President's Corner

President Editorial

By President Maripaz Berlin

president@ogea.org

Never has it been more important to remember our purpose as public school educators. When I started my teaching career,  I hoped to make some kind of positive impact on my students’ lives. I finished my credential program with my ears still ringing with words and phrases like, “making a difference”, “meeting kids where they are”, and “inspiring kids to be lifelong learners.” But when I finally landed in my own classroom, I discovered I still had so much more to learn. That "making a difference" meant something different to each student. That, even if I taught the same grade level, each year would be different because I would have different students with different skills, personalities, and needs; and the chemistry of the classroom would continuously change. That every year I would need to learn to be adaptive, flexible, and more creative with lesson plans, classroom management, and delivery methods so that I could reach all of my students. 

Our students remain the center of everything that we do. What students require in academics and social emotional development, educators provide. We show up every day for them and also for each other. We are fighting to have the  working conditions that give us the best chances for success, as those become our students’ learning spaces. 

Additionally, it is our purpose as public school educators to continually find ways to improve our profession. The following are some improvements we have worked for, to name a few: 

• Evaluations
• Combo Class Release Time 
• Transfer Language
• SDC/RSP/SLP Stipends
• Stipends for Professional Certification 
• The Academic Freedom Clause
• Class Size steadily decreased from TK-3, 30
• A stipend for those attending Science Camp

Every bargaining season we, as OGEA, labor to move the needle in several categories, strategically, thoughtfully and meaningfully. It happens in our language for class size, which we worked to reduce in our previous contracts and succeeded. It happens when we push for stipends for our Special Ed unit members. Each bargaining season is an opportunity to continue those conversations and continue fighting to make our students’ lives better, and to refine and advance our professions as teachers, counselors, SLPs, nurses, and psychologists. Sometimes, it becomes necessary to prioritize due to funding, resources, etc., yet we continue to aim high every time.

Working Together, Moving in the Same Direction

In the next few weeks, as we continue negotiations, OGEA Leadership will invite the membership to take part in Action Items. We have seen  great  participation in  wearing your OGEA t-shirt and Bargaining Button on our Solidarity Days and now on bargaining days. Keep it UP!! More Action Items are coming! Be sure to stay in touch with your Site Reps for the latest information.

LGBGTQ+ Workshop/AB Days

Our Equity and Human Rights Committee has done some amazing work recently with ESD (Educational Services Department) in order to offer LGBTQ+ Workshops for all staff. Some schools sites will have this training on the February AB Day, while others will have it for the April AB Day. We are also working with Board President Hernandez and Trustee Pacheco on a resolution to keep this momentum going and for more changes that  work to address LGBTQ+ issues that affect our students and staff in our District. Be on the lookout for further updates on this soon.

In Unity!