SBO Vote -- The vote will be on Wednesday 11-8-06

To the staff of QHST:

The Smaller Learning Communities have opted to deviate from the contract and change the monday meetings to meet their needs. Whenever this is done -- i.e., changing the contract, a School-Based Option vote must take place. In order to comply with this regulation, we must have an SBO vote. Below is e-mail that Washington Sanchez, who works with SBO schools, sent me explaining the SBO process.

SBO PROCEDURES – HIGHLIGHTS


A School Based Option is a process that allows a change to the UFT contract to be voted on. The contract cannot change unless the Chapter Leader agrees to have a vote and 55% of those who vote opt to change the contract (voting yes). While the Chapter Leader can refuse to have a vote, it is recommended that the issue be brought to a vote so that everyone gets a chance to express (through the secret ballot) their feelings on changing the contract. All SBO’s, if ratified, must also be approved by the principal and the District Representative, but if a SBO fails to gain ratification then the contract as negotiated by the UFT and the DOE must be maintained.

1. Explain the SBO to your staff. Give them an opportunity to read it.
2. Make sure you have an election committee set up to conduct the voting and report the results.
3. Advertise the SBO vote for 5 days.
4. Make the voting as accessible to UFT members as possible. (several lunch periods)
5. ALL UFT MEMBERS WHO WORK IN YOUR SCHOOL DAILY (substitute teachers excluded) may vote.
6. The voting MUST BE DONE IN ONE DAY. If a person is absent for personal reasons there can’t be an absentee ballot. If a person is on school business (non-attendance) you should make every effort necessary to allow this person to vote on the day of the SBO vote.
7. There must be 2 persons guarding the ballot box.
8. The election committee must count ballots directly following the conclusion of the voting. Everyone is welcome to watch the counting of the ballots. They must save the ballots. The outcome of the vote must be posted on the UFT bulletin board ASAP.
9. IN ORDER FOR THE SBO TO BE RATIFIED IT NEEDS THE APPROVAL OF 55% OF THE UFT MEMBERS WHO VOTED.
10. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DEFEAT OR THE PASSING OF THE SBO TO YOUR STAFF.
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As you can see, I will need an election committee to assist with the vote.

Below is the submission form, which will also be posted on the UFT bulletin board.

School-Based Option
Submission Form
In Accordance with Article 8B

Submission Date:

The Queens H.S. for Teaching, Liberal Arts, and Sciences
74-20 Commonwealth Boulevard
Bellerose, NY 11451

UFT Chapter Leader: Michael Lieber

Principal: Nigel Pugh

I. Proposal
The Queens H.S. for Teaching, Liberal Arts, and Sciences will allow its Smaller Learning Communities to decide through a secret ballot to have their Faculty and Department conferences on Mondays or another day of the week. This day will be assigned for these conferences for the entire school year.

II. UFT Contract Articles/ Department of Education Regulations
Article 7 Section Q1

III. Specific Changes
School conferences held in September and June shall be held on school time. The Queens H.S. for Teaching, Liberal Arts, and Sciences will allow each community to decide on a day of the week when they will hold their Faculty and Department conferences. Each SLC will make the decision through a secret ballot process. The election committee will certify the results of the voting in each Communite.

IV. Staff Affected
All UFT members required to attend faculty conferences and grade conferences