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2016 LINDBACK AWARD

Philadelphia's Lindback Distinguished Principal Award is funded by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation.  This prestigious award recognizes and rewards principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her students, staff and community.   There were 45 Principals nominated this year and the winners were just selected and notified.  Recipients will receive $20,000 for use at their school and be recognized at the Prince Theatre on Tuesday, April 19 @ 4:00PM. 

Congratulations!!!!

Stacey Burnley, Edwin Stanton School

Connie Carnivale, H.A. Brown Elementary

Brianna Dunn, Laura W. Waring School

Carolyn Allen-Glass, Thomas Morton Elementary School

James  Williams, Kensington Health Sciences Academy

Karen Dean, Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School

Toni Damon, Murrell Dobbins Technical High School




Members of CASA, that receive clothing allowances, should see the payment in the October 7th check.

CORRECTED NOTICE OF ELECTION OF OFFICERS
COMMONWEALTH ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
TEAMSTERS LOCAL NO. 502 (CASA)

SECOND BALLOT MAILING

Original ballots mailed on October 27, 2016, contained an error in the EC Slate listing of Vice President and Recording Secretary candidates names necessitating a correction and second ballot mailing.

THE CORRECTED BALLOT ENCLOSED WILL BE THE ONLY BALLOT COUNTED. THEREFORE IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR YOU TO CAST YOUR VOTE ON THIS BALLOT EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED.

THE PERIOD FOR SENDING IN BALLOTS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 TO PROVIDE AMPLE TIME FOR ALL MEMBERS TO CAST THEIR VOTE UTILIZING THE NEW, CORRECTED BALLOT MATERIALS.

ELECTION

The election will be conducted by mail ballot. Ballots were mailed to all active members and new applicants eligible for membership in Local Union 502 on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. All ballots must be received at the designated post office box by 9:00 am on Monday, November 28, 2016 to be counted. Members who have not received a ballot by Monday, November 7, 2016 should call the Local Union office at 215-236-7222 to request a ballot. Duplicate ballots may be requested through Monday, November 21, 2016.

Instructions for the completion of the ballot will be enclosed in the ballot package. This is a secret ballot vote. You should mark your ballot in private and mail your ballot, sealed in the secret ballot envelope, to the designated post office box in the postage paid Business Reply Envelope provided. Do not give your ballot to anyone.

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

To be eligible to vote in this election, a member of Local Union 502 must be in good standing with their initiation fees and dues paid through October 2016. Members have until 4:30 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 to pay their initiation fees or dues at the Local Union office in order to have their votes counted. Under the International Constitution, any member on dues check-off shall not lose good standing as a result of failure by an Employer to send deducted dues to the Local Union or to make the proper deductions from the member’s pay in any month in which the member has any earnings from which deductions could have been deducted.

Elected Officers of the Local Union shall, by virtue of such election, be delegates to any Joint Council, with which the Local is affiliated, as well as any convention or any subordinate body, except IBT Convention, which may take place during their term of office. Elected Local Union Officers shall be delegates to such conventions in the order of priority set forth in the Local Union Bylaws.

Copies of the Article of the International Constitution, the Local Union 502 Bylaws and the Rules governing the conduct of this election are available, upon request, from the Local Union.


REMINDER: THE CORRECTED BALLOT ENCLOSED WILL BE THE ONLY BALLOT COUNTED. THEREFORE IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR YOU TO CAST YOUR VOTE ON THIS BALLOT EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED.


The 2016 Open Enrollment period will be from May 1 through May 31, for changes to be effective July 1, 2016.

As a CASA represented employee, Open Enrollment is your opportunity to change medical plans or to add or remove an eligible dependent (spouse, life partner or child up to age 26) without a qualifying event for medical, prescription or dental coverage. You can also decline School District benefits provided you have qualified group alternate coverage. It is also the time to enroll or cancel your participation in the Wage Continuation program. You can no longer make changes to your Wage Continuation election during the year.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.

All current CASA represented employees are eligible to change medical plans. To make changes, you must complete enrollment materials and submit required documentation no later than May 31. Enrollment materials and directions are available on the Benefits website or you may visit the Benefits office during walk-in hours, Monday–Thursday 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Changes made during open enrollment will take effect on July 1.

You can review your current plan enrollment and enrolled dependents by logging into the Independence Blue Cross website at http://www.ibx.com/login.

To learn more about the available health care options and view summary of benefits and coverages (SBC), you are encouraged to visit http://www.ibx.com/sdp/health_care_reform.html and review the Personal Choice plan options.

Benefit changes as a result of a qualifying life event will be accepted during the year; however, these must be received by the Benefits Office within 30 days of the qualifying event date. Examples of qualifying life events are birth of a child, marriage, divorce, adoption, loss/gain of other health insurance, etc. Proof of the event will be required.

What’s New for 2016?

You still have an 8% of employee co-share; however this is calculated on the value of the District’s rates which increased 3%.

This message along with a table lists the employee contribution rates as of July 1 for the Modified Personal Choice 320 and Personal Choice 20/30/70. Costs are based on 26 paychecks. There is no employee contribution for prescription/vision and dental coverage.

The IBT willl have a General President Candidate Forum Live on the Internet on August 26, 2016, 6:30 pm (EDT)

Per the Election Supervisor, Local 502 has uploaded this information to our website:
"General President Forum" on our Shared Documents page,
Posted on the office bulletin board,
and will be referenced in an email to the members of Local 502.



Please visit our Shared Document tab for the following contract related material:

Tentative Agreements
Eligible voting members were sent a letter via USPS regarding these items.

Salary Schedules Proposed
These schedules display increases and bonuses based on current salary schedules (Schedules 0654 & 1658 are unavailable at this time).
Read the salary schedules using the following method- Horizontally through any changes that involve an August date. Movement on (9/1/17, 18 & 19 are diagonal toward maximum).

Salary Schedules Current
A 10 month administrator can determine their annual salary by multiplying the biweekly gross by 21.8.


Note: The 11 month pay schedule has been adjusted since what was presented at Fels High School on June 1. The 11 month administrator will have salary paid over 12 months.  The result is that there would be no interruption of pay during any month over life of the agreement. 

Act 15 Compliance

School District of Philadelphia Employees were notified of the need to obtain a new criminal record check, child abuse clearances and an FBI fingerprint screening.  Originally the deadline was November 30, 2015 which was later extended to December 31, 2015.  On January 13, 2016 and February 18, 2016 emails were sent to those that still had outstanding matters regarding thier clearances.  Conferences are now being scheduled for employees that have not complied with this mandated requirement.  The District will dismiss from employment non compliant individuals at the conclusion of the year.  If you, or a member of your staff, has received any such notice it should not be ignored.



Meeting Announcement

At our June 1 ratification meeting, more time and information was requested. Every tentative agreement and each salary schedule was posted on our website. One significant change from the July 1 meeting was that the eleven-month administrators would be paid over 12 months and there would be no interruption to pay. There were then three sessions held at the CASA Office where details of the proposed contract had been made. There were no threats to impose terms during these negotiations. However, it does contain some compensation that requires we consider the proposal and respond to it in its current form.  At this juncture we are calling for a vote.  A letter was mailed on June 10 giving all full members notice of this event.

We are going to conduct live voting from 4-8PM at Abraham Lincoln High School on June 15. It will be a paper ballot vote that will take place on only that day and between those hours. Full members can make their selection and put it in the ballot box. Members are welcome to come at any period during that time to cast their vote. There will be no mail in ballots or proxy votes. The count will take place at 8:00PM.  

Open House

Our last General Membership Meeting for this school year will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2016.  The start time is 2:30 PM and will be followed by an open house with refreshments.   PGP Reimbursement checks (submitted prior to June 15, 2016) will be available for pick up during the open house. 



School Staffing

There has been a great deal of emphasis placed on filling all September teaching vacancies by June 30, 2016.  Contingencies have been put in place though the summer to account for any additional needs by the first day of school. 

Beginning next week, May 2, 2016, school based administrative vacancies will be announced.  We have administrators that enjoy recall rights and displaced administrators that have anxiously been awaiting this announcement for 2016-17.  Current administrators need to participate in the interview process and may request to be considered for vacant positions of their preference.  In addition to the need to address placement for the current administrative workforce we are pleased to report that there are more positions than there are people for the first time in the last four years.  We expect hiring and a significant increase in the number of assistant principals and climate managers, which are integral members to the school based administrative teams.  
ULP Hearing

UPDATE! - CASA withdrew the complaint and the matter was amicably resolved.

The Unfair Labor Practice Hearing scheduled for December 8th was been postponed at this time.  We believe it is a matter where we will arrive at a favorable resolution in the near future. 


Budget Impasse
There are reports that the District is making efforts to ask vendors for some relief to our obligations but at some point, in the very near future, the District will need to address the situation as it relates to its employees.  We've borrowed, had our bond rating downgraded and are now asking our suppliers to take IOU's. The SDP must address its (in)ability to make payroll. It doesn't appear that our elected officials see this for the crisis that it is.

Notice to All Members of Teamsters Local 502

IBT 502’s Election Plan (“LUEP”) has been approved by the Election Supervisor. To access your approved LUEP, please click the link below.

https://www.ibtvote.org/forms/ElectionPlan/ViewPlan/8687

Your LUEP, and the plans of any Local Union, General Committee of Adjustment or System Federation of the IBT, may be downloaded from the Election Supervisor’s website, www.ibtvote.org, by clicking "delegate elections", and then "view election plans".

If you have any questions regarding the delegate elections process, please contact your regional director.

Thanks,

Office of the Election Supervisor

Moved on 12/9/2015

Would you like to

Increase your net pay

Get more purchasing power from your dollar

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Offset expenses that would otherwise not be covered?


Consider this opportunity but you need to act fast!


Dear Colleagues:

The Office of Employee Benefits is pleased to announce the annual Open Enrollment for the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Commuter Reimbursement Account (CRA) programs. Enrollment will take place from November 2 through close of business Wednesday, November 25, 2015.

If you are currently enrolled in any of the FSA plans and wish to continue enrollment in the 2016 calendar year, you will have to re-enroll.

What are the benefits of these programs? The FSA and CRA programs allow you to set aside money from your paycheck on a pre-tax basis to pay for eligible health care, dependent care and commuter expenses. If you are interested in any of the plans and would like more information before enrolling, please visit our website for further details: www.philasd.org/offices/benefits/programs/fsa

How much can I contribute? You may contribute up to the IRS maximum, as outlined below. Contributions will be spread over 20 pay checks, excluding the summer months. Please plan accordingly. The first deduction for 2016 will January 15, 2016.

Flexible Spending Accounts*

Commuter Reimbursement Accounts

Medical FSA - $2,550 per year

Parking Expenses - $255 per month

Dependent Care FSA - $5,000 per year

Transit - $130 per month

*IMPORTANT: The Medical and Dependent Care FSA accounts are subject to the IRS’ “Use it or lose it” rule. Please estimate your expenses for 2016 conservatively when making your FSA election to avoid forfeiture of any unused contributions.

 How to enroll / re-enroll for 2016: Enrollment in the FSA and CRA programs must be completed online through AmeriFlex’s secure website. The enrollment site will be available 24/7 during the Open Enrollment period from now through November 25, 2015. For a step-by-step guide on how to enroll or re-enroll, click on the link or copy and paste: http://philasd.org/b/benefits/fsa

If you have any questions, please e-mail benefits@philasd.org, call (215) 400-4630, or visit our office at the 440 N. Broad Street, suite G-10. Walk-In hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Fridays are by advance appointment only.

Sincerely,

 The Office of Employee Benefits



Retired (or nearing retirement)?

CASA serves as host to several retired employee organizations which remain very active regarding public school and employee issues. The Philadelphia Public School Retired Employees Association (PPSREA) recently launched a new website.  I would encourage everyone to visit and explore their the site.  Anyone that is over 55 years of age should become a member (a brochure appears on their membership page). A glance at the names associated with the committees in this organization will reaquaint you with passionate and well respected educators who have never really stopped working, they just started investing their energy in a different way.  This organization plays a vital role for all public school employees well after they retire.  Please visit our "Links" tab for other organizations of interest. 


Important Notice to All Employees

Act 153 was adopted and requires that all current school employees to obtain a criminal background check, child abuse clearance and finger printing every 3 years.  The District will be forwarding information very soon but, in short, every SDP Employee hired on or before December 31, 2014 must update your clearances.  The deadline for compliance is November 30, 2015.  This is a matter that will require action on your part in order to remain actively employed with the District. 
Moved 11/20/2015

General Membership Meeting

An email was sent to active CASA Members on November 11, 2015 (Subject: Reminder).  If you are an active member of CASA and did not receive the email, please email mcgrogan502@ comcast.net from your personal email account. This month's General Membership Meeting will be held at Benjamin Franklin High School at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 18. 
There will be several important items on our agenda.
First, we will have an update on the timeline and status of our negotiations for our next contract.
Secondly, we will have an update on the state budget and overall funding picture.
And thirdly, we would like to have a discussion about the critical challenges we are facing in our schools and about our role in shaping the conditions in the District.  Members will share the efforts they made on local and state levels advocating for the funding and the resources our students need.

Please make a special effort to attend. 
Moved 10/8/2015

Reduction in Force

The school funding hurdles that exist in city council and in Harrisburg are well documented.  Neither seem too likely to supply funds that have been requested by the School District of Philadelphia.  This companied by some deliberate actions is leading to another Reduction in Force.  At this juncture the RIF appears isolated to assistant principal positions and no other CASA group.  I imagine in the coming days we will learn about job loss regarding other employee groups. Assistant principals that have not been selected or assigned to a school by the COB (6/5/15), will receive a notice of layoff by June 9, 2015.  The layoff will be in effect for July 1, 2015.  This event is equally troubling to a substantial number of employees that held CASA Positions in that, for those laid off at the end of SY 13, the two year recall period also expires on July 1, 2015. 

August Compensation for 10 Month Principals and Assistant Principals

Principals and Assistant Principals will receive their normal biweekly pay from summer reserve funds on August 14 and August 28.  The August 14 check will also contain compensation for Professional Development on August 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7.  The August 28 check will contain compensation for Professional Development for August 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 plus Reorganization on August 19, 20, & 21.  The September 11 pay is the first check of the new school year.  Even though there is only four September work days in that pay period, it will be a full biweekly check plus compensation for Reorganization on August 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28 and August 31 & September 1.  On the September 11 check summer reserve deductions will begin for the summer of 2016. 

There have been some reports about programs and participation in professional development offered during the month of July.  Compensation for approved work will be paid through the S-19/324 Process.  Please maintain copies of all work and authorization forms.

Moved 9/10/2015

NOTICE: General Membership Meetings have been suspended for the months of July, August and September.  There will be an informal meeting on September 16, 2015.  Subsequently, General Membership Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:00 PM.  The meeting schedule for SY 15-16 was confirmed by the General Membership on 5/20/15 and is posted along with our contact information on this website.  Please join us for our last formal General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, June 23 at 4:30 PM.  Following our meeting we will host an Open House and serve refreshments.

Important information related to PIL, ACT 45 & Induction Requirements

The following PennLink was sent out to the state's "chief school administrators" explaining PIL and its significance to the state administrators.  It is not likely that the SDP will share this information with you so it is critical that you monitor where you are regarding your certification. 

Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 2:26 PM
To: All Lea (all lea)
Subject: Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Induction Requirements Reminder


Pennsylvania Department of Education
Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education

August 18, 2015

Penn*Link

To:                  Chief School Administrators

From:           Theresa Lynn Barnaby, Director
                        Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality

Subject:        Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Induction Requirements Reminder


Who must fulfill the requirements?

•       All persons issued an Administrative certificate prior to January 1, 2008 and employed for the first time as principal or assistant/vice principal in a commonwealth public school on or after January 1, 2008.
        -Requirement: Completion of a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program and those holding an old Administrative I certificate must convert to an Administrative II certificate within five years of service as an administrator.

•       All persons issued an Administrative I certificate on or after January 1, 2008 who are employed as principal or assistant/vice principal in a commonwealth public school.
        -Requirement: Completion of a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program and conversion of the Administrative I certificate to an Administrative II certificate within five years of service as an administrator.

•       All persons issued an Administrative certificate who were previously employed in a non-public school as principal or assistant/vice principal and who are employed after January 1, 2008 for the first time in such a position in a commonwealth public school. 
        -Requirement: Completion of a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program and those holding an Administrative I certificate must convert to an Administrative II certificate within five years of service as an administrator. 

•       All principals and assistant/vice principals hired on a Provisional Administrative certificate to serve in one of these positions in the commonwealth.
        -Requirement: Completion of a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program or an approved Administrative Education Leadership program within two years from the date of employment and conversion to an Administrative I certificate.  Conversion to an Administrative II certificate is also required within five years of service as an administrator.

•       All vocational/assistant vocational directors hired on a Provisional Administrative I certificate to serve in one of these positions in the commonwealth.
        -Requirement: Completion of a PDE-approved Principal Induction Program or an approved Administrative Education Leadership program within two years from the date of employment and conversion to an Administrative certificate.

How will I know how many Act 45 hours I need to complete after I become an administrator?

•       The date of service is the beginning date for the PIL continuing professional education requirements regardless of the number of regular Act 48 hours that the administrator may have earned. The “clock” for PIL CPE requirements turns on at their date of hire in the PIL-covered position.

•       The number of PIL hours to be completed for the remainder of the administrator’s cycle will be reflected in the PERMS record. *
        -Administrators who begin service during the summer or the beginning of the school year may not see this information until the fall of the succeeding school year due to the fact that the date of hire was not included in the school district PIMS spring report.

Which courses are approved to provide Principal Induction and Act 45 continuing professional education hours and where can I find them on the PDE website?

All PDE Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Professional Development courses described below can be viewed on the PDE website at http://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/PA%20Inspired%20Leaders/Pages/default.aspx#.VcDK_37D-Ul 

•       The PDE Principal Induction Program is comprised of The Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Program (PIL) courses one and four.   These courses provide a total of 150 Act 48 hours.

•       A list of approved non-PDE Principal Induction Programs offered by other organizations can be found on the PIL website and provide a varying number of Act 45 hours.

•       All Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Program (PIL) courses provide Act 45 continuing professional education hours.

•       A list of approved non-PDE courses to provide Act 45 continuing professional education hours offered by other organizations is on the website.

Please note:

1.      An administrator’s PERMS continuing professional education cycle beginning and ending dates will not change as a result of being hired for a PIL-covered position.
2.      The requirement to complete continuing professional education Act 45 PIL hours is activated on the date of hire for all administrators in a PIL-covered position.
3.      The PIL hours are to be to be completed in no less than the same proportion as the proportion of the compliance period during which the individual was employed as a school or system leader and must be completed by the end of the current PERMS cycle.
        -Example: If someone is hired to serve as a certified assistant principal midway through his/her PERMS continuing professional education cycle, the date of appointment will be the “start” date for PIL service time.
        -The proportional number of hours must be completed by the end of the administrator’s PERMS cycle to avoid the inactivation of his/her Administrative I certificate.

*The number of PIL continuing professional education hours required for an administrator working in a PIL-covered position for the full PERMS five-year cycle is 180 or approximately 36 hours per year.

Where to find information:

PDE/PIL Website Link: http://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/PA%20Inspired%20Leaders/Pages/default.aspx#.VcDK_37D-Ul

PDE Certification Information/TIMS Website Link: http://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/Certifications/Pages/default.aspx#.VcDLNH7D-Uk  




Moved 8/20/15

PDE Website


The Department of Education is currently restructuring their website.  PIL information is not as readily available as it once was.  On the PDE site, there are now tabs at the bottom of the home screen.  The one titled "PDE Quick Links" will permit you to access the NISL/PIL information for Region 1. 


Conflict Resolution Training

Last week an email went to administrators about a training that will be offered on August 18.  The 18th is neither a PD day nor a Reorg Day.  The email did not address compensation.  Members of CASA will be compensated at the hourly rate of pay if they participate in this training on August 18.  Those that choose to attend on the 19th or 20th will be compensated through the Reorg that was already planned for those days. 



Moved 8/11/15
Source4Teachers has been hired by the School District of Philadelphia to manage its substitute service staffing needs. On July 2, 2015, I was notified that the District intended on using Source4Teachers to staff principal absences too. At that point I directed our attorney to file a complaint to the NLRB against the SRC for an unfair labor practice.

The compensation for laid off and retired members of CASA was negotiated and defined our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).  We contend that this District action is subcontracting CASA jobs while reducing pay which is a  violation of our current agreement. 

I attended an orientation session earlier today and there are many questions that were left unanswered. 

I sent an email to members of CASA on my list serve and encouraged those that were present at the orientation to visit the website for some additional detail. 

If you were present at today's orientation and did not receive an update from me, you are not on my current list serve.  Please send an email to mcgrogan502@comcast.net, identify yourself, and I will add you to my list serve and send the email in its entirety. 

Let it Run!

The 440 Dragonboat team will be racing for a medal on Saturday June 6, 2015.   We will be located on Kelly Drive near the Temple and St. Joe's boathouse. Come out and cheer the team on as they race against other educational teams.  The 440 tent is going to be space #65. Our first race is at 9:00. The next 2 races will be later in the day.
In addition to the 440 team, we have a teacher team in the race, also competing at 9:00.
We also have a student boat, The Healthy Dragons. Their first race is at 10:24.  They are our middle school students and absolutely fabulous paddlers.  

Hope to see you!
440 Dragonboat Team

For those that aren't able to attend, click here to see the events live. 

The August Calendar for Principals and Assistant Principals 

The Professional Development has been decided and will be offered the first two weeks in August (3-7 & 10-14) but there are 11 workdays days left in August and 1 day in September which technically is identified as a Reorganization Day.  That means there are 12 reorg days but only 10 days of compensation.  A few remedies are being discussed.  This is one of a number of issues that if the District had the decency to plan in conjunction with our input, this situation could have been averted.  Unlike last year, compensation will not be paid in "real time".  The 324 process will be used to compensate members for their summer work and be paid in addition to the biweekly pay. 



Operation Recognition

Do you know anyone that attended a Philadelphia Public School and left high school to join the military and serve our country during World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict or Vietnam war(s)?

Operation Recognition authorizes school districts to grant an honorary high school diploma to any honorably discharged veteran who withdrew from school to serve in the United States military.  Upon proper application, the Board may award a diploma posthumously to a veteran who meets specific requirements.

We typically hold the ceremony twice a year during a SRC meeting.
There is no cost to the Vet.
There is a flyer ("Operation Recognition") with additional information posted on the Shared Documents page.  
Contact Jill Rddick  (jriddick@philasd.org) if you know someone who could beneft from this opportunity. 


Moved 7/14/15

General Membership Meeting Notice:

Please join us for our last formal General Membership Meeting of the School Year on Tuesday, June 23 at 4:30 PM.  Following our meeting we will host an Open House and serve refreshments. You can also deliver your application for the Professional Growth Partnership.  More on that below.

Professional Growth Partnership

The Professional Growth Partnership allowance for SY 14-15 is $750.00.  The partnership is prorated by month for the portion of the year an individual occupies a CASA Position.  Applications and receipts received by our office by June 15th will ensure the reimbursement is mailed the first week in July For applications and receipts received between June 16 and June 30, reimbursements will be mailed during the summer.   The Partnership is intended to support individual and collaborative professional development programs that are required by or consistent with the School District’s Professional Education Plan in compliance with the requirements of Act 48 and Act 45. These funds may also be used for tools that will permit you be more efficient in your job.  These funds are not intended to buy supplies, software or hardware for your school.  The form has been updated yet and is very similar to last year. PGP 2015 forms can be found under "Shared Documents" on this website.

We want to avoid any conflict regarding these funds with the partnership trustees so please do not purchase multiple items of the same type. Cameras, video cameras, stereos or televisions are not permitted.  Be cognizant that the purchase of a smart phone is permissible but it is the device that can be reimbursed not the service (many cell phone providers are financing the phone along with the plan so receipts are insufficient for reimbursement).  Please purchase the device and avoid the finance option.  If you have questions, please call our office before you make a purchase.
Moved 6/5/15

Professional Growth Partnership

The Professional Growth Partnership allowance for SY 14-15 is $750.00.  The partnership is prorated by month for the portion of the year an individual occupies a CASA Position.  Applications and receipts received by our office by June 15th will ensure the reimbursement is mailed the first week in July.  For applications and receipts received between June 16 and June 30, reimbursements will be mailed during the summer.   The Partnership is intended to support individual and collaborative professional development programs that are required by or consistent with the School District’s Professional Education Plan in compliance with the requirements of Act 48 and Act 45. These funds may also be used for tools that will permit you be more efficient in your job.  but are not intended to buy supplies, software or hardware for your school.  The form has been updated yet and is very similar to last year. PGP 2015 forms can be found under "Shared Documents" on this website.

We want to avoid any conflict regarding these funds with the partnership trustees so please do not purchase multiple items of the same type. Cameras, video cameras, stereos or televisions are not permitted.  Be cognizant that the purchase of a smart phone is permissible but it is the device that can be reimbursed not the service (many cell phone providers are financing the phone along with the plan so receipts are insufficient for reimbursement).  Please purchase the device and avoid the finance option.  If you have questions, please call our office before you make a purchase.

Climate Manager

During the budget cycle the District reintroduced the position of School Climate Manager.  This is a CASA Represented position that was eliminated in June, 2011.  There are no recall rights for those that previously occupied the position because more than two years has elapsed since the layoff.  The District also changed the Job Description and it now requires a Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, psychology or a related field.  This change was done deliberately to exclude some that previously worked in this position. Assistant Principals that are currently laid off are welcome to apply if you meet the current requirements.  You will only be considered if you apply for this position. The laid off Assistant Principals, if selected, will be treated as preratification members regarding terminiation pay and health benefit rights. 

Action Needed

Don't let the legislature pass another ill conceived pension plan without hearing the voice of those most impacted by hasty action.

Please call your state senator and tell them not to vote on SB1 without full public hearings. If the reform plan is so good, then it can stand the scrutiny of public hearings.

Please contact your active and retired public school colleagues and ask them to do the same.  Each person should make at least one call and one email (letter) insisting on public hearings. This is not just a CASA issue it's a PSERs Issue! 

You can get the contact information for your state senator at http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/contact.cfm?body=S

Below are two articles regarding this critical matter. 





Moved 5/21/15

Let it Run 2015

The School District of Philadelphia has two boats enetered in the Dragon Boat Race on June 6th.  This is the 7th year we have been racing and our team is looking for help.  It is a great stress reducer and a wonderful experience to get on the water and, for once, not feel like you are up the creek without a paddle.

Contact Bettyann Creighton, Direcor of Health, Safety & Physical Education (215-400-6814), or Steve Nasobkow at snasobko@yahoo.com if you would like to attend a practice and give it a try. 

Boats go out at 6pm from Montgomery Drive/MLK Drive.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g61Hbc6uM-I


2015 LINDBACK AWARD

Philadelphia's Lindback Distinguished Principal Award is funded by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation.  This prestigious award recognizes and rewards principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her students, staff and community.   Recipients will receive $20,000 for use at their school and be recognized at the Prince Theatre on Tuesday, April 14. 

Congratulations!!!!

Stefan Feaster-Eberhardt

Mickey Komins

Robin Cooper

Anthony Majewski, III

Dana Jenkins

Karren Dunkley

William Wade

Substitute Service

Leave Requests- When a school based administrator is absent (<3 days) a SEH-86 card must be completed.  The same form is used for several other leave types i.e. personal leave (F-04), jury duty (F-70), School District Business (F-20), etc... that require the card is submitted in advance of the absence for approval.  Submitting a leave request does not ensure that a substitute administrator will be requested, nor will a request from you be honored.  The Assistant Superintendent must make a request through the Office of Talent.   For those that need to take leave for NISL and other predictable absences, please speak with your Assistant Superintendent about your desire to have administrative staff for that day. 

Moved 4/10/15

Important Notice for CASA Members Not Returning for the 2015-2016 School Year

Administrators who notify the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) by the close of business, Monday, March 16, 2015, of their intention to retire or resign between the dates of June 30 and August 31, are eligible to have their current medical coverage continue with the SDP employer and employee contribution rates as detailed in Article 7.7 in the CASA contract. Contribution rates are subject to change as of July 1, 2015.

The Retirement/Resignation Form is available in the FORMS section of the Retirement Department's website at http://www.philasd.org/offices/retirement/. The form will be processed by the Retirement Department if it is received in their office no later than close of business, Monday, March 16, 2015. 


The forms can be sent to:
                                                       Office of Talent Administration
                                                       Retirement Office
                                                       440 North Broad Street, Suite G-8
                                                       Philadelphia, PA 19130
F: (215) 400-4681

If you are faxing the form, please call (215) 400-4680 to confirm receipt.  The Retirement Office is not responsible for forms that were not faxed properly or are illegible. Walk-in customer service hours are Monday through Thursday: 9AM to 5PM.

The Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) administers any pension functions such as exit counseling, pension payments and/or years of eligible service.  PSERS can be contacted at:                                                                                  
PSERS
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