#1 - Teachers in the Deer Valley Unified District will receive a 1.1% salary increase, for 2006-07, and not 2%, as quoted by DV Official Bill Maas, in a recent Az Republic news report on an 'organized' teacher's protest, of a continued lack of appropriate funding, to the State Legislature.  The protest was, amazingly, scheduled for the same day that President Bush was visiting Yuma, Az., and most legislators were either in Yuma, to suck up to the Prez, or away from their offices, because so many were gone that there was no substantial work to be done!  Good job of scheduling, whomever is supposedly pro-teachers!(Only about fifty of Arizona's teachers were in attendance - others must have all been in Yuma!)
    #2 - The Az. State Retirement Sys.(ASRS) has raised their mandatory contribution rate to 9.1%, from 7.4%, including Long-term Disability(.5%).  That means that(yes - right off of the top of your paycheck), along with an increase in health benefit premiums, and a loss of the one-time $465 allotment for 2005-06, DV teachers will net much less in 2006-07.  Yes, they did receive a flate increase of $285, but even with the 1.1%, it does not come close to 2% for anyone, muchless a 2% average for all, as indicated by Maas!
     #3 - It took me too many years - and then a whole lot of otherwise unnecessary expense - to find out that I could purchase previous public service, and apply it towards my ASRS account!  That meant that I could retire after 27 years in DV, after purchasing my three years of substitute teaching elsewhere!  But - contact the ASRS to find out what other service applies, ie., ANY public service - bus driver, municipal worker, college work-study(some restrictions apply), etc., and none of it need be in Arizona!  Do the Math!  Do your homework!  Retire on YOUR terms!
     #4 - As uttered by Puck, to Oberon, in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' - "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"(Okay - I got culture!)  Did you know that in the DVUSD(and other Districts, I'm sure), a 6/5 contract does NOT mean that you get paid 6/5 of your contracted salary, but that you are simply teaching six classes, instead of five?  Well, I do not know how many are apprised of this, as teachers are offered such contracts, usually, in emergency situations, and then actually told that they will receive 6/5 of their salary.  I've been told that it has always been called a 6/5 contract.  Since revised contracts are not issued, the exact amount of payment is not disclosed, unless explicitly asked for!  "Lord, what trusting fools are we!"(From Arky to you, in 'Az I See It....!)  In actuality, if a teacher has five classes plus one prep period(total six), then the day is really divided into sixths - and the teacher is paid an additional sixth of their contract.  Instead of being paid an additional 20%, they are actually receiving only 16.6% - quite a difference!  So, the next time you are offered an increased contract, remember to demand the final revised salary amount up-front - regardless of which District authorizes your paycheck - and in an 'emergency,' always answer, "I'll think about it!" 

     "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on ME!" - Whomever!(Don't be a fool!)