Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Editor's note: This is the ninth of a 10-part countdown of articles looking back at the Geneva newsmakers of 2012. The No. 1 newsmaker will be Geneva Patch's 2012 "Person of the Year."
Our No. 2 Geneva newsmaker of 2012 might come as a little surprise because she was someone who worked behind the scenes more often than she did in the spotlight, but to say Carol Young wasn't part of the biggest news story of the year would be to ignore her key role and leadership. Geneva Patch is more than 2 years old now, and it's safe to say that no story captured the attention of the community more than the 2012 teacher-contract negotiations. Young, a kindergarten teacher at Harrison Street School, is the president of the Geneva Education Association, the union that pushed negotiations to the limit but ultimately came to an 11th-hour agreement that allowed school to continue without a teachers strike. If you're looking for the best …
Monday, December 31, 2012
Editor's note: This is the eighth of a 10-part countdown of articles looking back at the Geneva newsmakers of 2012. The No. 1 newsmaker will be Geneva Patch's 2012 "Person of the Year."
Bob McQuillan arguably could have been the No. 1 newsmaker of 2012. Certainly his name showed up in many of the top stories of the year. Whether you think Bob McQuillan is champion of the people or meanspirited obstructionist, the one thing just about everyone can agree on regarding the TaxFACTS co-founder is that he shows up and speaks his mind. The TaxFACTS citizens group grew in prominance in 2012 for at least three reasons: Among the top stories of 2012, McQuillan's name pops up frequently. McQuillan also jumps into the "Newsmakers of 2012" list because of his curious announcement that he will run for mayor—an announcement that earns the adjective because McQuillan has focused the vast majority of his time and attention to School …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The contract established with Tuesday night's vote offers across-the-board "step" raises in the second and third years as well as generous retirement incentives, but it also signals a sea change in compensation practices of the past.
At last, it's over. Geneva School District 304 put an end to eight months of contract negotiations Tuesday, when it voted 6-0 to ratify a new three-year agreement with the Geneva Education Association. In a brief opening statement, School Board President Mark Grosso called for the community to come together and "begin mending any strained relationships that may have occurred during this process." The contract summary released Tuesday by the Geneva Board of Education signals fundamental changes in the ways District 304 rewards employees for quality work. Under past contracts, teachers received yearly across-the-board "step" increases, plus cost-of-living increases, plus up to nine "lane" salary increases for completing coursework toward …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Teachers union vote garners three-fifths majority it needed for ratification. The School Board votes next.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Residents, educators and School Board members breathed a sigh and smiled Wednesday, when the Kane County Chronicle and Daily Herald posted a note that the Geneva Education Association voted Wednesday to ratify the tentative contract agreed upon in the wee hours of Monday morning. The reports said more than a two-thirds majority of the GEA members voted to ratify the agreement. The Board of Education and the GEA struck a confidentiality agreement that said details of the new three-year contract would not be made public until it was ratified by both parties. School Board President Mark Grosso said after Monday's meeting that District 304 would call a special meeting for that purpose, most likely Monday or Tuesday. The GEA vote almost …
Special applause for our School Board members, who volunteer their time and talent to serve the community.
- OPINION
- Jeff Ward
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
As inexplicably as it all started, it appears to be as inexplicably over. And I say “appears” because, when it comes to the Geneva teachers union, nothing surprises me anymore. Though I’m convinced the teachers will ratify the as-yet-undisclosed contract agreement the day this column runs, it wouldn’t surprise me if the union leaders had one more trick up their sleeve. And I keep repeating the word “surprise” because that’s the only word that adequately describes this dynamic from the day it started until late last Monday night. But let’s move on before we unintentionally court any further Swiftian ironies. Since we’re on the subject of surprises, the one pleasant surprise to come out of all this consternation is you—the citizens of Geneva…
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Geneva Education Association and the Geneva Board of Education reached a tentative agreement at 12:30 a.m. Monday on a new contract.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, November 12, 2012
The Geneva Education Association and the Geneva Board of Education reached a tentative agreement Monday morning at 12:30 a.m. on a new contract. The tentative three-year Agreement will be presented to the GEA membership on Tuesday, Nov. 13. A ratification vote will be taken on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Following the GEA vote, the Board of Education will vote on the Agreement. A date for this special Board meeting has not been set. The agreement will be made public upon ratification by both parties. With this tentative agreement, school will be in session on Monday, Nov. 12. SOURCE: School District 304 Click the "Keep Me Posted" button below this text.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
District 304 will use e-mails, emergency notification system and website to let parents know whether school is a "go" or teachers are going on strike, if Sunday-night negotiations don't come up with a last-minute settlement.
The Geneva teachers union says the School Board's notice that it will not pay teachers' insurance premiums during a strike constitutes a threat and intimidation.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Geneva Education Asssocation issued a press release Saturday saying it has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Geneva Community Unit District 304, saying the board was trying to intimidate the teachers union from going on strike by saying teachers would have to pay for their full health and dental insurance premiums for every day during a work stoppage. The press release says the School Board "sent a threat directly to teachers in an illegal attempt to coerce/intimidate them from their plans to engage in a lawful strike." According to the release published on the GEA website, the dispute arose Wednesday when teachers received letters from the School Board regarding the health and dental insurance premiums and other items that…
Friday, November 9, 2012
The Geneva School District 304's Nov. 8 three-year offer includes step and lane increases, a big salary bump for teachers who retire by the 2014-15 school year and establishment of a joint Salary Study Group.
Geneva School District 304 has posted its Nov. 8 offer to the Geneva Education Associations—and it includes step and lane movemenet as well as a multi-year salary boost for teachers who elect to retire in the 2014-15 school year. It also calls for the establishment of a joint Salary Study Group to avoid another contract dispute three years from now. You can read the full details of the offer here and on the Geneva School District 304 negotiations webpage. Historically, teachers have been paid according to their placement on the teacher salary schedule. The salary schedule is organized around steps and lanes. Each step represents one year of employment in the District and a salary increase of 2.65%; a lane represents completed graduate …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
An eight-hour negotiating session doesn't come up with a tentative contract agreement, but both sides will meet again in hopes of an 11th-hour settlement prior to a possible Nov. 9 teachers strike.
For Genevans hoping and praying for a settlement prior to a Friday teachers-strike deadline, the initial news from Tuesday's negotiating session was mixed and a little sketchy. School District 304 issued a press release and sent an email via 304 Connects informing the community that the Board of Education and the Geneva Education Association continued negotiations Tuesday evening with the help of a federal mediator. "Proposals were exchanged, and both parties agreed to meet again on Thursday, Nov. 8," the release said. As of 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, the GEA had not issued a press release regarding the issue or posted one on its website, gea4students.com. Following the Oct. 26 negotiations session, the School Board and GEA released details and …
bob
2:00 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
We need her to negotiate our bond rating. She could then be the Illinois person of the year. Oh wait, we want a higher bond rating. more ›