miller were the only DCSS employees to speak. All four speakers thanked the board for ensuring all employees received the COLA increase. No other professional organizations or unions have testified at DCSS budget hearings on behalf of employees since 1997. ODE is the Voice of DeKalb Educators! ODE is the only organization which lobbies the school board on behalf of employees. Remember, “You get what you pay for.”
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ODE Stand Tall at DCSS Budget Hearings
For the 10th year in a row, ODE was the only organization to speak on behalf of DeKalb County School System employees at the DCSS budget hearing. the last time any other organization spoke on behalf of employees at a budget hearing was in 1997. ODE Executive Board members were the only citizens to testify at the budget hearings. ODE President David Schutten, ESP Chair Sallee Arnold, Bargaining Chair Lisa Morgan, Public Relations Chair Jackie Henry and Team Leader Lila Miller all spoke eloquently on behalf of our members. At least 10 other ODE members attended the hearing.
They covered a wide range of topics. Schutten asked the Superintendent and Board of Education to continue to fund Prevention and Intervention Specialists in the schools despite federal Title 1 cuts. He pointed out the need to keep the safety net in place for Rish students. He also stated that High School principals and assistant principals needed to receive a pay increase to adequately compensate them for the extra hours that they work. He acknowledged the fact that Dr. Lewis addressed this issue at the last Adminstrators;s meeting, but he added that this raise needed to be put into effect as soon as possible. He also asked the Board to address the apparent shortage of substitue teachers. Ms Henry also addressed this issue. Both Henry and Schutten as well as Ms Miller addressed our concerns about the number of paraprofessionals that are required to serve as substitutes in violation of the BOE's policies. They also expressed concerns about teachers having to split up classes when substitutes were unavailable. HR Director Dannie Reed later pointed out that there are over 1,500 substitutes, but they may choose which schools in which they will sub. (As educatiors we all know that substitutes tend to stay away from schools in which students do not treat them with respect. In light of senior administrators' stressing the need to look at data, it appears that it would be an ideal time for Human Resources to study the data as to which schools have difficulty obtaining substitutes.)
Ms Morgan pointed out that many teachers choose other school systems because new teachers receive no substantial raise for three years and do not receive the Board TSA until their fourth year of employment. Ms Henry also pointed out issues surrounding the TSA and Social Security. BOE member Lynn Cherry Grant later pointed out that DeKalb's teachers voted to leave the Social Security system. Schuteen then went back to the microphone to point out that decision was made before then President Ronald Reagen pushed the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision through Congress. GPO/WEP unfairly penalizes teachers in DeKalb as well as other systems that are not in the Social Security System and robs us of some of our earned Social Security benefits.
Miller, Henry, and Arnold all pointed out the importance of all employees receiving a raise as well as ensuring that the step increases went into effect in September, not January. Ms Henry asked the Board to pass on the entire state pay raise this year.
After speaking with two BOE members after the meeting, we decided we will start advocating once again that DCSS start paying certified employees bimonthly as opposed to the present monthly system.
ODE will continues to address these issues as well as others at upcoming Board meetings and budget hearings. Where were the other organizations like PAGE, MACE, and AFT? Missing in Action Once Again!
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Stress Management Seminars Offer Relief to School Faculty
A new benefit to members of ODE and GAE are the Stress Relief Programs given by Tommy Green and Derrick Bumpers. The two have joined forces in an effort to help faculty and staff at local Dekalb County schools with their stressful daily classroom activities. The stress management program includes tips, ideas, and exercises to help control stressful and anxiety causing circumstances we face each day in and out of the classroom. If you would like more information about the new benefit please contact Tommy Green or Derrick Bumpers at the ODE Office at 678-837-1170.
Additional workshops offered are :
Conflict Management- How to deal with conflict and difficult personalities
Surviving and Thriving (has been used for mentor teachers and protιgιs) - Highlights teacher-parent issues, Georgia laws that govern teachers, Code of Ethics
Code of Ethics Training- in depth look at the PSC COE and highlights recent changes
NEA Member Benefits- Describes the benefits of the Association and how educators can save money
Financial Planning- Offered by Security Benefit Group
School Safety Discipline and the Law- explores ways that educators can contribute to safe schools and laws that govern:
Abuse- Explores issues involving abuse in schools
Bullying- discusses bullying law and ways teachers can identify perpetrators and their victims
Classroom Management for Paraprofessionals
Classroom Management for Teachers
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DeKalb County School System Human Resource Incident
As you know, the newly hired Human Resources Director, Darren Ware, was fired last week when the school system learned of his criminal record from the results of his background investigation. We do not believe Mr. Ware was involved directly in any hiring or firing decision. However, we are concerned that he had access to employees' records including social security numbers and addresses. I have been in frequent contact with Assistant to the Superintendent, Debbie Loeb since last week about our concerns. The school system started investigating last week whether or not Mr. Ware accessed employee information.
All employees were mailed a notice by the DeKalb County School System this week about the incident. This notice addresses our concerns. Although Mr. Ware did not print, download or save any confidential employee information, you should monitor your personal credit information as a precaution.
Lanta, the search firm employed by the Board of Education, to fill the Human Resources Director position, verified that they had checked Mr. Ware's background. The Board of Education severed all ties with the firm. School Board Chair, Cassandra Littlejohn, assured me this week that the Board would vigorously seek a refund of the fee paid to Lanta. (This firm successfully recruited at least three other employees and also hired Lanta to perform an audit of the Human Resources department prior to this incident.).
Channel 2 covered our concerns when they aired portions of my interview with Dale Carswell on Monday. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at the ODE office.
David Schutten
President
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