Leadership Experience

Advocacy:

Sheila’s true skills are
demonstrated as she defends
the rights of educators.

A-Day/B-Day Schedule

In the fall of 2002, she spoke vehemently in opposition the rescheduling of high schools into the four period day, A-day, B – day model. The superintendent implemented the model anyway, in lieu of the fact that instruction would be reduced by more than 20% and workload would increase from 25 to 100%. Sheila is now fighting the battle to change to a model that is more instructionally sound for both students and teachers.

Healthcare Threatened

In August of 2004, the Superintendent recommended changing the healthcare provider, totally disregarding the language in three of the four union contracts. Sheila mobilized the members and on September 15, 2004 over 800 employees lined Riva Road in protest of the changes to their healthcare provider. Sheila led the protesters into the Board of Education meeting where she spoke for them, along with other union leaders, and demanded that changes to their benefits be negotiated. The Board rejected the Superintendent’s recommendation.

Workload

As a result of scheduling, NCLB and numerous program changes, the employee workload has drastically increased. Through negotiations, a Workload Task Force was created to begin to address the concerns. Sheila Co-Chaired the Task Force, along with now Interim Superintendent Nancy Mann, to make recommendation on how to eliminate the workload. Thirty-three long term and short term recommendations came forth from the committee. Several are on the bargaining table and others are being considered by the Board members and staff.

Push for Pensions

In the spring of 2004, Sheila organized the first “every members meeting” in over 25 years. Hundreds came to Annapolis High School to hear about the threats to healthcare and the pension. Nancy Dietz, Chair of the Pension Committee, gave members the first glimpse into calculating their pension, thus helping them to recognize the need to pursue legislation.

After the MSTA Convention in October 2005, Sheila has organized coordinators and is presenting house parties to full faculties. She is also working with Superintendent Nancy Mann to set aside one day in January where the subject of all faculties meetings will be the pension. She has announced January 23^rd as TAAC Night in the Legislature.

Rally for Salaries

During her first year as President of TAAAC, the County Executive refused to fund a mid-year negotiated 3% pay raise. Sheila organized the first work to rule in Anne Arundel County in recent years. Teachers picketed outside their schools in the morning before arriving on time for duty and, at the end of the duty day, they exited the building together to picket again. Faculties were joined by their principals and other school system employees as well as parents. Attention was finally being given to the poor salaries of educators.

Sheila then organized the Rally for Salaries where hundreds of educators converged on Lawyers Mall in front of the State House in Annapolis. On that raining afternoon, she was joined by representatives from the other unions as well as MSTA President, Pat Foerster. The message to the County was loud and clear. You can not expect educators to do the same work for less money. A promise is a promise. Support those who do the work.

One percent of the loss increase was received the following year and in 2005, the County Executive strongly recommended an additional 1% for educators.

Staffing

Each year, during the budget cycle, Sheila has spoken at Board meetings, Board Budget Hearings and at the County Council Budget presentations on the need to increase staffing. The Association worked diligently with the previous Governor to secure funding for additional mentors and Anne Arundel County was finally moving in the direction of providing mentors to the new teachers in the system. During the first year of past Superintendent Eric Smith’s tenure, several mentors and Pupil Personnel Workers (PPW’s) positions were eliminated. Sheila never gave up on the need for an increase in the numbers in these positions and continues to lobby for them. FY06, the Board added 10 additional mentors to their budget. For FY 07, Sheila is lobbying for additional mentors, PPW’s, psychologists and guidance counselors.

Superintendent Evaluation and vote of no confidence

Teachers in Anne Arundel County, for three years, felt ignored and abused by the Superintendent. They wanted their feelings known and so Sheila gathered evaluation tools from around the county and a committee was formed to put together the first ever Superintendent’s Evaluation in Maryland. Over 1,100 teachers responded in June. Sheila presented the evaluation results during a press conference in August and a date was set to take a vote of no confidence in September. The evening before the regularly scheduled TAAAC meeting, Superintendent of Schools announced his resignation, effective November. For two months, the Superintendent continued to make decisions that impacted the welfare and working conditions of educators, such as the refusal to address the recommendations of the Work Load Task Force. On November 2, 2005, the TAAAC membership took a vote of no confidence in the Superintendent of Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Empowering the Young and the not so young

Sheila has empowered the young teachers to get involved and get active. Over the last three years, Sheila has encouraged new/young teachers to speak out at Board meetings, County meetings and community meetings,. They come to share their issues and concerns and speak on recruitment and retention of the next generation of educators. She has also given the more experienced teachers to platform to speak out for issues around retention of experienced educators.

Empowering the Support Staff

Sheila’s true nature is that of a collaborator. Early in her tenure as President of TAAAC, she recognized that by working together, more could be accomplished.

In September of 2004, the Secretaries and Assistants Association of Anne Arundel County (SAAAAC) took a vote to leave the union affiliation with MSTA and NEA. Sheila appealed to them to not sever the ties but to work together to form a stronger union. She also committed to supporting them in their efforts to improve their relationship with the affiliates but also with the Board of Education.

SAAAC has become an active participant in the new Coalition of Education Employees, made up of all four education unions in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

A collaborative spirit

She embraced Interest Based Bargaining, also known as win-win bargaining. Using Interest Based, TAAAC has been successful in solving many of the problems and developing unique approaches to dealing with issues.

In the spirit of collaboration and us all working together, she organized the Coalition of Education Employees. The official organization includes the Association of Educational Leaders (AEL), AFSCME 1629, SAAAAC and TAAAC.

Sheila served on numerous Boards from Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts to the Community Action Agency to the Banneker Douglass Museum.

In the late 1990’s, she was appointed by then County Executive, Robert Neall, to the Bates Development Committee. The Committee had the responsibility to determine the future use of the historical building that was once the only African American high school in Anne Arundel County. Sheila continues to serve as a Trustee of the Board of the Bates Foundation.

Sheila also, served in numerous capacities in the Annapolis Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, including Chapter President. The Annapolis Chapter of the Links, Inc. provides scholarships and support for various community needs, including Sarah’s House, the homeless shelter for women and children. The Links are probably most noted for their Martin Luther King Writing Contest that has become the highlight of the county.

National leadership roles:

NEA - Congressional Contact
NEA - Convention Delegate

National council of education associations:

East Regional Director - The National Council of Urban Education Associations (NCUEA) is a caucus of local affiliates of the National Education Association (NEA), which is dedicated to strengthening member advocacy and making the NEA more responsive to member needs. Sheila serve the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland.

past msta committees:

MSTA New Business Committee, Co-Chair
Budget Committee
Human Relations, Past Chair
Fund for Children in Public Education
General Council
Minority Affairs
Convention Delegate

past taaac committees:

President
Interest Based Traditional Bargaining Team
Legislative Committee
Minority Affairs
Campaign for New Priorities Chair
Task Force on School Violence
Children’s Foundation
Teacher Image, Chair
Leadership Cadre
Bargaining Support
Delegate, School Board Nominating Convention

community and civic experiences:

Sheila also served on the League of Women Voters Study Committee on Elected School Boards, which launched legislation to determine the selection process used in selecting the school board members.

She also was a member of the Citizens for Education Equity, which was a grassroots organization made up of African American leaders who were interested in addressing the inequity in education.

Sheila is an excellent organizer. She was an Administration Manager for the Kunte Kinte Celebrations, Inc. where she coordinated the numerous activities that celebrated the arrival and commemoration of Kunte Kinte’s arrival in Annapolis.

Sheila also does Special Events Coordinator for the “Perfect Party.”