About Us

About Us

The mission of the SEA is to negotiate and enforce a contract that insures fair wages and benefits, good working conditions, a safe environment and maintains the dignity and integrity of teachers.

Executive Board

The SEA Executive Board's goal is to increase member activity through communication/listening so that SEA membership develops and shares power to obtain and ensure the working conditions necessary to guarantee a quality public education for all students in Springfield.

The members of the Executive Board are the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, ten members-at-large, and one retired members at large. They are elected every two years by the membership. The Executive Board members attend two board meetings a month. The Executive Board Members often are involved with different subcommittees and special projects throughout the year.

As defined by the SEA's Bylaws, the job of the Executive Board is to develop policies of the Association with input from membership and recommend those policies to the Legislative Board for adoption. They also work with the budget. The Board's job is to approve or amend and recommend an annual budget to the Legislative Board. They can also approve or amend line item adjustments to the adopted budget.

Executive Board Members

Name	Position	School
Timothy Collins	President	SEA
Peter Reese	Vice President	Chestnut
Carolyn Harris	Recording Secretary	Kennedy
Susan Fielding	Treasurer	Balliet
Margaret Fitzpatrick	Assistant Treasurer	Homer
Arlindo Alves	Member-at-large	SEA
Brenda Czuchra	Member at-large	Homer
Michael DaFonseca	Member at-large	Commerce
Barbara Dismuke	Member at-large	Sumner
Marianne Gleason	Member-at-large	Liberty
Maureen Heady	Member at-large	Brookings
Dennis Nelson Jr.	Member-at-large	Homer
Yvette Ramos-Bishop	Member-at-large	Washington
Charlesetta Smith	Member-at-large	Johnson
Ronna Tillman	Member at-large	Indian Orchard
Mary Chamberlain	Retired Member at-lg	Retired

Legislative Board

The Legislative Board is responsible for voting to adopt or amend general policy recommended by the Executive Board, implementing general policy, and approving or amending the Executive Board's recommended budget. The Legislative Board meets monthly.

The members of the Legislative Board are elected for a one year term at each school. Each school is entitled to elect one Association Representative for every fifteen members of the faculty. Association Representatives are the members' main source of communication as they pick up materials at the SEA office and distribute them to members via school mailboxes. The Association Representatives also act as the liaison between the Association and members and are instrumental in the initial steps of the grievance process.

Negotiations Team

The Negotiations Team bargains with the School Committee, through its representatives, all changes in the Contract. The team solicits proposals for Contract changes from the membership. Upon reaching tentative agreement on all matters under negotiation, the team prepares and submits its report and recommendations to the membership prior to a ratification meeting.

The Negotiating Team consists of the President and eleven members, representing a cross section of the membership, appointed by the President, and approved by the Executive Board. The Team elects its own Chairperson and Secretary. Click here for committee members.

Grievance Committee

The Grievance Committee works to defend and protect the working rights of the bargaining unit members. The committee develops Association positions on all matters pertaining to the rights of Association members especially academic freedom, professional and personal leaves, administrative discipline and dismissal, and grievance procedures and complies data for the support of these positions in negotiations. The SEA has a full-time Professional Relations staff person who is also the grievance chairperson. The grievance chairperson oversees all grievances. Click here for committee members.

Committee of Political Education (COPE)

The COPE Committee functions as the liaison between Association members, School Committee, City Council, and state representatives and senators. They lobby for educational issues and keep members informed about important political decisions being made in education. Click here for committee members.

Superintendent's Committee

The Superintendent's Committee is a committee of five teachers appointed by the President, representing a cross section of membership, who meet with the Superintendent once a month. The purpose of this committee is to discuss matters of educational policy, curriculum, and improvements of educational climate in the Springfield Public Schools. Click here for committee members.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is responsible for preparing a yearly line item budget to be recommended to the Executive Board in preparation of the budget by the first meeting in April, except in a negotiating year where a supplementary budget may be necessary. They also review Association finances at least twice a year and make recommendations for budgetary adjustments to the Executive Board.

The Finance Committee consists of two members of the Executive Board elected by the Executive Board, two members of the Legislative Board elected by the Legislative Board, and five members-at-large appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Board. Click here for committee members.

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee promotes professional development among members by encouraging attendance at conferences and workshops and by disseminating information regarding professional development conferences and workshops. The committee members collaborate with the School Department in planning the seven professional development days provided through the Contract. Through an application process, this committee also disburses money for members to attend professional development conferences, workshops, and courses. Click here for committee members.

New Teachers Committee

The New Teacher Committee is responsible for organizing activities for new teachers and working on issues faced by new teachers. The committee members are the advocates for new teachers. Click here for committee members.

Elections Committee

The Elections Committee is responsible for conducting annual elections and for meeting the requirements of special elections. They are also responsible for determining the nomination and election procedures for candidates seeking office. After an election is held, the Election Committee members meet and count the votes.

No Association officer, or member of the Executive Board, may serve on the Election Committee. The committee consists of two representatives from elementary teachers, one from middle school teachers, and one from high school teachers. They are appointed by the President with advice and consent of the Executive Board. Click here for committee members.

Bylaws Committee

The Bylaws Committee consists of a chairperson and six members, appointed by the President, representing a cross section of the membership. The members solicit bylaw amendments from membership. The committee reviews, edits, and recommends proposed bylaw amendments. They also write an impact statement for each proposed amendment. It is their responsibility to notify membership of proposed bylaw amendments. Click here for committee members.

Sick Bank Committee

The Sick Bank Committee works with the School Department to review requests for extended sick leave. They meet on a bi-weekly basis to review the requests and determine eligibility. The members of the committee are also responsible for developing the procedures for requesting days from the Sick Bank.

The committee consists of three members. One member is appointed by the School Department; two members are appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board. Click here for committee members.

City-Wide School Centered Decision Making Committee

The S.C.D.M. Committee acts as a resource for all S.C.D.M. teams. This includes an orientation that explains the theory and practice of school based management teams. They also provide training in the skills that are necessary to develop and implement effective S.C.D.M. teams. Click here for committee members.

Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee members are responsible for reading and reviewing all submitted scholarship applications and selecting recipients based on a rubric. The committee members award the scholarships at the June Legislative Board meeting.

The committee consists of the SEA Vice President as Chairperson, five members appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board. Click here for committee members.

Success Press Committee

The Success Press Committee publishes a newsletter three to four times a year. The newsletter illustrates success stories in the Springfield Public School system. The intended audience is local and statewide elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce, The Board of Realtors, parent groups, community groups, local businesses, civic and church groups, and School Centered Decision Making Teams. It is the SEA's way of getting success stories out to the public. Click here for committee members.