Dear Members,
The budget has passed and some good news has come with it. There will be no Certificated Layoffs this August!! Although the budget did not include the drastic cuts we were expecting from the Governor’s May Revise, we need to continue to lobby the US Senate to pass the Heroes Act. We also need to continue to support Schools and Communities First, which will be on the November ballot. Look for opportunities to advocate for this community funding initiative. Showing up at the polls this fall will be more important than ever.
This week, Dr. Lovato put out information regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Leaves). This has created a lot of questions regarding our safe return in August. MVTA still has the right to negotiate the parameters regarding our return. The MVTA Executive Board and Bargaining Team will continue to work hard on your behalf.
Additionally, we have year round preschool programs, which began their new school year on July 1, 2020. We have an agreement with the District that decisions regarding moving forward with these 12-month programs will continue to be virtual. Our members will have the protection of the MOU agreed upon on April 22, 2020. In more good news, the Google training that was offered to the TK-8 staff is now being offered to the Preschool Staff, as well. Registration is currently open to all CC/HS staff.
We have attached the results of the survey that 80% of our members answered last week. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey and expressing their concerns. Of note is that the top two concerns are “Getting Coronavirus at work” and “Having to wear a face mask for long periods of time.” Since that survey was completed, we are all hearing the news about cases increasing at an alarming rate in LA County and in El Monte in particular. This is causing a lot of concern and creating uncertainty about returning to school in the fall. We want to reassure you that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. Please watch for additional surveys as we move forward with plans.
The Task Force continues to work on all of the aspects of the return to instruction in the fall. Thank you to all of our members who are volunteering their own time to participate on this Task Force. We will continue to update you as more concrete plans get solidified and recommendations are ready for presentation to the School Board. The updated guidelines for the reopening of schools from the LA County Department of Health was due at the end of June, but have not been released. Please continue to check these links for the most up to date information.
LA County Department of Health - Early Childhood Education Guidelines For School Administrators:
LA County Department of Health - Early Childhood Education Guidelines For Providers:
We are all in this together, stay strong and be safe. Have a wonderful summer!
President: Laura Gaber, Lgabermvta@gmail.com (562)822-8400
Vice President: Leticia Urias, Luriasmvta@gmail.com (626)826-0885
Secretary: Jacquella Payne, nurseangel1@gmail.com (909)992-8268
Treasurer: Maria Frias, Ms.MariaFrias@gmail.com (909)437-4721
Member at Large: Jenny Siebel, jsiebel8@gmail.com (626)374-4331
Member at Large: Ruby Huesca, huescaruby@gmail.com (626)941-5637