Maine Educator March 2015

Also Inside: District-by-District Salary Guide

MAINE

Educator Teaching vS. Time

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March 2015 Vol. 75 • Number 5

Testing Time

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S E Y y a S to more collaboration

rESPect success for all students

SayYES!

to attending MEA’s Spring Conference on Saturday, March 28 at the University of Maine at Augusta Register: www.regonline.com/SpringConf2015

IT’S YOUR ASSOCIATION. READ ALL ABOUT IT. contents 5 6 9 32

Editor’s Note Ask Lois Fast Facts Events & Deadlines

ce 2015 n e r e f n o ing C MEA Spr o go to page 32 inf For more

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Play, Learn, Grow...Together

Preschool isn’t just for four-year-olds. High School students are learning what it takes to teach preschoolers as they get a jump start on their careers, and the younger kids get a leg up on their education. Read more about the program and about the additional federal dollars that will help Maine expand pre-K, which studies show helps improve learning in later years.

18 Salary Guide

Wouldn’t it be nice to know if you’re being paid a comparable rate to your colleagues in neighboring districts? Use our new district-by-district salary guide to answer your questions. Don’t like what you see? Learn how MEA helped members negotiate better salaries on page 25.

On the Cover: Jessica DeJongh, Augusta EA

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

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News You Can Use Time Crunch Picture Perfect Parent-Teacher Conferences Fast Facts Play, Learn, Grow...Together Perspectives: Standardized Testing Say Cheese!

Teaching Time vs. Testing Time 8 Ways to Engage the Village

32 31

Advocacy Master the art of taking photos with your phone

7

18

District-by-District Salary Guide Reduced Income Tax Hurts Schools Guide to the Maine Legislature What I Learned from MEA:

(selfies not included)

Bargaining Update

Your Association

25

I am MEA MEA Candidates for Election 2015 Magic Crackers: A Day in the Life of a

13

School Nurse

Q:

What is the weirdest thing you have eaten?

Editorial Staff

MAINE

Educator

Volume 75 Number 5 - Copyright 2015 Muktuk (Frozen Whale skin and blubber) Send letters to the editor, questions, and comments to gbechard@maineea.org

Managing Editor - Robert Walker, Executive Director Editor - Giovanna Bechard, Communications Director Layout/Ad Manager - Allison Coombs, Communications Assistant

MEA Elected Officers President - Lois Kilby-Chesley Vice President - Grace Leavitt Treasurer - Denise Simoneau NEA Director - Michael Thurston

Cow Tongue

Board of Directors Phyllis Hunter, Steven Knowles, Jesse Hargrove, Cyndy Fish, Ken Williams, Jill Watson, Robin Colby, Samantha Garnett, Jim Thornton, Terry Martin, Bob McCully, Jamie Watson, Amanda Cooper, Mary Sue Jackson , Roger Roy, Neil Greenberg, Crystal Ward, Bob Calderwood 4

Chitlins (part of a pig’s intestine)

Maine Educator • March 2015

Octopus

Subscription to the Maine Educator is $10 per year, available to persons or institutions not eligible for MEA/NEA membership. The Maine Educator is published 7 times annually, September, October, December, January, March, April, & June.

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: Allison Coombs, 35 Community Dr., Augusta, ME 04330, acoombs@maineea.org 207-622-4418 ext. 2206

Editor’s Note

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle, Dirty Dancing

I grew up watching Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle dance in the hit 80’s movie Dirty Dancing. I think every

girl my age wanted to be Baby. I remember taking “Clean Dancing” as an afterschool club when I was a kid. (They weren’t allowed to call it Dirty Dancing, for what I now know are obvious reasons.)

Our school talent show the year the movie premiered had multiple renditions of kids dancing to and singing the song (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life. To say I liked the movie, well, that would be an understatement.

A few hard working teachers and MEA members recently reminded me of Johnny and Baby, taking me back to that scene, right before the final dance where Johnny says the famous line: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

Don’t be mistaken, these teachers didn’t cite Dirty Dancing in our conversation but their willingness to stand up against something they knew was wrong inspired me.

They were pushed into a corner in their school but weren’t afraid to

reach out for help to get the result they needed, making sure their voices were heard on an issue that affected their school and their students. Don’t understand the Dirty Dancing reference? Think Rocky when he fights the Russian to avenge the death of his friend Apollo. A much smaller Rocky never backed down. After 15 rounds, Rocky won.

My point? Yes, the MEA is an association that offers professional development, career advancement through NBCT trainings, advocacy, a voice in public education issues, and so much more. But, don’t forget the MEA is a union at its core. You are part of a union that protects members against unfair working conditions, bad faith bargaining and unjust treatment.

When that happens, it’s important to remember you don’t have to sit in the corner. Get in the ring and fight for what you know is right.

Members across the state came together to learn more about how to do that during two recent bargaining trainings offered by the MEA. Read more about what they learned and tips for your own negotiations on page 24. And use

the salary scale on pages 18-20 to help guide your negotiations now and in the future.

Speaking of useful information for the future, in this issue you will also find a new way to keep track of your day so you can reclaim precious time in your classroom.

Read more about the tools to use on page 7.

And if you find the time in your day, maybe one snowy weekend, watch your favorite inspiring movie or take the time to have a meaningful conversation with someone who may spark something inside you that makes you remember: nobody puts Baby in a corner. Then, stand up and be counted for what you believe in.

Giovanna Bechard Editor

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

5

Ask Lois

Q

Who do I go to at MEA about getting out the word to legislators and others about issues, or when I agree or disagree with MEA? Who is there to listen?

You have an important voice at the MEA through the Board of Director who represents your area. Your Board members meet several times a year to “exercise general supervision and management over the Association,” as stated in the MEA Constitution.

The Board of Directors make decisions for the MEA between annual Representative Assemblies. Board members contact presidents, negotiators, and general membership to get input before making thoughtful decisions. This year we have spent the fall collecting data on Educator Evaluation, Common Core State Standards, Proficiency-Based Diplomas, Opt Out, and school culture and morale besides listening for local issues to bring to the group. At our most recent meeting we developed an updated position for State Standards, a position for Proficiency-Based Diplomas, and a position for parental Opt Out of standardized testing.

Once the Board develops and approves decisions our staff and Board share the information to general membership at Leadership meetings, District Bargaining Meetings (DBC) and Affiliate Council Trainings (ACT), as well as in e-mail updates. But still we know we miss getting information to and from every member. The process can improve if you contact your MEA Board of Director with issues of concern.

Without your voice decisions are made based on what we hear from the vocal minority. The MEA is your Association, you are the MEA. When we send out opinion surveys, or you receive e-mails, or phone calls we are trying to reach our members because we value what you think. We base decisions about how the MEA will run, who will run it, what will be said, and who will say it on the opinions of our members. Positions are drafted and voted on by the Board because MEA needs to have a path to follow. In addition, the positions become the direction of the legislative agenda when we talk with legislators and other stakeholders.

You can find the newest MEA positions on the MEA website (www.maineea.org) under the Teaching and Learning tab. If you have questions or comments don’t hesitate to call or e-mail your Board of Director to share your ideas. As always I am glad to talk to you about your thoughts and concerns as well.

6

Maine Educator • March 2015

MEA Board of Directors Dist. A

Phyllis Hunter

Houlton to St Agatha

Dist B

Steven Knowles

Brooklin to Calais

Dist. C

Jesse Hargrove

Hermon to Howland to Millinocket

Dist. D

Cyndy Fish

Bangor-Brewer

Dist. E

Ken Williams

Bath to Lincolnville

Dist. F

Jill Watson

Augusta to Rangeley

Dist. G

Robin Colby

Waterville

Dist. H

Jim Thornton

Livermore to Oxford to Bethel

Dist. I

Samantha Garnett Litchfield to Windham

Dist. J

Terry Martin

Topsham to Yarmouth

Dist. K

Bob McCully

Portland-Westbrook

Dist. L

Amanda Cooper

Gorham to Fryeburg

Dist. M

Jamie Watson

South Portland to Biddeford

Dist. N

Mary Sue Jackson Kittery to Sanford

Dist. O

Roger Roy

AFUM

Dist. P

Neil Greenberg

ACSUM, UMPSA

Dist. R

Crystal Ward

MEA-Retired

Dist. ESP Bob Calderwood

Education Support Personnel Statewide

u News Yo

Time Crunch 15 minutes.

Can you find an extra 15 minutes a day in your classroom?

You might want to start looking. According to the National Center on Time & Learning, if a teacher increased instructional time by just 15 minutes a day through the use of more efficient routines and procedures, students in that classroom would gain 45 hours of instructional time per year.

“It’s a pretty short day when you back out a half hour for lunch, ½ for recess, a 45 minute specialty for the arts, and transitions from class to class. The teachers at Reiche Elementary are really hoping, by working with us, we will help them recapture time,” said Coleen Bowden, Managing Director for school support at the National Center for Time & Learning (NCTL).

Bowden is working with the MEA and teachers at Reiche in Portland who received an NEA Great Public Schools grant to study exactly where each minute goes during the school day in order to increase instructional time for their students.

Where is the most time wasted?

“We often find that schools can dramatically reduce their transition time. If they’re taking 30 minutes a day for transition, can they cut that in half to 15? Routines and procedures they have implemented over time can usually be tightened up,” said Lisa Pryor with the NCTL. Pryor stresses the importance of having a whole school look at its day and create a more focused instructional plan where, as she says “everyone is pulling on the rope at the same time.”

In some cases, Pryor says that means students don’t switch classes but teachers and support staff, who move faster through the halls, move from class to class.

Reducing non-instructional Time The NCTL has several online tools that help educators reclaim part of the day using what’s called a School Time Analysis where each participant follows the following steps in order to receive a calculated analysis of the day.

Can U se

1

Enter students’ start and end times, # standard days per week, and # standard days per year

2

Break down time across a week for a “typical” student

3

Make estimates about lost instructional minutes within classes due to daily interruptions

4

Make estimates about lost instructional hours throughout the year due to special events

5

The online tool will do the math - giving you a snapshot for a typical student across the day, week, and year.

To use the online tool log on to www.maineea.org.

Problems and Solutions While the time analysis is in the early stages at Reiche, the NCTL has collected data from across the country to show common problems with some solutions to make every minute count.

School Type Middle School k-2

Identified Problem

Solution

Up to 7 minutes spent at the beginning of each class settling students down and getting class started

Instituted silent passing between classes in order to ensure that there would be no talking by students at the beginning of class and students would enter the classroom ready to learn.

Class immediately preceding lunch would be cut by 5 – 7 minutes to enable young children to wash their hands

Transposed recess and lunch, so that students would play outside first and then would come inside for lunch after washing their hands. As an added benefit, children finished their lunches and the school observed less wasted food.

Source: http://stat.nctl.iontier.com/Content/UserGuide.pdf

To learn more about the NCTl and to use its online time analysis tools, available for both school-wide and classroom time assessment, log on to www.maineea.org

Want to see how much time testing takes up?

Go to page 14 March 2015 • www.maineea.org

7

News You Can Use

Picture Perfect Parent-Teacher Conferences This is what your parent teacher conferences look like, right? Both mom and dad, present, smiling and super excited to see you, presumably agreeing with everything you say. If the stock image of what the internet says “parent-teacher conference” looks like, and yours are perfect then please continue to the next page. If the image makes you smirk then please use this advice from MEA and NEA members and experts to improve your parent-teacher conferences in the future.

Getting Parents to the Conference “I offer the students a free assignment coupon if their parent comes to see me. I give the parents the coupon to take home and give to their child. I’ve found that kids will go home and beg their mom or dad to come in, even if it is just to talk to me. The coupon can be used for an assignment that students have not completed, don’t want to complete, or to replace their lowest grade of the quarter with full points. I have many graded assignments so the coupons don’t affect their grades much, but they sure do work hard to get their parents to see me!” Julie Woletz, a business education teacher at Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Wisconsin.

Sharing Success “I video as many activities as possible. ‘Readers Theaters,’ students reading their written weather reports, news reports about a volcano erupting, poems etc. These are scored for reading fluency, writing, speaking and listening standards. The students view, score themselves on rubrics, and set goals for the next opportunity. The parents really enjoy seeing them at conference time. After the initial embarrassment, the students are proud of their performances. Parents only have words of praise for their child. It is an enjoyable way to conclude a conference.”

Debbie Melvin, SAD 29 EA

Flip the Conference “I did student-led conferences this year and it was SUPER!! During the conference the children talked to their parents about the learning that has taken place thus far in the school year, showed them some of their work, and talked about their goals,” said Rachel Bourgeois, Eastern Aroostook EA. Bourgeois says she changed the dynamic in an effort to support the learning of each child with their parents, showing that education is a collective effort.

Preparing for Angry Parents Before the conference:

Talk with others who work with the child and find their success in other subjects if they’re not doing well in your class. Jerry Newberry, co-authored NEA Health Information Network's Can We Talk?/ Conversamos? says this may help a parent feel less defensive when you 8

Maine Educator • March 2015

describe the performance in your class.

Document the child’s problem and your conversations about it.

“A lot of kids, if they are not doing well, will hide information from their parents,” says Newberry.” So the parent is missing information.

The parent's tendency is to defend the child and assume the teacher is wrong. Then the teacher gets defensive. The solution is concrete evidence.”

At the conference:

Start on a positive note.

“Always start the conference with something positive. Try not to make p/t conferences the first time you meet a parent especially if you have concerns,” says Special Education teacher Cyndy Fish, Bangor EA. “I have a Glow and Grow sheet for every kid that parents can take with them. Glow a positive fact or piece of info; grow one area and focus to improve.”

This is your chance to be the teacher who shares something positive to change the mood/tone of the conference to a positive one.

Use 'active' or reflective listening.

“I hear you saying ______. Is that correct?” That's how Diane Postman, an early childhood special education teacher in Gloucester County, Virginia, summarizes this very effective technique, which lets the parent know you're sincerely listening. It also makes sure you understand.

“Often, the angry person is part right and part wrong,” notes Postman. “If you begin by agreeing or acknowledging what they are saying, they will calm down.”

Don't propose your solution first.

If the teacher lays out a plan, there's a good chance the parent will come back with, “We tried those things and they were an utter failure,” says Newberry.

Instead, he advises, ask the parents to explain what's been done in the past and whether it worked. “Often a meeting fails just because the teacher talked first,” he says.

Share your parent-teacher

TAlk conference tips: facebook.com/ To US maineea or tweet us @maineea

News You Can Use

Fast Facts

Interesting facts and quotes about Association membership and public education in Maine and beyond.

Have an idea or stat you want shared? Send it along with your name and local to gbechard@maineea.org

70.8%

Of eligible children are enrolled in kindergarten programs & 44.3% of 3 and 4-year-olds are enrolled in preschool, according to Education Week Research Center, 2015, based on three year averages according to analysis of data from the U.S Census Bureau “We agree with him (President Obama) that

education is an economic priority and elevating the issue before Congress is an explicit acknowledgement that the road to the middle class runs directly through our nation’s schools regardless

of the zip code in which students live.”—NEA President Lily Eskelsen García response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech

$192 Billion loss to the economy due to high school dropouts, according to the Campaign for Educational Equity

More than

9 Million

9,400 number of jobs needed to return to pre-recession level of employment, according to an analysis of the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted by the Maine Center for Economic Policy

“…make teaching a highly compensated profession that mirrors its role in society and attracts top college graduates.

A major McKinsey study estimates that

raising teacher salaries by 50% would mean that a majority of teachers would come from the top third of college graduates.”

—Eric Hanushek, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University as published in Forbes Magazine

51%

Students surveyed who admitted to cheating on an exam one or more times in the past academic year according to 2012 Josephson Institute of Ethics Biennial Report Card on American Youth Jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by the year 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of those jobs will be in computing with an average annual salary of $76,000.

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

9

News You Can Use

Play, Learn,Grow…

Together

Katie wiggled on her carpet tape. Then she wiggled off it. A few seconds later Katie moved into what looks like a box but is dubbed a quiet space to relax and listen. Finally, Katie settled. Katie is four.

She’s energetic, smiles often and is learning how to behave in a school environment. She’s one of the more than 90 students enrolled in Portland’s public preschool program which each year runs a lottery to admit 4-year-olds; demand is higher than the funding allocated for those who would like to attend. Katie’s classroom at the Early Learning Center inside Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) is unique. It mixes 3-year-olds, who pay to attend, with four-year olds and high school students who are studying early childhood education.

The structure is unique as well, fouryear-olds attend for five hours a day, five days a week and 3-year-olds are in class the same number of hours but choose two or three days.

“The Early Learning Center gives both the preschoolers and high schoolers jump starts on our futures.

They get a head start in kindergarten and we get a head start in our careers. It's a win-win,” said high school student Katie Josephs.

High school students enrolled in the Early Learning Center can work toward a Child Development Associate Certificate for two years while they receive experience in the lab preschool and in internship placements. The program at PATHS was the first in the state to allow high school students to earn a nationally recognized certification which is a requirement for assistant teachers in programs accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

“Early childhood was my calling. I am so grateful these kids have this opportunity to try this out; it’s so great to figure it out when you're 17-years-old. They go through this certification process and at the end they know they've completed the training hours and they are ready to work in a preschool,” said Eva Rodd, (Portland EA) Early Childhood Education Program Director at PATHS. The benefits of preschool for the younger students are tangible as well. According to a study by the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute, if high-quality pre-K programs were offered to all 3 and 10

Maine Educator • March 2015

4-year-olds in Maine, wages and benefits would increase by $1.2 billion in the year 2050. In addition, the state would see a savings of $456 million in that same year due to a reduction in crime. The study also found that children who participate in high quality pre-K programs also require less special education and are less likely to repeat a grade.

“There is an advantage to preschool. Some of the preschoolers in our pre-K programs are testing higher than those students currently enrolled in kindergarten. It would be ideal if preschool could be available to every child,” said Rodd.

Statewide, more than 5,000 four-year-olds are enrolled in a pre-K program and that number is expected to grow, largely due to a $14.8 million federal money awarded over the next four years to expand preschool access. The Maine Department of Education announced it will pass the federal money on to 13 school districts with high percentages of low-income students to create 33 new classrooms for 4-year-olds and expand the programs in 23 other classes to allow students to attend for the full day, every day. All the programs are voluntary.

Back at PATHS, students get ready to move on to their next activity— there is sensory play, organized art projects which incorporate math and science lessons and writing lessons too. Each activity is carefully crafted to weave in the core subjects while at the same time creating an environment to teach the young children something they can really only learn at school.

“We’re getting them to learn how to love school—that will make such a difference when they go to kindergarten,” said Rodd.

News You Can Use

Preschool Enrollment by Household Income Under $20,000: 40% $100,000+: 64% |Source: Education Week Research Center, 2015 Analysis of data from the American Community Survey (2008-2015)

“The Early Learning Center gives both the preschoolers and high schoolers jump starts on our futures. They get a head start in kindergarten and we get a head start in our careers.”

- Katie Josephs, PATHS High School Student

Districts to Receive Federal $ To Expand pre-k • • • • • • • • • • • • •

lewiston Millinocket Sanford Westbrook SAD 58 (Phillips, Strong and kingfield) RSU 3 (Brooks, liberty, Monroe and Unity) RSU 12 (Chelsea and Somerville) RSU 13 (Rockland), RSU 37 (Addison, Harrington and Milbridge) RSU 39 (limestone) RSU 49 (Albion and Clinton) RSU 53 (Pittsfield) RSU 74 (Anson, North Anson and Solon).

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

11

PE

S

C RSPE TIVE

What are we doing to our kids?

It’s ten in the morning, and I’m eavesdropping on conversations in our library—a girl who wants to bust out of her customary genre, a boy searching for Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, as he’s a war buff. Another fellow who wants to return to work in this very library, in a public school in a small town in Maine. I’m watching middle schoolers argue about books, take each others’ suggestions. I’m watching them thrive.

These conversations are so full of heart.

It occurs to me that here is engagement. In the passion for reading, in the discussion of fate and character. Fiction is truth’s older sister indeed!

Standardized tests—with their new focus on nonfiction—look like truth’s distant cousin to me. Here in this library, is true learning and authentic community.

Here are kids, setting out to figure out who they really are.

The testing? It sets out to stump and follows that up with trumpeting the failures.

What is success?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately—how lucky I am to work in a district where the administration doesn’t demand a canned reading program in a fear-based attempt to satisfy standards-based testing. The boy from this morning comes back to me, the one who asked the librarian, “Remember when I first started coming in here and I was reading just comics? Now look at me.” He’s the one who wants to become a librarian, in this very school. “Will you have a job for me?”

That boy fills me with gratitude.

Then I start asking questions.

I’ve been in public education since the very early 80’s. The pendulum has swung this way and that. It’s now that I am most concerned for public education.

What are we doing to our kids?

They’re slated to sit for seven hours of high stakes testing this spring, testing that will supposedly reflect on us as a district.

But what will we really learn? The release items I’ve encountered aren’t always so clear, and I have a master’s degree from Harvard.

What if we asked our public officials and captains of industry to sit for the Smarter Balanced Test (12th grade edition) BEFORE we asked it of kids?

What if we made their scores terribly public?

What would we learn?

I suspect it would be that some people take tests well. I suspect it wouldn’t have much to do with how best to engage and to teach and to measure true growth.

Authentic assessment so often seems to come from true observation of children and individual projects.

Frankly, I miss the days of writing prompts and how 12

Maine Educator • March 2015

Charlotte Agell

Talents Program/Harrison Middle School Yarmouth, Maine

we’d gather as a learning area to figure out what we considered to be good writing. I worry that these tests, designed by strangers from afar, will start to drive our curricula. We introduce our students to release items, so as to not blindside them. Is this teaching to the test? I’m not sure. We’ve always had standardized tests, of course, and they can teach us something. I’m not assessment averse. But I can’t help feeling like these are different times. Smarter Balanced, for one thing, seems longer. How will it interrupt our teaching?

There’s the possibility that, here in Yarmouth, iconic and cumulative units like Great American and Civil Rights will be broken into bits by this testing.

I flash to my son’s first job out of college, working with a district management council. They had a concept of Return on Investment. For kids. Every kid has a price tag, in their eyes. Not just what it costs to school them, but their “potential” is all based on test scores. (My son didn’t last the year there; the mission didn’t suit him at all!)

In this district, I feel fortunate. We’re different.

Teachers are trusted here. But I worry about our current national predilection for vilifying those who often spend dawn to night working for kids. I worry that those with the strongest passion for learning might not be lured into this demanding and utterly rewarding profession.

And I become cynical.

Has our Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, ever been a teacher?

Do the children of senators even go to public school?

Will Sasha and Malia have to endure high stakes testing until they face that old workhorse, the SAT? Speaking of which, the SAT itself falls in and out of favor. Some of the best schools haven’t required it for years.

Another question comes to my mind too often: who is making the money from all this?

Yes, I've gotten that cynical, and it makes me sad.

The Common Core State Standards—adopted in such a rush—demand rigor and critical thinking. Good.

Therefore, it’s only appropriate that we think critically about the CCSS and what it’s doing to our teaching culture—here and nationally.

The question is: do the standards and required testing really promote MEANINGFUL, REAL-LIFE rigor?

Do they truly help us cultivate critical thinking? Do they have anything to do with how the mind really inquires, out of joy and the promise of new questions?

The jury is out - far out - and the accused are our children and teachers.

In our rush to be accountable, we may be losing what really matters.

Say CHEESE!

Tech T@lk

After making phone calls and texting, research shows cell phones are most used for taking pictures and video. But are you taking the best cell phone shot you can? Here’s some helpful advice to make the most of your cell phone.

Ditch the Flash Don’t Zoom, Crop While it seems easy to simply push in on your phone screen and zoom in to get a tighter shot, resist the urge. Walk closer to your subject and then shoot. Getting in closer will improve the quality of your photo— making it sharper and brighter. This is especially helpful if you plan to print the photos or use them in something like a photo calendar. If you can’t walk in closer, crop the photo later. This will maintain the integrity of the photo.

In the dark, look for other light sources to create the “flash” for your photo. The flash on cell phones is not ideal, often creating red eyes and washed out skin. If possible find a sign, a street light, anything that can be used for light and take the photo near that light source. If it’s not possible, it is always better to capture the memory with the flash and try and fix the color later with some creative editing.

Using the flash here created red eye and over exposed his hand and the popcorn.

Use the Panorama and Get a Good App

Video—Hold the Phone Horizontally Perhaps the biggest video offense of all when it comes to cell phone use is people who hold their phones vertically while shooting video.

Why? Your TV is a horizontal rectangle so you should shoot your video how you would watch TV. Holds the phone as if you were shooting a landscape photo when you shoot your video. This will allow you to see the full picture when you play it back, and if you ever watch it on your television you won’t see those awful black bars on the side.

video

The panorama feature can really add interest to large groups or landscapes. A good photo app can do the same. Camera Awesome by SmugMug allows you to shoot in bursts (multiple images at a time) slow burst, fast burst, self-timer and interval shooting it also includes image stabilization and receives really good reviews. The app also offers editing for your photos from simple, darkroom type edits, to the creative side of filters. You can also share your photos via Camera Awesome, which is free to download.

Look how nice the statehouse looks using the panorama feature on an iPhone and a photo app to add depth by adjusting the color.

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

13

Teaching Time

Cover Story

What’s really happening in Maine schools

Financial Cost of Standardized Testing

Maine

$1.3 Million for 90,000 students Nationwide

1.2perBillion year

$

$

550

avEragE raiSE For EaCh TEaChEr

in the country if money was spent on salaries instead of testing

If you Google teaching time vs. testing time the first three items that pop up are articles titled: 1) Testing more, Teaching less: What America’s Obsession with student testing costs 2) What Happens When You Stop Testing and Start Teaching: While Florida wasted students' time with computer testing, my kindergarteners weren't learning how to write the alphabet and 3) States Listen as Parents Give Rampant Testing an F. The revolt against an increase in high-stakes standardized testing isn’t dying down as educators in Maine take a closer look at exactly how much time, both instructional and professional, is lost due to the increased focus on testing.

Teaching Time Lost “I think parents would be mortified if they realized how little instruction their children are currently getting so teachers can test, train for the test, and re-test,” said Phyllis Hunter (Washburn TA) a special education teacher at Washburn Elementary School in Aroostook County. With the introduction of STAR 360, a computerized test elementary students must take during a certain window of time once per month in three subjects (Math, Reading and Early Literacy), Hunter says the testing craze at her school reached an all-time high when she considered how much time she actually had to teach. “One testing window was so close to the next that there were less than seven days for instruction between the two. You begin to realize there is precious little instruction time available for the students to learn skills so they can do well on the tests,” said Hunter.

In a Bangor area school teachers sharpened their pencils and sat down to calculate exactly how many days were lost due to testing and test prep. The results—nearly two weeks of teaching time, not including transitions, travel time, specials, etc. was lost due to testing and prep in what 2nd grade teacher David calls “disruptive to {his} teaching in several ways.” In addition to the time lost in class for students, David says his district has spent hours upon hours in meetings talking about how to improve test scores and how to teach test-taking. “That time could have been spent in professional development or otherwise improving pedagogical skills,” says David.

Sources: Maine Department of Education Brown Center on Education Policy

MEA Position on Opting Out of Standardized Testing* • • • • •

Parents in Maine deserve the opportunity and choice to opt their public school students out of high-stakes standardized assessments.

School districts must be required to provide all parents with yearly, written information fully explaining their right to opt out students from high-stakes assessments.

Students who opt out of high-stakes assessments will not be included in data used by state or federal entities in “grading schools,” determining a school's success or failure, or other punitive measures.

No parent or student should be treated in any punitive way based on the parental decision to remove a student from highstakes standardized assessments.

The importance of educator open dialogue is essential in the parent and educator relationship as a trusted community leader. No educator should be disciplined in any school or district for discussing with students, parents or community members, options for opting students out of high-stakes standardized assessment whether in individual conversations, parent/teacher conferences, community meetings, or any other social or professional conversation, and that the rights of free speech apply in every situation in discussing student opt out options.

*Position created on January 31, 2015 by MEA Board of Directors, who are member educators elected by other MEA members in their district.

14

Maine Educator • March 2015

*David is a pseudonym

vs. Testing Time Assessment Anxieties “One of the most notable changes is the lack of joy in our students and peers, said Hunter. David echoes the sentiment saying, “What students are missing is instruction time. What they’re gaining is the ability to take tests, and increased anxiety. The computerized tests increase in difficulty, when a student answers a question correctly, increasing, according to David, the anxiety in his students. “I’ve had bright students in tears. It’s heart wrenching as a teacher. Several have said to me, pleadingly, “But we haven’t learned this yet!?” The anxiety it’s created even in 7-year-olds is scary.”

Opt Out Movement There are Facebook pages, online blogs and Twitter hashtags that all deal with opting students out of standardized tests. Currently, there is no Maine law that requires a school district to inform parents of their right to opt their child out of any test. In addition, if a teacher tells a parent about the option, he or she could be deemed insubordinate. Parents though, do have the right to refuse a test for their child and the administration cannot deny that right even though there have been reports of that happening across the state. When asked about opting out, Samantha Warren, the Maine Department of Education’s spokeswoman, told MPBN, “The department of education here in Maine strongly believes in parental rights.” Warren added, “[W]e also believe that the state assessment is a critical tool to improving teaching and learning and holding our schools accountable for how they are serving all students.” The MPBN story goes on to say, “Warren says the state has no plans to punish schools and districts where parents opt their kids out.” Currently, standardized test scores are used to grade schools under the Governor’s grading system. The fewer students take the test, the more likely a school will receive an F because each school needs to meet a certain threshold for test taking participation.

A proposal to change the law will be introduced this legislative session to ensure all parents understand they have the right to opt their child out of a test, make it easier to choose that option and require schools to provide enrichment for students who are not testing. “I would support legislation not only codifying the opt-out ability, but also encouraging/ordering schools to inform parents of the option. I thought about opting out my own 2nd grader from testing, but even feared that might seem insubordinate,” said David.

SHARE YOUR TESTING STORY HERE

Time Spent on Mandatory Testing and Prep Analysis of one school in the Bangor area*

Typical School Day (6 hours 40 minutes)

2:14

Start, Snack, Lunch Recess, Transitions, Speicals, and Dismissal

4:07

Total Teaching Time *Calculations based on start of school year to middle of January

:19

Mandatory Testing and Prep Time

Total testing and prep time as of Jan. 2015

36 hours 10 minutes

7%

of total school time as of January 2015 March 2015 • www.maineea.org

15

{

News You Can Use

8

Ways to Engage the Village

increasing parent and community involvement in local schools is key— you know that—but there’s always the question of how. What works, especially for parents of at-risk students? The following are ideas from Ann luginbuhl, MEA member and 2014 Washington County Teacher of the Year. luginbuhl was a moderator at a recent symposium on fostering parental and community involvement in local schools where participants and luginbuhl suggested the following ideas.

Shift your mind set: Make yourself believe parents are doing their best. Even when their behavior seems incomprehensible or completely opposed to their children’s interests, parents really do want to do what is best for their children. We, outsiders, have no idea what challenges and struggles are influencing their behavior. Do your level best to project a feeling of respect and support, for people always do their best when they feel others believe in them.

Bring back board games: Put fun family games in your library to be borrowed by students and played at home with their families. An excellent source of inexpensive board games is Goodwill or other re-sale shops.

Ann luginbuhl Charlotte EA

Communicate: Promote regular meaningful contact with parents. Focus this contact on positive comments. Consider how many good things happen every day in your classroom— how many do you share with parents? A quick note home is the easiest way to share.

Students will give positive notes to their parents! Don’t forget to include separated or divorced parents. Paper newsletters, phone calls, face to face contacts, school and classroom websites, email, text messages and even some forms of social media are also vehicles to increase communication. Be especially wary of online communications as many are governed by school board policies. Check with your principal about your school policies concerning online communications.

Survey: Want people to be involved? Ask parents and citizens about ways they might be interested in participating in the school.

Welcome visitors: Make sure your parents and community members feel welcome. Invite them to participate. Call or write EVERY parent and invite them to participate. Consider having students write their parents to ask them to be involved. Encourage parent volunteers and chaperones. Project a feeling that volunteer support is needed and appreciated. Expand the types of volunteer activities to include things like playground clean ups or other outdoor work. Remember to thank your volunteers after they have helped.

Use interactive assignments: These are assignments that include adult involvement. For example, an older student might be required to interview an adult about how society has changed since he/she was in high school. A primary student could be asked to go on a number hunt with an adult and list ten places in their home where they found numbers. The simplest form of this can be a requirement that an adult check and sign a homework paper.

16

Maine Educator • March 2015

News You Can Use

More Ways to Engage the Village School family nights: Design activities at school that include parents, like game nights or movie nights. Many schools now own the audio visual equipment to present high quality movies. To avoid copyright violations be sure to purchase movies that allow for large audience viewing.

Submit news about your school to the local newspaper: Many papers love to print the good news from schools—honor rolls, fun events and awards given. Older students can learn to write these columns and experience the thrill of a byline.

Invite an audience: Organize an evening when your students can present a culminating project. Have part of the project be to create invitations to adults they will invite. These can be science fairs, public speaking projects, individual learning projects or social studies presentations. Just remember to invite a broad audience.

Shift parent teacher conferences to student led conferences: Instead of meeting with parents alone hold student led conferences. Allow the students to share what they are working on, what goals they have and how they might need help to meet those goals. Studies have shown that participation increases dramatically when students are involved in conferences.

Open House: Hold an open house the night (or several nights) before school opens. Let students come, choose their desks, fiddle with their lockers, stash their back-to-school materials and meet their teachers and friends. Not only is this a great way to meet families and community members it cuts down on the loads students have to carry in that first day of school.

Collaborate with your parent organization: Consider having a staff member assigned to attend these meetings. This assignment could represent another “duty” and fulfill the teacher’s duty requirement.

Offer child care for important events: When it is very important to have your families attend events, like town meetings where budgets are discussed, set aside a room in the building where out of town teachers and older students can entertain younger children.

Collect resources to loan to parents: Many organizations offer free brochures that could be gathered to share with parents or citizens. Books on parenting, child psychology and teaching methods may also interest some in the community. Teachers and schools have many of these resources that could be gathered and added to a lending library.

Help meet basic needs: You may be able to collaborate with local food pantries and develop a backpack program for families in need. This provides bags of basic foods that are carried home by students in backpacks to help stretch tight food budgets at home.

Share your MSLN connection: Make the school’s internet connection and some computers available in the evenings for parents and community members to use. Many families are not able to afford an internet connection or a device to connect to the internet.

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

17

cac y

o Adv

2015 Salary Guide Use the salary guide on the next few pages to better understand how teachers and support staff are paid in different districts across the state. The information is based off contracts submitted to the MEA for the 2014-15 school year. Salaries are listed in order from highest earning to lowest. Due to space limitations, only certain positions appear in the printed version of this magazine.

Teacher Career Earnings Summary School District

Cumulative MA Max Salary for 30 Yrs

Cumulative MA Max Salary for 30 Yrs

AOS 92 - Vassalboro

$64,045

$1,554,829

RSU 13

$61,683

$1,551,742

BA Steps 0-9, MA Steps 10-30 2014-15

School District

York

$69,911

$1,867,382

RSU 57, Alfred

$62,504

$1,551,277

Edgecomb

$72,842

$1,847,187

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

$72,000

$1,827,977

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$64,266

$1,543,589

Falmouth

$73,526

$1,819,758

AOS 92 - Waterville

$63,978

$1,538,687

Yarmouth

$70,608

$1,802,344

Lewiston

$63,579

$1,527,362

Cape Elizabeth

$71,028

$1,794,069

RSU 73, Spruce Mountain School District

$60,754

$1,524,909

RSU 21 - Arundel/Kennebunk/ Kennebunkport

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

$61,569

$1,520,978

$70,671

$1,722,028

Dayton

$59,424

$1,519,010

Bangor

$69,729

$1,715,718

RSU 23

$59,424

$1,519,010

South Portland

$65,729

$1,712,096

Lincolnville

$61,767

$1,513,853

Thornton Academy

$69,592

$1,697,696

RSU 88, Van Buren (Formally SAD 24)

$64,759

$1,511,440

$61,513

$1,508,515

RSU 1, Lower Kennebec

$70,574

$1,696,430

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schs

RSU 35, Eliot

$66,483

$1,694,748

RSU 74, Anson

$62,625

$1,506,260

Georgetown

$67,536

$1,691,470

RSU 54, Skowhegan

$61,821

$1,501,094

Southport

$68,175

$1,689,357

Baileyville

$60,944

$1,496,197

AOS 93 - Great Salt Bay CSD

$68,012

$1,676,878

Lisbon

$61,088

$1,491,021

$60,459

$1,487,091

Five Town CSD

$68,904

$1,662,478

AOS 94 - Harmony

RSU 28, Camden

$68,904

$1,662,478

RSU 19

$60,030

$1,483,183

Scarborough

$67,485

$1,654,988

RSU 83, Bingham (Formally SAD 13)

$57,696

$1,482,168

Gorham

$63,510

$1,629,448

Easton

$59,771

$1,476,959

Greenville

$64,455

$1,625,115

East Range CSD

$55,500

$1,462,500

$56,849

$1,461,142

Veazie

$64,600

$1,617,850

AOS 95 - SAD 27 Fort Kent

Glenburn

$65,420

$1,612,300

Winthrop

$59,241

$1,460,108

Brunswick

$70,552

$1,606,487

RSU 42, Mars Hill

$58,782

$1,456,945

RSU 75, Topsham

$67,500

$1,605,500

Hermon

$58,400

$1,453,700

AOS 93 - Nobleboro

$60,356

$1,602,443

RSU 6, Buxton

$58,500

$1,451,800

$60,950

$1,445,400

Biddeford

$61,033

$1,600,409

RSU 18

RSU 26 - Orono

$65,750

$1,596,450

Rangeley

$61,077

$1,440,609

RSU 14

$63,441

$1,593,226

Fryeburg Academy

$59,000

$1,440,000

Madawaska

$62,862

$1,581,483

RSU 61, Bridgton

$55,080

$1,439,730

Kittery

$62,743

$1,574,693

RSU 52, Turner

$57,888

$1,438,559

$60,000

$1,433,825

George Stevens Academy

$60,714

$1,571,394

RSU 49, Fairfield

RSU 5

$62,795

$1,567,929

Calais

$57,389

$1,433,284

RSU 59, Madison

$60,068

$1,567,280

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$58,584

$1,432,119

Knox Voc Reg 8

$62,737

$1,561,944

Milford

$59,800

$1,429,450

Acton

$60,682

$1,561,375

RSU 10, Western Foothills School District $60,036

$1,428,998

$57,500

$1,428,500

$58,203

$1,425,924

Augusta

$63,798

$1,557,713

So Penobscot Reg 4

AOS 92 - Winslow

$62,979

$1,556,986

RSU 53, Pittsfield

18

Maine Educator • March 2015

Salaries are based on contracts received by MEA through January 15, 2015

Salary Guide cont.

School District

Cumulative MA Max Salary for 30 Yrs

RSU 82, Jackman (Formally SAD 12)

$55,636

$1,415,090

RSU 8, Vinalhaven

$51,681

$1,408,416

Deer Isle-Stonington CSD

$55,646

$1,403,926

Flagstaff RSU, Eustis

$60,026

$1,398,834

Hope

$55,810

Appleton

Education Support Professionals Hourly Wages Ed Tech III

Average Minimum: $12.65 Average Maximum: $16.69 School District

Maximum

RSU 17, Paris

$24.85

$1,384,135

Brewer

$24.27

$55,798

$1,381,717

Acton

$23.62

Oxford Hills Voc Reg 11

$56,176

$1,378,696

Portland

$23.41

RSU 17, Paris

$56,176

$1,378,696

RSU 3, Unity

$54,336

$1,377,748

RSU 01, Lower Kennebec

Surry

$52,988

$1,370,118

Alexander

$55,058

RSU 33, St Agatha

$56,428

Blue Hill

School District

Maximum

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$17.97

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$17.95

Bangor

$17.86

$23.23

AOS 92 - Winslow

$17.69

Biddeford

$22.09

RSU 52, Turner

$17.64

$1,358,995

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

$22.05

$1,357,831

South Portland

$21.90

$50,778

$1,354,270

$53,000

$1,354,000

$21.37

$17.55

RSU 24

York

RSU 73, Spruce Mountain School Dist

$53,800

$1,350,500

$21.25

$17.51

RSU 9, Farmington

Augusta

RSU 19

$17.47

$56,714

$1,346,930

$21.22

AOS 94 - Harmony

RSU 80, Guilford (Formally SAD 04)

Cape Elizabeth

Blue Hill

$17.21

Brooksville

$48,865

$1,345,452

RSU 06, Buxton

$17.09

$21.15

RSU 35, Eliot

$16.91

RSU 64, Corinth

$53,950

$1,344,000

RSU 21 - Arundel/ Kennebunk/ Kennebunkport

Foxcroft Academy

$56,610

$1,341,376

RSU 54, Skowhegan

$20.76

RSU 61, Bridgton

$16.79

Lamoine

$53,225

$1,339,525

RSU 25

$57,776

$1,337,914

Falmouth

$20.57

RSU 24

$16.75

RSU 39

$54,634

$1,336,258

RSU 51, Cumberland

$19.80

RSU 18

$16.73

RSU 50

$55,025

$1,333,250

$16.63

Washington Academy

$52,550

$1,328,150

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schs

RSU 72, Fryeburg

$19.74

RSU 70, Hodgdon

$16.60

Brooklin

$52,203

$1,323,120

RSU 14

$19.71

RSU 26 - Orono

$16.56

Fayette

$53,237

$1,315,957

AOS 92 - Waterville

$19.70

Glenburn

$16.48

Hancock

$56,400

$1,311,900

RSU 29, Houlton

$19.64

RSU 79, Presque Isle (Formally SAD 1)

$55,864

$1,308,068

$55,216

$1,293,436

$19.59

$16.48

RSU 72, Fryeburg

RSU 23

RSU 83, Bingham (Formally SAD 13)

$54,319

$1,292,388

$19.58

$16.44

East Millinocket

Baileyville

Medway

$16.43

$52,500

$1,287,000

$19.49

AOS 92 - Vassalboro

RSU 84, Danforth (Formally SAD 14)

RSU 74, Anson

$16.27

$46,724

$1,284,198

$19.48

Rangeley

Orrington

Yarmouth

$15.93

$52,800

$1,280,650

$19.33

Greenville

RSU 70, Hodgdon

RSU 44, Bethel

$47,626

$1,277,645

$19.09

$15.70

Castine

RSU 75, Topsham

RSU 03, Unity

$1,275,000

$19.08

$15.58

$56,700

RSU 15, Gray

Fayette

RSU 63, Holden Penobscot

$46,150

$1,265,750

RSU 38

$19.00

Brooklin

$15.40

RSU 87, Carmel (Formally SAD 23)

$48,793

$1,251,323

Kittery

$18.97

RSU 04

$15.09

Otis

$46,800

$1,243,200

Milford

$18.95

RSU 39

$15.03

Millinocket

$49,500

$1,227,500

Pembroke

$47,390

$1,215,140

RSU 09, Farmington

$18.63

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

$15.01

New Sweden

$47,238

$1,214,266

Lewiston

$18.59

$47,238

$1,214,266

$18.56

$14.97

Woodland

Five Town CSD

RSU 68, DoverFoxcroft

$42,000

$1,196,000

$18.56

$14.95

Caswell

RSU 28, Camden

RSU 53, Pittsfield

Whiting

$47,600

$1,190,600

RSU 59, Madison

$18.51

Calais

$14.65

Moosabec CSD

$45,108

$1,183,040

RSU 67

$18.50

$47,050

$1,140,700

$18.43

$14.56

Perry

Gorham

AOS 95 - SAD 27 Fort Kent

$1,133,125

$18.38

$14.55

$41,125

RSU 50

RSU 34

Jonesboro Southern Aroostook Region 2

$45,131

$1,086,730

RSU 05

$18.27

RSU 25

$14.22

Charlotte

$39,984

$1,054,180

Madawaska

$18.20

Whiting

$12.82

RSU 57, Alfred

$17.98

Charlotte

$12.80

RSU 33, St. Agatha

$12.45

Salaries are based on contracts received by MEA through January 15, 2015

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

19

School District

Bus Drivers

Average Minimum: $14.25 Average Maximum: $17.64 School District

Maximum

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$22.52

Brunswick

$20.61

Hermon

$20.35

Biddeford

$20.29

RSU 24

$20.05

Yarmouth

$20.02

RSU 05

$19.70

RSU 23

$19.69

Falmouth

$19.44

RSU 14

$19.44

RSU 51, Cumberland

$18.85

RSU 75, Topsham

$18.78

Gorham

$18.63

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schs

$18.50

Lisbon

$17.89

RSU 15, Gray

$17.85

RSU 59, Madison

$17.83

Baileyville

$17.77

RSU 74, Anson

$17.60

South Portland

$17.46

RSU 52, Turner

$17.45

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$17.44

RSU 06, Buxton

$17.40

AOS 94 - Harmony

$17.22

RSU 10, Western Foothills School District

$16.55

RSU 09, Farmington

$16.52

RSU 67

$16.36

RSU 04

$16.13

RSU 50

$15.99

Pembroke

$15.55

Fayette

$15.50

RSU 83, Bingham (Formally SAD 13)

$15.45

Whiting

$15.07

RSU 29, Houlton

$14.73

Rangeley

$14.57

RSU 33, St. Agatha

$13.92

RSU 84, Danforth (Formally SAD 14)

$13.40

Custodians

Average Minimum: $12.37 Average Maximum: $16.07 School District

Maximum

Maximum

RSU 14

$18.81

RSU 05

$18.70

Greenville

$18.63

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$18.40

RSU 23

$18.16

Lisbon

$17.89

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

$17.80

RSU 75, Topsham

$17.70

Hermon

$17.50

Gorham

$17.42

RSU 38

$17.30

RSU 15, Gray

$17.25

Augusta

$17.14

RSU 59, Madison

$16.89

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schs

$16.59

RSU 52, Turner

$16.52

RSU 74, Anson

$16.29

Blue Hill

$16.15

South Portland

$16.00

Bangor

$15.96

Milford

$15.95

RSU 06, Buxton

$15.91

Sanford

$15.78

Baileyville

$15.66

RSU 09, Farmington

$15.66

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$15.62

RSU 21 - Arundel/Kennebunk/Kennebunkport

$15.54

RSU 26 - Orono

$15.53

Glenburn

$15.46

Brooklin

$15.40

RSU 25

$14.86

RSU 04

$14.83

RSU 10, Western Foothills School District

$14.64

RSU 50

$14.60

Alexander

$14.53

RSU 18

$14.53

RSU 19

$14.49

RSU 53, Pittsfield

$14.43

Pembroke

$14.23

RSU 29, Houlton

$14.18

RSU 24

$14.11

Whiting

$14.04

RSU 58, Phillips

$13.84

RSU 03, Unity

$13.76

Acton

$20.04

Rangeley

$13.57

York

$19.72

AOS 94 - Harmony

$13.47

Yarmouth

$19.40 $18.93

RSU 33, St. Agatha

$12.92

Brunswick

Fayette

$12.91

20

Maine Educator • March 2015

Salaries are based on contracts received by MEA through January 15, 2015

Ed Tech I

Ed Tech II

Average Minimum: $11.24 Average Maximum: $14.90 School District Portland

Maximum $20.21

School District RSU 61, Bridgton

Average Minimum: $12.65 Average Maximum: $16.69 School District

Maximum

Maximum

School District

Maximum

$14.60

RSU 17, Paris

$24.33

Lisbon

$16.49 $16.26

York

$19.33

RSU 19

$14.57

RSU 49, Fairfield

$22.20

RSU 40, Waldoboro

RSU 05

$18.27

Baileyville

$14.56

South Portland

$21.90

RSU 06, Buxton

$16.05

Acton

$18.25

RSU 54, Skowhegan

$14.56

Portland

$21.23

RSU 14

$17.61

AOS 94 - Harmony

$14.55

Augusta

$20.68

Brewer

$17.56

RSU 26 - Orono

$14.49

York

$20.31

RSU 73, Spruce Mountain School District

$15.96

Gorham

$17.40

RSU 06, Buxton

$14.46

Acton

$20.04

Bangor

$17.33

Glenburn

$14.42

RSU 14

$19.71

RSU 21 - Arundel/ Kennebunk/ Kennebunkport

$15.90

Yarmouth

$17.19

Blue Hill

$14.40

AOS 92 - Vassalboro

$15.89

RSU 01, Lower Kennebec

$14.35

$19.50

RSU 70, Hodgdon

$15.88

$17.04

Five Town CSD

RSU 01, Lower Kennebec

Blue Hill

$15.80

$16.95

$14.35

$19.28

Milford

RSU 28, Camden

Cape Elizabeth

$18.78

RSU 52, Turner

$15.78

AOS 92 - Winslow

$16.91

$18.71

RSU 50

$15.73

$16.91

$14.30

Yarmouth

RSU 35, Eliot

RSU 21 - Arundel/ Kennebunk/ Kennebunkport

RSU 75, Topsham

RSU 61, Bridgton

$15.73

$16.90

$14.25

$18.65

AOS 92 - Waterville

RSU 24

Falmouth

RSU 72, Fryeburg

$14.17

AOS 92 - Waterville

$18.55

RSU 67

$15.62

Calais

$14.00

Brewer

$18.47

RSU 18

$15.58

RSU 49, Fairfield

$13.88

RSU 15, Gray

$18.34

RSU 26 - Orono

$15.53

RSU 18

$13.77

RSU 05

$18.27

Greenville

$15.47

RSU 53, Pittsfield

$13.58

Gorham

$18.12

Glenburn

$15.46

Charlotte

$13.50

Baileyville

$18.08

Brooklin

$15.40

RSU 03, Unity

$13.46

Lewiston

$18.01

RSU 19

$15.40

RSU 68, DoverFxcrft

RSU 72, Fryeburg

$15.38

RSU 24

$15.25

RSU 51, Cumberland $15.95 RSU 23

$15.20

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schools

$16.80

RSU 75, Topsham

$16.69

Lewiston

$16.68

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

$16.28

RSU 59, Madison

$16.27

Lisbon

$16.04

Madawaska

$15.97

$13.35

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schools

$17.73

RSU 09, Farmington

$13.33

RSU 23

$17.70

$15.92

RSU 50

$13.20

RSU 57, Alfred

$15.88

RSU 67

$13.20

RSU 51, Cumberland

RSU 83, Bingham (Formally SAD 13)

$17.64

RSU 03, Unity

$15.02

So Portland

$15.56

RSU 25

$12.96

Kittery

$17.63

RSU 29, Houlton

$14.93

RSU 52, Turner

$15.55

RSU 34

$12.87

Five Town CSD

$17.60

RSU 09, Farmington

$14.53

RSU 15, Gray

$15.47

RSU 29, Houlton

$12.75

RSU 28, Camden

$17.60

RSU 34

$14.50

Brooklin

$15.40

RSU 54, Skowhegan

$17.46

RSU 53, Pittsfield

$14.43

AOS 92 - Vassalboro

$15.35

Milford

$17.45

$12.27

$17.36

$14.41

RSU 39

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

Rangeley

$15.31

$12.48

$17.39

RSU 38

RSU 04

RSU 59, Madison

$14.43

$15.33

$12.64

RSU 68, DoverFoxcrft

RSU 74, Anson

RSU 73, Spruce Mountain School District

AOS 95 - SAD 27 Fort Kent

Bangor

$17.33

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

$14.08

$12.10

AOS 92 - Winslow

$17.32

RSU 39

$13.82

Alexander

$11.95

Biddeford

$17.32

RSU 25

$13.54

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

Madawaska

$17.26

$11.71

$13.53

RSU 33, St. Agatha

$11.70

$13.52

$11.68

$17.25

RSU 04

Medway

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

AOS 95 - SAD 27 Fort Kent

RSU 74, Anson

$16.93

Fayette

$13.30

RSU 35, Eliot

$16.91

Charlotte

$12.60

RSU 44, Bethel

$16.75

Medway

$12.38

RSU 38

$16.74

RSU 33, St. Agatha

$12.08

RSU 57, Alfred

$16.65

Whiting

$11.66

AOS 94 - Harmony

$16.52

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$15.23

Augusta

$15.17

Greenville

$15.06

Kittery

$14.90

RSU 44, Bethel

$14.63

RSU 83, Bingham (Formally SAD 13)

$14.63

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$14.60

RSU 84, Danforth (Formally SAD 14)

$11.43

Rangeley

$11.04

Salaries are based on contracts received by MEA through January 15, 2015

Cooks

School District

Average Minimum: $11.33 Average Maximum: $15.04 Maximum

School District

Maximum

Kittery

$18.21

Gorham

$18.18

RSU 02, Kennebec Intra-District Schools

$18.13 $18.08

Acton

$18.25

AOS 92 - Winslow

$18.03

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

Yarmouth

$17.65

RSU 17, Paris

$17.92

RSU 14

$17.61

Augusta

$17.87

RSU 38

$17.57

RSU 75, Topsham

$17.70

Gorham

$16.63

RSU 15, Gray

$17.67

RSU 12, Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit

$16.57

Five Town CSD

$17.60

Milford

$15.95

RSU 28, Camden

$17.60

RSU 75, Topsham

$15.61

Milford

$16.95

Blue Hill

$15.45

RSU 61, Bridgton

$16.86

Brooklin

$15.40

Greenville

$16.68

South Portland

$15.16

Baileyville

$16.53

Baileyville

$14.27

Lisbon

$16.49

Pembroke

$14.23

RSU 72, Fryeburg

$16.36

RSU 50

$14.08

RSU 24

$16.30

Greenville

$13.98

RSU 40, Waldoboro

$16.22

RSU 03, Unity

$13.75

RSU 50

$16.17

Whiting

$13.30

RSU 04

$16.13

Madawaska

$13.29

RSU 10, Western Foothills School District

$15.93

RSU 06, Buxton

$13.08

RSU 44, Bethel

$15.82

RSU 19

$12.88

Blue Hill

$15.80

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

$11.71

RSU 29, Houlton

$15.61

RSU 84, Danforth (Formally SAD 14)

$11.43

RSU 52, Turner

$15.55

Glenburn

$15.46

Calais

$15.30

Madawaska

$15.21

Rangeley

$15.21

RSU 19

$15.01

RSU 09, Farmington

$14.81

AOS 94 - SAD 46 Dexter

$14.65

RSU 67

$14.65

AOS 94 - Harmony

$14.55

RSU 06, Buxton

$14.46

Pembroke

$14.23

RSU 73, Spruce Mountain Sch Dist

$14.21

RSU 03, Unity

$14.19

RSU 33, St Agatha

$12.91

Charlotte

$12.60

RSU 84, Danforth (Formally SAD 14)

$11.43

Secretaries

Average Minimum: $12.86 Average Maximum: $16.96 Maximum

School District York

$23.54

Biddeford

$23.23

RSU 01, Lower Kennebec

$21.06

RSU 35, Eliot

$20.38

Falmouth

$20.15

Acton

$20.04

Yarmouth

$19.58

RSU 51, Cumberland

$19.05

RSU 14

$18.81

RSU 39

$18.75

RSU 05

$18.74

AOS 92 - Winslow

$18.60

Hermon

$18.50

Bangor

$18.46

Wells-Ogunquit CSD

$18.34

RSU Maine 23 Educator

$18.23

22

• March 2015

Don’t like what you see?

Go to page 25 to see how MEA has helped locals negotiate better salaries.

Advocacy

Do the Math

Cutting Income Tax for Maine’s Wealthiest is Wrong for Schools No matter how you try to add it up, Governor LePage’s proposal to drastically cut the income tax for Maine’s wealthiest and corporations is an equation that doesn’t make any sense. Essential services, like schools and public safety are funded in part through income taxes. With a more limited income tax not only will our schools suffer, but so will the pockets of hard-working educators. A few equations to consider if the income tax is cut for the wealthiest:

Reduced Income Tax = Cuts to schools because of strained school and municipal budgets Reduced Income Tax = Increased Property Tax to make up for revenue lost from the income tax Reduced Income Tax = Increased Sales Tax Under the Governor’s plan, public education, which makes up over 40% of the state budget, would be flat funded at 2014 levels through 2017 even though the normal cost of doing business has already increased and will continue to do so. The lost revenue will likely cause deficits which lead to layoffs in our schools, typically affecting education support professionals first, and outsourcing of support staff work. The state has still not met its mandate to fund schools at 55%, how will it meet this obligation now with less revenue?

Another loser in the equation—our disadvantaged students who live in communities where property tax owners can’t afford to make up the difference to fund public education. The chances for a child’s success should not depend on living in the right zip code.

The income tax is the single biggest revenue source for the state of Maine. Research shows reducing it, when considering other tax shifts (higher sales, use taxes and property taxes), will only benefit the top 5% of income earners in the state—that’s people who earn more than $150,000 per year. After reviewing the salary scale in this magazine on pages 17-19, it is clear there is not a single district where that figure is even close to being a reality. A reduced income tax is truly a net loss for our students, our schools and our state.

Educators our savings pack a wallop!

Did you know you can get lower rates on your Horace Mann auto and home insurance if you have more than one type of insurance with us?

To learn more, contact your local agent or visit horacemann.com Lisa Bussiere, Auburn - 207-783-3660 Joe DeFranco, Bangor - 207-941-2121 Stewart Durrell, Wilton - 207-645-4779 PJ Kinney, Presque Isle - 207-764-1283 Debby Schwarz, Kennebunk - 207-467-3650 Dominic Vermette, Waterboro - 207-247-0186

David Case, Bangor - 207-941-2121 Jeff Delisle, Augusta - 207-623-5004 Martha Frost, Falmouth - 207-797-3019 Charles Lynch, Camden - 207-230-7620 Troy True, Brunswick - 207-729-1975 Paul Yarnevich, S. Portland - 207-510-6600

Auto and home insurance are underwritten by Horace Mann Insurance Company and its affiliates

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

23

2015 Guide to the Maine Legislature Governor

Maine Senate

Maine House

20 Republicans 15 Democrats

78 Democrats* 68 Republicans 4 Unenrolled**

President of the Senate Sen. Mike Thibodeau (R)

Paul LePage

Speaker of the House Rep. Mark Eves (D) *1 vacant seat, to be filled by special election **Caucus with Democrats

Republican

Education and Cultural Affairs Committee These are some of the key people who will make education policy decisions that affect your students, your school, and your career. it is important to know who they are, how to contact them and how to share your story to help improve public education for every Maine student.

3 Tips to Share your Story with legislators 1. know your Issue:

You’re the expert in your topic, so be prepared to explain it and answer any questions.

2. know your Audience: Research your legislator; maybe you have something in common to create a personal connection.

Senate Chair

3. know your Ask:

Be as specific as possible so you can’t be misinterpreted. Asking for a “yes” or “no” vote on a specific bill leaves no room for interpretation.

House Chair

Sen. Brian langley (R - Hancock)

Rep. victoria kornfield (D - Bangor)

Brian.Langley@legislature.maine.gov

Tori.Kornfield@legislature.maine.gov

Democrat Committee Members Senator Rebecca Millett, Cumberland senrebeccamillett@gmail.com Representative Matthea Daughtry, Brunswick mattie.daughtry@legislature.maine.gov Representative Brian Hubbell, Bar Harbor Brian.Hubbell@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Richard Farnsworth, Portland Richard.Farnsworth@legislature.maine. gov Representative Ryan Tipping-Spitz, Orono Tipping-Spitz@legislature.maine.gov Representative Teresa Pierce, Falmouth Teresa.Pierce@legislature.maine.gov

The Education Committee is scheduled to meet every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in room 202 at the Cross office Building in Augusta.

Republican Committee Members

Senator Peter Edgecomb, Aroostook peter.edgecomb@legislature.maine.gov Representative Joyce Maker, Calais joyce.maker@legislature.maine.gov Representative Michael McClellan, Raymond Michael.McClellan@legislature.maine.gov Representative Matthew Pouliot, Augusta Matt.Pouliot@legislature.maine.gov Representative Paul Stearns, Guilford Paul.Stearns@legislature.maine.gov March 2015 • www.maineea.org

23

Advocacy

What I learned from MEA MEA Bargaining Training In late January and early February the MEA offered its members a new training on how to better bargain your contracts. The lessons learned are best described in members’ own words.

“We went over wages and hours scenarios to figure out if they were mandatory, permissive or illegal in order to determine what you can and can't bargain, how to address each issue and then determine how it impacts working conditions. I also learned that we’re allowed to ask to see specific district language. We hear a lot of, ‘oh that’s ed policy, you can’t bargain that.’ Now I know to say, show me in the district policy that makes the issue ed policy.”

- Joan Wenzel, Oxford Hills EA

Didn’t make the training?

Find the bargaining resources online in our Members Only section at www.maineea.org.

Strong locals Matter A big change recently occurred at Lewiston High School when Principal Linda MacKenzie resigned. The resignation came after educators, for many months, raised concerns about the negative working and learning environment at Lewiston High School.

“Throughout the school year, the Lewiston Education Association has been a constant support for its members as the District worked through the issues raised at the high school,” said MEA UniServ Director Nicole Argraves. The LEA began last year, under the leadership of then President Jean Roy, to work with the MEA to try and resolve the issues with Principal MacKenzie.

The LEA also brought the issues to the attention of Superintendent Bill Webster. Argraves says, it was the ongoing discussions with LEA, its members, and Superintendent Webster that helped initiate a climate survey of those who work at the high school. According to published media reports, the results of that climate survey were the reason Principal MacKenzie cited during her resignation; she was later transferred to a new position in the district for the remainder of the year.

“The LEA, and all locals statewide are only as strong as the members they serve. What happened in Lewiston is a reminder that a collective voice can make a difference, not only for educators but for students as well,” said Argraves.

24

Maine Educator • March 2015

“I didn’t know over the years we’ve been hurting ourselves by creating longevity steps.

The bargaining training taught me career earnings are important and I learned how to restructure the salary scale to keep up with the cost of living, which we haven’t done.

Our base is $1700 behind and even though we’re making more we’re falling behind each year because the scale is not keeping up with the cost of living. Now I know how to change that.” - Joe Rafferty, Kennebunk-Arundel-Kennebunkport EA

“I feel better prepared with strategies to negotiate a better salary for everyone on the scale and how to make that happen. I received formulas at the MEA training to create a new scale that will make our jobs easier.”

- Diane Brooks, RSU 34 EA

?

DID yoU kNoW According to state law, all Maine teachers were required to earn a minimum salary of $30,000 by 2008. Had the law required the minimum keep up with inflation, the minimum salary now would be $34,318.32.

Your As

i am

so ciation

Left: MEA members hone their negotiation skills at MEA’s first bargaining training.

Right: Christy Lajoie (Thornton Academy TA) and her Thornton Academy students participate in the Regional Brain Bee Competition at the University of New England. The Brain Bee is a quiz competition about neuroscience, helping to stimulate a greater interest in science-related fields for local students.

Right: Brenda Laverdiere (Mt. Blue RSU EA) and her fourth grade class pledged funds to the soon-to-open Western Maine Play Museum, a children’s museum in Wilton. Accepting the donation, Elaine Fitzgerald, a museum Board Member and MEA-R member.

Left: MEA leadership and staff wrap presents for a family in need in the Augusta area.

Above: The Teachers Lounge Mafia—Dan Ryder (Mt Blue RSU EA), Jeff Bailey (Western Foothills EA), Natalie Simmons (Western Foothills EA) and Kyla Wheeler pose as members of an improv group where audience suggestions become comedy in an instant. The group recently performed its holiday show and lives by its motto: “strive to bring something different to the foothills of western Maine and still be allowed to live here.”

Left: Melissa Guerette, a fourth grade teacher at Oxford Elementary School, checks in one of the more than 200 educators who attended nErDcamp Northern New England at Falmouth Elementary School on Saturday, January 17. MEA sponsored the EdCamp.

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

25

MEA Candidates for Election 2015 This is yoUR Association. Members set the course for the MEA by deciding the issues the Association supports and the ways to achieve success for every Maine student. While the MEA has 24,000 members statewide, there are dozens who hold an elected office who speak for those in their districts both locally and nationally.

According to rules set by MEA members, those running for an elected office may publish a biographical sketch in the Maine Educator. Candidates for the MEA Board of Directors and the NEA Representative Assembly (RA) appear on the following pages.

At MEA’s 2015 Representative Assembly on May 16-17 in South Portland, delegates will elect an MEA President, vice President, Treasurer, and an NEA Director (If-and-When election) for Maine.

Election information and forms are available online at www.maineea.org in the “Members only” area under Elections. Certificates of election for local MEA RA delegates must be received by March 5. To learn more about the MEA RA turn to page 30.

Questions about elections should be directed to the office of the Executive Director at 1-800-622-4418 ext 2218 or e-mail lheaney@maineea.org.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ken Williams – District E Board of Director or Trustee work, no matter what the content, is thought provoking and interesting to me. As the current Trustee to the Retirement System, elected by the MEA Representative Assemble, it is my pleasure to serve MEA members statewide. It's also my pleasure to offer myself as a candidate for District E on the MEA Board.

Many challenges face our union and we must position ourselves as visionaries and push to be a respected presence in all arenas where decisions are being made about our profession. The MEA Board, between Representative Assemblies, is that voice.

A variety of perspectives is necessary in any Board room and I believe that my 29 years at Nobleboro Central School in the middle school classrooms along with experiences negotiating local contracts, sitting on MEA committees, being an RA delegate, mentoring young teachers, sitting on the MEA Board in the nineties for multiple terms and being a small local president for over twenty-five years puts me in a position to be an effective MEA Board member.

Asking the hard questions is easy for me and I am ready to be accountable to District E constituents and all MEA members.

Jill Watson – District F I have been a special education teacher 26

Maine Educator • March 2015

at the high school level for 15 years. I currently teach at Maranacook Community High School where I have been since 2002. I live in Manchester with my retired teacher husband, Allan and our very spoiled cat, Honey.

I have been a member of the MEA/NEA for 15 years and have served as the District F Board of Director since July 2012. I have served as a liaison for the Human, Civil Rights & Cultural Affairs Committee and currently serving as co-Chair on the Instruction and Professional Development Committee.

During the past year, I was a Take the Lead Member and learned a great deal from fellow educators as we talked about Common Core, Teacher Evaluation and Proficiency Based Education/Diplomas. Within my local association, I currently serve as co-President and have served as Treasurer, Grievance Chair, Negotiations team Chair and local delegate to the MEA RA. I have also served as NEA RA delegate. In addition, I have held numerous leadership roles within my school district, which include leadership team, master advisor, new teacher mentor, and teacher evaluation steering committee.

Samantha Garnett – District I My name is Samantha Garnett. I am an upperclassmen mathematics teacher at Lewiston High School. I have been teaching at the high school level in Lewiston for the majority of my nine years in the profession. I have

a passion for what I do, for mathematics, public education, teaching and learning, and my students. I am a self-proclaimed nerd and openly admit to a romance with number sense, problem solving, cooking, craft beer and classic British literature.

I have been a member of my local, Lewiston Education Association, since my return to the district in 2013. Over the last two years I have become increasingly involved in the association at both the local and state level. I am currently a building representative at Lewiston High School and am serving on our bargaining team for the first time. Through the MEA I have been lucky enough to be a part of Take the Lead and have participated in some fantastic professional and leadership development.

I have also served on the MEA Board of Directors since September 2014.

I look forward to many more years of hard work with my local and the state associations for the benefit of our great profession.

Robert McCully – District k I am a veteran mathematics teacher at Falmouth High School.

I currently serve the FEA as Chief Negotiator, and have continually served as either Chief Negotiator or President. I previously sat on the MEA Board for two terms. The current Board has appointed me to serve for the oneyear term leading up to this election. I have been a delegate to both the MEA and NEA Representative Assemblies for years. I have served on many MEA committees (including Policy Review, Statewide Bargaining, and

Resolutions), and I have served on the NEA Resolutions Committee. I have served on the Board of ATOMIM and ATMNE (mathematics associations) and currently serve on a Board for the Cumberland County Teachers Federal Credit Union.

I am very concerned about ongoing attacks on our profession, and the lack of respect being shown to education practitioners.

Educators always look for ways to improve their practice, but we are being bombarded by mandates from individuals far removed from the reality of a public school classroom.

It is imperative that the MEA continues to function as a union protecting its members’ interests, and also function as a professional association to serve our members, students and communities well.

Indriani “Ina” Demers – District k My interest in the Board of Director's position for District K stems from experiences as a female Chinese in Indonesia, enduring oppression and government control, where unions are non-existence, so it was difficult in 2002 to wrap my head around the word "union," when someone asked me to join.

However, my natural collectivism instinct surfaced and I am currently very active and able to advocate and improve the collective unit.

For the past ten years, through MEA, NEA, PEA (two term Ed. Tech. President) leadership training, and Representative Assembly (RA), I become a member of Advocates for Children and Education (ACE), involving in and advocating on different issues at the legislative level.

So, I will work very hard to represent: Portland: BASE, PEA, and the Public Library; Cape Elizabeth EA; Falmouth: Bus drivers and FEA; and Westbrook EA, listening to and serving at the local, state, and national levels.

Thank you!

Jamie lee Watson – District M I have been an educator for 15 years, 14 teaching physical education, and 1 year as a library Ed Tech. I graduated from the University of Alabama and taught in the Tuscaloosa area for 4 years. I currently teach P.E. at Memorial Middle School in South Portland. I have been involved with my local association for 10 years, serving as Building Rep., President and Grievance Coordinator. I live in Lewiston with my husband Brent and two children Ansley and Ace.

Donna longley – District N My name is Donna Longley and I have been an active member of the MEA since 1989. I started teaching in 1980 as a Special Education teacher. I came to Maine in 1989 to teach at Wells Elementary School. I ran a self-contained behavior program for 12 years before switching over to regular ed. I currently teach 4th grade mathematics there.

I have been a member of the NEA since college where I was the president of the Mass.

Student Teachers Association for 2 years.

Since working in Wells I have been a building rep, negotiator, chief negotiator and president.

I continue to attend my district bargaining council and I am currently on the Statewide Bargaining Committee. For the past three years I have been a delegate to the MEA RA as well as the NEA RA. I have attended public hearings at the state house, actively engaged in political action and attend many of the MEA conferences.

Deborah Butler – District N I am Debbie Butler, a Special Education Teacher for MSAD 60, and a candidate for the District N Board of Directors position.

Having served on the MEA Board of Directors in the past allowed me the opportunity to meet many wonderful leaders of our Association.

Spending time listening to and talking with these members gave me the opportunity to share what I learned with the entire Board of Directors. This information helped add to the bigger picture of what was happening throughout the state.

My association experience at the local and state level has provided me with the background to do the work required of a Board member. The work can be difficult, but to be a part of what can be accomplished when working together, is very rewarding.

I would welcome your support of my candidacy to represent you on the MEA Board of Directors for District N. Thank you for all you do for our members and students.

John Messier – District o I earned my undergraduate degree in economics from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Upon graduation I went on to earn my PhD in economics at American University with fields in economic development and public finance. After a short stint as a visiting professor at Gettysburg

College, I accepted a tenure track position at the University of Maine in Farmington, where I remain as an associate professor of economics. I have been a member of the AFUM since my arrival and have served on the negotiating team from 2008 to present. I am a graduate of the NEA Emerging Leaders Academy and have served on the NEA Advisory Committee on Membership and represented the NEA at the American Federation of Teachers higher education conference and the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education. I am an active member of the National Council for Higher Education. I am also an active outdoor enthusiast, enjoying kayaking, hiking and skiing.

John Broida – District o I am a psychologist by training and inclination, having earned a BA in the discipline at the University of Colorado, an MA from Western Illinois University, and a Ph.D. from the State University of New York, Albany. My background is in physiological psychology (the relationship between mind, body and behavior) with a special interest in how hormones influence behavior, though I have recently become involved in using web-based and other technology to improve learning in the classroom. I pioneered web-based quizzing, the use of an in-class response system (clickers) and using a computer to grade essay exams. I served as the AFUM bargaining representative from the University of Southern Maine for four years and am looking forward to yet another stint in this position.

NEA RA At-Large SEATS Robert “Bo” Zabierek

I am a former MEA Board Member and currently serve on the MEA Government Relations Committee. I’ve been an active local Delegate at the last seven Representative Assemblies (RAs) in Portland and have represented Maine at the NEA-RA in Atlanta and Denver. I’ve been honored to represent Maine’s CTE (Career and Technical Education) schools as the NEA-RA CTE liaison to ACTE at VISION 2014 in Nashville and am the President-elect for ACTE-Maine.

All facets of the Maine educational landscape are represented at the NEA-RA. I will work hard to make sure all Maine teachers have a strong voice advocating for their issues at the national level.

It is equally important that voices from all corners of our state be heard at our national March 2015 • www.maineea.org

27

conference. I reside in Aroostook County and work at Region Two, where all of our students are rural and most are on free or reduced lunches. I hope to bring a fresh and unique perspective to the conversations at the NEA-RA and am asking you for your vote to re-elect me as your NEA-RA at-large delegate. If you cast just one vote for the NEA-RA, please make it for Robert “Bo” Zabierek At-Large delegate to the NEA-RA!

beginning my doctoral work I have become more involved in both my local, where I am currently the VP, as well as the MEA, where I have attended the MEA RA and am a member of the Government Relations Committee.

My work and education throughout the past decade has given me the ability to see and understand the issues we face in education today, and allowed me to cultivate the political acumen needed to help change leadership.

Jill Watson I have been a special education teacher at the high school level for 15 years. I currently teach at Maranacook Community High School where I have been since 2002.

I have been a member of the MEA/NEA for 15 years and am currently serving as the District F Board of Director. I also serve as co-chair for the Instruction and Professional Development Committee. Within my local association, I am currently serving as coPresident, Chief Negotiator and local delegate to the MEA RA. In the past, I have served as Treasurer and Grievance Chair. In addition, I have held numerous leadership roles with my school district, which include leadership team, master advisor, new teacher mentor, co-chair NEASC committee and teacher evaluation steering committee.

In 2013, I attended the NEA RA in Atlanta as an alternate and was honored to be your voice at the national level. While an NEA delegate, I was on the floor during all the votes and participated in multiple caucuses, which allowed me to represent Maine and the ideals we hold true. I ask for your support as an At-Large delegate so that I can continue to be your voice at the NEA RA.

Ben Paradis Maine and the Nation face an important crossroad ahead: How to best educate their children in the 21st century. I believe the answer lies in dedicated, well-educated classroom teachers showing them the way.

As teachers, we must be willing to direct our parents to make the right choices for their children’s education, and avoid many of the untested new ideas coming our way. As teachers, we must convince them to support face-to-face learning as the most important part of a person’s learning. I would appreciate your vote to be your delegate to the NEA RA.

Jonathan Payne I have been a teacher and a student my entire life.

After completing my B.S. in Biology at UNH, I taught high school for one year in Franklin, NH, then worked as a field biologist for two years and preservation and restoration apprentice for three years before re-entering teaching through ETEP at USM. Since completing ETEP I have been a teacher at Noble High School in North Berwick, ME for the past eight years. During my tenure there I have taught Chemistry and Engineering, helped start both an Electrathon America class and develop the STEM program. I finished my M.S. in Teaching and Learning, as well as my cousework for my Ph.D. in Public Policy with a Concentration in Educational Leadership. Since 28

Maine Educator • March 2015

Patricia Morris Patricia Morris is a business and computer technology teacher at Maranacook High School who has been an active MEA/NEA member for over 18 years. She has served her local association as a negotiator, building rep, secretary, grievance chair, vice president and president. She regularly participates in DBC meetings, MEA conferences and many of the training sessions as well as the Representative Assemblies.

Patricia is a strong believer in the power of collective action. Now, more than ever, it is important to strengthen the power of NEA and MEA to continue to uphold our professional rights. Patricia has proven her long-term commitment as an advocate for the education profession and would welcome the opportunity to continue that as a state delegate to the NEA assembly.

Terry Martin I have been a member of the MEA and NEA for my entire career as a teacher. My career as a representative of the local association began in 2003 and I served as one of three building representatives for the high school for nine years.

In 2006 I was elected to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly (M.E.A. RA) and have served in that position as a representative of S.A.D # 75 ever since.

In my time in both these positions I have

learned much about the operation of the association at both the local and state levels, from protecting the contract and its members to rewording MEA Resolutions to reframe the positions of the MEA. Since 2009 I have served as a member of the Clyde Russell Scholarship Committee, the Resolutions Committee and am presently the co-chair of the Government Relations Committee.

In 2012 I was elected to the MEA Board of Directors District J, winning a rare contested race. Since being elected I have attended many local and state meetings, attended a weeklong NEA workshop and worked countless hours on the Mike Michaud for Governor campaign.

Phyllis Hunter When I entered public education, as a second career, I quickly understood the importance of membership in my association and became an active member right away. Soon after joining I assumed the role of Vice-President, and currently serve as Local President and Chief Negotiator.

I also serve MEA members on both the Policy and Appeals Committees, as well as continuing a three-year term on the MEA Board of Directors.

In 2011 the MEA President asked me to serve on the MEA Government Relations Committee. As a result of my hard work with members, State Legislators, and Political Candidates, the MEA Board of Directors awarded me the prestigious Anne Sheehan Political Action Award in 2013. I continue to meet regularly with our State Representatives as a member of ACE. I have organized and facilitated town hall meetings with our State Representatives and members so that many of your voices could be heard It is such a pleasure to work for all MEA members at the National Education Association Representative Assembly. The important work of our National Association needs to hear from you. Your vote will allow me to continue representing you and the important work we do in Maine’s public schools.

Beth French My name is Beth French and I have been an active MEA member and public school educator for thirteen years, I am a third grade teacher in RSU 20 – Education Association By The Bay, where I am a distinguished member of my East Belfast School Leadership Team. I serve on several local committees including Standards Based

Report Card design and implementation, and the Common Core aligned English Language Arts Curriculum Writing Committee.

My most recent project has been to serve in the capacity of a professional development coach as my school community seamlessly implements the Lucy Calkin’s Writing Approach. I am currently serving on RSU 20 Teacher and Principal Evaluation Committee, and statewide on MEA Resolutions Committee.

I am also an active member of my local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. I would be honored to represent my professional perspective and experience on the issues that most effect public education, as an NEA Delegate.

in this capacity. That is why I am asking for your vote once again, to send me as an MEA at-large delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly.

Mary kay Dyer My name is Mary Kay Dyer and I am running for one of the NEA-At-Large seats for the NEA Representative Assembly.

I live in Bowdoinham with my Husband of 39 years. I have three children, two of whom are Teachers. I have been and MEA member for 28 years. I am a Special Ed administrative assistant at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham where I have been employed for 28 years. I have been very active in my local having held the positions of President, Grievance Chair, Chief Negotiator, Negotiator, and Treasurer. At the state level I am an MEA RA delegate and have been for many years. I have also been a past NEA RA Delegate, and a past MEA Board member. I am currently a Trustee for the MEA Benefits Trust and Co-Chair the ESP Ad Hoc Committee. I also sit on the Strategic Budget Committee and a new ACE member.

Stacie Cocola After 20 years of teaching I am constantly surprised at how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. For me, what has changed most is my involvement in my craft. Just last year I went through the rigorous process of National Board Certification and am now proud to say I have joined the 284 other Maine Educators who have earned this distinction. For most teachers, the most difficult parts of our jobs come from outside our classroom walls – from areas over which we feel we have no control.

This lack of control is what spurred my involvement beyond my own classroom. It has been an honor to serve my local as a rep, as Vice-President and now as President. I have been a Representative Assembly Delegate and most recently joined the Government Relations Committee. What I have discovered through my involvement is that the more I learn, the more I realize what I do not know, and in understanding this, I would like to continue learning by becoming an At-Large delegate.

Please vote for me in this year’s election, so I can keep learning and serving the educators and ultimately the students of Maine.

lindsay Davis After graduating from the University of Maine at Machias in 2004, I spent a year teaching preschool in Portland, Oregon.

Shortly thereafter I returned to Maine, where I have been teaching 4th grade at the Albert S. Hall School in Waterville for the past seven years. At the Hall School I also advise a group of students who do community service projects.

Along with being vice president of my local EA, I also serve on the teacher contract bargaining team. Two years ago I was granted the exciting opportunity to stand alongside thousands of educators from around the country and participate in the important work of the National Education Association. It has been my privilege to attend the NEA RA for the last two years as an at-large delegate, and I would love to continue representing our state

Robin Colby I have been the on the Board of Directors for 6 years, representing District G. I have been on the Statewide Bargaining Committee for 8 years. I have attended the MEA RA for 9 years and have represented Maine at two NEA RAs. I am a local Co-President and have been on the negotiating team for 3 negotiations.

Claire Bailey I am seeking to represent you, the members of MEA, at the NEA/RA as a Delegate At-Large.

I have been actively involved in MEA for 14 years. My experience includes being Chief Negotiator and Grievance Chair for my Local for 14 years, a MEA/RA Delegate for 10 years, on the Resolutions Committee for 8 years, on the MEA Board of Directors for 5 years, an NEA/RA Delegate At-Large for 2 years, a NEA Board of Director for Maine for 1 year and currently serve on the Human & Civil Rights Committee, the ESP Ad Hoc Committee and most recently became a member of the ACE program. I hope you will allow me to continue serving you as a representative to the NEA/

RA for the next 2 years as a Delegate AtLarge. I will be “YOUR VOICE” at the National Representative Assembly!!

NEA RA District SEAT Samantha Garnett My name is Samantha Garnett. I am an upperclassmen mathematics teacher at Lewiston High School. I have been teaching at the high school level in Lewiston for the majority of my nine years in the profession. I have a passion for what I do, for mathematics, public education, teaching and learning, and my students. I am a self-proclaimed nerd and openly admit to a romance with number sense, problem solving, cooking, craft beer and classic British literature.

I have been a member of my local, Lewiston Education Association, since my return to the district in 2013. Over the last two years I have become increasingly involved in the association at both the local and state level. I am currently a building representative at Lewiston High School and am serving on our bargaining team for the first time. Through the MEA I have been lucky enough to be a part of Take the Lead and have participated in some fantastic professional and leadership development.

I have also served on the MEA Board of Directors since September 2014.

I look forward to many more years of hard work with my local and the state associations for the benefit of our great profession.

Correction on a Candidate’s Campaign Statement Some members may have received an incomplete sentence on the NEA At-Large Candidates Campaign Statement sheet they received with their ballots. The correct statement is: Jonathan Payne - NEA At-Large Candidate The most powerful thing on earth is an informed voter; so too the most dangerous thing on earth is an uninformed voter, for education is the foundation of our democracy.

March 2015 • www.maineea.org

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Your Association

Magic Crackers

“I had a mom call me and ask, ‘Can you please tell me what kind of crackers you give the kids?’ I said, ‘You’re joking, right? They’re Saltines.’ She said, ‘I bought that and it’s not working.’ I said, ‘They’re not stale like mine and they’re not the special magic crackers I give.’”

The truth is, it’s not the actual crackers that solve the problems in school nurse Michelle Curtis’ office. It’s the “magic” Curtis gives with them that seems to do the trick, regardless of the complaint.

“Many times the kids just need time away—that emotional support—taking that time where they can just vent, tell me what they need to say. I’m here for that too and sometimes that can be more important than taking a temperature,” said Curtis who takes care of 650 students in three schools in Carmel and Levant.

On this Friday, Curtis conducted vision and hearing screenings in between seeing the students who needed the nurse. “I feel like I have lice,” said one elementary school boy who Curtis later said is a frequent student—he comes in often with different issues but mostly she said to talk. Still, Curtis took his claim seriously, immediately grabbed a pencil and started to check his head, carefully separating his hair with the pencil. During the head check, Curtis kicked in her “magic” and began asking the child about his basketball team; he was immediately at ease and talked about his recent game. After a quick look, an explanation of winter and dry skin, the child went back to class.

“When we don’t feel good and we go to work we can’t perform 100%. This is their work; if they don’t feel good, no matter what it is, they can’t learn and they’re not going to meet the standards. Health is their foundation, you build from the inside out and you grow from there,” said Curtis.

And that growth is all happening inside a nurse’s office, shared with the guidance counselor which is about the size of an average half bath.

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Maine Educator • March 2015

In her own words How does poverty impact your life as a school nurse?

The very nature of my job—I’m the first line of defense for health care for these kids. They don’t have access to a doctor—a lot of people rely on the school nurse to assess if there is a real need to see a doctor. My first year we had a student who had a bad infection. We continued to encourage the father that it needed to be looked at—we set him up with a community health care center and explained about the sliding scale fee. We have to educate our families about the importance of health care and what’s available to them.

There is a teaching element to what I do.

My job is to help them become healthy people and explain things like a headache—you might have to drink more water, or why their eyes hurt—it’s because they’re reading in the dark.

It’s educating in that way. A big thing in middle school is they haven’t eaten breakfast. It’s a constant lesson on healthy living.

What’s the most outlandish story you’ve heard from a student?

Yesterday, a kid came down and said his stomach hurt. He said he ate five grilled cheeses the night before and he went to the movie and ate a bucket of popcorn! He wondered why his stomach hurt!

Your Association

Upcoming Events and Deadlines March 11, 2015: Application Deadline Creative Writing Fellowships

Fellowships through the National Endowment for the Arts in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Non-matching grants are for $25,000. These guidelines are for creative writing fellowships in prose. For FY 2015, which is covered by these guidelines, fellowships in poetry are available. Winner will be notified by December 2015 and the earliest start date is January 1, 2016. See more at: http://arts.gov/grants/apply-grant/grants-individuals.

Spring Conference March 20, 2015: Registration Deadline March 28, 2015: Conference Date Say YES! The MEA 2015 Spring Conference is all about saying YES! Say Yes to learning how to write grants.

Say Yes to learning new effective strategies for working with autistic children. Say Yes to finding more time during the day for instruction through experts studying time and teaching. Say Yes to supporting ESP in their work. Say Yes to student success!

The 2015 MEA Spring Conference will offer hands on practical uses for all educators and MEA’s student members. All members are invited and encouraged to attend, learn, socialize and network. As a bonus, you will earn contact hours for your participation.

So…just Say YES to attend the MEA Spring Conference on March 28th at the University of Maine Augusta.

To register: www.regonline.com/Springconf2015

February 15, 2015: Registration Deadline Marine Science Summer Camp

OceansWide is a non-profit organization whose mission is to put students and scientists together at sea in the Gulf of Maine. There is an opportunity for rising 7th, 8th and 9th grade students to attend the OceansWide Marine Science Summer Camp at the newly renovated Schoodic Institute in the heart of Acadia National Park. Registration forms and information for the 2015 summer camp will be available online February 15, 2015. For more information: www.oceanswide.org To learn more about Schoodic Institute opportunities for educators: www.schoodicinstitute.org.

April 7, 2015: Contest Deadline “My Hero Works at School” Essay Contest

The MEA and the Portland Sea Dogs have once again joined together for the 2nd annual “My Hero Works at School” essay contest. The contest is open to all public school students. Please encourage your students to write an essay, no more than 250 words, to explain how a school employee has positively impacted his/her life. Two winners will be selected.

Prize package includes: Sea Dogs tickets for student and school employee and their family or friends on Saturday, June 6th. Winning students will be Junior PA for one inning, announcing the players. On field award ceremony and more! Please send entries to: MEA-Sea Dogs Essay Contest, Attn: Giovanna Bechard, 35 Community Drive Augusta, ME 04330 or E-mail gbechard@maineea.org.

Entries must include the student’s name, home address, phone number, school name and address and grade level.

May 16 & 17, 2015: Event MEA Representative Assembly

MEA members will set the course of the Association at the Representative Assembly (RA) in May. Local associations who would like to send delegates need to hold elections and submit delegate information to the MEA no later than March 5th. The RA is the MEA’s governing body, made up of delegates from locals across the state. Be part of the change you want to see in your profession and speak with your local association leadership about being an MEA RA delegate. The MEA RA will be held in South Portland. For more information contact your local president or Linda Heaney at lheaney@maineea.org.

Is retirement in your future?

MEA offers pre-retirement sessions to help you prepare for life beyond your career in public education. For information regarding retiree membership, dental insurance and information please contact Dianne Leighton at dleighton@maineea.org or 800-281-3191 ext. 2400.

Looking for health insurance information for retirees, contact Sharon Beaulieu at sbeaulieu@meabt.org or 800-452-8709 ext. 2207 March 2015 • www.maineea.org

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