Welcome to the new BOTA newsletter! Here you'll find information on everything BOTA, including upcoming events, information about our organization and leaders, professional development and conference opportunities, membership benefits information, and more. Thanks for joining us!

The Brea Olinda Teachers Association (BOTA) is the local union for the teachers of the Brea Olinda USD. It is the mission of the Brea Olinda Teachers Association to provide professional support to its members through contract negotiations, teacher support programs, and various other outlets. BOTA makes it a priority that all its members are informed of their rights as a public employee and how the law applies to them in the field of education. Through constant communication between the executive council and the site representatives the Brea Olinda Teachers Association will strive to make sure all its members are informed, supported, and represented fairly in all aspects of their tenure in the Brea Olinda Unified School District. BOTA is a charter member of the California Teachers Association (CTA) and the National Education Association (NEA).

The North Orange County United Teachers (NOCUT) is the UniServ to which BOTA belongs. Because Brea has a relatively small union membership, we are better served by uniting with other small local teachers' unions (Buena Park, Fullerton, and La Habra). NOCUT provides us with an office and meeting space, administrative services, and a Primary Contact Staff person from CTA (Jim Rogers) who exclusively supports our chapters. An executive board made up of representatives of each of the participating associations governs the organization. We're stronger together!

The California Teachers Association (CTA) is our state level teachers union. CTA includes teachers, counselors, school librarians, social workers, psychologists, and nurses. These educators in the K-12 school system are joined by community college faculty, California State University faculty, and education support professionals to make CTA the most inclusive and most powerful voice of educators in the state since it was founded in 1863.

CTA supports us by:

• Negotiating fair salaries, health care, and other benefits
• Leading student-centered educational improvements
• Supporting your professional practice with conferences, workshops, grants, and scholarships
• Improving learning and working conditions
• Enhancing and defending our professional rights
• Providing cost-saving benefits designed just for educators

CTA is made up of dedicated teachers just like you and me who volunteer their time to make a difference in all of our classrooms. All CTA policies are made by teachers for teachers.

Who is CTA? WE are CTA!

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States. NEA advocates for issues related to public education at the federal level.

President - Pattie Romero, Arovista

Vice President - Chris Book, Arovista

Secretary - Glenda Bartell, BJH

Treasurer - Ashley Cooper, Arovista

Negotiations Co-Chair - Laurie Brown, Arovista

Negotiations Co-Chair - Jennifer Collier, BOHS

Arovista - Tammi O'Rourke

Country Hills - Brian Forslund and Shannon Kennedy

Fanning - Lisa Esparza and Monique Noller

Laurel - Stephanie Vu

Mariposa - Kristine Kellogg, Rebecca Romero, and Jennifer Sullivan

Olinda - Wendy Heard

BJH - Denise Palczewski

BOHS - Nadia Fox and Samantha Greiner

Brea Canyon - Jesus Horta

Instructional Coaches - Terii Ault

Grievance Chair K-6 - Vacant (could it be you?)

Grievance Chair Junior High - Bill Madden, BJH

Grievance Chair High School - Terry Kegel, Brea Canyon

Membership - Glenda Bartell, BJH

Political Action Committee - Bill Madden, BJH

NOCUT will be hosting a CTA Membership Benefits Open House on Wednesday, October 17 from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. This is a great event for new members as well as veterans who would like to take full advantage of the many benefits and discounts available to you as a CTA member. CTA Membership Benefits staff will be there and CTA endorsed vendors will have tables. Refreshments will be provided! Click on the file below to view a flyer for this event.

Disability Insurance pays a benefit when you cannot work because of covered illness, injury, pregnancy or childbirth. Benefits can help with the everyday bills, such as the mortgage or rent, that continue even when you can’t work — expenses that health insurance won't cover.

The CTA-endorsed Disability plans were specially designed to cover the gaps in coverage that many educators and education support professionals face.

• Coverage for disabilities occurring on or off the job
• Access to the CTA Advisory Panel on Endorsed Services
• Includes Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage
• Convenient payroll deductions for premiums

BOTA will be holding an open enrollment for The Standard in November. A representative from the company will be visiting all BOUSD school sites with information.

Visit this link for more information

Come join us after school and unwind at one of our new monthly BOTA Bashes! Each month we'll have a get-together for BOTA members at a local restaurant. Join us for a bite to eat or a drink and chat with your fellow teachers. We hope for this to be a fun opportunity to network as well as support one another. We work better together when we play together!

Our first BOTA Bash will take place on Thursday, November 1 at Claim Jumper. Hope to see you there!

On Saturday, September 22, nine of our BOTA leaders attended the Fall Leadership Conference in Irvine hosted by the Orange Service Center Council. It was a great day of learning about educational and union issues! Here we are with Eric Heins, CTA President.

From left to right: Ashley Cooper, Rebecca Romero, Shannon Kennedy, Terii Ault, Pattie Romero, Eric Heins, Glenda Bartell, Lisa Esparza, and Chris Book. Not pictured - Sam Greiner

The November election is right around the corner. We have a lot at stake, and a lot of work to do to get our recommended candidate for State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, elected to office. Tony is a true advocate for public education. As a father, former school board member, and California State Assemblyman, Tony has always worked hard for our students and teachers. Please encourage your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to vote for Tony when they get their ballots or go to the polls!

If you have any topics that you would like to see covered in the BOTA Bulletin, please contact Glenda Bartell, BOTA Secretary.

Email: pattieromero.bota@gmail.com
Website: www.mybota.org
Location: 749 South Brea Boulevard, Brea, CA, USA
Phone: 714-256-9900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BreaOlindaTA/