Age 30 or Younger? Don’t Miss Out on Gen ATPE

One of ATPE’s newest programs, Gen ATPE, offers special programming and networking opportunities specifically for educators ages 30 or younger. No additional application or fee is required, but to receive notification of Gen ATPE events, your member profile must include your birthdate indicating that you are currently age 30 or younger. To add your birthdate, log in to your Member Account at atpe.org, then navigate to “My Profile.” Add your birthday under “Profile Information,” and click Save!

Be sure to check out the archived Gen ATPE webinars available in the ATPE Professional Learning Portal:

★ Choosing and Using Diverse Literature: Discover sources to find new literature for your classroom library. There are many beautiful books that can add a new lens for learning. Literature should serve not only as a mirror for students to see the reflection of their lives but also as a window for them to see worlds outside of themselves. See how adding new and diverse books can even impact growth in reading skills. (Presented by Stephanie Stoebe)

★ How to Engage Families in Their Children’s Education: One of your biggest challenges as a teacher is finding strategies for getting your students’ families involved in their education. Veteran educators Karen Hames and Shelly Couch will share lessons learned from their careers and explain what really works—and what really doesn’t. Plus, they’ll cover what parental/family involvement looks like post-pandemic, as well as what to do if you don’t feel like your administrators are supportive. By the end of the webinar, you’ll have some time-tested techniques to try this year. (Presented by Shelly Couch and Karen Hames)

Do You Enjoy Podcasts During Your Commute?

Then check out the latest episodes of both The President’s Podcast and The ATPE Podcast on your favorite podcast apps to stay up to date on the latest public education news and issues that are important to you.

For the latest on association happenings from ATPE State President Stacey Ward, log in to our member-only podcast at atpe.org/ the-presidents-podcast

If you prefer watching a video, The ATPE Podcast is publicly available to all educators and can also be found on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/OfficialATPE.

Your Ally—continued from page 7

Consider Your Options

Your evaluation options will depend on your district’s policies. You usually will have the right to submit a written response to be attached to the evaluation in your file. A written response is helpful for telling your side of the story and providing positive documentation for your record. It should be professional and free from emotion; you can disagree, but you should do so without being disagreeable.

Some appraisal systems, including the T-TESS, also allow you to request a second appraisal by a different administrator. Usually, that comes in the form of a second classroom observation. Although this might sound like a fresh start, a second appraisal does not usually replace the first one. They are typically averaged together, but it can depend on district policy.

The most formal approach is the grievance process, which allows employees to challenge their evaluation results. Grievances are decided by campus/district administrators and the school board—rather than an independent decision maker—so they can be difficult to win without evidence of a legal violation. And because it can be a confrontational process, employees must carefully weigh the risks against the potential benefits.

The ATPE Member Legal Services Department can help eligible members* decide what approach will work best for them. But please note that all of these options have fairly short deadlines—usually 10 or 15 working days from the date you receive your appraisal. So contact us relatively quickly if you have questions.

*Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and current details of the insurance policy. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.

Leadership ATPE—continued from page 16 expecting to get out of it? Are you going in with an open mind and open heart? Are you looking to contribute and share?

“Be rested and be ready to open your heart to some amazing people,” Renteria says.

Educator Empowerment

Attending Leadership ATPE empowered Renteria to take the leap into region leadership, and now he has his eye on bigger goals: “I believe that a state office position might be in my future. Getting out and meeting people and not being shy or uninformed made it possible for me to succeed.”

Vahrenkamp has served on multiple ATPE committees, become more acquainted with ATPE’s inner workings, and learned more about how to be active and vocal in the political world. “I have written to the commissioner of education about issues with the Reading Academies, became Region 3 ATPE Director, and spoken out on my campus when the district was doing things that hindered us from doing our jobs.”

Stoebe says: “I am currently serving on my school district’s committee to attract more educators to our schools. We are also working on offering paid certification routes to paraprofessionals who would like to be teachers. Thanks to Leadership ATPE, I am able to take the mission of my school district and spread the word to companies, individuals, and the media.

“In March, I will be hosting a panel at SXSW EDU on the ‘5 Year Problem: Keeping Teachers in the Classroom.’ Three years ago, something of this magnitude would have intimidated me. Now? I am confident in sharing my thoughts and opinions. I credit Leadership ATPE for my growth. If you’re an educator and you are waiting for somebody to do something about an issue, please realize that you can be that somebody. Leadership ATPE inspired me to take a stand and then move forward on making changes in educational policy.”

Participating in Leadership ATPE gave Vahrenkamp a new outlook on the unknowns of volunteering and leadership: “The state officers talked about learning as they went, not being afraid to ask questions, and so much more. This gave me the confidence to use my voice in many places. It helped me to realize I didn’t have to know everything in order to speak out. If I knew a problem or saw something that could be better I could speak up. I walked away from Leadership ATPE with more confidence in what I was capable of doing and with more comrades than I had before. I was blessed to be a part of the first leadership cohort, and we became each other’s cheerleaders, advocates, and friends.“

The most recent endeavor Vahrenkamp attributes to Leadership ATPE is starting a blog about education: “There is a lot that needs to be said and needs to be put out in a way that it can be heard and spread. I am one person, and while I may not make as big of an impact as others, Leadership ATPE taught me it doesn’t matter. I will do what I can do and encourage others to join in so the impact becomes larger.”

Like her fellow Leadership ATPE alumni, Vahrenkamp eagerly encourages ATPE members to learn more about the program and apply: “It is a wonderful way to be able to connect with other educators across Texas and to come out stronger than you were. To prepare for this experience, the only thing one needs to do is be open minded, ready to participate, and willing to have fun. That is the best part of this program, and we had a blast all while taking in a ton of information. You will not regret being a member of a Leadership ATPE cohort.”