High Standards for High Tech
An Equity Project for Students AND Educators
Protect Project Based Learning
A Qualified Teacher and Support for Every Classroom
Sustainable and Stable Working Conditions
Equitable Pay for Educators
- HTEC educators believe in the project based learning model and want to establish contract language that allows it to not only continue, but flourish as a model across the region.
- To do this we need binding contract language that ensures class sizes and caseload limits are manageable and sustainable.
- Our students are ultimately harmed if class sizes and caseloads are not protected in a way that facilitates our authentic field work, stunning exhibitions, and student-centered learning experiences.
A Qualified Teacher and Support for Every Classroom
- Our region is suffering from the crippling effects of a shortage of qualified substitute teachers.
- When a teacher is out there is no guarantee that a substitute will be provided, leaving educators scrambling and stretching our staff even further and thinner.
- HTEC members want a guarantee that a substitute will be provided when teachers are out, and a system in place to ensure students have a qualified teacher every day.
- We realize that emergencies happen, so we want a process that makes classroom coverage fair and sustainable for everyone.
Sustainable and Stable Working Conditions
- Educators should be treated as the professionals we are.
- This means providing job stability and due process, so that students know the teachers who teach them today will still be at High Tech when they graduate.
- As in any other job, educators must have the ability to use sick and personal days to care for themselves and their families.
- We must be provided lunch and restroom breaks to allow us to teach to our amazing abilities.
- We need adequate preparation and planning time, so that our classrooms are ready to lead students.
- No one should be expected to work for free, yet High Tech educators are required to provide hours and days of work for no compensation from the school. Educators must receive pay for extra work required outside their normal work hours or days.
Equitable Pay for Educators
- Schools across the region are competing for quality educators, and HTH is not currently competitive.
- Too often we find that our colleagues are leaving for schools and districts that offer far more competitive pay and benefits.
- Ultimately it is our students who suffer when great teachers leave HTH, not because they want to but because they can’t afford to stay.
- We must have compensation that attracts and keeps our great teachers at HTH in order to continue the growth and momentum of progressive education through project based learning.
During September and October of 2021, bargaining input sessions were held at all sixteen HTH schools using a protocol crafted by our bargaining team:
HTEC Bargaining Team:
Chula Vista
Elementary - Avery Barnes
Middle/HS - Hayden Gore
North County
Elementary - Roxanne Sepheri
Middle/HS - Charley Jacob
Mesa
Elementary - Grady Gumner
Middle/HS - Julie Ruble
Point Loma
Elementary - Jenny Merrill
Middle - Mary Williams**
HS - Chris Mutter
All schools
At-Large - Carly Sumrow*
At-large - Chris Olivas
*Replaced Leizl Manalo, Jan 2022
**Replaced Ryan Luz, Jan 2022
Elementary - Avery Barnes
Middle/HS - Hayden Gore
North County
Elementary - Roxanne Sepheri
Middle/HS - Charley Jacob
Mesa
Elementary - Grady Gumner
Middle/HS - Julie Ruble
Point Loma
Elementary - Jenny Merrill
Middle - Mary Williams**
HS - Chris Mutter
All schools
At-Large - Carly Sumrow*
At-large - Chris Olivas
*Replaced Leizl Manalo, Jan 2022
**Replaced Ryan Luz, Jan 2022