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CPS teachers aren’t the only ones on strike. The affluent Lake Forest district has also yet to resume classes for the year as their teachers walk the picket line to force contract negotiations. However, Lake Forest teachers are being undermined by the administration and some families whose kids attend the school.

 

To the frustration of the 150 teachers, and union supporters everywhere, Lake Forest opened today for regular classes. The school has hired 50 substitute teachers and recruited 50 volunteer parents to work with the administration and the school board to reopen the school today in an effort to begin core classwork and have the day count toward the required 170+ for the year. Teachers from surrounding suburban school districts — and some CPS strikers — joined their picket line to show support.

 

http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2012/09/17/chicago-mayor-sues-to-end-strike-suburban-lake-forest-undermines-striking-teachers-with-volunteers/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachers in north suburban Lake Forest are meeting with school district leaders Monday morning to try to hammer out a contract. Meantime, Lake Forest High School students were back in class, despite the fact teachers have been on strike since Wednesday.

 

CBS 2′s Courtney Gousman reports school board members in Lake Forest have decided to resume classes led by substitute teachers and school administrators, while teachers are out on strike.

 

As negotiators were trying to hammer out a deal Monday morning, Lake Forest High School students were back in class, after crossing a picket line outside the school.

 

School Board President Sharon Golan said, “We’ve got a full day of instruction in all the key content areas.”

 

Golan said 70 substitute teachers, and a number of assistants, and even parents are on hand to help students get back to learning.

 

Professional guest speakers have also been brought in to address students.

 

Golan said the move to resume classes came at parents’ request.

 

“They have asked that we keep the schools open, but [they] also asked that we hold the line in terms of financial demands. Our numbers are real. We feel that the demands are unrealistic,” she said.

 

Golan said union teachers are asking for a 5 to 6 percent pay raise per year.

 

Union leaders wouldn’t talk numbers, but said it’s time to make up for last year’s pay freeze.

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/09/17/classes-to-resume-at-lake-forest-h-s-despite-teachers-strike/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the throng of picketing teachers and dozen or so reporters on the sidewalk out front, it seemed like any other morning drop-off at Lake Forest High School today. Bill Geraghty was there to guide cars through the driveway, busses seemed full, and many students arrived dressed in plaid for the kick-off of Spirit Week, hoping to get the message across that they want Homecoming to take place next weekend as scheduled.

 

Principal Jay Hoffman was out front when I dropped my daughter off this morning, as was Superintendent Michael Simeck and D-115 attorney Michael Hernandez. The picket line seemed fuller, and the picketers slightly louder. Turning into the school’s front driveway, I saw LFEA spokesman Chuck Gress talking in front of a pack of TV cameras.

 

The teachers won’t get paid for strike days that take place while school is in session and attendance is taken. Whether they’ll get paid for last week’s three strike days, when the building was open but school was not in session, is up for negotiation, Superintendent Simeck told me after the Sunday parent meeting. He also said two teachers have crossed the picket line.

 

http://gazebonews.com/2012/09/17/drop-off-smooth-at-lake-forest-high-school-boa-union-to-meet/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My concerns lie with how the board is handling replacements.  I assumed that the board was hiring replacements last week when Lake Forest High School students had three days off from school. 

 

Now it appears that school is in session today (9/17) but not with the usual class instruction.  The board said they will be providing "quality offerings" and giving passports rather than simply attending their scheduled classes.

 

If District 115 does not hire replacement teachers, then it will have no choice but to cave, as it stands to reason that kids simply cannot keep missing normal instruction.  I hope the board is presently lining up teachers for jobs and that they are being hired.

 

Charles Greiss, head of the LF teacher union was interviewed by Dan Proff during his 8:00 a.m. morning gig at WLS-890.  According to Charles Greiss, Lake Forest has plenty of money in reserve to pay teachers more.  Furthermore, since the board hired the teachers that are now on strike the district can afford to honor what the union is requesting. 

 

When Dan asked if the teachers at LFHS are worth $30,000 more than what is the average high school teacher salary in IL, Charles Greiss, whose base salary was almost $150,000 during the 2011-2012 school year, would only say that he had come from business to teach at LFHS and how teachers at LFHS must be paid more so the very best teachers can be hired for our kids.

 

http://lakeforest.going.com/blog_posts/lfhs-teacher-strike-is-getting-national-attention-yet-teachers-fell-no-shame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chicago and the Lake Forest Teacher strike went national on Sunday (9/16) at the American Thinker, a prestigious website with Thomas Lifson as editor.  Now Lake Forest is know throughout this nation for the absurd nature of its strike. No longer is the Chicago strike taking all the wind out of the sails.  The Lake Forest situation now is getting the attention that it deserves.

 

The heat must be kept on for LF Board #115 to toe the line.  The powerful influence of the IEA (NEA) must be confronted for what it is or else education in the state of IL will remain in control of an organization that has become too powerful, doing little to advance educational standards here in Illinois for children, with its platform that vehemently opposes school vouchers and home schooling. 

 

Education should be in control of local school districts, not vested in the IEA which LFHS teachers are members is.

 

http://lakeforest.going.com/blog_posts/lfhs-teacher-strike-is-getting-national-attention-yet-teachers-fell-no-shame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Negotiations are under way in the fourth day of the teachers strike at Lake Forest High School, as school resumed with instruction provided by 70 certified teachers and 20 non-certified teaching assistants. Another 50 community volunteers — a full roster — provided support help but were not teaching.

 

The federal mediator called the negotiation session for 9 a.m. Monday in the high school’s administrative offices. It is the first session since the mediator ended negotiations about 4 p.m. Friday.

 

The 70 certified teachers heading up separate classes by grade level on Monday included the school’s regular roster of certified substitutes, district administrators and at least two teachers who crossed the picket line last week, Whipple said. She could not confirm whether more teachers crossed the picket line on Monday.

 

School administrators worked with student leaders to create instruction for the day, which included English, math, science and social studies as well as a session on criminal justice lead by Lake Forest police and others on emotional well-being and evolution by other guest speakers.

 

Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools Roycealee Wood was at the school at the start of the day to evaluate whether the programming school administrators put together qualified as an official day of school.

 

She is submitting her report to the State Superintendent of Schools Chrish Koch by Tuesday morning.

 

Wood called the effort by District 115 as “precedent setting.”

 

The union has said the district fund balance will grow by $20 million over the next three years.

 

“We don’t understand where those numbers are coming from,” Golan said.

 

The LFEA has contended since August that the District 115 fund balance will increase to $24 million in 2014-15 and that the increases it is requesting will not affect residents’ property taxes in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and Knollwood. The LFEA hired Larry Frank, an expert in the school budgeting process, to calculate the results the LFEA’s offer would have on the district.

 

The LFEA is asking for a 5.6 percent salary increase in the first year, 6.5 percent in the second year and 5.6 percent in the third year of a new contract. The school board proposed a 2.6 percent increase in the first year and 3.4 percent in the second and third years.

 

The two-tier salary schedule — one for current employees and another for future employees — the school board proposed and teachers opposed has been withdrawn.

 

“We’ve taken that off the table and we’re putting it to committee — a collaborative effort — made up of faculty, administrators and board members so they can come up with answers over the next three years,” Golan said.

 

http://lakeforest.suntimes.com/news/15204153-781/negotiations-resume-in-lake-forest.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck Gress: From what we’re hearing from the kids, there were videos being shown.

 

Karina Richter: And the highlight of the day, apparently, is when they had a police dog come in, because the dog was so cute.

 

That’s math teacher Chuck Gress with Karina Richter, the parent of a student who graduated last year. They spoke to me from the picket line, as a crowd waved signs outside the school. Some have dubbed Lake Forest High a “scab school,” but that’s not how Gress -- a teacher for 20 years -- sees it.

 

Gress: The people in that building right now, the administrators, are among my friends. It has got to be one of the worst days ever at Lake Forest High School for those administrators, and I know that when this whole thing is settled, we’re going to have to pick up the pieces.

 

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/education/chicago-area-school-stages-strike-workaround

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school students in Lake Forest returned to class Monday morning, despite an ongoing teachers strike.

 

Parents received a mandatory order last week for all students to return to class. The district said students will participate in educational programs run by administrators, substitute teachers and community volunteers.

 

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Lake-Forest-Students-Back-to-School-During-Strike-170022436.html#ixzz26jhxebC8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All those things happened on prep football fields somewhere in the state last Friday.

 

But none of them happened on the pitch at Lake Forest High School, where the lights didn’t shine, and neither did any of the players as the game was ruled a forfeit — Lake Forest on the losing end due to a teachers strike in the school district.

 

Stuff like that happens in life. We do know the games will go on — presumably starting this Friday with Lake Forest playing its Homecoming game against Zion-Benton.

 

What we don’t know is who, if anyone, lost out on the opportunity of a football lifetime last week because the game wasn’t played.

 

http://newssun.suntimes.com/sports/15172636-419/this-kind-of-silence-is-not-golden-for-lake-forest.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding the Lake Forest teachers. It’s such a shame that these people who are educated and are supposed to love their jobs and there to do the good for the children have to strike at this time. They’re so selfish when there are people who don’t even have money to buy their pencils, books, lunch money and have lost their homes. Shame on you teachers. You are greedy, selfish and inconsiderate people.

 

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/15194085-418/talk-of-the-county.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LFHS resumed with a "mandatory student attendance day" this morning - with busses running and lunch being served -  with a full day of programming for all students. While students will not be following their traditional class schedule, a LFHS newsletter to the parents noted that; "After extensive development by our administration and over 50 student leaders vetted the plan with our administration and concluded it would be great. We also reviewed our schedule and offerings with community leaders. They were very excited about the plans and programs."

 

The newsletter noted that the Board decided to resume mandatory attendance as oppose to waiting for the strike to end (as the Chicago Public Schools are doing during their ongoing strike) because "community feedback on this issue has been emphatic - our parents expect us to open school." The newsletter also noted that "We are trying to do what no one has ever done before. Simply put: we're working very hard to provide meaningful experiences and instruction for your children and will do it as long as we feel that it is worthwhile and meaningful for your student."

 

While the school noted in a press release last week that teachers are invited back to class on Monday - but will not be penalized if they do not cross the picket line, nor will they face consequences if they do cross it - there was still a bevy of teachers marching in front of the school this morning. Their numbers have also grown, with teachers from neighboring districts - such as Highland Park, New Trier, Sherwood, Stevenson and Chicago - marching along side them in support.

 

http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lake-forest-high-school-negotiations-both-resume-this-morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

The program - which was developed and reviewed by the LFHS administrative team, 50 student leaders and community leaders, included a variety of courses, ranging from Criminal Justice (where Lake Forest Police Department Officer Any Shiu and his K9 dog Duncan taught the student about the training of dogs, and their fourth amendment rights) to teen motivational speaker Josh Shipp. The curriculum also included online courses from Khan Academy, which presents a series of online courses covering math and science for K-12.

 

The Board noted that the programming was in accordance with state guidelines, specifically those found in Administrative Code, Title 23, Section 1.410: "The basic curriculum shall include organized experience which provide each student with ample opportunity to achieve goals for which the school system exists."

 

http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/it-s-business-as-usual-for-lake-forest-high-school-students

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The school plans to continue with the outside help until a contract is reached with teachers, who have been on strike since Sept. 12.

 

“We have done our homework about what constitutes a school day and anticipate that the day will count,” the board said.

 

The board said it is asking students to cross the picket line in response to community feedback, which it described as “emphatic” that school reopen.

 

“This school belongs to the community and its children,” the board said.

 

Both sides ratcheted up the rhetoric by day’s end. The school board issued two statements, one indicating members are obtaining legal advice on permanently replacing striking teachers, and another outlining the board’s own set of unfair labor practice allegations filed Friday with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.

 

The teachers union on Sept. 10 filed four unfair labor practices charges against District 115 board members, alleging a change in the school calendar to make Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week teachers institute days was a violation, among other issues.

 

The school district reactivated teachers’ district email to deliver the message that they are welcome to come back to work on Monday.

 

“The board needs a commitment by 7 a.m. Monday from any teacher who intends to work on Monday,” the statement said.

 

Working through the mediator, the school board has offered to defer the two-tier salary schedule to a faculty and board committee to come to a consensus, and agreed to phase in an HMO insurance change that would require teachers to pay more out-of-pocket, according to a statement released by the school board.

 

While the union said it put another financial offer on the table, the board contends the union is still demanding salary increases of 5 percent to 6.5 percent a year. The board has rejected those terms and requested an undisclosed counter proposal, which the union declined.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/15198985-418/lake-forest-high-school-open-despite-strike.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachers from Highland Park, Deerfield, New Trier Township and Stevenson high schools, as well as Chicago Public Schools, joined Lake Forest teachers on the picket line Monday morning.

 

They marched in front of Lake Forest High School as parents dropped off students at school, where administrators, substitute teachers and volunteers planned an educational program.

 

"We are encouraged the board agreed to meet," Gress said this morning. "Now we just hope the board will continue to negotiate in good faith."

 

He said that the teachers are trying to be an example to students by "sticking up for something we passionately believe in. ...values, fairness and compassion. "

 

 

The board has said that it could not agree to the union's request for raises of 5 to 6.5 percent, which the union said were necessary to make up for a pay freeze last year.

 

"We remain deeply disappointed with the union leaders' unrealistic salary expectations," the board statement read.

 

The board also has proposed a two-tiered salary schedule, which would slow the pace that new teachers move up the career ladder. Teachers argue that the district will not be able to compete with other North Shore districts under the plan.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-teachers-on-picket-lines-as-lake-forest-high-reopens-20120917,0,3365430.story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several students reported some confusion inside the building and described some of the educational offerings as substandard.

 

"It's been boring because we're not learning much," senior Janelle DeWitt, 17, said during her lunch break, adding that she's not taking sides. "I just want things to be resolved quickly."

 

Fellow senior Alex Sennello said in a phone call from the school that instead of physical education, "they stuck us in the gym with no instruction for an hour and a half."

 

Hannah Hart, 17, a junior, described how a group of students was sitting on the floor in the school auditorium. At one point, she said, the teens weren't paying attention to a movie on a Lake Bluff orphanage, and so teachers turned it off and showed a video of a student talent show instead, she said.

 

"It was scary," Hart said. "It felt like jail."

 

She and her friend tried to leave, telling a teacher that they wanted to join the teachers on strike outside, she said. They were not allowed to leave the building, though others "escaped" before the school day ended, she said.

 

Picketing teachers would not discuss the school being open, referring questions to their spokesman.

 

"It's a sad day for our high school," said Chuck Gress, spokesman for the Lake Forest Education Association. "This whole thing could have been avoided."

 

On Monday, Lake Forest teachers found support on the picket line from other school districts, with teachers coming from New Trier Township High School in Winnetka as well as others from Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Highland Park and Chicago. Many had the day off for the Jewish new year.

 

Sticking points during Lake Forest talks have included salary raises, benefits and a proposed two-tier salary structure. Teachers have adamantly opposed the last because it would move new teachers up the career ladder at a slower pace.

 

Todd DeMitchell, a former California educator and school board negotiator who now teaches at the University of New Hampshire, said bringing in substitutes during a strike used to be a common pressure tactic used against teachers but that in the past decade, school officials became less likely to use it.

 

He said that's partly because it's hard to run a school for long with substitutes and other temporary workers. But it's also because officials grew wary of stirring up hard feelings that often linger long after the strike ends.

 

Though replacement workers are commonly deployed during strikes in private industry, Bob Bruno, director of the University of Illinois' labor education program, said trying that approach with public school teachers can provoke a backlash. Taxpayers, he said, quickly get fed up with lower levels of service, especially when it affects their children.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/lake_forest/chi-teachers-on-picket-lines-as-lake-forest-high-reopens-20120917,0,731436,full.story

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classes resumed in the Lake Forest school district this morning, five days after the teachers walked out; and the school board and the teachers association are resuming their contract talks.

 

Teachers from Deerfield, Highland Park, Stevenson and New Trier High Schools joined the striking Lake Forest teachers on the picket line this morning.

 

http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-lake-forest-high-school-reopens-despite-teacher-strike-20120917,0,1592157.story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A suburban Chicago school district where teachers are on strike says there'll be school today no matter what.

 

About 150 Lake Forest teachers have been on strike since last Wednesday. But district officials say school will resume today and attendance is mandatory.

 

http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/-Lake-Forest-Therell-be-class-despite-strike-170006116.html