Monday, November 26, 2012
The vote comes a month after a short-lived teachers' strike and a marathon negotiating session that ended it. The board voted to amend the school calendar so the day missed because of the strike will be made up at the end of the year.
The District 112 School Board and members of the North Shore Education Association voted last week to approve a new two-year contract for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years, according to District 112. Want Highland Park news in your inbox? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. The vote comes a month after a short-lived teachers' strike and a marathon negotiating session that ended it. The board voted to amend the school calendar so the day missed because of the strike will be made up at the end of the year. "The board was very happy this contract leaves them with a balanced budget without needing to draw from reserve funds," district spokeswoman Andi Rosen told the Chicago Tribune last week. Details from the newly approved contract …
Friday, October 26, 2012
A few Highland Park middle school social studies teachers are bringing the upcoming Presidential election to life for students, who will get their first crack at voting much earlier than most.
On Nov. 6, millions of Americans will cast votes to determine who will be President come 2013. On Nov. 2, the student body at Elm Place Middle School will do the same thing. For Elm Place social studies teacher John Whitehead, the upcoming Presidential election presents an invaluable opportunity to "bring history to life" with a mock election that the students are all invited to participate in. "This is a curriculum that every student should use," Whitehead said. "It's being a good citizen." Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Since mid-October, Whitehead has been introducing Elm Place students to the country's election process with the help of social studies teachers Chris Hull and Pete …
Friday, October 19, 2012
After a day-long strike and an over 14 hour-long bargaining session, Highland Park's elementary and middle school teachers have reached a tentative agreement with the District 112 School Board.
Highland Park residents are still awaiting more details about the tentative agreement reached by the city's elementary and middle school teachers' union and school board after one day of striking and over 14 hours of bargaining earlier this week. District 112 Contract Negotiations: The Story So Far But that's not stopping readers from sharing excitement that the strike has ended. "I am pround of our teachers, but am also pround of the board," writes Lee on Patch. Many readers hope that the end of the strike means the beginning of a more in-depth conversation about the district's finances. "All of us need to accept that this district must undergo a dramatic redesign in order to avoid this exact situation in two to three years when the …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The Highland Park elementary and middle school board and teachers' union reached a tentative agreement after negotiating for over 14 hours. District 112 classes are back in session.
Update 10/17/12 at 8:05 a.m.: The teachers' strike has ended. All District 112 schools are open. The school board and teachers' union reached a tentative agreement early Wednesday morning, according to an email sent out by District 112 sent to residents at around 5:15 a.m. The two sides began Tuesday's bargaining session at noon and negotiated for over 14 hours, according to a Tweet put out by the North Shore Educations Associations (NSEA). "Going on 14 and 1/2 hours," the tweet read, "Still here." Details about the agreement have not yet been revealed, but should be available soon, according to District 112 and the NSEA. Earlier: Highland Park elementary and middle school teachers and children marched in front of a number of District 112 …
Monday, October 15, 2012
After hours of negotiations on Monday proved unsuccessful, Highland Park's middle and elementary school teachers' union declared a strike. All District 112 schools will be closed Tuesday.
Update 10/16/12 at 9:47 a.m.: District 112 School Board President Bruce Hyman has issued the following statement: While the board is disappointed that our teachers are on strike, today is a new day and a new opportunity to make progress. Another negotiating session is scheduled for noon, and the board negotiating team is looking forward to focusing its energies at the bargaining table and receiving a counteroffer from the union. More than 400 of our students will be attending activity centers at three of our schools while the strike is in effect. There has been an outpouring of support from other government agencies and nonprofit organizations who are offering an array of free or low-programming for our children. This includes the Park …
Highland Park's elementary and middle school board president says the looming teachers' strike is "personally painful" in a letter to community members.
- SCHOOLS
-
Monday, October 15, 2012
Dear North Shore School District 112 Community Members: Many of you have reached out to me over the past two days to ask that the board do everything possible to avoid a teacher strike. District 112 Contract Negotiations: The Story So Far I want to assure you that board members are committed to doing everything we can to arrive at a settlement that will be fair to our teachers and responsible to our community. I want to let you know that the situation we face is personally painful to me and to my fellow board members. Our community has a long, rich history of commitment to excellent schools. People who grew up here often return as adults because they want their children to benefit from the same outstanding education that they received…
Friday, October 12, 2012
Highland Park's elementary and middle school teachers plan to go on strike on Oct. 16. Here's everything you need to know about their strained negotiations with the school board.
Last week, District 112 teachers said they would go on strike on Oct. 16. Here's everything you need to know about why the negotiations between the Highland Park elementary and middle school teachers and the district are so strained and what will happen if things aren't resolved soon. District 112 Prepares for Teachers' Strike Highland Park's elementary and middle school district has assembled a contingency plan with the Park District and other organizations to provide programming for some of its 4,500 students, assuming the teachers go on strike. District 112 Teachers Set Strike Date for Oct. 16 Unable to reach a contract agreement with the District 112 Board of Education, Highland Park's elementary and middle school teachers have set a …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Highland Park's elementary and middle school board and teachers' union "remain significantly apart" in contract negotiations. Another meeting has been set for Oct. 15, the day before the teachers' strike is set to begin.
Update 10/11/12: Though the District 112 school board and teachers' union made some movement during Wednesday evening's most recent bargaining session, the two sides "remain significantly apart," according to an email sent at about 1 a.m. Thursda morning by school board president Bruce Hyman. The teachers' union proposed meeting again on Oct. 15. Meanwhile, the school board has requested the union withdraw its strike threat. The district's contingency plans remain in effect. Earlier: Highland Park's elementary and middle school district has been collaborating with the city's other governing bodies to figure out programming for the district's 4,500 students should the teachers' union begin its planned Oct. 16 strike. District 112 Contract …
Friday, October 5, 2012
Unable to reach a contract agreement with the District 112 Board of Education, Highland Park's elementary and middle school teachers have set a date to strike.
Still unable to come to an agreement with the school board for its contracts, the District 112 teachers' union has set a strike date of Oct. 16. District 112 Contract Negotiations: The Story So Far The board and the North Shore Education Association (NSEA) met on Oct. 4 for five hours to try and reach an agreement. The teachers have been working without contracts since August. "At the opening of the Oct. 4 mediation session, the Board presented an improved economic proposal that kept within its guiding principles of maintaining a balanced budget," wrote District 112 Board President Bruce Hyman in a letter posted on District 112's website. The board's new proposal "showed movement on key issues, including increased compensation, …
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A skeptical reader tackles everything about the strained negotiations between Highland Park's elementary and middle school teachers and the school board, from property taxes to salary increases.
I would like to spend some time here listing facts regarding the current District 112 contract negotiations and other issues in the district. First, some editorial: I do not trust any of the numbers being presented by the district or the union in public statements. I know it is usual practice for both sides in this type of situation to spin things, but I still find it frustrating. What is presented is probably accurate, but not the whole story. This is a prime example of the old adage, “You can make the numbers sing any way you want.” Note that you can do this without actually lying. Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Taxes: There is a lot of comment in public and the Patch about property…
forest barbieri
8:45 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
Super! I know it has ignited interest from my Elm Place student. Apparently, in the first conversation as to whom the children were going to vote for, Romney won hands down because of a popular YouTube video. After the kids went home and discussed with their parents their views were "reset" and now the majority is for Obama:) more ›