September 2009 Dear Colleagues, This summer Len Bozza and Luke Morgan retired from the CAS Executive Board. Len had been a member of the Executive Board since the late 1980’s and an ESSAA delegate for the past three years. His quick grasp and solutions to Administrators’ problems will be missed by CAS and ESSAA. Luke Morgan was also a member of the CAS Executive Board and an ESSAA delegate. Luke was the CAS Newsletter Chairman. His articles were always timely and to the point. We wish Len and Luke much happiness in their retirement. We will miss them. CAS welcomes the Herricks and South Country units into the CAS family. I know you will be happy with the services CAS provides. In the last legislative session we were able to pass the ITHP bill granting educators who worked in NYC for twenty or more years and relocated to other districts their NYC pension money being held by the state. This was a long time in coming. The Administrators and Supervisors around the State have Assemblyman Peter Abbate and Senator Craig Johnson to thank for sponsoring and assisting us in getting the ITHP legislation passed. Although we have several bills with sponsors in Albany it is not likely any education bill with a fiscal attachment will be passed in this economic time. We do, however, have three bills without a fiscal attachment: 1) Suspension bill – This would authorize school districts to enforce and continue in effect the suspension of a pupil ordered by the school district the pupil previously attended. 2) Pension credit for days worked over the teacher 180 day year. Teachers receive one (1) year pension credit for working 180 days. Since administrators and supervisors work additional days during the summer we are seeking per diem pension credit for those days. 3) Negotiation with finality for administrators and supervisors. Unlike the teacher units our units are small in numbers. Boards of Education can go through the motions of negotiating with us for two, three or four years before a contract is settled. This bill would allow us to settle contracts with binding arbitration. I wish everyone a good school year. Administrators and supervisors are the people who keep the torch of education burning brightly. If you ever need me, my cell number is 631-484-3797. And remember the all important PAC fund. Sign up for your dues check off today. It’s only a few dollars a pay check. Sincerely, Tony Laurino, CAS President