Educator
MAINE
teacher Evaluation: turning the tide
7
Apps
for
Everyator Educ
Start Smart 3
Read with ME Member to member book suggestions
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September 2014 Vol. 75 • Number 1
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IT’S YOUR ASSOCIATION. READ ALL ABOUT IT. contents 4 5 9 21
New Design Explanation Ask Lois Fast Facts Just For Fun
6
Design Your Space
As you get settled in for the new school year, learn some tips and tricks from members to create a workspace that will give you a more organized space for the least amount of money. Want to know how to make a dried up marker write again? Struggle with creating new bulletin board designs? This article is for you!
13
Salary Round Up Who makes what and where? Find out if your pay is in line with what members earn in other parts of the Northeast. Also, learn the average starting hourly wage for ESPs across the state.
Fall Conference
SAVE THE DATE October 31st-November 1st
Don’t miss out on upcoming professional development, training and grant opportunities to help you grow in your profession. See more events and deadlines on page 20
12
Turning the Tide on Teacher Evaluations
With an evaluation system in place that teachers complained didn’t help them grow in their profession, members took action and turned the tide. Learn how the Association took charge and gave members the chance to be part of the process in creating a fair evaluation system. 2
Maine Educator • September 2014
6
News You Can Use
6 Design Your Space 9 Fast Facts 10 Perspectives: Have iPads and tablets revolutionized education?
11 7 Apps for Every Educator
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Advocacy 12 13 14 15 16
“Wow! Wow! Wow! We are both incredibly humbled by this news!”
Your Association 17 18 19 20
MAINE
- Marsha Wood (Oxford Hills EA, not pictured) in response to student Katie Hallee being selected as a winner in the first “My Hero Works at School” essay contest.
What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?
17
Did You Know? Read with ME Pride in Public Schools Events and Deadlines
Educator
Volume 75 Number 1 - Copyright 2014 Editorial Staff
Attend county fairs
Managing Editor - Robert Walker, Executive Director Editor - Giovanna Bechard, Communications Director Layout/Ad Manager - Allison Coombs, Communications Assistant
President - Lois Kilby-Chesley Vice President - Grace Leavitt Treasurer - Denise Simoneau NEA Director - Michael Thurston
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.
MEA Elected Officers Walk in the leaves
Teacher Evaluation: Turning the Tide Salary Round Up Meet a MEA Member and Advocate You Decide Last Summer WE...
Baking apple pies and pumpkin goodies
For advertising rates and information please contact: Allison Coombs, 35 Community Dr., Augusta, ME 04330, acoombs@maineea.org 207-622-4418 ext. 2206
Board of Directors Phyllis Hunter, Steven Knowles, Jesse Hargrove, Cyndy Fish, Jan Calderwood, Jill Watson, Jim Thornton, Terry Martin, Amanda Cooper, Mary Sue Jackson, Roger Roy, Robin Colby, Neil Greenberg, Crystal Ward, Bob Calderwood
Apple picking
Send letters to the editor, questions, and comments to gbechard@maineea.org
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. September 2014 • www.maineea.org
3
Introducing...
the NEW Maine Educator When my 8th grade year ended at Crossroads Middle School in South Brunswick, NJ I “graduated” with braces and still wearing a My Little Pony shirt complete with purple yarn hair on the horse that moved when I walked. (In my defense for the poor wardrobe choice, kids didn’t grow up as fast then as they do now.) That 8th grade summer, I got my braces off, managed to figure out how to dress and by the time I started high school I grew up, at least in appearances. My transition from 8th grade to high school is similar to the transition your Maine Educator made this summer. As your editor, I wanted each of you to feel like your member publication was not only one you could be proud of but one that would provide you the most up-to-date and interesting information you want to read and have fun reading. I felt in order for that to happen, the Association needed to make the switch from newsprint to magazine. You are professionals and your publication should look and feel as professional as possible, reflecting the work you do each day. I know this is a dramatic switch and the previous format was wonderful, but without willingness to change and try something new…let’s face it…who knows how much longer I would have worn that My Little Pony shirt? It’s proof that change can be good, if you’re willing to try.
Then
Your Communications Department has done a lot of research this summer—we’ve asked members what they would like to read, how they would like it laid out on a page, what kinds of topics we should focus on. We’ve also worked with the “big guys” in the NEA world, places like California and New Jersey to help us redesign the publication. The help from other state affiliates who have greater resources will only benefit you, the members.
Your new Maine Educator is divided into three different sections:
News You Can Use includes helpful tips, best practices and interesting information about public education. Advocacy highlights education policy, collective bargaining issues, members’ rights and legislative issues that affect public education and your work.
Now
Your Association showcases the great work of our members and offers information about trainings and conferences along with exclusive benefits. You can always also find your new Maine Educator online at www.maineea.org/maineeducatoronline. Feel free to share the link and share your copy of the magazine when you’re through reading it. Think about sharing it with a non-member or leaving it in a lounge at your school, in your hair salon or at your favorite coffee shop. It is important for others to see how hard you work for Maine students…so spread the word. As always, if you have ideas or input and feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact me at gbechard@maineea.org. I hope you enjoy your new Maine Educator !
Giovanna Bechard Maine Educator Editor 4
Maine Educator • September 2014
Lois on the Issues
ASK Lois Kilby-Chesley, MEA President
How can I help my district recruit new members to our Association? This is such an important question! Every MEA member joins because they have been asked by a colleague. Our Association is all about building relationships to build a strong organization. It takes each of us, from you in the schools and universities to me as MEA president, to keep our Association growing. It helps when you build a solid presence in every building so everyone sees the vitality the Association brings to the school community. As you return to school re-member our membership: Make sure every new hire in your school is approached by an existing member. Reach out to every potential member. The most cited reason for not joining is because a person wasn't ever asked. Assume each person will join. Start with "Let's get you signed up" because it is easy to say "yes" to a positive message. Our members can join from day one. Never think that new hires shouldn't join because they are "probationary." Be positive. Focus on issues that are important to a potential member. Using the "fear factor" is not the best approach. Be sure to contact your UniServ office for help with membership plans. And be sure to contact me if you would like me to visit your school (lkilby-chesley@maineea.org or 1-888-622-4418 x 2220). I love to visit schools and classrooms ~ and I will bring treats, too! I read NEA doesn't support President Obama's Secretary of Education. What's with that? At the NEA Representative Assembly (RA) in early July, the RA delegates voted to call for the resignation, of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. More recently at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) annual convention, AFT members told President Obama to put Duncan on an "improvement plan" and if improvement isn't imminent, ask for his resignation. ABC News reports that the tipping point for education activists was Duncan's agreement with the Vergara decision in California that struck down tenure and other job protections for the state's public school teachers. But the problem with Duncan began much earlier. Remember the fiasco in Central Falls, RI in February 2010? Duncan applauded the firing of every teacher from the small high school. The school is in a poverty area and was unable to bring its students up to criteria set in an "improvement plan.” Let's not forget that Mr. Duncan said Hurricane Katrina was the best thing that could have happened to schools in New Orleans. Say, what? New Orleans' school district is rampant with high numbers of students in poverty before and following the devastation that killed more than 1,000 residents. Duncan definitely spoke without thinking following the hurricane and the resulting "reform" of New Orleans schools. Duncan supported the change over from public schools to charter schools, which have persistently scored D's and F's on the state's report card. The Recovery School District as it is known, is now made up entirely of charter schools. Last year Arne Duncan, former school superintendent for the city of Chicago, showed his true colors which reinforced his test-driven reform, during the Chicago Teachers Strike. This reminded us that during his time as head of Chicago schools he closed neighborhood schools replacing them with charter schools, and replaced public school teachers with charter school employees. NEA RA Delegates voted for Duncan’s resignation with recent history in mind.
“Membership recruitment can, and should, happen all year long. Sometimes it will take three or more contacts before a new colleague hears all the important offerings from the MEA and local.”
“Engage every member in your school in the work of the Association. It helps in future leadership recruitment and keeps current leaders from being overwhelmed.”
“It shouldn't come as any surprise that NEA members are calling now for Arne Duncan to step aside. The Vergara decision was really just the straw that broke the camel’s back!”
Do you have a question for Lois? Send it by e-mail to lkilby-chesley@ maineea.org. Unfortunately space restriction may prevent some responses from being printed.
September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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Can U se
Design Your Space
u News Yo
Not sure how to stay organized this school year? Don’t know how you will make space for everything? Fear not. We’ve collected some of the best design tips for your workspace and tricks to help make your job a little easier. So whether you’re a maintenance worker looking for a place to put your hammer and nails or high school teacher trying to figure out how to best store your students’ iPads, we have the answers for you. We even threw in a few other creative ideas! Share classroom & design tips:
Classroom Tricks Keep Hands Clean -
TALK facebook.com/maineea or To US tweet us @maineea
iPad Storage Station - Use
a dish drying rack to individually hold your class iPads. Plug each iPad in and use wire ties to keep control of the cords or run them along the side in between the spaces of the rack. Connect each plug to a power strip which is zip tied to the drying rack. This keeps iPads in order and charges them at the same time.
Use a rubberband or hair tie to control the amount of hand sanitizer that comes out of the bottle. Connect the band to the neck of the pump—the pump will only go down as far as the band will allow.
Revive Dried Out Markers - When markers have dried out, pour 1/2 inch of nail polish remover into a paper cup and let the marker tips soak in the solution for 30 seconds. Let them dry for five minutes before using. The acetone in the remover restores moisture without diluting the color and draws ink down to the tip of the markers.
Electrical Tape - Use it to section
off space on your white board. You can create spaces for things like homework, agenda, the date, SAT word of the day. The possibilities are endless.
Be Clutter Free—On the Cheap Don’t say you’re cheap—say you upcycle. What’s upcycle? It’s when you take something you might normally recycle and transform it into something new. One of the best things about upcycling—it doesn’t cost much to create what you need out of things you already have. Here are a couple of great items to upcycle:
Member Design Tip I am a travelling teacher with a cart. I went to a discount store and bought a car console organizer—the thing you would put in between your seats. I use it on top of my cart to hold pens, pencils and other supplies. It even holds my coffee—that’s important! - Sammie Garnett, Lewiston EA 6
Maine Educator • September 2014
Desk Fabric - Don’t want a
black metal desk? Stretch fabric over the front to give it a fresh look.
Tin cans - clean them out, spray paint them, hot glue together, wrap with a ribbon, and add a rope handle for an organizer. Use tuna cans and place them in your desk drawer to organize small items like paper clips and push pins.
Baby wipe containers you can easily turn these containers into storage for crayons, markers, paint etc. Use smaller wipe containers (the travel size ones) for things like pens and pencils.
News You Can Use
Create Additional Storage Space
Use the top of a table - Use a shoe rack here as well…but this time the kind that is meant for the floor of your closet and is made of inexpensive wooden shelves. Place the shoe rack, available in usually white or black, and place it on top of a table to create instant storage. Find out more at: http://tinyurl.com/ClassStorage
Take advantage of vertical space Repurpose a closet shoe rack. Hang the shoe rack on the wall or from your blinds and use the space you would place your shoes to store different items that don’t already have a home.
Use the space underneath a table -
Attach a tablecloth or sheet to the edges of a table students don’t sit at and use the space underneath to store extra bins and boxes. The cloth will cover the boxes and give you extra space at the same time.
Member Design Tip I use bins on wheels that are stackable to organize work. I have a bin for things like corrected work and a bin for work missed while students were absent. When they're absent, anything I hand out I write their name and period number on it and it goes in the absent bin. Kids will say to me, ‘you never gave that to me.’ I say ‘go to the bin.’ It's a paper management tool that helps me stay organized. - Amanda Cooper Gorham TA
Create a Must See Bulletin Board
Scrap the Paper Use flat sheets from a discount store to cover your bulletin board. Sheets can be cheaper than designed fabric from a craft store and come in endless colors and patterns. Want to change the board more often? Use plastic tablecloths instead.
Member Design Tip I have a regular folder with a pocket on each side for each class. One side is for incoming work that I need to score and look at. The other side is used for work that needs to be passed back. - Jesse Hargrove, Hermon TA
Tweet Twitteerewtith this bulletin board that to Tw reate a Take a step in whatsoever. C ts en em el y g lo has no techno ws students to lo al at th board they learned “tweet” what low for the that day. To al d” to change “lessons learne inate white each day, lam and hang strips of paper arker by a dry erase m s gives the board. Thi ance to students the ch ssons absorb your le es of ey through the . ts other studen
September 2014 • www.maineea.org
7
Start Smart
Getting back in the swing of school is an exciting time. There are new students and new ideas, and there may also be new rules and procedures to follow. You may not feel the stress now and experts say you don’t have to, if you learn how to handle what lies ahead. “You’ve got to keep your eye on the ball and maintain perspective. Don’t get lost in the ancillary administrative demands outside the classroom. Because at the end of the day your relationship with your students and turning on that light…the enhancement of their knowledge…that’s what’s most important. See the forest through the trees. You don’t want to get too bogged down. When you go into the classroom you are present. That’s an important skill for any instructor to develop,” says Dr. Liz Vella (AFUM) who teaches Health Psychology at the University of Southern Maine. The million dollar question though—is how to keep your eye on the prize. Dr. Vella offers these three suggestions:
3 ExpErt tips to ManagE strEss
Learn to say no — Be wary of spreading
Cover Story
Start the Year Right
Introduce yourself. Post your bio outside of your classroom and ask others to do the same. You never know what you may have in common with your coworkers and students. Be positive. Find something positive about each student and share it in a special note you send home at least once a year. Check school policy. If you plan to teach some thing that could be considered controversial make sure you are following your district policy. It’s not a bad idea to check with your principal too. Support your association. Join or become more
yourself too thin. You can’t be expected to do involved in your local education association for professional development and for the mora everything everyone asks you to do. Be aware l support of people who understand what your day is of what is a requirement of your position and really like. what tasks do you have the discretion to yield to others or simply not participate in. That Remember three qualities of being a good educ ator; is the road to burnout—the demand control be flexible, be patient, and keep your sense of relationship—when you have high demand humor. and low control. Those circumstances are toxic in the workplace. This can tend to Dr. Liz Vella develop workload strain stress. The next time you get an e-mail from a superior asking to participate on a committee ask yourself, “is this a volunteer position?” If the answer is yes, then feel free to say no. Get a peer mentor — Meet on occasion to chat about your experiences and talk about issues confidentially for tips and advice to improve the situation. Make use of a mentor. The next time you find yourself saying ‘My life is so difficult and I’ll never make it through this,’ reach out to your mentor. The negative thought tends to exacerbate the issue and the stressor. So when we talk to others, particularly those who have been through our life experience, this will minimize our stress and we can then draw on our connections with others because this other person was able to get through the experience and survived it. Organization and time management are your friend — Look at what you have to do when and plan accordingly…be strategic. The ones who say, ‘I’ll figure it out as I go’ will be more vulnerable to stress. Being strategic in terms of time management is really important in terms of burden. You need to be clear on how you’re going to satisfy your requirements under a time frame.
How do you stay stress free?
“I have a very organized space. There is a place for everything. We spend a lot of time going over the procedure, safety, assignments and homework.” - Carol Pelletier, Region 8 EA
8
Maine Educator • September 2014
“From a special education perspective I make sure I know when I am going to have all of my IEP meetings and get that all lined up. If I am less stressed my students are less stressed.” - Jill Watson, Maranacook Area Schools Association
“I schedule something fun to do the day before school starts so I am not allowed to be in school that day. I give myself a vacation day before the first day.” - Holly Trottier, KennebunkArundel-Kennebunkport EA
News You Can Use
Fast Facts
950
$
vs.
750
$
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
The weekly median earnings in 2012-2013 for those who are union members versus employees who are non-union members, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Our schools are evolving as they transition to “proficiency-based learning…Everyone is responsible for helping to overcome truancy and disengagement – the result of the growing number of children in crisis because of poverty and other family stressors. To address these obstacles, it is crucial to have strong relationships between families and schools. These relationships require shared responsibility among teachers, administrators, students, families and the community.” Special to the Press
Herald, Sarah Brokofsky (Westbrook EA) and Kate Smith (Quamphegan EA), Maine County Teachers of the Year
$49,232 2013-14 average teacher salary in Maine, according to NEA research.
Maine pays its teachers the lowest out of all the New England states.
12
the number of states where lawmakers are getting more involved in setting academic standards for K-12 students after a Common Core backlash—in some cases lawmakers are writing the standards themselves.
8 out of 10
Number of K-12 Instructional Staff listed on the Maine Education Data Management System (MEDMS) who are MEA members, giving members a greater voice in their profession.
"I never met a kid that came in a standardized box. Not one! So what we want to do is to say how do you open that public school to all of the opportunities that kid should have, and while we obsess over hitting a cut score on a standardized test, that's never going to happen." - NEA President-elect Lily Eskelsen García
published in www.dailykos.com
37th
Maine’s Rank
in the U.S. for average teacher salary, according to NEA Research.
September 2014 • www.maineea.org
9
PE
S
C RSPE TIVE
Have iPads and tablets revolutionized education?
YES
No
I am a music teacher in Waterville Junior and Senior High schools where I use iPads regularly to improve my work and student instruction. Last school year, our junior high made the switch from laptops to iPads. Students have used their iPads for many projects, some of which were Garageband for composition, Airdrop for instant file sharing, and as a digital recorder. Garageband is Apple’s music software program. It is full of activities like piano and guitar, electronic drum kits, and prerecorded “loops” that students pull together to create unique pieces of music. There is so much variety within the program that students can access jazz, classical, and many other genres to apply in different projects within their general music class. When students are ready we can wirelessly share by connecting their iPads to the Apple TV that is attached to the projector. This makes peer assessment as well as teacher assessment extremely fast and easy. In our music classrooms, students can peer-review by accessing an electronic document I create and share with them. There are many ways to share a document between teachers and students. When I create a document I can choose to share that document with students by using the Airdrop feature on our iPads. Students receive rubrics, templates, instructions and more and can use regular wordprocessing software to complete their work and then send it back to me. In Waterville, we have also used Ebackpack as a way to share files. In addition to documents, Ebackpack has a great feature allowing students to share digital recordings. Sometimes I have up to 60 students in one class and it seems unrealistic to ask students to record themselves performing. Solo performing can bring a lot of anxiety and can be time consuming to listen to individually during class time. However, if I am going to assess someone fully within my classroom I have to know what their performance level is. iPads have made it so amazingly easy for students to record themselves by holding their iPads up to their mouths or instruments during regular rehearsal. After students record themselves, they can share the file with me privately and I can give meaningful feedback to them on an individual basis. iPads are now an indispensable way for me to teach music. I keep finding more and more ways to incorporate them in meaningful ways. I can’t wait to see what else is coming! Ciara Hargrove, Waterville EA Maine Educator • September 2014 10
Tablets and iPads have not changed my teaching or revolutionized my work. The revolution already happened. The real revolution occurred when I decided to develop asynchronous courses to meet student needs. I am a professor of mathematics and business, and I easily adapted my upper level business courses to online, asynchronous delivery and was surprised to see how that affected my traditional face-to-face courses. The maturity of the learners and the similar academic backgrounds facilitated the process, and masked many of the inherent problems that were avoided. However, I quickly realized that the taped modules and prepared materials and exercises were suitable as supplemental instruction tools for my traditional courses, and they involved the use of multiple technologies and diverse tools. When I developed an upper level, asynchronous, online statistics course to support our professional programs, I was forced to face many problems that were not apparent in my business courses. I found that I needed to rely on technology to develop the calculation skills. This had to be studentfocused and not time sensitive because students came with widely diverse mathematical and technological backgrounds and capabilities. I used computer assisted learning to individually develop calculation skills, and I focused my time and group exercises on problem identification, and framing a situation so that it could be analyzed quantitatively in a valid and useful way that resulted in a suitable solution to a problem. This process involved using Blackboard, laptop computer and smart phone on my part. Students had to use Blackboard, but the technology they used was their choice as long as it was compatible with what was required. For those reasons, I stated that the revolution has already happened. If you are not using tablets or iPads, then you have to be using some other technology that has similar properties. I prefer my laptop to a tablet. I use Excel for statistical problems because of ubiquity, and I avoid specialized statistical programs. When I am teaching a future nurse about statistics, I am expecting him/her to be able to identify a problem and to know what tools can validly analyze and solve that problem. I am more concerned with the student recognizing what type of data is involved, what tools are suitable, how to use those tools, and how to interpret the results obtained from those tools. In retrospect, what is revolutionary is the focus on student learning outcomes rather than Roger Roy, Associated Faculties of the on delivery of content. And that is independent University of Maine (AFUM) of technology.
7
Apps for
Every Educator
Kids Discover Space Cost: $3.99 An interactive book with more than 200 images, facts and diagrams. The app allows students to travel to space learning about things like star clusters, black holes and the solar system as a whole. This app is rated new and noteworthy by Apple. Edmodo Cost: Free Provides a safe, easy way for teachers and students to engage and collaborate for free, anytime, anywhere. Teachers can post messages, discuss classroom topics, assign and grade class work, and share content and materials. Dragon Box Algebra 12+ Cost: $9.99 An inexpensive algebra tutor that covers curriculum from late primary to early high school.
Tech T@lk There are seemingly endless choices when it comes to apps that may help you in the classroom. There are apps to organize your work, apps that focus on specific lessons. There is even an app that lets parents track children while they are on the school bus. Below are seven apps that can help you go digital.
Interactive Science Glossary: Life Science Cost: Free A great review and study tool for learning nearly 100 life science terms and concepts. The app is best used for middle and high school students learning everything from the human body to cells to ecosystems. Lessons are presented in a variety of forms including videos and flashcards.
SpellingCity Cost: Free A fun way to learn spelling and vocabulary words by playing different kinds of games using different word lists.
Free Graphing Calculator Cost: Free
Olly Safe Browser with Parental Controls Cost: Free This is an iPhone browser you control. It’s perfect for schools because the teacher can decide the level of blocking and automatically removes certain items from potential searches. Also available for iPad. September 2014 • www.maineea.org
11
Turning the Tide
How one local took charge of Teacher Evaluations
cac y
A
dvo
Since the new teacher evaluation law went into effect local associations are working to get members involved in the process. The new law requires teachers to have input on the components of the performance evaluation and professional growth system to ensure that it is helpful, fair and reflective. The new rules are in place thanks in part to the hard work of the Maine Education Association and its members. For many locals this new law will allow teachers a fresh start in eliminating a system that didn’t help them grow and in turn didn’t help students succeed. To make the new system work for teachers, many local associations have already taken the required vote to either accept or reject the evaluation system in place and in some cases, that vote made all the difference.
Q&A with Lewiston EA
What was wrong with the evaluation system before the local association got involved in the process?
Jean Roy
lewiston High school spanish teacher, outgoing president lewiston Ea
Brian Banton geiger Elementary school Ell teacher, lewiston Ea
Nicole Argraves MEa uniserv director
Jean: The principals all did it differently. In my building the person who did my evaluation was very easy so I didn’t have to assemble a large portfolio, but a colleague of mine had to make sure all her I’s were dotted. People weren’t getting treated the same way. There was an evaluation committee but the problem with the initial committee was they were rubber stampers. The district handed the evaluation system out to us and they gave us one Wednesday afternoon per month to explain how it was going to work and we were measured as we were learning about it. We were building the boat and sailing in it at the same time. Nicole: The superintendent was acting like his evaluation system was the only way to truly identify if a teacher was successful in the district. We know multiple measures need to be considered in any evaluation to best help a teacher grow in their profession. The association felt this was a strong point to push. Previously teachers who were rated as distinguished were being told under the superintendent’s new system that their prior rating didn’t matter and it would be disregarded. This was something the association didn’t think was right and asked me, as their MEA representative, to step in and help. Brian: Last year I was at the very bottom of the “effective rating.” I think I got a 72. It wasn’t the rubric for the classroom evaluation I had a problem with—I did well on that stuff. It was the measures of student growth because of the position I work in. My students, who are English Language Learners, don’t perform as well. I only had 10 kids so if I have three kids do very poorly, all of a sudden I don’t make it anymore.
How did the Lewiston Education Association improve the teacher evaluation system for everyone? Jean: We were asked to vote on the make-up of the committee that decided what the evaluation system would look like. I asked to speak and I explained to our teachers the initial group, that was currently in place who created the system no one likes, was appointed by administration. When the teachers understood that they could vote those people out and choose new teachers, who were LEA members, they felt much better. They understood that they had some control of some of the members of the committee. The LEA actively got involved in the process and ensured that the vote was done appropriately. Administration was not being truthful about what was happening. People saw that the association motivated the superintendent to re-do the vote to make it have more teachers on the committee. We were able to turn it around to make the superintendent more closely follow the law. Brian: The association explained the law to everyone. By law the superintendent doesn’t get to decide any of these things. People didn’t have a clue—generally. We have TPEG coordinators that didn’t know what was going on. They believe what they’re told from administration and frequently what they’re told is not true. 12
Maine Educator • September 2014
Have questions about your evaluation system? Contact your local association or UniServ Director.
Learn more about the new rules from the May/June 2014 Maine Educator: www.maineea.org/ maineeducatoronline
Advocacy How has the association’s involvement in this process improved your profession and work environment? Brian: Now, I am on the evaluation committee. I wanted to be on the committee because it is super important. This is the most important thing happening in public education right now and this is an opportunity to have a positive impact on the final product, the final evaluation tool. I wasn’t happy voicing my concerns through a third party to bring up at a meeting. I wanted a seat at the table. We can really use this committee to give teachers a voice. We have reps in every school almost 80 percent of folks on the committee are members. Nicole: I believe the association is on the right track. The association is now more involved, more assertive and making sure the members’ voices are heard as they work through the process. I think the association is in a good place going forward. From where we started when we first started meeting, and the concerns where members thought the association wasn’t speaking up for them, teachers who may not have been familiar with what the association did before now know. They are looped in to the fact that the association knows what’s going on and that they just don’t grieve things. I think we’re heading in the right direction to help all members improve their daily work which helps students in the long run.
$alary Round Up Average Starting Pay for Teachers and Number of Locals Starting at or Above $40,000 as of 2012-2013
Maine $31,835 2 - $40k Locals
VT $35,542
23 - $40k Locals
NoRTHEAST REGIoN 1,327 of 2,428 loCals start abovE $40K avEragE starting salary: $39,791 sourCE: nEa CollECtivE bargaining and MEMbEr advoCaCy, 2012-2013
NH $34,280
MA $40,600
NY $43,839 206 - $40k Locals
166 - $40k Locals
RI $39,196
PA $41,902 191 - $40k Locals
14 - $40k Locals
CT $42,294
134 - $40k Locals
NJ $48,631
588 - $40k Locals
Statewide average starting hourly wages by classification as bargained in 2013-14 local Association contracts: Custodian: $12.55 Cook: $11.26 bus driver: $14.13 secretary: $12.69
Ed tech i: $11.20 Ed tech ii: $12.41 Ed tech iii: $13.69 Map of United States of America with States Multicolor by FreeVectorMaps.com
September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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Meet MEA Member, Advocate and Senator Emily Cain Why did you get involved in politics? For me, it all started with education policy, specifically higher education and the issues of access, success, and affordability facing college students and their families. I reached out to my then State Senator, Mary Cathcart, about my passion for higher ed policy and asked if she would help me make connections at the State House. She and her husband Jim asked if I had ever considered running for office and asked me to run for State Representative in Orono. I’ve spent the past ten years serving in the Legislature working to make education more affordable and to strengthen our public schools. Why is being an MEA member important to you? I joined the University of Maine Professional Staff Association as soon as I started working at UMaine in the Honors College. It was important to me then, as it is now, to support UMPSA and MEA because of the valuable support they offer employees, and their effective advocacy in Augusta and Washington, DC. I am proud to be a member. Why are you running for Congress and why should 2nd Congressional District MEA Members vote for you? Growing up, I saw first hand how my parents worked hard to stay in the middle class and provide more opportunity for their three daughters. They wanted us to grow up in a safe and supportive home, so we could some 14
Maine Educator • September 2014
day have good jobs, homes of our own, a good education, and access to doctors when we were sick. For too many Maine families, that same hope for the next generation is getting harder to achieve. We need people in Congress who understand what’s at stake for the middle class and who will stand up and find ways to work across the aisle to raise the minimum wage, tackle college debt, and work to grow good jobs and small businesses across Maine.
What is something about yourself people don’t know? At UMaine, I majored in K-12 Vocal Music Education and co-founded Renaissance, the women’s a cappella group. I am also Chair of the New England Board of Higher Education. Any advice for educators who think politics doesn’t affect them? The most qualified people to make decisions about education policy are the people who work in classrooms, schools, universities, and colleges every single day. We need our educators to tell their stories and raise education issues with candidates and elected officials.
Advocacy
You Decide
Education policy affects every MEA member and every student. The future of public education and in turn the future of each Maine student’s education is greatly impacted by the upcoming race for governor. When you head to the polls to choose a governor in November, the MEA wants to make sure its members are informed about where each candidate stands on the issue of public education. The following are some key points about each candidate’s positions on key issues involving education as compiled by MEA Government Relations Director John Kosinski. For questions or to learn more, please contact John at jkosinski@maineea.org.
Why Not LePage?
Why Not Cutler?
•
Proposing cuts to funds for schools (-$12.5 million in 12-13 supplemental budget, another -$15 million proposed in FY14-15 budget) - Bangor Daily News,
•
Cutler 2010 Campaign website and “A State of Opportunity” By Eliot Cutler
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Jan. 11, 2013 & May 12, 2012; Portland Press Herald, Dec. 27, 2012
•
Continues to attack teachers, educational professionals, students, the MEA and public education as a whole using disparaging remarks - Press Herald, Mar. 19, 2013; Bangor Daily
News, Jan. 11, 2013; Politico.com – Feb. 2011
•
Siphoning funds to charter schools and privatizing public education through for-profit education companies (virtual charters) - Bangor Daily News, Jan. 6, 2013; Charter Pulse, Feb. 2, 2013;
Press Herald, Mar. 18, 2014
• • • •
Proposed teacher evaluation rules that overemphasized student test scores as means for evaluation and removed job protections for teachers - Bangor Daily News, Feb. 8, 2012 Drastically cut the pensions of current and future retired teachers - Press Herald, Mar. 19, 2013 Attacking the MEA Benefits Trust - Bangor Daily News, Oct. 22,
Strong supporter of merit pay for teachers, where teacher salary increases will be based upon student performance -
Proposes schools compete for funding, which will likely impact disadvantaged small and rural schools - Associated Press, June 4, 2014
• • •
Strong vocal support of Charter Schools, Virtual Charters In his last campaign Cutler proposed raising class sizes substantially - Cutler 2010 Campaign website Does not support collective bargaining and does not support allowing teachers a voice in matters of educational policy - 2014 MEA Screening and Endorsement Interview and March 11, 2014 speech to the Maine Association of Chamber Executives
• •
Proposed consolidation of University of Maine and Community Colleges - Bangor Daily News September 18, 2013 Cutler has repeatedly attacked the MEA and educators - Cutler Opinion Column Bangor Daily News July 1, 2010
2012
Created the A-F grading system - Press Herald, May 11, 2013 & May 15, 2014
Why Mike Michaud? • • • •
Respects and will listen to teachers and educators* Committed to 55% state funding of public education** Does not support charter schools+ Committed to working with MEA to fix our broken pension system and to improve health care options for MEA members+ • Will end the A-F grading system for schools** • Believes in and will protect collective bargaining+ • Willing to take a fresh look at educational policy+ Interview with MEA for Maine Educator, March 2013 http://www.michaud2014.com/education + 2014 MEA Screening and Endorsement process with MEA members *
**
September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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Advocacy
Last Summer WE…
NEA Launches Campaign to End
'TOXIC TESTING' By Cindy Long and Sara Robertson
More than 30 MEA members represented the state as delegates at the National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA RA) in Denver, Colorado. The NEA RA is the NEA's highest decision-making body. With more than 9,000 delegates, it is also the world's largest democratic, deliberative body. The RA is convened every July during the Annual Meeting. At the NEA RA, educators from around the country debate issues that impact public education, elect top officers, and set policy for the 3.2 million-member Association. This year delegates elected a new slate of NEA officers including, President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, Vice President Becky Pringle and Treasurer Princess Moss. In addition, delegates voted to launch a campaign to put an end to “toxic testing.” (see sidebar for story) “The Pre-NEA RA Student Conference was an amazing opportunity for our future educators to be involved in the future of this profession. Our students studying to work in public education right now are our next leaders. So it is critical they are engaged now—there is no better place than the NEA RA to do that.” - Dan Allen, UniServ Director and SEAM Coordinator
“I felt fortunate to witness democracy at work. I was especially honored this year to be selected by the MEA to represent Maine in the Fourth of July Choir. As a first generation immigrant, this experience affected me deeply and I really feel that this is my country now. In addition, after the choir, an Asian Hawaiian delegate stopped me and said that she was glad Asia was represented in the Choir.” - Ina Demers, Ed Tech, Portland EA
“The highlight for me at this Representative Assembly was the opportunity to speak on the floor of the RA to over 9,000 delegates. This year there was one issue (Outreach2Teach) that I felt strongly enough to speak. The opportunity to meet and talk with delegates from students to retired to other active delegates as I gathered support for my position kept me busy for several days. In the end I learned that if you believe strongly enough about something, you need to use your voice. You may not come out on the winning side (and I didn't) but you will know you spoke up and others heard.” - Jan Cerabona MEA-Retired
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Maine Educator • September 2014
Delegates to the National Education Association’s annual meeting in July voted to launch a national campaign to put the focus of assessments and accountability back on student learning and end the "test, blame, and punish" system that has dominated public education in the last decade. The campaign will among other things seek to end the abuse and overuse of high-stakes standardized tests and reduce the amount of student and instructional time consumed by them. The anti-toxic testing measure also calls for governmental oversight of the powerful testing industry with the creation of a “testing ombudsman” by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Consumer Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. The position will serve as a watchdog over the influential testing industry and monitor testing companies’ impact on education legislation. NEA will continue to push the president and Congress to completely overhaul ESEA and end mandates that require yearly testing, and to lift mandates requiring states to administer outdated tests that aren’t aligned to school curricula. “It’s past time for politicians to turn their eyes and ears away from those who profit from over-testing our students and listen instead to those who know what works in the classroom,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. The new measure comes at a time when parents around the country are also fed up with the testing obsession. Opting-out protests have taken place in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Alabama and other states. Grassroots parent movements say they will protest until overtesting is curbed. To add insult to injury, students in already underresourced schools are subjected to fewer opportunities to access richer curriculum and course offerings to prepare for college or careers—a discriminatory impact of the test-based accountability regime. This country has refused to adequately fund schools attended by low-income kids. Poverty, constant mobility, lack of adequate health care, the stresses of crime, living in near constant fear of violence—all of these have a major impact on learning and is far more than schools can tackle alone. Education plays an enormous role in lifting people out of poverty, but to hold educators solely accountable for the impact poverty has on current students—and to do so using test scores—defeats the goal. The NEA is also calling on lawmakers to repeal federal requirements that state standardized tests be used to evaluate educators and implement “real accountability in our public education system,” said Van Roekel. “Educators know that real accountability in public schools requires all stakeholders to place student needs, not profits, at the center of all efforts. As education professionals, we fully accept the great responsibility to always raise our standards of practice and place students' needs first.” Van Roekel insists that in order for real, sustainable change to occur in public education, major work must be done to address the growing inequality in opportunities and resources for students across our nation. “Poverty and social inequities have far too long stood in the way of progress for all students,” said Van Roekel.
Your As
Did you know?
so ciation
Since 2005, the student population in Maine has decreased by 14,220 students, a seven percent loss, while the number of classroom teachers has dropped by 1,354 (8%), according to the Department of Education. Chances are in previous jobs, outside of teaching, you have been an at-will employee, meaning you can be terminated without a reason at any time. As an Association member you are covered by a contract that typically has a “just cause” standard which protects you from arbitrary or unfair termination and other forms of inappropriate workplace discipline.
State law calls for a minimum salary of $30,000 for certified teachers for school years starting after June 30, 2007. In order to keep up with the cost of inflation, the minimum salary in the fiscal school year beginning July 1, 2014 would need to be $34,318.
and competitive prices in comparison to other private carriers with less generous benefits and much higher cost sharing. After a year-long fight, Gray/New Gloucester Support Staff successfully won an arbitration forcing the district to pay back-pay to a majority of employees who had a step inappropriately withheld. The district paid approximately $30,000 back to employees.
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To make meals fun and educational, Sedgwick Elementary Cook Rosemarie Kane (Sedgwick EA) plans several theme lunches each year. These include "author's day," when lunch relates to a story all the students know. Kane also helps arrange special lunches on Thanksgiving and Halloween and days when military veterans are invited to dine and share stories with students. Her favorite theme was "Indian day," when she researched and created a meal of Native American food for students. The kids are the most important part of my job," says Kane, who has been honored in the past as Maine Education Association's Support Professional of the Year for her work with children. She understands that access to healthy food is directly linked to student learning. "I just try to focus on them and interact with what's going on in their classrooms."
99% of public school districts offer health insurance through the MEA Benefits Trust which the MEA fought to preserve because of its excellent benefits
The Increasing Importance of Food at School According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
• Nearly 1 in every 4 children in Maine are hungry or at risk for hunger • 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese in the United States and kids consume half their meals in schools • School meal standards have improved, including changes to portion sizes and offerings of both fruit and vegetables every week in addition to more whole grains, low-fat dairy products and less sodium and fat
Have something you want to share? Send it along with your name and local to gbechard@maineea.org September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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Your Association
Read with
ME
Need a new book to share with your students? The following are recommended reading from MEA members from across the state.
Reading Level 4 “Any book from the Maine Student Book Award.” including Mystery on Pine Lake by Tamra Wight. - Janice Rawson, RSU 16 EA
With an engaging voice, reluctant camper Cooper Wilder tells a story of environmental intrigue for outdoorsy middle-grade readers. Author Tamra Wight has young readers tasting the oozing s’mores, smelling the stench of maggot-riddled trash, and feeling the squishy mud between their toes with her descriptive language. Source: ForeWord Reviews
Reading Level 7 “I always recommended books by Roald Dahl and Gary Paulsen.”
- Lois Kilby-Chesley, RSU 5 teacher and MEA President In this unique retelling of a young boy’s struggle to survive in the Canadian wilderness, Paulsen raises the stakes with the question: what if Brian hadn’t been rescued at the end of summer, but instead had been left to confront his deadliest enemy—a northern winter? Source: www.scholastic.com
TALK To US Share your favorite reads:
facebook.com/ maineea or
tweet us
@maineea
Reading Level 9-12 “Bowling Alone is a great read for government classes. It makes the argument that Americans are losing their sense of community and civic virtue, and how this generation can recapture the idea that there is a common good.”
- Mike Thurston, History Teacher, Winslow EA
MEA Educators, count on us for insurance It’s great to have a playmaker you can count on when the game is on the line. You can depend on Horace Mann to give you auto insurance protection when you need it most. And because we know educators make good drivers, we offer them preferred rates. Call our number or visit horacemann.com today. 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
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Maine Educator • September 2014
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
Essay Contest Winners Two students and their teachers are batting a thousand after receiving the first ever MEA award for the “My Hero Works at School” essay contest. Samuel Lamontagne and Katie Hallee won tickets for themselves, their families, and their school employee hero to a summer Sea Dogs baseball game. Each student received their award during an on-field ceremony. Both students wrote about how their teachers helped them in class with schoolwork and also helped them grow as individuals. The two MEA members selected as heroes by their students were Marsha Wood (Oxford Hills EA) and Kathy Moody (RSU 23 EA).
“The evening was made even better when we realized we’d be sharing Sam’s special night with his hero, Mrs. Moody!” - Thank you note from Sam Lamontagne’s family
2014 Maine History Teacher of the Year Janice Eldridge (MSAD 60 TA) was named the 2014 Maine History Teacher of the Year. Eldridge teaches American History at Noble High School in North Berwick. Eldridge began her career at Noble in 2002 and has been teaching there ever since. Congratulations Janice!
“It’s such a huge honor.” - Janice Eldridge
Teacher Scholars Attend Acadian Culture Summer Institute Way to go Carolyn Horth (Orrington TA) and Lynda Millar (Bar Harbor TA) who were among only 20 other educators selected nationally as National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Scholars to attend an Acadian culture summer institute. Horth and Millar participated in the institute entitled Borders and Borderlands: The Acadian Experience in Maine. The institute focuses on the culture and history of French Acadians from the St. John Valley in northern Maine.
MEA Wins Grant to Promote Public Education Thanks to an NEA media grant received by the MEA Communications Department the Association will be able to promote a positive message about our educators and our schools to the public. The State Association Media Grants, which all state affiliate communications departments are entitled to apply for, are intended to advance the cause of public education and publicize the role of the Association and its Affiliates in improving the quality of public education. The State Media Grants proactively advance the Association’s mission through image and reputation campaigns that strengthen the Association’s image among key audiences and the public. The MEA Communications Department applied for the grant last year and the NEA recently awarded the Association $26,528 to air commercials highlighting the great work of our members. While the MEA has applied for this grant in years past, this is the first year it received any funding to help spread the good work of our members. These new commercials, featuring MEA members, will run statewide for six weeks and are already on air, so keep your eyes peeled!
As seen on TV...
To watch the latest videos from MEA log on to: www.vimeo.com/maineed
MEA Members Recognized by Portland Board of Education
Larry Nichols (with Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk and Sarah Thompson) has “the X factor that he brings to [his] building.”
Congratulations to Larry Nichols (Portland EA) and Joni Connolly (BASE) who the Portland Board of Education both recognized for their excellent work. Nichols’ peers chose the technology teacher to receive the University of Southern Maine’s Russell Award for excellence in teaching. In the nomination process his colleagues praised him for his “general sense of humor, supportive nature, general expertise and the X factor that he brings to this building.” Connolly is a lead secretary, who upon retirement, was praised by the Board for her ability to make staff, students and parents feel comfortable and welcome at school. During her 20 years of service peers say Connolly has always had a positive attitude. Good luck in retirement, Joni. September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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Your Association
Upcoming Events and Deadlines October 15, 2014: Application Deadline The NEA Foundation Awards Grants Grants are available to public school educators to enhance teaching and learning: • Student Achievement Grants support initiatives that improve academic achievement. • Learning & Leadership Grants support high-quality professional development. In the past, MEA members, among other things, received grants to fund teacher evaluation projects in their districts. For more information: http://www.neafoundation.org/pages/grants-to-educators/
February 15, 2014: Application Deadline Anne Sheehan Honor Grant MEA–Retired offers a scholarship for an active teacher in Maine studying for an advanced graduate degree in the arts, sciences or education. The money for this scholarship comes from friends and colleagues of Anne Sheehan, who was an active member of MEA and on the Board of Directors for MEA-R. To honor Anne’s memory her family gave money to MEA-R to create a $1,200 scholarship awarded to an MEA member to help defray costs while taking courses. To apply, contact your local MEA office or e-mail hugrcook@aol.com for an application.
Ongoing: Teacher Evaluation Training
Stay updated on the latest Teacher Evaluation rules with this member-led teacher evaluation training. Training will be held at various times and locations throughout the year. Watch your e-mail for training announcements or contact your local MEA office.
SAVE THE DATE October 31 - November 1, 2014: Conference MEA Fall Conference, open to all members at Samoset Resort, Rockland Join in professional development sessions, meet your fellow educators, and learn more about your professional association. Full session descriptions available in the coming weeks.
Hold a Healthy Meeting
HEALTHY SNACKS Bring vegetables and hummus, sliced fruit, seltzer water, frozen fruit (grapes or banana slices work best), or rice cakes with peanut butter or hummus.
STRETCH Before the meeting begins, invite everyone to stretch—touch toes, stretch to the ceiling—hold each position for 15 seconds.
LIGHT WEIGHTS On conference calls, use a set of light weights (2 or 5 lbs.) and do upper body weight lifting— bicep curls, triceps back pushes, pectoral presses at shoulder height. WALKING MEETING For informal meetings with just a few people, hold the meeting while taking a walk. Information provided by: 20
Maine Educator • September 2014
MEA Benefits Trust
Across 1. Brouhaha 5. ''Cut bait'' alternative 9. River to the Missouri 14. Solitary 15. 1952 Olympics host 16. ''Exodus'' actor 17. Youthful outbreak 18. Place for cowards? 19. Whimsical poet Nash 20. Team strategy meeting 23. ''Frasier'' star 24. One of the broody bunch? 25. Klutzes 29. Great Giant of old 31. Nonstick surface 33. Make a bundle 37. Corporate nerve center 40. Skilled 42. ___-mo replay 43. Of a musical key 44. Product of creative thinking
47. Title role for Jodie Foster 48. Possessive words before ''oneself'' 49. Fowl piece 51. Retort to ''Are not!'' 52. Plow into 55. Product rollout 60. Take care of business 63. Room at the top 66. Lose on purpose 67. Kit item 68. Confiscate 69. Keep the car warm 70. Chemical ending or compound 71. Struck with the patella 72. Grabs some shuteye 73. Las Vegas alternative
Stuck? See page 3 for the solutions
We know daily life can be stressful, especially the life of an educator. This new section is made just for you to take a few moments to relax while you “tease your brain” with crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, and maybe have a laugh with an occasional cartoon. Or, if you want to have fun with colleagues put your magazine out in the Staff Lounge for a group activity. Enjoy!
Down 1. Hooch holder 2. Six-time Eastwood co-star 3. Declare invalid 4. Slippery objects 5. ‘’The Day of the Jackal’’ author 6. Shrink’s reply 7. Cut prices to the bone 8. Neigh-sayer 9. Melville tale of the South Pacific 10. Ok in writing 11. What’s more 12. Fancy that! 13. One billion years, in astronomy 21. Kate’s ‘’Titanic’’ co-star 22. Division preposition 26. Dress with a flare 27. Centrally located, as a point 28. Fishline attachment 30. New Age pianist John 32. New newt 33. Coffee cake flavored with rum
©CrosswordsOnline.net
34. Relevant, in legalese 35. Performs a Lutz 36. Typify 38. Will Smith role 39. Cutie pie 41. Blaster’s need 45. Tall crop 46. Does away with electronically 50. Welcome road sign 53. Introduce to the mix 54. Famous Asia Minor peak 56. Pronounce 57. Herman of Herman’s Hermits 58. Perform like Alfalfa 59. Word on many nametags 61. Like most cupcakes 62. Hired hands 63. Be inquisitive 64. Like many fifth graders 65. No-win situation September 2014 • www.maineea.org
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