Category: Uncategorized

As education support professionals often times we can be made to feel…well, less. Less important and less valued. I once had a superintendant say we (ESP) are a dime a dozen. Thankfully not my current superintendant, with whom I have a nice relationship. That earlier comment wasn’t to far off. We definitely are underpaid for the essential work we do for our students, schools, and communities and it doesn’t feel like we are paid much more than that.

Why should you be an ESP IEA member? Because your IEA President, Kathi Griffin and executive board values who we are and what we do!

I have had the pleasure of being the IEA ESP Council Chair for a little over a year. I have NEVER been made to feel less. On the contrary, I am encouraged and my voice and opinion is sought and truly valued.

Recent legislative accomplishments that support ESPs. This is not a complete list:

• Passage of HB 12-reduces the hours to qualify from 1250 to 1000 so more ESPs have access to this important benefit (years of lobbying and advocating to pass)
• Passage of HR 77-Resolution seeking to find solutions to salary parity, quality professional development and access to health benefits for ESP members
• Passage of HB3474-Protecting our seats on our IMRF retirement board. Ensures that those who are eligible to run as an executive trustee candidate (Employer) on the IMRF Board of Trustees can only run for the executive trustee position.

We have only just begun! Great things…Huge things are coming!!

Thank you to the Honorable Ram Villivalam for supporting public education and education support professionals by helping to pass HB12, so a greater number of ESPs have access to the Family Medical Leave Act, an important health benefit. Come celebrate educators and meet the Hon. Ram Villivalam at this event.

Hon. Ram Villivalam

Educator Appreciation Happy Hour

Tuesday September 21 * 4:00-6:00pm 4055 W. Peterson Ave, Alarmist Brewing Parking Lot

Questions Please contact Joey Slater at joeys@ramforsenate.com

 

Topic: Member Engagement

Time: September 11, 2021 10:00 – 11:30 am, Central Time (US and Canada)

Attention all Education Support Professionals (“ESP”):

Please join us for our first roundtable of the 2021-2022 school year! IEA UniServ Director, Laura Urso (Region 59, Lombard) who will lead a discussion on member engagement. This opportunity will provide strategies for promoting a local culture that appeals to different motivations of members while recognizing the contribution of all members of the local. If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit http://www.ieaespcouncil.com.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86318897479?pwd=amZaUjdrbThwUC9VL1dCUXJmTnE0UT09

Meeting ID: 863 1889 7479 Passcode: 345672

Election Notice Nomination Form For:

Educational Support Professional Council:
Vacancy: Ethnic Minority Member (remainder of term to 2023)
Eligibility: All IEA-NEA members who are employed as Educational Support Professionals in a school district and/or combination of school districts are eligible to participate in the election for the above positions.

Educational Support Professional Suburban Alternate/NEA RA Successor Delegate (Remainder of term to 2023):
Eligibility: All IEA-NEA members in Regions 26-36, 39, 41-43, 46, 50, 52, 55-59, 64 and 67 are eligible to participate in the election for the above position.
Please use the nomination form in the link below and fill in all information. Online forms are available at ieanea.org/about/elections. You will need your member only login information to access the forms.

Click for more information

Welcome to the 2021-22 school year. It’s definitely not the start of the year any of us had looked forward to or had planned for. After ending last school year mostly learning in-person, lower case numbers, a vaccine readily available and gaining the ability over the summer to go maskless, the start of this year was looking bright.

While we are so happy that students are walking through the doors of our buildings this year, COVID-19 has not gone away. We know the best place for students to be is in the classroom, as long as it’s safe. We know you care about your students and you want them there, too. So, we are working hard to keep conditions where students can learn and where they, and all those around them, can remain safe and healthy. This isn’t about politics, it’s about safety.

That’s why we have supported the Executive Order on vaccinations and testing. Of course, we encourage members to get vaccinated because it’s the best safety measure, but we also recognize that members value their freedom and their right to privacy. That’s why we pushed to have testing be an option, to protect a person’s right not to get one. And when things were moving too fast, we, along with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, pushed to slow them down. On Friday, it was announced that instead of the deadline being Sept. 5 to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result, that date has been moved to Sept. 19. We recommend that if you are not fully vaccinated by that date, be prepared to get tested on your own and show up to work on Mon., Sept. 20 with a negative COVID test in hand.

We understand it’s been a stressful start to the school year. We want to help. Please reach out, whether it be to your local president, your UniServ Director or to IEA Connect. We will continue to advocate for you.

Thank you for all your hard work and patience. We are working to make sure you are safe, that students are safe and that your job and rights are protected.

Please take care and be well.
Kathi

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The President Support Team will be hosting a training on Communications on September 15 at 6:00 p.m. using Zoom. This is one of four trainings being offered this year by the PST. Registration is not required. Participants will be placed into the lobby after logging in. Please make sure your first name, last name and local name are identified as your Zoom screen name. Each participant will be individually added to the training session.

For more information on the supports that the President Support Team has created for IEA Local Presidents and to see the upcoming trainings, view/download the updated pamphlet.

Communications Training | Sept. 15 | 2021

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 931 2972 8053  Passcode: 720082

Topic: Member Engagement 

Time: September 11, 2021 10:00 – 11:30 am, Central Time (US and Canada) 

Attention all Education Support Professionals (“ESP”): 

Please join us for our first roundtable of the 2021-2022 school year! IEA UniServ Director, Laura Urso (Region 59, Lombard) who will lead a discussion on member engagement. This opportunity will provide strategies for promoting a local culture that appeals to different motivations of members while recognizing the contribution of all members of the local. If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit www.ieaespcouncil.com. 

Join Zoom Meeting  
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86318897479?pwd=amZaUjdrbThwUC9VL1dCUXJmTnE0UT09  

Meeting ID: 863 1889 7479  
Passcode: 345672  

Hello ESP Leaders,

As we begin a new school year during an ongoing crisis, we must continue to prioritize the mental health of everyone in our school communities. That’s why NEA has developed social emotional learning (SEL) resources and supports for teachers, education support professionals, and other educators to manage stress, practice self-care, and build SEL skills with their students. On the NEA website, you can access a wide range of SEL-related content for educators, including webinars, trainings, member stories, and more. View these resources at www.nea.org/sel and share them with your colleagues!Have a great year and stay safe everyone.