Negotiations

WVEA Negotiations Team
Teresa Hebert

Joshua Henness
Lisa Peterson 

Our tentative agreement dated February 2, 2022 has been ratified by our members. 

Total number of ballots submitted 479

Number of yes votes 455

Number of no votes 24

School board’s approval occurred on February 16, 2022. 

The Walnut Valley Unified School District (District) and the Walnut Valley Educators' Association (WVEA) entered into negotiations for the 2021-2022 school year. This Tentative Agreement represents Article 4 and Article 10. The District and WVEA agree that negotiations will continue on Article 7, Article 11, Article 15.2, Article 15.4, Article 18, and Appendix Extra Pay Assignment Compensation Criteria. 

The District and WVEA agree to add or modify the following articles as follows: 

ARTICLE 4: EMPLOYEE HOURS, DAYS AND DUTY OBLIGATIONS 

4.1.2 (new)

Effective July 1, 2022, instructional minutes for unit members will be no less than the State minimum requirements for students and includes sufficient instructional minutes should a need or emergency exist. The District and WVEA agree to meet and confer to determine the scheduling of additional instructional minutes should a specific need exist or in the event the District is at risk of not meeting the state required instructional minutes and has not received a waiver and/or exemption. 

Instructional minutes are as follows: 

Transitional Kindergarten/Kindergarten: 44,255

Grades 1-3: 50,740

Grades 4-5: 54,300

Grades 6-8: 54,300-54,375

Grades 9-12: 65,160-65,235

4.1.3 (new): TK-5 Structured Collaboration/Professional Development (PD) 

Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, elementary bargaining unit members teaching in grades TK-5 shall have one (1) forty (40) minute, student-free period per week designated for structured collaboration, professional development, or teacher-directed time. During a month with four weeks, 80 minutes will be designated as teacher-directed time and 80 minutes will be designated as structured collaboration and/or professional development. If there is a fifth week in the month, the time will be used for structured collaboration. 

The weekly use of student-free time will be determined by the site leadership team with consensus from the staff. The site reserves the right to combine structured collaboration and professional development into one longer block of time as long as it is a minimum of 80 minutes in duration per month. Elementary faculty meetings listed in Article 4.5 may begin during the student-free teacher-directed time. 

4.2.2.2 (modified} 

Substitute teachers will be provided when the physical education teachers are absent. A roving substitute will be provided for a school within a ten (10) day period to allow a comparable period of release time when a substitute teacher is not available, 

4.2.2. 7 (modified) 

Bargaining unit members in grades TK-3 will be provided one release day per trimester,  to complete, district mandated benchmarks. 

Bargaining unit members in grades TK- 5 are subject to one release day per trimester as follows: 

• TK-3: One release day per trimester to complete district-mandated common assessments as applicable

• 4-5: One release day per trimester to complete report cards

Bargaining unit members may elect not to use the release day. Unit members may instead be compensated at the Board-approved daily rate for credentialed substitute teachers. Requests for release days must be submitted on the District's School Business Substitute form. 

4.2.2.8 (modified) 

Special Education classroom teachers will be given release time to conduct Federal/State mandated special education testing on an as needed basis as determined by the case carrier's state/federal testing timelines, as approved through site/district administration. Release time must be pre-approved by the site administrator in collaboration with district administration. The request for the release davy once approved by the administration, must be submitted on the District's School Business Substitute form. 

4.5 (modified)

Faculty meetings will commence no later than thirty (30) fifteen (15) minutes after school and will not exceed ninety (90) minutes, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. No mandatory faculty meeting will go past 5:00 p.m. Faculty meetings will not exceed thirty (30) fifteen (15) cumulative hours per school year.

4.5.1 Excluded from the thirty (30) fifteen (15) hours are the following meetings: 

4.5.1.1 Accreditation such as WASC, PCR, CCR, IB and CBEDS State/Federal mandates 

4.5.1.2 State, Federal and Program mandated pupil assessments and Golden State, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate 

4.5.1.3 All voluntary meetings, including the Site Leadership Team meeting 

4.5.1.4 Site Based n Making meetings will be voluntary and are not included in the thirty (30) hours. 

4.7 Staff Development Days (modified) 

In addition to staff development negotiated in other sections of Article 4, a A total of twelve (12) hours of staff development per teacher will be provided in two (2) six-hour days, one in the orientation week and one during the school year. The topic and format of staff development will be a collaborative effort involving District Office personnel, site administrators and affected teaching staff. 

ARTICLE 10: COMPENSATION - SALARY SCHEDULE

10.1.2 (new) 

Retroactive to July 1, 2021, the salary schedule for bargaining unit members will be increased by 2%. Retroactive to January 1, 2022, the salary schedule for bargaining unit members will be increased by 2.5% 

10.1.2 Furlough Restoration and 2% bonus  and 2% Bonus 

A 2% off-schedule bonus will be awarded to employees 

10.1.3 Effective July 1, 2014, the salary schedule for certificated bargaining unit members shall be increased by 2.5%. 

10.1.3.1 WVEA and the District agree to a 2.3% increase for the 2014-2015 school year on the salary schedule, retroactive to July 1, 2014. 

10.1.4 The salary schedule will reflect (2) two furlough days (182 day work. year) in the 2012/2013 school year. 

10.1.5 The district will restore (4) furlough days (180 day work yeaR) for the 2013/2014 school  year provided that the land sale is concluded prior to May 31, 2014. These days will be non-pupil professional development days. 

10.1.6 The district will restore (4) furlough days (180 day work yeaR) for the 2014/2015 school  year provided that the land sale is concluded prior to May 31, 2014. These days will be non-pupil professional development days. 

10.1.7 Effective July 1, 2015, the salary schedule for certificated bargaining unit members shall be increased by 4.8%. 

10.1.8 3 Fair Share (See Appendix) 

This Agreement is subject to approval by WVEA and the Board of Trustees. 

Tentatively agreed upon this 2nd day of February, 2022 at Walnut, California.

MOU Update 1/20/22

Virtual Teaching Contingency Plan during COVID-19 Pandemic

The Walnut Valley Unified School District (District) and Walnut Valley Educators' Association (WVEA) enter into this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding a need for a virtual teaching contingency plan during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

The District and WVEA agree as follows: 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recognized that bargaining unit members may experience a temporary shut down of their class, grade level, and/or school site. Should this occur, the bargaining unit member will provide virtual instruction to students from the classroom. The District will confer with WVEA should a need arise to consider the bargaining unit member providing instruction from a location other than the classroom. A reasonable accommodations meeting will be held to determine if the request and associated length of time can be accommodated. This provision must adhere to all employee leave requirements and mandates. One day of asynchronous instruction will be provided by the unit member to allow preparation for synchronous instruction. 

This MOU is subject to WVEA review and the approval of the Board of Trustees, and is in effect until May 26, 2022. 

MOU Update 9/30/21

COVID-19 Quarantine Orders and Teacher Substitutes

The Walnut Valley Unified School District ("District") and Walnut Valley Educators' Association ("WVEA") enter this Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") regarding the 2021-2022 school year related to COVID-19 Quarantine Orders and teacher substitutes.

The District and WVEA agree as follows:

COVID-19 Leave

Bargaining unit members will continue to be provided ten (10) COVID-19 leave days. Any COVID-19 leave used between January 1, 2021 - September 30, 2021 will be deducted from the ten (10) COVID-19 leave days. To qualify for available COVID-19 leave, beginning October 1, 2021, a bargaining unit member must have one of the following:

• Diagnosed Lab-confirmed case of COVID-19

• Symptoms related to the COVID-19 vaccine (up to two days leave per vaccine shot)

• Quarantined per the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH)

Length of quarantine is determined by the District, in compliance with LACDPH. Bargaining unit members will be required by the District to test for COVID-19 as a condition of this leave.

If COVID-19 state leave is extended or authorized, or federal leave is authorized, the District will discontinue the leave referenced above.

Release Time

Due to the statewide substitute shortage, a bargaining unit member who is provided a release day under the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, i.e. report cards, district mandated benchmarks, and self-contained high school teachers of moderate/severe students, may elect not to use the release day and be compensated $110 per release day.

This MOU is subject to WVEA review and the approval of the Board of Trustees, and is in effect until June 30, 2022. The provisions in this MOU do not apply to summer school employment. If the school or district is subject to closure, the Association and District agree to reconvene negotiations to address all elements of this MOU.

MOU update 9/1/21

COVID-19 Weekly Testing Related to State Mandate and COVID-19 Stipends 

The Walnut Valley Unified School District ("District") and Walnut Valley Educators' Association ("WVEA") enter this Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") regarding the 2021-2022 school year related to COVID-19 stipends and the state mandate for all school workers to provide evidence of full vaccination related to COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. 

The District and WVEA recognize the importance of maintaining safe learning environments for the benefit of the students, staff and communities served by the District and its certificated staff. 

The District and WVEA agree as follows: 

REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE PROOF OF FULL COVID-19 VACCINATION OR SUBMIT TO COVID-19 WEEKLY TESTING 

Per state mandate, and as a condition of employment, bargaining unit members will be required to test weekly for COVID-19 except where verification of fully vaccinated status has been provided to the District. A bargaining unit member is considered fully vaccinated two (2) weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two (2) weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson's vaccine. 

Beginning no later than Friday, September 17, 2021, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated bargaining unit members must submit results of a weekly COVID-19 test to Human Resources every Friday by noon. Failure of a bargaining unit member to provide vaccination status, weekly test results, and/or accurate information will result in unpaid leave. At a minimum, unpaid leave will result in the discontinuance of health and welfare benefits on the first day of the following month and a loss of STRS service credit. Bargaining unit members may submit a PCR or antigen test from any authorized facility, but no COVID-19 self-administered home tests will be accepted. Testing will be provided weekly at a minimum of two locations within the District boundaries. Employees can also utilize Brea Urgent Care, located at 395 W. Central, Brea, 92821 seven days a week, 8am - 8pm, for their COVID-19 testing requirements. No bargaining unit member will be responsible for testing costs if tested through the District's onsite location, any other District-sponsored location, and/or at Brea Urgent Care. 

Failure to follow state health orders implemented by the District (e.g. mask mandates, vaccination/testing requirements), employees will be subject to progressive discipline, up to and including termination. 

Stipends to Support COVID-19 Health Issues and Wrap Around Services 

School Nurse Temporary Stipend 

While the assignments under COVID-19 are within the nurses' job description, the volume of work related to COVID-19 has resulted in an extension of the work day. 

As it relates to the school nurses' essential functions of Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases, Emergency Care Responsibility, Health Counseling, Environmental Health and Safety Responsibilities, and Liaison to Community Agencies, the School Nurse has specific duties related to COVID-19 that have resulted in a temporary increase in the volume of work assigned to School Nurses. 

School Nurse COVID-19 Responsibilities may include: 

• Prioritizing the COVID "case" process, including contact tracing, parent/guardian communication, and submission of the Line List to Risk Management within 24 hours from the "case" being identified

• Serving on the COVID Compliance Team, under the direction of the Principal or the Designee (i.e., COVID Compliance Officer, AP) during the COVID "case" process

• Serving as Lead Contact Tracer, when feasible; meeting with tracing team and providing specific instructions on next steps for tracing

• Determining length of quarantine for students

• Coordinating communication with parent/guardian of "close contact"; reviewing parent script and tailoring to meet the needs of the specific case

• Acquiring vaccination status (and proof of vaccination) of close contacts

• Tailoring letter for "case" and "close contacts", including date of return

• Monitoring "case" and "close contacts" during quarantine and responding to parent health-related concerns

• Being accessible and providing training to staff, as needed, on COVID-related developments and safety practices

• Providing support to assigned school sites during a COVID-19 case up to 5:00 pm on work days; under extraordinary circumstances, nurses will provide COVID-19 case support to a site other than their own

• Other duties, as assigned, as it relates to health and safety of students and staff

In recognition of the COVID-19 responsibilities listed above that extend beyond contract hours, each School Nurse (bargaining unit member) in active status will receive a $500 monthly stipend, commencing September 1, 2021. The continuance of the monthly stipend will be based on the district fully providing in-person instruction. The need for a continued stipend will be re-evaluated monthly with the Association to determine its continuance. Should the District return to Distance Learning as a result of COVID-19, the stipend will be temporarily frozen. 

During a prolonged absence of a district nurse where the District is unable to secure a substitute and that results in additional duties being assigned to the other school nurses, the District agrees to provide an additional $200 monthly stipend to each school nurse in active status, subject to be prorated should a substitute become available or the original nurse return from absence during the month. 

SSRA STIPEND (Middle School)

As part of the District's 2021-2022  COVID-19 Testing and Wrap Around Services grant, each middle school SSRA will receive a $500 annual stipend to provide the following support to students that are required to be quarantined: 

• Serve as case manager for assigned grade level

• Ensure student has daily access to Independent Study materials and the substitute identified to provide instructional support during the school week

• Identify additional tutoring students may need in a core content area, and ensure the student receives timely support by his/her teacher or content area teacher

• Check in with student and family on a daily basis

• Identify social and emotional needs of students, and provide support

• Collaborate with administrators to provide information related to quarantined student report

It is understood this agreement is subject to WVEA review and the approval of the Board of Trustees. 

The MOU language related to the state order to provide proof of full vaccination or be subject to weekly testing is in effect as long as the state order exists. The stipends will comply with the language listed above. 

If the vaccination/testing order is modified or eliminated, and/or if the school or district are subject to closure, the Association and District agree to reconvene negotiations to address all elements of this MOU. 

Medical Insurance

Insurance rates came in considerably lower for Kaiser. Blue Shield rates have increased. Please take time to review these rate increases for Blue Shield that will go into effect in January. Information on the Health Benefits Fair will be coming out soon.

Paycheck stubs

Please check your pay stubs to be sure they are correct. (Monthly pay, deductions, etc.) The district can go back and deduct overpayment with no restriction on the number of years. Members can only be compensated for inaccuracies up to 2 years. Also, please check that your information is accurate on the Employee Information Report sent to you by Deanna Jordan.

COVID Update

If a student is a close contact and is not vaccinated or has symptoms, he or she must quarantine for up to 10 days. The quarantine period can be reduced to seven (7) days if the student tests negative at Day 6 and shows proof of a negative test. In any instance, the student should not return to school until fever-free for 24 hours.

Student #1 Student #2

•Close Contact •Close Contact

•Vaccinated •NOT Vaccinated

•No Symptoms •No Symptoms

Returns to Class (No Quarantine) Mandatory Up to 10 Days Quarantine per LA County Public Health Guidelines

The district follows LA County Public Guidelines.

New California Public Health Order

The new health order requires all school employees to be vaccinated (provide proof of vaccination) by Oct. 15 or take weekly COVID tests. Diane Perez, assistant superintendent of human resources has already sent out emails regarding this new order. The reason the district is requiring this to be done before Oct. 15 is that they need to identify those that are not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated to prepare them for weekly testing. It is also a lot of people to process and it takes time to work out the kinks before Oct. 15. In order for the district to be in compliance they need to have everything in place before Oct. 15. Please follow the timelines the district has sent to you.

Fully Vaccinated requirement:

If you have been fully vaccinated please upload your proof of vaccination no later than Friday, September 3, 2021. Check your email dated 8/22/21 for the link Diane Perez provided.

Not Fully Vaccinated requirement:

If you have not been fully vaccinated or are going to take a COVID test every week please click on the link Diane Perez provided on 8/22/19. You will indicate on the form that you are not vaccinated. Human Resources will contact you no later than Friday, September 10, 2021 to notify you of your state requirement to test weekly. Information on how to upload your weekly COVID test will be provided to you.

This is a state mandated requirement. The consequence for not following this mandate is to be placed on UNPAID leave until you meet the requirement by either providing proof of vaccination or your weekly COVID test.

Virtual Classroom Updates

• Elementary

• Virtual Independent Study (IS) - Classes are now Full, need to hire 5 additional teachers (will work from RHA, but will be part of Collegewood)

• Waitlist - Approx 50 kids receiving packets and daily check ins (30 mins), intervention teachers (Edgenuity)

• Quarantine - IS packet or teacher supplies work, teachers can get paid 30 mins per day for tutorial support if they want to.

• Middle School & High School

• Virtual IS - Classes are now Full

6th - Suzanne

7th - Chaparral

8th - South Pointe

• Edgenuity

  • • All High School is IS

    • Waitlist for IS

    • Support from Teachers at RHA may also need support from Edgenuity staff

• Quarantine

  • • Teachers supply work - short term IS

    • Teachers may provide tutorial - compensation 2 hrs per core content area per week

    • Instructional support from residential subs

Sunshine Items

There are two sunshine items that are already on the table:

1. Transfer language

2. Extra Pay Assignment Salary Schedule/Language (this item was already in progress but got put on hold when schools closed in March of 2020.)

We can sunshine one more item but it must be contractual. Let your reps know if there is an item that your school may want to sunshine.

Special Education meetings and other parent meetings

IEP meetings and other parent meetings can be held by either zoom, in-person or both, based on teacher comfort level.

Next negotiations meeting will be on Sept. 1st.

Topics in the MOU included the following:

1. Grade Span Adjustment (GSA) for TK-3. - The agreement between WVEA and the District for the TK-3 GSA ended this year, 2020-21. There will be a slight change on determining class sizes for TK-3 following the California state guidelines.

2. Class Sizes for Virtual Classrooms for 4-12. Class sizes will follow contract language.

3. Off-schedule bonus of 4% for 2020-21. Checks will be issued in July.

4. More specific information will be shared with Reps at the next Rep Council Meeting on Wednesday, May 19th.

The negotiating team is meeting with the district to discuss in-person instruction for the

2021-2022 school year. Two options will be presented to parents.

Option One: In-person instruction: This traditional model is designed for students coming to

school on campus. Students will attend the full day every day (5 days per week subject to

change based on capacity limitations due to adequate spacing of students), for example, from

8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., which includes break time and lunchtime. The in-person instruction will

be like the traditional instructional model where the teachers are teaching in-person students;

different from the Spring 2021 hybrid model. At any time Public Health directs closure of a

classroom or the entire school due to COVID-19 exposure, students and teachers will revert to

the Distance Learning model for a temporary time.

Option Two: Virtual Learning: Virtual Learning will be offered to Elementary and Secondary

students. However, only core courses and a limited number of electives will be offered at the

Secondary level. This model is for students who will commit to online learning for the duration

of the school year. Students will be assigned to teachers through an online program. They will

be required to log in daily and complete work during the school day in addition to assigned work

by online teachers.

The main purpose the district is sending out the 2021-2022 registration is to determine how

many students will be in-person or online. Once they have the numbers we will be able to

determine what the needs of each instructional model will be. Please look for an email from Dr.

Taylor within the next couple of days.

We are in the early stages of working with the district on the impact of these models to your

working conditions. At this time we do not know who will be teaching what classes or how

teachers will be selected to teach online. We will continue to keep you updated as negotiations

progress. Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14.

The negotiations team is meeting with the district on a regular basis to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on Bargaining Unit Members’ working conditions and to explore learning models for reopening when permitted to do so by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Below are some key topics from recent discussions. 

Addendum #3 to the MOU 

1.  Open House- Officially cancelled for the 2020-2021 school year. 

2. Covid Leave- The district has agreed to provide members with leave that will not come out of their normal sick days if it is related to COVID-19. This provides our members with similar leave to what was previously provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFRCA). This available leave is retroactive to January 5, 2021, which is when the FFRCA expired. 

3. PD, Collaboration, and Staff Meetings- After multiple discussions, WVEA and the District have agreed to adjust the MOU as it relates to Professional Development (PD) beginning March 1st during the final 3 months of the 2020-2021 school year. The district has agreed to remove PD and to reduce our overall minutes for meetings from 180 to 150 minutes per month. Staff meetings will continue to be limited to 60 minutes of the available 150 minutes. 

Staff Development Day 

This year's staff development day will be on Friday, February 19th. The schedule for the day will include site directed time in the morning, district provided lunch for pickup, and member directed time in the afternoon. 

The negotiations team is meeting with the district on a regular basis to discuss the impact of

Covid-19 on Bargaining Unit Members’ working conditions and to explore learning models for

reopening when permitted to do so by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Below are some key topics from recent discussions.

Covid Update

As of January 1st, Los Angeles County averages 127 new cases per 100,000. In order to be

removed from the most restrictive tier that number needs to come down to 7 cases per 100,000.

Under the Governor's reopening plan for Elementary it needs to come down to 28 cases per

100,000.

Sick Days

WVEA is in conversation with the district to make additional sick days available for members

who need them due to Covid.

MOU for Open House

District and WVEA are working on an addendum to the MOU to reflect the cancellation of Open

House for the 2020-2021 school year.

Parent Survey

District has decided to hold off on a parent survey until after the current surge of Covid cases, in

order to gather more accurate data.

PD Discussion

We are still working with the district to reduce the amount of professional development that is in

our MOU.

Computer/Device Update

Almost all MacBooks have been distributed. District is hoping to receive approximately 400 of

the HP laptops ordered by the end of the month.

State Testing Update

No news yet. There has been some talk of a condensed version of the test. We will need to

wait and see.

ELPAC Testing

• As of now, this test is still going to be given. The District does not have a waiver from the state at this time.

• The testing window is from February to May.

• Grades 3-12 will be tested remotely

• Grades K-2 will also be tested remotely however there is a written component required.

• The logistics of the written component are still being worked out.

EL Academy Update

• Elementary will focus on novice and level one. It will be held on Saturday from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. A grab and go lunch will be provided for the students.

• Secondary will focus on students in danger of failing. It will be held three times per week from 3:00-4:30.

• The positions are voluntary and you had to apply for the job.

Early Tell Update

Remind members that the deadline to submit paperwork is February 1st.