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Educator Dealing with Stress
The Future of School Funding
What the recent election means for our students
Plus: Home Grown
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December 2016 Vol. 77 • Number 3
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Save The Date! MEA Spring Conference April 8th at the University of Maine at Farmington Free professional development for all MEA members! Come to learn and connect!
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IT’S YOUR ASSOCIATION. READ ALL ABOUT IT. contents 5 6 19 30
Editor’s Note President’s Message Events & Deadlines Just for Fun
10 Lessons in the Mudflats
When it comes to digging deep, a group of students have all the right moves. They’re knee deep in mud learning how to fix a problem that’s threatening the livlihood of their community. Read about their work in the flats and the ground breaking approach to fixing the problem of a declining clam population.
Social Media Laws ChangeWhat You Need to Know MEA’s General Counsel explains the new law and outlines the proper guidelines to follow when posting on social media both for work and personal use. Read the complete story on page 25.
On the cover: Students from Athens and Portland along with MEA Member, Jason Curry, SAD 51 EA
Sitting is the New Smoking
Research shows too much sitting can actually be worse for you than smoking. Yet, we sit during the day, at night and we ask our students to sit for hours. Take some expert advice on how to redesign your space to make it both healthier and more conducive to learning. Read the full story on page 8.
28 The Role of School Support Staff in School Safety
Support Staff are often on the school safety front lines. Check out the school safety check list that’s proven to work with the help of our support staff.
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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7 The Hot List: Educator recommended tools to inspire and reimagine your day 8 Sitting is the New Smoking 9 Lessons in the Mudflats 12 New Overtime Rules 13 Dealing with Stress 14 Tech Talk: Organize Your Life 16 Stretch Your Holiday Budget 17 Perspectives: Should Parents Help Pay for School Supplies? 18 Home Grown
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MAINE
Educator
Volume 77 Number 3 - Copyright 2016 Editorial Staff Managing Editor - Robert Walker, Executive Director Editor - Giovanna Bechard, Communications Director Layout/Ad Manager - TBD Communications Assistant
MEA Leadership President - Lois Kilby-Chesley Vice President - Grace Leavitt Treasurer - Denise Simoneau NEA Director - Michael Thurston 4
Maine Educator • December 2016
Board of Directors Bo Zabierek Suzen Polk-Hoffses Jesse Hargrove Beth French Ken Williams Jill Watson Aaron Greene Jim Thornton Samantha Garnett Sias Terry Martin Bob McCully Amanda Cooper Deborah Butler John Messier Neil Greenberg Crystal Ward Gerry French
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Earn $50 in 10 Minutes Posted and Not Private Join the Revolution: Lessons Learned at MEA Fall Conference The Role of Support Staff in School Safety MEA Elections: Make Your Voice Heard Maine Educator (ISSN #1069-1235) is published by: Maine Education Association 35 Community Drive, Augusta, ME 04330-8005 207-622-4418; fax 207-623-2129 POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Maine Educator 35 Community Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330-8005 Non-Profit US Postage paid at Augusta, Maine and additional mailing offices. For advertising rates and information please contact: Giovanna Bechard 35 Community Dr., Augusta, ME 04330 207-622-4418 ext. 2205
Send letters to the editor, questions, and comments to gbechard@maineea.org
Editor’s Note
It isn’t Fair.
If I could count the number of times I’ve heard both my boys whine those words, “I’d be a millionaire for sure.” I remember saying them as a kid too, and hearing the same response from my mother each time, ‘life isn’t fair.’ For all the times I swore I would be different than my mother (for the record she’s a wonderful mother, but I think that’s just what teenage girls say) I find myself saying the same thing to my own kids. In reality, I’ll admit, I haven’t cracked that case yet as a mom—the one where you can explain things that honestly, just don’t seem fair to you either. As an adult, we learn to deal with things that don’t seem to go our way. For kids, as you know, that concept is a lot harder. For some of you, this recent election may not have turned out the way you wanted. For others, there is a sense of relief. I don’t really talk about politics publicly and I don’t post political things on social media. I don’t engage publicly because I know I have a hard time biting my tongue. It’s the Italian Jersey side of me I can’t ever seem to hide. For many, it seemed like this election all bets were off. There was no escaping it to the point where my four-year-old asked constant questions about both of the candidates—including if Donald Trump wore a wig (I had to chuckle). The question both boys asked before they even got out of bed the day after Election Day was ‘who won?’ They paid attention and deserved answers. Regardless of how you wanted things to turn out—the discussion I had with my 7-year-old when he asked why did Donald Trump win made me think a lot about the simple lessons that perhaps some adults need to remember. I first explained the easiest thing—Donald Trump had more votes. Then, I told him we need to understand that you win some and you lose some, and if you lose you can’t be a sore loser. Instead, we need to learn how to work with all kinds of people, because let’s face it, you just can’t like everyone—and that’s OK. I spoke to my son about kindness and about never giving up for what you want, and trying hard at everything you do. They’re such simple lessons that go far beyond any election—they’re life lessons I hope he uses in everything he does from writing his spelling words to playing hockey. These are concepts he understands, and if we all go back to basics they’re concepts we as adults can remember we should live by as well.
want because they’re not really “saying it” they’re only typing it. The problem comes from both sides of the aisle. I’m tired of it all. I’m tired of living in a world where I need to explain things to my son that don’t seem like they’re lessons needed in the year 2016. I want to return to a place where we are civil again. Sure, I’m on a soapbox. Sure, I know it seems easy to say, or type. But, in all honesty, if we are all just a little kinder, and remembered what it was like to be seven I think we would all be a little better off, and a lot less stressed. You can learn some new stress-relieving techniques on page 13. The good thing is elections run in cycles. If you don’ t like how this one turned out there will be another. And if you think you have ideas to help improve the MEA you can be part of the solution and get involved. Learn more about how on pages 20 & 29. With this election came a major change to school funding. Voters approved a statewide ballot measure that will provide an influx of millions of dollars for schools across Maine. This is a game changer for school funding, and a signal to lawmakers that voters in Maine support our students. Read more about the future of school funding on page 20. Finally, as the holiday season approaches take some time for yourself, cook something new (member recipes on page 30) and save some money with MEA member benefits on page 16. But most of all, take time to relax, and remember what’s really important to you—whatever that is.
GIOVANNA BECHARD EDITOR
Sure, it’s simple. Sure, we can’t really have world peace if we just try hard and be nice. But what we can have is a little civility, a little compassion, a little understanding for different points of view. That’s not really too much to ask. Frankly, I’m tired of reading posts on social media from people who are flat out rude to others. I’m tired of keyboard warriors and internet trolls. I’m tired of people thinking they can say whatever they
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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President’s Message
Lois Kilby-Chesley MEA President
Do you have a question for Lois? Send it in an e-mail to lkilby-chesley@ maineea.org
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Maine Educator • December 2015 October December 2016 2016
LOIS KILBY-CHESLEY PRESIDENT
MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD Maine’s political diversity was evident again on November 8. 48% of our residents voted for Hillary Clinton, 45% for Donald Trump, 5% for Gary Johnson, and 2% for Jill Stein. What became obvious as the votes were tallied, was many people voted for someone they believe will change America. At the same time Mainers voted for state change and supported legalized marijuana, supported increased school funding through a tax surcharge, supported an increased minimum wage, and supported ranked-choice balloting. MEA worked hard to ensure the passage of Question 2 (tax surcharge on the wealthy) and Question 4 (increased minimum wage) after the Representative Assembly delegates and Board of Directors endorsed both referendums. We believed that both Questions would positively impact our students and our members. We thank all Mainers who supported us on both referendums. At the MEA we recognize our members have very different viewpoints and these viewpoints are all valued as we work to represent our members in the work we do. Members may consider a candidate’s policies on, for example, military spending or environmental issues, while at MEA we focus on educational policies and the impact of decisions on our students and members. We believe that the next four years will be challenging. President-elect Trump has said, “There’s no failed policy more in need of urgent change than our government-run education monopoly.” (9/2016). He is an avid supporter of “school choice” including charter schools and school vouchers for use at parochial or private schools. In the past he has espoused his view that educator unions have walled off competition of education leading one to suppose vouchers and portability will be in our future. Vouchers are used between schools or districts similarly to a gift card, allowing a parent to choose which school a child will attend. Portability. a popular idea in education reform circles, forces struggling public schools to send taxpayer money away from public schools to pay tuition at charter or private schools, as well as to a neighboring district.
Portability is the similar process by which charter schools drained away district money before the EPS funding mechanism change. President-elect Trump believes that student loans should be market-driven and that the government should refrain for loaning money for college. Instead banks would be restored to the student loan business. On the other hand, in October, then candidate Trump said, “Under my student program, we would cap repayment for an affordable portion of borrower’s income — 12.5 percent. ... If borrowers work hard and make their full payments for 15 years, we’ll let them get on with their lives.” At this point in time we are in a waiting game to see how student loans are affected in the new administration. In addition, for-profit college stocks have rallied since the election. We know of Trump University’s history, and the President-elect has strong ties to that industry. The lawsuit alleging Trump University failed on its promises is scheduled to begin Nov. 28, though lawyers have filed to have it delayed until after the inauguration. We will work to protect our University and Community College Systems from whatever may confront us. Yes, we do indeed have challenges ahead of us as we fight to protect public education preK through post secondary. No matter how you voted, we must stand together in support of our students, our schools, our careers, and most importantly our beliefs for education. We can do this. We have the will-power and we will not give up our students’ right to a free, public education led by the best prepared educators we can muster. The MEA is ready to support you, and we know that you are ready to support MEA - because you are the MEA, and the MEA is you. We will survive, we will overcome, we will flourish because our students’ futures - our civilization’s future - depends on a strong public school system. We will not give up.
In Unity,
Discover these educator recommended tools and be inspired to reimagine your day
u News Yo
The H t List
Can U se
Stomp Rocket Make science a blast with the Stomp Rocket. The Stomp Rocket is a fun way to teach scientific concepts like gravity, trajectory, projection, force and motion. The air powered rocket is ready to fly in seconds with students in control of its send off. Stomp Rocket even provides teachers with lesson plans on how to incorporate the fun of the rocket into their class. Learn more at stomprocket.com Four rockets cost $19.
Readworks.org
Reading Comprehension Cards These reading comprehension cards come in a wide variety of genres. Students can write their thoughts and circle key items or underline important thoughts then wipe the redproducible cards clean. The cards feature a level-appropriate reading passage with follow-up questions. Set includes 90 practice cards at 3 different levels, so kids remain challenged as they develop skills.
Online Manipulatives The Math Learning Center offers web and appbased manipulatives—with the best resources for building number sense. The Math Learning Center provides easy to use number-sense building manipulatives—bacis, ten frames, hundreds charts, etc.
Readworks.org is an online tool focused on reading comprehension and provides reading passages for K-12. The free resource has more than 2500 reading passages based on various topics including science, arts and social studies. Most passages are paired with question sets and carefully selected vocabulary with multiple examples of the word used in different context. Lesson plans, vocabulary lessons, formative assessments, and teacher guidance are also provided—all for free.
Goobric The Goobric web app provides teachers a handy assessment toolbar—in the same browser tab as the Google Drive assignment being evaluated. The app includes a clickable scoring tool tied to any gridstyle rubric, comments, and audio-comments recording. Submitted scores can be auto-emailed to students, pasted into the bottom of a Google Document, and are automatically transferred to the Google Sheet that holds your assignment roster. Includes “Back” and “Next” buttons that allow teachers to efficiently advance through a batch of student assignments, all without leaving the same browser tab. December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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News You Can Use “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death,” Dr. James Levine told The Los Angeles Times. Dr. Levine is the Director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk. Levine coined the phrase— “sitting is the new smoking,” and there is research to back up his theory. Researchers have found that sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of developing several serious illnesses like various types of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Yet, we all sit a lot, and we ask students to sit, a lot which begs the question: How can we design our spaces to better facilitate learning in a healthy way?
Ditch the Desk Carl Hooker is the Director of Innovation at a school district in Texas and is the founder of the learning festival iPadpalooza. Hooker formally said goodbye to the student desk three years ago. Motivated by how places like Google design their spaces, Hooker, who recently spoke at the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine conference, believes “this new idea of learning with mobile devices also meant that the Desk’s other
primary strength (its ability to create neat rows) was no longer a necessity. Students needed to be able to move around and work in a variety of ways; individually, in small groups, or as a whole,” as he wrote in his Desk obituary. Getting rid of a desk may be easier than it sounds. Hooker suggests getting some bean bag chairs, sold inexpensively at major retailers, and thinking about using tables. The advice is based on his own research which involved going back to high school as an adult observer for the day. “This was one of the most eye opening things I’ve done as a professional. I took a sophomore’s schedule and followed a student throughout the day. I wanted to see how they are ‘in the wild.’ We make these giant decisions about how a student learns and what I noticed was the uncomfortable torture devices they’re sitting in. I realized really quickly collaboration doesn’t happen in these desks. Rows isn’t the best way to learn,” said Hooker. Research shows that students can sit, on
Separating Your Space A design theory to make your space more productive for learning should include, according to the experts, the delineation of what you have—breaking your building or classroom up into four different areas including:
average, for the number of minutes they are in age—six-years-old, six minutes. Adults can only sit for 18-20 minutes, without fidgeting. This data, Hooker says, is proof we need to change how we design our learning spaces. Beyond the bean bag chairs, Hooker says students want what we all want—to be comfortable when they are learning. He suggests thinking about softer furniture with softer lighting. If you can’t get rid of your fluorescent lights, then bring in some table lamps where you can control the wattage of the bulbs. If you can’t get rid of the desks, turn them into a table where students can have the opportunity to work better together. “We only had 12 desks in the classroom and we had 20 kids. In this classroom kids willingly sat on the floor and found a space that felt ‘right’ to them while they worked,” said Hooker.
Source: Gensler.com
1) Focus Space 2) Learning Space 3) Collaborative Space 4) Social Space The four work modes are based on research that shows how we best learn—with the theory that if the four work modes are collaborate, focus, learn and socialize then our spaces should reflect those ideas to produce the best quality product. While the research is based on workplace environments, Hooker believes, based on his experience, there is evidence to show that students want the same things as adults when they’re learning. “Movement invigorates the brain. Think about your 8
Maine Educator • December 2016
teaching strategy when you’re designing your room and how you are going to keep kids moving. In the end, regardless of how you design your space, what the lighting is or how you arrange your desks, if nothing else, Hooker makes one key final point: “Learning is everywhere; it doesn’t have to be sitting in the classroom.”
Lessons in the Mudflats
You Can Use Holding the tiniest of clams in their hands, News 7th grade students in Morgan Cuthbert’s science class take their learning to the Royal River Town Landing in Yarmouth. They’re raising baby clams to help boost a declining clam population in a town known for its annual clam festival. Here, the green crab is an invasive species and has threatened the very shellfish this town’s economy depends on. During the Yarmouth Clam Festival, school groups, sports teams and others sell clams, cooked in every way possible, to raise money for their causes. Without clams, community groups suffer which makes the Harrison Middle School students’ study of the clam flats that much more important. The lessons in the mudflats have given students the chance to both study what’s happening to the clams and then figure out how to fix the problem.
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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News You Can Use
“We have a constructivist approach, so basically we let the kids do the science not have the science done to them. Especially in middle school, you can’t hold the kids’ attention without getting them to do something hands on,” said Cuthbert who is also the 2016 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year. Students study the clams in what’s called an upweller—a nursery where the clams grow safe from predators. Students are responsible for the maintenance of the silos where the clams live and for understanding the process in which the clams feed. It’s in the upweller where the clam growth is sped up—growing the same size in the wild as they would in five years in just two months. With the school project, the clams will grow large enough to be reintroduced back into the water by the students in the spring. “I like seeing how the clams are growing and how they get cleaned. I’ve learned about how it’s better for the clams to be in the upweller instead of the ocean because of predators. I like being very involved in this process—it helps me learn and it’s more fun than just being in the classroom,” said student Jasper Chappell. Students not only clean the silos where the clams live but they also change out the filter screens, using larger screens for when the clams get bigger to allow the food to pass through. Students also remove any dead clams to ensure the water is healthy for those that are growing. The hands on approach is something Cuthbert believes deeply in, starting the clam project with a group of students back in 2013. Those same students, even though they’re in high school now, still head out to the upweller to help finish the project they started when they first studied the green crab invasion years ago.
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Maine Educator • December 2016
“Mr. Cuthbert’s motivation to keep us involved motivates us to see the clam project through. He could just do his job, which is hard enough already, but he is always pushing us to give us new opportunities because he cares. He inspires us to continue to learn and do good in our community,” said Yarmouth High School Sophomore Duncan Birkbeck. The project is a joint effort between the school and many community partners, including the Yarmouth Education Foundation which funded the construction of the upweller. “We really pride ourselves on linking the kids to the community and having a better understanding about it. When you do take some of those risks, great things can come from those risks. As teachers we’re learning about the sorting and feeding process in the upweller too. This type of study has never been done before, so as we learn our kids learn too, and in the end our students will be able to tell us if the tidal ecosystem is healthy,” said Cuthbert. The goal of the project, which has received accolades on the national level, is to grow enough clams to reseed the flats. And, if Cuthbert’s projections are correct, middle and high school students, along with their teacher, will end up being responsible for helping revitalize the clamming community in Yarmouth. “Everybody we’ve encountered, whether it’s a clammer, or a parent, or someone who helped us construct the upweller, everyone recognizes that it really feels like we are doing something special out here,” said Cuthbert.
News You Can Use
STUDENTS SAY.... “Mr. Cuthbert made science a lot more fun because we get to go out into nature.”Clementine Blaschke, 10th grade “It's fascinating how many clams there are in the upweller. I like sieving here in the outdoors with the sunlight; it doesn’t feel as confined as the classroom. I think this is a good learning experience for us where we are learning about the environment we live in.”-Steven Densmore, 7th grade “Clearly, Mr. Cuthbert never stops teaching. He's always willing to get out there and inspire us to ‘get it.’ You can feel the joy that he has when he is learning with us, and you can feel that as well when he teaches.”-Ben CoxFaxon, 10th grade “It's been really incredible to watch. Before 7th grade I didn't know how much of a problem we had with the clams. We need clams. It was a great experience to learn about something like this in our own backyard.” -Connor Senger, 10th grade “The project has really grown and Mr. Cuthbert has guided us along the way. It's really cool that we started as 7th graders and we're still doing it. I love being able to get out there on the flats and reach your hands into the mud.”-Grady Welsh, 10th grade
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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News You Can Use
NEW OVERTIME RULES MEAN SOME MEMBERS ARE OVERTIME ELIGIBLE New federal regulations now require employers to pay overtime to eligible employees if they earn less than $47,476. The previous overtime threshold was $23,660. While this is a big jump, not all who earn less than $47,476 qualify to receive overtime. WHO QUALIFIES? SOME Educators/Specialists The new threshold will impact education support professionals and education professionals who are currently overtime exempt only because they make more than the old threshold amount of $23,660. With the new higher salary threshold if these professionals will be making less than $47,476 per year they will become overtime eligible: •Under PreK-12 contracts, classifications such as librarians, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, speech pathologists, social workers, psychologists and computer employees. •Under higher education contracts, classifications such as researchers (non-students), certified public accountants, certified athletic trainers, librarians, computer employees and psychologists. Please note that job classifications do not definitively determine exempt status as FLSA exemptions are applied on an employee-byemployee basis based upon the actual duties of the position.
The Teacher Exemption Teachers are specifically defined in statute as exempt “professional” employees for which the salary threshold test does not apply. The exemption test for teachers depends on whether or not the employee is primarily engaged in the duties of teaching (i.e. spends majority of time teaching, tutoring, instructing or lecturing in the activity of imparting knowledge) in an educational establishment. PreK-12 teachers and professors are exempt from overtime under the teacher exemption regardless of how much they are paid. Note as well that academic administrative employees such as principals, vice principals and guidance counselors are deemed by regulation to meet the salary threshold test if they are paid at least the same salary as that of an entry-level teacher in the same educational institution. What You Should Do Now? If you have questions about your overtime eligibility under the new rules, contact your local Association President or your UniServ Director immediately. It is important that each local understands the changes in regulations and the affected members rights to overtime pay as of December 1. This change to the salary threshold does not impact an employee’s bargaining unit status. No employee should be removed from coverage under a collective bargaining agreement due to this change.
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News You Can Use
Deali
ng W
ith
Get out and exercise. Consider walking, jogging, biking or anything that gets you active. Physical activity releases chemicals in your body that give you a greater sense of well-being.
Tame Your Stress
Laugh out loud. Laughing lightens your mental load and does good things for your body. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response. Talk to friends and family. They can distract you, provide support and help you weather life’s ups and downs. We all have stress, it is part of life. The key is understanding how to first identify it, and then how to manage it. “What you do is so vital,” says Shanti Douglas a mindfulness and stress management coach. “You are the makers of the little beings who are going to run the world, and you’re giving them the skills they need but we need to take care of ourselves. When you’re saying ‘no,’ you’re actually saying ‘yes’ to you. Make sure you take a minute of quiet reflection for yourself, and if it’s uncomfortable that’s ok-but we all need that time,” Douglas told a group of members at a recent MEA training. Douglas encourages educators to combat stress through self-awareness, which she describes as thinking more about your breathing and what you’re doing in the moment without letting outside distractions take over. “When you brush your teeth just brush your teeth. Know your needs, and ask yourself—‘What is it that I need, which is different than want?’ That is how we can take control of our stress and manage it,” said Douglas. Douglas recently led a group of MEA members in an exercise where each shut out the rest of the world and practiced their breathing, focused on relaxation through a series of stretches while paying attention to only themselves. The technique was transformative for some who felt bstressed but had never practiced any sort of mindful behavior. “With everything going on in my world right now, with local association work and politics now—I didn’t think there was anything that would relax me the way that just did. If we can help our colleagues do that— it would be amazing. Paying attention to my breathing and shutting everything else out really worked. The sewage of life was gone,” said Jason Anderson. RSU 29 EA.
What is mindfulness?
The goal of any mindfulness technique is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation by deliberately paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment. This allows the mind to refocus on the present moment. All mindfulness techniques are a form of meditation.
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Basic mindfulness meditation—Sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or mantra that you repeat silently.
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Body sensations—Notice subtle body sensations such as an itch or tingling without judgment, and let them pass. Notice each part of your body in succession from head to toe.
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Emotions—Allow emotions to be present without judgment. Practice a steady and relaxed naming of emotions: “joy,” “anger,” “frustration.” Accept the presence of the emotions without judgment, and let them go.
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Headaches, muscle tension, neck or back pain Upset stomach Difficulty falling or staying asleep Irritability or short temper Increased frequency of colds
• • • •
Warning Signs of Stress
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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Tech T@lk Organize Your Life! From your work scedule to your family schedule to your personal schedule there always seems to be an endless number of things to organize and keep track of. The good news, as the saying goes, “there’s an app (or 50) for that!” We’ve scoured the internet, read reviews, and selected some organizational apps that are considered among the best.
Cozi Family Organizer
TeacherKit
Manage your jam-packed life and keep the whole family in the loop with Cozi, Appy Award Winner for Best Family App.
Routine class administration is simple: Keep track of attendance and grades, add notes for individual students, and get snapshot summaries or detailed student records for as many classes as you want. You can even create seating plans. Everything can be emailed from the app.
Features include: Family Calendar Reminders Family Journal Meals and Recipe Box One Account for the Family
Teacherkit.net
cozi.com
Bulb Digital Portfolio Bulb is an easy-to-use digital portfolio for teachers and students where they can create, reflect, and share projects, assignments, lessons and more. Bulb portfolios allow students to track and demonstrate their growth over time. Additionally, user accounts are not tied to specific schools or learning management systems, enabling students to build up their portfolio throughout their school experience and beyond.
bulbapp.com
Quik So much of our lives is captured by our phones in pictures and video. Organize your memories with one of TIME magazine’s best apps of 2016-Quik. Quik is an automatic video editing app that chooses the best footage from your video footage and sets the whole thing to mood-apprpriate music. Bonus feature: because Quik chooses the best video, you save storage space on your phone.
Found on iTunes and Google Play 14
Maine Educator • December 2016
Nebo MyScript’s Nebo app lets users convert notes into digital form for searching, sharing, and storage. Additionally, users can write and solve complex mathematical equations in the app, draw diagrams, and sketch pictures. Nebo features robust handwriting recognition technology, simplifying the process of digitizing written notes.
myscript.com/nebo
News You Can Use
member benefits
5 Smart Ideas to Stretch Your Holiday Budget Courtsey of NEA Member Benefits
The holidays can be tough on an educator’s wallet, but with these 10 tips, you can give more and spend less. If you’re tempted to apply for a loan to finance the winter holidays, you’re not alone. Individual shoppers spent an average of over $805 during the 2015 season, according to the National Retail Federation. Where did it all go? An estimated $480 was spent on gifts for family members and $110 on gifts for friends; nearly $119 on food; just under $80 on decorations; about $45 on flowers and about $38 on greeting cards, among other goodies. All of that can add up to a major burden on an educator’s salary. Consider these budget-friendly tips to take the sting out of your holiday spending:
1. Be an informed shopper.
3. Stock your wallet with big bills.
The only way to know if you’re getting a good price on a good product is to do your research. These days, people shop in several stages. Sometimes we research online, then go to a store to make a purchase. Other times, we browse in stores, then search online for better prices.
This sounds counterintuitive, but having large denominations in your wallet has been proven to limit spending habits. “People are more reluctant to break up large bills than small ones,” says consumer finance expert Kevin Gallegos, vice president of Phoenix operations for Freedom Financial Network, “so pack $50s in your wallet rather than $20s and $10s.”
There are some great tools to help you hunt down the best price either way: Comparison-shop on sites such as PriceGrabber.com and Shopzilla.com, or use apps such as ShopAdvisor in-store.
4. Shop based on value, not a predetermined amount.
Those kinds of apps let you scan barcodes, see online and local prices, and read reviews—all while you’re in the store. You can even sign up to have an email alert sent to you when your desired price is met.
It’s good to designate spending limits for each immediate family member and others on your “nice” list. But keep in mind that this is a ceiling, not a quota. You still can give that much value in a present while staying well under your limit.
Before hitting the “buy” button on your online purchase, search the retailer name and “promotional code” to find limited-time discounts posted by websites like CouponCabin. com.
“Let’s say you find an amazing sweater that you know would normally go for $49.99, but it’s on sale during the holidays for under $30,” says Mary Hunt, author of “Debt-Proof Your Christmas” and founder of DebtProofLiving.com. “Don’t assume you have to spend another $20 on your sister to meet a preconceived requirement that you must spend the full $50 you allotted. Your mission is complete.”
2. Buy gift cards for less than face value. Many warehouse stores sell them for well under their redemption value, says shopping expert Andrea Woroch, who appears on network shows such as Today, Dr. Oz and Good Morning America. “There’s also an entire secondary marketplace online. GiftCardGranny.com, for example, markets cards from [major] holiday retailers, with savings that average 10 percent,” she says. Restaurant.com certificates are one of the most popular deals at NEA Click & Save. Keep an eye out for when the prices drop to $4 for a $25 certificate!
Create and manage your shopping list, including maximum budget amounts, in present-tracking apps such as GiftPlanner and mGifts.
5. Let the sales come to you. Sign up for emails and texts from your favorite retailers and comparison-shopping websites to be alerted to steep holiday discounts. Through NEA Member Benefits, you can sign up for receive “Season’s Savings” emails, stuffed with great special discounts for MEA/NEA members, from mid-November through mid-December.
Check out neamb.com for more info! 16
Maine Educator • December 2016
PE
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Should parents/guardians be expected to contribute school supplies to help their child’s classroom?
YES Pencils, glue, scissors, markers, crayons, tissues, wipes, binders. Who is responsible for providing school supplies in the classroom? Teachers and parents should contribute together. We all want to do what is best for our students and children. Teachers in Maine spend around $500 dollars a year according to the Education Market Association, and 1 out of 10 spend around $1,000 a year, out of their own pocket on supplies for their classrooms and students. But teachers have a classroom fund for supplies you say? In reality, that account is only worth about $100, if you’re lucky to have one in the first place. These days, $100 won’t buy you much for a classroom of 25 plus students. I am an ELL teacher, and I have $0 funds for my classroom. I have 25 students come to learn with me daily; we need those supplies. We need notebooks for reading journals, pencils to write, cubbies to organize their supplies, wipes to keep our classroom clean, tissues to blow their noses, the list goes on. I cannot buy everything all on my own. We need parents help to give our students the best education we can. An awful amount is demanded of teachers today, parents should help us out with these demands; it is only in the best interest of our students, their children. I know it is hard in the economy we live in today for families to help contribute, but it is important for children to understand what it’s like to be responsible for supplies and what it’s like to help others. Parents can help teach children these lessons by being role models. When parents are out buying supplies with their children, they can let them take ownership for their supplies and teach them how to care for their belongings. When students are just handed supplies that they don’t have ownership over, the supplies don’t get cared for as well and they don’t last as long. Additionally, parents should show their children that it is okay to buy that extra marker or pencil, to share with those that can’t afford it. Respectively, as a teacher, I ask parents to contribute the best you can for your child’s classroom and education and we will continue buying our share as well.
NO Purchasing items from a school supplies list has unfortunately become the new normal for more of our students’ families at the start of each school year. In the past, families knew to send their child with a pencil box, a few #2 pencils, a box of crayons, scissors, notebook paper and a book bag. Yet, with more Maine schools being forced to make cuts to their school supplies budget, due to inadequate school funding, our student’s families are increasingingly being asked to shoulder the burden of supplying their child’s classroom with school supplies. This practice is not only wrong, but is also troublesome. So how can having student’s families purchasing #2 pencils, glue sticks or boxes of crayons be troublesome? It becomes troublesome when the shift of buying classroom supplies moves from the purview of the school and onto the shoulders and into the wallets of our students’ families. In addition to being asked to buy Expo dryerase markers and reams of copy paper, families are also being asked to supply boxes of tissues, hand sanitizer, disinfection wipes, Ziploc bags, and paper towel rolls. Not all Maine families earn a living wage. What happens to those students whose families are living paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford to purchase all the items on their child’s school supplies list? Or to the family that has more than one child attending school and is trying to figure out how to purchase all the items on each of their child’s school supplies list? As Maine teachers we understand only too well how current inadequate school funding has caused our classroom supplies budget to shrink year after year. It is time to stop having parents shoulder the burden of supplying our classrooms. Now is the time to advocate for fully funded Maine schools.
Suzen Polk-Hoffsses Milbridge Elementary School SAD 37 TA (Harrington) Kindergarten Teacher
Nicole Lemay Geiger Elementary School Lewiston EA 3-6 ELL Teacher December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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News You Can Use
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Farmer Joe with Librarian Linda McBrierty in the greenhouse.
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Maine Educator • December 2016
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Along the Old Canada Byway, the town of Jackman is home to fewer than 900 people. The closest supermarket is 45 miles away. It’s a small, friendly community just twelve miles from our neighbors to the North. Jackman is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone—much like many of Maine’s smaller and more rural towns.
But here, when you look past the miles of snowmobile trails and the scenic views, you’ll find something that sets this place apart. Here, at the Forest Hills Consolidated School students are running their own working sustainable gardens with the help of Farmer Joe, as he’s known by the students and staff. Farmer Joe Bergeron is a certified master gardener with the UMaine Cooperative Extension, culinary trained chef from Johnson and Wales University, and has been recognized by the state’s 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go program for his work in encouraging healthy life styles for children and families. He volunteers his time at the school to make the garden project work. “The big piece is getting kids to understand how food is produced and the value of fresh food. But we’ve also managed to accomplish something important for the district too—we’ve offset the food budget here at the school by $2,000 last year because we are growing our own food,” said Farmer Joe. The financial benefits to this small K-12 school of fewer than 200 students are huge. But, the lessons learned from the gardens are far more valuable. Farmer Joe works with the educators in the building to incorporate the gardens into many facets of learning. “They’re growing their own food and harvesting it, and then seeing it served in the cafeteria. They’re learning to understand the process and the agriculture, which is important for them, even if they don’t ever go into the farming industry,” said Farmer Joe. Before students plant a single seed they head to the library and work with Librarian Linda McBrierty. “The students researched the seeds they were going to plant, they had to find out what flavor they had. The gardens have really given students an understanding of how to conduct research, and its increased their involvement at school and around our community. I’ve also seen so much teacher buy-in with the individual projects. So, between what’s going on outside with the actual growing and what’s going on inside, it’s just amazing,” said McBrierty.
News You Can Use
Farmer Joe also works closely with the kitchen staff to learn what the needs are inside the school as they prepare lunches, which are always fresh and healthy. “It’s incredible. I love being able to walk out back and pick whatever I need and serve the kids. A few weeks ago we had beans that the middle school kids grew, and when they came through the cafeteria line they said, ‘Hey! I planted that!’ They realize why they are growing the food and seeing it on their own plates,” said Laura Allen, the Kitchen Manager at the school. The farm is so bountiful that its reached a point where the school doesn’t have to purchase entire categories of food. “In general, the kitchen doesn’t have to buy lettuce all year, nearly all the herbs, onions, potatoes—we grow enough of it for the whole year on our farm. We even grew enough tomatoes so the kitchen staff could make enough sauce for the whole year,” said Farmer Joe. In addition to the staples, the students grow less known vegetables as well, like fennel. The idea is to have students smell and taste every new item, and then learn how to cook or preserve the items as well. “Some of my health standards go around reading food labels. The big push is getting the kids to eat healthier, and the farm gives them more knowledge to make better choices. We even preserve the food with freezing or drying techniquies. The gardening is a real asset to our school,” said 4th grade teacher Marissa Achey. The beds in the gardens and greenhouse go beyond vegetables. Since the school sustainable gardens are very much a working farm, students will work this year with a recently installed flower garden for the bees, turning the importance of pollination into a lesson, explaining how food crops depend on multiple types of insect pollinators to reproduce and increase crop yields. “The charge of 7th grade science is life science, so the farm fits in really well with that subject matter. Having a working garden outside our school also helps kids to see the value of growing their own food while looking at ways to sustain their own needs in a northern climate,” said Andy McKendry, President of Jackman TA. The northern community of Jackman is growing more too, thanks to the school gardens. Students are now planting gardens in their own homes, which is helping local businesses. “When I hear a local contractor had his loam sales double, that’s my benchmark because people are putting in their own gardens at home. I know then we are making a difference here at this school, all because of some vegetable and flowers,” said Farmer Joe.
By the Numbers Amount grown
Lettuce: 42 pounds
Potato: 375 pounds
Tomato: 500 pounds (3 species) Pepper: 40 pounds Cost to District: ZERO* *Farmer Joe paid for the seeds and materials out of his own pocket for the first two years. Currently, all supplies are grant funded or donated by the community.
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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The Future of School Funding What’s next with the passage of Question 2?
The results were slow to come in and the race was close, but after the official ballot count, voters said YES to Maine students and schools by passing Question 2. Question 2 will create a separate fund for public schools that’s estimated to generate more than $150 million more in funding for schools statewide. “The results are a great first step for our state and for our schools,” said John Kosinski, Question 2 Campaign Manager and MEA Director of Government Relations. Kosinski, along with MEA leadership, staff and more than 1,000 MEA member volunteers worked for the last year to help pass the initiative, known as Stand Up for Students. “This effort would not have been successful without the support of MEA members all over the state. For more than a year, MEA members went above and beyond to support this effort. From collecting more than 90,000 signatures to the countless conversations MEA members had with neighbors, friends, colleagues, this was a Herculean effort and all of us should feel proud. For too long, the state has underfunded our public schools, while giving huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Mainers. Voters spoke with their ballots telling the State it needs to honor its commitments to our kids, our schools and our communities. They want a tax system that is fair and we are one step closer to making that happen,” said Kosinski. While Election Day spelled victory for our students, the work to pass Question 2 was just the beginning. The MEA is focused on ensuring the Governor and the Legislature implement this new law just as the voters intended. Just as the MEA works to ensure the state uses the casino money appropriately, it will be diligent in making sure every penny of this new revenue is used to support our classrooms, our students and our communities. But, the MEA is only as strong as its members and their stories. MEA member stories of how this new funding will impact our students in a positive way will once again become critical as a key element in making sure our newly elected lawmakers actually listen to the voters who placed them in office. (How can you help? See box.) The good news—the Stand Up for Students effort wasn’t just a campaign—it’s a movement of educators, parents, school board members, town councilors, mayors, small business owners and thousands of Mainers that understand investing in our kids and our communities is investing in our future. The MEA will continue to work with our supporters and celebrate this victory, and work for more success in the future.
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Maine Educator • December 2016
MEA Members on the passing of Question 2 “The passage of Question 2 gives me hope that in the coming years my students will get the opportunities they deserve.”-Ciara Hargrove, Waterville “We are so very happy that the people in Maine believed in funding our schools! Public schools will now get the 55% funding that they so desperately need. Investing in our students is always a winning proposal for the future.” -Patty Scully, Winslow “While passing Question 2 is a clear victory for students and communities across Maine, we should also celebrate its passage as a victory for the MEA as an organization as well. The thousands of MEA members who wrote letters in local papers, advocated for endorsements by local school boards and town councils, knocked on doors, and made phone calls to voters demonstrate the power of an active and engaged membership. I hope we as an organization will use the successful passage of Question 2 as a catalyst for further promoting and developing members as active and engaged advocates for public education in the future.”-Tom Walsh, Falmouth “Thank you, Maine voters! You have shown that our students and their education is as important to you as it is to us!”-Phyllis Hunter, MSAD 52 “I am deeply grateful to the MEA and the people of Maine for the passage of Question 2. I think it will be instrumental in helping communities in Maine meet and overcome the challenges we face, not only for school employees, but for all the students who will get a better education to become the capable and informed citizens we all need to make a better future. Thanks, MEA, and thank you Maine voters!” -Jason Curry, MSAD 51 “It’s the right thing to do. It’s about time.”-Paul Bouchard MEA-Reitred, Fort Kent “I am so happy the voters of Maine sent a message that the education of our children is crucial. It is beyond time that some financial support go directly to the classroom and the work we do with children everyday!”-Jane Sidenberg, Gorham
MEA Advocates for Children and Education As the MEA begins conversations with lawmakers of implementing Question 2 into law, you can help. MEA has an active group of members, known as Advocates for Children and Education—or ACE. MEA ACEs Advocates for are crucial in sharing the stories of Children & Education what’s happening in our schools, from teaching to transportation funding issues, ACEs inform those who make critical decisions about our schools of what’s really happening. These stories will be more important now than ever. The MEA will need members to continue to be involved in this effort. The ACE program will help you stay informed of developments on Question 2 in the next legislative session. To join our email list and to get involved, please send an email to Jenna Vendil at jvendil@maineea.org
ACE
NOTES
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“My Hero Works at School” Essay Contest
This could be your student’s ar twork!
All art teachers ar e encouraged to share this opportu with students. Ar t submissions sh nity ould display the “What I Love Abou theme t in dimension to fit Maine.” Submissions must be 8.5" the cover or able x 11" to be photograph the cover and m ay be any form of ed for art, including ele Please advise st ctronic. udents to leave 3" on the top of artwork for the the magazine title, as it appears on issue. Three finali each sts from each of the following cate will be selected: go K-4, 5-8, 9-12 an d electronic art. On ries will be chosen fro e m the above cate gories with his or winner artwork featured her on the magazine cove Giovanna Bechar d via mail at 35 Co r. Submit artwork to ME 04330 or em mmunity Drive, Au ail at contest@m gusta, aineea.org. Artw only be returned ork will upon request, an d if you provide a addressed envelop selfe.
Submission Dea
dline: March 4,
2017
SKI DISCOUNTS!
MEA DEALS AT SUNDAY RIVER & SUGARLOAF The MEA is pleased to join with the Portland Sea Dogs for its 3rd annual “My Hero Works at School” essay contest. Students are encouraged to write a short essay, no more than 300 words, about their school hero. Two winners will be selected and receive tickets to the June 11th, 2017 Sea Dogs game for themselves, their family and their school hero. DEADLINE: April 28th All entries should be submitted by email to: contest@maineea.org Due to the number of entries, you will not be notified upon entry receipt.
Discounts are available to MEA Members at Maine & New England’s premier ski resorts. Pick up your discount voucher at any MEA office for either Sunday River or Sugarloaf Mountain and receive a $10 discount at the ticket window with your membership card. Each voucher will work for up to four discounted lift tickets for the MEA member and immediate family. If you can’t make it to an MEA office, call an office and we will email the voucher to you!
December March 2015 2016 • www.maineea.org
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Advocacy
Around the State Bargaining & Organizing Updates Bargaining Training Prepares Members for Negotiations UniServ Directors Lee Libby and Joan Morin along with MEA Director of Collective Bargaining and Research, CJ Betit, offered negotiation team training for their local associations. More than 90% of the locals, whose contracts are expiring this year, attended the training with their negotiation teams. The four evening sessions included presentations and discussions on topics such as bargaining law, types of bargaining, proposal preparation, salary scales, organization, communication and behavior at the bargaining table. Teams participated in role-playing scenarios where they negotiated contract language with a mock school board. The goal of these simulations was to increase negotiation teams confidence at the bargaining table and develop their skills as negotiators. The attendees also left the training with a binder full of resources to help them in their upcoming bargaining sessions. If you are interested in this type of training contact your UniServ Director to arrange something for your region. After attending the training, members said: “I value the idea of setting goals and becoming aware of the Board’s constraints so that we can address those creatively and create win-win situations.” “I appreciated learning how to use the MEA’s Contract Database.” “Understanding more about how salary scales work is going to make our team more confident.” “My eyes have been opened in many areas of salary, benefits and the bargaining process.” “This will be my first round of negotiations, so everything, all information, is beneficial. All resources, anecdotes and handouts are very valuable.” “Taking a closer look at our contract and finding the language that needs to be corrected was valuable to me.” 22
Maine Educator • December 2016
Beating Back Merit Pay After more than a year of working without a contract and fighting to eliminate a merit pay scale in RSU 22, Education Association 22 has a new contract. The negotiations ended with the local association signing a contract which included a 9.2% salary increase over the three years of the contract and the elimination of the proficiency requirement (merit pay). The win for the local came after a lot of support from the community. The local’s UniServ Director (MEA Representative) outlines how she helped the group accomplish their goal and explains the lessons you can learn from their fight and win.
Lessons to Learn from EA 22 Contract Win By: UniServ Director, Misty O’Leary The topics of pay and benefits in EA 22 were tough issues, and we knew we would not be successful without community support. The local created a steering committee that was the moving vehicle for building community roots, organizing community events and mobilizing membership. The local started their organizing effort wearing buttons in their buildings, attending board meetings, and writing letters to the editor about their lack of a contract and what it meant for their students. As time passed, actions progressed with one-on-one conversations with connected community members, who in turn created a Facebook page. Community members, teachers and students spoke at board meetings about the regressive proposals. I worked with the MEA Communications Director to get these issues on TV and in the newspaper. Support for the local moved quickly, and the members’ own students created their own shirts and buttons to support their teachers. Despite the visible actions, the Board refused to budge on the merit/ performance based pay system, and instead had intentions to get rid of the scale entirely over the next couple negotiations. The negotiating team held monthly meetings to update membership on the status of negotiations and ensure their position at the table. After both impasse and mediation, both sides still did not reach an agreement. The membership knew we needed to mobilize and apply more pressure to the Board. The Association filed a complaint with the Maine Labor Relations Board and began picketing outside of the Superintendent’s office. The MEA continued to publicize the events and protests, and generated more media attention, which further engaged the public. The Association held a forum to educate members of the community about the district’s evaluation system and why merit pay was not a good option for the teachers. The continued pressure made a difference. The Board finally conceeded and agreed to remove any/all merit/ performance based pay, backed off of its insurance cap proposal, and even increased the pay scale. While these were all huge gains for the members, the biggest gains made are the relationships built in the community, a group of parents who will now support the educators going forward.
Advocacy
The Key to Success: Organizing Members & the Community Whether it’s at the bargaining table, in front of the School Board or administration, in the community or in Augusta at the legislature, roadblocks occur, but proper preparation and using the Association’s strengths makes sure these roadblocks are surmountable so the focus can be on proactively pursuing our interests. For too long organizing and collective action have been largely reserved for when a crisis situation is occurring. Unfortunately, this is often too late to do anything but minimize the damage. In order to use the Association’s full strength and be as effective and efficient as possible, organizing and action needs to be ongoing within local Associations. By proactively engaging in this manner, more people will be involved and the Association will be more powerful making heavy lifts not only much easier to complete but accomplished more effectively and efficiently. The infrastructure and culture of your local needs to be built between contract negotiations, when there isn’t a crisis. Communication is critical. Without communication, there can be no collaboration. An uninformed and uninvolved membership is a dead membership in terms of organizing. Without having the backing and the understanding of your membership, any positive goals will soon be snuffed out due to lack of interest. Open internal communication and conversations to build common goals are the starting point that then carries forward to actions held on an ongoing basis. Some sample actions to engage membership and the community include: Car signs in the school parking lot Wear buttons/same colored shirts on the same day Phone banking members to connect and explain issues Letters to the Editor (these are good in both contract and non-contract times, sharing stories from the classroom/workplace) Petitions on the issue Attending School Board meetings in the same shirts/buttons with signs Pickets For further information about specific steps to take and how, contact your UniServ Director.
Did You Know Maternity Leave Maine does not have a maternity leave law. Under the Family Medical Leave Act, you are entitled to time off for qualifying conditions, including childbirth for up to 12 weeks. In Maine, you are considered to have a short term disability if you give birth. While FMLA allows you to take up to 12 weeks off for maternity leave, your individual contract will determine if you can use your sick leave for FMLA release time. It’s a common mistake to believe you automatically receive six weeks of “maternity leave;” because again there is no such thing as maternity leave in Maine. The typical medically necessary time off for childbirth is six weeks, however that is at the doctor’s discretion and determined on a case-by-case basis. As for pay during short term disability, you may be able to take paid time off if you have enough sick leave available. Paid Maternity Leave beyond medically necessary time can be negotiated at the local level.
You Can Negotiate Non-Members to Pay “Fair Share Fees” The Easton Teachers Association in Aroostook County negotiated into their contract what’s called “Fair Share Fees.” Fair Share Fees require non-members to pay a certain percentage of dues to the Association for the work that is done on behalf of the local to negotiate a fair contract. In Easton, non-members are currently paying 40% of all dues to the local, next year they’ll pay 60% of all dues, and in year three of the contract non-members will pay 80% of all dues to the local association. Fair Share fee payers do not receive any member benefits. “Fair Share Fees” are deducted from non-member’s paychecks as allowed by law. Employees can either choose to become a full member and receive all the MEA benefits, or as in the case of Easton, they have to pay a fee regardless. “Fair Share Fees” can be negotiated into any public school contract. December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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so ciation
Your As
Earn $50 in 10 Minutes (No Joke)
You know the saying—there is no such thing as a free lunch. Well, in this case there kind of is. Through the benefits of your membership insurance, MEABT, you can earn money for the things you’re already doing. Do you walk? Do you ever check your smartphone to see how many steps you’ve taken during the day? Both of those things, and many more, can earn you money. Through the wellness program, known as Onlife and available through MEABT, you can earn up to $250 per year in pre-paid gift cards just for being healthy or working toward a healthier lifestyle. The programs allow you to earn points for your wellness efforts, and for every point you earn, you earn $1. Once you earn 50 points, you can cash those in for a pre-paid gift card valid at over 100 retailers nationwide. But wait… there’s more (no, there’s no Shamwow coming your way) but you may also be able to participate in things like free yoga or cooking classes. So how? CJ Mauger (Quamphegan EA) the Marshwood High School Library Media Specialist, has become a bit of an expert in maximizing the benefits of the Onlife program, earning $250 in pre-paid gift cards and organizing free exercise classes for her co-workers.
“We received a lot of feedback from district employees stating that they felt the program had motivated them to practice healthier options and activities more consistently. People drank more water during the first HealthTrails Challenge. Several staff members discovered they had blood pressure issues during the Take 5 Blood Pressure Challenge and sought medical help and medication. One person credited that part of the program with possibly saving the life of a fellow staff member,” said Mauger. Mauger is an MEABT wellness ambassador for her district, earning $500 to promote health and wellness in the district. As a wellness ambassador, Mauger committed to a few small tasks including, conducting
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Maine Educator • December 2016
two challenges—things like the Take 5 Blood Pressure Challenge where people took their blood pressure to assess their health. With the money earned for her district, Mauger funded two yoga classes for her coworkers to participate, free of charge. “I, for one, felt that participating in Onlife and the challenges continually called to mind that healthy options were a choice and that, with others on board and doing the same thing, that it paid—in more ways than one—to make healthy choices with diet, activity, and practice. At least one person who attended one of the yoga classes was motivated to sign up for more classes offered locally,” said Mauger. So, back to the title of the article—Earn $50 in 10 Minutes. It’s really true. Just sign up for Onlife at onlifehealth.com, or download the app AlwaysOn. Once you have an account take the health assessment; it takes about ten minutes. For completing the assessment you’ll earn 40 points. Next, sync a wearable device or fitness mobile app with the Onlife program and you’ll earn another 25 points. Now you have 65 points—and you can redeem 50 immediately for your $50 gift card. It’s really that simple. You’re on your way to earning more points and living a healthier lifestyle, which will help reduce your overall health care costs in the long run.
By the Numbers in RSU 35— Proof the Program Works Out of 375 total employees in RSU 35, 256 had points earned 199 of them had 40 points or more 114 staff members reached 150 points, which was the point goal 98 of RSU 35’s district employees reached 250 points—point goal for the maximum reward of gift cards $600 District Wellness incentive received due to participation Interested in becoming a MEABT Wellness Ambassador? Contact the MEABT at 207-622-4418 x2510.
Your Association
Posted and Not Private
A social media warning for educators from your MEA General Counsel Andrew Mason Many of us think nothing about posting pictures about our daily lives, sharing our comings and goings, or expressing personal opinions on any and all matters. While many people willingly accept a certain loss of privacy in order to participate in social media, that becomes a double-edged sword if you ever become the focus of an investigation at work. Many people (wrongly) assume that they have a First Amendment right to post or say anything they want in social media, even criticizing their employer. There are misconceptions about what an employer can and cannot do in terms of monitoring and in terms of what access it can have to an employee’s social media or electronic communications. As a general matter, the First Amendment allows a public employee to speak as a private citizen on matters of public concern. HOWEVER, if you are a public employee and your speech is within the scope and duties of your job, such speech does not have the same protection. This is true because what you say or communicate within the sphere of your employment (in the classroom for instance) is considered speech on behalf of your employer and does not entitle you to much protection from discipline. Therefore, the very first inquiry when evaluating whether speech is protected or not is: were the public employee’s statements made pursuant to their official duties? The United States Supreme Court has held that when a public employee engages in speech pursuant to their official duties, they are not speaking as private citizens, but as public servants, and therefore the employer’s interests are paramount. For example, you post a “joke” on Facebook about your students being “lazy” – this sort of speech is not protected and you could be disciplined because it does not address a matter of public concern. If you use social media and comment on students, school, or engage in conduct that impairs your ability to function as a public employee, such speech may not be protected. Courts have upheld the discipline of teachers who post derogatory comments about a school administrator or the decisions of supervisors concerning school matters online and have upheld the disciplining or firing of teachers who inappropriately communicate with students as if they were peers. As always, the best advice is to use common sense and before you hit “send” assume that whatever you are about to post online, email, or text will be seen or accessible to everyone, including your employer. If you have any doubts or hesitation about whether it is appropriate or could offend anyone whether in context or not, your best bet is to leave the social commentary and humor to the professional comedians, and stick with posting the tried and true cat videos and pratfalls – those are always funny!
NEW SOCIAL MEDIA LAW Maine has a new law protecting an employee from having their employer access their private social media accounts. Under this law, an employer may not require or coerce an employee or applicant to: disclose passwords or other means for accessing personal social media accounts; disclose any social media account information; require or coerce an employee or applicant to add anyone (the employer or an agent of the employer), to the list of contacts/friends associated with a personal social media account; or change their settings that would allow a 3rd party to view the contents of a personal social media account. And finally, an employee cannot be discharged, disciplined, or penalized, and an employer cannot fail or refuse to hire an applicant who refuses to disclose or provide access to their social media accounts.
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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Your Association
Join the
REVOLUTION MEA Fall Conference 2016
Nearly 300 members Joined the Revolution at MEA’s annual Fall Conference. From making the most of your conversations, to learning effective classroom management strategies to information on how to be a teacher leader the conference didn’t disappoint. Couldn’t come? Here are just a few of the takeaways from those who attended.
Talya Edlund on making the most of conversations. “A lot of the work you do before you ask students to write is to verbally story tell. I've seen that kind of story-telling make such a difference in their work. Let students record their voice and tell their story they realize they have something to say and what they’re saying is valuable to adults. We have to let students know they can say something first. Let them practice and listen to them.” Andrea Levinsky - SAD 51 EA “I leaned I need to most work on responding in the moment to discipline in my classroom. It was good to realize my strengths and practice some new techniques I learned at the conference. I want to stamp their homework now to show them I know they did it. I'm going to now create limits on acceptable behavior to help better manage my classroom.”
Tina Fox - Portland EA “I learned I need to make sure that I pack any of my emotional baggage in a Tupperware container when I enter the classroom. I need to remember that I can’t take things personally or come into my classroom upset because of something personal— we need to make sure that the kids have nothing to do with that. I think that’s challenging, but a good lesson and good reminder.” Sam Mullen - Tritown Education Association (SAD 52) “You need to make sure you take the time to really hear people, at the very least know when to talk and when not to talk. There are a lot of people here working for the betterment of the profession, we’re not alone. It’s great to see that and remember that– those are some of things I've taken away.” Fred Ravan - Brewer EA “I learned a lot about ESSA. Surprisingly, I didn't know much. I also really liked the project based workshop and the fundamental idea to understand how to let our students lead the way and give them choices. Inga Browne - Thornton Academy TA “I've learned a lot. I just feel so empowered going back into the classroom Monday knowing everything I think I do, from how I say hello has an impact on my students. I'm in control of how I make them feel and how they learn—which you know but to hear it again—I'm feeling that power. It's very inspirational.”
Hannah Somes - Student MEA “I’ve taken away a lot about emotional objectivity, and understanding I need to let students start fresh each day. If yesterday wasn’t a good day, I need to let them start new. I also now realize the importance of greeting students each day when they enter the classroom.” Sarah Griffin - Portland EA I learned that there are things that I’m doing really wrong which is great because now I understand, from this conference, how to fix those things. Taking the time to really develop classroom procedures at the beginning of the year will help you make sure students are available for learning and growth and will help minimize your behavior management. The biggest thing I took from one session—don’t pre-determine who your students will be each day, let them come in with a fresh start and meet them where they’re at.” 26
Maine Educator • December 2016
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“Professional development is not a luxury.” - Talya Edlund, 2016 Maine Teacher of the Year, Cape Elizabeth EA
While professional development is an obvious major part of the MEA Fall Conference, the MEA wanted to make sure its members had fun connecting with each other and enjoying their downtime after working so hard each day. The MEA hosted a Halloween party complete with a DJ—who happens to be a member! DJ Sidecar Sound (AKA Dennis Boyd, Oxford Hills EA) kicked off the night with some great music and judged the costume contest, which included kids this year. (Side note—free babysitting helped the adults have fun in the later hours too!) Here are some pictures from the party!
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December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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Your Association
The Role Of School Support Staff in School Safety By David Esquith, Director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students
Helping schools to keep students safe is a challenge that I face as the director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Students at the U.S. Department of Education. And keeping my own two children— third-grade girls—safe is a worry I have in common with parents all over our country. In my professional life, I have a vantage point that enables me to be comforted by the data, which show that schools are safer now than they have ever been. As a parent, I am comforted knowing that the entire staff of dedicated professionals who work in my girls’ school are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of my children and all the children there. The good news that our schools are increasingly safer is tempered by the progressively complex threats to safety that students and staff face on a daily basis. While technological advances have enhanced our ability to improve teaching and learning, they have also increased our children’s vulnerabilities and hastened their entry into adulthood. Schools, as self-organized learning environments, have responded to new and old threats by wisely engaging every adult in the school as equal partners in their efforts to keep students safe.
SAFETY CHECKLIST Each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults.
We know that certain locations in and around a school (e.g., bathrooms, cafeterias, and locker rooms) may be more unsafe than others, and that students may be more at risk in terms of their safety just before and after school. Considering what we know about the places and times when students are at higher risk, it is common sense that school support staff play a key role in school safety. Whether it is the computer technical staff person who recognizes that a school’s computer network is being used for cyberbullying, the bus driver who resolves a conflict before it escalates into a fight, or a custodian who makes sure that doors to the school building are kept securely locked from the outside—support staff play vital and unique roles in preventing violence and keeping schools safe. That they carry out this role so well is a tribute to their professionalism and dedication.
Source: ASCD (formerly Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) (2013). Whole Child Indicators
1. Our school building, grounds, playground equipment, and vehicles are secure and meet all established safety and environmental standards.
6.Our school provides our students, staff, and family members with regular opportunities for learning and support in teaching students how to manage their own behavior, and reinforcing expectations, rules, and routines.
2. Our school physical plant is attractive; is structurally sound;has good internal (hallways) and external (pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle) traffic flow, including for those with special needs; and is free of defects.
7.Our school teaches, models, and provides opportunities to practice social-emotional skills, including effective listening, conflict resolution, problem solving, personal reflection and responsibility, and ethical decision making.
3.Our physical, emotional, academic, and social school climate is safe, friendly, and student-centered.
8.Our school upholds social justice and equity concepts and practices mutual respect for individual differences at all levels of school interactions—student-to-student, adult-to-student, and adult-to-adult.
4.Our students feel valued, respected, and cared for, and aremotivated to learn. 5.Our school staff, students, and family members establish and maintain school and classroom behavioral expectations,rules,and routines that teach students how to manage their behavior and help students improve problem behavior. 28
Maine Educator • December 2016
9.Our school climate, curriculum, and instruction reflect both high expectations and an understanding of child and adolescent growth and development. 10.Our teachers and staff develop and implement academic and behavioral interventions based on an understanding of child and adolescent development and learning theories.
Your Association
MEA Members - Take the Lead - Here’s Your Chance to be Heard MEA Elections Information for the 2017 MEA and NEA Representative Assemblies Would you like to have more voice in your Association? Would you like to participate in creating the beliefs of your Association? Get involved - be elected to represent your Association and have a say! The MEA Representative Assembly (RA) is made up of elected local association delegates from across the state and serves as the Association’s highest governing body. At its annual meeting in May, the RA will determine MEA’s policies, programs, and budget for the following year. NEA’s RA delegates determine policies, programs and budget at the annual meeting in July of each year. Delegates are elected to represent all NEA affiliates, and you could be one.
Elections Conducted by the Local Association MEA Representative Assembly Local Delegates/ Alternates
Candidates’ Notices of Intent are due to Local Presidents by January 23, 2017 to run an election. Elected delegates and alternates Certificates of Election need to be signed by the Local President and submitted to MEA by March 6, 2017
NEA Representative Assembly Local Delegates/ Alternates
NEA will be sending 2 emails to Local Presidents with information regarding delegate counts and forms around January 27 – filing deadline is April 10, 2017
Elections Conducted by the Maine Education Association MEA Board of Directors
Information, forms, responsibilities, and list of districts for Board vacancies – filing deadline is January 23, 2017
MEA Representative Assembly Statewide Associations ACSUM, AFUM, UMPSA, CCFA, CCAA, MPBCEA
Information and forms for MEA RA vacancies – filing deadline is January 23, 2017 MEA Representative Assembly Cluster Delegates
Election information and forms for filing for Maine Education Association positions are available on the MEA web site. Elected positions include: • MEA Board of Directors • MEA Representative Assembly • NEA Representative Assembly • NEA Director • MEA MainePERS Trustee All forms and instructions are PDF file format and available on the MEA website at www.maine.nea.org then go to MEA Elections in the Members Only area. Register for access if you have not already done so by following the instructions on the Members Only access page. If you need assistance, please contact Linda Heaney at lheaney@maineea.org.
(locals with less than 35 members)
Information, forms, and list of cluster districts for MEA RA vacancies – filing deadline is January 23, 2017
NEA Representative Assembly District Seats and Cluster Delegates/Alternates Information, forms, and list of responsibilities for NEA RA District vacancies – filing deadline is January 23, 2017
MEA-Retired – vacancies for MEA and NEA Representative Assembly
Information and forms for members of MEA-Retired Association for MEA and NEA Representative Assembly vacancies – filing deadline is January 23, 2017
Student MEA
Elections will be conducted by the MEA for the MEA and NEA Representative Assemblies. Forms will be emailed directly to Student MEA members.
Elections Conducted at the MEA Representative Assembly
NEA Director and the MEA’s Maine Public Employees Retirement System Trustee
Information and forms for positions – deadline is January 23, 2017
December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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Calendar Dec. 10th & Beyond NBCT Support Workshops
These workshops are designed to give you the information and encouragement that you need to complete the National Board Certification process. Find out what is involved, the time commitments required and how to get assistance with fees. • December 10, 2016 • January 14, 2017 • February 11, 2017 • March 18, 2017 • April 29, 2017 All sessions are held at the MEA Augusta office at 35 Community Drive & Bangor Office, 1349 Broadway. To register: maineea.org, click on Teaching and Learning
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Maine Educator • December 2016
Feb.
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Read Across America Grants
MEA Local Associations are eligible to apply for Read Across America grants to help fund an event or celebration that encourages reading. Each grant is $50, and winners are selected on a first-come-first-served basis. Deadline is strictly enforced due to the high number of applicants.Grant applications will be sent via MEA email.
Feb.
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Advanced Degree Grant
MEA-Retired (MEA-R) sponsors an honor grant through the legacy of Anne Sheehan, a former member of MEA-R. The $1,500 grant can be used by a current, active educator pursuing an advanced degree during the 2017-18 school year. The winner will be announced in May 2017 at the MEA-R Convention. FMI: maineea.org/grants
Ongoing Grants for Projects
The Awesome Foundation funds projects that challenge and expand our understanding of our individual and communal potentials, bringing communities together, casting aside social inhibitions and boundaries for a moment. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: all people and organizations; there are no prerequisites. FMI: awesomefoundation.org
ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH BRIE CHEESE FONDUE
Denise Simoneau, Bangor EA, MEA Treasurer Denise Simoneau, Bangor EA, MEA Treasurer 8 small potatoes, halved 8 smallhalved brussels sprouts 8 small potatoes, 1 red bell pepper, roughly cut into large strips 8 small brussels sprouts 1 yellow bell pepper, roughly cut into large strips 1 red bell pepper, roughly cut into large strips onion, roughly large chunks 1 yellow bell1 red pepper, roughly cutcut intointo large strips sweet potato yam,chunks roughly cut into large strips 1 red onion,1/2 roughly cut intoorlarge 5 portobello buttoncut mushrooms 1/2 sweet potato or yam,orroughly into large strips tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 Portobello2 or button mushrooms 3 teaspoons herbes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olivedeoilProvence 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, pulled apart 3 teaspoons herbes de Provence 1 whole wheelpulled doubleor triple-cream Brie cheese 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, apart Saltdoubleand pepper 1 whole wheel or triple-cream Brie cheese 1. Preheat the Salt and pepper oven to 400˚. Line a roasting tray with parchment paper. Arrange of thethe vegetables theamushrooms) theparchment tray. Drizzle with Arrange the olive oil 1. all Preheat oven to (except 400˚. Line roasting trayon with paper. season with the rosemary, herbes de Provence, salt Drizzle and pepper. foroil 30 alland of the vegetables (except the mushrooms) on the tray. with Roast the olive minutes, vegetables occasionally, thensalt addand thepepper. mushrooms and season turning with thethe rosemary, herbes de Provence, Roastand for cook 30 for another 10 minutes. (I usually test a potato fork.) minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally, thenwith addathe mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes. (I usually test a potato with a fork.) Use a knife carve some scratches top the Brie, then place the center 2. 2. Use a knife toto carve some scratches onon top ofof the Brie, then place it it inin the center of the tray so it opens up as it cooks. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. of the tray so it opens up as it cooks. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. 3. Voila! You have fondue. Serve with skewers for dipping the veggies if you have 3. Voila! You have fondue. Serve with skewers for dipping the veggies if you have them, otherwise forks work fine. them, otherwise forks work fine.
Sweet and Sour a Crockpot Kielbas m TA ha or G Amanda Cooper,
a 2 lbs. Polska Kielbas r 2 C. suga mix 2 C. Ketchup bite sized pieces Slice kielbasa into until ot kp oc cr in up tch with sugar and ke d. ve be dissol sugar appears to r 2-4 hours fo w lo on Cook keep warm. to then lower heat with 1:1 ratios so l na tio or This recipe is prop opriate for edients as is appr gr in ct ra bt su or add your needs.
Apple Jelly Meatballs Todd Rand. RSU 34 EA Two bags (about 25 oz. each) of frozen meatballs One 18-oz. jar of apple jelly One 14-oz. jar of pizza sauce One small bottle of ketchup Place in crockpot on low for about 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Favorite MEA Holiday Appetizer Recipes Easy Cra ba Lois Kilb nd Artichoke Dip y-Chesley , MEA Pr esident 8 oz of c rabmeat (fre 8 oz of c re a m c h e s h o r c a n n e d ) e s e a t ro o 1 cup of m tempe ma rature 1/3 cup o yonnaise f choppe d onion 13 oz of can chopped ned artichoke he arts, drain ed and ¾ cup of s h re d d e d Pa r m e s a n cheese P re h e a t o ve In a bow n to 375 F l, blend c re a m c h e Stir in th es e remain ing ingre e and mayo until Put into dients smooth a glass p ie plate Bake, un covered, for 15-18 through m & lightly browned inutes, until heate . d
Crispy Loaded Potato Bites Lindsay Davis, MEA Staff Makes 10-15, depending on number of potatoes 1 lb. small potatoes (about 2” across - red or Yukon work fine) Olive oil Kosher salt Sliced cheese (your choice – I used Colby Jack), cut into small squares For topping: Light sour cream Cooked bacon, chopped Sliced green onions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a sharp knife, make several cuts through each potato, avoiding cutting all the way down. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Place cheese squares in between a few of the cuts on each potato. Return to oven for 5-10 additional minutes, until cheese has melted. Let cool 10 minutes before topping with sour cream, bacon and green onions, or your desired toppings. December 2016 • www.maineea.org
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