Representing Teachers and School Employees in Northwest Louisiana
12:00 P.M.- 1:00 P.M.
October 8- Bus Drivers: Managing a Safe and Orderly School Bus for Our Kids
November 12- Secretaries/Bookkeepers: Customer Service
December 17- Security: Bullying Prevention and Ending Workplace Harassment
January 21- Paraprofessionals: Para/Teacher Relationship
February 18- Food Service: Fresh and Healthy Meals
March 18- Nurses: Why the Need for School Nurses and the Health of Our Communities
April 8- Maintenance: OSHA
In fairness to school support staff who are called upon to act as substitute teachers, Red River United and the Louisiana Federation of Teachers worked for passage of Act 231, which requires school boards to pay employees at the substitute teacher rate if it is higher than their usual salary.
Do you feel you may be entitled to additional compensation, call Red River United, 318-424-4579.
Both the House and Senate unanimously voted on the floor to urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to adopt a rule that would give students 20 minutes of seated lunch time that would not include time spent traveling to and from the lunch room or the time spent waiting in line to eat. Red River United members pushed for this resolution because they were concerned that their students were not being given enough time to eat. Our members know that when our schools provide nutritious meals for our students, and when those students can actually consume those meals, students have better health outcomes and higher levels of academic achievement. Please make sure that your students are getting twenty (20) minutes of seated lunch time this year.
If your students are not getting 20 minutes of seated lunch time or you have questions about this law, contact Red River United at redriverunited@redriverunited.org or 318-424-4579.
At the request of Red River United, Rep. Patrick Williams (D – Shreveport) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 114. Both the House and Senate unanimously voted on the floor to urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to adopt a rule that would give students 20 minutes of seated lunch time that would not include time spent traveling to and from the lunch room or the time spent waiting 
in line to eat.
Red River United members pushed for this resolution because they were concerned that their students were not being given enough time to eat. Our members know that when our schools provide nutritious meals for our students, and when those students can actually consume those meals, students have better health outcomes and higher levels of academic achievement. We thank Rep. Patrick Williams for pushing this resolution forward.
On Saturday, February 22, Red River United sent four delegates to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel (PSRP) convention at the Marriott Hotel in Baton Rouge.
Robin Herrin (Sun City Elementary, Bossier), Phyllis Mason (Forest Hill Elementary, Caddo), Valarie Littlepage (Sun City Elementary, Bossier), and Jon Glover (Maintenance, Caddo) were tasked with bringing back as much information about how this year’s upcoming legislative session will affect Red River United PSRPs.
The participants at the LFT Convention were welcomed by LFT President, Steve Monoghan, who reminded the PSRPs how important their role and voice is in education is across the state. Monoghan told the PSRP convention that one of the purposes of the convention was to ensure that PSRP voices will be heard this legislative session.
At the conference, Representative Herbert Dixon addressed the LFT convention by urging support personnel to get to know their local representatives – know who they are, know where they stand on the issues, and get in contact with them in any way possible in order to get them to vote the way you want them to vote on issues affecting PSRPs.
LFT Legislative director, Mary Patricia Wray, gave the PSRPs a lot of valuable information about the legislative session. MP talked about a wide array of issues, retirement, job description bills, maternity and extended sick leave policy for support personnel, salary increases and increases to the MFP (the state education budget).
Many awards highlighting exceptional PSRP members were given, including the Geraldine Bell award honoring late longtime Para activist from the United Teachers of New Orleans and founding member of the LFT- PSRP Chapter. Red River United members were split into workshops, retirement for PSRPs presented by Heather Landry of the Teacher’s Retirement System of Louisiana and legal issues presented by Larry Samuels, General counsel of the LFT.
The keynote address was given by Ruby Newbold, Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers from the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees. Newbold gave the PSRPs a rousing speech, reminding the PSRPs that support personnel are important, their voices matter, and that by working together, teachers and support personnel can work together to transform our schools and stand up for the issues that affect everyone, however, this will only happen if and when we stand up and fight for change.
As the meeting adjourned, hundreds of support personnel left the LFT PSRP convention inspired to work even harder to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education by being active this legislative session.
2014 LFT PSRP Scholars Award Program
“LFT supports PSRPs enhancing their education”
One-Time $500 Grant
(Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel Only)
*
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY:
Must be a LFT member in good standing for at least one year and pursuing accredited courses in education only. No full- or part-time LFT, AFT or local staff, may apply.
*First time applicants ONLY can apply.
Please type or print neatly.
NAME__________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS________________________________________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP CODE_____________________________________________________________________________
E-MAIL___________________________________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE________________________________________________________________________________________
COLLEGE TO BE ATTENDED___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT TO BE STUDIED_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION ON LFT LOCAL
You must have this form signed by a local official.
___________________________________________________
LFT LOCAL NAME
NUMBER OF YEARS THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN A MEMBER________________
_______________________________________________________
LOCAL OFFICIAL SIGNATURE
**DO NOT SUBMIT, IF NOT SIGNED BY LOCAL PRESIDENT.
WRITE AN ESSAY NO LONGER THAN 350 WORDS ON THE FOLLOWING TOPIC:
(NOTE: Essay must be typed.)
“Why do I deserve this award and how would I use the LFT PSRP Scholarship Award”
I hereby certify that all information provided in this application is complete and correct.
___________________________________________________
Signature Date
The LFT/PSRP Scholarship Award can only be used at institutions that are accredited to offer postsecondary degrees or certificates by an accredited agency certified for that purpose by the U.S. Department of Education.
DISCLAIMER: Awardee must provide proper documentation verifying enrollment before receiving the award.
This application must be completed in full and submitted with the required attachments. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
Nominate your AFT Everyday Hero, and you will be entered to win $250 for your good deed too!
We know that AFT members are heroes who are reclaiming the promise every day, and we want to hear about them!
Do you know an AFT member who has made a difference in his or her workplace? Someone who has had a profound and positive impact on the community? Someone whose extraordinary contribution in his or her field of work, or to the lives of others, has been heroic?
Nominate this person today, and you will be entered to win a $250 American Express gift card. We will identify semifinalists from each of our constituencies: teachers, PSRPs, early childhood educators, higher education faculty, public employees, healthcare professionals and retirees. Each finalist will be honored at the 2014 AFT convention in Los Angeles.
You have until Jan. 31, 2014, to nominate an Everyday Hero. Use this brief nomination form. Nominate as many people as you like, but nominees must be AFT members.
Nominations will be accepted until January 31, 2014.
People who are looking for information/apply for insurance through the federal marketplace can go online and find assistance by inputting their zip code. The results will vary depending on where you live. AFT has empowered the AFT ACA Liaisons to assist members in their states. We have gone through the informational seminar AFT provided and participate in updates as they become available. We are also asked to become CACs (Certified Application Counselors). The AFT ACA Liaisons are charged with providing information, helping our members apply, reporting trends as they become apparent and monitoring legislation concerning the ACA in our states.
Find agencies that can help you here by inputting your ZIP code.
As always, feel free to contact Red River United with any questions.
