Spending and Dependent Care Accounts MEA 92 nd Representative Assembly

MEA Holds Virtual Representative Assembly

The MEA held its 92nd annual Representative Assembly (RA) on May 16th. The virtual event was the first of its kind in MEA history. MEA’s RA is the largest democratic body of the association made up of educators elected by their local associations to represent their district. The MEA RA delegates set the course of work for the Association in the upcoming school year and discuss and take positions on key education issues. This year, due to MEA Award Winners MEA is proud to honor its members, and members of the community who are committed to excellence in education. Below are this year's winners. the virtual nature of the event, MEA took up a few issues now and will discuss others in August. 2020 MEA John H. Marvin Local Association Award

During the MEA RA, members also celebrate the great work of our educators, partners and our students. On the following pages are the issues discussed, key take-aways from leadership and MEA’s executive director, and the winners of MEA’s awards. There will be an “extraordinary” session of the RA on August 15th (in person if possible, virtual again if needed) to address the rest of the business items (amendments to bylaws and resolutions and any additional new business items that were submitted on May 16th).

Moving Forward

“Please do what you can to stay well and stay strong. We have a mountain in front of us-a mountain of health concerns still to be addressed, a mountain of battles to fight in the face of the bleakest of economic outlooks, a mountain of hurdles to overcome so that our students have the schools they deserve and we have the resources and the conditions we need to do our jobs. We need all of us together to climb that mountain.” Grace

Leavitt, MEA President

“During this crisis, the MEA has worked to respond quickly and to focus in on members’ immediate needs in this new environment. We’ve done that well and continue to look forward to addressing needs in the coming months and years. We will have to work even harder than we have in the past to organize around membership, engage members, advocate, collectively bargain and to stay firm and be able to act on what we believe in. We will remain focused on our priorities while seeking new possibilities for how we do our work to support members, students and our public schools.” Paula Voelker, MEA Executive Director

Scarborough EA

The Scarborough Education Association stood strong in their demand for a fair contract settlement. They organized, reached out to the media and the community, held rallies and attended school committee meetings where they were thwarted in their attempts to speak during public comment. Still they stood strong!

2020 MEA John H. Marvin Local Association Award 28 Maine Educator • June 2020

Merrymeeting TA

The members of the Merrymeeting Teachers Association worked diligently and thoughtfully to organize their communities as they sought to negotiate a fair contract. After many months of activism and speaking up and showing up for one another, the community responded with voting to increase the school budget and with continued activism by the members much deserved raises were included in the settlement.

Human and Civil Rights Award

Sue Campbell

Sue Campbell is a dedicated program director at Out Maine who focuses on bringing LGBTQ training to schools throughout the state. She advocates for and promotes safe and affirming schools, a strong educated provider safety net, safe and welcoming communities, and informed parents and families.

Human and Civil Rights Award

Hermon High School Civil Rights Team

The Hermon High School Civil Rights team are leaders in their school and role models not only for other students, but also for the faculty and staff. The Civil Rights team created a Day of Welcome event to help all schools eliminate bias-based behavior and strives to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students. They foster conversations with students to eliminate discriminatory or abusive behavior to make Hermon High School a better place.

Camden Carter

Camden Carter is one of the co-founders of Operation Breaking Stereotypes. Operation Breaking Stereotypes is a non-profit “committed to facilitating (an) ongoing quest for knowledge and social justice through short-term exchanges” between groups of students. The student exchanges take place between groups of students from various schools in Maine.

Golden Apple Award

Connie Carter

Connie Carter, Camden’s mother, is the other co-founder of Operation Breaking Stereotypes and after a 30-year career as an educator is now the director of the program.

Golden Apple Award

Elisha Oliver

Parent Elisha Oliver goes above and beyond to support Mount View Elementary School, organizing fundraisers, planting gardens, finding funding to ensure students receive books and even building an outdoor classroom. She has planned activities for Read Across America, and brought the Frogtown Puppeteers Puppet show to the school. Elisha provides many enriching and rewarding experiences for students and families.

Golden Apple Award

Marjorie Bruen

Marjorie Bruen from Fayette Education Association has spent nearly 40 years as an employee at Fayette Schools. She is a tireless volunteer in her free time and has helped organize festivals, projects, and engaging activity days at school. Marjorie believes that every student can succeed and have a positive experience. Every school and community need a dedicated professional like Marjorie.

Golden Apple Award

Angela Wotton

Angela Wotton is the District Manager of the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District office, which has enhanced student learning in RSU#29 for the past 13 years. Angela connects with staff and students to provide both funding, through grants for things like a greenhouse, and lessons on topics such as water pollution, worm composting, nutrition, soil studies, and much more.

David McCrea

Over his two terms in the legislature, Representative David McCrea has sponsored and helped pass many bills that have returned common sense to laws affecting educators, and as such has helped to restore respect for the profession. Representative McCrea is a much-needed champion of public education and educators.

Friend of Education Award

Erin Herbig

Senator Erin Herbig not only visits students in their classrooms but uses those visits to help shape legislative policy in her role as a state senator. She listens with compassion and is supportive of what educators do in the field. Her support for rural districts is evident.

Anne Sheehan Political Action Award

Portland EA

Congratulations to the Portland Education Association for receiving MEA’s Anne Sheehan Political Action Award. PEA conducted a wellattended candidate forum with an opportunity for members to hear from those running for school board and score their answers in a rubric designed by the Association. This event engaged members and the community while helping to inform members about the candidates and the importance of elections to the work of educators.

Anne Sheehan Political Action Award

Rose Walker

Rose Walker is an Ed Tech who has risen to every challenge. Rose is active in her local, Lewiston EA, and wanted to make a bigger impact. Rose ran for School Committee in Auburn and won! Rose has truly demonstrated the strongest “commitment to political action for public education issues”.

MEA Public Higher Education Impact Award

Ron Mosley

Ron has Union in his blood. He became an active AFUM member, and a leader, soon after he arrived at the UMM campus to teach business and business law in 1988. He became UMM AFUM chapter president in his first year on campus then served as President of AFUM for many years. Ron was an inclusive leader, a person of integrity, and dedicated to the mission of higher education and is deserving to be the first recipient of this award. June 2020 • www.maineea.org 29

Heather Haskell

Heather Haskell is professional, looking out for all students and staff, while keeping in mind the reality within her community. The ESP contract in Hermon was recently ratified with many gains for Ed Techs, and Heather was a huge factor in those gains. Haskell has now become part of the Ed Tech leadership team for the Hermon School Department, which benefits both the staff and the district.

MEA Award for Teaching Excellence

Luanne Phair

Luanne Phair is an elementary school teacher at James H. Bean School in RSU #18. Luanne stands out as a model of exceptional teaching, advocacy for the profession, attention to diversity, community engagement, and leadership in professional development. Luanne is an innovator with her students, a mentor with her peers and a model of what it takes to help students feel safe in school.

Scholarship Winners

The Clyde Russell Scholarship Fund was created by the MEA through a trust established by the late Audrey Lewis. It awards graduating seniors monies to help cover tuition, room, board, books and fees. Congratulations to this year's winners!

2020 NEW BUSINESS ITEMS

RESOLVED: that the MEA investigate the feasibility of increasing the number of delegates representing student members at the MEA Representative Assembly and determine what changes to the MEA Constitution and Bylaws would be needed if the investigation results in a recommendation to increase the number of student delegates. RESOLVED: that the MEA investigate the feasibility of adding a “Community Ally” membership category for friends of public education; such membership would not include the right to vote, nor the right to hold office in the Association. The MEA will report its findings and recommendation to next year’s MEA Representative Assembly. RESOLVED: that the MEA purchase and use the Hustle app to communicate with Education Support Professional members across the state. RESOLVED: that the MEA investigate creating a permanent grant fund to financially support local associations sending locally funded delegates to the NEA RA. Such a fund might offer to cover half of the cost of a locally funded delegate for a limited number of local associations per year. Priority could be given to delegates who: • Will represent locals that have been eligible to send a locally funded delegate for the previous five years but have not done so • Have been an educator for fewer than 10 years • Are members of groups underrepresented in the MEA (ESP, race/ethnic/gender/LGBTQ+ minorities, MEA Board districts with low participation rates in MEA activities, etc.) Should a fund be created, a strategic plan to promote the availability of the grant fund should also be developed. Recent delegates to the MEA RA should specifically be encouraged to apply for a grant.

Emma Ackerman Traip academy ‘20

Emma Ackerman of Traip Academy in Kittery plans to attend Bowdoin College to study musical theater, and also focus on policy and law with an emphasis on grassroots organizing.

Gracia Bareti Westbrook high school ‘20

Gracia Bareti of Westbrook High School plans to pursue a major in International Relations with a concentration in International Law and Organizations through the support of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Lindsey Cross Belfast area high school ‘20

Lindsey Cross of Belfast Area High School plans to attend Kennebec Valley Community College and work in the medical field so she can be close to and help the people who have supported her growing up. Lexi Crouse Houlton high school ‘20 Lexi Crouse of Houlton High School plans to attend the University of New England and double major in social work and elementary education so that one day she can become the absolute best teacher possible!

Jaelin Roberts John Bapst high school ‘20

Jaelin Roberts of John Bapst High school in Bangor plans to attend Simmons University and pursue a career as a nurse practitioner with a

specialty in geriatrics.

Adam Robinson Jonesport Beals high school ‘20

Adam Robinson of Jonesport Beals High school will take his love for math and outdoors and attend Kennebec Valley Community College where he will pursue Lineworker Technology.