IEA Education Support Professional Council

Public edcuation is under attack…find a rally near you to advocate for our students and educators.

When: 5:30-7pm, 2nd Thursday of each month

We have restructured our monthly virtual rESPect meetings to better equip and “empower ESPs to know their strength and use it”. All education support professional allies are welcome. Attendees must register as this is a new link to join. Together we can bring the changes we need and transform this meeting in to a movement!

Come for learning, leave with so much more!!

The ONE Conference offers great professional development, amazing net working, good food, lots of prizes…and we can’t forget dancing.

This Conference is planned by members for members in collaboration with IEA staff. Planned specifically for IEA Education Support Professional members, IEA Higher Education members, and IEA Retired members to develop professional skills, earn professional development credit and network with colleagues around the state.

During this past summer rESPect Campaign leaders met to and discussed how the campaign can better Organize And Empower ESPs To Know Their Power And Use It. You won’t want to miss these virtual organizing opportunities!!

We will NOT be meeting in August but will resume September 11th from 5:30-7pm.

It’s time for education support professionals to be seen as the essential educators they are! The summertime classroom shuffle, repair, and cleaning is done and new routines and relationships are beginning to grow. Students are being transported to schools… or our college learners are walking across campus’. Teachers/prof have long been planning and differentiating instruction in preparation for their arrivial…but don’t forget learning couldn’t happen without education support professionals!

Thank you to the West Aurora Paraprofessional Association (WAPA) for inviting me to come speak at your beginning of the year institute about how essential you are to our students and to our union. We all deserve rESPect! The stonger our power, the louder our voice!

Help keep an ESP voice at the IMRF table

The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) will be holding an election for Trustees of IMRF. Two active members of the system will be elected to the IMRF Board of Trustees in 2025. It is extremely important that we have ESP voices at the table so please help support this candidate.

The IEA-recommended Trustee candidate seeking election: Jason Isaac from Champaign Unit 4 School District

Please help us collect signatures to get Jason’s name on the ballot. You can follow the directions for collecting and submitting listed on the form.

Grow ESP Power…and use it!

The Cumberland Support Staff (Cumberland CUSD #77) are having a rally before the Support Staff’s next negotiations meeting this Thursday at 4:30-5:15pm. If you are in the area…come join our sisters and brothers and support them as they advocate for their members.

Meet at the Cumberland Unit Office lawn before the Support Staff’s next negotiations meeting. Where: Cumberland Unit Office 1496 IL Rte 121 Toledo, IL 62468 Bring your families and friends to support the Cumberland Support Staff who are starting the school year without a contract.

We are bargaining for fair wages and insurance benefits to retain the best support staff for our students.

PLEASE WEAR RED!

Thank you for your support!

You are invited to attend this amazing Leadership Development Retreat

This is for ANYONE interested in learning more about how to better support our black and brown students, the histories of our education system and how we can help to bring the changes we need in a culturally responsive way. Scan the QR Code on the flier for more information.

When you apply to attend, please let them know where you learned about this event (ESP Council social media).

To ensure student success, it is critical that teachers and paraeducators understand their roles and responsibilities, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and respect one another in the process. That’s why NEA offers Building Winning Teams: Effective Paraeducator-Teacher Teams, a series of trainings designed for teams to engage in together. Follow the link for this NEA ESP Webinar.