April 2006

VOL. 16 NO. 9

Mark Coleman, currently the principal at Silverado High School, has been selected to serve in the newly created position of Deputy Executive Director for the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees. Mark will retire from the Clark County School District this summer and will begin work at CCASAPE at a date yet to be determined (most likely late summer or early fall, 2006).

Mark began his educational career in 1977 as a teacher’s aide. Mark was hired as a teacher with the CCSD in 1979, serving as an elementary school special education instructor, a position he held from 1979-1983. From 1983-1985 Mark taught special education at a middle school and from 1985-1989 was a high school special education teacher. During the 1989-1990 school year, he served as a special education facilitator.

Mark began his CCSD administrative career in 1990 as a high school dean and was subsequently appointed as an elementary school assistant principal in the spring of 1991. He spent one and a half years as an elementary assistant principal. In 1992 Mark was appointed as assistant principal at Green Valley High School and served in this capacity until he was appointed as principal of the K-12 Indian Springs School in 1997. Since 2000, Mark has served as principal of Silverado High School.

Mark has also had extensive CCASAPE experience. He served as the CCASAPE President in 2002-2003 and spent two additional years as a CCASAPE Executive Board member. Additionally, Mark has served on the Representative Council for five years. Mark’s eight years of CCASAPE service has afforded him the opportunity to serve on numerous CCASAPE committees, including the Reclassification Committee, Legal Committee, Administrators’ Advisory Committee, and the Scholarship Committee.

During the last several years, CCASAPE has experienced unprecedented membership growth. When Stephen Augspurger, the current Executive Director, was selected as Deputy Executive Director in February 2000, there were 814 administrators, 794 members and 2 full-time administrative employees. By contrast, in April 2006, there are 1254 administrators and professional-technical employees, 1214 members, one full-time and one part- time administrative employee.

A 2004 actuarial study completed by Lebenson Actuarial Services, projecting 5% annual growth, predicts that CCASAPE membership will top 1500 members by the year 2010. It is likely that 1500 members may be reached within the next three years as current administrative growth exceeds 5% annually. Continued administrative growth will make heavy demands on CCASAPE staff time. Critical services will continue to include collective bargaining, contract enforcement, member benefits, including the comprehensive health benefits plan, and a broad range of retiree services. In addition to active administrators and retiree benefit issues, there are a number of other critical issues that must be monitored and addressed by CCASAPE. These include, but are not limited to, legislative concerns, PERS issues, political influences by non-school groups, CCSD reforms, deconsolidation, and an interest by the Public Employees Benefits Plan (PEBP) to require non-state employees to join the State Health Insurance Plan. Each of these issues requires additional CCASAPE staff time to monitor, influence and manage.

Without a doubt, the size and complexity of CCASAPE will continue to increase. Over the years, CCASAPE has been committed to provide its membership with the highest level of service. In 1999, CCASAPE assumed responsibility for the comprehensive medical benefits plan. An ever increasing time commitment on the part of CCASAPE staff is allocated to member benefits which includes the negotiation and implementation of contracts with medical, dental, vision, long term care, long term disability and life insurance providers. This same commitment to service extends to those retirees who were Association members during the time they were active administrators, and continue to receive life and health insurance benefits as retirees.

CCASAPE currently employs two part-time clerical employees. Debbie Cavin serves as the Office Manager and Sadie Tanaka is the Special Projects Coordinator. Allin Chandler, the former CCASAPE Executive Director, continues to work part-time for CCASAPE (generally three days per week), and anticipates retiring some time after the conclusion of the 2007 Nevada legislative session. Currently, Stephen Augspurger, the Executive Director, is the only full-time employee. Mark’s employment at CCASAPE will be a great asset to the CCASAPE staff in meeting the increased work load and in providing services to over 1200 administrators. Mark’s extensive teaching and administrative experience, as well as his eight years of experience working with the Association, will serve him well in his new capacity with CCASAPE. The addition of Mark to the CCASAPE staff will be a benefit to all of us

David Harcourt, Chairperson of the CCASAPE Nominations and Elections Committee, along with committee members Dave Erbach and Mark Gums are seeking candidates to run for the CCASAPE Executive Board and the Representative Council. School telephone numbers for the members of the CCASAPE nominating committee are as follows:

David Harcourt 799-1899
Dave Erbach 799-3020
Mark Gums 799-5850

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 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 offices are for a one (1) 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.

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 and outlines two methods by which administrators may donate days to the sick leave pool.

Method One:
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. Administrators must have in excess of 85 vacation days on June 30 to be eligible to donate days to the sick leave pool.

Method Two:
During the 2005-2006 contract negotiations, an additional mechanism was developed that will allow administrators to donate sick days to the CCASAPE sick leave pool. Administrators will be eligible to donate a day of sick leave when they have accumulated 60 or more days and have utilized three (3) or fewer days of sick leave during the current contract year, 2005-2006.

A form letter will be provided in the May Unifier for your use if you would like to designate a half day or a full day of vacation to the sick leave pool or you may designate a full day of sick leave to the sick leave pool. The criteria identified in method one or method two must be met in order for you to donate to the sick leave pool.

It is our desire and belief that this pool of days will grow each year until it contains a hundred or more days. YOUR GENEROSITY TODAY WILL BE A CRITICAL PIECE IN THE WELFARE OF A CCASAPE MEMBER IN THE FUTURE.

Please be reminded that any administrator planning to retire on or before June 30, 2006, must schedule a meeting with the CCASAPE staff and complete the form to participate in the retiree unused sick leave payout, retiree health insurance assistance payout, and retiree life insurance / retiree long term care programs. THE FORM MUST BE COMPLETED AND FILED WITH THE CCASAPE OFFICE PRIOR TO MAY 1, 2006, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JUNE 2006 PAYOUT. Please call the CCASAPE office at 796-9602 if you have any questions.

As a reminder, any retiring administrator who is 55 or older or who will turn 55 in the calendar year of his/her retirement will automatically have all or some of his or her vacation payoff deposited in the 403(b) Vacation Pay Plan. Up to $44,000 may be sheltered, but the exact amount to be sheltered may not exceed plan year income. The amount eligible to be sheltered will also be reduced by the amount already sheltered in your 403(b) voluntary tax shelter plan. Participating administrators will avoid the payment of Medicare tax and will postpone and possibly reduce the payment of federal income tax.

If you have questions regarding any aspect of the 403(b) Vacation Pay Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the CCASAPE office or Paul Larson at VALIC, 796-0047.

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 CCASAPE 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 CCASAPE 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.

On April 20, 2006, the CCASAPE Representative Council held its regular monthly meeting. The major items discussed, reviewed, and/or actions taken during the regular meeting included the following:

1. The revenue, expenditures, and balances within the CCASAPE Association and Trust Fund Accounts were reviewed.

2. A review of the status of:
A. Retreat Expenditures – Stephen outlined the expenses associated with the February all day business meeting held at the CasaBlanca Hotel in Mesquite;

B. CCASAPE Constitutional Amendment – The proposed constitutional change to Article II, Section 5 was approved by the required 2/3 majority. This change will eliminate Section 5, which requires CCASAPE to provide inservice activities and special speakers to the membership;

C. CCASAPE Dues Increase – The proposed dues increase of $10 per month failed to receive the required simple majority for approval;

D. Health and Life Insurance Benefits for Retirees – Stephen reviewed the current status of health and life insurance benefits for retirees who were not CCASAPE members during the time they were active administrators;

E. CCASAPE Scholarship Recipients – Stephen announced that recipients for the 2005-2006 school year will soon be selected. Scholarship checks in the amount of $1000 will be presented to each of the recipients at the May 25 Board meeting by Cathy Conger, CCASAPE President; and

F. April 5, 2006, Administrators’ Advisory Council Meeting – Agenda items reviewed at the April 5 meeting were reviewed with the Representative Council. Topics included CCSD Reforms, CARE (Community Alliance for the Reform of Education), Communication to Principals (Highly Qualified Teachers, Structured Teacher Planning Time, Student Projections, CEA Survey, and Information Flow to Schools), Evaluation of Principals, Evaluation of Teachers, Teacher Recruitment, School Testing Calendar, Development of School Calendars, Substitute Services and Support Staff Hiring Procedures.

3. New Business:
A. Proposed 2006-2007 CCASAPE General Operating Budget – The proposed budget was approved and will be distributed at the general membership meeting scheduled for June 1, 2006, at the Palace Station and through the June / July Unifier;

B. CCASAPE Deputy Executive Director Position – Stephen announced that Mark Coleman has been selected as the Deputy Executive Director for CCASAPE;

C. General Membership Meeting – The General Membership meeting has been scheduled for June 1, 2006, at the Palace Station Hotel;

D. Nevada Public Employers Labor Relations Association Conference – Authorization was provided for Allin and Stephen to attend the labor conference on May 1, 2006, at the Las Vegas Convention Center; and

E. Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) – Authorization was provided for Stephen to draft a letter to the PERS Board in support of the PERS staff position not to support any of the proposed amendments or changes in the post retirement increases.

4. Committee Reports:
A. CCAESP – Charles Anderson, CCAESP President, outlined general concerns associated with the dues increase by the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ Association, and announced that a May social was being planned;

B. CCASSP – Bob Gerye, CCASSP President, outlined efforts by CCASSP to coordinate the various training activities that are currently being provided by multiple groups. The goal is to ensure that duplicate efforts are minimized; and

C. Legal Committee – Bart Mangino, committee chairperson, reported there was no Legal Committee activity.

5. Executive Director’s Report – Stephen provided a review of the accountant report, the membership report, and the various CCASAPE activities and the types of assistance provided to CCASAPE members.

An unmarried child who is under the age of 27 and enrolled in an accredited school is eligible to receive health benefits as a dependent on the CCASAPE / CCSD Health Insurance Plan. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours and must submit, once annually, a letter from the registrar’s office verifying that the student is enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours. Verification from the registrar’s office must be sent to Nick Venturini in the Employee Benefits Office in the Education Center. Students who have been enrolled in an accredited school during this entire school year completed this requirement last September. Students, age 19 through 26 who have recently enrolled in accredited programs, must provide this information to the Benefits Office immediately to establish eligibility for health benefits for the remainder of the 2005 2006 school year.

The CCASAPE general membership meeting will be held on Thursday, June 1, 2006, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Palace Station Hotel. The CCASAPE 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 2005-2006;

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

3. Receive a copy of the 2006-2007 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.

Each year CCASAPE provides two (2) scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00 each. Each applicant must be a senior enrolled in the Clark County School District and a legal dependent of an active CCASAPE member.

Applications were received from 14 outstanding students. The Scholarship Committee, composed of high school principals, Richard Arguello, Gretchen Crehan, and Bob Gerye, selected Andrew Green of Coronado High School and Andrew Hybarger of Centennial High School. These two outstanding recipients were selected on the basis of their grade point averages, test scores, recommendations, essays, and from their personal resumes. Andrew Green is the son of CCASAPE member Michael O’Dowd. Andrew Hybarger is the son of CCASAPE member Jeff Hybarger.

Cathy Conger, CCASAPE President, will present the scholarship checks to the recipients at the May 25, 2006, meeting of the Board of School Trustees.

Congratulations are extended to all of the outstanding applicants, recipients, and their families. Also appreciated are the efforts of the CCASAPE Scholarship Committee.