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Illinois’ rESPect Coordinated Campaign is part of a National Movement

Join us for our upcoming webinar series: ESP Rights and Respect: How to Build a Strategic Campaign.

Learn how NEA members, staff, and leaders have partnered to build a strategic campaign to increase ESP visibility, rights, and respect. Hear from three state affiliates—Massachusetts, Maryland, and Illinois—on how they built their campaign from the ground up, what successes and challenges they faced, and what resources and strategies they have for affiliates seeking to engage in their own campaign. Note: This webinar series is only open to NEA members, staff, and leaders.

The first webinar of this series will be held next week on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET.

Register HERE for the webinar >

Please share this event with fellow NEA members, staff, and leaders.

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NEA President Becky Pringle is coming to Illinois to discuss rESPect

We are excited to announce that NEA President Becky Pringle is coming to meet and discuss the rESPect coordinated campaign with a group of amazing education support professional leaders. We are looking forward to sharing stories from our members that will explain both the struggles and successes our members are facing here in Illinois. We also will be advocating for a national call for rESPect!

Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together

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School-Home Communication Essentials for ESPs

Thursday, September 28 7 – 8pm EDT

About this event

As an education support professional, you know you have an essential role in the day-to-day work of schools, but you also play a unique role you may not even be aware of. Your smiling face, your understanding look, and your extra effort can help welcome families, build trust, and forge powerful communication highways between school and home. This webinar will highlight the knowledge and skills you need to make the most of every interaction you have with parents and caregivers. You will leave with a greater understanding of the power you have when it comes to engaging families and a greater understanding of how to use your words, tone, and information to build relationships and help bring families into the learning process.

Presenters: Patricia Weinzapfel, M.S. Shasta Rosales, ESP Leader, WY


Accessibility

This event meets ADA standards

Audio descriptions for video

Have accessibility questions? Reply to your registration email to confirm your requirements or request more information.

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Proud to present rESPect!

I am extremely proud to have presented rESPect at the IEA Grassroots Political Activist kickoff last night in Springfield! What an amazing group of advocates and leaders! #IEArESPect

RESPECT stands for: Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together

Join rESPect today, www.iearespect.org

Mad rESPect to our Education Support Professionals who are the glue of our schools.

#IEAESP #neaesp #rESPect #ItstheESPs #leader #livingwage #recruitandretaineducators

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Congratulations, Katherine Lofton! Our latest ESP Star award winner!

         
August ESP STAR Katherine Lofton is a paraeducator in River Forest School District 90 and a member of the River Forest Educational Support Professionals (RFESP) in IEA Region 40.

As a union leader, Katherine has been instrumental in creating the RFESP union and is currently an active, integral part in para contract negotiations.
Katherine goes above and beyond every single day as an assistant teacher.  She works with some very challenging students and makes it look easy. She is caring, consistent and extremely insightful about human behavior. Katherine is a strong advocate for student equity and inclusion and child centered. She is involved as a sponsor of multiple after-school clubs and activities including Writing Magic, Broadcast News and Spoken Word Poetry Club.

Katherine is an especially gifted writing teacher who is known for her graceful and creative expression. She has a flair for making things lighthearted. Katherine Lofton is an all-around AMAZING person. Our Middle School community recognizes Katherine as a true leader and we are thankful to have her on our team.
Congratulations, Katherine – you are an ESP STAR!
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Education Support Professional Retreat, AWESOME Experience!!

Our #IEAESPCouncil spent this weekend learning and growing as a team. We spent this time focusing on ourselves and learning to gel as a team, so we can better focus on the Education Support Professional members we represent.

I want to give a special thank you to IEA Secretary/Treasurer Gina Harris for joining and learning with us as we learned and practiced important Team Building skills. Also, a shout out to IEA Vice-President Karl Goeke for stopping by and encouraging our team.

Huge props to Amy Evans and Michael Williamson as they lead our True Colors session on Friday evening, and Robert Powell and Adrian Vargas for leading Team Building session on Saturday morning. Our council is better focused, more cohesive, and better prepared because of your great leadership. Thank you!!

We have HUGE goals and challenges that we are preparing for this year. Together we will succeed. If you haven’t joined the rESPect Campaign join now, together we will bring rESPect to all of our members!!!