Greetings NEA-Jurupa Family,
I hope that this email finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy and that you are managing to get some rest and relaxation during these unprecedented times. As always, I apologize in advance for the long email, but please read on as it has some very important information.
As you know, the JUSD Board of Trustees voted last Monday, 5-0, to begin the 20-21 school year in a 100% Distance Learning format. Again, the board’s priority was to ensure the health and safety of staff and students. Thank you again to all of you who reached out to our board members to share your concerns. Also, please continue to do so, specifically if you have concerns related to returning back to your sites. They need and want to know this information.
Our next steps involve negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the district around the changes to working conditions related to distance learning. This is not traditional contractual bargaining and will not require ratification by the membership. An MOU is a temporary exception to our contract. NEA-Jurupa’s Executive Board approved a committee to specifically work on the MOU. This committee includes George Monge (Bargaining Chair/RHS), Dan Olguin (NEA-Jurupa Secretary/ Former Bargaining Team Member/CR), Jacquelyn Santillan (Current Bargaining Team Member/SC), and me, as well as our CTA Staff Person, John Vigrass. Our first meeting with the district will be tomorrow afternoon.
We have a compiled list (Distance Learning Questions and Considerations1) of considerations and questions that have arisen since the board meeting. Please feel free to continue to reach out to your Site Reps, Area Directors, Bargaining Chair, and/or Association Officers.
In regards to the 20-21 school year and Distance Learning, updated legislation under Senate Bill 98, does have some requirements that you should be made aware of:
1. The instructional year will not change, meaning we are required to have 180 instructional days.
2. There is flexibility in the number daily instructional minutes (TK-K/180, 1-3/230, 4-12/240)
3. There must be daily contact with students and a record of attendance must be taken.
4. There must be delivery of grade-level/content-area standards similar to what would be delivered in a traditional classroom setting.
Items that we will be discussing in negotiations include:
1. Hours of Duty
2. Working Conditions/Safety
3. Worksite Location/Accommodations
4. Instructional Delivery
5. Evaluations
6. Absences/Leaves
7. Access to Professional Development
Please remember that any provisions in the Contract that are not negotiated through the MOU process continue to remain intact. We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Other big news today includes the decision by Los Angeles and San Diego Unified School Districts to open in a distance learning format. The Governor also ordered for 30 counties, including Riverside, to close services due to the rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases.
Best to all of you,
Respectfully-
Wendy Eccles 🙂
NEA-Jurupa, President
Office Phone: 951-681-7997
Non-district email: president@neaj.org
Website: www.neaj.org
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