Osborne teachers’ union urges board to create regular Meet‑and‑Confer, raises retaliation and leave concerns

Representatives of the Osborne Education Association told the Osborne School District Governing Board on Tuesday evening they will seek a standing monthly report to give staff a regular, public forum to raise concerns and to press the district to launch a formal meet‑and‑confer process.

The union’s co‑presidents, Storm Gerlach and Kirsten Callison, and union secretary Vanessa Palma said three priorities for the 2025–26 school year are launching meet‑and‑confer with the superintendent, lowering fear of retaliation and improving transparent, collaborative decision making. “By establishing this process, we can create a designated space to discuss the working conditions of all staff,” Gerlach said during the board’s public‑comment period.

The union highlighted two staff issues. First, Palma and other speakers said calendar communications changed at the last minute: the district initially posted two half days at the start of the year but then announced full days the week staff returned. Palma said many employees felt rushed by the midweek opening and fewer staff workdays before students arrived, and several staff asked for a student‑free workday after winter break. “Changes to the calendar need to be communicated to staff in a timely manner to allow for staff to prepare,” Palma said.

Second, the speakers pressed the board on changes to annual‑leave policy and district substitute‑budget caps. Palma told the board that, after the June policy changes, site‑level explanations to staff were inconsistent; in some places employees were told annual leave is only paid out at separation, a claim Palma said contradicts district policy. She said the combined effect of confusion about annual leave and a cap on substitutes left employees “feeling pressured not to take leave and fearful of being blamed if classes are split.” Callison urged the board to clarify that annual leave is a right for active employees and to treat substitute shortages as a budget problem rather than a staff problem.

Union leaders said the standing agenda item would let them bring examples and recommendations to the board regularly. Callison asked the board to treat incidents of retaliation as real and to address them directly: “Naming retaliation is a real experience our colleagues have faced,” she said.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and discussed logistics for adding an OEA standing item. Several board members and the superintendent said they would prefer a monthly, predictable slot for the union to speak so the board can track progress and respond in a timely way.

The union also submitted written introductions from local site representatives who could not attend, including Jim Hess (OMS), Jordan Blanton (communications chair) and Beth Anderson (Clarendon site rep). The union speakers said they would follow up with the board as the year progresses.