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OCTOBER 2002

VOL. 13 NO. 3
CCASA / CCSD CONTRACT RATIFICATION MEETING SCHEDULED

Contract negotiations between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees have been completed for the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 school years. All CCASA MEMBERS are encouraged to attend the contract ratification meeting scheduled for November 6, 2002, in Room 254 at Valley High School at 4:00 p.m. The contract changes will be reviewed, a summary of the changes will be provided, and members will vote on the approval of the contract.
EMRB COMPLAINT UPDATE

It was previously reported that CCASA had filed a complaint with the Employee Management Relations Board. The filing of the EMRB complaint against the District was authorized by the CCASA Executive Board and the CCASA Representative Council. The complaint was filed because the District negotiated a separate employee contract with a central office administrator who is a confidential employee. Although confidential employees do not belong to the CCASA bargaining unit, it is CCASA’s belief that the contract for a confidential employee must be consistent with the applicable terms of the negotiated agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees.

The Employee Management Relations Board heard arguments from CCASA and the District on Monday, October 21, 2002. All participants and the EMRB Board acknowledged the complexity of the issue. Additional information will be communicated as soon as the EMRB decision is received.
NASA FALL CONFERENCE

Just a reminder that the annual NASA fall conference will be held at the Orleans Hotel on Thursday, November 7, and Friday, November 8, 2002. Registration begins on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. with the final session concluding on Friday at 2:00 p.m.
CCASA WEB SITE

The address for the new CCASA web site is www.CCASA.net. Please forward any recommendations or comments regarding the web site to the CCASA office at 796-9602. The web site continues to be a work in progress.
CCSD REGULATION 4370 – VOLUNTARY EARLY INCENTIVE RETIREMENT PROGRAM

As most of you know, last spring the District regulation dealing with the Voluntary Early Incentive Retirement Program was allowed to sunset. Since that time, CCASA has worked closely with Dr. Rice in the rewrite of this regulation and is pleased to report that at the October 9, 2002, Board meeting this regulation was approved by the Board. Significant changes were made which include the elimination of the sunset language. The new regulation can be found on line at the District's web site.
RETIREMENT

Please be reminded that any administrator planning to retire on or before December 31, 2002, must schedule a meeting with Stephen Augspurger and complete the forms to participate in the retiree unused sick leave payout, retiree health insurance payout, and retiree life insurance / retiree long term care programs. THESE FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED AND FILED WITH THE CCASA OFFICE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 1, 2002, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JANUARY 2003 PAYOUT. Please call the CCASA office at 796-9602 if you have any questions.
HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT

Once each year, during the months of October and November, the District holds an open enrollment period. This is the time for you to review your benefit election to ensure that it meets the needs of you and your family. During the open enrollment period, you will have the opportunity to make the following changes to your benefit election:
  • You can add eligible dependents;
  • You can drop covered dependents; and
  • You can join the CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan if you are currently an active administrative employee and receiving your health insurance from CCEA or ESEA.


The changes will be effective on January 1, 2003. The Benefits Office at 799-5418 will assist you with these changes.

A series of eight health insurance information meetings are scheduled in various locations to provide administrators an opportunity to discuss the changes in the benefit levels and premiums for the CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan. Open enrollment meeting dates were communicated to members in the last Unifier and more recently through a district-wide e-mail. If you need additional information, please call the CCASA office at 796-9602.

CCASA / CCSD MEDICARE ELIGIBLE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

All current CCSD administrators and CCSD retired administrators are eligible to enroll in the CCASA Medicare Eligible Plan if the administrator, retired administrator, or the spouse of the administrator or retired administrator is 65 years of age and is eligible for Medicare, Parts A and B. Enrollment in the CCASA Medicare Eligible Plan will result in coverage that exceeds the benefit levels in the current CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan at a significantly reduced premium.

JANUARY 2003 HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS
CCASA ACTIVES – CCASA RETIREES - CCASA MEDICARE ELIGIBLE


Legend:
HPN - Health Plan of Nevada
DD - Delta Dental
VSP - Vision Services Plan
CIG - CIGNA Life Insurance
UNUM - UNUM Long Term Disability
ADDRESS CHANGES

As you know, the Clark County School District requires that all professional organizations communicate with their members through the U.S. Postal Service rather than the CCSD mail. In order for CCASA to ensure that you receive its communications, it is critical that we be notified when you have a change of address. If you have moved recently, please call Debbie or Sadie in the CCASA office (796-9602) and provide your new address. The District should also be notified since we purchase labels from the District for our large group mailings.
CCASA LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES

The 72nd Session of the Nevada Legislature opens February 3, 2003, and must complete its work within the voter mandated 120 day limit. It is anticipated that a large number of bills will be submitted with many of the bills impacting education. For the 2003 legislative session, CCASA, NASA, and WCEAA (the school administrators' association from Washoe County) will again work together in a joint legislative effort. During the NASA fall conference, scheduled for November 7 and 8, 2002, at the Orleans Hotel, representatives from each of these groups and from the Clark and Washoe County School Districts will discuss the legislative platform and 2003 legislative issues which may impact education state wide.

As always, CCASA will continue to monitor the pre-session activities and will keep you informed of critical issues throughout the 72nd Legislative Session. Each bill impacting education will be analyzed in detail by the CCASA staff and will be reviewed by the members of the CCASA Legislative Committee. Committee members include Monty Bay, Alan Bowman, Teddie Brewer, Mark Coleman, Sue DeFrancesco, Liz Frazer, Kathleen Frosini, Patsy Johnson, Bart Mangino, Sheri Ross, Allin Chandler, and Stephen Augspurger. It is CCASA's intent to include the bill analysis in the legislative section of the new CCASA web site. CCASA members are encouraged to pay close attention to the forthcoming legislative session. The success of this session, as it relates to public education in general and school administrators specifically, will undoubtedly be related to the amount and quality of the individual contact that each CCASA member makes with his/her representatives in the legislature.
ADMINISTRATORS' ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

Article 19 of the Negotiated Agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees provides for the establishment of an Administrators' Advisory Council. The purpose of the advisory council is to:

  • Provide advice to the Superintendent and cabinet regarding procedures, practices and programs which will result in a better educational atmosphere in the CCSD;
  • Improve the morale of all employees;
  • Apprise the Superintendent and staff of actual or potential problems involving the school district;
  • Improve communications between the Association and the Superintendent and staff; and
  • Secure maximum productive and constructive involvement of all employees in their primary goal, which is the educational process of the CCSD.

During the two years that Mr. Garcia has been superintendent, regularly scheduled advisory meetings have been held. For the 2002-2003 school year, advisory meetings have been scheduled for November 1, 2002; December 18, 2002; February 26, 2003; and April 23, 2003. CCASA representatives to the Administrators' Advisory Council include Executive Board members Mark Coleman, Jerry Boles, David Harcourt, Kathy Kulas, and Barbie Holmes. Also on the Administrators' Advisory Council is Del Bean, President of the Clark County Association of Elementary School Principals and Doug Gougar, President of the Clark County Association of Secondary School Principals. Dusty Dickens is the non-licensed representative to the Administrators’ Advisory Council.

Topics to be discussed at the November 1, 2002, meeting include facility usage, elimination of the 4.5% drop out rate for high schools, standardized testing procedures, vending machines, iNVest priorities, elementary assistant principals, counselors and ECS's, proliferation of e-mail, teacher training, administrator meetings, and Edison school status. A summary of Mr. Garcia's responses to the agenda items will be reported in the November Unifier.

OCTOBER REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEETING


On October 10, 2002, the CCASA Representative Council held its regular monthly meeting. The major items discussed and/or actions taken during the meeting included the following:

1. The revenue, expenditures, and balances within the CCASA General Fund and Trust Fund Accounts;

2. CCASA President, Mark Coleman, announced that committee assignments have been finalized;

3. A review of the status of:

A. Negotiations -- An overview of the status of negotiations was provided. The final session between the District and CCASA will be held on October 15, 2002. CCASA negotiating team members will participate in Interest Based Negotiations training with the District team on October 21, 22, and 23. This training is in preparation for negotiations which will begin in February 2003;

B. CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan -- Medical plan design changes were reviewed and the schedule of open enrollment informational meetings was outlined; and

C. EMRB Hearing -- CCASA's concerns related to the District negotiating a separate contract with a central office administrator were outlined. The EMRB hearing is scheduled for October 21, 2002.

4. New Business:

A. iNVest -- The most recent iNVest proposal was distributed to Representative Council members. The Representative Council requested that Stephen invite Mr. Garcia to the November meeting to discuss the iNVest proposal and the reinstatement of previous priorities;

B. CCASA Legislative Activities -- CCASA legislative activities for the forthcoming 72nd Session of the Nevada Legislature were outlined. Approval was given for CCASA to seek a legal opinion regarding the formation of a political action committee (PAC);

C. CCSD Funding Equity Committee -- An overview of committee activities and responsibilities were provided along with the distribution of the committee membership;

D. Administrators' Advisory Council -- Additional agenda items for the first meeting of this school year were identified. This meeting was originally scheduled for October 29, but was changed to November 1 due to a scheduling conflict with the Superintendent;

E. CCASA Member Survey / CCASA Retreat Discussion on these items was postponed until the November meeting; and

F. Regulation 4370 -- An overview of the changes made to the Early Retirement Incentive Program was outlined.

5. Committee Reports:

A. CCAESP -- Del Bean, CCAESP President, reported that a joint CCAESP / CCASSP social is scheduled for November 2, 2002, at the Palace Station. Information will be communicated to members via e-mail. Discussions held with Dr. Orci and Dr. Rulffes regarding elementary assistant principals, counselors, and ECS positions were outlined;

B. CCASSP -- Doug Gougar, CCASSP President, reported on the joint social and the forthcoming NASSP convention in February;

C. Legal Committee -- There were no activities to report; and

D. Reclassification Committee -- President Coleman reported the progress of the Reclassification Committee. Additional meetings have been scheduled for October 14 and 15, 2002.

6. Executive Director's Report -- Stephen provided a review of the accountant report, the membership report, and the various CCASA activities and the types of assistance provided to CCASA members.

CCASA REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL 2002-2003