Happy World ESP Day
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We Rise Together – NEA Week of Action
US SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM ILLINOIS
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all our lives in so many ways. All our lives will change in ways we don’t even know yet. But we cannot and will not just sit and wring our hands. We must plan, prepare, and mobilize to advocate for what we know students and educators need. IEA members are coming together with families, community leaders and other activists to demand that Congress act to ensure that students and communities Rise Together.
Educators and parents join to tell Congress to support students now
WASHINGTON – May 14, 2020 –
Leaders from two of the largest and most influential education organizations, the National Education Association and the National PTA, along with teachers and education support professionals who continue to serve students during the coronavirus pandemic, joined together in a national media call. They addressed the pressing issues facing students, families and educators, including what’s needed from Congress as elected officials discuss transitioning to in-person learning for the 2020-21 academic year.
Congress to support students now
NEA releases poll data and launches national campaign, including million-dollar ad buy
WASHINGTON – May 14, 2020 –
Leaders from two of the largest and most influential education organizations, the National Education Association and the National PTA, along with teachers and education support professionals who continue to serve students during the coronavirus pandemic, joined together in a national media call. They addressed the pressing issues facing students, families and educators, including what’s needed from Congress as elected officials discuss transitioning to in-person learning for the 2020-21 academic year.
“The partnership between parents and educators is so important, especially in this time of crisis. Educators’ number-one concern is the safety, well-being and success of our students,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the inequities facing our most vulnerable students and with the economic downturn now threatening the future of public schools, parents and educators are standing together because we cannot wait. Our nation’s students cannot pay the price in this crisis.”
As Americans brace for what could be the worst economic downturn in U.S. history, educators and parents are demanding that Congress act quickly to support students and provide the federal funding they need to succeed. Estimates of state revenue shortfalls range from $500 billion from the National Governors Association and Economic Policy Institute to $650 billion over 3 years, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. School finance experts also predict that hundreds of thousands of education jobs could be lost — impacting the education of millions of students — absent federal intervention.
This week, House Democrats introduced a new coronavirus relief bill, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or “HEROES Act,” to provide more resources for students and educators through vital funding for public schools and communities combatting the coronavirus crisis. While this legislation isn’t perfect, it includes $100 billion specifically for K-12 and higher education along with $915 billion in state and local aid to address budget gaps that could be used to help public schools and college campuses.
NEA’s intensive advocacy campaign kicks off with a tele-townhall featuring Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), and award-winning actor Bradley Whitford, as well as thousands of education activists, to discuss what is at stake for students and communities. Over the course of the coming weeks, NEA will be organizing virtual #RedForEd rallies across the country and engaging educators and parents in tens of thousands of phone calls and emails to Congress, telling lawmakers to put politics aside and provide emergency funding for students now.
More resources are available at nea.org/coronavirus.
Follow on twitter at @NEAmedia, @Lily_NEA and @NationalPTA
Keep up with the conversation on social media at #ProtectAllWorkers and #RedForEd
JOIN OUR NATION’S STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS AS WE RISE TOGETHER FROM COVID-19
The coronavirus may have closed school buildings and campuses, but it didn’t stop educators from working to ensure their students learn, cope, and even get fed.
It has revealed how critical public schools and educators are to our students, communities and country.
We need you to RISE with us and TAKE ACTION
The coronavirus may have closed school buildings, but it has also revealed the determination and resolve of educators to help their students. The coronavirus has also exposed a great divide. Some students, especially those who are black, brown, and poor, have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, and unless we act, will face steeper obstacles in the future because of it.
The nation’s recovery from COVID-19 will run through our public schools, so we need to make sure we prioritize educators and students in coronavirus relief legislation.
ACTION 1: Write Congress
With our country and public schools facing serious financial challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis, students need you to speak up now! Congress MUST prioritize dedicated funding to support public school students, educators, and communities in the next coronavirus relief package, not just billionaires and corporations. TAKE ACTION
Action 2: Recruit Your Friends
The more people who join our efforts, the louder our voices will be. 
SHARE ON Twitter SHARE ON Facebook
Action 3: Build Collective Action
BECOME AN NEA COMMUNITY ALLY Together, we will advocate for legislation to help students, educators, and public schools navigate the fallout from COVID-19. But we need your support. Become a community ally for $25 and help fund our efforts. JOIN NEA
Action 4: Pledge Your Support
The coronavirus may have closed school buildings and campuses, but it didn’t stop educators from working to ensure their students learn, cope, and even get fed. TAKE ACTION
Educating Through Crisis
Share Your Story
Tell us what we can do to help you get through this tough time. Share an inspiring story. Pass along a tip. Ask for help. We want to hear from you.
We have ALWAYS been essential!!
NEA Digital Learning Series: Two Webinars Listed Below
As you know, digital learning has become our new norm. As partners in this work, we are still committed to providing useful resources that will assist you and your team with planning key organizing tactics to help increase membership virtually.
NEA is launching the Digital Learning Series with the two webinars listed below.
May 12: In this webinar, learn to deploy a best-practice membership form to support organizing across different platforms. Together with C4O staff, OGC counsel Jeff Burritt and Maryann Parker will establish the urgency of the moment in terms of both organizing goals and litigation threats. We will review top priorities for membership applications, including the new NEA model form, and cover general legal principles for online membership and payment authorization systems. The webinar also will feature organizers and lawyers from state associations that have created systems for recruiting members virtually.
May 19: Now more than ever, strong public sector unions depend on their members. It is essential to meet and organize prospective members as early as possible. Accessing and maintaining up-to-date information on all employees represented by the Local Association is an essential building block to a strong and effective organization. This session will walk participants through the List Acquisition Toolkit and provide best practices that Affiliates are using in the field.
It’s not too late. Registration for the Year-Round Organizing Digital Learning Series is still open to all local leaders, state staff, and those responsible for organizing at the state and local level.
Please click the link below to register.
Below is the list of the entire series and dates:
- May 12: Resilience: We can Organize and Thrive in a Virtual
Environment (Hosted by the NEA Office of General Counsel)
- May 19: Strengthening your List Acquisition & Cleaning your Data
- May 26: Maximizing Online and Digital Recruitment Strategies
- June 2: Ensuring Success for Member Organizers in a Virtual Environment
- June 9: Digital 1:1 Conversations: Best Practices, Choosing and Using the Best
Tools
- June 16: Virtual New Employee Orientations
- June 23: Building Mapping for Power
- June 30: Virtual Issue Organizing
- Volunteer to share your ideas and plans: If your affiliate has begun to think through these issues and you are willing to share examples on a national webinar related to the topics above, please email us at Glueteam@nea.org. We need case studies, materials, and resources to share with our colleagues across the nation.
- Access our Resources: Go to www.nea.org/newedresources and request access. You will need these materials during the webinar.
- Engage and Prepare Your Locals: Begin having conversations with your UniServ Directors, Local Associations, and school districts to plan for a virtual Back to School season or at least one with social distancing limits in place. It will be essential to ensure your union’s access to any platform that school systems utilize to communicate and onboard new and veteran employees. In addition, securing your employee bargaining lists with personal email addresses and cell phone numbers will be imperative to following up with each member and potential member.
These are unprecedented times, but we believe with a little bit of planning and ingenuity, our union can thrive in this new environment. We’ve got a new reality – let’s leverage it to win for our members, our students, and our communities.
Remote learning prep clock hours, new online learning portal experience
| JUST ANNOUNCED! IEA is providing professional development clock hours to members for completion of PD activities in preparation for remote learning. Video message from IEA President Kathi Griffin Remote Learning PD Clock Hour Request Form |
| Hello Friend, The Illinois Education Association strives to offer you free, high-quality online professional development that fits your needs and is available on-demand to fit your changing schedule. |
| To help you gather the ISBE clock hours you need to renew your license, we’re excited to announce that on Monday, May 18, we will launch our new platform! The new platform has one-click sorting to quickly find course-by-course categories or course tags. |
| Are you actively using the IEA Online Learning Portal now? Don’t worry, you’ll continue to have access to the legacy platform until June 2. To help ease the transition, during the week of May 15 you can expect to receive an email with your course completion certificates for all courses completed as of April 30. If you complete a course after April 30, please download and save the course completion certificates as you complete them. We’re so looking forward to offering you this updated platform as a benefit of your membership. Thank you so much for all you’re doing for our students. We’re so glad you’re an IEA member. |
Webinar Opportunity
Cleaning Schools to Control for Viruses and Bacteria: Maintaining Healthy Indoor Learning Environments
Registration is Open!
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2020
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 PM EDT
Please note, audio will not be available through the webinar portal. You must call in by phone to access the audio. Details are provided after registration.
Cleaning for health, using effective and efficient products, policies and practices, has always been the first line of defense for schools when it comes to controlling the spread of infectious disease and providing healthy, safe and productive indoor learning environments. This webinar is designed to help school district facilities and custodial staff put action plans in place to meet modern day environmental health challenges, while maintaining good indoor environmental quality, ensuring staff safety and protecting occupant health.
During this webinar, our expert speakers will:
· Explain some of the most effective methods and strategies for cleaning schools to control for viruses and bacteria, while preserving a healthy indoor learning environment.
· Introduce preliminary findings from new research on the link between cleaning practices and occupant health in schools.
· Explore proven strategies, approaches, and resources used by thousands of schools across the country to implement effective healthy cleaning practices as part of a comprehensive IAQ management plan.
ESPs Making A Difference Today and Everyday!
Thank you for all you do!! ESPs from all across the country have been doing everything they can to support our students and families. Thank you!! You have always been essential to the success of our students. ESPs are rising up all across the country not only supporting students in the virtual classrooms but supporting whole communities through this trying time.
As you scroll through these pictures posted from the National Education Association, you will see some of our very own ESP heroes from Illinois. Please add pictures of you and your colleagues in the comments below of the work you are doing on the front lines during this Covid-19 pandemic. Always remember, #StrongerUnited, #rESPect,
IEA Education Support Professional Council 