CCASAPE BEGINS PREPARATION FOR THE 2007 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The CCASAPE staff is working in preparation for the opening of the 74 th Session of the Nevada Legislature. The mandated 120 day session is scheduled to open February 5, 2007 . CCASAPE will again participate with NASA in a joint legislative effort. Lonnie Shields will serve as the lobbyist for CCASAPE and NASA. Lonnie is jointly funded by CCASAPE and NASA. Mark Coleman will provide assistance to Lonnie in Carson City when necessary. CCASAPE staff will continue to complete a bill analysis for each bill that has anything to do with education, health insurance, PERS, or the CCSD. This analysis will be shared with our lobbyist in Carson City and with Craig Kadlub and Joyce Haldeman of the Clark County School District . Prior to and during the session, the CCASAPE / NASA lobbying team will monitor the legislative process by:

Identifying legislation of interest to CCASAPE and NASA;

Tracking legislation through the hearing process;

Assisting with testimony and/or identifying the best spokesperson to present the testimony;

Coordinating legislative strategy;

Assisting in the candidate endorsement process; and

Identifying the critical legislators for each piece of legislation and ensuring access by CCASAPE and NASA.

MEMBERSHIP
CCSD	ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES	1051
CCSD	PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EMPLOYEES	225
CCASAPE	MEMBERS	1250
CCASAPE	AFFILIATES (RETIREES)	268

MEMBER INPUT FOR 2007 CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

In preparation for opening negotiations, the CCASAPE staff is completing a detailed review of the current Agreement. Additionally, the CCASAPE Negotiations Team composed of Charles Anderson, Jerry Boles, Cathy Conger, Jeff Hafen, Jamey Hood, Bart Mangino, Ron Montoya, Joe Murphy, Jessie Phee, Allin Chandler, Mark Coleman, and Stephen Augspurger is seeking your help in identifying issues to be pursued for the 2007 negotiations.

Please review the current Agreement and complete the negotiations input form contained in this newsletter. The current Agreement and input form links can be found at the top of this newsletter. The Negotiations Team will review your input, discuss your input with the CCASAPE Representative Council, and begin formal negotiations with District representatives sometime after February 1, 2007 .

CCASAPE will notify the District prior to February 1, 2007 , of its intent to reopen contract negotiations. Final decisions regarding negotiations will not be made until the 2007 legislative session concludes.

UNUSED SICK LEAVE AND RETIREE MEDICAL ACTUARIAL STUDY

Beginning in the fall of 1996, the School Administrators’ Welfare Trust authorized an actuarial review to project the receipts and expenditures from the Unused Sick Leave and Retiree Medical Reimbursement accounts within the Trust. Follow-up reviews were conducted in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Lebenson Actuarial Services and the School Administrators’ Welfare Trust have utilized each review to refine the assumptions regarding administrative growth and investment return. The reviews are used to determine if the fund balances in each of the accounts throughout the 10 year period are increasing commensurately with the administrative growth. The review allows the School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust to determine:

If the payouts should remain the same or be increased or decreased.

If the negotiated amounts going into the trust fund should be increased from the $7.07 per month per administrator for the unused sick leave benefit or the $6.17 per month per administrator for the retiree medical reimbursement benefit.

The findings of the 2004 actuarial review resulted in the payouts remaining unchanged. However, the 2004 actuarial review projected that the fund balances over the next 10 years will not increase commensurately with the administrative growth currently occurring in the District. As a result, during the 2005 negotiations, the CCASAPE negotiating team negotiated an increase in funding for unused sick leave and retiree medical reimbursement commensurate with the percentage increase that is applied to the administrative salary schedule. It is hoped that this increase in funding for the unused sick leave and retiree medical reimbursement accounts will be sufficient to meet the needs of future retirees. The 2006 actuarial review will provide the required data to determine the level of payouts and the necessary contribution levels to maintain a fund balance that matches the increased liability that will exist due to the continued administrative growth.

The School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust will continue to monitor the fund balances to ensure that the payouts for unused sick leave and retiree medical reimbursement will be there when you decide to retire.

SHELTERING VACATION PAYOFFS

As you know, upon retirement or separation from the school district, administrators who are 55 or older or who will turn 55 during the calendar year they retire or separate from the District will automatically have some or all of their vacation payoff deposited into the 403(b) Vacation Pay Plan. Up to $44,000 may be sheltered, but the 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, if applicable, and will postpone and possibly reduce the payment of federal income tax.

As you are aware, administrators who are younger than 55 during the year they retire or separate from the District are not eligible to participate in this 403(b) Vacation Pay Plan. Many administrators retiring or separating from the District and younger than 55 have expressed concern that they are not able to participate in the 403(b) Plan, but would like to shelter a portion or all of their final vacation payoff.

Administrators younger than 55 are still eligible to shelter all or part of the vacation payoff by establishing a voluntary 403(b) account or a 457 account through the District Benefits Office. Administrators 50 or older can shelter up to $20,000 in a voluntary 403(b) account and an additional $20,000 in a 457 account ($40,000 total). Administrators under 50 can shelter up to $15,000 in each account ($30,000 total). In this manner, some or all of the vacation payoff at retirement or separation can be sheltered if these accounts do not exceed the maximum contributions during the plan year coinciding with retirement or separation. Staff in the Benefits Office can assist administrators in establishing these accounts. Administrators are encouraged to meet with a tax professional prior to making changes that may impact their tax obligation.

If you have questions or would like additional information 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. CCASAPE has scheduled quarterly information meetings regarding the sheltering of vacation payoffs. Meetings are scheduled to occur on December 12, 2006 ; February 6, 2007; and April 3, 2007 . All meetings will be held at 3:45 p.m. at the CCASAPE office. Please RSVP your attendance to CCASAPE at 796-9602.

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 CCASAPE and the School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust to ensure that you receive their 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. This information will be communicated by CCASAPE to the District, as well as, the medical benefit providers.

USE OF PERSONAL LEAVE

Administrators, especially newly appointed administrators, are reminded that Article 17-2 in the Negotiated Agreement between CCASAPE and the District stipulates that all administrators shall be granted five personal leave days each contract year. Personal leave must be utilized during the contract year that it is allocated. Personal leave may not be used when an administrator is on a supplemental contract. Personal leave days not used by the end of the contract year will be deleted. Elementary assistant principals assigned to year round schools are reminded that they have an eleven-month contract and a one-month supplemental contract issued for July. Personal leave cannot be utilized during the supplement contract in July by elementary year round assistant principals. Newly appointed administrators, with the permission of their supervisors, may utilize personal leave during the holiday season. CCASAPE encourages administrators to utilize allocated personal leave prior to using vacation.

NOVEMBER REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEETING

On November 9, 2006 , the CCASAPE 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 CCASAPE Association and Trust Fund Accounts;

2. Old Business:

A. Employee Management Relations Board (EMRB) Complaint – The status of the EMRB complaint filed against CCASAPE by Bill Hoffman and Steve Demaree was discussed;

B. CCASAPE Retreat – The CCASAPE all day business meeting/retreat will be held in Mesquite, Nevada, on March 9, 2007. Stephen outlined the tentative arrangements that have been made for the all day meeting;

C. School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust – Stephen provided an overview of the proposed changes to the trust document. A tentative completion timeline was outlined.

3. New Business:

A. Unused Sick Leave / Retiree Medical Projected Payouts Projected January payouts for unused sick leave and retiree medical reimbursement assistance for retired administrators were reviewed and approved. The School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust approved maintaining the current payouts at $10.00 per day for up to 250 days of sick leave and $450 per year for each of the first five years of retirement to provide retiree medical reimbursement assistance. An actuarial review is conducted every two years by a professional actuarial service to ensure that sufficient funds are available in the School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust to continue these payments for future retirees;

B. Administrative Reclassification – Article 20-11-5 was provided to the council. This Article outlines the contractual procedures regarding administrative classification. The annual review process for school principals was completed in October. A historical overview of the reclassification process for school principals and non school-based administrators was provided and discussed. Additionally, the Representative Council voted to approve making no changes in the classification factors and salary ranges for school principals;

C. Superintendent’s Reorganization – The recently implemented superintendent’s reorganization was reviewed;

D. CCASAPE Contract Analysis – Stephen outlined CCASAPE staff activities related to 2007 negotiations with the District. NRS 288.180 requires that CCASAPE notify the District in writing not later than February 1, 2007 , of its intent to commence negotiations. Allin, Mark, and Stephen are currently completing a contract analysis and will bring recommended changes to the Representative Council at the March 2007 retreat;

E. Administrator Compensation Committee – Stephen provided an overview of the goals of the recently formed Administrator Compensation Committee. This committee will complete its work so that the Representative Council may review its salary and compensation methodology recommendations at the March retreat;

F. School Police and School Safety Concerns – Concerns regarding the lack of an appropriate school police response to a principal that had been attacked by a parent were reviewed. Additionally, the lack of permanent expulsions and increasing number of trial enrollments were discussed. Both items will be included at the next Administrators’ Advisory Council meeting;

G. December 13, 2006 , Administrators’ Advisory Council Meeting – The December meeting has been rescheduled to January 3, 2007 , at Dr. Rulffes request. Tentative agenda items were identified and include school safety, school police, non-essential tasks, lack of appropriate help in elementary schools, and the 2007-2008 CCSD budget development process. Agenda items will be finalized at the December, 2006 meeting.

4. Committee Reports:

A. CCAESP – Karen Smallwood, President, clarified a change in the meeting minutes from the October Representative Council meeting;

B. CCASSP – Jeff Geihs, President, provided a report on the October social at the Desert Pines Golf Club;

C. Legal Committee – There was no activity of the Legal Committee; and

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

HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2006

All health plan participants (actives and retirees) are reminded that the open enrollment period for making changes to your health benefits plan ended on November 30, 2006 . Changes made in your benefit selection will become effective on January 1, 2007 . Administrators and retirees who selected different medical plan options should carefully review the benefit and pharmacy copays for the selected plan. All questions regarding any aspect of the medical benefit plans should be directed to the CCASAPE office.

HEALTH CARE COST CONTAINMENT – PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

During the recent School Administrators’ and Professional-technical Employees’ Welfare Trust Open Enrollment period, it was noticed that many administrators were not utilizing Express Scripts to order a 90 day supply of maintenance drugs. Maintenance drugs are drugs prescribed to treat long-term conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and high blood pressure, to name just a few. Significant savings can be realized by ordering a 90 day supply of these drugs as opposed to paying for a 30 day supply monthly at a local pharmacy. Express Scripts will deliver your maintenance medication directly to your home address. When you fill or refill your prescription by mail, you pay only your applicable copay for the 90 day supply. You save money – The plan saves money!

Express Scripts order forms are available by contacting Sierra Health Member Services at 562-8077.