IEA Education Support Professional Council
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.
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.
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!
National Education Association
Education Support Professionals Quality (ESPQ) Department
Center for Great Public Schools Webinar
What Does it Mean to be a 21st Century Education Leader?
Thursday, December 12, 2019
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
Register at
http://neaorg.adobeconnect.com/emtjcx3anoxa/event/event_info.html
Education Support Professionals, like all educators, are making, and will face, some of the toughest decisions in the history of their union and public education. To be equipped, educators must come to see themselves as leaders in their unions and in their professions. Developed by practitioners, and using proven research and theories on leadership development, the NEA Leadership Competency Framework provides a lens through which educators can self- identify their leadership competency. When used with intentionality, the framework is also a developmental tool that can help educators create a plan for continuous, life-long learning and growth. In this session, we will discuss an approach for deepening the awareness and use of the framework.
Presenter(s): Kisha Davis-Caldwell, Sr. Program/Policy Specialist, NEA Leadership Development Team
INTENDED AUDIENCE:
NEA affiliate leaders, staff, members and partners. All interested parties are welcome. You are encouraged to forward this invite to your partners, leaders and other team members.
FACILITATOR(S):
Lisa Connor, NEA Sr. Program/Policy Analyst Jessica Brinkley, NEA Sr. Program/Policy Analyst
Questions? Contact Jessica Brinkley at jdbrinkley@nea.org.
For more ESP professional development opportunities visit www.nea.org/esppd
National Education Association
Education Support Professionals Quality (ESPQ) Department
Center for Great Public Schools Webinar
What Does it Mean to be a 21st Century Education Leader?
Thursday, December 12, 2019
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
Register at
http://neaorg.adobeconnect.com/emtjcx3anoxa/event/event_info.html
Education Support Professionals, like all educators, are making, and will face, some of the toughest decisions in the history of their union and public education. To be equipped, educators must come to see themselves as leaders in their unions and in their professions. Developed by practitioners, and using proven research and theories on leadership development, the NEA Leadership Competency Framework provides a lens through which educators can self- identify their leadership competency. When used with intentionality, the framework is also a developmental tool that can help educators create a plan for continuous, life-long learning and growth. In this session, we will discuss an approach for deepening the awareness and use of the framework.
Presenter(s): Kisha Davis-Caldwell, Sr. Program/Policy Specialist, NEA Leadership Development Team
INTENDED AUDIENCE:
NEA affiliate leaders, staff, members and partners. All interested parties are welcome. You are encouraged to forward this invite to your partners, leaders and other team members.
FACILITATOR(S):
Lisa Connor, NEA Sr. Program/Policy Analyst Jessica Brinkley, NEA Sr. Program/Policy Analyst
Questions? Contact Jessica Brinkley at jdbrinkley@nea.org.
For more ESP professional development opportunities visit www.nea.org/esppd
We know that the climate and culture of a school district can be extremely stressful to staff members. Please take this wellness survey to give IEA the information/data they need support members. The survey is for ALL staff!!
Illinois Educator Well-Being Survey
The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the University of Illinois Springfield invite you to participate in the Illinois Educator Well-Being Survey. The purpose of this survey is to examine how the climate and culture of your workplace impacts the quality of your life.
When considering how to improve the climate and culture of a school district, it is important to consider the impact of school climate and culture on educators who work both in and out of the classroom. This includes teachers, education support professionals, and other professional staff such as counselors, psychologists, social workers and nurses.
This anonymous survey takes only about 10 minutes to complete. The only required identifying information is the county in which the district is located, however the district name can be provided, if you so choose. The survey closes Dec. 1. See the informed consent document for additional information.
https://ieanea.org/2019/10/16/illinois-educator-well-being-survey/
National Education Support Professionals Day is Wednesday, November 20! Join NEA and schools across the country for a celebration in honor of the ESPs who keep our schools running and our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn. This year, we’re continuing the festivities online through #WeLoveOurESPs.
To help you celebrate the ESPs in your schools and communities, we’ve created a toolkit with event ideas, media outreach templates, social media graphics, and printable signs and cards.
● Download Signs and Thank you Cards
Be sure to spread the word! Below are some sample posts to share on your social media channels and get the party started.
● Education Support Professionals Day is November 20. Thank the ESPs in your schools and communities by hosting a celebration event and sending them words of appreciationà bit.ly/ESPday2019 #WeLoveOurESPs
● How are you celebrating Education Support Professionals on November 20?! Share with us your ESP Day plans using #WeLoveOurESPs bit.ly/ESPday2019
Join our ESP Facebook group and follow us on Twitter(@NEArESPect and @NEAToday) if you haven’t already done so.
We hope to see you at the online celebration!
