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.
We’re constantly moved and inspired by Education Support Professionals like Andrea Beeman. ESPs, around the nation make a difference in the lives of our students every day. We’re proud to honor as the 2020 NEA ESP of the Year #WeLoveOurESPs #rESPect
This is a very stressful time for everyone with the threat of Covid-19. These uncertain times have wreak havoc on everyone’s emotions. Schools are closed and families are stressed! Many school districts are asking ESPs to continue professional development while planning and implementation is figured out for e-learning.
First of all please remember to breathe. We will prevail. We will get through this. To help ESPs navigate the professional development websites, I’ve created a new page to help you find great quality ESP professional development. Please check out the new ESP Professional Development page on this site.
In March, the U.S. Census Bureau sent mailings to households all across America. The response to these mailings will affect funding and political power in every state, city and school district. Over $1.5 trillion in federal funds rely on census data, including funds for special education, teacher training, school lunch, transportation, Head Start and after-school programs. Every person missed by the Census means less money and less political power for your community. Even though the Census is safe, important and necessary – it misses millions of people every time. This session will discuss NEA’s “Everyone Counts” campaign, and what ESPs can do to make sure they, their students and their communities are counted fully.
“ISBE contemplates that districts will eventually transition to Remote Instructional Days. We have assembled an advisory group composed of teachers, administrators, and stakeholders to make recommendations about what Remote Instructional Days would look like. This advisory group will explore what is possible and what is reasonable under these unprecedented circumstances, keeping always in mind the incredible diversity and varying capacity of our 852 school districts.”
The Illinois State Board of Education is assembling an advisory group, consisting of various stakeholders including ESP. Members of our Illinois ESP Council will be included in this meeting making your voice heard loud and clear. We need your voice now. Comment on this post, or contact your esp council directly by clicking on the link below.
Please include all concerns and possible solutions to your concerns. It is extremely important that we bring not only our fears, but the solutions we want to see. ESP are the backbone in our schools. They hold everything together and support the masses. Lets pull together and not just bring ALL ESPs through this, but lets bring ALL ESPs through this Stronger Together!
#StrongerTogether #rESPect #
This is just one of the many stories that shows what amazing ESPs are doing all around the country!! Thank you for all that you do. Please share what you or your ESP members are doing to help our students and communities through this trying time. Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember we will get through this, stronger together!! We Are ESP!!!
ESPs tell your story!
With the concern over ESPs, at this perilous time, and knowing that all ESPs matter. For this post I want to address school food service workers, who may fall ill or need to quarantine/self isolate, how might schools be able to address still making sure kids are fed? Concerns over running afoul of CBAs? Concerns over our members losing their jobs, etc., but how to have hands on deck to get the food out.
———
Our goal is to provide examples of solutions that could do a few things 1) ensure the food industry doesn’t use this time as an opportunity to push privatization of our food service workers and 2) provide a healthy list of ideas schools can use that would prevent them from putting their operations at unnecessary risk by having one central food preparation and distribution school.
Please send your ideas to Tim Barchak, TBarchak@nea.org ASAP. Feel free to collaborate with your colleagues on ideas or share what your district is doing.
Thanks!
We at NEA Member Benefits want you to know we’re here to support you during this difficult time.
Many of our benefit partners are offering special assistance to members in need who may have been affected by an involuntary layoff. Below is a list of contact information for our partners and details on specific assistance they have available.
We hope that you and your families are safe. Please contact us if you have any questions about your benefits and we will help you however we can. You can reach our Member Advocacy Center by telephone or email:
1-800-637-4636
(Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, Sat: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET)
Contact Us
neamb.com/contact-us
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Many district admin have asked ESPs who are home during this time, to do activities that will enhance our skills as education support professionals. I wanted to share some great links to webinars NEA has to offer ESPs that will better prepare us to support our students when we return.
Professional Development Webinar Training
NEA ESP Quality Department in the Center of Great Public Schools, in collaboration with various professionals in the education workforce, have created a wide variety of professional development webinars designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals (ESP).
Enhance you professional skills today and sign up here!
View our archived training recordings here.
IEA Education Support Professional Council 