FORSYTH COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS 

Welcome to the website for the Forsyth County Association of Educators (FCAE).

FCAE is an affiliate of the North Carolina Association of Educators and National Education Association.  

FCAE AT WORK FOR YOU!!!

Ö            FCAE successfully lobbied the School Board to make supplement increase a TOP PRIORITY for the budget.  As a result, $4.7 Million was placed into the supplement schedule during the last 5 years, resulting in local supplement increases of 75-85% for many teachers.  This year, after the County Board of Commissioners made deep cuts in the proposed School Board budget, FCAE was still able to secure increases in the teacher supplement to be implemented in March of 2008.

Ö            FCAE was successful last year in getting 800 teacher assistants an additional 2.5% increase locally for a total of 8%.  This year, teacher assistants will also get an additional 2.5% later in the year.

Ö                FCAE maintains a full-time release president who is available to meet with members at individual work sites or at the FCAE/NCAE office, monitor issues, and speak on behalf of member concerns.

Ö            FCAE President Tripp Jeffers attends and speaks at all WSFCS Board of Education Meetings.

Ö            FCAE assisted individual members in the following:

§          Successful in filing grievance for teachers denied pay for group incentive and skill block pay

§          Provided legal assistance for members charged with assault and found innocent

§          Assisted members who were physically or verbally threatened

§          Supported schools who had State Assistance Teams

§          Assisted members in dealing with parent complaints

§          Assisted members who were incorrectly placed on the salary schedule

§          Assisted members with health insurance disputes

§          Assisted members with certification issues

§          Assisted members with non-renewal issues

§          Assisted members with sexual harassment issues

§          Assisted members with grievance issues

§          Assisted members with transfer issues

§          Assisted members with retirement issues

§          Accompanied members who were required to participate in a hearing with their supervisors.

Ö            FCAE actively participates in system wide committees.

Ö            FCAE meets with the Superintendent monthly to address member concerns.

Ö            FCAE visits and contacts the state legislature regularly on behalf of members.

o            Clarifies issues of concern to ESP members.

o            Monitors state and national educational issues. 

o            Gives input into the development of the system wide calendar.

o            Generates mass e-mails from members to legislators (Cyberlobby).

o            Attends “Educator Wednesdays” in Raleigh to personally lobby legislators.

Ö            FCAE provides various benefits and discounts for “members only” such as:

•  Blockbuster
• Myrtle Beach attractions              
• Car Connection
• McDonalds                      
• New York and Company            
• Disney Theme Parks
• NEA travel benefits         
• Celebration Station                      
• SteinMart 
• Tire Concepts                                        
• Circuit City                    
• Target                                          
• Land’s End
• Ann Taylor LOFT            
• AMF Bowl                                    
• F.Y.E.
• Quizno’s Subs                 
• Best Western                              
• Cold Stone Creamery
• Members receive SIGNIFICANT discounts through Horace Mann Insurance Co.

Ö            FCAE provides free life insurance for members.

Ö            FCAE works successfully with the WSFCS Administration and School Board on a Working Conditions Survey that is administered by FCAE.

Ö            FCAE provides financial advice to members through NEA Valuebuilder.

Ö            FCAE offers workshop opportunities for members at no cost including:

§       I Can Do It (classroom management)

§       Stress Relief

§       Financial Planning

§       Retirement

§       Education Support Personnel issues

§       Praxis preparation support

§       Bully Prevention

§       School Improvement Team support

§       No Child Left Behind Issues for Teacher Assistants.

§       Legislative and Political Activism

§       Addressing the needs of ESL Students

Ö            FCAE holds regularly scheduled meetings for ESP members (classified employee members) every other month.

Ö            FCAE holds monthly Executive Board and Association Representative meetings.

Ö            FCAE sends over 100 delegates to the NCAE convention and sends 6 delegates to the NEA convention.   

Ö            FCAE provides opportunities for member participation in state, regional, and   national conferences.

Ö            FCAE promotes programs such as Read Across America and Bully Prevention.

Ö            FCAE provides on-site representatives at each school to deal with issues

o            Immediate and confidential advice.

Ö            FCAE retains the services of local attorney Bill Pfefferkorn for IMMEDIATE legal assistance on employment issues.

Ö            FCAE PRESIDENT Tripp Jeffers and UniServ Consultants Ron McKinney, Colleen Lanier, Val Gardner, and Janet Evans provide IMMEDIATE “on the spot” assistance on educational, professional, and contractual issues.                              

o            FCAE has a 24-hour answering machine service where members may leave messages for their UniServs and/or President.