Author: ieaesp

I am a proud education support professional and pro-education advocate!
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Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming rESPect Steering Meetings

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rESPect Steering virtual meeting registration links – 5:30 – 7:00pm

Come and bring your voice to the table to collaborate as we move rESPect forward and bring the changes we need. Meetings are on the Second Thursday of each month. I hope to see you there.

DECEMBER
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592185/
 
JANUARY
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592186/
 
FEBRUARY
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592187/
 
MARCH
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592188/
 
APRIL
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592189/
 
MAY
https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592190/

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Congratulations Classified Staff Union of District 227

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Welcome to the IEA family!

Local Association Growth Announcement

On October 18, 2023, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) issued an Order of Certification recognizing the addition of School Security staff to the Classified Staff Union of District 227 (Rich Township High School District) out of Region 26 (UniServ Director, Robyn Washington).

#iearespect #IEAESP #IEAESPCouncil

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Have you heard of the RISE Award? Hear what is being said on the national level about education support professionals!!

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RECOGNIZING INSPIRING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES (RISE) AWARD

Did you know that there is a national award to celebrate the essential work we do? This is a national award that celebrates the contributions of education support professionals. The U.S. Department of Education invites the governor or designated state official of each state to nominate up to two classified school employees annually. (The deadline is already closed for this year)

Here is what is said about education support professionals in the award Fact Sheet.

WHY: To celebrate classified school employees as the unsung heroes—the “living
infrastructure”—of America’s public schools. They engage with students on the bus and in the classrooms, cafeterias, health suites and hallways of America’s public and private schools across the nation. Their unique professional skill sets range from classroom and library assistant, school health aide, bus driver, mechanic, and school crossing guard, to cook, janitor, school secretary, vision and hearing tester, accounting control clerk and much more. They work closely with students every day, keeping them healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged so that learning can take place. To educate the public on the important, and often invisible, educational support rendered by some of the hardest-working people in our schools – they serve in the capacity of the glue to the school. In short, to remind the school community that it takes a village to ensure student success.

We are making a difference in promoting the amazing contributions ESPs make every day in schools and universities. We must keep the essential work and support we do front and center as we work to advance rESPect. The more we make it real, the more we make it a reality!

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

TAKE ACTION – Contact your representatives

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Take action on the issues impacting ESPs

These are federal bills that the National Education Association along with education support professionals across the country are fight for.

·         Urge your senators to cosponsor the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights: https://bit.ly/ESPborAction 

·         Email members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the ESP and School Support Staff Family Leave Act: https://bit.ly/ESPFMLA 

·         Learn more actions you can take at www.nea.org/esp   

#iearESPect

#ESPsareEssential

#rESPect

#NEAESP

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Don’t miss this virtual opportunity: Our rESPect Campaign is being highlighted in this National Education Association webinar

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ESP Rights and Respect: How to Build a Strategic Campaign  

Monday, Nov. 27 @ 6:00-7:30 PM Central Time  
Join us in this webinar series to learn how members, staff, and leaders partnered to build a strategic campaign to increase ESP visibility, rights, and respect. 

 Register now > 

Share this with your friends and colleagues. This is an amazing opportunity to help grow our campaign because the more we make it real, the more we make it a reality.

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IEA Education Support Professional Council Meeting Update

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This past Saturday the IEA Education Support Professionals Council met from 9:00-2:00pm to collaborate and advocate for education support professionals throughout Illinois. A wide variety of topics were discussed.

  • rESPect Campaign: Advocating to bring the changes we need for ALL Illinois ESPs.
    • We need to make sure we better recognize higher ed ESPs as we grow rESPect and advocate for change.
    • All rESPect resources have been translated to Spanish and ready for download on the rESPect website.
  • ONE Conference: reviewed feedback of attendees, so many great comments. We also discussed ways to improve for next year.
  • IEA ESP of the Year: made improvements to our application to better align with NEA ESP of the Year application. The nomination December 15th deadline is quickly approaching.
  • ESP Insider: Next ESP Insider will be coming our December 19th. If you have a story you would like to share about someone or something happing in your local, send it to Arlene Criglar arlene.criglar@ieanea.org no later than December 11th. We would love to hear what’s happening in your local or region!
  • IEA RA: planning for our Open Hearing and ESP Engagement – nomination forms are due soon for you to be able to attend the Representative Assembly. Reach out to your local election chair or union executive board member for more information.
  • NEA ESP Conference: March 22-24, 2024 Las Vegas, NV Caesars Palace 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 Click the link for more information! Amazing experience!
  • Bylaw/Legislative Committee:
    • reviewed/updated council bylaw language
    • began preliminary review IEA Bylaws and Legislative platform to make proposed ESP language improvements
  • Member Connections Committee:
    • plan for new items for welcome gifts for new locals, ESP Celebration, and IEA RA
    • discussed improvements at welcome table for ONE Conference and IEA RA

It is an honor to spend our Saturday to represent you. You have five council members who bring ESP voices front and center at Illinois Education Association monthly Board of Directors meetings and you have three council members who sit on the IEA Executive Board of Directors where we bring ESP voices front and center. Included in those, we have one National Education Association (NEA) Board of Director at Large on our council. So when I say Illinois ESP voices are being heard…I mean, Illinois ESP voices are BEING HEARD.

Mark you calendars to attend a future ESP Council meeting. Virtual links to attend will be posted in the very near future.

February 24th – Minooka IEA Office 
May 4th – Decatur IEA Office