2007-2008
School Year

October 18 , 2007


Go to current Action Line
for links to all past issues

October 18, 2007

Beginning of the Year: Welcome back. Is it really the second half of October already? As with many around the district, it's been quite the start of the year. Busy. Hot. MEAP. New books. New curriculum. New contracts? (You probably won't receive a hard copy until after the New Year.) New roofs. New plans. New faces and old faces. Old problems. No new answers. New problems.

With the fall, comes a sense of newness. That's what I tell myself. Somehow I'm not feeling it as much as I'd like. There are situations in our schools I'd like to see fixed. There are situations in Lansing I'd like to see fixed. These problems are sometimes daunting, and the temptation is to go inside our classroom and try to control the things that I can control, and not to worry about the other, bigger, problems. That may be good for a time. But I think, we all know better-(that's what I tell myself).

I'm referring to "I", but from what I hear, it's thoughts that we all share at one point or the other. We're in a profession where we don't always see the fruits of our labor as quickly as we'd like. We question are we making a difference. We fight to stay positive, realizing that we have to let out steam so that we stay sane.

I believe we are making a difference. Sure we do it sometimes isolated in our rooms, but I see it more as a team effort. We're in this together. We have to fight to stay positive, knowing that we're not where we want to be, but we're moving in that direction.

Colleen McCartney Endorsement: The RFT Executive Board voted to endorse our Sister Colleen McCartney as she runs for a seat on the Roseville City Council. Colleen is a paraprofessional and she works at Roseville High School. The board asks that you please vote for Colleen on November 6th.

Officer Training: The officers and I have been part of a pilot program entitled "the Culture of Organizing." We've attended training for two of the three past weekends. The hope of the training is to make our membership more dynamic and involved, and thus, increasing our voice at the building and district level, and in Lansing and DC. In the weeks and months ahead, we'll share more.

Good Things to Share: At the school board meetings, the board often starts the meeting with nice things happening throughout the district. I'd like to highlight some of our members' accomplishments too. When you hear of something good happening, please share with me.

Lahoma Jones' Quote: I'd like to recognize Lahoma Jones who's the Kaiser building representative who was quoted in this month's AFT Publication, American Teacher. She signed on to the AFT website, and responded to the question: "If you could invite the presidential candidates to spend a day with you at your workplace, what is the most important challenge you face every day that you would want them to see firsthand?"

Her response: "I would like the candidates to see children who come to school hungry, unkempt, tired, and glad to be anywhere but home. Trying to teach children to read and write when they are struggling with daily survival skills at home is a real challenge."

Thank you for letting your voice be heard, and more importantly, Lahoma thank you for taking your time and energies to make RCS and RFT better.

Call DC about NCLB: Please ask your building rep and call this week.