Hinsdale High School Teachers Association

The following are the prepared remarks from the HHSTA-Central membership meeting, Monday August 18th:

I’ve been the new president of HHSTA-Central for not quite three months now, and I’d have to say that the question I get asked the most so far is:

What is the Association going to do about it?

Truth is, when Tom Ludovice came to me last February to start recruiting me as his replacement, it was probably because I had asked him this question fairly often. I think the reason this question gets asked so much is that at its heart resides an understanding of both our role within the Association and the role of the Association as a whole.

What is the Association going to do about it? is therefore a question of great importance for our Association to ask. In order to answer this, first let me share with you what the Association is doing right now.

This year we have two major issues on the horizon as we start the year: Defining what “excellent” means regarding teacher evaluation and per our CBA, evaluating the distribution of our coaching and extra-curricular stipends.

Both of these issues rest upon some other broader issues such as how teacher leadership and input within the district currently takes place and how this process affects teacher morale.

In addition there is also our outstanding grievances regarding retiree benefit obligations and personal days which we believe will be decided in the near future. These have gained state and national attention, as they have consequences beyond just our local.

Add to this mix new administrators at District Office and South, and new leadership for HHSTA at both buildings, and this should prove to be a very productive year even should nothing else arise.

So what is the Association doing about it?

Since the last week of school this past June, here’s what your leadership has been doing:

Central and South presidents met jointly with the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent at the end of the year;
Executives from both buildings met with our IEA Uniserv director several times this summer;
Central and South Presidents attended IEA training for new leadership;
Central held its first summer executive board meetings;
We arranged two trainings conducted by IEA staff specifically for HHSTA;
We held our first strategic planning meeting with both Central and South;
Presidents at both buildings have met with their building administrators and have set up standing meeting times throughout the year;
We met with out new teachers and introduced them to NEA/IEA/HHSTA;
I’ve also met individually with many of you to discuss your thoughts and gather your input, which has been amply provided through an additional 200+ emails I’ve had in the last few months.

That’s what the Association’s been doing about it. It’s been a busy summer. But to understand what the Association can yet do, we need to understand who the Association is. Allow me to introduce your Association for you:

Introduce and have stand…

Now I could keep going, but I hope you get the point I’m trying to make. Too often we ask “What is the Association doing about it” as though the Association were some foreign entity removed from ourselves. But the Association – our Association – isn’t some distant organization we as a group have no role in. The Association is sitting in this room right now. Take a look around. We are the Association.

So, what is the Association going to do about it?

I’m not asking this question lightly. When I came here seven years ago, I left a Blue Ribbon school where I was Fine and Applied Arts department chairman. I had wonderful students, tremendous community support, and a great many friends I respected as educators. I came here because Central has a reputation of excellence and leadership in education.

I heard a great quote about leadership during the presidential forum on CNN this weekend that I feel applies here: “Leadership is stewardship, not ownership.” For me, this quote sums up our role as educators in District 86.

To explain my meaning, I’ll echo a sentiment voiced by Jim Horan last year: Our students come and go every year, administrators move up and move on, but it is the teachers in this room right now who are the stewards of this organization’s reputation.

Our reputation of excellence stands upon the shoulders of those teachers who came before us, before our current leaders and before our current school board.

Teachers like Pete Schlueter, who was my mentor teacher when I started here, who gave 30+ years to Central and was still revising and tweaking his curriculum the year he retired.

Teachers like Dick Flescher who even after he retired came back to organize a relief effort for victims of Katrina.

Teachers like Linda Hurt who always had a smile to share, and helpful advice for those new to Central.

And teachers like Bill Huskisson who taught us all that every day is a good day to be a Red Devil.

Like those before us, our reputation of excellence will be carried forward by those in this room right now, maybe even one of you for whom today is your first day here.

So what is the Association going to do about it?

Like you, I spent many hours in the past several weeks preparing for my new crop of students.

Could I see a show of hands of those who dedicated at least a portion of their vacation time preparing for their students this summer?

It’s probably no surprise that when it comes to our students, we as individuals embody what excellence as professionals in the classroom looks like.

But what about the organization that represents our collective professional interests: our Association? How much effort are we as a faculty putting into this important part of our professional lives?

In the next weeks and months, opportunities for you to participate in your Association will come up, and most likely be distributed through our department reps. These opportunities are for you to make what you will of them.

They range from as involved as filling our Social Chair position, creating events for us to get together and bond, to filling our vacant Region 57 delegate spot, and representing HHSTA at IEA region meetings.

They can be as minimal as going to a board meeting or helping Kristen Bronke with our annual Pancake Breakfast.

Or they can be customized to what ever your area of interest or specialty may be from helping write for our website or doing research in support of HHSTA negotiations.

Whatever level of support you can do, your involvement in your Association is needed:

Because there is only so much I or my fellow executives can do;
Because there is only so much expertise we have to give;
Because there is only so many tasks we can manage.
Because the resources of talent, insight and skill in this room are far greater than just that of the few of us who serve on the Executive Board.

So what is the Association going to do about it?

Here is my challenge to you, by a show of hands, how many of you will help your Association by dedicating your time, talent, and/or expertise for at least ONE hour a semester this year? If each of us can live up to this small yet powerful commitment, we as and Association can achieve the type of stewardship of our reputation that we all desire.

I’m excited about this year. The leadership at both Central and South is excited. Before I turn the program over to our membership co-chairs, I’ll again leave you with this question:

What is the Association going to do about it?

Thanks everyone. May you all have a wonderful year.