May 2004

VOL. 14 NO. 10

At the May 13, 2004, Representative Council meeting, CCASAPE staff was authorized to move forward with the development of a member survey to determine administrator opinions about a number of critical areas in the Clark County School District, including region effectiveness. The survey will be mailed to the home address of CCASAPE members by the end of May. Completed surveys must be returned to the CCASAPE office not later than June 7, 2004. Survey results will be analyzed and reported to the membership and to Mr. Garcia. All CCASAPE members are encouraged to complete the survey and return it in the self-addressed envelope that will accompany the member survey.

On May 1, 2004, information was mailed to all retirees participating in the $100,000 group life insurance policy. Retirees are reminded that premiums for the life insurance policy are due in the CCASAPE office not later than June 1, 2004. Additionally, those retirees wishing to remain as affiliate members must also remit their annual dues of $30.00 by June 1, 2004. If RETIREES have questions regarding the procedures or pricing associated with the renewal of the life insurance policy or the affiliate membership, please contact the CCASAPE office at 796-9602.

Carol Lark, Chairperson of the CCASAPE Nominations and Elections Committee, along with committee members, Emilio Fernandez and Kim Grytdahl, are seeking candidates to run for the CCASAPE Executive Board and/or the Representative Council.

Members interested in serving on the Executive Board and/or Representative Council may contact one of the individuals on the Nominations and Elections Committee or the CCASAPE office at 796-9602.

This committee will propose a slate of candidates for nomination at the June 17, 2004, general membership meeting to be held at the Palace Station Hotel. Whenever possible, there will be a minimum of two (2) candidates for each office to be filled. Additional nominations, with the consent of the person being nominated, may be made at the June general membership meeting.

Executive Board offices to be filled during the election include President Elect (must be an active CCASAPE member who is an elementary school administrator), secretary and treasurer. The offices of secretary and treasurer are open to anyone who is an active CCASAPE member. Candidates receiving a majority of votes cast by mail ballot shall be elected to the office. These positions are for a one year term.

Four (4) Representative Council positions are elected each year. The four (4) at-large positions are filled by the four (4) at-large candidates receiving the greatest number of votes. These positions are for a two (2) year term.

CCASAPE encourages members to run for office. The Executive Board and Representative Council are the decision making bodies of CCASAPE.

Administrators are again reminded of the importance of periodically reviewing beneficiary designations for the Standard Life Insurance policies ($100,000 and $50,000 policies) and for CCSD payroll warrants. When life changing events occur which may necessitate a change in beneficiary designations, it is necessary for the administrator to contact the CCASAPE office to make the necessary changes to the $100,000 Standard Life Insurance policy. The administrator must contact the District’s Benefits Office at 799-5418 to make beneficiary changes to the $50,000 Standard Life Insurance policy which is part of the comprehensive medical benefits plan. Administrators wishing to make beneficiary changes to payroll warrants must do so by calling Administrative Personnel at 799-5484. When beneficiary designations are not periodically reviewed and updated, it is possible that the financial benefits from these policies and warrants will not go where they are needed and/or desired.

To assist active administrators with updating beneficiary information for the $100,000 life insurance policy that is provided by CCASAPE, current beneficiary information on file in the CCASAPE office will be mailed to each administrator in July. Administrators will be asked to verify the information for accuracy and to contact the CCASAPE office if changes are necessary.

For RETIREES, the beneficiary updating procedure for the $100,000 life insurance policy was completed in May and will not be repeated this July.

Retirees in the CCASAPE Medicare Eligible Health Insurance Plan recently received written information from Sierra Health regarding their eligibility to receive the new Medicare discount card for prescription drugs. Since the benefit levels within the CCASAPE health insurance plan significantly exceed any prescription drug benefit that might be available through the Medicare discount card, CCASAPE recommends that the retirees in the CCASAPE / CCSD Medicare Eligible Health Insurance Plan not request such a card. There will be no benefit associated with this card. Retiree questions and concerns should be directed to the CCASAPE office at 796-9602.

During the 2003 legislative session, an Assembly Concurrent Resolution was approved to legislatively review the Public Employees Benefit Program. As a part of that resolution, an advisory group to the legislative subcommittee was created. CCASAPE was asked to participate on this advisory committee.
The purpose of the review is to examine the Public Employees Benefit Program as it currently exists and to examine ways in which the program can be modified and improved. One issue being examined by the committee is the inclusion of all public agencies and public employees into the Public Employees Benefit Program.
CCASAPE appreciates the invitation to participate as a committee member on the advisory committee and will carefully monitor the work of the committee.

The CCASAPE general membership meeting will be held on Thursday, June 17, 2004, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Palace Station Hotel. The business meeting will begin at approximately 4:45 p.m.

During the CCASAPE meeting, members will:
1. Be provided a review of the highlights of 2003-2004;

2. Receive the proposed slate of candidates for the June election and be provided an opportunity to nominate additional candidates;

3. Be provided the 2004-2005 CCASAPE budget; and

4. Have the opportunity to socialize with their current colleagues, as well as, those who have retired.

The Clark County Association of Secondary School Principals and the Clark County Association of Elementary School Principals will hold end of the year business meetings at the same location beginning at 4:00 p.m.

CCASAPE invites and encourages all active, associate, and affiliate members to attend this important meeting. Soft drinks, beer, wine, and appetizers will be served.

On May 13, 2004, the CCASAPE Representative Council held its regular monthly meeting. The major items discussed included the following:

1. A review of revenue, expenditures, and balances within the CCASAPE Association and Trust Fund Accounts;

2. A review of the status of:

A. Medical Insurance Negotiations – The status of negotiations regarding the various proposals was outlined. CCASAPE anticipates completing the renewal for medical insurance by July 1, 2004;

B. Humana Dental Plan – The resolution of a number of performance and contract issues was reviewed. These issues include Humana’s agreement to provide new member identification cards WITHOUT social security numbers by July 1, clarification of the orthodontic benefit for dependents up to age 19, streamlining the student status verification procedure, and agreement that any member mailings must first be approved by the CCASAPE staff;

C. Article III – Membership – The status of discussions with the District regarding a proposed change in CCASAPE membership was provided. The proposed change would have removed from active CCASAPE status any administrator with superintendent in the title. Because a change in bargaining group membership must also be submitted to the Employee Management Relations Board for approval, CCASAPE had previously determined that it would move forward with the proposed change only if the District was willing to write a letter of agreement. Because discussions with the District have not resulted in a letter of agreement for the membership change, the Representative Council voted to withdraw the proposed membership change for the present time;

D. Administrators’ Advisory Council Meeting Agenda items for the April 20, 2004, meeting with Mr. Garcia were reviewed. Items included placement of range and school designation on all administrative position announcements, support staff surplus procedures, student teacher training model, region effectiveness survey, 2004-2005 budget, and working conditions for employees; and

E. 401(a) Plan Update – The status of finalizing the 401(a) Plan was outlined. It is anticipated that the District will soon sign the plan adoption agreement and that the Bencor Company will establish the trust account for District administrators. In anticipation of final plan approval occurring, administrators who have signed retirement paperwork and who meet the required eligibility age of 55 have been invited to a special 401(a) informational meeting scheduled for Monday, May 24, 2004, at 4:00 p.m. in Room 118 of the CPD building. Additional information and plan procedures will be provided to all administrators as soon as they are available;

3. New Business:

A. Projected USL / Retiree Medical Payouts The Representative Council approved the anticipated payouts for unused sick leave and retiree medical;

B. Proposed 2004-2005 CCASAPE Budget The proposed budget was approved and will be distributed at the general membership meeting scheduled for June 17, 2004, at the Palace Station and in the June / July Unifier;

C. CCASAPE Scholarships – Sharleis Adams, daughter of Moapa Valley High School assistant principal, Rod Adams, and Edan Yacobovsky, son of elementary principal, Amy Yacobovsky, were selected as recipients;

D. Reclassification – The status of discussions with the District regarding recommended changes to the Administrative Reclassification procedure was reviewed;

E. Administrative Salary Step Advancement Discussions with the District regarding step advancement for current administrators who receive promotional positions after February 1 was outlined; and

F. Region Effectiveness – The Representative Council authorized the CCASAPE staff to develop and distribute a member survey designed to determine administrator opinions regarding region effectiveness;

4. Committee Reports:

A. CCAESP – Sue Steaffens, CCAESP President, reported on the national elementary school principals’ conference recently held in San Francisco and the CCAESP social held at a local restaurant. New CCAESP officers have been elected, but not yet announced;

B. CCASSP – Linda Archambault, CCASSP President, reported on the April power point workshop for administrators and the progress made in developing the slate of officers for CCASSP elections; and

C. Legal – Joe Murphy, Committee Chairperson, reported that there was no activity related to the Legal Committee.

Executive Director’s Report – Stephen provided a review of the accountant’s reports of the School Administrators Welfare Trust and General Operating Accounts, the membership report, and the various CCASAPE activities and the types of assistance provided to CCASAPE members.

The current Agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees establishes a pool of sick leave days available to administrators who have no other available leave. The pool of days is created by administrators who voluntarily designate a half day or a full day of vacation for which they would otherwise be compensated under Article 18-4.

It is our belief that this pool of days will grow each year until it contains a hundred or more days. A form letter is provided in this edition of the Unifier for your use if you would like to designate a half day or a full day to the sick leave pool. Administrators must have in excess of 85 vacation days on June 30 to be eligible to donate days to the sick leave pool. YOUR GENEROSITY TODAY WILL BE A CRITICAL PIECE IN THE WELFARE OF A CCASAPE MEMBER IN THE FUTURE.

All current CCSD administrators and CCSD retired administrators are eligible to enroll in the CCASAPE 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 CCASAPE Medicare Eligible Plan will result in coverage that equals or exceeds the current benefit levels in the CCASAPE / CCSD Health Insurance Plan and at a significantly reduced premium. Enrollment can occur at any time once eligibility is established. Those eligible and interested should contact Nick Venturini in the CCSD Benefits Office to complete enrollment.

The Public Employees’ Retirement Board recently approved the adoption of policy revisions related to the purchase of service credit.

The approved changes will require members to pay the revised actuarial cost for the purchase of service. The cost to purchase service is calculated using the actuarially determined percentage corresponding to the age and the average compensation of the member at the time of purchase.

Depending upon the age of the member at the time of the purchase of PERS service credit, these changes may significantly increase the cost of purchasing. PERS has indicated that the revised policies will become effective for individuals initiating the purchase of service credit on and after September 1, 2004.