Dear Members of the Board, Superintendent, and Albany community,
First, to former President Kim Trutane and trustee Jacob Clark, we thank you for your service on our School board. Our students, staff, and community have faced no shortage of challenges, and we want to recognize the time, energy, and effort you’ve put into this valuable work.
President Hinkley and Vice President Doss, congratulations on your new board positions. And to our newly appointed trustees, Melissa Boyd and Veronica Davidson, Albany Teachers Association welcomes you and looks forward to working with you to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the district. Thank you for stepping up to serve.
Next, we want to express our continued gratitude to the community for their support with remote learning. These are difficult and trying times for all of us and while there is a light at the end of this tunnel, we know we might not get there as fast as we would like. The important thing to remember is that we will get there, together.
Also, we appreciate the hard work the District has been doing. A number of our teachers have been a part of the many committee meetings that are trying to identify and address the myriad of issues necessary to bring students back safely. As more COVID cases arise in our community, a thoughtful science-based plan of action needs to be followed. The reopening presentation will bring us further along that plan. There are still, however, many details that need to be figured out, many of which will, ultimately, need to be bargained. ATA is committed to working with the District through these committees and through negotiations to have a safe return for our students and staff.
As we celebrate holidays and a new year full of hope, we are optimistic and continue to work hard for what is best for our teachers, students, and our amazing community.
Sincerely,
Stephen Naiff & Chris Knight
ATA Co-presidents