02/20/26 KHSTA UPDATE
Happy Friday! We hope you have had a great week!
Updates come out every Friday EXCEPT for the last Friday of the quarter (the KHSTA Newsletter will arrive on these dates). Please check your junk mail folder if you are not receiving them. Past updates will be archived on the KHSTA website (khsta.org).
RETIREMENT
Thinking about retiring? Go to the KHSD website (https://tinyurl.com/47797xyz) to get a planning checklist which takes you from a year before up to the day you retire.
NEA/RA DELEGATE ELECTION
The NEA/RA Declarations of Candidacy were sent out by email on Wednesday. If you are interested in running for a delegate position, make sure you follow the timelines - they are non-negotiable. The NEA/RA is in Denver this year, July 4th-7th.
PROP 55 EXTENSION FAILURE TO EXTEND PROP 55 WILL RESULT IN A PERMANENT $75 MILLION CUT TO THE KERN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT. This is about a 13-15% cut to the overall budget in KHSD. Your site rep has petitions to get the Prop 55 extension on the ballot. Prop 55 is NOT a new tax; it is an extension of the Prop 30 tax that is already being paid by households making more than $700,000. If this occurs, all of us will feel the cuts. We need to get petitions signed to get this on the ballot. If you want to sign or get more information, see your rep.
SB 88
The California legislature recently passed SB 88 which requires any person transporting students to follow the same guidelines as bus drivers. That means each person will need to pass a physical, be subject to random drug testing, and is required to perform a pre-vehicle inspection. The vehicle inspection is more detailed than in the past. If you are uncomfortable with signing off on the vehicle inspection, we are recommending that you not drive until you can be properly trained.
CONFERENCES
We have five scholarships available for the first ever CTA Women’s Conference. The conference will provide “an uplifting, supportive, and empowering environment for participants. Our inaugural conference is designed with both flow and function in mind to address the current needs of women in leadership.”
The conference will include themes of Empowerment and Confidence, Networking and Mentorship and Wellness and Sustainability. The goal is for attendees to leave the conference with a renewed sense of purpose, equipped with new tools and resources, and connected to a growing network of women who are committed to leading in union advocacy. The conference will be in San Diego from April 10 - 12. Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/Conf-Scholar
10 MINUTE MEETINGS
Your site reps will be doing monthly 10 minute meetings to help keep you informed. Reps should be having a 10 minute meeting to answer questions regarding the tentative contract. February’s topic is on the Prop 55 extension. We have moved Transfers to March.
VIRTUAL TEN MINUTE MEETING
If you missed your site’s 10 minute meeting this month or if your site didn’t hold one, KHSTA exec board will be doing a Zoom meeting on the second Thursday of the month, at 8:00am and again at 4:00pm -- next month March 12th. Next month’s topic is Transfers.
For the 8:00am meeting, use this link: https://kernhigh-org.zoom.us/j/84450837392.
For the 4:00pm meeting, use this link: https://kernhigh-org.zoom.us/j/83934228707
CTA VIRTUAL PASS
CTA is again offering their virtual pass. This is professional development that CTA pays for that can be used to move over on the salary schedule for up to six units per column move. It’s a great way to move on the salary schedule. For more information on the courses, go to https://www.cta.org/conferences/virtual-pass/2025-2.
Past President: Vickie Shoenhair (Shafter) Membership Chair: Dave Ziegler (LHS) Bargaining, Grievance Chair: Mindy Montanio (HHS) PAC Chair: Allysa Jones (FHS) Equity Team: Lori Toia, LGBTQ+ Rep
Site Representatives Arvin: Stephanie Valenzuela,
Ty Newton BAS: Linda Colvin BHS: Hillary Sanders,
Randy Bennett CHS: Kayole Bradford, Kim Henry CVHS: Alix Garcia DOHS: Olive Garrison,
Hannah Richert District (includes all district programs):
Danny Arretche (KL),
Isaac Rocha (JCC) EBHS: April Bynum,
Rosemary Silverman Foothill: Elizabeth Deckard,
Allysa Jones Frontier: Lara Winn GVHS: Victoria Hinojosa HHS: Meaghan Barber Smith IHS: Robb Polski, Tanya Whitehouse KVHS: Casey Robinson LHS: David Ziegler,
Marycoco Ramirez MMHS: Brooke Malley Ault,
Matt Day NHS: Erika Zeimet, Tonya Davis Nueva: RHS: Kim Smith, Nathan Claunch ROP/CTEC: Chad Wright,
Scott Trimble Shafter: Jessica Smith,
Brian Feaster South: Rebekah Ingle,
Dante Borradori Stockdale: Gaby Scully TDS: Candi Romero VWHS: Karen Roberts* Vista: Julie Burke West: Eliza Pearsy, Steve Willis
