President Bob Cline Speaks Out

As we begin a new school year, the NFT will be supporting teachers as they continue to make a difference in the lives of the children of Novato.

One of the most important goals we have is to continue the work of Joe Morgan and our current Executive Board to formalize the process of "shared decision making." Teachers should be compensated for and be an integral part of district level paid committee work associated with curricula, textbooks and other specific school site issues. Who knows our students needs better than we do ?

The NFT will also continue it's efforts to re-establish mutual respect between teachers, Board Members and District Office Administrators through respectful communication, debate and collaboration.

It is equally important to improve salaries and benefits for teachers and make NUSD more competitive with comparable districts to every extent practical and possible. One way to facilitate this goal is to provide input to district administration and Board Members on developing issues that impact fiscal resources (and, therefore, salaries, benefits and working conditions). Toward this end, we will communicate our thoughts and opinions on issues associated with the allocation of resources and disposition of assets.

The NFT will also need to inform the community regarding the importance of attracting and retaining qualified staff and the impact of adequate school funding on this effort. We must show leadership and help lay the groundwork for the next local Bond Measure as well as all statewide elections and propositions that impact public education.

Over the last school year Novato teachers have been fortunate enough to begin the road back to respectability regarding salaries. Let's all remember that the availability of financial resources for teachers and schools is based on decisions make directly by voters - Bond Measures - or indirectly by the voters' representatives - the Board of Trustees and our State Legistature. The quantity of your paycheck and quality of your work environment are clearly political decisions. Therefore, all of us must continue to improve in our efforts to influence public policy regarding the resources allocated to public education.

VOTE, PERSUADE AND ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS !