CONGRATULATIONS -- AASD OFFICERS ELECTED FOR 2023-24 AND 2024-25. Congratulations to the following AASD Officers who have been elected for a two-year term effective July 1, 2023:
President: Dr. Jolie Pickett, Principal, Garfield High
Vice President-Classified: Jeff Thomas, School Site Operations Specialist, CCTE
Vice President-Certificated: Irene Hightower, Principal, Hancock Elementary
Secretary-Treasurer: Gina Camacho-McGrath, Principal, Miller Elementary
AASD would like to congratulate our new Officers on being elected. We also thank Vice President-Certificated, Scott Thomason, for his dedicated service to AASD over the past decade. Scott served on the Board of Directors, Executive Board, Bargaining Team (member and Chair) and various AASD committees such as the Professional Development and Legislative committees. Thank you, Scott, for your dedication to AASD and for representing your principal and other colleagues well. Scott will transition off the Board on June 30.
DEADLINE, APRIL 28! AASD DISTINGUISHED LEADER AWARDS. Each year, AASD honors a number of members as AASD Distinguished Leaders. Please consider nominating a colleague for this award. We have wonderful co-workers throughout our AASD bargaining unit and in our retiree ranks who are worthy of recognition. The AASD Member Relations Committee is hopeful that you will take the time to nominate someone who goes "Above and Beyond!" Any member can nominate a colleague from any category (example: a Principal could nominate a BSS III/POS or a Food Services Area Supervisor could nominate an Associate Principal, etc.). The winners will be recognized in June at our annual Summerfest Celebration on June 23, 2023.
DEADLINE, APRIL 28! ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS/ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALS – COULD YOUR TK/KINDERS BENEFIT FROM AASD'S HOMEWORK KITS? Since 2014, AASD has been funding “homework kits” for incoming Kindergarten and TK students at a deserving elementary school (or schools). The Homework Kits are filled with school supplies that students can use at home when completing their homework.
If you would like your elementary site to be considered for the Homework Kits for the opening of the 2023-24 school year, please complete and submit the application no later than April 28, 2023. The AASD Member Relations Committee will review the applications and select the school(s) to receive the Homework Kits. The lucky school(s) will be announced at the beginning of June.
RSVP REQUIRED FOR AASD MAY 11 MEMBERSHIP MEETING -- ALL MEMBERS IN GOOD
STANDING, AFFILIATE MEMBERS, AND RETIRED MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. AASD will be holding a membership meeting on Thursday, May 11, at 4:00-7:00 PM for all Members in Good Standing, Affiliate Members, and Retired Members. The location is Marina Village, 1936 Quivira Way, Seaside Room. The Seaside Room is at the north end of the complex. This is a business meeting as well as a social event and your attendance is encouraged. Additionally, voting will also occur for AASD Board of Directors positions (only AASD Members in Good Standing may vote). The schedule for the May 11 membership meeting is as follows:
4:00 to 5:15 p.m. Check In
Heavy Appetizers and Beverages (Beer, Wine, Sangria, Iced Tea,
Lemonade, Coffee)
Visiting With Our Vendor Partners
Networking/Social
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Business Meeting Including Introduction of Candidates for AASD Board of
Directors Positions and Important Business/Bargaining Updates
6:15 to 7:00 p.m. Raffle for Door Prizes (must be present to win!) and Continued
Networking/Social
IMPORTANT: For planning purposes and due to the cost of the event (food and beverages) an RSVP is required by May 1, 2023. Please RSVP if you are attending by clicking the link below.
Note – Due to the cost of the food/beverages, if you RSVP and then find you cannot attend, you must notify the AASD office by close of business on May 1 to cancel your RSVP.
We are looking forward to seeing you at our AASD Membership Meeting! YOUR Union is only as strong as the participation of the members! This meeting is for all AASD Members in Good Standing, Affiliate Members, and Retired Members only. BARGAINING UPDATE.
BARGAINING UPDATE. AASD and the District mutually agreed to cancel the April 12 bargaining as the
BARGAINING UPDATE. AASD and the District mutually agreed to cancel the April 12 bargaining as the District is still reviewing and waiting for direction from the Board of Education on financial priorities. The next bargaining session is scheduled for April 26.
AASD TAKES A POSITION ON STATE LEGISLATION Our Legislative and Political Affairs (LAPA) Committee has been busy reviewing various bills affecting our members and students this legislative year. If our LAPA Committee determines that AASD should make the state legislature aware of our position, they bring forward a recommendation to the Executive Board and the Board of Directors. If both boards agree, a letter is generated and sent to the appropriate Legislative Committee and the bill's author. AASD’s position is then officially recorded for the public to view.
Are you interested in being a member of the LAPA Committee? We would love your participation! If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Donis Coronel at donis@unitedadmin.us.
AASD SUPPORTS OUR MEMBERS. Read below for an example of how AASD serves our members.
AASD AASD recently participated in the district’s Wellness Fair at the Ed Center on April 12. It was wonderful to see many of our members there and to meet those aspiring to be on the management team. There was an abundance of vendors with a variety of items related to employee wellness. Thank you to AASD Board of Directors members Troy Hickey, Susan Kent, and AASD staff Linda Crout-Hamel and Donis Coronel for representing AASD at this event.
This is another example of what AASD does to support our members. If you need assistance from AASD, please contact the office at 619-295-2118 or e-mail the Executive Director, Donis Coronel, atdonis@unitedadmin.us.
JOB POSTINGS FOR CERTIFICATED POSITIONS AND CLASSIFIED POSITIONS IN THE AASD UNIT AASD has been asked to publish the job postings in our Weekly Update. AASD also suggests that all applicants (classified and certificated) mark their calendars to check weekly for new job postings each Monday. This way, you will not miss out on a posting you might be interested in (as all jobs in the AASD unit must be posted for 10 days).
SPECIAL GRATITUDE When members wish to show their gratitude for other district staff, please contact Donis Coronel at donis@unitedadmin.us and AASD will publish that message of gratitude in the next Weekly Update.
CONDOLENCES AASD acknowledges deaths of our members, retirees, or their immediate family members via the Weekly Update. If you have information on a death to be reported in the AASD Weekly Update, please contact any of the staff at the AASD office with the information. We appreciate your help with this – we don’t always know right away when a death has occurred or the information on services.
AASD sends sincere condolences to the family and colleagues of our AASD Member in Good Standing, Shannon Dearborn, Program Manager, SPED. Shannon passed away unexpectedly on April 16. In the words of her colleague Michelle Spence:
“We unexpectedly lost a very loved member of our program manager team this week. I can’t stop thinking about her and her family and am so grateful for the time that I was able to spend with her and learn from her. She was loving, kind, reflective, and a servant leader. She loved the students she served both at work and also as a CASA/Guardian Ad Litem, and she especially loved her dog, Bailey. Shannon - thank you for your insights and for always sharing your learnings with us. We love you and are all so very sad to have lost you. It’s been a heavy week. I am very grateful for my team right now.”
REMINDERS
LOOKING FORWARD - MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! MORE INFORMATION TO COME! AASD Summerfest End of the Year Event – June 23, 2023 at 5:00 PM at Marina Village. Free to all AASD Members in Good Standing, Retired Members, and Affiliate Members. More information will be forthcoming.
ESTATE PLANNING – DISCOUNT FOR AASD MEMBERS! AASD has a partnership with Greg Runge, Estate Planning Attorney. Greg has over 12 years of experience practicing in the areas of wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, and advance health care directives. He has been providing this service to our members for many years. In addition to his legal work, Greg is also a Lieutenant with a local police department, where he is in his 22nd year of service as a sworn officer. As a public employee, Greg is very aware of the unique estate planning issues that can come into play with our members. Greg has focused his legal practice on providing essential estate planning services to public employees and their families at an affordable rate. This benefit is available to all AASD Members in Good Standing, AASD Affiliate Members and AASD Retired Members.
Greg is offering this service to our members for a flat fee of $950, which is 50% off the going rate for estate planning (more complex or very large estates may require a higher fee that would be individually negotiated with the member).
To contact Greg Runge, please e-mail gregrunge@gmail.comor call (858) 395-4011 and be sure to mention you are an AASD member, so you receive the discounted rate.
AASD OFFICE Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday. We ask that you call the office before visiting to ensure that a staff member is in the office and not offsite at an appointment, running work-related errands, or at lunch. To check in before visiting, the office phone number is 619-295-2118.
The AASDWeekly Update will continue as usual on Thursdays with important news and information for AASD members.
MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS (ACSA). ACSA is a statewide organization for school leaders, serving more than 17,000 California educators and administrators in 19 regions throughout California, each made up of local charters. ACSA’s Mission: The Association of California School Administrators is the driving force for an equitable, world-class education system, and the development and support of inspired educational leaders who meet the diverse needs of all California students. Visit ACSA's website at acsa.orgfor more information about this organization.
Deborah Burke is our Region 18 ACSA Membership Services Representative. She is local and your completed membership applications can be sent directly to her. By completing your application and signing it, then scanning and attaching it to an email to Deborah, you will expedite the processing of your application. If you have any questions about ACSA, cost, benefits, opportunities, etc., please reach out to Deborah at dburke@acsa.org or at (619) 504-3512.
The following types of ACSA membership are available, as applicable, to people in San Diego Unified/AASD. All memberships can be paid by payroll deduction, personal check, or Mastercard/VISA. The following are descriptions of each type of application. SELECT UNION DISTRICTMembership: Click here for application. $1/day($30.42/month) for remainder of the current school year. Dues are prorated after July 1. Member may choose to be a Regular Member with full benefits or be a Consolidated Member, without legal support, but can contact advocates for limited consultation. Standard dues begin July 1 of their second year of membership.
ASSOCIATEMembership: (associate on cover – with Business Reply Mail cover) $250/year and prorated for new members joining after July 1. Can be paid by check (full amount), Payroll deduction (3 equal installments of $83.33; not offered after September), or VISA/Mastercard (full payment). Click here for application. RETIREDMembership: (2 types) Click here for application. Emeritus Lifetime - $700 (a one-time fee). May be paid in (3 equal installments of $233.34 (not offered after September), via Master Card/VISA (full payment), or via a personal (full payment) check. Full Regular- $125/year paid via a monthly deduction from member’s STRS pension via a payroll deduction, or Master Card/VISA (full payment), or a personal check (full payment).
If you wish to use ACSA's online application process to join, click here for the “Steps for Joining ACSA.”
DISCOUNT MOVIE TICKETS. AASD has both AMC and Regal Entertainment Group (Regal/Edwards/UA) movie passes available to members in good standing, affiliate and retired members. Regal tickets are $9.00 each. These passes have no expiration date and are unrestricted, so they can be used any time and for newly-released movies.
The AMC tickets are $10.25 each, have no expiration date, and do not have any restrictions. Contact AASD to purchase tickets or if you have any questions.
Placing and fulfilling an order can be done via phone, email and U.S. mail. Please contact Linda Crout-Hamel linda@unitedadmin.usat the AASD Office if you are interested.
IMPORTANT - PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS. AASD communicates with members via personal e-mail address. We do not communicate via "sandi.net." If you know of a colleague that is not receiving the Update, or if your personal email address changes, please remember to notify AASD by e-mailing Linda Crout-Hamel atlinda@unitedadmin.us.
UNION PLUS - MONEY-SAVING PROGRAMS FOR AFSA MEMBERS AFSA membership is provided to all AASD Members in Good Standing at no additional cost. For more information regarding AFSA and Union Plus benefits, please visit their website: https://www.theschoolleader.org/
IMPORTANT: For Members in Good Standing and Affiliate Members who have added AFSA -- If you have not turned in the “Combined AFSA Benefits Information Form,” please submit the form immediately. This form must be submitted in order to be eligible for the professional liability, legal services, etc. You do not need to list your full social security number on the form; however, AFSA has requested that you provide at least the last four digits. For a copy of the form, click here
For all our Members in Good Standing, and Affiliates and Retirees who have selected to be members of AFSA, there are many money-saving programs offered to you. Click here to review your many options!
IMPORTANT – ELECTRONIC LINK AVAILABLE! FILL OUT YOUR AASD MEMBERSHIP RECOMMITMENT FORM NOW! This information pertains to current AASD members who were AASD members prior to June 28, 2018. It does NOT apply to Affiliate members or Retired members. Many have asked how to “re-join” AASD in light of the Supreme Court Decision, Janus v. AFSCME. If you were an AASD member on June 27, 2018, per the Decision, you automatically stayed as an AASD "Member in Good Standing" and will remain so. However, we are asking all AASD members to re-commit to AASD by completing the Google form (link below). This re-confirms your AASD membership and ensures that you have access to the benefits of being an AASD member – legal representation, AASD representation, discounted services, scholarships for your children, professional development reimbursements, etc.
Some of you have already filled out the new membership form over the past year – if so, it is not necessary to complete it again. If you have any questions regarding the re-commitment form, please contact the AASD office at 619-295-2118 or e-mail one of the AASD staff members for assistance. Thank you in advance for your commitment to our Union – AASD.
To review the benefits of being an AASD member, please Click here.
AASD COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE POSTED ON THE AASD WEBSITE.The collective bargaining agreements (contracts) for the AASD classified unit and the AASD certificated unit are posted on the AASD website. The District no longer provides a hard copy to AASD members. You are welcome to view the contracts on our website and feel free to print a copy, if you wish. To view the contracts, visit the AASD website at www.aasdcs.org and click on Governance/Contracts or Collective Bargaining/Contracts.
AASD WEBSITE.Click herewww.aasdcs.orgto view our website. The website is kept up-to-date and current for all of our members (members in good standing, retirees and affiliate members). Visit the website to view the AASD calendar and for forms and information on our Union, as well as discounts for members.
AASD PROFESSIONAL GROWTH GRANT.The Administrators Association San Diego City Schools (AASD), in conjunction with the San Diego Unified School District, provides financial grants to members to assist them in their professional growth. Unit members who participate in professional development activities related to job-connected skills or potential careers with the District may qualify to have the cost of registration fees defrayed by available funds up to $100. This includes ACSA-sponsored Academies, Conferences and Institutes. Click here for more details.
"BENEFIT HUB" Benefit Hub is an online discount program. All AASD members have access to thousands of discounts which allows you to save on everything from movies and theme parks to restaurants and sporting events.
This free service provides discounts to car rental companies, theme parks, hotels, and entertainment destinations (i.e., San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Universal Studios, Sea World, etc.). Register online to take advantage of these terrific discounts. Special offers and discounts are always changing, so check back frequently. You can purchase and print tickets from the convenience of your home.
The Benefits Portal - In addition to discounts and specials, BenefitHub also offers CASH BACK on some products and services! Get to know the benefit portal by visiting the BenefitHub website. The site is very user friendly. It is easy to do a search under various headings and categories, including Newest, Most Popular, Local Deals, Health and Wellness and Pay Over Time, just to name a few.
Benefit Hub Service- Gift Card Outlet - Save up to 15% on gift cards from over 70 popular merchants. The NEW Gift Card Outlet is in the Discount Marketplace.
Enter the following address in the browser bar, with no leading w's - aasd.benefithub.com Do not do a "search" for Benefit Hub as it will take you to the wrong website. Click on "Guest" at the upper right-hand side of the screen. Fill in the information and create a password. If you have any questions about registering, or encounter any problems, call the AASD office for assistance. If you have any questions about or need assistance with the Benefit Hub website, you can contact Support at (866) 664-4621.
AASD Contact Information ON REMOTE WORKING DAYS: Executive Director, Donis Coronel --donis@unitedadmin.us 619-813-8792 Office Manager, Linda Crout-Hamel --linda@unitedadmin.us 619-861-2701
