MEA PRESIDENT'S LETTER
With all of this, our members
have stepped right up to so many of the enormous challenges, and in many wonderful ways—ensuring that students have meals, working to adapt to alternative means of providing instruction and continued learning, collaborating and supporting one another as well as students and parents who are also feeling great stress and anxiety.
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Still, there were disappointments—what about senior proms? Graduation ceremonies? Children’s birthday parties? The Summer Olympics?
Emotions To say these last few weeks (has it really only been a few weeks???) have been filled with all sorts of emotions is the greatest understatement imaginable. I’m sure many of us--likely all of us—initially felt shock and disbelief when the first steps were taken by our colleges, universities, school districts, communities and the state as a reaction to COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic. I will remember the moment when I got word that all of the NEA conferences and events that were in my calendar were suddenly cancelled or postponed indefinitely. Then came word that sports events would not allow spectators to attend, that sports seasons were postponed, cancelled—it seemed unbelievable. There quickly followed high levels of fear, stress and anxiety as we faced so many unknowns—and still do as I write this. The stress and anxiety only increased as day to day—even hour to hour—things continued to change. Our staff at MEA were flooded with questions from members, and I want you all to know how remarkable the response was to find and communicate answers. Our local association leaders have worked with administrators to plan ways to deal with the crisis. We have experienced a high degree of collaboration and communication with others as well—with the Commissioner of Education and her staff, and with leaders from other education organizations. Our Governor listened and responded with the Executive Order to provide some relief for support professionals. 6
Maine Educator • April 2020
And I know some of us, despite all our efforts, are being more impacted than others. Even with our great effort, huge challenges remain. I assure you, we will continue to work hard to make things better. With all of this, our members have stepped right up to so many of the enormous challenges, and in many wonderful ways—ensuring that students have meals, working to adapt to alternative means of providing instruction and continued learning, collaborating and supporting one another as well as students and parents who are also feeling great stress and anxiety. I have to say that, despite the continuing worries about what may lie ahead, I am also feeling another emotion—a truly huge amount of pride in our educators and deep gratitude for the work you all do! We are not out of the woods, I know—in fact, we may be only just entering. But we are all doing incredibly good work, and that causes me to feel sincere hope and inspiration that we will not only endure this crisis—we will be ever stronger as a profession and as an Association! Stay well, stay strong and stand proud! In Unity, Grace
Grace Leavitt President gleavitt@maineea.org
