Classified staff make up nearly half of all school employees.

We’re on the front lines with behaviorally challenged kids in the classroom. We make sure special needs students get to and from school safely. We hold it all together and make sure our community’s children are fed and have safe and clean learning environments.

We step above and beyond in continuing education at our state’s universities, and are leaders in affecting positive change for working families in Olympia and on a national scale. That’s why Governor Jay Inslee declared March 14-18th as Classified Public School Employee Week. “Classified employees play an important, yet too often underpaid and undertrained, role in education. This week is about recognizing our contributions and dedication on a statewide level,” said PSE State President Reen Doser.You’ve probably seen our Classified Week posters hanging in the halls of your school. You may have heard our announcements on your favorite radio station. You may have even received a certificate of appreciation from your chapter for your hard work, or heard the Governor’s Proclamation read at an assembly or union meeting. That’s because PSE members are leaders in schools throughout the state at celebrating the value of classified work. We recognize all classified, higher ed and exempt employees, even if they don’t belong to our union. As we’ve faced inflation, attempts to cut our health insurance, and increasing demands on the job, it’s more important than ever to

Join the conversation online by following @PSEClassified and using #Classified, #HigherEd and #Exempt in your posts.

ISSUE 10 - MARCH 2016

RIGHT: #TBT to Classified Week 2015, when we brought 106.1 KISS FM’s Bender to help celebrate classified staff at Bethel Chapter’s annual dinner.

CELEBRATE CLASSIFIED WEEK 2016 highlight the vital contributions that we all make to Washington’s educational system. Through programs like COPE (The Committee for Political Empowerment), PSE members contribute a few dollars each month to give us a greater voice in Olympia and in DC. By making this investment, we’re helping school employees win at the bargaining table and continue to provide brighter futures for students and our own families alike.Inslee’s proclamation states: “By supporting the learning environment, classified school employees are crucial partners with teachers, parents, and administrators in the public schools.”Visit PSEClassified.org for more information on how you and your chapter can join the celebration, and stay tuned for a Classified Week recap in April’s issue.

Battle Ground PSE Chapter President Geraldine Schut and former VP Lynne Meyers visited every school in their chapter during last year’s Classified Week to say THANK YOU and deliver tokens of appreciation to their members.

MAKING A SPLASH: WHAT’S TRENDING ONLINEThe topic on everyone’s mind is paraeducator standards and training in Washington State.

On Facebook and Twitter, we posted an article from the Kitsap Sun that addressed the current low pay and uneven training for paras, and how they are filling the needs of classrooms with vital instruction.

The article states:

“Paraeducators, who need at minimum a high school diploma, earn substantially less than typical high school graduates across the state, according to a group that researched how K-12 employees’ wages stack up against the private sector...

Dear Classy, there are some great coworkers in my chapter who deserve a little recognition. Does PSE offer awards for outstanding service? –Wondering about Awards

Dear Wondering, you bet we do! Head to http://www.PSEClassified.org/Awards and nominate a coworker today. There are several award categories, including the Higher Education Award, Legislative Member of the Year, President’s Leadership Award, PSE Life Member and Classified Employee of the Year.

With our Honorary Member Award, we also recognize non-members who have demonstrated concern for or aided school employees in a significant way, like teachers, principals, superintendents or legislators.

All of our winners are recognized at the Awards Ceremony Dinner at Convention, which will be taking place on August 5-7th 2016 at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, WA.

Deadline for nominations is March 20th.

If you have a question you’d like answered in a future issue, drop me a line at classy@pseofwa.org.

As the new Zone 8 Director, Dick Sanderson is about to step up to the next level as a leader.

By representing 2,000 members in 18 chapters on the PSE Board of Directors, Dick will be the voice for his chapters as he helps steer the direction of our union. He’ll be voting to set policies, engaging in training opportunities for leadership, and traveling to work with other SEIU members and organizations nationwide on behalf of classified employees.

A bus driver for over 6 years, Dick is also currently serving as PSE

Legislative Intern John Lohr attended the House Education Committee hearing in Olympia regarding the para bill, with Government Relations Director Doug Nelson.

WHALE TALES...

...a bill now making its way through the Senate calls for more training and better support of these women and men who are the glue holding many classrooms together.”

The post was shared nearly 250 times and reached over 23,000 people—a new record for our union’s page.

Text PSE to 787753 to receive alerts and legislative updates straight to your mobile device! Standard message and data rates may apply.

Meridian Chapter Vice President. Keep an eye out for him visiting your chapter, because he wants to talk with you and hear your thoughts and challenges to he can represent you.

“I’d like to get to know each and every one of you,” Dick said.

Dick replaces Michelle Childs, who will still be serving PSE in her new role on our staff as an Organizing Assistant.

You can reach Dick by emailing zone8director@pseofwa.org. Drop him a line to say congratulations, and introduce yourself.

If you have a leader in your chapter that you would like to recognize in a future issue of The VOICE, drop us a line at thevoice@pseofwa.org.

THANK A CHAPTER LEADER!

ACTION CORNERThe House finally took up the charter school bill, SB 6194. The debate on the bill and the amendments spurred many legislators to speak out about the pro’s and con’s of charter schools. In the end, the bill was approved on a vote of 59-38. The bill meets four of five PSE criteria, failing only to meet the criteria that a charter school will only be approved by school boards.Opponents of charter schools have made it clear they are likely to ask the Supreme Court to rule once again that charter schools are unconstitutional because the fixes in 6194 are not enough to make them constitutional. The Senate concurred with House amendments and sent it to the Governor.In a closely split legislature heading into the November election after the session ends, it is not surprising that the House and Senate could not come to terms on the Supplemental Budget.Governor Inslee has already announced that he will call lawmakers into an immediate special session to start on March 11th.

As always, keep checking our News Blog at PSEClassified.org for the latest updates.

SEIU IS ALL ABOUT YOU. Every four years, SEIU members from across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico come together to have their voices heard and make decisions that will guide our 2 million member union.

PSE sends ten members to serve as delegates, representing our union on an international level at the SEIU Convention. Along with the four PSE Executive Board members, PSE agreed to send six members in good standing to serve as delegates, who would be elected by secret ballot election. This winter, members from across the state submitted to be considered as delegates, and in early February all members received a ballot to cast their vote from all eligible nominees.

The results are in, and we are pleased to announce our delegates to the 2016 SEIU Convention from May 20-24th in Detroit, MI:

Elections Committee members tallied the votes on February 27th 2016 at the State Office in Auburn.

Tom Krabbenhoft Western Washington University Chapter

Janet Yanzick Washougal Chapter

BJ Colvin Walla Walla Chapter

Cheryl O’Dell Battle Ground Chapter

Pam Stevenson Auburn PSEA Chapter

Gina Coleman Tacoma Nutrition Services Chapter

Congratulations, and thank you all for stepping up. Stay tuned for more news surrounding the SEIU Convention in the coming issues of The VOICE.

For more information, including the full tally of votes that each nominee received, head to PSEClassified.org.

FROM THE PEN OF THE PRESIDENTWe have a special place in the education of students.

Whether you have direct contact with them either on a bus or in a classroom, or if you are a technical support person at a university working behind the scenes, you have helped our state’s future leaders realize their potential in their educational careers.

We engage with them on many different levels. I have seen custodians mentor kids who may be in crisis and food service workers who are role models for good nutrition and even good manners. Your dedication to students shines bright.

Take this special time, during Classified Public School Employee Week, to honor each other and celebrate our place in education. We are extraordinary professionals who make a difference.

Belong and Be Strong,

Reen DoserState PresidentPSE/SEIU Local 1948

P.O. Box 798Auburn, WA 98071-0798

UPCOMING EVENTS

GET CONNECTED...

Belong and Be StrongMember Engagement March 8th-10th In Tri-Cities, WA

Belong and Be StrongMember EngagementMarch 13th-17thSpokane, WA

Classified School Employee WeekMarch 14th-18th

PSE Board of Directors MeetingMarch 19thState Office in Auburn, WA

NW Regional SEIU IGNITE! ConferenceApril 1-2, 2016

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866-820-5652

Text “PSE” to 787753 for text alertsStay up-to-date with your union today!

PSE Convention Registration OpensApril 13th

School Nutrition Employee WeekMay 9th-13th

SEIU International Convention May 21st-23rd In Detroit, MI

TEAM II ConferenceJune 24th-26thIn Kennewick, WA

PSE ConventionAugust 5th-7thIn Kennewick, WA