Education Support Professional Council consists of thirteen (13) members all of whom are ESP school employees and members of the Illinois Education Association. The ESP council's goal is to represent and support ESP's throughout Illinois.
Author: ieaesp
I am a proud education support professional and pro-education advocate!
The 510,000 Educational Support Professional members of the National Education Association and the 29,500 ESP members of the Illinois Education Association take care of our children every day and make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in our schools and classrooms. We are truly the unsung heroes of public education.
We are the…
school bus driver who greets your child with a warm “hello” and delivers your child safely to school
cafeteria worker who gives your daughter a warm, healthy meal
paraeducator who provides your child with a little extra help in the classroom
school nurse who comforts your sick child
office assistant who makes sure your son’s records are up to date
technician who wires the classroom computers
custodian who works to keep the school environment safe and clean
security professional who help keep students and school employees safe.
Please click the above link to visit your IEA ESP page for a wealth of information and tons of resources for all ESPs.
“Whether you’re a teacher, paraprofessional, counselor, or school resource officer, every staff member cares deeply about students. And that means being exposed to the traumas students bring into school every day, including poverty, grief, family problems, racism, drug abuse. The emotional and physical toll is often severe. Even if they have not endured trauma themselves, educators can begin exhibiting symptoms similar to those of their students – withdrawal, anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue.”
Professional Development: Illinois State University is offering convenient online workshops this winter and spring on a variety of topics for K-12 teachers. Check out the flier for more information.
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***NEW***Winter Book Study begins Jan. 6: Our next book will be Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment by Tal Ben- Shahar. Dr. Ben-Shahar helps readers implement principles of positive psychology in their daily lives to reduce stress, feel more fulfilled, more connected, and happier. This is a great book to read (or re-read) as we begin a new year. Dr. Diana Zaleski, IEA Professional Development Director, will moderate the weekly reading assignments and discussions for this book study on NEA edCommunities. (Directions to access NEA edCommunities)
Prosocial Skills Training Online Course
Prosocial Skills Training is a targeted intervention for adolescents that is consistent with the restorative practices framework. This intervention empowers youth to take responsibility for their behavior and learn healthier ways to interact with others. This convenient online course will begin January 6, and allow IEA members to participate from across the entire state through interactive discussions and activities. This course is for members who have already participated in restorative practices training.
The course will last 4 weeks and will require approximately two hours of your time each week to participate. This means that upon completion of this course you will receive 8 clock hours. All of the course materials will be provided through the online platform we will be using for the course.
This is an asynchronous course which means you may participate in each week’s discussions and activities at a time that is convenient for you. The goal of this training is to provide you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to incorporate prosocial skills training into your school and/or district’s multi-tiered system of support. We will conclude the course with a live online component to further discuss and practice what we have learned.
The course will be facilitated by Dr. Diana Zaleski, IEA Instructional Resource and Professional Development Director. Please register online and we will send you an invitation to join the online course. For more information, please contact Amanda.Plunkett@ieanea.org.
Note that space is limited to 25 participants per section of each online course. If the course is full when you register please contact Amanda.Plunkett@ieanea.org, and she will add you to a waiting list for the next course. If we get at least 15 people who have indicated interest after a course is full we will open a second section of the course.
Jan. 13-14:Restorative Practices & Prosocial Skills – IEA Carterville Office: Interested in learning more about non-exclusionary student discipline? Register today for one or both of our training opportunities. On day one we will learn about restorative practices as a straightforward problem-solving framework that can be used as an alternative to exclusionary discipline. On day two we will learn about prosocial skills training as an intervention designed to promote prosocial behavior in adolescents using techniques to develop social skills, emotional control, and moral reasoning. Register today! (Promotional flier)
Self-Care for Educators – IEA Bloomington Office: Working in a classroom evokes moments of tension, rigidity and stress that accumulate and interfere with your physical, mental and emotional health. As an educator you are often helping others in your life: students, coworkers, family, etc. Experience how making yourself a priority through better use of your body benefits both you and your students. In this experiential workshop you will learn how to use your body more effectively throughout the day, improve your ease in and out of the classroom, reduce pain and maintain your physical acuity. Register today! (Promotional flier)
Feb. 8: Assessment Literacy – IEA Effingham Office: Understanding why we assess, what we assess, how we assess, and how we communicate the results of assessment is crucial to informing instructional decision making and improving student learning. This hands-on workshop provides a framework for maximizing your classroom assessments and engaging your students in meaningful assessment practices. Participants are encouraged to bring their classroom assessments. Register today! (Promotional flier)
ESPs make a difference in the lives of students throughout Illinois and the country. Thank you for what you do everyday! IEA gives ESPs a voice and fights for the needs of its members. Tell us your story. Your ESP Council is here to bring your ideas, and concerns to IEA and help be an added resource for you and your local. Visit the “Contact Your ESP Council” page for assistance.
CHICAGO – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) last weekend won an Emmy at the 61st Annual Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Awards. The IEA won for Outstanding Achievement for Public/Current/Community Affairs Programming – Series for IEA Teachers Stories. The composite entry featured three IEA members: Susan Hudson from Thornwood High School in South Holland, Gladys Marquez from Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island and Nathan Etter from Prairie View Elementary School in Burlington.
“We represent 135,000 strong, powerful educators across the state who work every day to ensure that all students have access to a fair and equitable public education,” said IEA Media Relations Director Bridget Shanahan. “And we tell their stories. Their voices matter. Your voices matter.”
The IEA Teacher Stories series amplified the voices of more than 135,000 educators across the state of Illinois. These stories highlight the valuable work that our members do for all students in Illinois, regardless of their zip code. Susan Hudson’s story featured her work collaborating with educators to bring trauma-informed practices to Thornwood High School.
“While it is a tremendous honor to be included in this Emmy Award-winning video, my goal has been, and always will be, to collaborate with my colleagues in an effort to address the strategies and resources needed to best assist students who experience daily trauma,” said Hudson. “The importance of cultivating relationships with the students and recognizing their value, our compassion and empathy will continue to be the foundation for our work as educators.”
Gladys Marquez’s story featured her empowerment of her students and advocacy efforts in support of the DREAM Act.
“Our students are the catalyst that drives everything we do. They are depending on us to be worthy of them. It is our responsibility to help them achieve their greatness,” said Marquez. “This is their award, too.”
Nathan Etter’s story started with a teachable moment after his husband sent him flowers on Valentine’s Day.
“Me, living my life authentically, means we won’t think alike, act alike or live alike,” said Etter. “But when we learn to harness the power of our differences, together we cannot fail.”
The IEA Teacher Stories are available for view on IEA’s Vimeo page. Susan Hudson’s story is available here.Gladys Marquez’s story is available here.Nathan Etter’s story is available here. The attached photo is available for use. Pictured left to right: Lucid Creative Agency’s Morgan Jackson and Steven Walsh, IEA Media Relations Director Bridget Shanahan, Lucid Creative Agency’s Rumen Andonov and Matt Goett. Lucid Creative Agency was responsible for shooting and editing the videos that were awarded.
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest education employee’s organization. IEA represents preK-12 teachers outside of the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
CHICAGO — School boards across Illinois have said no to allowing teachers and other employees to carry guns at schools.
The vote — 249 against and 198 for — took place Saturday at the Illinois Association of School Boards 2019 delegate assembly meeting.
School boards, including several in the Rockford area, sent representatives to vote on a variety of matters before the association, including resolutions that help shape its legislative agenda for the coming year.
The Student Safety resolution would have put the association’s support behind proposed legislation, if any were filed, that would allow teachers and other school staff to carry guns at school on a voluntary basis if their local school board approves. Most of the support for the resolution came from small rural school districts that can’t afford to hire school resource officers, as state law dictates, and face long response times when violence threatens their schools.
An increase in school shootings has prompted similar discussions across the country, and several states have adopted changes to laws that govern who can carry guns on school property. A similar measure before the state school board association was defeated last year by a vote of 203-179.
NEA president Lily Eskelsen García gets the candidates to go on the record about how they’ll support public education.
ABOUT THE INTERVIEWS
NEA is inviting all presidential candidates to participate in a one-on-one interview with NEA’s Lily Eskelsen García to help our members better understand their positions on issues of vital importance to the success of our public schools. To qualify for interviews, candidates were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire; once complete, candidates were invited to sit down with Lily. As additional interviews are confirmed, these candidates will appear in the grid above, so stay tuned!
IEA Education Support Professional Council 