the critique - Cleveland Teachers Union - American Federation of ...

The Official Publication of the Cleveland Teachers Union
VOL. XXXIX, NUMBER THREE JULY 2006
CEO, CTU Pledge Cooperation
CTU WELCOMES SANDERS AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
CMSD’s new CEO Eugene Sanders and CTU President Joanne
DeMarco pledged to work collaboratively for the success of the
District’s 60,000 students at a welcome dinner July 17, 2006. Members
of the CTU Executive Board met with Sanders and three members of
his Leadership Team: Chief of Operations Daniel Burns, Chief
Academic Officer Craig Cotner, and Deputy Chief of K-8 Education
Sharon McDonald, at Mallorca Restaurant that evening, to start
building what will hopefully be productive working relationships
between the new Administration and the Union.
“I have been enjoying Cleveland
and learning about the
city,” said Sanders, who
officially began his
tenure on July 5. “The
best part is that everyone
wants us to succeed, and we
look forward to working together,
diligently and collaboratively, for
the benefit of the students.”
Sanders said he and
DeMarco got to know each
other several years ago while
Fred Bickerstaff, Publications Chair, chats with CEO Eugene Sanders at
the dinner meeting hosted by the CTU Executive Board for the new CEO
and his Leadership Team July 17.
Shari Obrenski, Senior High/Special Schools Member-at-Large and Social
Committee chair, (center) welcomes the “new kids on the block” to the
CMSD community. Also pictured are Middle School Member-at-Large
Tracy Radich and Chief Academic Officer Craig Cotner.
he was Co-Director of the Ohio
Eight, an organization of Superintendents/CEOs
and Union
Presidents of the eight largest
urban school districts in Ohio.
“I was pleased when Gene was
named our new CEO,” said
DeMarco. “He was an excellent
candidate, and the Union is looking
forward to working with him, and
with his Leadership Team.”
“We all have lots of work to do,”
Sanders reminded his Team and the
Executive Board members. “All of
us in the District — teachers,
principals, administrators, paras,
nurses, bus drivers, clerks, custodians,
support personnel, everyone
— we need to put forth significant
effort for our students.”
About his Leadership Team,
Sanders said, “This Team brings a
significant degree of experience and
■ continued on page 2
WHAT’S INSIDE
the Critique
HIGHLY QUALIFIED
Updates for Paras, Teachers . . 3
UNION NEWS
SPO Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Principal’s Report Card Preview. 5
Math Program on Track . . . . . 5
Trustee Election Dates Set . . . 5
Job Sharing Expanded . . . . . . 5
PHOTO STORIES
End-of-Year Party . . . . . . . . 6-7
JCCA Walkathon . . . . . . . . . 6-7
MILKEN AWARD WINNER
Suarez-Caraballo Receives Prize . 8
KNOW THE CANDIDATES
Take the CTU Quiz! . . . . . 10-11
Reps Discuss Effects of NCLB
AFT President Leads CTU in Town Hall Forum
AFT President Ed McElroy led CTU leaders in a Town Hall
Forum at the May 15 Divisional Meeting at the Sheraton City
Center in downtown Cleveland.
McElroy discussed the original
intent of the No Child Left Behind
law, and what needs to be “fixed,” as
well as the problems associated
with inadequate funding from the
federal government for the NCLB
mandates. He then asked for comments
and examples from the audience
of CTU building chairs and
officers about how implementation
of NCLB has affected them in their
classrooms, for better or worse.
“The AFT wants to get the No
Child Left Behind law right,” said
McElroy, “and that means fixing
parts that aren’t working as they
were intended. Our Union, the AFT,
has long been a leader in promoting
high standards of learning and
teaching. We are working actively
to close the achievement gap. And
there are provisions of No Child Left
Behind that we supported.
“But where provisions work
against students and schools,
the AFT is working to change
them. We will continue working
. . . to ensure that NCLB’s
promised benefits reach every
child.”
CTU leaders gave examples
of NCLB’s effect in the
areas of testing, teacher and
paraprofessional Highly
Qualified requirements,
accountability and Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP),
Supplemental Educational
Services (SES), and staff and student
morale. The AFT plans to use
the Town Hall information and testimonials,
which were videotaped,
when they lobby Congress to make
improvements to this law. McElroy
■ continued on page 2
AFT President Ed McElroy

THUMBS UP to Lisa Ruda for her
efforts as Interim CEO, performing
gracefully and ably during a difficult
time of transition as the District selected a new
CEO. She was fair, honorable,
and competent in her dealings
with the CTU, and performed
the duties of the CEO with
intelligence and grace under
pressure. We wish her well in
her future endeavors. Thank
you, Lisa.
THUMBS DOWN to the disappointingly
low enrollment for the Summer
Literacy Academies. The actual
student numbers were way below the projected
numbers, meaning many CMSD students who
qualified — and could have benefited from summer
school — did not take advantage of the
opportunity. But THUMBS UP to
those who did, and
made academic gains
from the additional instruction.
THUMBS UP
to all who
helped facilitate
the necessary transfer
meetings this past June,
especially CTU’s Cherylane
Jones-Williams,
who efficiently coordinated
CTU staff and officers
to cover these meetings. The support and
assistance they gave to their CTU brothers
and sisters during a very stressful event was
appreciated.
THUMBS UP to Alvies’ Gateway
Grille at 2033 Ontario in
Cleveland, who added a combo
sandwich called “The Cleveland Teachers
Union” to their menu. The turkey breast,
bacon and Swiss cheese melt on a grilled
hoagie, with fries and cole slaw, is a great
lunch for $6.50. And we appreciate the delicious
publicity for our Union.
THUMBS UP to Lynn Jefferys, a veteran
teacher from Orchard School of Science,
for her letter to the editor of Catalyst magazine
(June 2006 issue). She called them on the carpet
for “veiled assertions” and generalizations in the
article “Teacher Brain Drain” (February-March 2006
issue), implying that veteran teachers are less hardworking,
dedicated and professional than younger
teachers. Catalyst insisted they did not mean to suggest
that, and stated in their reply that research
shows veterans are actually more effective than
novice teachers. They said their intent was to highlight
the loss of many young teachers in the District,
and stress the “importance of a healthy mix of new
and veteran, and younger and older teachers.” But
other veteran teachers who read the article also got
the same message as Ms. Jefferys, so we’re glad she
got the issue out into the open, and Catalyst clarified
their intent. However, we should not even be weighing
the value of veterans against novice teachers.
Instead, the real issue is Ohio finally funding schools
equitably and adequately, so they can support the
“healthy mix” that’s so important for all members of
the teaching profession.
AFT President Leads CTU in Town Hall Forum
■ continued from page 1
attested to the power of union educators’
actual experiences with the
real-life, day-to-day consequences of
Professional Issues Directors (left to right):
CTU’s MaryAnn Fredrick; OFT’s Debbie Tulley,
and AFT’s John Mitchell.
Sharon McDonald accepts a fruit basket gift from
the CTU. McDonald is the new Deputy Chief of K-
8 Education in the Cleveland schools.
NCLB, when AFT leaders talk to
lawmakers in Washington, DC.
After studying the actual effects
of the implementation of NCLB as
it is currently written,
the AFT has made recommendations
to
improve NCLB in four
areas: AYP, HQ staff,
school improvement and
services for students, and
adequate funding. For
details on the AFT’s recommendations,
or to
learn more about NCLB,
go to www.aft.org.
Knowing that the
goals of NCLB could not
be achieved without
accountability and addi-
expertise to their jobs. Cleveland
schools will benefit from their abilities
and hard work.” Several Executive
Board members commented that they
were pleased he had named a Deputy
Chief of K-8 Education, Sharon
McDonald,
who is eager to help make the K-8
schools successful.
“We will be open and honest,”
Sanders said, speaking for himself and
his Team. “We will be dedicated to the
students, their education, and their
well-being.”
“And the CTU will be there to help
you succeed,” said DeMarco. “We are
optimistic about the future of our students,
the District, and Cleveland.”
tional resources,
Congress set a funding
authorization for each
year. For the cornerstone
of NCLB, Title I,
the 2006 authorization
is $22.75 billion. But
President Bush requested
only $13.3 billion of
that for this vital program,
continuing a pattern
of underfunding
NCLB. (The accountability
provisions were
not reduced or changed correspondingly.)
Current actual funding is far
short of what is necessary, and what
Congress anticipated would be necessary
when they passed NCLB in
2002.
AFT President John McElroy is flanked by (left)
Critique Editor Pam Hummer and CTU
President Joanne DeMarco.
According to the AFT and the
CTU, the stakes are too high for our
children to wait until the upcoming
authorization before we begin talking
about how to make positive
improvements to NCLB.
CTU Welcomes New CEO Eugene Sanders and Leadership Team
■ continued from page 1
CMSD’s new Chief of Operations, Dan Burns, and CTU
Middle School Trustee Cheryl Neylon discuss plans for
the District’s future.
Page 2 THE CRITIQUE July 2006

‘Highly Qualified’
193 Paras Still Need to Meet HQ Requirements, 300 Need Permits
by Cherylane Jones-Williams
CTU Para Chapter Chairperson
As of June 27, 2006, 193 CMSD
paras still needed to meet the state
of Ohio’s Highly Qualified (HQ)
requirements, part of the national
No Child Left Behind law. The
state deadline to meet the HQ
requirements was June 30, 2006.
However, the CTU and CMSD
agreed to provide an additional
opportunity in July for these paras
to take the Para Educator Learning
Network Master Teacher Assessment.
Passing this assessment is
one way to meet the HQ requirements
for paras in Ohio. Three
testing dates in July have been set,
at the Barbara Byrd-Bennett Professional
Development Center in
Bratenahl. Any para who has not
yet met HQ requirements should
contact Cherylane Jones-Williams
or Sandra Bennett at the CTU
office, 216-861-7676 extension 241
immediately.
Besides the Para Educator
Network test, paras can also meet
HQ requirements by completing two
years (48 semester or 72 quarter
hours) of study at an accredited
institution of higher learning; or
obtaining an associate or higher
degree from an accredited institution
of higher learning; or meeting a
rigorous standard of quality and
demonstrating through a formal
state or local academic assessment:
1) knowledge of and ability to assist
in instructing reading, writing and
math, or 2) knowledge of and ability
to assist in readiness for reading,
writing and math (from No Child
Left Behind, Section 1119). Please
note only one of the three requirements
is needed for HQ compliance.
districts, and is available six times
a year at selected Praxis test centers
across Ohio.
According to NCLB, only paras
with instructional duties in Title I
school-wide and/or targeted assistance
buildings are required to meet
HQ requirements. Those not
included are playground, bus and
cafeteria aides; special education
aides who attend only to the health
care of students; translators; and
those whose sole responsibility consists
of conducting parental involvement
activities. An instructional
paraprofessional is one who provides
tutoring to students; assists with
classroom management, including
organizing instructional and other
materials; provides instructional
computer assistance; provides support
in a library or media center; or
provides instructional services under
the direct supervision of a teacher.
For details or additional questions
about Ohio’s HQ requirements,
go to the website
www.ecs.org/html/
educationissues/teachingquality/
housse for more information.
State Permits Needed
There are about 300 paras who
need to renew their permits from
the state. Call the CTU office (216-
861-7676 extension 241) or Paula
Campbell in CMSD’s Human
Resources Department (216-574-
8090) for an application.
Remember, a valid Educational Aide
Permit issued from the state of Ohio
is required for employment.
HOUSSE Process for HQT Ending This Summer
Another test approved by the
state of Ohio is the Parapro Assessment,
developed by Educational
Testing Service (ETS) in 2002. This
test has portability across school
Veteran teachers who have not
yet completed Highly Qualified
Teacher (HQT) requirements under
the national HOUSSE (High Objective
Uniform State Standard of
Evaluation) must do so before the
beginning of the coming school year.
On May 12, 2006, the U.S.
Department of Education (USDOE)
notified states that the HOUSSE
process for teachers who are not
new to the profession and were
hired before the end of the 2005-
2006 school year, will be phased out
this summer.
The No Child Left Behind Act
requires states to ensure all public
school teachers meet HQT requirements
for their subject areas. The
HOUSSE provision allows veteran
teachers to demonstrate knowledge
of their subject areas without taking
a test or completing a major in their
teaching field.
With the beginning of the 2006-
2007 school year, USDOE will no
longer allow use of the HOUSSE
process. In addition, reporting in
EMIS will change so that HOUSSE
will no longer be an option.
Teachers who complete HOUSSE
before the beginning of the 2006-
2007 school year will continue to be
reported as HQT if they continue
teaching the same subjects, and will
report this status on their 2006-
2007 HQT forms.
The only exception will be multisubject
special education teachers
hired after the end of the 2005-2006
school year who are highly qualified
in language arts, mathematics or
science when they are hired. They
will continue to have the HOUSSE
option to show competence in additional
subjects.
The ODE strongly encourages
teachers who have not met HQT requirements
to complete the necessary
steps this summer before
HOUSSE expires. If you have questions,
please contact Cheri
Workman at (614) 644-6818 or
cheri.workman@ode.state.oh.us
For more information about
Ohio’s HQT requirements and
HOUSSE process, go to
www.ecs.org/html/educationissues/
teachingquality/housse.
July 2006 THE CRITIQUE Page 3

UNION NEWS
Agreement Reached on John Hay and John Adams Staffing
by Fred Bickerstaff
The CTU and CMSD reached a
settlement agreement on May 8,
2006, regarding staffing for the
August, 2006 openings of a renovated
John Hay High School and a
newly-rebuilt John Adams High
School.
When the former John Hay
closed in 2002, the Union and
District signed a settlement agreement
on March 25, 2002, guaranteeing
that staff could return to the
new John Hay when it reopened.
Questions arose this spring
because the former John Hay was a
comprehensive high school, but the
new John Hay, at 2075 Stokes
Blvd., will be opening as a campus
of three small schools: Cleveland
Early College School, Cleveland
School of Architecture and Design,
and Cleveland School of Science and
Medicine. The latter two small
schools will be opening this school
year with only about 100 ninth
graders, and a very limited number
of staff positions. The Early
College, an already-existing small
school at another site, will be moving
as a unit to the new site, with
its staff and students intact.
The new John Adams High
School, at 3817 Martin Luther King
Blvd., is in the same general area of
the city, and will open in August as
a brand new comprehensive high
school, with a full ninth-to-twelfth
The new John Hay, at 2075 Stokes Blvd., will
be opening as a campus of three small schools:
Cleveland Early College School, Cleveland
School of Architecture and Design, and
Cleveland School of Science and Medicine.
grade complement of students and
an entirely new staff. This school
could accommodate a much greater
number of CTU bargaining unit
members from the old John Hay
who wish to transfer.
Therefore, in order to accommodate
the greatest number of former
John Hay CTU bargaining members
who were at the old John Hay when
it closed in 2002, these members
were given the opportunity to be
assigned to the new John Adams at
the beginning of the 2006-7 school
year. Any former John Hay staff
who chose to be reassigned to John
Adams will also be able to participate
in three additional voluntary
professional days prior to the opening
of the school year, to prepare for
their new assignments.
The former John Hay bargaining
unit members also had the choice of
staying at their current assignments,
or applying for open positions
at the new John Hay small
schools.
CTU + SPO = Partners for Kids!
by Wynne Antonio
The Community Relations
Committee of the CTU hosted a
luncheon for CMSD’s School Parent
Organization representatives on
April 27 at Massimo da Milano.
Students from Shuler Middle School
pinned corsages, handed out gift
bags, and three sisters played a
clarinet selection. The parents who
represented 40 different schools
were joined by a few members of
Principals’
Report Card
Preview Online!
by Tracy Radich
Educational Issues Chairperson
The preliminary Principals’
Report Card grades are now
available online at the CTU website
at www.ctu-279.org. The full
text of the Report Card results,
including selected comments, will
be printed in the next issue of the
Critique. Check out your school’s
results online.
Remember, you must be a registered
user of the CTU website
to access the results.
the CTU Executive Board, OFT
President Tom Mooney, AFT guest
Mark Simon, and CMSD CEO Lisa
Ruda. The program was organized
and moderated by the Community
Relations Chair, Wynne Antonio.
Victoria Maxey gave the Welcome
Address based upon her 50-plus
years of affiliation with the District
as a student, parent, secretary and
teacher. Vice-President David
Quolke presented a straightforward,
no-nonsense account of the difficult
task of supporting and sustaining
public education in Ohio, which
comes down to funding.
CTU President Joanne DeMarco
played an excellent facilitative role
by engaging each of the parents in
telling their story. Without a doubt,
we share so many concerns as well
as goals. First and foremost, the
parents articulated their priority of
“Safe and Orderly Learning
Environments.” Secondly, parents
talked of supporting and assisting
teachers in the overwhelming tasks
of meeting the individual needs of
students. The third theme centered
around providing activities and
incentives for students which make
coming to school and doing the right
thing exciting and worthwhile.
This was our “First Annual”
event, but clearly the relationships
between parents and teachers must
be developed, nurtured and most
importantly enduring. Ongoing
dialogue is critical for the students,
the parent organization and the
CTU. If we truly value education,
cherish and protect everyone’s
children, and believe they are our
future, the SPO/CTU partnership
makes excellent advocates and
allies for success.
(top) CTU’s
Community
Relations Committee
is working to build
sweet partnerships
with parent groups
in the schools.
(middle) SPO representatives
from forty
schools attended the
luncheon.
OFT President Tom Mooney, flanked by AFT’s Mark Simon, addressed SPO
reps, and later that day, CTU reps at the Delegate Assembly.
Page 4 THE CRITIQUE July 2006

Keeping Learning on Track
Means Success for Cleveland Kids
by Donna Snodgrass, MaryAnn
Fredrick, and Russell Brown
All teachers want to Keep Learning
on Track, and that is just what
teachers from ten District schools
did. They teamed up with the Educational
Testing Service (ETS) of
Princeton, NJ to roll-out a researchbased
educational program called
Keeping Learning on Track. The
program focused on mathematics
IPDP Update:
Don’t Get Burned!
Here is an important reminder
from CTU’s resident IPDP expert
(and 3rd VP, Senior High & Special
Schools) Mary Lou Prescott:
If you are taking classes this summer
that you plan to use to fulfill
your Ohio licensure requirements,
they MUST be pre-approved as
part of your approved IPDP
(Individual Professional Development
Plan). Otherwise, they may
not count toward your licensure requirements.
In other words, if you
take any classes that are not preapproved
as part of your IPDP, you
may be taking them just for fun!
Please be sure to complete an
IPDP and get it approved before
you take any classes that you
want to use to meet these requirements.
While it can be done on
paper, the eIPDP is probably the
fastest, most expedient method to
use. Go to the CMSD website,
www.cmsdnet.net, click on the
Teachers link, then click on Office
of Professional Development. You
can access the IPDP form from
there, and if you need a pin number
and access code, you can apply
for that online too, right under the
IPDP link.
Don’t get “burned” this summer:
make sure your coursework
is part of your approved IPDP
before you take any classes.
CTU Investigation Closed With Apology, Payment
In late April, CTU officers discovered
that some CTU members
had received via U.S. mail at their
home addresses a campaign letter
urging them to support a candidate
in the May Primary Election.
The letter was sent by then-CTU
Trustee Tony Miceli and retired
past CTU officer Michael Charney.
A different candidate in this race
had been endorsed by both the
CTU and the OFT, following their
rigorous endorsement processes.
While some officers questioned
the sagacity and solidarity of a current
union officer publicly and
actively supporting an opponent of
the Union’s endorsed candidate,
the real issue was unauthorized
use of the CTU postage meter to
pay for this mailing.
achievement in the following
schools:
A.B. Hart
A.J. Rickoff
Joseph Gallagher Robert Jamison
Luiz Muñoz Marin Nathan Hale
Patrick Henry Carl and Louis Stokes
Thomas Jefferson Wilbur Wright
Teacher Learning Communities
are the common ground on which
new Assessment FOR Learning practices
were shared and supported.
The Big Idea that undergirds the
Keeping Learning on Track program
is that student learning moves forward
when teachers use evidence of
learning to adjust instruction in real
time. The program promotes five
key instructional strategies:
1. Clarify and share learning intentions
and criteria for success;
2. Engineer effective classroom discussions,
questions, and learning
tasks;
3. Provide feedback that moves
learners forward;
4. Activate students as the owners
of their own learning; and
5. Activate students as instructional
resources for one another.
CTU Director of Political Action
and 2nd Vice President David
Quolke was charged with investigating
the matter. At the conclusion
of his investigation, he
received the following letter from
Tony Miceli.
The question at the outset of the
program was whether this intervention
could successfully begin to raise
the Ohio Mathematics Achievement
Test performance of these ten lowperforming
District Schools. The
answer, in short, was that
schools that participated in the
program showed substantially
greater gains than those that
did not.
The mean scale score on the Ohio
Mathematics Achievement Test for
the ten participating schools was
379.85 in March 2005 and 388.29 in
March 2006. This is a mean gain of
8.44 scale score points from one
year to the next year. For all the
other District K-8 schools, the mean
Ohio Mathematics Achievement
Test scaled score was 388.94 in
March 2005 and 391.16 in March
2006, which translates to a mean
gain of 2.22 scale score points.
Congratulations to all participants
for a job well done. This project
shows how scientifically-based
practices that focus on learning can
have exciting results for Cleveland
students and teachers.
I apologize for any discomfort or
inconvenience caused by my misuse
of CTU equipment and members’
dues money in supporting a candidate
not endorsed by the Executive
Board and OFT Executive Council
which was in direct opposition to
the expressed objective of the union.
The following details what
occurred.
On or about April 26th, I
brought a partial box of envelopes.
A full box contains 250 envelopes.
I used the CTU postage meter without
authorization. I metered the
envelopes with $.39 stamps. I then
took the envelopes home and
stuffed them with letters that were
mailed to CTU members.
The letter sent was the following:
Vote for Mike Foley for State
Representative on Tuesday, May 2
We are writing you this letter because
we enthusiastically support Mike Foley
in his candidacy for state representative.
He is the superior candidate. He
is a parent of students in the Cleveland
Public Schools. He has always campaigned
for the important tax levies,
spoken out articulately against for profit
charter schools and is an aggressive
advocate for teachers and para professionals.
More importantly, Mike Foley will bring
a voice to Columbus that is willing to
challenge the status quo, not just be
Vacancy Election
Set for September
by Martha Wiley
Nominations and Elections
Committee Chairperson
The CTU Nominations and
Elections Committee announced
the dates for an election for two
Trustees-at-Large. These citywide
officers are usually elected
in March of odd-numbered years.
The two positions became open
when Trustee-at-Large Tony
Miceli retired this summer, and
MaryAnn Fredrick, the other
Trustee-at-Large, successfully
ran for 1st Vice President in the
last election.
Information about the vacancy
election will be sent out the week
of August 21, 2006. Petitions
from candidates will be due in
the CTU office on September 8,
and the election will be held in
the buildings during the week of
September 25-29, 2006. Mail
ballots (for those chapter members
who vote through U.S. mail)
will be mailed on September 14,
and must be back in the CTU
office by September 29 to be
counted. All ballots will be
counted at the CTU office on
September 29, 2006.
Job Sharing Expands to Include Support Personnel
by Fred Bickerstaff
The Job Sharing provision of the
contract was recently expanded to
include CTU members who are
related-service providers. This
includes educational support personnel
such as nurses, psychologists,
speech/language pathologists,
occupational and physical therapists,
and other service providers.
Article 23, Section 20 of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement was
modified on May 23, 2006, to reflect
this change. Job Sharing is a voluntary
option available for teachers,
and now related-service providers,
to share one full-time teaching position
or one full-time funded assignment.
Priority is based on system
seniority. The total number allowed
per school year is 40 pairs (80 CTU
members). It is the responsibility of
the person interested in Job
Sharing to find a partner.
Each partner in a job-sharing
assignment acquires one year of
seniority for each year of job-sharing
work. Salary and benefits are
paid on a pro rata basis. For example,
two teachers equally sharing a
position would each be entitled to
50% pay and 50% benefits during
the job-sharing year; any difference
between full coverage of benefits
must be paid by the teachers via
payroll deduction.
Some CTU members may find
full-time employment difficult due
to child care or elder care responsibilities,
or other conditions limiting
employment options. Job Sharing
provides an opportunity to share a
position with another professional,
in effect, a part-time position that
would otherwise not be available on
its own through the CMSD.
President DeMarco credited
Janice Maund, Trustee and a
Speech/Language Pathologist, for
her efforts to promote this modification
to the agreement. Details
about Job Sharing are included in
the CBA in Article 23, Section 20 on
pages 112-113.
another vote in the Democratic minority.
He has a long history of strategic thinking
that can make him stand out as a
important lawmaker for Ohio and for the
west side of Cleveland, Brook Park, and
Parma Hts. that make up his district.
We hope that you will vote for Mike
Foley and also sign the minimum wage
petition on Primary Election Day on
Tuesday, May 2.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
and Tony Miceli
The addresses were obtained
from the following sources:
Personal tax clients, friends of tax
clients, board of elections registered
voter information compared with
historical lists of CTU members in
my possession, and other lists such
as executive board members names
and addresses. I agree to pay the
CTU for 500 stamps.
Respectfully submitted,
Tony Miceli
July 2006 THE CRITIQUE Page 5

School’s
WHAT:
CTU's Annual End-of-the-Year Party
(our favorite gathering)
WHO:
About 1,000 CTU members (our
Union brothers and sisters)
WHEN:
Thursday afternoon, June 8, 2006
(our favorite day of the school year!)
WHY:
To celebrate the beginning
(Enjoy . . . August is just aro
JCCA Walk-A-Thon
Page 6 THE CRITIQUE July 2006

Out!
WHERE:
Shooters in the Flats (right on the
Cuyahoga's west bank)
HOW:
Sponsored by the CTU Social Committee
(Shari Obrenski, Chairperson)
of summer vacation!
und the corner)
About 75 walkers braved unseasonably cold, rainy weather May 20 at the Edgewater Park Bicycle Trail
for the annual two-mile walk to benefit the Junior Child Care Association (JCCA). CTU’s Beverly Smith
co-chaired the event with JCCA’s Suzann Klein. About $5,400 was raised to benefit special needs children.
Congratulations and thanks to all who participated with their presence or their donations!
July 2006 THE CRITIQUE Page 7

CTU Member Honored
Suarez-Caraballo Wins Milken Award
by John Chesney
Lisa Suarez-Caraballo was recently
named 2005’s recipient of the
prestigious and secretive Milken
Award, which comes with a nostrings-attached
award of $25,000.
Lisa has been with CMSD for
about 12 years. She started her
career with CMSD in 1992 as a
hardworking paraprofessional, and
has worked at Walton, FDR, the
Math Office, and currently at Luis
Muñoz Marin as a teacher. She
worked on the Career Ladder for
Paras, and got a Master’s Degree in
Curriculum and Instruction from
Cleveland State and TESOL
Certification.
Lisa loves teaching math and
inspiring others, which may be the
reason that the Milken Family
Foundation chose her as one of the
recipients of their award. According
to her Bio page on the Milken web
site, (www.mff.org): “Dedicated to
preparing her students for careers
in the 21st Century, eighth grade
teacher Lisa Suarez-Caraballo
incorporates cutting-edge technology
in her lessons and motivates
through innovative practices. To
present fractal geometry, she
worked with Cleveland’s Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame to initiate a middle
school competition. So that
other schools in the district could
participate, she conducted professional
development sessions for all
of the teachers. Each year a crowd
of approximately 700 attend the
competition reception.
“Ms. Suarez-Caraballo’s concern
for her students’ education extends
even beyond their graduation from
the eighth grade. When she saw a
need for some kind of intervention
at the high school level she decided
to give up her lunch hour twice a
week and drive to the high school to
spend time with her former students,
helping the majority of them
maintain or raise their math scores.
With this level of commitment, it’s
easy to see how this National Board
Certified Teacher inspires academic
excellence.”
CALLING ALL 2005-6 RETIREES!
CTU Retirement
Luncheon Planned
by Shari Obrenski
Social Committee Chairperson
The Social Committee will
sponsor the annual CTU Retirement
Luncheon on September 9,
2006, at Landerhaven. If you are
a recent retiree (2005-6 school
year) and you have not been contacted
by the Social Committee
regarding this luncheon, please
call Shari Obrenski at 216-861-
7676 extension 270. Also, any
building chairs with recent retirees
from their buildings/chapters
should contact the CTU office to
be sure these retirees are invited
to the luncheon.
Is that all? Of course not. Lisa
is married, 11 years now, with three
children, a daughter and two sons.
She also works with National Instruments
for Texas Instruments,
Teachers Teaching with Teachers,
Applicant for Teacher in Space, part
of N.E.A.T. of NASA, has been to a
space shuttle launch and trained for
outreach in Math, Science and Technology.
Spring Drive Nets
500+ Books
Shari Obrenski (right, past Publications
Committee Chairperson, and Sue Ragone, past
Publications Committee Assistant, collected
book donations at the CTU office as part of
the Publications Committee’s “Spring into a
Good Book” Drive May 2-4. They collected
over 500 new or gently-used books for various
community agencies that serve CMSD students
and their families. Shari is now serving
as Social Committee Chairperson, and Sue is
currently enjoying retirement.
Community Tips to Clip
by Beverly Smith, chair
and LaTonya Coats, asst. chair
Community Relations
Keep cool this summer
• Watermelon is fat free and high
in cancer-fighting cyclopean. It
has energy boosting vitamins C
and B6. It is a thirst quenching
fruit.
• Iced green tea will cool you off
and its antioxidants will help
protect you from sun’s damaging
ultra-violet rays.
• Spider plants or ferns give off
molecules that make the air
fresher to breathe and make you
feel cooler.
• Put a freezer gel pack in your
hat and sit back and relax —
you will be soon be refreshed.
Animals help you live a
longer happier life
FISH will de-stress you! Watching
fish swim in a tank is as useful as
hypnosis in reducing anxiety.
Looking at fish can lower blood
pressure 12 to 15 points. You may
also use a computer screen saver
to get a similar effect.
The purpose of the Milken
Family Foundation is summed up in
the mission statement, “. . . to discover
and advance inventive and
effective ways of helping people help
themselves and those around them
lead productive and satisfying lives.
The Foundation advances this mission
primarily through work in education
and medical research.”
The foundation has several commitments
to their goal. One commitment
is “strengthening the profession
by recognizing and rewarding
outstanding educators, and by
expanding their professional leadership
and policy influence.” Another
is to attract, develop, motivate and
retain the best talent to the teaching
profession by means of comprehensive,
whole school reform. The
Milken Family Foundation
National Educators Awards began
in 1985 and were first presented in
CATS’ purrs keep your bones
strong. The sound of their purr
emits the same frequency used in
Europe by sound therapists to heal
osteoporosis. Broken bones heal
four times faster when exposed to
this frequency.
BIRDS increase socialization with
others and boost self-esteem. If
you live alone and own a bird, you
will have a lower rate of depression
than other singles. Buy a
bird feeder if you don't own a bird
and watch them through the window.
It can boost your mood.
DOGS makes you feel better when
you’re nervous or scared. If you
are about to undergo a medical
procedure you feel less anxious
after spending time with your dog.
Simply petting a dog lowers blood
pressure and slows heart rate and
increases hormones that make you
feel happier.
MONKEYS have a positive impact
on people. They combat depression
and promote socialization.
Monkeys have outgoing personalities,
so just watching them makes
you less sad. If you don’t own a
monkey take a trip to the zoo.
1987. In 2005, 48 states and the
District of Columbia participated
and 100 awards were given out.
Since its inception the program has
awarded over $54 million.
Lisa has no idea who nominated
her for the award and according to
the Foundation’s rules she never
will. However, Lisa would like to
say thank you and that it’s nice to
know people notice what you do. “I
show kids math is more than just
arithmetic,” she said. She thinks
it’s “pretty cool” to be recognized for
something you love to do. She is
not sure yet what she will do with
the money, but knows full well there
are no strings attached and she can
do what she wants with it.
According to the Foundation, most
recipients spend their unrestricted
$25,000 on their own education or
that of their children. Lisa received
her award in May at the Milken
Family Foundation National
Education Conference in Washington,
D.C.
Congratulations to this outstanding
teacher!
HORSES make you more self-confident
and optimistic. Horses are
gentle, trusting and accepting of
everyone. Horses additionally help
people overcome eating disorders
and addictions as well as help at
risk kids.
DOLPHINS increase the production
of T-Cells which helps fight
infection. Their sounds produce
changes in your body tissue and
cell structure. Nurses use dolphin
tapes to soothe premature infants.
It has also been shown that their
sounds relieve headaches.
Uses of Pop
• Soiled denim jeans can be degreased
by soaking them in cold
pop for 20 minutes. It looses oil
and gunk.
• Rinse your hair with club soda to
neutralize chlorine and restore
hair color. Pool water often
burns hair a greenish hue. Pop
does the cure trick.
• When cooking a ham, it will
make its own sauce by pouring a
can of cola over it. Baste occasionally
and it will be delicious.
• Skunk got your dog or cat?
Erase the odor by bathing them
in cola. IT WORKS.
Page 8 THE CRITIQUE July 2006

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
What’s Going On In Your Neighborhood?
FRI
28
JUL
Multicultural and
Health Festival
2800 Archwood Ave.
Cathy Wootan
749-4295
THU
3
AUG
SUN
6
AUG
SAT
12
AUG
Union Miles
Community Expo
9250 Miles Park
341-0757
WED
23
AUG
Cleveland.com
10th Anniversary
Reception
Voinovich Park
Loren Chylla
515-2527
FRI
28
JUL
Shishkabob Festival
St. George Antiochian Orthodox
Christian Church
Fr. Ziton 781-9020
SAT
29
JUL
SAT
29
JUL
SUN
30
JUL
SUN
30
JUL
WED
2
AUG
SUN
30
JUL
Family Unity
in the Park
Luke Easter Park
Mansfield Frazier
469-0124
Festival of Light
New Light Nazarene
Church, 2226 W. 89
Pastor Anderson
651-1128
MMRF 5K Run
Voinovich Park
Dan Crandall
623-9933
Dog Days
of Summer
W. 25th & Lorain
Elizabeth Buck
771-4404
Wade Oval Wednesdays
Wade Oval
WED
Marla Komocki 707-5034
31
AUG
East 185th Street Festival
E. 185 Street
Barbara Mullally 481-7660
FRI
4
AUG
African American Family Day
Picnic & Health Fair
Luke Easter Park
Louis Moore 390-0957
SAT
5
AUG
SAT
5
AUG
Hoop It Up
SAT
5
AUG
Open Air in Market Square
(Saturdays)
Market Square Park/
W. 25th & Lorain Ave.
Dan Musson 781-3222
SUN
6
AUG
SUN
12
AUG
SUN
Ward 6 Expo
Artha Woods Park/
Woodstock
531-9113
6
AUG
KISS Army
Unite Rally
League Park
391-0505
Municipal Parking Lot
SUN
6
AUG
Kurt Holtschlag (303) 948-7108
SAT
26
AUG
Black Gay and
Proud Celebration
Kirtland Park
Deb Sharp
787-4000
SAT
12
AUG
TUE
Feast of the Assumption
Holy Rosary Church/
12021 Mayfield
Fr. Rocco 421-2995
SAT
19
AUG
SAT
19
AUG
SAT
19
AUG
SUN
20
AUG
WED
23
AUG
SAT
26
AUG
15
AUG
West Park
Community
Celebration
Emery Park/W. 130
Denise Sobieski
941-9262
St. Clair Superior
Neighborhood
Festival
St. Clair & Norwood
Cory Riorda
881-0646
WEC Fund Run
E. 100 & Carnegie
Dan Crandall
623-9933
Cleveland’s
Major League
Heart Walk
Jacobs Field
Sara Huntsman
791-7500
WDOK Soft Rock
Café Caravan
Mall C/301 Lakeside
Debbie Spencer
363-7119
OROC Run for
Ovarian Cancer
Voinovich Park
Dan Crandall
623-9933
SAT
26
AUG
SAT
26
AUG
Slavic Village
Harvest Festival
E. 65 and Fleet Ave.
SUN
27
AUG
Marlane Weslian 429-1182
THU
31
AUG
St. Rocco Festival
MON
4
SEP
St. Rocco Church, 3205 Fulton Rd.
Fr. Michael Contardi 961-8331
FRI
1
SEP
Taste of Cleveland
MON
4
SEP
Tower City Amphitheater,
1887 W. 3rd Street
James Minella 440-247-2722
SAT
2
SEP
MON
Cleveland National Air Show
Burke Lakefront Airport
4
SEP
Dominic Bonacci 781-0747
THU
7
SEP
Charity Game
Parade
Great Lakes
Science Center
541-8326
United Way
Pancake Flip
Public Square,
Southwest Quad
Michelle Battle
432-2100
July 2006 THE CRITIQUE Page 9

Know the Candidates
by David Quolke
Mark your calendars — NOVEMBER 7, 2006. That’s the day Ohio citizens can take back
their state government by electing new leadership. Stop the slide of corruption and catering
to big-money interests, and support candidates who support working people. It’s time to
change the embarrassing culture of corruption in Columbus.
You’ll be hearing a lot about our endorsed candidates as we get closer to Election Day. What do you know about
these seven candidates pictured here, who are all running in important races? Read the short bio on each one,
and check their websites where you can access additional information. Then take our candidates’ quiz.
Mail your completed quiz to Pam Hummer, Critique Editor, at the CTU Office, 1370 West Sixth Street, Fourth
Floor, Cleveland, OH 44113 by August 11, 2006. Five entries will be drawn on August 11 from the responses with
correct answers, to win selected CTU merchandise. Correct answers will be printed in the next Critique.
for Governor
Ted Strickland
Born in Lucasville,
Ohio, Ted
was always
active in church
and school life,
graduating with
degrees in
History, Divinity,
and Counseling Psychology. A minister,
psychologist and professor
before he was elected to Congress,
Ted is “ready to pour his heart and
soul into fighting for the dignity and
of families and all people in Ohio.”
He is known for being a principled
Democrat who unites folks from
both parties, and as a Congressman
has represented a huge swath of
Southern, Eastern and
Northeastern Ohio.
Ted served on the House Energy
and Commerce Committee, the
Congressional Steel Caucus, and
the House Committee on Veteran’s
Affairs. He helped author the
Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP), a federal initiative
that provides health insurance to
millions of children of working parents,
and led the fight to protect
America’s veterans and ensure that
troops have life-saving armor and
equipment.
Ted’s wife, Frances, is an educational
psychologist and author of a
widely-used screening test for
kindergarten-age children.
Read more at www.tedstrickland.
com.
for U.S. Senate
Sherrod Brown
Since Ohio’s
13th Congressional
District
voters sent him
to DC in 1992,
Sherrod has
earned a reputation
as a respected
voice in health care, trade
policy, jobs, education, the environment,
energy policy, and other
issues important to working people.
He has wored to lower the cost of
prescription drugs and allow
imports. He also worked to improve
access and funding for international
health programs for TB and
HIV/ADIS. He has also worked to
protect Lake Erie, and fought for
universal health care and fair trade
policies.
Sherrod was born and raised in
Mansfield. He has several degrees,
including a Master’s in education
and public administration from The
Ohio State University. He served
two terms as Ohio’s Secretary of
State and four terms in the Ohio
House of Representatives prior to
being elected to Congress.
Ted lives in Avon with his wife,
Connie Schultz, the Plain Dealer’s
2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist.
They have three sons and a
daughter.
Read more at www.sherrod
brown.com.
for U.S. Congress (13th Dist)
Betty Sutton
Betty has a reputation
as a
tenacious advocate
for Ohioans
through her
experience as a
labor leader and
in three elected
offices: State Legislature, Summit
County Council and Barberton City
Council. She was born and raised
in Barberton. Her father worked in
the local boiler maker factory, and
her mother was a library clerk. In
law school at the University of
Akron, she earned the American
Jurisprudence Award and the
Federal Bar Association Award for
Outstanding Performance in
Constitutional Law.
Her work on economic development
issues while on City Council
helped rehabilitate downtown
Barberton. In the Ohio House of
Representatives, she fought for
working people on a wide range of
issues, including health care, pensions
and retirement, payment of
prevailing wages on public projects,
and workers compensation benefits.
When term limits prevented her
from seeking another term in the
Ohio House, she continued her
advocacy for workers in the
Cleveland law firm of Faulkner,
Muskovitz & Phillips LLP.
Read more at www.bettysuttonfor
congress.com.
President’s Report: A Year of Decisions and Changes
■ continued from page 12
Interest-Based Bargaining is
defined as a form of collaborative
bargaining, using a problem-solving
process conducted in a structured
way that creates effective solutions
while improving the parties’ relationship.
It focuses on interests,
since interests are the source of conflicts
and therefore are essential to
understanding the nature of any
dispute. When interests are met,
conflicts can be fully and durably
resolved.
By using this type of bargaining,
Mr. Buettner said, “I believe we
may have an opportunity to change
our history.” We are looking into
this opportunity as we prepare for
negotiations.
I am certain educational reform
issues will be major topics in these
negotiations. I remind everyone:
the teacher’s working conditions
are the students’ learning
conditions. A contract with fair,
adequate wages and benefits, working
conditions that dignify teaching,
and provisions that ensure safe,
positive learning conditions for our
students and staff, is a contract that
works for both CTU and CMSD.
for Auditor
Barbara Sykes
Barbara was the
first African-
American
woman elected
to Akron City
Council, and
served from
1983-1989. She
is the only candidate for auditor
with experience as an auditor, with
12 years as Summit County’s
Deputy Auditor. She is currently in
her third term as a State Representative,
where she also serves as
President of the Ohio Legislative
Black Caucus, Ranking Member of
the Ways & Means Committee,
Member of the Finance & Appropriations
Committee, and Ranking
Member of the Subcommittee on
Human Resources.
After dedicating over 25 years of
her life to protecting the fiscal interests
of Ohioans at local, county and
state levels, Barbara is concerned
about the millions of taxpayer dollars
and other resources that have
been lost or wasted due to lack of
leadership and competent fiscal
oversight by the current administration.
She is running for State
Auditor to restore trust in the government
by identifying problems
early on, ensuring transparency,
and rooting out fraud, waste and
abuse.
Barbara is married to former
State Representative Vernon Sykes.
They have two daughters and a
grandson.
Read more at www.sykesfor
auditor.com.
for Treasurer
Richard Cordray
Richard is currently
the
Franklin County
Auditor, and set
new records for
collecting delinquent
taxes for
schools, and distributing
tax revenues to the
schools faster than before. His government
experience includes State
Representative and Ohio’s first
State Solicitor. He taught for 15
years at Ohio State’s law school,
including classes on constitutional
issues around school funding.
Richard was named “County
Leader of the Year” nationally in
2005, mainly for his innovative programs
to collect delinquent taxes
and his extensive involvement with
Page 10 THE CRITIQUE July 2006

Mail your completed quiz to Pam Hummer, Critique Editor, at the CTU
Office, 1370 West Sixth Street, Fourth Floor, Cleveland, OH 44113 by
August 11, 2006. Five entries will be drawn on August 11 from the
responses with correct answers, to win selected
QUIZ
CTU merchandise. Correct answers
will be printed in the next Critique.
schools to promote personal finance
education for high school students.
His education includes a Master’s
Degree with first honors from
Oxford University in England and a
law degree from the University of
Chicago.
Richard and his wife Peggy live
near Grove City, with their firstgrade
twins Danny and Holly.
Read more at www.cordray
committee.com.
for Attorney General
Marc Dann
Marc brings a
lifelong devotion
to working families
in Ohio. In
the Ohio Senate,
he fought
against corruption
and special
interests by introducing legislation
that will bring transparency and
accountability to campaign
fundraising and reduce the influence
of big-money donors. When
members of the National Guard and
their families told him our men and
women in Iraq didn’t have the lifesaving
equipment they needed, he
fought for additional funding to buy
the body armor. He introduced legislation
to extend unemployment
benefits in Ohio, provide retraining
assistance to workers, and protect
good-paying construction jobs.
Marc has worked in the battle to
change Ohio’s unconstitutional
school funding system, to make college
more affordable, and to protect
local school districts from state
funding cuts. A Cleveland native,
he has a degree in history from
University of Michigan, and a law
degree from Case Western Reserve
University.
Marc and his wife, noted investigative
journalist Alyssa Lenhoff,
have a son and two daughters.
Read more at
www.dannforohio.com.
for Secretary of State
Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer served
as Judge of the
Franklin County
Common Pleas
Court, and
worked with
leaders in the
criminal justice
and treatment communities to
develop a drug and mental health
court that is a model for other counties.
She adopted other innovative
practices in her courtroom, aimed at
improving trial outcomes and juror
satisfaction. Her public service
dates back to committee secretary
and legislative aide in the Ohio
Senate, Legislative Counsel for former
Secretary of State Sherrod
Brown, and as a member of the
Franklin County Board of Elections
and the Ohio Student Loan
Commission.
Jennifer and her husband grew
their law firm from two to thirty
people, assisting local, statewide
and presidential candidates, legislative
caucuses, labor unions, businesses,
associations and other
groups to successfully access Ohio’s
election system. She continues to
serve as a Board member for the
Mental Health Association of
Franklin County.
Jennifer and her husband Rick
live in Columbus and have three
adult children.
Read more at www.jennifer
brunner.com.
KEY:
ST = Ted Strickland
SBR = Sherrod Brown
SU = Betty Sutton
SY = Barbara Sykes
CO = Richard Cordray
DA = Marc Dann
JBR = Jennifer Brunner
1. ___ was a consulting psychologist at the Southern Ohio Correctional
Institute.
2. ___ has served as a lawyer for the CTU.
3. ___ said, “We should not have to rely on newspapers to find out Ohio
is investing in rare coins, beanie babies, and bottles of wine.”
4. ___ developed a statewide law practice specializing in election law.
5. ___ manages an investment portfolio of about $550 million for the
only Ohio county with an AAA bond rating.
6. ___ earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Russian studies from Yale.
7. ___ served as an administrator at a Methodist children’s home.
8. ___ co-authored “Making Ohio Great Again,” an alternative budget
and tax plan, during the 2006-7 $50 billion biennium budget.
9. ___ earned both undergraduate (social work) and graduate (public
administration) degrees at the University of Akron.
10. ___ achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of Ohio.
11. ___ was an undefeated 5-time champion on the Jeopardy TV show.
12. ___ received the Friend of Education Award from the Barberton
Education Association (teachers’ union).
13. ___ continues to practice law in the Mahoning Valley, and maintains
an office in Liberty Township.
14. ___ formed and presided over Franklin County’s first adult felony drug
court.
15. The child of a steelworker and eighth of nine children,
16. ___ and family had to live in a chicken shack after fire destroyed their
home (no insurance), until their father converted their barn into a
house.
16. ___ has been honored by seniors’ groups in Ohio for sponsoring bus
trips to Canada that allow people to get prescription drugs for up
to 80% less than the U.S. price.
17. As a judge,
16. ___ adopted the practice of permitting jurors to take notes and ask
questions, since affirmed by the Ohio Supreme Court.
18. ___ is a former member of the Liberty Board of Education.
19. ___ was awarded “Humanitarian of the Year” in 2000 by the Human
Rights Campaign for outstanding efforts to promote tolerance
and understanding in their community.
20. ___ served as Ohio’s Political Director for the 1992 Clinton-Gore
campaign.
21. During law school, when this candidate’s father
died of lung cancer,
16. ___ continued law school and won a seat on the Barberton City
Council, beating out an incumbent.
22. Along with their spouse,
16. ___ is also a writer and has authored two books, Congress from the
Inside: Observations from the Majority and Minority, and Myths of
Free Trade.
23. ___ placed this plaque in their office when elected to Congress: “And
what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
24 & 25. ___ and ___ have refused to accept the Congressional Health
Plan until all Ohioans have universal health care.
Name _____________________________________________________
School ____________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _______________________________________________
Phone _____________________________________________________
Return by August 11 to be eligible for the prize drawing!
July 2006 THE CRITIQUE Page 11

THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
BY JOANNE DEMARCO
2006-07 Will Be Year of
Decisions and Changes
The upcoming 2006-7 school year holds promise as a year
of many changes and important decisions. Three significant
issues come to mind: November elections; District and CTU
realignment; and negotiations.
November Elections: Monumental
There will be new leadership in the state of Ohio after November’s elections,
thankfully. I urge all CTU members to study the candidates and
issues, to make wise choices when you vote this fall.
Our endorsed candidates, especially
Ted Strickland for Governor
and Sherrod Brown for Senator, as
well as our other endorsed candidates,
received the endorsements
after an in-depth process. They
were endorsed by your Union
because they are pro-public education
and pro-labor, and we strongly
believe they will better represent
your interests — and the interests
of the students we serve — than the
other candidates. I ask you, as
Union members and public educators,
to give these candidates your
every consideration when you go to
vote November 7.
But don’t just take my word for
it, and please don’t believe all you
hear in the “attack ads!” On pages
10-11, you can read and learn about
some of our candidates in critical
races. Find out why we support
them in our bid to take Ohio back
for its working people this fall.
CMSD & CTU to ‘Realign’
The Cleveland community is
anticipating significant changes in
CMSD this year. The CTU is
enthusiastic in welcoming Dr.
Eugene Sanders, the new CEO. His
outstanding accomplishments in
raising student achievement during
his tenure in Toledo bring hope and
optimism to the CMSD community.
We are ready to work collaboratively
as partners to educate
Cleveland’s children.
As CEO Sanders works to
“realign” (the new buzz word) the
District toward success, your CTU
leaders are also working to “realign”
the Union to provide even more efficient,
effective, and competent representation
and services for CTU
members.
Toward that end, on August 15-
16, CTU Executive Board members
will attend a retreat at the Geneva
Conference Center (local foundations
and organizations are helping
to fund this retreat). Your CTU officers
will study the CTU’s Strategic
Plan, developed about a year ago
with input from CTU officers, staff
and building reps, and determine
how they can better achieve the
goals set in eight target areas. The
eight areas are: Communications;
Internal CTU Structure; Political
Action; Connections; Educator
Professional Development; Contract
& Enforcement; Labor/Management
Collaboration; and Professional
Development for Union Reps.
I am also in the process of making
some changes in staff and committee
assignments at the CTU
office, in the hopes of providing
some new ideas and activities and
better services.
A change in the CTU budget was
approved by the Executive Board
and the Delegate Assembly last
May. To help control our expenditures
and align programs/events
with the Strategic Plan, CTU Committee
Chairpersons and Directors
must present a detailed program for
the coming year, complete with projected
expenditures, at the October
Executive Board. The Board will
then decide which programs/events
fit the Strategic Plan’s goals, and
these will be funded. (Some activities
customarily held before October,
such as the Retirement Luncheon in
September, have already been
approved and funded.)
Coming Soon: Negotiations
Last but certainly not least, the
CTU and CMSD will formally begin
negotiations in January, 2007. The
current agreement is set to expire
in June, 2007.
On June 8, Federal Mediator
Jack Buettner contacted the Union
and the District to recommend
using a problem-solving process
called Interest-Based Bargaining
when we negotiate next January.
This type of bargaining is similar to
other win-win bargaining processes:
collaborative, compressed, alternative,
mutual-gains, principled, to
name a few. Mr. Buettner has
offered the resources of the office of
Federal Mediation & Conciliation
Services to train negotiators on both
sides in this process.
■ continued on page 10
THE CRITIQUE
CLEVELAND TEACHERS UNION
AFT, OFT Local 279
1370 West Sixth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216/861-7676
President . . . . . . . . . . . Joanne DeMarco
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pamela Hummer
Graphic Design . . . Joe Buchwald Gelles
Publications Chair . . . . . Fred Bickerstaff
CLEVELAND TEACHERS UNION, Local 279
American Federation of Teachers — AFL-CIO
1370 West Sixth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
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