Classified employees provide critical services to schools and communities
In times of crisis, heroes rise to the occasion and help those in need. In school districts all over California, CSEA members are living up to their reputation as everyday heroes by providing critical services to students and helping their communities.
“These days, we hear a lot about communities coming together in the face of adversity,” said Association President Ben Valdepeña. “For CSEA members, this is what we do best.”
Classified employees are supplying thousands of grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches made by food service employees and delivered by bus drivers. Students are logging in each day to distance learning, thanks to technology distributed by Information Technology departments. Administrative professionals are fielding phone calls from families that need to connect with teachers. Campus supervisors are still patrolling sites and providing protection to other employees that are on the job. Custodial staff are keeping schools clean and work areas disinfected. And all of this effort is happening while classified employees look out for their own families’ health during this unprecedented pandemic.
It is impossible to truly showcase the pivotal role that classified employees are playing in lessening the blow of COVID-19 and providing a sense of normalcy for their communities. However, these stories of our CSEA Everyday Heroes provide a glimpse into the inspirational work that is taking place throughout the state.
El Rancho member shares appreciation for fellow support staff
by Shannon Carr, scarr@csea.com
Johnny Dominguez, District Peace Officer, G.R.E.A.T. Program Facilitator and member of El Rancho Chapter 107, knows COVID-19 is a temporary situation but hopes there are lasting takeaways from the healthcare crisis.
“I hope we can take all the positive things that have been happening, such as teamwork and dedication to our students, to continue and thrive once we return to normalcy,” he said.
Dominguez is one of the district’s designated essential employees, among cafeteria staff, custodial/maintenance staff and school police officers.
“ERUSD has such a great team, and I am proud to be part of the essential workers here in our district,” he said.
Keeping campus and staff safe
Dominguez is continuously providing a presence around the district’s campuses and facilities by patrolling and responding to alarm activations, along with being a point of contact for any staff member that needs to enter campus. During school breakfast and lunch distribution, he assists by providing coverage at the schools to help ensure the safety of the parents as they pick up food for their children. They have also been delivering Chromebooks to those students who have no transportation and cannot pick up a laptop for distance learning.
This “new normal” began during the last week in February.
Dominguez said the district has been “very vigilant and is implementing what needs to be done in order to keep our students and staff members safe and to continue to provide instruction.”
Adapting to changing needs
Of course, this is constantly changing as his department continues to adapt what it’s doing in order to assist the district.
“I hope we can take all the positive things that have been happening, such as teamwork and dedication to our students, to continue and thrive once we return to normalcy.”
Although there are things that are ever-changing, Dominguez’s praise for his fellow employees is unwavering.
“I want to say thank you to everyone for your support, and especially to those who continue to show up for work every day and continue to fight on the front line with a positive mindset and strong will,” he said. “I know there are many of us still working, not just in ERUSD but all over, and I know we will get through this. I just want to make sure they know as a co-worker, parent and friend… THANK YOU, you are appreciated.”
Photo courtesy of member
Bus driver delivering books with meals
by Shannon Carr, scarr@csea.com
Linda Figone, school bus driver trainer and president of Gilroy Chapter 69, has settled into her new “normal” since the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools in March.
Every weekday, the Assistant Regional Representative (ARR) for new Region 88 and job steward is driving one of six buses through the rural areas of Gilroy, where they are delivering lunches for that day and breakfasts for the following morning. The route she is on has eight stops with 120 meals, and total daily food deliveries are reaching about 625 students. Between March 16 and April 9, CSEA food service members have prepared and served more than 40,000 lunches.
Making sure children are fed
She is also stopping wherever she sees children since they are often going without food now that they are no longer in school.
“Some of the families do not have a way to get to the local school for the food distribution and are very happy we are doing this,” she said. “I want to make sure all the kids that are in need of the food, receive the food.”
On the first day, for example, a grandpa was playing in a pasture by the road. Figone stopped and handed him food over the fence and told him where to be for the next day. They have stopped there every day since.
“He said it is now the highlight of the kid’s day to watch for the bus to come with the food,” she said.
Finding a need for extra books
She is also going one step further to ensure students continue to learn. After finding a big box of books in her storage unit, she loaded them up on the bus and started offering them to the students with their breakfasts and lunches.
“Some of the families do not have a way to get to the local school for the food distribution and are very happy we are doing this.”
“The kids were so happy with the books, they now come running to the box for their new book, while mom or someone gets the food,” Figone said.
These days, when she’s not driving, Figone is currently working on in-service presentations for the drivers in her department or handling numerous calls, texts and emails from District Human Relations and CSEA members. Most of the time, it is trying to keep the members informed on what is happening.
“I must say, with all of this pandemic that is going on, our Chapter members have been great,” Figone said. “They are very supportive and willing to step up wherever needed. I’m so proud of them all.”
Photo courtesy of member
Union leader helps negotiate pay for food service workers
by Angelica Cabral, acabral@csea.com
Ron Walker is used to doing different jobs. The Orland Chapter 456 member is a bus driver, custodian and groundsman. He’s also been a member of his chapter’s negotiating team for more than 10 years.
Walker says his chapter was able to ratify a month-long Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding school closures but disagreed on one issue: the pay for food service workers. CSEA was fighting to get them either time-and-a-half or double pay. Eventually, they succeeded in an agreement to pay food service workers double pay during Spring Break and other holidays and time-and-a-half the rest of the time.
Food service workers performing essential work
Food service workers in his chapter have been serving about 1,200 meals a day to the local community. He’s a part of a small chapter, only about 100 members, but that doesn’t stop them from getting the job done.
“Feeding the kids is essential, making sure the buildings are secure is essential,” he explained. “When we went in and cut the brush off the sidewalks, to me that would be essential because it’s impeding on the public if they happen to be walking by; you don’t want somebody to get hurt.”
Keeping schools safe and clean
Walker says he’s been going in to work and completing a task, then going back home to continue social distancing. These tasks range from emptying the trash, cleaning office bathrooms, and securing the locks after the teachers have been there to make sure all the doors have been properly closed.
“I’m just hoping that the community stays healthy and stays safe and the kids are still being given some schoolwork.”
In his area, Walker believes that everybody seems to be doing what they’re supposed to be doing, like staying home and wearing a mask when they need to go to the store.
“I’m just hoping that the community stays healthy and stays safe and the kids are still being given some schoolwork,” he said. “And hopefully, everybody can keep their standards of living that they currently have.”
Photo by Michael Burke
Small chapter making large impact
by Shannon Carr, scarr@csea.com
Indian Springs Chapter 870 may be a small chapter with literally only two members, but their outreach during the school closures has made a tremendous impact. Paraeducator Sandy McKinney has been helping her husband, Food Service Director Donald McKinney II, in the kitchen. They prepare approximately 25 breakfast and lunches daily. Just two weeks into April they had served about 270 breakfasts and lunches. They provide mainly drive-through services so they can get the meals out hot, but they have done some home delivery for students who are unable to get to them.
“We want to get as many meals as we can into the bellies of students,” Donald said.
Students rely on school lunch
The district’s student population is 100 percent free and reduced lunch, so they intend to provide the service for as long as the pandemic lasts.
“This service is undoubtedly helpful to parents who may be unprepared to be feeding their children two extra meals per day that they weren’t expecting to have to do,” Sandy said. “Also, I hope it is comforting to the students to see us and feel a little bit of normalcy.”
Of course, things have changed, including for the food preparation. During a “normal” school session, Donald says he drives 60 miles one way to buy food and supplies.
“I still have to do this now, but I’m not sure what I’ll find on the shelves when I get there,” he said. “It’s hard to think about what I will be preparing when I don’t know what food I can get. I’m used to working with a head count each day, so I know how many meals to make. This is so day-to-day; I’m stressed that I may not have enough meals for everyone who shows up. Thankfully, this hasn’t happened!”
“I know which students need some extra reassurance and a smile from my familiar face that they’re used to seeing daily.”
Applying paraeducator skills to connect with kids
Although Sandy works as a paraeducator, she volunteered to jump in with both feet. She admits that many of her daily skills have helped her with her new responsibilities, including her organization and connection with the kids.
"I know which students need some extra reassurance and a smile from my familiar face that they’re used to seeing daily,” she said.
Despite their different positions, their motivation is the same.
“Cooking for and serving the kids is such a positive outlet during all this,” Donald said. "Getting smiles and waves from the backseats of cars, thank you cards, and hand painted thank you pictures from the kids has been uplifting.”
Photo courtesy of member
Taking care of union business
by Angelica Cabral, acabral@csea.com
Even before the COVID-19 crisis and school closures, William Martinez of Alhambra Chapter 295 was extremely busy. And now, he has more than ever to do.
Martinez is an interim chapter president, regional representative (RR) for Region 95 and serves as a mentor to other RRs.
“Giving them the necessary tools, helping them get up to speed with Zoom, helping them with any questions that come out of left field with the membership,” Martinez said are a few of the items he is helping RRs handle.
Figuring out what comes next
When the school closures were first announced, the chapter 295 was in the middle of negotiations and soon had to jump into ratifying an MOU. Now, they must try and figure out what comes next. According to Martinez, there has been a lot of collaboration between CSEA and the teachers, especially when it comes to the upcoming school board race, for which there are three board seats up for grabs.
“Now we’re entering into a phase where I’m helping teachers rework their curriculum, so they can deliver all that remotely through Google Classrooms.”
“We were able to regroup and retool, and we ended up publishing a call out in those districts to identify candidates,” Martinez explained. “We’re going to be conducting candidate interviews via Zoom. This is a collaborative effort with the Alhambra Teachers Association and us joining together to move candidates forward.”
Getting the work done remotely
Aside from CSEA business, Martinez continues to perform his computer technician duties from home. The first couple weeks focused on access, such as password resets, making sure students had the equipment they needed, and helping people get on to their WIFI at home.
“Now we’re entering into a phase where I’m helping teachers rework their curriculum, so they can deliver all that remotely through Google Classrooms,” Martinez said.
Even though there won’t be state testing, the College Board is still moving forward with Advanced Placement (AP) exams, so students will have to take those exams online.
Martinez hopes that this time will be a wake-up call for everybody about the work that classified staff do and how essential they are. Now more than ever, Martinez knows how important it is to be a part of a union, standing strong and standing together.
“As we look around, it’s the strong unions with strong union contracts that are getting through this,” Martinez said. “We are united in the efforts that we’re doing right now, no one is alone.”
Photo by Art Montes De Oca
Taking care of union business
by Angelica Cabral, acabral@csea.com
Even before the COVID-19 crisis and school closures, William Martinez of Alhambra Chapter 295 was extremely busy. And now, he has more than ever to do.
Martinez is an interim chapter president, regional representative (RR) for Region 95 and serves as a mentor to other RRs.
“Giving them the necessary tools, helping them get up to speed with Zoom, helping them with any questions that come out of left field with the membership,” Martinez said are a few of the items he is helping RRs handle.
Figuring out what comes next
When the school closures were first announced, the chapter 295 was in the middle of negotiations and soon had to jump into ratifying an MOU. Now, they must try and figure out what comes next. According to Martinez, there has been a lot of collaboration between CSEA and the teachers, especially when it comes to the upcoming school board race, for which there are three board seats up for grabs.
“Now we’re entering into a phase where I’m helping teachers rework their curriculum, so they can deliver all that remotely through Google Classrooms.”
“We were able to regroup and retool, and we ended up publishing a call out in those districts to identify candidates,” Martinez explained. “We’re going to be conducting candidate interviews via Zoom. This is a collaborative effort with the Alhambra Teachers Association and us joining together to move candidates forward.”
Getting the work done remotely
Aside from CSEA business, Martinez continues to perform his computer technician duties from home. The first couple weeks focused on access, such as password resets, making sure students had the equipment they needed, and helping people get on to their WIFI at home.
“Now we’re entering into a phase where I’m helping teachers rework their curriculum, so they can deliver all that remotely through Google Classrooms,” Martinez said.
Even though there won’t be state testing, the College Board is still moving forward with Advanced Placement (AP) exams, so students will have to take those exams online.
Martinez hopes that this time will be a wake-up call for everybody about the work that classified staff do and how essential they are. Now more than ever, Martinez knows how important it is to be a part of a union, standing strong and standing together.
“As we look around, it’s the strong unions with strong union contracts that are getting through this,” Martinez said. “We are united in the efforts that we’re doing right now, no one is alone.”
Photo by Art Montes De Oca
Secretary helps students
by Angelica Cabral, acabral@csea.com
Alma Perez, a secretary from South Whittier Chapter 348, has become a vital link between students, families and teachers during the school closures. She is supporting teachers by helping them connect with their students and staying available after hours for parents.
“I’m just here to help and do my job,” Perez said.
Keeping everyone informed of the latest updates
Perez is willing to go above and beyond to make sure that students, teachers, and parents in her district continue to stay informed about the latest updates. Her first week consisted of calling parents to let them know they could pick up a Chromebook for their student, if they needed it. She also helped classified staff with submitting their attendance reports.
“Thankfully, we’re still here,” she emphasized. “Even working from home, working remotely, it’s a little different, but we’re still here helping our community. Helping our parents, trying to get the kids to learn, which is what we do.”
Working from home comes with its challenges, such as not having everything at her fingertips like in her office, but she’s still able to access all the programs she needs.
A strong community is important
Perez believes that after this, people in her community will be more careful about their surroundings and everything they do. She hopes they keep taking care of themselves, because a strong community is important.
“Even working from home, working remotely, it’s a little different, but we’re still here helping our community."
“Where we live, who we are here for, our teachers, our students, our parents,” she explained. “It’s the whole family, our whole surroundings. What makes you. It’s my community here.”
Perez feels CSEA is helping her stay informed and that the union is there for her. She says her local chapter has been holding virtual sessions.
“I love that we can contact CSEA for anything and they’re there.”
Photo courtesy of member
Bus drivers providing a lifeline to families
by Shannon Carr, scarr@csea.com
Although bus driver Sheri Jurovich is not currently transporting children to school, in her heart and mind she is still carrying what she calls “precious cargo.”
“Normally, when we say carrying precious cargo, we are referring to our students we transport,” Jurovich, president of Wilsona Chapter 723, said. “Currently, our precious cargo is transporting a lifeline to the families in the community and the children we normally transport.”
School bus filled with meals
Each day, she packs a bus with food and educational materials instead of students. Among all the bus drivers, they make 125 stops twice a day, working an average of two hours to deliver breakfast meals and two hours to distribute lunch. They are not only providing meals to students, but anyone in the community that is between the ages of one and 18, and to disabled community members. More than 2,000 meals a day are being served.
“Lately, whether it’s rain or shine, seeing the kids smile and excited for their meals and schoolwork packets makes it worth doing this.”
Additionally, they are delivering learning packets and supplies to students who are enrolled in the district, along with information to the parents/students.
“We try to provide reassurance, some normalcy to our students, a sense of hope and security for our community,” Jurovich said.” Our parents and students have been so appreciative that our staff has been so responsive to their needs. They look forward to seeing the bus come into their neighborhood each day.”
Students miss social interaction on bus
Although they see most of their regular students, she said they are sad they can’t hop onboard and they tell her every day they miss riding on the bus.
“We are not able to have the same interaction with our students like we did before the pandemic started. Although we see our students, we don’t talk with them like we used to,” Jurovich said. “We miss talking, laughing, and singing with them. The students are an integral part of our lives, they are our children.”
For now, though, she is happy to still see them, even if it is in a different capacity.
“Lately, whether it’s rain or shine, seeing the kids smile and excited for their meals and schoolwork packets makes it worth doing this,” she said.
Jurovich shares her pride in being a part of CSEA and providing for those in need during this time.
“I am so truly proud of our classified staff who have worked tirelessly to make a difference within our community!” she said.
Photo courtesy of member
Everyday Heroes Video Series
Classified employees across the state of California may be sheltering-in-place. But that doesn’t mean the critical services they provide every day have stopped. In fact, their dedication is more important than ever as they provide a lifeline to students and families who are most dependent on their services. This video compilation highlights what some of our “Everyday Heroes” have been doing during these unprecedented times, including preparing and distributing meals, maintaining technology infrastructure needed to keep distance learning up and running and more.
To view video profiles in full, visit our YouTube page.
Everyday Heroes Video Series
Classified employees across the state of California may be sheltering-in-place. But that doesn’t mean the critical services they provide every day have stopped. In fact, their dedication is more important than ever as they provide a lifeline to students and families who are most dependent on their services. This video compilation highlights what some of our “Everyday Heroes” have been doing during these unprecedented times, including preparing and distributing meals, maintaining technology infrastructure needed to keep distance learning up and running and more.
To view video profiles in full, visit our YouTube page.