Maine Educator December 2018 by Maineea

MAINE

Rise and Shine:

Educator

How one school starts on an enriching note

December 2018 www.maineea.org @maineea

Season of Giving

Coverage you can depend on for the ones you love.

As an eligible NEA member,* youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the protection of NEA Complimentary Life Insurance, issued by The Prudential Insurance Company of America â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but you should name a beneficiary to make sure your loved ones are covered. Then visit neamb.com/life to learn about all the solutions available to help meet your insurance needs.

Go to neamb.com/free-tote and register your beneficiary to get this FREE tote. Or call 1-855-NEA-LIFE (632-5433) and mention offer code: TOTE BAG

FREE

* Visit us online or call for eligibility requirements. NEA Members Insurance Trust is a registered trademark of the NEA Members Insurance Trust. NEA Complimentary Life Insurance is issued by The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ. 0302614-00002-00

DT220918

December 2018 Volume 79, Number 3 MAINE

Educator Educator MAINE

November 2018 www.maineea.org @maineea

December 2018 www.maineea.org @maineea

Season of GIVING

forEd

Featured on the cover: Lacey Breems, Waldo County Tech Center EA

CONTENTS

Rise and How one school starts the day on an

Advocacy 18 22 23

News You Can Use

8 Teacher of the Year 2019: Joe Hennessey 10 Global Warming 11 Tech Talk - Easy online tools to create posters, videos, presentations and more! 12 5 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance 13 Perspectives: Should schools use things like blizzard bags? 14 Season of Giving 16 Winter Reading List 17 Fast Facts

Editorial Staff Managing Editor Robert Walker Editor Giovanna Bechard Layout Design Shawn Berry Leadership

President Vice President Treasurer NEA Director

Grace Leavitt Jesse Hargrove Beth French Amanda Cooper

Board of Directors Robert "Bo" Zabierek Suzen Polk-Hoffses Mallory Cook Cedena McAvoy Ken Williams Janice Murphy Maryann White Jim Thornton Rebecca Cole

Terry Martin Bob McCully Janet Howe Kuech Donna Longley Lisa Leduc Neil Greenberg Thomas Moore III Gerry French

If Salary Kept up with Inflation...- A sample from every county showing if you’re ahead of the game or behind. This is a great tool to know where you need to be in terms of pay. MEA Pre-Retirement Seminars York TA Contract Fight It’s important that we respect the work happening in our school and treat the teachers who are working in them fairly. For a district that continues to be ranked among the best in the state, with students who are engaged in their learning, we need to ensure we are placing a high value on education.”

- Bill True, York TA Contract Fight

Your Association 24 Rise and Shine Program 26 Legislative Priorities 2019-2020 27 MEA Elections 28 Fall Conference 2018 29 Kids Say the Darndest Things... 30 Calendar 31 Holiday Deals - $ave with NEA - Why spend money when you don’t have to? A sample of the savings your membership provides and where to find more discounts this holiday season.

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: Shawn Berry 35 Community Dr., Augusta, ME 04330 207-622-4418 ext. 2206 December 2018 • www.maineea.org

New Field Trip Idea! Starting in the fall Emera Astronomy Center partnered with the Maine Discovery Museum for some fun field trips! Field trips are tailored to specific grade levels and book up quickly.

PENING BELL From the Maine Department of Education cont. Maine CDC and DOE will select pilot sites based on best fit and evaluate the program’s success, with the goal of expanding the program to more sites in coming years. Thank you in advance for your interest and feedback. For more information, contact Hannah.Ruhl@maine.gov at Maine CDC.

Resource to Help Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences Adverse childhood experiences—commonly known as ACEs— affect children and families across all communities. ACEs can impact kids’ health and well-being, and they can have longterm effects on adults’ health and wellness. They can even have consequences that impact entire families, communities, and our whole society. Thankfully, ACEs are preventable.

Find the MEA Apple Contest MEA wants you to have some fun while you read the magazine so it’s starting a new “Find the MEA Apple” contest. Look for this apple throughout the pages of the magazine and email where you spotted the apple (page and specific location) to contest@ maineea.org. MEA will compile all the correct entries and pull one random, one lucky winner will receive a gift card to Dunkin’ or Staples. You choose!

From the Maine Department of Education Seeking Maine Schools for Social Emotional Learning Pilot Program

The Tobacco and Substance Use Prevention and Control Program with the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (MECDC), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE), is seeking interest from Maine schools who would like to pilot the social emotional learning (SEL) program, Second Step, funded by a grant through MECDC. The grant’s larger goal is to provide primary prevention for substance use and is part of Maine’s State Opioid Response plan. The Second Step Curriculum is research-based and available for grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. Many of the skills within the Maine Learning Results for Health Education in elementary school align with goals of Second Step, to nurture skill building and prevent problematic developmental behaviors that are part of the trajectory toward later substance use.

Maine Educator • December 2018

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control has provided a new online training tool, Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences. This training will help you understand, recognize, and prevent ACEs. You’ll learn about risk and protective factors, outcomes associated with ACEs, and evidence-based strategies you can use to reduce or eliminate the impact of ACEs and stop them from occurring in the first place. Get the knowledge and insights you need to help create healthier, happier childhoods for kids today, and bright futures for adults tomorrow. Training topics include: • Adverse Childhood Experiences, Brain Development, and Toxic Stress • The ACE Study • Prevalence and Consequences of ACEs • Risk and Protective Factors for ACEs • Essentials for Childhood: Assuring Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments For further information, contact Emily Poland, School Nurse Consultant for the Maine Department of Education at emily.poland@maine.gov.

Head to Maineea.org to find your resources and start clicking today!

EDITOR'S NOTE

PLANNING & THE SNOW

Having the proper snow pants means we can have more fun and stay dry!

wasn’t ready for the snow.

On the morning of the first snowfall, I was shocked to see I hadn’t received a text message, or phone call or email. It seemed as if only our school district didn’t cancel (even though that online school cancel predictor said we had a 99% chance of no school and we all know that should be how they determine snow days). To say the kids were not happy they had to go to school would be an understatement. And, I wasn’t happy when I realized I had no idea where my little one’s snow pants were, and I then remembered the older ones were in the attic. So, yeah I wasn’t prepared. Both kids made it to school, but it wasn’t easy. I squeezed my six-year-old into a size 3T snow pant and sent them on their way. I didn’t win any mom of the year awards with that one, and it’s totally my fault because I didn’t plan properly. Planning is key, whether it’s for the snow or for each day at work. Inside this issue, you’ll find valuable information about salaries and inflation. These figures, are crucial as your local association makes plans to negotiated new contracts now and in the future. That data is on pages 18 to 21.

friends and family. Movie tickets always make quick and easy gifts, and with membership you can save money on each ticket. Just one simple idea….but there are more! Check out page 31 for your holiday membership deals, and make sure to check out neamb.com—you can click around and shop for exactly what you’re looking for without ever having to head out in the snow. For those of you who know you’ll need a new kick-start after the winter break, plan to follow in the footsteps of one Southern Maine school using an innovative approach to starting the school day. The Rise and Shine program gives students an opportunity to begin their day ready to learn. For more on how you can get this started in your school turn to page 24. It’s easier said than done— to plan properly and have all your “ducks in a row” when they need to be—I get it, trust me. I’m currently trying to figure out my personal plan to get out from under my blanket and go out in the snow and buy a pair of snow pants that actually fit. But, making a plan and following through will give you that edge in the long run, and for my son, will keep the snow out of his boots because his pants will actually reach his ankles. Again, no mom of the year awards over here….

As you plan for the holidays, remember you can use your membership to your advantage and save money on gifts for

Giovanna Bechard Editor editor@maineea.org

MEA | President's Letter

" “Giving is not just about making a donation, it’s about making a difference.”

Kathy Calvin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation MEA President and MEA Board of Directors get in the spirit and donate $700 to the Maine Special Olympics.

The verb “to give” Dictionary.com offers the following definitions: “to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow; to hand to someone; to place in someone’s care.” So many of our local associations raise funds and contribute their time to give to charities, to families who are struggling, and to provide scholarships for students. You are seeing just a few of these highlighted in this issue. Our state association gives, too. The members of the MEA Board of Directors made donations to Special Olympics at our December meeting. MEA staff is providing holiday gifts to families in need and engaging in other activities as part of our “Season of Giving”. Many members and staff participate in and give generously to a number of causes and non-profit organizations throughout the year. These things are done “without expecting compensation,” as the above definition states. But let’s not forget that educators, as part of their work every day, also give so much to our students, our communities, our society. In the various roles that educators have to support our students —both in and out of the classroom—as they learn and grow and become engaged citizens, we give our time, our expertise, our knowledge, our dedication, our caring. We give above and beyond basic job expectations. It is the nature of our professions to give; the desire to give to others is what draws so many of us to education. Of course, we do receive compensation for our jobs. But for much too long, as we have known, and, as has been shown in various polls, the public also believes, educators have been underpaid and 6

Maine Educator • December 2018

undervalued, especially when one considers the vital role public education has. It is time that educators, at all levels, in all roles, receive professional salaries and wages that clearly demonstrate the value of the work they do and that show the respect that they deserve. We have many friends of education about to serve in the 129th Legislature. We have a new administration ready to take office. We need to keep in close communication with these policy- and decision-makers. We need to show them what resources all of our students and schools, no matter their location, must have, and what compensation our educators deserve if we are to retain those now serving, recruit the educators we will need, and reward all equitably, including our retirees who even now keep giving. We have the potential to make great progress on this, but if this is to come to fruition, it will require that all of us give even a little more time and effort to make our voices heard, to talk with our representatives, and to be visible and speak up about the great work we do. Every day we give so much of ourselves on behalf of our students. It is time our public schools and our students be given the resources they deserve, and that educators be given the compensation that is long overdue. We don’t give up on students, and we won’t give up on working to meet the goal of moving our professions and our association forward. I know we will all keep giving our best to educate students in our state. But I also hope that you all give yourselves time to relax and re-energize over the coming holiday season. You have more than earned it!

Grace Leavitt President gleavitt@maineea.org

Free Stuff

t's one of the best four letter words out there Ibudget. FREE especially when you're on a tight Maine Educator found a few freebies! —

—

Free Math resources

Created by retired Maine educator Richard Rand The website offers free instruction and practice examples for fractions. There are circle and number line models to demonstrate fractions and the operations on them. There is no login required and there are no ads! Check out the features on the home page, especially the Design Fraction feature, Fraction Designer. This website was designed with the teacher in mind. Learn more at www.visualfractions.com

Teaching with Google Earth

This resource offers information about how to incorporate Google Earth into your class. Bring geography lessons to life in the classroom with Google Earth. The tool will provide an immersive interactive experience for your students. For example, why look at a picture when you can virtually walk down the streets of Japan? With Google Earth, now you can!

I Survived Teacher Resources

Rainy Day Habitat Lesson

This activity can allow empirical study of habitats in the classroom when weather conditions are unfavorable outdoors. This experiment gives earthworms a choice of two habitats and identifies which habitat they prefer. Students will learn that earthworms prefer habitats with high organic matter. Results from this study can then be used to predict where worms prefer to live in the schoolyard or across a landscape. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to: • Identify the habitats of familiar organisms and their needs for survival • Conduct an experiment to identify preferred habitats of organisms

Created by a teacher and aligned to the Common Core, each book in the I Survived series comes with comprehension checks, novel activities and quizzes. Some books even have classroom kits for virtual field trips or guides for a read aloud play. The free online guide is a perfect tool to use while reading the books that relate to kids and teach historical content at the same time.

Head to Maineea.org/freestuff to find your resources! December 2018 • www.maineea.org

News You Can Use

“EDUCATION IS A PUBLIC SERVICE. TEACHERS ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS.” A CONVERSATION WITH THE 2019 MAINE TEACHER OF THE YEAR, JOE HENNESSEY.

rom a small school of just 170 or so students in Guilford, Joe Hennessey, Maine’s 2019 Teacher of the Year, gets down at each student’s level nearly every time he speaks with one. His voice is always calm. His tone consistent. He is a man who admittedly doesn’t smile a lot but has a special way about him that allows him to connect with his students, who weren’t shy about sharing kind words about their Piscataquis Community High School English teacher. “I love that guy. He’s helpful and he grades fairly. He’s the best teacher in this school—he’s kind hearted outside of school and inside of school,” shared Caleb, a junior in Mr. Hennessey’s class.

Why Joe Hennessey? When asked why he believes he received such an honor, Mr. Hennessey was quick to divert the attention to those who have taught with him along the way. “No person works in a vacuum,” said Hennessey. “I’m lucky to work in a situation where I can benefit from my colleagues, and if I’ve managed to synthesize their ideas in my teaching, then I suppose I’m deserving,” added Hennessey. Those colleagues though clearly believe, and don’t suppose he is deserving of the honor, with the superintendent of SAD 4 describing Hennessey’s teaching as an “ability to connect with students at a level that gives them hope and aspirations for the future.”

Maine Educator • December 2018

Hennessey’s future as Teacher of the Year plans to be full of exposure for rural schools and the issues and advantages that come with the territory. Among his goals, Hennessey plans to use his platform and new-found voice to tackle specific challenges like low literacy, functional literacy, and chronic absenteeism.

“I love that guy. He’s helpful and he grades fairly. He’s the best teacher in the school—he’s kind hearted outside of school and inside of school,” shared caleb, a junior.

News You Can Use

“Some high schools in our state have a chronic absenteeism rate of 30% or higher, so that’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed,” said Hennessey. One idea he’s already thinking about to help students stay in school is to work with health care providers and social service agencies to keep students in school during the school day by giving kids priority for after school doctor’s appointments. With that modification, there is less of a need to check out during the day and a lower potential of students not coming back. As Teacher of the Year, Hennessey is poised to use his voice to highlight the profession, having a core belief in public schools as the cornerstone of our democracy. “Education is a public service. Teachers are public servants, and the people, products, and ideas that come out of our schools are public goods. And, one cannot insulate oneself from public goods. We need to make sure we are treating public education as an essential public service, especially in an era of privatization,” said Hennessey. That’s an idea seemingly every educator could get behind, making Joe Hennessey more than qualified and deserving to shine light on the teaching profession as the 2019 Teacher of the Year.

December 2018 • www.maineea.org

News You Can Use

National Teachers Group Confronts Climate Change DenialCalling to Keep the Politics Out of Science Class

By Lee Chisholm, Science and Social Studies teacher The National Science Teachers Association issued a formal position paper asking K–12 science teachers throughout the United States, within their science classes, to proactively reject the idea that there is any scientific (as distinct from political or sociological) controversy about human-caused global warming. In its position statement, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) calls on science teachers from kindergarten through high school to emphasize to students that "no scientific controversy exists regarding the basic facts of climate change."

(and all those yet unborn) have a fundamental right to a stable climate under the United States Constitution and the public trust doctrine. Their case asserts that the federal government is depriving them of life, liberty, property, and the equal protection of the laws by its actions and inactions in relation to the fossil fuel industry. The remedy they seek is not money damages for themselves, but rather a court-ordered national remedial plan for everybody—a plan that phases out fossil fuel emissions and draws down atmospheric levels of CO2 below 350 ppm (from the 410 ppm currently) by the year 2100. By bringing the third branch of government, the judicial, now into play after the legislative and the executive branches have so greatly and so long fallen short, Juliana v U.S. calls for a greater look into this issue, raising the level of importance of science. It could mean for environmental justice what Brown v. Board of Education meant for civil rights.

This fall, twenty-one plaintiffs, all students, are expected to begin the first day of trial in Juliana v. United States. A groundbreaking lawsuit, Juliana will be heard in the Federal District Court of Oregon. It was filed by young people for young people—in recognition of the fact that young people

Early Career Conference You may have missed our Pottery and Perks night, but don’t miss this event! MEA is hosting its first conference dedicated just to those who are in the first seven years of the profession. This half-day training session will share key information you need to keep your strength through the spring and how to make the best use of your union support. The conference is being held at Southern Maine Community College. If you live more than 90 miles outside of the event, MEA will pay for the cost of a hotel room the night before. Cost: Free for members, lunch provided Date: January 26, 9 AM-2PM Location: Southern Maine Community College FMI: maineea.org/conferences_trainings/

Make it a Seussical Day with a grant from MEA! NEA's Read Across America will take place on Friday, March 1, 2019 to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday! To help plan and prepare for a reading celebration, MEA is offering Read Across America Incentive Grants to our local associations who sponsor association activities for this event. Grants of $50 each will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Requests must be made by the 10

Maine Educator • December 2018

local association President for funding of activities within the local association. Grant applications must be signed by the Local Association President and can be found at maineea.org/read-across-america/ GRANT DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 6, 2019

News You Can Use

Tech Talk Canva

t’s even easier to create professional looking flyers, posters, invitations, social media graphics and more with the FREE online tool called Canva. You don’t need any design backgroundjust choose a template and modify to your needs. This tool is perfect to create something quickly that will stand out. There are free photos, icons and layouts to choose from. Learn more at canva.com and take a look at some sample designs that can all be modified with your specific school colors.

Adobe Spark

dobe Spark is a free online and mobile graphic design tool that allows you to create individual websites, graphics or videos. This FREE tool is particularly useful to make presentations come to life, and is very easy for students to use.

Spark Post, Page & Video

Pick a photo, add text and apply design filters to instantly stand out from the crowd on social media.

Turn words and images into beautiful, magazine-style web stories. These webpages are easy to make and great for class presentations, for both teachers and students.

Spark Video allows you to easily add photos, video clips, icons, or your own voice to craft your own video. Select from professional-quality soundtracks and cinematic motion to add more interest to your video. December 2018 • www.maineea.org

News You Can Use

5 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance By: Cassandra Joss

alancing my career as a teacher and my life as a wife and mother hasn’t always been easy. As most teachers know, taking work home is a common practice. Answering parent emails on the weekend, grading papers at night, and lesson planning in the early morning hours are things most teachers can admit to. Sometimes, taking work home with you is inevitable. However, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance between all that work and your personal life.

As a veteran teacher of 15 years, I’ve learned there is no such thing as a perfect work-life balance. With the ebbs and flows of life and teaching, there are bound to be some turbulent times now and then. However, it pays off to take time and work on staying balanced between the two. Here are a few guidelines I set for myself to ensure a healthy balance:

Set Boundaries for Work Juggling all of your responsibilities can seem impossible for teachers at times. I like to stay extremely organized and set a schedule for when I will get all my work done. With a schedule, I am able to set boundaries for myself for when I will take work home or stay late at school. If I break my routine I can hold myself accountable and readjust my workload so the next week I am on track to complete work as planned.

Learn to Work Efficiently Over the years I have gotten better at working efficiently, but when I first started as a teacher I struggled with it. Small changes like planning your lessons online and making to-do lists can increase efficiency exponentially. Prioritizing your to-do list and sticking with the list is also crucial to work efficiently. 12

Maine Educator • December 2018

Don’t sweat the small stuff Try not to worry if not everything is just as you imagined it would be. Learning that not everything will get done in the way you want it to and at your ideal time is a very valuable lesson. A teacher’s to-do list can be never ending. Instead of stressing over what you can’t do, use that time to plan when you’ll get done what is left.

Have a positive attitude Choose to look on the bright side of things and try your best to have a good attitude. When you maintain a positive mentality in times of stress, you set an example for your students to do the same.

Set aside time for yourself To be the best teacher you can be, you need to be the best version of yourself. Whether it’s going for a run, meditating or reading your favorite book, taking time for yourself will give you some necessary personal time to recharge. When teachers are exhausted due to a lack of a healthy work-life balance, they become less effective in the classroom. It is possible to keep up with your teaching career, the needs of your students, and your life at home. However, there is no one-size fits all solution when it comes to achieving the ideal balance. Find a method that works for you and work to maintain the work-life balance you’ve built for yourself.

Should Schools Consider Holding Remote School Days Perspectives to Alleviate Time Off for Snow Days? Comments From Facebook

Maine Education Association Many schools have already had three snow days this year. But even before the recent snow, officials in the combined Five Town Community School District and School Administration District 28 say they are testing a pilot program to replace two snow days with "remote school days." MEA posed the question about remote days as an option, as the idea is being monitored by the Maine DOE to keep school from extending too far into June. Below are the thoughts of educators and parents on the topic of remote school days, as posted on MEA’s Facebook page. Helen Moulton Onorato I’m a teacher, and I’m skeptical. Many of my students have no internet at home, or are tasked with shoveling snow or caring for siblings on a snow day. Some students split living between households; they would need two binders of work. What kind of authentic instruction could teachers create ahead of time for often surprising Maine weather? How would it be assessed? What about students with IEPs who need support from teachers during instruction? Like many other teachers, I have a young child at home who I need to engage on a snow day, and I also am the one who shovels. I can’t be remotely available to students all day. Sue Dow I am a teacher and would love it. Teaching or trying to teach in late June is often ineffective.

Heather Duquette For those of us who are not 1:1 in a poor community where not everyone has internet access, online assignments would not work. Binders of “snow day work” would be a better idea. Liz Young-Hoyt With 1:1 laptop deployment at our school, I’m all for it! A laptop cannot replace a teacher but with platforms that allow live time feedback and communication, it could work in a limited capacity Janice Palmieri Bigos I’m with Liz. There is always a solution for those who do not have internet access, after all, many lose power during storms. It could be worked out. Miranda Wakefield I think a certain number per year... maybe 3 or 4 would be very valuable. There would need to be a plan in place to support students who for any reason couldn’t do it at home to complete it at school but I doubt it would need to be implemented very often/at all. Michele Metzler Who would be in charge of making sure the work got done? What if parents still have to work all day—and older sib is staying home with younger? Can we expect daycare providers to deliver lessons on a snow day? What if teachers are expected to “be available” all day, but have young children to take care of and have to go shovel too? Lots of problems with this. December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Your Association

Waldo County Tech Team unites to support students SEASON OF GIVING

The Maine Education Association is giving back during our Season of Giving! MEA offices around the state will all participate in our new MEA Season of Giving where each office will do something to help others in the community. AND—we know you’re all doing the same. Maine Educator is sharing some of those stories here and encourages you to share your stories on our social media pages. Use #MEAGiving in your post! Check out our Facebook page for more details.

“If they’re in survival mode, we need to meet their needs.”

n increasing number of children are in need across the state and an increasing number of educators find themselves in the position of doing more than teaching.

At Waldo County Tech Center, carpentry students are helping build a new space to house the It’s Cool to Be Warm clothing “store” where everything is free for students. From hooded sweatshirts to hats, to underwear and everything in between, the “store” has what students don’t have, and need. The Food for Friends food pantry is in a large closet in a separate part of the school. Inside, students can freely walk and get snacks, breakfast and even food to take home for dinner or holidays when they don’t receive a hot meal at school. There are no questions asked. The pantries are necessary additions to the school that accepts students from three districts in Waldo County. “We are now more aware than ever as to just how many of our students are homeless, couch-surfing, or not living with their parents,” said Lacey Breems who helps run the programs. The awareness of need comes in part from a survey the school conducts quarterly asking students specifically what their needs are—food, clothes, toiletries, even housing.

Maine Educator • December 2018

Your Association

Totes of Food

his year RSU 19 Education Association’s (Newport area) EDUCATE! community group is teaming up with Nokomis High School and the Nokomis Jr. ROTC (JRTOC) cadets to provide food to students and their families.

The team that runs both the clothing and food pantry is beyond dedicated to providing both an education and basic needs for their students. Their relationships with their students don’t end when they graduate. “We had a former student come back after he graduated. He needed his resume printed, he needed a dress shirt for a job interview, so he came here to school. He came to the clothing closet; we ironed his shirt and he got the job. Another student needed help for an interview too. I went to Good Will, I got her a job interview outfit and drove it to her house and she got the job,” said Literacy teacher, Rachel Littlefield. During the holidays, the team at Waldo County holds a ‘Tis the Season event where every student gets something, reducing the stigma attached to those who are actually in need. The educators set up tables in the hallways, fill them with food and clothing and make everyone take something home. “There were even toiletries, and every kid came down to get something. The idea was everyone had to leave with something so there was no shame—we set aside extra bags of food for kids we know need a little extra,” said Breems. The school is especially grateful for the members of the community who continue to donate clothing and food to the students.

EDUCATE! purchased tote bags to distribute food to all families who attended Nokomis Regional High's Student Led Conferences. As families entered the gymnasium for the Student Led Conference, they noticed the ample supply of food being dispersed by the JROTC cadets through the "Warrior Provisions" food pantry that is hosted weekly on campus for students. In just two days, more than 150 families in RSU 19 benefited from this partnership.

Food Drive Success

he Dirigo Education Association worked with its local schools to host a food drive for the four towns in the district. The Association, together with the middle school’s student community service team collected the food. Elementary school students also helped in the effort, picking up food and preparing boxes for local food panties. In total, the Association provided 20 boxes of food to local food pantries and also prepared baskets to individual families in the community.

Holiday Wishes Come True

n partnership with the Augusta Education Association, the employees, leadership and MEABT staff at the Augusta MEA offices adopt a family each holiday season. The AEA choose a family that is struggling and in need of help. Together, the Augusta MEA and MEABT purchase gifts for the entire family, ensuring both the children and adults in the family have their needs met, and also have their toys and “wish” items from their list.

This is the 25th year the Augusta EA and the MEA have partnered together to provide a familyDecember with a happy 2018 holiday. • www.maineea.org 15

Advocacy

WINTER READING LIST

Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall A wonderful read-aloud to promote discussions about identity and being proud of yourself. A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as “red” suffers an identity crisis in this picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo and It’s an Orange Aardvark! Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon’s Story, by Michael Hall, is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. • Grade Level: Preschool - 3

Ghost and the entire track series by Jason Reynolds “These novels engage readers with relatable characters and complex narratives. They also address important issues that many students grapple with—fear of success/failure, racial bias and economic barriers.” -Becca Redman Digital Media Teacher, Richmond, 7-12 ELA • Grade Level: 5-7

Maine Educator • December 2018

Educators from around Maine shared their recommended books for students of all grade levels.

Check them out!

I Survived Series “My students love the I Survived series. They’re books based on real events with fictional characters. Students get to explore a bit of history and go on an exciting adventure at the same time!” - Rachel Bourgeois, Caribou, Grade 3 teacher The I Survived historical fiction series takes young readers on journeys into the past, giving them an up close and personal view of terrifying and thrilling adventures based on disasters that have left their mark on history. • Grade Level: 3-6

The Sympathizer by Thanh Nguyen The Sympathizer won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The title character is a captain in the South Vietnamese army, who, when the South fell to the North in 1975, fled with other military leaders and citizens on the last planes out of the country. The captain experiences all that is wondrous and barbarous in his new home in Los Angeles while continuing to work as a communist informant, spying on his army fellows as they plot a counter revolution. • Grade Level: 11-12

Advocacy

FAST FACTS

Seal of Biliteracy now Educators in Office ationwide, more than 1,000 educators were elected into office N November. In Maine, six educators will serve as legislators available for Maine students at thethisstatehouse in Augusta. ALL are MEA members! who are proficient in multiple House District #8 Chris Babbidge languages. (Kennebunk) As heard on Maine Public Radio

race Leavitt, a Spanish teacher and the president of the Maine Education Association, says she hopes the new initiative will prompt more schools to invest in world languages, beginning as early as kindergarten and first grade.

“The argument I get back often is that there’s such a shortage of language teachers. But until everyone’s learning a language, we’re going to continue to have that shortage of language teachers,” she says. “So we have to start, and get going on it.”

Contract Settlement in Kittery As published in seacoastonline.com

House District #10

Henry Ingwersen (Arundel)

House District #53

Alison Hepler (Woolwich)

House District #97

Jan Dodge (Belfast)

House District #124

Victoria Kornfield (Bangor)

House District #148

David McCrea (Fort Fairfield)

Jolyn Hayward, co-president of the Kittery Education Association, said the agreed upon contract “was the best we could do at this point.” “It does not however make up for the several contract cycles that have left the district severely lagging behind our neighboring school contracts,” she said. “The efforts three years ago to bring us closer to the middle of the pack of the surrounding districts saw some success, but those same districts continue to increase their compensation and exceed our efforts to retain and attract the best educators.” She said in a recent summary released by the Maine Education Association that depicts earnings over an entire career, Kittery ranks 33rd, “and is only a few dollars away from being knocked off the top 50.”

Standardized Test Results

Top-scoring districts in Maine for English, math and science

In English, the school districts below had at least 75% of the students at or above grade level.

81%

80%

78%

76%

75%

Five Town Consolidated School District in Camden

Damariscotta

Baxter Academy for Technology & Science in Portland

Cape Elizabeth

77%

Falmouth

Yarmouth

Carrabassett Valley December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Advocacy

Salary and Inflation: Is Yours Keeping Up?

retty much every year the cost of living increases. A critical measure of a salary scale is if it has kept up with this inflation over time. Does a new teacher or a teacher with 10 years of experience have the same purchasing power now as a new teacher or a teacher with 10 years of experience had in the past? Here are calculations for a sample of districts from around the state that answer just that question. For each school district, there is the 2013-14 salary for a teacher with no experience, with 10 years of experience and at the top of the scale. The 2013-14 salaries are then inflated by 7.81%, the rate of inflation for the five-year period since 2013-14, to reach the salary needed to have kept up with inflation and maintained purchasing power in 201819. Actual 2018-19 salaries are then provided followed by the difference between the actual 2018-19 salaries and the inflated 2013-14 salaries. A positive number means the scale at that experience level has had a real gain in purchasing power. A negative number means a teacher today makes less in real terms than a teacher five years ago for that experience level. (Note, for scales that have been restructured during this time period, the scale is applied in each year as it would be to a new teacher hired with no experience going forward.) Understanding the impact of inflation over time and how your scale works is critical to maximizing career earnings when negotiating. 18

BACHELOR’S ANDROSCOGGIN SCHOOL DISTRICT LEWISTON LISBON RSU 16, POLAND AROOSTOOK SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 33, ST. AGATHA RSU 39, CARIBOU RSU 70, HODGDON CUMBERLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT BRUNSWICK SOUTH PORTLAND YARMOUTH FRANKLIN SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 09, FARMINGTON FLAGSTAFF RSU, STRATTON RSU 78, RANGELEY HANCOCK SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 91 - BAR HARBOR CASTINE RSU 24, SULLIVAN KENNEBEC SCHOOL DISTRICT FAYETTE RSU 11, GARDINER RSU 38, READFIELD KNOX SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLETON KNOX REGION 8 RSU 13, ROCKLAND LINCOLN SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 93 - NOBLEBORO AOS 98 - BOOTHBAY-BOOTHBAY HARBOR CSD RSU 40, WALDOBORO OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 17, PARIS RSU 44, BETHEL RSU 72, FRYEBURG PENOBSCOT SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 34, OLD TOWN RSU 67, LINCOLN VEAZIE PISCATAQUIS SCHOOL DISTRICT GREENVILLE RSU 68, DOVER-FOXCROFT SAD 4, GUILFORD SAGADAHOC SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 98 - GEORGETOWN RSU 01, BATH SAD 75, TOPSHAM SOMERSET SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHENS RSU 49, FAIRFIELD RSU 74, ANSON WALDO SCHOOL DISTRICT ISLESBORO RSU 03, UNITY RSU 71, BELFAST WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 77 - CALAIS AOS 96 - EAST MACHIAS AOS 96 - JONESBORO YORK SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTON RSU 06, BUXTON WELLS-OGUNQUIT CSD

Maine Educator • December 2018

2013-14 MIN $33,000 $31,717 $31,068 2013-14 MIN $30,800 $30,000 $30,150 2013-14 MIN $31,720 $35,816 $36,054 2013-14 MIN $33,500 $30,725 $32,887 2013-14 MIN $33,638 $30,228 $32,800 2013-14 MIN $30,900 $31,336 $31,550 2013-14 MIN $31,118 $35,158 $34,842 2013-14 MIN $34,000

10 $39,721 $42,118 $41,753

MAX $57,374 $57,301 $56,112

10 $38,500 $38,878 $35,500

MAX $51,590 $55,567 $49,880

10 $44,408 $51,165 $54,081

MAX $65,026 $57,305 $64,537

10 $38,550 $39,136 $41,072

MAX $50,400 $53,902 $56,726

10 $42,268 $38,756 $36,800

MAX $58,736 $39,842 $49,800

10 $41,527 $46,118 $42,401

MAX $51,073 $55,652 $56,983

10 $39,373 $44,826 $44,790

MAX $52,605 $58,596 $58,604

10 $49,821

MAX $53,951

PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $35,578 $42,824 $61,855 $34,194 $45,408 $61,777 $33,495 $45,014 $60,495 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $33,206 $41,507 $55,620 $32,343 $41,915 $59,907 $32,505 $38,273 $53,776 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $34,198 $47,877 $70,105 $38,614 $55,161 $61,781 $38,870 $58,305 $69,578 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,117 $41,561 $54,337 $33,125 $42,193 $58,112 $35,456 $44,280 $61,157 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,265 $45,570 $63,324 $32,589 $41,783 $42,954 $35,362 $39,674 $53,690 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $33,314 $44,771 $55,062 $33,784 $49,720 $59,999 $34,014 $45,713 $61,434 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $33,549 $42,448 $56,714 $37,904 $48,327 $63,173 $37,564 $48,289 $63,182 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,656 $53,713 $58,165

$32,110

$44,715

$63,720

$34,618

$31,470 2013-14 MIN $31,289 $32,951 $31,108 2013-14 MIN $32,948 $30,600 $33,000 2013-14 MIN $35,014 $30,931 $32,484 2013-14 MIN $34,877 $32,321 $33,000 2013-14 MIN $38,062 $33,600 $33,139 2013-14 MIN $34,199 $32,617 $32,250 2013-14 MIN $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 2013-14 MIN $34,016 $35,800 $42,060

$40,778

$54,057

10 $39,073 $39,801 $36,809

MAX $52,840 $52,351 $52,109

10 $42,961 $35,656 $47,500

MAX $56,756 $51,549 $62,000

10 $47,746 $39,531 $39,124

MAX $58,888 $52,831 $54,064

10 $49,877 $48,481 $45,000

MAX $64,877 $65,470 $63,000

10 $47,062 $41,200 $41,972

MAX $53,062 $56,000 $51,212

10 $45,909 $40,445 $45,382

MAX $57,309 $51,208 $56,786

10 $42,615 $34,100 $36,250

MAX $55,400 $45,950 $40,625

10 $47,265 $40,300 $54,861

MAX $57,606 $54,800 $66,931

$33,928 $43,963 $58,279 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $33,733 $42,125 $56,967 $35,525 $42,910 $56,440 $33,538 $39,684 $56,179 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $35,522 $46,317 $61,189 $32,990 $38,441 $55,575 $35,578 $51,210 $66,843 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $37,749 $51,475 $63,488 $33,347 $42,619 $56,958 $35,021 $42,180 $58,287 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $37,601 $53,773 $69,945 $34,846 $52,268 $70,584 $35,578 $48,515 $67,921 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $41,035 $50,738 $57,207 $36,224 $44,418 $60,374 $35,727 $45,250 $55,212 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,870 $49,495 $61,785 $35,165 $43,604 $55,208 $34,769 $48,927 $61,222 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $32,343 $45,944 $59,727 $32,343 $36,764 $49,539 $32,343 $39,081 $43,798 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,673 $50,957 $62,106 $38,596 $43,448 $59,080 $45,345 $59,146 $72,159

$48,208

$68,697

Advocacy 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $36,300 $34,591 $35,000 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $34,034 $33,591 $31,166 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $36,136 $40,422 $40,592 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $34,900 $33,679 $34,135 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $38,500 $34,000 $35,000 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $34,000 $36,533 $35,450 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $35,500 $37,983 $39,425 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $35,500

10 $50,820 $45,933 $42,500

MAX $63,888 $62,489 $56,500

10 $47,124 $43,504 $40,450

MAX $60,214 $62,150 $55,344

10 $49,226 $57,746 $60,889

MAX $72,132 $64,675 $72,661

10 $40,856 $41,723 $43,696

MAX $57,943 $52,106 $53,638

10 $45,948 $43,100 $44,803

MAX $63,116 $44,135 $55,953

10 $41,257 $49,335 $46,092

MAX $56,517 $60,844 $60,592

10 $44,673 $48,428 $50,425

MAX $57,878 $63,305 $64,125

10 $50,076

MAX $57,464

DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $722 $7,996 $397 $525 $1,505 -$2,514 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $828 $5,617 $1,248 $1,589 -$1,339 $2,177 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $1,938 $1,349 $1,808 $2,585 $1,722 $2,584 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 -$1,217 -$705 $554 -$470 -$1,321 -$584 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $2,235 $378 $1,411 $1,317 -$362 $5,129 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $686 -$3,514 $2,749 -$385 $1,436 $379 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $1,951 $2,225 $79 $101 $1,861 $2,136 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 -$1,156 -$3,637

$36,857

$48,842

$71,206

$2,239

$38,501 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $35,602 $36,127 $34,170 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $37,100 $32,900 $35,100 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $38,280 $34,500 $35,166 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $37,371 $33,999 $36,300 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $40,189 $37,500 $36,139 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $38,607 $34,773 $35,030 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $30,300 $30,700 $32,000 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN $36,684 $38,750 $47,007

$45,766

$63,088

10 $44,002 $43,468 $44,584

MAX $56,602 $56,921 $58,172

10 $48,050 $40,973 $49,600

MAX $63,500 $57,500 $68,750

10 $52,200 $46,365 $41,806

MAX $66,120 $60,496 $56,746

10 $52,446 $50,999 $51,300

MAX $70,536 $72,923 $67,800

10 $49,552 $45,000 $44,972

MAX $55,793 $64,000 $54,212

10 $51,330 $42,473 $50,620

MAX $62,841 $53,473 $62,383

10 $44,346 $35,400 $38,750

MAX $59,127 $48,550 $48,200

10 $49,684 $49,450 $61,314

MAX $62,684 $59,850 $74,803

$4,573 $1,803 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $1,869 $1,877 $602 $558 $632 $4,900 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $1,578 $1,733 -$90 $2,532 -$478 -$1,610 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $531 $725 $1,153 $3,746 $145 -$374 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 -$230 -$1,327 -$847 -$1,269 $722 $2,785 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 -$846 -$1,186 $1,276 $582 $412 -$278 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $1,737 $1,835 -$392 -$1,131 $261 $1,693 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 -$2,043 -$1,598 -$1,643 -$1,364 -$343 -$331 DIFFERENCE MIN 10 $11 -$1,273 $154 $6,002 $1,662 $2,168

$634

STEPS 13-14/18-19

MAX $2,033 $712 -$3,995

26/20 37 21

MAX $4,594 $2,243 $1,568

27/21 36 23/25

MAX $2,027 $2,894 $3,083

25 15 32

MAX $3,606 -$6,006 -$7,519

24/32 24/20 27/19

MAX -$208 $1,181 $2,263

26 12 22/20

MAX $1,455 $845 -$842 MAX $1,164 $132 $943

STEPS 13-14/18-19

STEPS 13-14/18-19 18/23 16/17 21 STEPS 13-14/18-19 20 22 20 STEPS 13-14/18-19

MAX -$701

13/15

$2,509

$4,809

MAX -$365 $481 $1,993

26/23 22 29/20

MAX $2,311 $1,925 $1,907

19 30/24 19

MAX $2,632 $3,538 -$1,541

26/31 23/20 29

MAX $591 $2,339 -$121

21 21 23/25

MAX -$1,414 $3,626 -$1,000 MAX $1,056 -$1,735 $1,161

STEPS 13-14/18-19

STEPS 13-14/18-19 25 25 25 STEPS 13-14/18-19 21 22 16 STEPS 13-14/18-19

MAX -$600 -$989 $4,402

31/41 31 18/25

MAX $578 $770 $2,644

21 31/26 24

STEPS 13-14/18-19

December 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ www.maineea.org

Advocacy MASTER’S ANDROSCOGGIN SCHOOL DISTRICT LEWISTON LISBON RSU 16, POLAND AROOSTOOK SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 33, ST. AGATHA RSU 39, CARIBOU RSU 70, HODGDON CUMBERLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT BRUNSWICK SOUTH PORTLAND YARMOUTH FRANKLIN SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 09, FARMINGTON FLAGSTAFF RSU, STRATTON RSU 78, RANGELEY HANCOCK SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 91 - BAR HARBOR CASTINE RSU 24, SULLIVAN KENNEBEC SCHOOL DISTRICT FAYETTE RSU 11, GARDINER RSU 38, READFIELD KNOX SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLETON KNOX REGION 8 RSU 13, ROCKLAND LINCOLN SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 93 - NOBLEBORO AOS 98 - BOOTHBAY-BOOTHBAY HARBOR CSD RSU 40, WALDOBORO OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 17, PARIS RSU 44, BETHEL RSU 72, FRYEBURG PENOBSCOT SCHOOL DISTRICT RSU 34, OLD TOWN RSU 67, LINCOLN VEAZIE PISCATAQUIS SCHOOL DISTRICT GREENVILLE RSU 68, DOVER-FOXCROFT SAD 4, GUILFORD SAGADAHOC SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 98 - GEORGETOWN RSU 01, BATH SAD 75, TOPSHAM SOMERSET SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHENS RSU 49, FAIRFIELD RSU 74, ANSON WALDO SCHOOL DISTRICT ISLESBORO RSU 03, UNITY RSU 71, BELFAST WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT AOS 77 - CALAIS AOS 96 - EAST MACHIAS AOS 96 - JONESBORO YORK SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTON RSU 06, BUXTON WELLS-OGUNQUIT CSD

Maine Educator • December 2018

2013-14 MIN $34,000 $35,523 $33,599 2013-14 MIN $34,800 $31,517 $31,950 2013-14 MIN $35,256 $39,227 $39,659 2013-14 MIN $35,500 $34,000 $36,387 2013-14 MIN $36,138 $32,517 $35,300 2013-14 MIN $31,900 $33,103 $33,300 2013-14 MIN $34,118 $37,658 $36,911 2013-14 MIN $36,000 $35,110 $33,437 2013-14 MIN $33,513 $35,021 $33,532 2013-14 MIN $35,415 $30,600 $35,000 2013-14 MIN $39,629 $33,131 $34,484 2013-14 MIN $36,800 $35,553 $36,000 2013-14 MIN $42,629 $35,600 $34,363 2013-14 MIN $36,790 $34,617 $34,450 2013-14 MIN $31,251 $31,019 $30,500 2013-14 MIN $36,516 $38,800 $45,718

10 $41,500 $47,172 $43,840

MAX $62,579 $64,177 $58,918

10 $42,500 $41,107 $37,300

MAX $55,590 $58,241 $51,680

10 $48,214 $54,576 $57,686

MAX $68,832 $64,127 $69,945

10 $40,550 $43,488 $44,572

MAX $52,400 $59,901 $60,226

10 $44,768 $42,058 $39,300

MAX $61,236 $47,154 $52,300

10 $42,871 $48,719 $44,151

MAX $52,726 $58,791 $58,733

10 $42,373 $47,326 $46,774

MAX $55,605 $61,096 $60,474

10 $51,881 $47,715 $43,327

MAX $56,011 $66,720 $57,435

10 $41,297 $42,253 $39,233

MAX $55,064 $55,151 $54,533

10 $45,428 $37,346 $49,500

MAX $59,223 $53,534 $64,000

10 $52,362 $41,731 $41,124

MAX $63,503 $55,031 $56,064

10 $51,000 $51,713 $49,500

MAX $66,000 $68,842 $67,500

10 $52,709 $43,800 $44,146

MAX $59,429 $60,000 $62,625

10 $48,450 $42,445 $47,582

MAX $59,890 $53,208 $58,986

10 $45,456 $37,019 $36,750

MAX $58,241 $49,219 $41,125

10 $49,765 $43,300 $58,519

MAX $60,106 $57,800 $70,588

PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,656 $44,742 $67,467 $38,298 $50,857 $69,190 $36,223 $47,264 $63,520 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $37,518 $45,820 $59,932 $33,979 $44,318 $62,790 $34,446 $40,214 $55,717 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $38,010 $51,980 $74,208 $42,291 $58,839 $69,136 $42,757 $62,192 $75,408 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $38,273 $43,717 $56,493 $36,656 $46,885 $64,580 $39,229 $48,054 $64,930 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $38,961 $48,265 $66,019 $35,057 $45,343 $50,837 $38,057 $42,370 $56,385 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $34,392 $46,220 $56,844 $35,689 $52,524 $63,383 $35,901 $47,600 $63,321 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,783 $45,683 $59,948 $40,599 $51,023 $65,868 $39,794 $50,428 $65,198 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $38,812 $55,933 $60,386 $37,852 $51,442 $71,931 $36,049 $46,711 $61,921 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $36,131 $44,523 $59,365 $37,756 $45,553 $59,459 $36,151 $42,297 $58,793 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $38,181 $48,976 $63,849 $32,990 $40,263 $57,716 $37,734 $53,366 $68,999 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $42,724 $56,452 $68,463 $35,719 $44,991 $59,329 $37,178 $44,336 $60,443 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $39,674 $54,984 $71,155 $38,330 $55,752 $74,219 $38,812 $53,366 $72,772 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $45,959 $56,826 $64,071 $38,381 $47,221 $64,687 $37,047 $47,594 $67,517 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $39,664 $52,234 $64,568 $37,321 $45,760 $57,364 $37,141 $51,299 $63,593 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $33,692 $49,007 $62,790 $33,442 $39,911 $53,063 $32,882 $39,621 $44,337 PROJECTED 2018-19 (ADJ. FOR INFLATION) MIN 10 MAX $39,368 $53,652 $64,801 $41,831 $46,682 $62,315 $49,289 $63,090 $76,102

Advocacy 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $38,600 $54,040 $38,742 $51,445 $36,750 $44,250 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $38,034 $51,124 $35,289 $45,670 $32,266 $43,384 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $40,183 $53,273 $44,272 $61,595 $44,652 $64,948 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $36,900 $42,891 $37,820 $46,955 $37,635 $47,196 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $41,000 $48,448 $36,598 $45,306 $37,000 $47,363 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $35,000 $42,257 $38,542 $52,049 $37,450 $48,092 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $38,500 $47,673 $40,483 $50,928 $41,725 $52,725 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $37,500 $52,897 $39,460 $51,906 $40,846 $48,553 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $37,826 $46,226 $38,346 $46,097 $36,582 $47,731 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $39,600 $50,550 $34,400 $42,518 $37,100 $51,600 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $43,326 $57,246 $37,000 $49,725 $37,166 $43,806 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $39,431 $54,506 $37,399 $54,399 $40,800 $55,800 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $45,012 $55,498 $39,000 $49,000 $37,363 $47,146 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $41,823 $54,226 $38,273 $45,973 $37,230 $52,820 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $32,520 $47,302 $32,350 $38,350 $32,500 $39,250 2018-19 ACTUAL MIN 10 $39,327 $52,327 $41,750 $52,450 $51,095 $65,401

MAX $67,936 $69,988 $58,250 MAX $64,214 $65,206 $57,444 MAX $76,180 $72,374 $78,749 MAX $60,402 $58,641 $57,138 MAX $65,616 $51,010 $59,150 MAX $57,517 $64,276 $62,592 MAX $60,878 $65,805 $66,425 MAX $60,701 $76,092 $66,931 MAX $58,826 $59,922 $62,279 MAX $66,000 $59,000 $70,750 MAX $71,166 $64,880 $58,746 MAX $72,596 $76,688 $72,300 MAX $62,489 $68,000 $65,625 MAX $65,680 $56,973 $64,583 MAX $62,084 $51,550 $48,700 MAX $65,327 $62,850 $78,890

DIFFERENCE MIN $1,944 $444 $527 DIFFERENCE MIN $516 $1,310 -$2,180 DIFFERENCE MIN $2,173 $1,981 $1,895 DIFFERENCE MIN -$1,373 $1,164 -$1,594 DIFFERENCE MIN $2,039 $1,541 -$1,057 DIFFERENCE MIN $608 $2,853 $1,549 DIFFERENCE MIN $1,717 -$116 $1,931 DIFFERENCE MIN -$1,312 $1,608 $4,797 DIFFERENCE MIN $1,695 $590 $431 DIFFERENCE MIN $1,419 $1,410 -$634 DIFFERENCE MIN $602 $1,281 -$12 DIFFERENCE MIN -$243 -$931 $1,988 DIFFERENCE MIN -$947 $619 $316 DIFFERENCE MIN $2,159 $952 $89 DIFFERENCE MIN -$1,172 -$1,092 -$382 DIFFERENCE MIN -$41 -$81 $1,806

STEPS 13-14/18-19

10 $9,298 $588 -$3,014

MAX $469 $798 -$5,270

10 $5,304 $1,352 $3,170

MAX $4,282 $2,416 $1,727

10 $1,293 $2,756 $2,756

MAX $1,972 $3,238 $3,341

25 16 32

10 -$826 $70 -$858

MAX $3,909 -$5,939 -$7,792

24/32 24/20 27/19

10 $183 -$37 $4,993

MAX -$403 $173 $2,765

26 15 22/20

10 -$3,963 -$475 $492

MAX $673 $893 -$729

18/23 16/17 21

10 $1,990 -$95 $2,297

MAX $930 -$63 $1,227

20 22 20

10 -$3,036 $464 $1,842

MAX $315 $4,161 $5,010

13/15 23 24

10 $1,703 $544 $5,434

MAX -$539 $463 $3,486

26/23 22 29/20

10 $1,574 $2,255 -$1,766

MAX $2,151 $1,284 $1,751

19 30/24 19

10 $794 $4,734 -$530

MAX $2,703 $5,551 -$1,697

10 -$478 -$1,353 $2,434

MAX $1,441 $2,469 -$472

10 -$1,328 $1,779 -$448

MAX -$1,582 $3,313 -$1,892

25 25 25

10 $1,992 $213 $1,521

MAX $1,112 -$391 $990

21 22 16

10 -$1,705 -$1,561 -$371

MAX -$706 -$1,513 $4,363

31/41 31 18/25

10 -$1,325 $5,768 $2,311

MAX $526 $535 $2,788

21 31/26 24

26/20 37 21 STEPS 13-14/18-19 27/21 36 23/25 STEPS 13-14/18-19

STEPS 13-14/18-19

STEPS 13-14/18-19 26/31 23/20 29 STEPS 13-14/18-19 21 21 23/25 STEPS 13-14/18-19

STEPS 13-14/18-19

December 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ www.maineea.org

Your Association

2019 MEA Pre-Retirement Seminars Prepare for a smooth transition from school employment to retirement and attend one of MEA’s pre-retirement seminars. MEA and MEA-Retired host the seminars which are intended for those looking to retire within the next 5 years. Learn what retirement options are available to you through ANTHEM of Maine (MEABT Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan), the Maine Public Employees Retirement System and Maine Education Association. These seminars are FREE and are for MEMBERS ONLY. To register for one of the Pre-Retirement Seminars, you must register on the MEA website https://maineea.org/events/category/preretirment-seminars/list/ SPRING SEMINARS:

3/6/19 Wed. Waterville Area 4:00 – 7:00 3/13/19 Wed. Topsham Area 4:00 – 7:00 3/16/19 Sat. 10:00 – 1:00

Machias Area

3/20/19 Wed. South Portland Area 4:00 – 7:00 3/27/19 Wed. Bangor Area 4:00 – 7:00 4/3/19 Wed. Make-Up Date 4:00 – 7:00

Maine Educator • December 2018

My Hero Works at School Essay Contest The MEA is pleased to join with the Portland Sea Dogs for its 4th 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 a 2019 Sea Dogs game for themselves, their family and their school hero. Entries must include the name of the student, the school, the submitting educator’s name and email and the name and email of the school hero, if different than the submitting educator. DEADLINE: April 10, 2019 WHO: All public school elementary and middle school students HOW: Submit essays to Giovanna Bechard via mail at 35 Community Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 or email at contest@maineea.org

Maine Educator Cover Contest – What I Love About Maine The Maine Educator will feature a cover designed by a Maine public school art student depicting the theme “What I Love About Maine.” Submissions can be any form of art and should be 8.5” by 11” or able to be photographed. Please advise students that the magazine title will be across the top and 2.5” high. Entries must include the name of the student, the school, and the submitting teacher’s name and email. WHEN: Deadline April 19, 2019 WHO: Grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12 – There will be 3 finalists from each category, plus electronic art. One overall winner will be chosen from the finalists and have their work on the cover. HOW: Submit artwork to Giovanna Bechard via mail at 35 Community Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 or email at contest@maineea.org.

YORK TA STRONG

Your Association

This is what union membership is...total support for each other, in good times and in bad. - Bill True, York TA President Committee and the York School Committee had for the teachers of York, and the work that they do for their students,” said True.

For the first time in more than 30 years, York teachers start the school year without a new contract After twenty-four bargaining sessions between the York Teachers Association (TA) and the York School Committee, the School Committee walked away from discussions and opted to file for mediation, a process that involves an outside party to help settle differences. With a lot of hard work from the members of the York TA, educators finally ratified a contract with the School Committee, but the road was difficult. “Morale was very low. We are professionals and we wanted to be respected and valued for the work we do and for our dedication to our students. Most teachers in this district have a Masters’ Degree, and some have even more advanced degrees, yet we were not being treated with the professionalism we deserve. We were more than disheartened by the School Committee’s actions, but pleased things are finally moving in a more positive direction,” said Bill True, York TA President. The negotiations for the 2015-18 contract between the York Teachers Association and York School Committee bargaining teams took only five bargaining sessions to reach an agreement. Negotiations for a successor contract, to start with the beginning of the 2018 school year, took twenty-four (24) bargaining sessions, which began in October of 2017, and ended on August 28th when the School Committee announced it was filing for mediation. The existing contract expired on Aug. 31. Teachers worked under the terms of the old contract until a new one was finally agreed upon. “There was a feeling among some members of the Association that the process could be interpreted as a lack of value the York Budget

This was the first time in more than thirty years that the York School Committee and the York Teachers Association have not been able to reach agreement on a successor contract. Within the previous contract a provision states: “…the Committee and the Association both recognize that providing a quality education for the children of the York Public Schools is a mutual aim, and that the character of such education depends in large measure upon the quality and morale of the members of the Association.” “During the contract discussions, York TA hoped the School Committee realized the importance of following a path forward that honored the core values of both the Association and the district,” said True. Among the issues raised by the York TA during the negotiating process: • Teachers are currently being paid the same amount of salary that they were paid last school year, however, with an increase in the cost of health insurance for this school year, teachers are making less money than they did last year. • York teachers also have the longest teacher work year in York County and one of the longest in the state. “As a community, it’s important that we respect the work happening in our school and treat the teachers who are working in them fairly. For a district that continues to be ranked among the best in the state, with students who are engaged in their learning, we need to ensure we are placing a high value on education,” added True. During the contract negotiations, members of York TA turned out to School Committee meetings in force, they picketed and marched, the posted signs of support for their schools. Their efforts paid off, and in early December, the York School Committee voted 5-0 in favor of ratification of a new contract. “The Association had to make several concessions during negotiations for this contract (and bargaining is, after all, a give and take process). The settlement represents all that the School Committee is going to offer at this time and, of course, having salaries be retroactive to the start of this teachers’ work year, was and is very important to the YTA bargaining team and the bargaining unit,” said True. December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Your Association

75-80%

of the students receive free or reduced lunch

ise and Shine Starting the Day with Student Choice Proves Successful

t East End Community School in Portland, 7580% of the students receive free or reduced lunch, student mobility is about 50%—there are almost 150 new students that leave at the end of the year, with that same amount of new kids coming in the following school year. In the middle of November, seven new students started their first days. The challenges in building relationships and getting students to continue to come to school are great. The solutions though for this diverse school are built into the way it educates—the learning model at East End is based on relationships that start at the very beginning of the school day. “I like starting my day with jump rope, soccer drills, and basketball. It starts my day in a good way. It also gives me energy,” Ali wrote about his experience with the school’s Rise and Shine program. Rise and Shine offers students as many as 85 choices, from finger knitting to sock monkeys to basketball to STEM and poetry, students choose how to start their day. The schedule is built into the beginning of each school day, so every

Maine Educator • December 2018

student gets to participate in some way. Students make their own choices for their activities and then participate in a different one each day of the week for a total of 12 weeks, then new activities are chosen. The concept seems simple enough—let students choose what they want to do at the very beginning of the school day and they’ll be more successful throughout the day. For Dean of Students and Rise and Shine Coordinator, Dan Nogar, the program allows the school to swing away from a deficit model and what students need help with at the very start of the day and instead focuses on the idea of success for each student. “No matter what happens in their school day, I can go up to them and ask them about Rise and Shine and we find success. Rise and Shine was never intended to be about intervention, but the days that there is basketball or piano or kickball—the students get here because those are their choices and they don’t want to miss it. We had some of the best attendance in the district last year,” said Nogar.

150 new students that leave at the end of the year, with that same amount coming in the following school year

85 activities that Rise and Shine offers

PICTURES

1. Students can take beading, and make their own jewelry. 2. Bodies moving allows kids to be active. 3 & 5. Creating a maker space gives time for STEM activities. 4. Drums and other instruments are always offered.

Your Association

The program, in its 8th year, has become so successful it was even recognized by the ACLU as something that is closing opportunity gaps among students, saying in its October 2017 report, We Belong Here: Eliminating Inequity in Education for Immigrants and Students of Color in Maine, that Rise and Shine is an example of how “student empowerment in general can serve to improve equity, and of how a school identified a structural obstacle to student success and worked not only to remove that obstacle but to transform it into an asset.”

Nogar admits it’s not easy at first, but start small and grow from there! 1. Dedicate 45 minutes of your morning to student chosen activities.

Nogar admits the success wasn’t instant. There were bumps and the growth now in offerings is due to the continued outreach to the community. Many of the activities offered are led by local community groups or businesses who volunteer their time to share their talents with the students. “I was at the local farmer’s market and I saw a woman making balloon animals, and I thought what a great Rise and Shine that would make. There is so much hand-eye coordination and thinking ahead required with making balloon animals, and the kids don’t even know they’re learning,” said Nogar. While there are offerings led by those outside in the community, the majority of programs are offered by the educators in the building who all share their talents, and for those who don’t lead a session, they’re helping with one or they’re spending time with a student one-on-one to help build relationships. “Kids like coming to school,” added Nogar. And that’s a statement hard to beat.

HOW TO START YOUR OWN RISE AND SHINE PROGRAM

2. Ask your staff what special skill sets they have—things like cooking, knitting, sports, etc.

3. Start small, choose one grade, one day of the week, e.g. fifth grade every Monday will participate in an activity of their choosing. 4. Break offerings up into categories: Rise and Shine uses: Fine and Performing Arts, Health and Wellness, Citizenship, Literacy, STEM and Language. 5. Reach out to community groups and retirees to see what they may be willing to share/teach. 6. Don’t think it has to cost money, rely on the skills of those who are already working. 7. Make the commitmentletting students choose how to start their day is a powerful way to let them become engaged in their learning. 8. Make it your own, and have fun!

December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Your Association

Under the

DOME

2019-2020 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES OF THE MEA

YOUR ASSOCIATION MEA is always looking to ensure the voices of its members are represented at the state and national level as lawmakers make decisions that impact your work. As an MEA member, you benefit from the Association being a constant voice for the profession in Augusta and beyond. This legislative session, the MEA will work

with Governor-elect Janet Mills and the new state legislature to create a positive environment for our students in our schools. Below are some of the top tier priorities identified by members for the MEA to work toward this year.

$40k

55%

60%

100%

TEACHER SALARIES

SCHOOL FUNDING

INCREASE RETIREE HEALTHCARE

UNIVERSAL PRE-K

MEA will revisit the bill it worked on for the last two legislative sessions that would lift starting teacher salaries to $40,000. The bill provided stipends to districts to guarantee a minimum salary of $40,000. The total cost to the state to provide this stipend for all teachers was estimated to be less than $15 million. The MEA believes this effort could also help attract and retain qualified teachers and attract others into the profession.

The MEA will work this legislative session to finally realize the promise of 55% state funding for schools. In 2004, voters approved a ballot initiative that asked the state to pay 55% of the total cost of public education. This has never been realized, and MEA has never given up the fight to make it happen. MEA will advocate for adequate funding for our public schools, and the Association encourages members to continue the conversation about this issue in your communities.

MEA knows retired teachers have suffered enough—their pensions have been cut, and the state share is not keeping up with the cost of health insurance. MEA will work with lawmakers to try and lift the state amount from the current 45% by 5% more each year until the state share reaches 60%.

The MEA supports universal, high quality pre-K for all Maine’s 3 and 4 year-olds. The MEA is committed to helping the new administration realize this goal. Research continues to show that access to free pre-K is the best way to provide an opportunity for all children to success in school and in life. In addition, evaluation of universal pre-K programs in states like Massachusetts and Oklahoma, all show that they increase academic achievement and in some cases strengthen social and emotional skills.

MEA strongly believes in supporting our retired educators who dedicated their professional life to the students of Maine.

YOUR ASSOCIATION IN NUMBERS 24K AMAZING MEMBERS

Maine Educator • December 2018

159 YEARS SINCE THE MEA WAS ESTABLISHED

6 PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK EVERY DAY

9 CONSECUTIVE MEA MEMBERS HAVE WON TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Your Association

MEA ELECTIONS 2019

Would you like to be more active in your association? INFORMATION

The Maine Education Association is conducting elections in 2019 for the following positions: • MEA Board of Directors • NEA Representative Assembly At-Large Delegates and Alternates • NEA Representative Assembly Districts 24, 25 & 30 Delegates and Alternates

ELECTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION

MEA Representative Assembly Local Delegates/ Alternates Candidates’ Notices of Intent are due to Local Presidents by January 23, 2019 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 4, 2019

NEA Representative Assembly Local Delegates/ Alternates NEA will be emailing Local Presidents with information regarding delegate counts and forms filing deadline is April 10, 2019

ELECTIONS CONDUCTED BY MAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MEA Board of Directors Board vacancies are available in Districts: B, C, D, G, H, I, J, ESP - filing deadline is January 23, 2019 MEA Representative Assembly Statewide Associations ACSUM, AFUM, UMPSA, CCFA, CCAA, MPBCEA - filing deadline is January 23, 2019

MEA Representative Assembly Cluster District Delegates/ Alternates (locals with less than 35 members) - filing deadline is January 23, 2019 NEA Representative Assembly Delegates/Alternates At-Large openings for 2-year terms, Districts 24, 25 and 30 openings for 1-year terms, and Cluster Districts - filing deadline is January 23, 2019

ELECTIONS CONDUCTED BY MAINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MEA-Retired - vacancies for MEA and NEA Representative Assembly - filing deadline is January 23, 2019 Student MEA - Student Maine Education Association Elections will be conducted by the MEA for the MEA and NEA Representative Assemblies. Forms will be emailed directly to Student MEA members.

There are no elections scheduled at the 2019 MEA RA.

To request candidate forms and instructions, go to maineea.org to the MEA elections page. If you need assistance, contact Terry Gordon by calling 207-622-4418 + ext. 2218.

December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Your Association

Fall Conference ‘18

MEA leadership gets into the spirit of the Friday night social with a beach party theme. From left to right MEA President, Grace Leavitt, Treasurer, Beth French, VP, Jesse Hargrove and NEA Director, Amanda Cooper.

Each year the MEA holds multiple, free professional development opportunities for its members with one of the biggest events being the MEA Fall Conference. This year, session topics ranged from Understanding and Supporting Students with Trauma Histories to Living and Learning with the Challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorder. If you were not able to attend, here are some of the things you missed. Be sure to keep an eye on the new MEA website (maineea.org) for additional opportunities! Understanding and Supporting Students with Trauma Histories: Trauma experiences shape individual student behavior and can dramatically impact classroom dynamics. Attendees learned how to recognize simple and complex trauma and get a toolbox of strategies you can use to support affected students. Participants explored selfcare and school-care practices that helped create a safe classroom environment for students with trauma histories. Living and Learning with the Challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Members who attended this session received the resources needed and learned about strategies and techniques for teaching and learning with Autism from a teacher and student who also happen to be mother and son. Jessica Archer and her son Connor have been dealing with ASD for more than 17 years, from pre-school to college, and offered their unique perspectives as both learner and teacher to help educators better understand this disorder. STEM education opportunities from China, Maine to … China: This workshop provided several practical STEM units for K-5 elementary classrooms, introduced STEM educators to enhanced teaching 28

Maine Educator • December 2018

opportunities during the summer in China and provided Maine STEM educators excellent networking opportunities with like-minded STEM teachers. Don’t take our word for it—(we know it’s great PD) listen to the members who attended and make sure you come next time! “Best conference I’ve been to. I gained a lot of knowledge.” “Another great PD conference with applicable stuff to take away and implement right away!” “This was my first conference and I found it very informative and enjoyed myself immensely and I plan on attending more.” “This session inspired my colleague and I to begin a place-based learning activity with our students. We have a plan that we hope will empower our students to drive change in our community!” “I got so many great ideas and learned about a lot of tech tools I had no idea I could use for formative assessment.”

Your Association

KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS...

Thanks to the children in Rebecca Cole’s Windham Primary School Class for the smiles!

Teaching this Generation A little friend was reading a book about a photographer who takes pictures of various things she sees. Each page ends with “Then I took a photo”. Without exception, even after ‘sounding it out’ and practicing together, my fearless reader read each page perfectly, except for this substitution...” Then I took a selfie.”

Germy Edition Kid: Mrs. Cole! I wanna hold your hand! Teacher: Well, K, I would hold your hand but you were just picking your nose, remember? Kid (plaintively) Yeah, but—just a little, though!

Growing Up Kid 1: Well, when you’re in the 10th grade, that’s, like, college. Kid 2: College??? You have to be a grown up to do college! Kid 1: Yeah, like 10th grade. Or maybe 20th. I forget. But, it’s a bigger number than one. Kid 2: Well, yeah. You have to know EVERYTHING, even. Kid 1: Yeah. Like, you can’t go to college until you know stuff-like tying your shoes and all that. Kid 2: Yeah. And I bet you have to read chapter books. Kid 1: Yeah—BY YOUR OWN SELF. Kid 2: Whoa. Kid 1: Yeah. I’m probably not going to college yet. Kid 2: Yeah. Me neither. (pause) I gotta ask my mom to help me tie my shoes better. Kid 1: Oh, boy...me, too

December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Calendar

January

Educators are faced with the seemingly insurmountable job of maintaining academic excellence, protecting the welfare of students, and, now, healing traumatized brain with ever dwindling resources and supports. This training session is free. Special Presenter: Cassie Yackley, Psychologist

MEA is hosting its first conference dedicated just to those who are in the first seven years of the profession. This half-day training session will share key information you need to keep your strength through the spring and how to make the best use of your union support. The conference is being held at Southern Maine Community College. If you live more than 90 miles outside of the event, MEA will pay for the cost of a hotel room the night before. Cost: Free for members, lunch provided Time: January 26, 9 AM-2PM Location: Southern Maine Community College FMI: maineea.org/conferences_trainings/

Promoting Learning In The Midst of Crisis

Cost: Free Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Location: Elks Lodge, Brewer FMI: Visit Maineea.org/events to register

Request for Proposals for MEA Conference

Interested in presenting at the MEA Spring Conference? Are you available Saturday, April 6th to present?

The Training and Professional Development Department at the MEA is now accepting presenter proposals for the 2019 MEA Spring Conference to be held April 6, 2019, in Farmington at UMF. All proposals to present at the conference must be submitted electronically. FMI and to Submit Proposals: https://bit.ly/2B69svC

Early Career Conference

February

Preparing for Transition to Adulthood for Students With Disabilities

Training Session

What do you need to know? Speaker: Sarah Howorth, Ph.D., BCBA Time: 9am and end by 3:30pm. Lunch is the responsibility of participants. Location: Jeff’s Catering, Brewer FMI: Register online at: https://umaine.edu/autisminstitute/event/ maier-pd-preparing-for-transition-to-adulthood/ Registration closes one week prior to each event, so register early!

We’re here for you Founded more than 70 years ago, Horace Mann is dedicated to helping you through a lifetime of changing needs. We can help you protect what’s important today and prepare for a successful tomorrow. • Retirement solutions

• College savings plans

• Auto and home insurance • Life insurance • Student Loan Solutions

Lisa Bussiere, Auburn . . . . . . . . . . .207-783-3660 David Case, Bangor . . . . . . . . . . . . .207-941-2121 Joe DeFranco, Ellsworth . . . . . . . . . 207-941-2121 Jeff Delisle, Augusta . . . . . . . . . . . .207-623-5004 Martha Frost, Falmouth . . . . . . . . . .207-797-3019

Horace Mann Insurance Company and its affiliates underwrite Horace Mann auto and homeowners insurance. Horace Mann life insurance is underwritten by Horace Mann Life Insurance Company. College savings plans are offered by Horace Mann Investors, Inc. (HMII), member FINRA / SIPC, 1 Horace Mann Plaza, Springfield, IL 62715, 217-789-2500.

Maine Educator • December 2018 AMC04196 (Aug. 18) MEA

• Educational workshops

P.J. Kinney, Presque Isle . . . . . . . . . . . . 207-764-1283 Tony LaPrino, Rockland . . . . . . . . . . . . 207-941-1212 Dominic Vermette, Waterboro . . . . . . . . 207-247-0186 Troy True, Brunswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207-729-1975 Paul Yarnevich, South Portland . . . . . . . .207-510-6600

Holiday Deals - $ave with NEA Electronics Store

Through your NEA Member Benefits you have access to exclusive member pricing on all things electronic-sometimes your deals are as good as those employees would receive. Plus, members always earn WOWPoints on every purchase, which add up to real dollars you can spend with NEA Click and Save.

Discounted Movie Tickets Movie tickets make great gifts and why not save money to buy them! Deals can include free popcorn, in addition to lower prices for the tickets. Discounts are available at several movie theater chains including AMC, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark and more. Check out NEA Click and Save for more information. Head to neamb.com for complete details.

Home Goods The Advantages of

Membership

Where Educators and Community Unite

Home Equity Loans

Low Rate Auto Loans

Free Checking

Mobile Banking with Remote Check Deposit

Instant Issue Debit Card with Rewards Points

Membership eligibility required

85 Civic Center Drive · Cony High School/CATC Campus www.connectedcreditunion.org · 1-800-464-3773 Federally Insured by NCUA

Williams-Sonoma Looking to purchase some new cookie sheets for the baker in the bunch? Need a new electric mixer or cookware for yourself? Head to NEA Click and Save and shop at Williams Sonoma online. Deals change, but the current discount is up to 20% off, and you’ll earn double the WOW points! Remember WOW points add up to money you can use to buy other things!

Visit neamb.com for more Holiday Deals! December 2018 • www.maineea.org

Earn your Master’s in Education UMaine’s College of Education and Human Development offers several M.Ed. programs such as Elementary and Secondary Education, Instructional Technology, and Special Education fully online to accommodate your busy schedule. “As a teacher with a busy family, the M.Ed. program meets my needs in so many ways. I am able to take engaging online classes with instructors who know how to create class communities in the virtual environment. I am also able to develop valuable skills that I can apply immediately in my teaching practice. Finally, the M.Ed. program instructors and support staff genuinely care about the success of the students. I really couldn’t have asked for a better program!” – Jessica Ludders

Be a Black Bear From Anywhere! Contact an advisor today to get started. 207.581.5858 • umaineonline@maine.edu

online.umaine.edu/masters-in-education The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Maine Educator December 2018

Articles inside

Fall Conference 2018

MEA Elections

Winter Reading List

Season of Giving

Rise and Shine Program

5 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life

Perspectives: Should schools use things like

Teacher of the Year 2019: Joe Hennessey

Global Warming