FAQ
Updated as of 2/21/21
Updated as of 12/7/2020
Other Questions? Submit them HERE
- Do our NEA dues support political candidates?
- Your NEA dues do not support political candidates or campaigns. Members donate additional funds to the NEA PAC and to KPAC (Kansas Political Action Committee). These committees also hold fund raising events each year to support these causes. For more information about donating to KPAC please use this link: https://www.kneaweb.org/kansas-nea-pac/
- If you would like to stay informed about what is happening in the KS legislature, subscribe to Under The Dome: http://underthedomeks.org/
- Why are we not getting two full weeks’ vacation for winter break the next 2 years?
- A minimum of 2 weeks’ vacation for winter break is not currently in our negotiated agreement (if this is something you think is important, please mention it in the Negotiation’s survey that will be coming out soon).
- Every few years, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day lands over the weekend, which makes for less school days off.
Updated as of 12/7/2020
- What is NEA Salina doing to help teachers who are exhausted and overworked?
- Meeting with board members and board administrators on a regular basis to advocate for staff members
- Working on a joint media campaign with the district to ask the community to, “Mask Up!”
- How does COVID leave work?
- If you are unable to teach remotely and you are sick or quarantined, instead of using your leave, you can ask for this leave. Please know that if you are staying home with a dependent, you are only paid 2/3 of your salary.
- This policy is set to expire at the end of December. Hopefully it will be renewed.
- How many staff members need to be gone before a building is forced to shut down and go remote?
- Superintendent Exline has made it clear that this will only happen as a last resort. Qualified staff from the board office will be used to sub when the building doesn’t have enough available staff members.
- Is the gating criteria accurate?
- Superintendent Exline is using the most up to date information and working with the Saline County Health Department to assess conditions. Please know that the school board and board office want to keep the doors open if at all possible.
- There have been many rumors about the hospital being at capacity. We have been assured that many COVID beds still remain open.
- How are modified quarantines being handled?
- Modified quarantined classes should have shortened school days. Classes should run a minimum of 67 minutes less than the normal school day. This gives the teacher their plan time of 47 minutes per day (for a weekly total of 245 minutes), plus an additional 20 minutes to make up for loss of personal lunch break.
- What is being done for elementary teacher’s workloads (as they are planning for in person and quarantined students)?
- We made it very clear to Jim Fletcher from the school board, Linn Exline, and Shanna Rector that the $1000 stipend is not fixing the issues with elementary workload. We directly asked that reading coaches be put in charge of planning whole group reading lessons. With health issues with administration at the board office, we have not been able to revisit this. It may be January before we have an answer.
- We have reached out to Mike Lowers to see if a stipend can be given to SPED teachers as well. Look for an update soon.
Other Questions? Submit them HERE