Negotiations Cancelled

The May 18th Negotiations session was postponed.
Still wear your shirts!
VTA and VUSD return to the Bargaining table on May 24th.  
Wear your VTA shirts and Work to Rule on Bargaining Days.  

Dear Members, 

I’m sure you’re as flabbergasted as I am to hear the announcement of Dr. Doyle’s contract being extended to 2024 with a salary of $300,000. His salary package also includes a $25,000 restoration from a voluntary pay reduction he took three years ago, and a 5.2% percent salary increase. This district expense is shocking and hypocritical, considering the Board of Education agreed with the district’s 0% pay raise offer to VTA in order to supposedly prepare for future financial obligations. Meanwhile, School Services projects a 6.56% Cost of Living Adjustment. The 0% offer truly shows District Leadership doesn’t value or respect who we are: a highly trained workforce that’s dedicated to students and the entire community.

However, this isn’t the only reason we, Certificated staff, are disappointed in the decision to approve a 5.2% percent salary increase for the Superintendent.   

In the 15 years I’ve worked for Vista Unified, this is the lowest moral I’ve ever witnessed. Our members feel disrespected and undervalued, and it’s not just because of the money. It is because many of management's decisions that claim to put students first, ultimately do not. How does taking away student contact caps put students first?  How does forcing our SPED and Ed Specialists to go over caseload put students first? What about all the campus safety issues we’re having? 

The message is clear: Management and managers are first priority, certificated staff fall somewhere down the line. 

Many members are asking me what the next steps are and whether wearing shirts is enough to show the district that we don’t feel respected by their decisions. Wearing shirts is not enough, we also need members to show up at board meetings, work to rule on bargaining days, and post on social media. Let our community know what’s going on.   

I want to remind you that VTA is a democratic organization. Our next plan of action comes from you, the members!  Make sure you go to your next 10 minute meeting and let your site reps know what you think we as a membership should do to show district leadership we’ve lost confidence in them.  

In Unity, 

Keri Avila


Connecting Members with Members
Are you interested in a second grade job share (50%) at Maryland?  If you are, contact VTA.