Author: ieaesp

I am a proud education support professional and pro-education advocate!
Uncategorized

New Online IEA Member Registration Process

ieaesp

IEA is an association of more than 135,000 members composed of Illinois elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty and staff, educational support professionals, retired educators and college students preparing to become teachers. The IEA was founded in 1853 to serve the interest of public education in Illinois. The IEA became an affiliate of the National Education Association in 1857, an organization currently totaling 3.2 million teachers and school employees working to make our good public schools even better for all students.

Join iea
click to learn more about the iea
Uncategorized

Members Can Now Enroll Online!

ieaesp

We have great news – members can now enroll online!

  1. Visit ieanea.org and click the “Join Us” link or visit join.ieanea.org.
  2. Members will complete the online enrollment application.
    • An email will be sent to local leaders, letting them know an individual has submitted an enrollment application for verification of membership eligibility and membership type for dues deduction.
      • If the individual is not a member of the bargaining unit, the local leader should contact their region office and request to have the individual cancelled from the local’s roster.
      • If the individual’s membership type category is not correct, they are instructed to reach out to the region office to have the membership type changed.
  3. The new member receives a confirmation email once their application is complete and receives a welcome email once their application is processed.

Please help us in welcoming your new members!

Uncategorized

Upcoming ESP Webinar

ieaesp

Wellness Skills for Self-care and Health for Educational Support Professionals

Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm EST

This training will offer simple healing skills for self-care and for promoting health and wellbeing for Educational Support Professionals (ESPs). The program was developed by Capacitar International for work with schools and educators in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. Based on popular education and energy-based methods, the Capacitar practices empower people to deal with traumatic stress, to stabilize and balance strong emotions and to awaken their own healing process. This workshop will include opportunities to practice and apply various healing methods. These methods can be used by all educators, families, and others in the community.

By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize signs of trauma and stress in students, colleagues, family members and oneself;
  • Demonstrate eight basic Capacitar practices for self-care and for alleviating stress and the symptoms of trauma;
  • Apply methods of protection with oneself/others;
  • Understand Capacitar’s popular education and holistic approach for healing trauma and stress; and
  • Adapt the practices to different cultures.

Presenter(s):
Patricia Cane, PhD, Capacitar Founder/Director

Joan Condon, MA, Capacitar Special Projects Coordinator

Sheila Grady, MSEd, Capacitar Board, Retired Educator

Register Now!

Uncategorized

FMLA for ESPs

ieaesp
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Barrington, has introduced legislation which would modify the Family Medical Leave Act to create a new hours of service threshold, specifically for ESPs, comparable to the provision enacted for airline crews.
An ESP would qualify for FMLA benefits if – during the previous school year – they worked more than 60 percent of the total monthly hours expected for their specific role, as defined by their employer. Under this bill, ESPs would have greater access to unpaid FMLA benefits without the risk of losing their job. Read the press release from Rep. Casten’s office.
Uncategorized

!!IMRF Trustee Election – We Need Your Help!!

ieaesp
If Hugh Cunningham is not elected to the IMRF Board of Trustees we will loose a seat and an important voice on the Board!
IEA is supporting Hugh Cunningham, TRIAD Custodial Maintenance Association president, for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Board of Trustees to represent education support professionals (ESPs). 

This year, circulating petitions will be extremely difficult and we will need to work very hard to get 350 valid IMRF active participant signatures turned in to IMRF to place Hugh Cunningham on the fall ballot.

We need your help to circulate nominating petitions for IEA member Hugh Cunningham. Please review the circulation instructions. Only ACTIVE ESPs may sign the nominating petition.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IMRF is allowing members to simply print, sign and submit the petitions by emailing a photo or scanned image.