Desert Area Teachers Association

Welcome to the 2008-2009 School Year

Current DATA Officers for the 2008-2009 School Year

Please contact us if you need assistance. We are here to help you in anyway we can. The following members are the officers for this year:

President- Maureen Glennon (Faller)                                  

Vice –President- Lisa Harper (Murrary)                                 

Treasurer- Angie Pritchard (Las Flores)  

Secretary- Vanessa Vaughn (Las Flores)

Negotiations Chair- Teri Switzer (Gateway)

Membership Chair- Paulette Turnbull (Las Flores)                              

Social Chair- Kay Lloyd  (Richmond)

Catastrophic Leave Chair-Joan Adams

Grievance Chair- Joan Adams (Richmond Sp. Ed.)             

CTA State Council Rep. CTA- Barb Walls

Carol Gartner, the DATA Office Secretary, is available at the DATA Office, 375-5875, located at 357 W. Argus Street. Carol’s hours are 2:00-4:30 pm Monday- Thursday. She is very knowledgeable and helpful. If she can’t answer your questions, she will refer you to someone who can or get a message to them. Do not hesitate to call. We are here for you.

                                           Site Reps. Wanted

Every site is entitled to one site representative for every ten teachers. The meetings are generally held on the third Monday of the month the Monroe Library at 3:45 pm. The meetings are open to everyone. Please come if you are interested. We are always looking for new reps with fresh ideas.

                                          Submit Your Units

If you took classes for credit over the summer, remember to submit your transcript of the course completion to Jan Burke in the Personnel Office not later than the middle of October. Sooner is better than later. You will be receiving notice from the District shortly of their records as to your years and units. Please check that document and correct it, if necessary. 

                                                Updates

• The  deadline for Catastrophic Leave Bank membership is October 1^st- if you are not currently a member,  a DATA rep will be contacting you. We cannot enroll anyone after the deadline.

• PAR is providing peer coaching to new teachers not covered by intern or BTSA programs. This is also available to those who request it. They are looking for mentors and teachers wanting assistance. Please consider providing or availing yourself of these services.

• Check your CTA membership card and send the changes to Paulette Turnbull at Las Flores. If your address, last name, phone number, school site or any information has changed, please tell us.

• Consider donating to DATA Scholarships- we are promoting the future education of our students.

                                    School Board Election

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4^th. Incumbents Pam Lochhead, Tom Martin and Mike Scott have submitted paperwork to be on the ballot along with challengers Tim Johnson and Bill Farris. We will be asking members to work on a committee to choose a candidate and use the resources available to us. There will be a School Board Candidate Forum on Monday, October 6^th at  6:00 pm, St. Michaels’s Church Hall, open to the public. Please come and ask questions of the candidates.

                                    President’s Message      

Welcome back to a new school year; this one is more challenging than the last few years, due to the lack of a budget at the State level.   Step and column continues to be in effect  as are the health and welfare benefits at no cost to you. If you have not already attained your maximum number of units, it would be in your best interest to do so.  DATA is here to help you. If you should need assistance, please do not hesitate to call on us.                                     

                                                                               Maureen Glennon

                                                                               President, DATA