Welcome!

END-OF-THE-YEAR NEWS 2026

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear FUTA members,

We did it! Another year in the books. It has been an honor representing you as our FUTA president and I am so grateful for you trusting me to take on this role for our union. The efforts we have collectively put forth this year have been extraordinary. A huge thank you to our executive board members, bargaining team members, grievance chairs, site representatives and committee members. They put in many hours of work to support and advocate for us all. If you see them around, please join me in thanking them for all of their hard work. 

I also have a special shout out to the Special Education department. I was given the opportunity to witness awesome programs in action alongside our SPED Director Ms. Tafoya. I observed some truly inspiring work and wanted to recognize you all. 

I am a reflector in all things I do. As this year comes to a close, I have taken time to reflect on the job I've done as our union president. This job is not easy and I commend our past presidents for the work they have done. I know there are areas where I can continue to improve and refine my leadership as we head into the next school year. At the same time, I also feel confident that we have made some great strides in our union involvement and advocacy and I look forward to the continued growth together.

As a reminder, FUTA is an association that falls under the  CTA and NEA. That means we have major connections to much bigger change and support. Both the CTA and NEA have resources available to us at our local level. Don't forget to look into what our associations have to offer you. Not only do we have direct support from the CTA staff but we also have access to amazing workshops, conferences and member benefits. 

To close, I wanted to say how amazing it is to work alongside such passionate, dedicated, intelligent educators. Thank you for the amazing work you do every day! 

WE are the union. 

In solidarity, 

Jaymee Ramos 

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING SPONSORS!

We are so incredibly grateful to the local businesses that donated to our FUTA Social:

Red Engine Brewery

Roan Mills

Mountain View Inn (Piru)

Winston's

Central Nails

Bank of Sierra

Central Station

J&L Food Co.

REP COUNCIL MEETINGS

Please join us for Rep Council! Meetings will be held on ZOOM this year at 3:45PM. 
All members are welcome!

5/4/26 

BARGAINING UPDATE

Your bargaining team met with FUSD on 5/11/2026 for contract negotiations. It was a productive day. 

FUTA proposed language on: 

• Article 6 (Hours of Employment): FUTA proposed a compensation model for teachers required to attend meetings such as IEP’s, SST’s, and 504 meetings held after the end of the contractual day

• Article 19 FUTA (Class Size): FUTA responded to the district’s counter proposal including class cap sizes in general education classrooms and caps for caseloads of SLPs

• Collaboration MOU: We proposed a one year collaboration MOU, with an agreement to discuss collaboration and Article 6 (Hours of Employment) during the 2026-2027 negotiations cycle.

FUSD presented counterproposals to:

• Article 19

• Article 6 Hours and Employment (see attachment)

• Collaboration MOU: FUSD offered a 2-year Collaboration MOU with minimal changes

Your Bargaining Team,

Kristyn Bennett

Kristen Dewey

Anna Morielli

Tara Manly

Amy Layman 

Heidi Coffey

GRIEVANCES 

● In December, we had a level two grievance based on discrimination and retaliation that settled in favor of FUTA. 

● After participating in mediation, FUTA submitted our secondary Seniority grievance to arbitration. FUTA and FUSD met in April and selected an arbitrator. We are in the process of scheduling arbitration. 

CONTRACT CORNER: 

ARTICLE 7.4 CLASS SUSPENSIONS

7.4.1 A unit member may suspend a student from his/her class for the day of the suspension and the day following for any of the following actions:

• Caused, attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person.

• Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property

• Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of the teacher

• Any other infraction as enumerated in Education Code 48900

7.4.1.1 The teacher shall immediately report the suspension to the principal, or designee, for appropriate action. As soon as possible, the teacher shall ask the parent or guardian of the pupil to attend a parent-teacher conference regarding

the suspension. An administrator will attend the conference if either parent or teacher so requests.

7.4.1.2 A student suspended by a teacher shall not be placed in another teacher’s

classroom for that designated period of class suspension.

7.4.1.3 If steps outlined above are taken with respect to a student, and the behavioral problem continues to exist, the teacher and the principal/designee shall continue, in a cooperative fashion, to discuss and attempt to identify and

implement a resolution to the problem.

7.4.2 No teacher shall be required or asked to take a suspended student into his or her

classroom pursuant to Education Code 48910.

7.4.3 A teacher has the right to suspend a student pursuant to Education Code 48910 or ask the principal to suspend a student.

7.4.4 No teacher shall receive a negative evaluation based solely on the exercise of his or her right pursuant to Education Code 48910 or the use of the district or school site disciplinary plan. The legal application of Education Code 48910 or the District or

School discipline plan shall not be used as a negative indicator of performance in a teacher’s formal evaluation.

7.4.5 Nothing herein shall prevent teachers, with the approval of the principal, from including in their written classroom discipline plan a provision whereby a student may be sent to another teacher’s classroom, with the agreement of that teacher, as an

alternative to a classroom suspension. For safety reasons, the school office shall be notified by the sending teacher.