San Antonio Alliance

Two new Texas AFT surveys reveal the continuing damage—larger class sizes, loss of key services for struggling students and increased discipline problems—done by $5.4 billion in state cuts to public education while also highlighting the intent of school employees to be more politically active in support of candidates who pledge to reverse the cuts.

The new surveys focused especially on impacts expected in the 2012-2013 school year, which is year two of the cuts enacted in 2011. Responses to the surveys from school employees and superintendents alike indicate that conditions for learning and teaching in Texas classrooms continue to deteriorate as a result of the 2011 budget cuts, employee morale continues to decline accordingly, and students face ever-increasing class sizes as further layoffs loom.

“The bottom line of both surveys is that the budget cuts of 2011 are doing lasting damage in our classrooms,” said Texas AFT President Linda Bridges.

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Brain Breaks

Give your students a 2-4 minute breaks every 20 – 30 minutes, more or less, depending on the age. (Try some of the strategies listed below.) When you resume, their brains will be at a higher state of attention. The German researcher Zeigarnick found that interrupting a task periodically can substantially improve learner recall.

From Presenting with Pizzazz!, Sharon Bowman. www.bowperson.com

• Learn by Feel – The learning gurus say kinesthetic learners will absorb your material more quickly if they have something to do with their hands. “Occupy their hands…free their minds.”
• Random Response Device (Anything soft and throwable)- At any moment, announce that you have a “Random Response Device.” When students catch the ball, they need to answer a question or share something they’ve learned.
• Flamingo – Stand on one foot and share something you’ve learned.
• Snowball Fight – Write review questions and facts on individual sheets of paper. Crumple into ball. Have students stand in a circle and throw snowballs at each other for half a minute. At teacher’s signal, students uncrumple papers, read and share with group.

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Spend your evening traveling with the Alliance. This interactive event will allow you to learn more about our:

• Member Benefits Opportunities
• Professional Development Classes
• Community Engagement Involvement
• Consultation Process
• New Employee Outreach
• Mobilization Engagement
• Advocacy Work
• Political Action Activities

End of the year awards and recognition will immediately follow! This is one event you DO NOT want to miss!

Details: The event will take place on Thursday May 31, 2012 from 5:00pm-8:00pm at the Roosevelt Park Clubhouse at 331 Roosevelt (78210). Dinner and drinks will be provided.

To rsvp, please call 225-7174 or email rebeccaf@sanantonioalliance.org.

If you have plans to attend either the 2012 Democratic State Convention or the 2012 Republican State Convention, would you please let us know?  It will only take you about a minute to fill out a short survey. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/7agy9z9. Our hope is to be able to connect education employees who are delegates.

It’s that time of the year again! Jump Start, an Alliance-sponsored program that benefits new teachers, takes place during SAISD’s New Teacher Orientation week. The program allows new teachers to shop for free teaching materials and supplies. To make this event successful, the Alliance asks that retiring teachers donate slightly used or even new teaching supplies and materials that they no longer need. Retiring teachers can give new teachers a great start to their SAISD careers! To donate, please bring items to the Alliance office at 120 Adams Street. For more information, please contact Sylvia Lovelace at 225-7174 or by email at gosylver1@yahoo.com and she will arrange to have them picked up.

Last fall, more than 3,500 people responded to Texas AFT’s survey on the impact of $5.4 billion in state budget cuts to public education. Now’s your chance to weigh in again with a followup survey that also gauges planned cuts and layoffs for 2012-2013. To take the survey, please click here.

Alliance members, did you know you can save 15% on your monthly cell phone service with Union Plus AT&T Wireless Plan? That’s right! As a Union Member you are entitled to this great benefit from Union Plus and AT&T.  To start receiving your benefits today, please call the Alliance Office at 225-7174.

The Alliance Officer and Executive Council positions are up for election in the spring of 2012.  All officers and all elected Executive Council members shall be elected at-large by the general membership.  All contested elections shall be conducted by open nomination and secret ballot. Any current Alliance member is eligible to run for any of these offices.

Nomination Forms will be available at the Alliance office (120 Adams) during regular working hours between April 9 and April 26.

Click here for more information.