PEM school board to expand coaching committee after teachers’ union takes new action this week
(ABC 6 News) -New developments concerning Plainview-Elgin-Millville’s controversial coaching committee emerged at Monday night’s school board meeting.
The teachers’ union attended the meeting where the school board shared a report from the coaching committee showing it will expand who can become a member to include coaches, students and community members.
The teachers’ union originally asked for the committee to be dissolved. Now, the union said they ultimately want the committee handled with a formal chain of command and more structure.
“We are appreciative of the fact they’re now looking at reevaluating the process for how the committee will be handled in the future and we hope there’s good follow through on that,” said Mike Matiash, a member of the PEM teachers’ union and lead negotiator for PEM.
The committee also submitted their recommendations for the spring and fall coaches which did include the girl’s softball coach. Those recommendations were approved.
“There’s got to be some compromise on both sides,” said Matiash. “Obviously, we have some big disagreements, or had some big disagreements, over how things should be done but it looks like both sides are willing to work on what’s best for the school and students.”
Dozens of parents were also at the meeting, many concerned with teacher’s new actions over the last few weeks, while remaining hopeful that a resolution is on its way.
“Some of the activities or clubs that they’re in is that just going to stop? I understand, I understand why the teachers are doing that,” said Jessica Locke. “You have to have some kind of leverage and I get it and so I would like that to be resolved for their sake.”
Locke has children in the district and says she has seen the struggles P.E.M. schools have been facing with her kids.
“One of my kids had to have one teacher overseeing two full classes because his teacher wasn’t able to find a sub,” said Locke. “I mean, that’s only a few hours and one time that kind of thing happens, but when that happens continuously, that takes away from all the kids learning and from the teacher’s ability to manage a classroom.”
Locke says one way that the district could improve is by implementing an operating levy.
“As a parent, that would help me knowing that my child is getting more funding in the schools and that the teachers are getting more funding,” Locke said. “The teachers have our kids half the day and they need to be able to do their jobs and do it well, and it’s a little bit of a financial impact for me but I think it’s worth it.”
Teachers with the union told ABC 6 News Monday night that they are not sure if there will be any new actions taken this Friday. Matiash says they need to sit down as a group and figure out what is next for the union.
The district’s superintendent, Darrin Strosahl, says he is pleased with how the meeting unfolded.
We have made progress and we are committed to working together to serve students. We are working to re-establish the proper roles and we are making progress in a positive direction. I’m appreciative of the board and staff who are stepping forward to bring people together.
Supt. Darrin Strosahl, P.E.M school district.
One of the teacher’s demands, which is better pay, will be discussed at a mediated meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
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(ABC 6 News) – At a school board meeting Monday night, Plainview-Elgin-Millville’s controversial coaching committee is expected to recommend the renewal of all head coaching positions.
RELATED: PEM Teachers call school board “out of touch” – ABC 6 News – kaaltv.com
However, Monday night’s school board meeting will not clear up all of the district’s concerns.
Since Friday, Dec. 8, the PEM teachers’ union ceased working at non-contracted events after 4 p.m., such as ticket-taking, or announcing and refereeing sporting events.
PEM teachers agreed to cease other non-contracted activities starting on Dec. 1. This includes no longer voluntarily substituting for each other’s classrooms or doing additional voluntary coverage during the school day that goes beyond normal classroom assignments.
The teachers will take further actions against the school board each Friday until several demands are met, including better pay, a dissolvement of the newly established “coaching committee” and a public apology to a fellow teacher and softball coach, according to union members.
The PEM school board has a Dec. 13 Negotiation Committee meeting scheduled to prepare for mediation with the union Dec. 19.
Tonight’s PEM school board meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the PK-3 Media Center, and will be live-streamed on YouTube.