Maine
September 2013 Vol. 74 • Number 1
Educator
MEA: Leading the Way to Great Public Schools for Every Maine Student
Visit MEA Online: www.maineea.org
The Story of Us...
MEA Members (L to R): Meagan Fuller and Beth Sausler (Georgetown Teachers’ Association)
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MEA Members: This Summer I...
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Get Into Academic Shape
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Food For Thought
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Affiliate News
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The Value of Membership
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14 Reasons to be PROUD
Top Issues In Education
The Story of Us
Each August and September since 1979, I prepared for a new school year. I anticipated the next 180 days with nervous anxiety and a great deal of renewed energy. Is there anything better than the beginning of a New Year? Forget about January 1 - for me the first "real" day of the year is September 1 because that is the story of an educator. I prepared lessons, planned units, and rearranged the classroom. But I also anticipated the joys of meeting with each new teacher in the district, sharing information, and encouraging them to join the camaraderie of the local association in the hopes of building a strong voice. A few weeks back I met two members from Lewiston EA. Each reminded me of myself in many ways — dedicated to students and classrooms, looking for a way to be more involved, a way to take charge of our profession. Together with the MEA leadership team, Executive Director and MEA staff we attended a conference to learn how we can better work together and organize our members to reach our common goal of great public schools for every Maine student. MEA’s story is about organizing our members. Since our beginning in November 1859 Lois Kilby-Chesley, MEA President we have been known variously as the State Teachers Association, the Pedagogical Society, and the Maine Teachers Association, but regardless of our name we have always organized to provide for our members. At its inception, the focus was on developing support from towns and appropriations from the Legislature to help provide qualified teachers in every classroom. Since that time the MEA has worked for stricter certification requirements (starting in the 1870’s) and quality professional development (beginning in the 1880’s). By the end of World War II we were organizing around a minimum salary law, a “tenure” law, development of the Maine State Retirement System (now MePERS) and health insurance availability. It wasn’t until 1969 that Maine teachers saw the first collective bargaining law known as the Municipal Employee Labor Relations Law when we partnered with the Maine Municipal Association. As our membership grew to include all categories of preK-12 educational support professionals; higher education faculty, professionals, and clerical; Maine Public Broadcasting and Portland Public Library employees; and of course classroom teachers, MEA found that advocacy for our members meant organizing to increase our political influence, including the pursuit of a grassroots legislative agenda. Our present story remains very similar to our past efforts. We continue to advocate for members in a variety of ways to assure that our students have access to current best practices provided by qualified personnel in an environment that is funded with resources that give equal accessibility and opportunity. Our Strategic Plan states: “Our mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the people of Maine to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed.” In the present climate, how do we accomplish this? We lead our profession in establishing and upholding standards for our profession. Through MEA sponsored professional development like the Fall Conference in November, we bring our members together to share best practices in our profession. No matter what your employment position, we provide opportunities to gain and share information with your colleagues. For K-12 teachers we provide support for National Board Certification and help you reach your NBC goals. At your request we are there to provide training on a myriad of topics that affect you day-to-day – everything from teacher evaluation to Common Core Standards to workplace safety. Regional and area meetings are available several times during the year. Be sure to contact your UniServ office for dates and times. We aim to be the most influential group in Maine to strengthen our profession. We ask for your support in many legislative and local issues. Contacting your elected officials, getting involved in elections, attending MEA Lobby Days, and promoting the goodness of public education carry our message to our communities. Together we make a difference in education policy and decision-making. Please join in when you hear our call. We advocate for salaries, wages and benefits that are competitive with other New England states. Recruitment and retention of qualified employees in public education demands that the states around us don’t drain our professional pool. We continuously advocate for fair, competitive compensation.
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September 2013
www.maineea.org
Top Issues In Education We strive to develop working environments that offer optimum working conditions. When we unite we are better able to support our students and our colleagues. Standing together with one voice makes our schools welcoming environments that foster a sense of family and unified success. We maximize capacity for collective action in all educational arenas. We organize our members, parents, and community members in each of our affiliates when the time comes for large turn-outs of pro-public education supporters. Won’t you join in one of these activities? We can achieve more when we have active and engaged members. Remember, education is everyone’s business. We operate in an efficient and democratic manner for the benefit of our membership. Have you attended a Representative Assembly? Not sure if your Association sends a delegate? You can e-mail Linda Heaney at lheaney@maineea.org, or check with your local president. Each local has the chance to be represented at our annual meeting. Mark your calendar for May 17 and 18 in South Portland. We also have regular Board of Directors meetings that we invite you to attend. Each of our UniServ offices has field staff that can help you learn more about our state association and help you get involved.
We work for the common good of our students and our members. Said simply, we believe that all Maine students should have great public schools. Our story is one of membership and unity and organizing to make every school great. It is about meeting the challenges to assure every child has an equal chance of success. It is about remembering that as an Association we will never lose sight of doing what is right for our students. As we enter the first days of fall I hope you will keep in mind the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The future depends on what we do in the present.”
This Summer I...
Joyce Blakney – Waterville EA – Waterville High School
Lois Kilby-Chesley - MEA President MEA/NEA meetings and a little time with my family. Two days of babysitting my grandkids was totally exhausting!
Jesse Hargrove – Hermon TA – Hermon High School I spent a week in D.C. with the Street Law Inc. Supreme Court Summer Institute. The week included a variety of experts including members from the Bush and Obama administrations, advocates, reporters, former Supreme Court law clerks, and the Chief Justice. We also heard 5 decisions being handed down.
Ten nights on Monhegan with my husband. Four nights on Moosehead with my husband. Three nights on Monhegan with my girlfriends, seven nights in Atlanta at the NEA-RA.
Janice Palmieri Bigos – Kittery EA – Robert W. Traip Academy I took a floor cloth painting class at the Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton.
Nancy A. Moscone – East Millinocket EA – Schenk High School Became a grandmother!!!
Rose Mahoney – UniServ Director UD5
Swam with my two sons.
Two weeks vacation in Roques Bluff, Washington County; Stunningly beautiful and so relaxing.
Kristy Hall Johnson – Coastal EA – Morse Street School
Ann Anderson – Brunswick EA – Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School
Worked as a teller at a local credit union.
Taught summer school.
www.maineea.org
September 2013
Suzanne Burke Boutot – TriTown Education Association (SAD 52) – Leavitt Area High School Sewed a bunch of skirts, iPad sleeves and headbands...READ....crocheted a bunch of socks and sweaters...READ... Shingled the deck's knee wall...READ... Built some outside deck tables.
Amanda Cooper – MEA Board Member – Gorham TA – Gorham Middle School Completed the Maine Cancer Foundation Tri for a Cure triathlon!
Jennie Moroney Butler – Sebago East Shore EA – Windham High School I hiked Mt. Washington!!
Diane Whitmore – Coastal EA – Freeport High School I had knee replacement surgery. It pretty much wiped out my summer, but I’m grateful not to miss school because of it, and grateful that I will NOT be spending this coming school year in pain like I did last year!
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Education News
Q&A
How can vocabulary help you fight the brain drain?
When it comes to vocabulary—are teachers in essence speaking another language when students return to school? Yes!--if the vocabulary never made it into long-term memory. When students learn the lingo of a subject area, they remember them for only a short time unless a stimulus of some kind drives the words from short-term memory into retrievable memory.
“Students will remember what they learn if they attach new knowledge, vocabulary, to existing knowledge.”
How important is remembering vocabulary words? I feel like for some, vocab is just memorizing words…so why is the subject much more than that? Teaching vocabulary is much more than memorization because memorizing doesn’t work for most students. Students will remember what they learn if they attach new knowledge, vocabulary, to existing knowledge. By attaching something new to something already in a student’s permanent memory enables the student to retrieve the knowledge when needed. The trick is to find the right piece of information to attach each word to. When you do this, students don’t memorize but learn how to remember a word and definition.
Are there any online teaching tools educators can use to help implement these techniques in their school? Educators and parents can find all these techniques demonstrated for free at www.verbaleducation.com under free demo. More games and activites that can be used at home or in the classroom are also available for free by clicking the Parents tab. Math teachers can find free handouts on math vocabulary at: www.erikthered.com
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Jeanne Clements,
Founder of Verbal Education
What kind of tools can teachers use to get their students back up to speed? Get them talking about what they know and what they want to know. This can be fun and really easy if teachers use vocabulary games and activities. For example, playing a Simon Says game of words or terms is a great way to work in some physical activity in class, motivate kids to get involved in learning, and build teamwork. There are 8 specific techniques that work well for vocabulary. Brain based research identified them as: visualization, associative memory, place association, morphemic analysis, dialogue, cognition, metacognition, and rehearsal. These techniques may sound complicated but are actually pretty easy to implement.
September 2013
www.maineea.org
Education News
“My Hero Works at School” Essay Contest
The Portland Sea Dogs and the Maine Education Association are jointly sponsoring an essay contest for all students in Maine’s public schools. The topic of the essay is: ‘My Hero Works at School.” Please encourage your students to write an essay, no more than 250 words, to explain how a school employee has had a positive impact on their life. Two winners will be selected. Prize package includes: Sea Dogs tickets for student and school employee and their family and friends. 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.
GRANTit? A EA’s D E E N n ies on M nt opportu
NEWS & NOTES LEADER N IO T A C U D E N A GROW AS ACT HOURS AND EARN CONT
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Are you planning to retire in the next 5 years? If so, you should consider going to one of MEA’s Pre-Retirement Seminars to discuss your health insurance options, the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, and MEA-R. To register for an upcoming session please e-mail Peg Belanger at pbelanger@maineea.org. Registrations are on a first come, first served basis and will close ten days prior to each session. 2013 - 2014 MEA Pre-Retirement Seminars
National Board Certification Workshops Scholarships and CEU credits are available for attending the workshops. Be sure to register early. FMI and to register, contact Cindy Fabbricatore at cfabbricatore@maineea.org and visit: www.maineea.org/home/192.htm
Information Sessions:
Location: MEA Headquarters, Augusta - 1:00pm-2:30pm
Sat., September 28 Sun., October 27
Candidate Support Workshops:
Location: MEA Headquarters, Augusta - 8:30am-2:30pm - Morning coffee, snacks, and lunch will be provided
2013 Sept. 28 Nov. 16 Oct. 27 Dec. 14
Skowhegan - Saturday, October 5, 9am-11am Rockland - Wednesday, October 9, 4:30pm-6:30pm Presque Isle - Saturday, October 19, 9am-11am
Renewal Candidates (2004-05) Workshops: Location: MEA Headquarters, Augusta - 9am-11am
2013 Oct. 27 Nov. 16
For more dates please go to: www.maineea.org/home/1443.htm
www.maineea.org
2014 Jan. 11 March 22 Feb. 8
September 2013
2014 Jan. 11 March 22 Feb. 8
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Member Benefits
Check out the new
Maine
Educator
ONLINE!
The award winning newspaper you love to read is now online!
MAKE IT HAPPEN... MEA’s Fall Conference
Starting with this issue you can access your favorite articles and refer back to important conference dates by simply heading to the MEA website www.maineea.org.
November
15 & 16
On the homepage you will find a new icon (pictured on right). All you have to do is click—and there you have it—the online version of the Maine Educator in a digital magazine format. This new format will give you the chance to share articles you like, directly link to other websites that have even more information about programs or stories that interest you and learn more about opportunities available to all members including professional development/training. CHECK IT OUT AND GO DIGITAL!
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Apply online at www.maine-edcu.org or call today at 1-800-464-3773.
www.maine-edcu.org 1-800-464-3773 MaineEd 80353 EducatorAd.indd 1
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Main Office 15 University Drive Augusta, ME 04330 207-623-3857
September 2013
Chestnut Branch 60 South Chestnut St Augusta, ME 04330 207-623-8396
CATC Branch 40 Pierce Drive Augusta, ME 04330 207-430-0788
Federally Insured by NCUA
8/26/13 3:23 PM
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Food For Thought
Food for Thought
S
tanding over a hot stove at a local restaurant with tortillas, cheeses and meats students in Christopher Eldridge’s Sociology class prepare a stack of delicious papusas, a traditional Salvadoran dish. Later Eldridge’s Scarborough High School students will feast on their meal all while they learn the cultural similarities and differences between the United States and El Salvador. This is just another day in Eldridge’s class.
The unique approach to learning came after Eldridge (Scarborough EA) received a $5,000 Student Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation to introduce “Cultural Awareness through Cooking,” a program that framed studies of different nations through visits to restaurants. Throughout the Spring of 2012 the project encouraged 50 of Eldridge’s juniors and seniors to reduce personal ethnocentrism and foster cultural awareness and respect for diversity. “This project helped me personally understand sociology with a more handson experience,” said junior Joseph LeBlond, Jr. “It took all the things we learned and let us apply them in real life.” Eldridge elaborated, “At first people often react negatively to something different. That is the natural human reaction. The idea is through this experience we can work to understand a culture besides ours on its own terms and not judge it as better or worse than the way we do things.”
“This was one of the most fascinating and memorable experiences I have had in my high school classes.”
The class visited 10 different ethnic restaurants in Portland with various flavors serving Eritrean, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Salvadoran, Somali, and Thai cuisine. During the trips the students not only had a chance to cook the local food but they also spoke with the restaurant owners to discuss differences in culture—topics included everything from styles of education and fashion to civil rights practices and family dynamics. Students used their knowledge gained from the restaurant trips to create a 2030 minute documentary addressing the concept of ethnocentrism. 32 classes at Scarborough High School watched the videos, reaching 600 students. The project allowed students to not only understand other cultures, but also understand the changing face and cultural landscape of the state, giving students an opportunity to experience more diversity. “I aimed to encourage self-reflection. Students’ primary multicultural experiences were the most successful aspect of the project,” Eldridge said. “In class discussions and written reflections students expressed insight into a number of specific experiences cooking and talking with immigrant restaurant workers. Their presentations to other classes were quite productive and teachers of those classes gave me very positive feedback.” Perhaps, though one of Eldridge’s students explained his time in class the best. “This was one of the most fascinating and memorable experiences I have had in my high school classes,” said Jake LeClair. Now that’s truly food for thought. To apply for a grant through the NEA foundation, similar to the one Eldridge received please visit: http://www.neafoundation.org/pages/grants-to-educators/
www.maineea.org
September 2013
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Affiliate News Bangor Educators in Bangor partnered with the Good Shepard Food Bank and held a food drive in the district on the first day of school. This year, the Bangor EA will Charles Galemmo, President of the Maine Community focus on community involvement College System Faculty Association reports after a long legislative session and help from MEA staff, community college and helping their students both in and out of the classroom. The employees, part group collected 835 lbs. of food of the faculty association, settled and $321 for the equivalent of 1,284 meals! their contract. Employees will Watch some of the WABI’s receive a 3% per coverage here: year raise for the http://tinyurl.com/beafooddrive next biennium. In addition, the community college system agreed to a 2% increase for last year to be MEA-R Member Focuses on Combating paid retroactively and a $300 bonus. Galemmo says if not for the lobbying at the Lyme Disease State House and continued talks with the Education Committee the final offer from management would have only been a 1% Bob Maurais, co-owner increase per year for the biennium. To fight for a pay increase, of Mainely Ticks, a tick after four years of no increases, Galemmo and more than a management service in dozen MEA members testified about the inequity in pay and the Windham and Wells is now loss of quality employees to other institutions because of the serving another teaching goal lack of a fair wage. after leaving the classroom— Maurais is focused on educating people about Lyme Disease. Maurais was the 1996 Maine Membership Meetings Teacher of the Year and started Members from around the state came together in late August his tick management business to discuss the value of membership and how to share our when he found a tiny tick on successes as an association. The meetings were part of the his 3-year-old granddaughter. MEA membership drive. Many of the members who attended Maurais stresses the importance say they are excited to share the story of the MEA and their of a “tick check” because Maine local with new educators. Part of the effort to encourage new has the nation’s third highest rate of Lyme disease. Now, educators to join includes making locals more visible in their Maurais’ business focuses on reducing that figure to protect communities. Many already do positive things for their students those who enjoy the outdoors. and towns, like sponsoring little league teams. The goal now is for others to join in that effort so everyone can truly see how our MEA members go above and beyond both in and out of the Organizing Conference classroom. Keith Levesque and Brian Banton (Lewiston EA) joined MEA staff and leadership at a conference in Massachusetts in late August. The conference brought all the Northeast states together to talk about how we as an association can better share our goals and successes with others through the process Uniserv Director Joan Morin (UD 7) meets with her local leaders to of what’s called “organizing.” Both learned the benefits of prepare for the 2013-2014 school year. organizing which they are taking back to their local association. Organizing can give members a greater say in their profession and more academic freedom.
Maine Community College System Faculty Association
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September 2013
www.maineea.org
Afffiliate News Educator Carnival: “Recess for Adults”
Scarborough
Educators and their families from around the state met in Unity in August to attend the first ever MEA Educator Carnival and Picnic. Members brought their families to spend the afternoon having fun, playing traditional carnival games while enjoying the good company and barbeque provided. Members who attended say it was really nice to see the MEA sponsor something for them and their families with a complete focus on enjoying the company of other educators. The event, hosted at Field of Dreams Park gave members the chance to play a game of soccer while kids played on the swing sets. As one member said—“It was like recess for adults, thanks MEA!”
The Scarborough custodian and food service contract is going to fact-finding. The school board filed for fact-finding with the Maine Labor Relations Board. The major issues are outsourcing of the custodians as well as major wage and benefit concessions which are far below a living wage for both custodians and food service employees. The reduction in wage and health insurance requests come as the administrators in the district gave themselves a 9% raise. MEA staff continue to work with Scarborough EA to help them through this process.
Do you have interesting events going on in your local? We want to know! Send your story to meaweb@maineea.org This year, back-to-school could mean insurance savings This school year could be your year to save on insurance. With Horace Mann’s multiline discounts you could be eligible for significant savings, and we offer special school-related coverage for educators at no additional cost. Want to know more? Contact your local Horace Mann 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 Troy True, Brunswick - 207-729-1975 Paul Yarnevich, S. Portland - 207-510-6600
www.maineea.org
David Case, Bangor - 207-941-2121 Jeff Delisle, Augusta - 207-623-5004 Martha Frost, Falmouth - 207-797-3019 Charles Lynch, Camden - 207-230-7620 Dominic Vermette, Waterboro/Kennebunk - 207-247-0186
September 2013
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Leading the way to great public schools for every Maine student L’Heureux Named 2013 James Grigsby “Elementary Art Educator of Madison Memorial Foundation Fellow the Year” Maine teacher Normand “Skip” L’Heureux received the 2013 James Madison Memorial Fellowship from the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation in Alexandria, VA. Skip is the President of the Boothbay Region Educators Association and teaches at Boothbay Region High. He is among 56 recipients nationwide to receive this honor and the only teacher from Maine. A James Madison Fellowship funds up to $24,000 of each Fellow’s course of study towards a master’s degree. That program must include a concentration of courses on the history and principles of the United States Constitution. The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation recognizes outstanding teachers that promote learning about the country’s government and constitution in their classrooms.
Congratulations to Cathy Grigsby for being named the 2013 Maine Art Education Association’s “Elementary Art Educator of the Year.” Grigsby (Lake Region TA) teaches at Stevens Brook Elementary School. Cathy has spent three decades helping young children tap into their artistic side. Grigsby was honored at a celebration at the University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor. Well done, Cathy!
MEA Members Raise 4th Most Nationally at NEA RA
Our members are truly amazing. This Congratulations Skip on a job well done! summer 35 attended the largest gathering of Maine Educator Receives Multiple public school educators in the country in Awards at SEE Conference Atlanta. The meeting, The MEA was recognized this summer for its communications called the National Education Association with members, receiving 5 awards from the State Education Representative Editors, including “Best Newspaper.” The honors were presented at the organization’s 68th annual conference held in Assembly (NEAAtlanta, GA. RA), brought nearly 10,000 educators from The MEA Communications team won the following awards. each state to discuss Best Newspaper – First Place education policies and Special Publication, 2013 Legislative Agenda—First Place beliefs. Maine educators participated in the discussions and in the process also raised Best News Story, “Teacher Evaluations, Making the money to help children and public education. In fact, Maine Grade?” — Award of Distinction Education Association members raised the fourth highest amount per conference attendee for the NEA Fund for Children Best Photography, “Strength in Numbers”— Award of and Public Education. Once again, our members prove they are Distinction willing to go above and beyond when it comes to helping our Best E-News, MEA E-mail Newsletter — Award of students succeed. Way to go! Distinction
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September 2013
www.maineea.org
make it happen... 2013 Fall Conference at the
Samoset Resort
November
15 & 16
make it happen... 2013 Fall Conference at the
Samoset Resort
November
15 & 16
Membership
Share the Value of Membership This summer the MEA Board of Directors met with Staff to discuss our existing and potential membership. The meeting addressed the new approach the MEA will use to explain to non-members the true value of joining. As existing members, first the MEA would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work both in and out of the classroom. As we look forward to this school year the MEA will continue to support your work in every way possible. This is the message we are sharing with potential members. In the past, the MEA didn’t reach out to those who were not current members in an organized way. As you know, we are stronger when we stand together with one unified voice. The louder that voice is--the better--as we continue to protect and explain the benefits of public education to our communities and policy makers in Augusta.
You Are Never Alone As a member, you stand side-by-side with more than 24,000 other members in the state. There is strength in numbers. If you need help with professional concerns, the MEA is there. If you want professional development, the MEA is there. If you need an advocate, the MEA is there. If you want a voice in public policy, the MEA is there. You are never alone. We encourage you to share that message with potential members so they too can see the value in membership.
Reaching Out
(R to L) UniServ Director Ross Ferrell, Amanda Cooper (Gorham TA), and Jim Thornton (Oxford Hills EA) participated in a discussion about current and potential members.
As part of this year’s membership drive, the MEA reached out to all educators who are not members, whether they are first year educators or veterans. They all received, in the mail, a membership booklet explaining who we are, what we do and the benefits of membership. This mailing is intended to only be an introduction to our professional association—a quick look at what we do. As you know, simply having a conversation with someone who is not a member and explaining the benefits of what the Association does for all its members will make our Association stronger. The more people who join the more we can do to help strengthen our profession, increase our pay and create better public schools for all students. Remember, the power of a friendly “hello” to someone you don’t know can make this difference. The MEA wants all potential members to feel they have someone in their corner, on their side, as they navigate through their school. We hope you can be that “someone” for a new educator in your district.
As seen on TV...
“MEA- Inspire”
“MEA- Great Teacher”
To watch the latest videos from MEA log on to: www.vimeo.com/maineed
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September 2013
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A 14 Reasons To Be Proud Of Our Accomplishments
s you get back into the swing of things this school year, take a moment, sit back and realize there are many reasons to be proud of your work and proud of the accomplishments of the Maine Education Association. We could have created a list of just ten or perhaps 20 reasons to be proud—but we settled on the following fourteen. When times get tough at the local level, or you find yourself struggling to provide classroom supplies because of tight budgets handed to your community by the state, remember these accomplishments, knowing all of our hard work is not going unnoticed.
1. MEA conferences are better than ever because we listened to members and paid attention to evaluations. We make sure to hold our conferences in places where people want to go and that they provide incredible information to participants. 2. MEA now has more recognition in Augusta. We are listened to, and legislators look to us for answers, when they are faced with education issues. 3. MEA introduced the Emerging Voices Program, encouraging members to train through their local leaders and UniServ Directors to build their voice in the Association and strengthen our locals and our organization. 4. MEA joined partners with WMTW-TV to combat bullying in our schools. The anti-bully initiative will continue through this school year to help spread an important message and protect our students. 5. MEA worked hard to change the Rules of Restraint and Seclusion in the classroom so that both our educators and our students were protected. Members who shared their stories with lawmakers and the MEA, helped bring upon that change. 6. MEA members wrote hundreds of letters to lawmakers to help impact the rule making process surrounding teacher evaluations. The letters and testimony from members at the Statehouse helped legislators understand your work’s value cannot simply be based on a single student test score. 7. The MEA’s resources have been used to research the finances of the University and Community Colleges. With that information, the MEA worked hard to put pressure on administrators in both systems as some bargaining units worked without raises. The effort included a work-to-rule and a campaign to raise public awareness about the unfair working conditions on campuses across the state. The MEA protects the rights of faculty and staff, advocating for you each year. 8. MEA members participated in a big way in the 2012 campaign and continue to donate to the political action committee that helps the Association’s work in ensuring education friendly politicians are elected and legislation to help our students moves forward. 9. The public has a better understanding of who the MEA is, our mission and our dedication to create great public schools for every Maine student. We receive media coverage consistently and are looked at by members of the media as an education resource. 10. MEA trained teachers in the new evaluation process to help guide them in their work. Training sessions were held in every region of the state, to make sure that all members from Madawaska to Eliot had access to the full resources of the MEA. 11. MEA members dedicated their time and energy to lobbying for public education in Augusta. This is noble work and our members made sure to share their stories with the politicians who have a direct say in things like funding for our public schools. 12. MEA members stood by our MPBN brothers and sisters when the radio station announced layoffs. The MEA donated $500 out of the contingency fund to help funding for the station, in support of our MPBN members. 13. MEA joined educators in RSU 19 to pass a school budget when the voters in the Newport area communities failed to approve a loan to balance the school budget, twice. Members who worked with MEA staff to step up and get people to the polls prevented a school shut down which would have cost Association jobs. 14. MEA helped local Associations across the state pass local school budgets and elect local school board members that will support our educators in the future. By organizing members in communities statewide and reaching out through mailings, members along with MEA help made many elections successful ones.
Thank you for all you do for Maine’s students and for our professional association—it is because of you that we are able to achieve so much success.