Dear Members,

Are you already tired of snow? Here is the perfect opportunity to get out and socialize to beat the winter cold. 

This Friday, January 29, we will hold our first Union Social at Hajjars Restaurant in Weymouth. The Hajjar family has generously donated their restaurant and bar for a Union fundraiser/get together. They will donate 5% of the profits from any food or beverage sale to the High School Scholarship Fund. Families are welcome. Even if you can only stop by for one drink or a quick bite, it would be great to see everyone. 


The event will be from 2:00-6:00. When you arrive, please tell your server/bartender you are from the Weymouth Public Schools. Please see your Union Representative for a handout with more information. 

The goal of this Union Social is to raise additional funds for the High School Scholarship Fund. In addition, it is an ideal opportunity to bring our Union together for a fun event. I look forward to seeing you there!

Regards,
Ydana Chella
WEA President

Dear Members,


In December, School Committee approached me to discuss the merits of an internal versus external superintendent search. After bringing this to the Executive Board, I spoke in favor of an external search. The rational was that a broader search would allow for a greater number of candidates from which to select. If the best candidate already exists in the town, they would be given the position based on merit, not default. 

At the last School Committee meeting, the board voted in favor of an external search, 6 to 1. Following this, they reached out to me to ask Members if they would be interested in participating as the Union representative on the search committee. By reaching out to the entire Membership, School Committee has the greatest pool of Members from whom to select. 

The responsibilities of this position would not be small. The time commitment would be extensive. As a representative of the Association, you would be acting on behalf of the Membership. As I will participate in another capacity for the Superintendent search, ongoing communication with me will be needed. 

If you would like to be considered to be the Union Representative on the Superintendent search committee, please respond to this email with the following:

Name
School
Position
Number of years working in Weymouth
Email 
Best phone number to reach you 

Please only respond to this email. Do not contact me via cell or text. I will submit all information to School Committee this week. 

Regards,
Ydana Chella
WEA President

​Regarding NEASC,


This is NOT an official union mandate, it is merely a recommendation. 

Simply stated, members should be offered compensation for any time spent volunteering outside of contractual time. Other schools in our district offer a stipend if teachers choose to participate in Enrichment Classes, Parent Outreach nights, etc.  

This is not meant to be confrontational. It is an opportunity to say, "I would love to participate, but..." Administration had ample time to prepare for this event. A  forward thinking "mindset" would easily rectify this situation.

The High School Educators are an exceptionally amenable group of people. You recall Saturday School, correct? Your good nature should not be taken for granted. This is a statement of fact. It is not meant to be inflammatory.

I reiterate, this NOT a directive from the Union. This is NOT Work to Rule. 

As a counterpoint, if you want to attend, please feel free to do so. This email is not intended to discourage your participation in any way.  A significant number of High School teachers have reached out to me today and I wanted to respond to all possible members. Thus, all members are given the same message. 

Regards,
Ydana Chella
WEA President