CCS School Board “Conversations with Candidates” Video Series

The Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation, the Carmel Education Foundation, and OneZone Chamber of Commerce have partnered to present a series of conversations among the nine Carmel Clay School Board candidates.  This joint effort is intended to educate members of the Carmel community about the role of school board members as well as to introduce the candidates in a non-partisan and community-based setting.

“We are excited to partner with the Carmel Education Foundation and the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation on these videos to connect residents and businesses in the community with those running for school board. Our schools are our greatest asset in attracting companies and people to call Carmel home.”

Jack Russell, President and CEO of OneZone Chamber of Commerce

Representatives from the three non-profit organizations created a survey listing nine important responsibilities of a school board member that was made available for resident input.  Based on survey results, the top four issues that community members wanted to hear candidates speak about were staffing, school safety, mental health and the creation, oversight, and implementation of district policy.  As it currently stands, there are over 100 policies that are reviewed each year to assure there is compliance with state and federal standards.

Candidates represent one of three districts, but it is important for voters to know that they may vote for one school board candidate from each district- this is not typical in an election. School board candidates are non-partisan. Currently, three of the five Carmel Clay school board seats are up for election. Two at-large members, Katie Browning and Louise Jackson, will remain on the board for two more years. Candidates are elected to four-year terms.

Candidates met, by the district they represent, at Hotel Carmichael in a roundtable format which was moderated by Russell. All candidates responded to four questions that varied from how they would support teachers and staff, their thoughts on the current and future use of Safety Referendum funds, and how they would like to address the mental health challenges facing our schools.  Candidates also identified polices they felt currently work well and which they would like to change if elected.

Jennifer Penix, Executive Director, Carmel Education Foundation says, “We hope that everyone takes the time to view these videos and follow up with the candidates to ask questions and have important conversations. Our goal was to help our neighbors make an informed vote – either early or at the polls on November 8, 2022.”  The Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation, the Carmel Education Foundation, and OneZone Chamber of Commerce will not endorse or promote individual or groups of candidates. All links will be posted on these presenting organization social media pages: @CarmelEdFdn, @OneZoneChamber.

There are five separate recordings for the series: 

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For more information on the presenting organizations, please visit:

www.ccs.k12.in.us/foundation
https://carmelclaylibrary.org/
https://www.onezonechamber.com/

Stay Informed

CTA wants all teachers to stay informed regarding the possibility of Valor Charter School opening a school in Carmel. Please read the following story from The Current in Carmel for background information. Please make note of the link at the bottom of the article that asks for public feedback regarding the potential opening.

All feedback needs to be sent by Friday afternoon.

Click here for Article

Have You Joined CTA?

Thank you to all the new Members!  We are excited to welcome you into this amazing group of Educators!

This is the last week to join CTA and receive payroll deduction!
 

Current Members: You are all set, no forms to fill out!  Your membership continues from last year. Thank you for being a part of our team! If you have changed school buildings, last name, or email address, please email Shari.

New Members: Thank you for joining CTA!  Please click on this link for the CTA membership form. You will have a choice to choose from payroll deduction or pay by check.  If you would like to have a payroll deduction, you must fill out this form by September 23.  

Dues are $99 for the year.
The payroll deduction dates are October 14, 28 and Nov. 10. 
Cash/check payments need to be sent to Shari Rohr by September 23.

Have Questions? Contact Shari Rohr: srohr@ccs.k12.in.us or ext 2122

Membership Drive Kickoff 2022

Welcome back to the 2022-2023 school year! CTA is excited to kick off our membership drive for this year.

Current Members: You are all set, no forms to fill out!  Your membership continues from last year. Thank you for being a part of our team! If you have changed school buildings, last name, or email address, please email Shari.

New Members: Thank you for joining CTA!  Please click on this link for the CTA membership form. You will have a choice to choose from payroll deduction or pay by check.  If you would like to have a payroll deduction, you must fill out this form by September 23.  

Dues are $99 for the year.
The payroll deduction dates are October 14, 28 and Nov. 10. 
Cash/check payments need to be sent to Shari Rohr by September 23.

Have Questions? Contact Shari Rohr: srohr@ccs.k12.in.us or ext 2122

Welcome to 2022-23 School Year

Welcome back! I hope all of you enjoyed the summer and are ready for the 2022-2023 school year. The CTA is excited to work with teachers and administrators this year to facilitate conversations, solve problems, and support teachers as we navigate through another year.

The CTA was busy this summer. We worked on a variety of topics and concerns and attempted to solve problems in ways that would satisfy teachers. One of the difficult parts of this job is knowing that teachers aren’t always satisfied with the results of these conversations. One example of this involves the decision to create a morning supervision rotation at the elementary level. The CTA met with district administration several times this summer in an attempt to create a plan that a) solved the complex problem of double bus routes, carpool drop off, and unsupervised students b) valued teachers’ time. Ultimately, these conversations resulted in a compromise. This is the nature of our work. The CTA must brainstorm possible solutions, point out flaws in some of the proposed solutions, and then let the decision-makers decide. While not every decision is exactly what the CTA wants, the conversations and the compromises are proof that the process works. The CTA supports the teachers, and administration listens and values the input we provide. Sometimes our input results in a decision that satisfies teachers; sometimes it doesn’t, but that will not prohibit the CTA from continuing the important work of advocating for our teachers. We have been advocating for CCS teachers since October 2013, and we will continue to support you this year.

I want to remind you that we are entering the second year of the two-year contract negotiated last year. All teachers will receive a 3% raise and eligible teachers will also receive a step increase. Please refer to the salary scale in the contract for specific dollar amounts.

I also want to remind you that our CTA membership drive will begin in September. Look for more information soon from your Building Contacts.

I am proud to serve as your CTA President. Please reach out to the CTA Board or your Building Contacts with any concerns you have. Best of luck to you this year!

Mark Wien
CTA President