Welcome back for the 2009-10 school year. This should be one of the most challenging years that any of us have had to face in our teaching careers. Not only do we have to deal with an uncertain economy and ineffective state government, but with the largest class sizes that most of us have ever seen. Some things we have no control over, yet, there is something that we can do to help teachers in this district now and in the future.

There are three seats up for election on the Vacaville Unified Districts School Board. Putting three effective people on the School Board is a top priority of the Vacaville Teachers Association. An interview committee has already been set up, and invitations are being sent to the six candidates inviting them to take part in the VTA's interview process. We hope to find three people that we can support in the upcoming election.

I have met with the Director of Human Resources, Randy Henry, on several issues over the last few weeks. He has been willing to listen to the union's issues and is working to address many of them. I have discussed several issues including:

• Markham concerns
• The issue of personal appliances in the classroom
• Part-time employees and the number of conference/meeting hours they should have
  
• Sick leave reporting errors at Vaca Pena and Jepson
  
• The ability of teachers to do what the district is asking them to do within the duty day
  
• The possibility of closing elementary schools
  
• The temporary status of returning employees
  
• The district providing flu shot for employees
  
• Mileage for employees traveling to more than one site in a day
  
• Balancing class sizes to meet contract numbers
  
• Assessment periods
  
• Secondary Special Education teachers' vote of no confidence

I am hoping that many of these issues can be solved in the very near future. Some of the issues have gone to grievance, and I have asked CTA's legal department to look into some of the issues. If you have concerns that are not on the above list, please send them with your site representatives to the next Rep Council meeting. If you have contract issues, please check the contract on the web site, then ask your site reps for any clarification you may need. If they don't know the answers, they can contact me.

Have a great year.
Larry W. Baker
VTA President