IEA Education Support Professional Council

Happy November! This month, our team at NEA is offering several exciting opportunities for ESPs to connect with one another, engage in professional learning, and share stories! Sign up for these opportunities below and spread the word to your colleagues and members. 
 

• Join us for our November ESP Learning Network Webinar  
  Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET 
  In this session, we will discuss the importance of pronouncing a student’s name properly and the profound impact that it can have on them throughout their life. Join this webinar and learn techniques to master how to say names properly so we can show our marginalized students that we see them, value them, and respect their cultures and identities. 
   
  Register Now > 
   
• Apply for the pilot of our paraeducator-teacher teams program 
  Deadline: November 11 
  We are accepting applications for the pilot program of Building Winning Teams, a professional learning opportunity focused on creating effective paraeducator-teacher teams. The pilot will take place between January 2, 2023 and April 28, 2023. Each local affiliate that applies must have two Paraeducator-Teacher teams to participate in the training. The deadline to submit applications is November 11, 2022. 
   
  Apply for the Pilot > 
   
   
• Network with ESPs and make community connections 
  November 15, 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. ET 
  Join us for our first-ever ESP Community Conversation, a one-hour virtual networking session that will connect you with fellow ESP members to discuss the challenges and successes you have experienced while bargaining and advocating for your students and for your professions. Registration will close on 11/11 or when the attendee count reaches 70 people.  
   
  Register Now > 
   
   
• Celebrate Education Support Professionals Day  
  November 16, all day 
  On the Wednesday of American Education Week, we honor the team of people who work in our nation’s public school communities, everyone from the bus driver to the cafeteria worker and paraeducator, plus countless others. On ESP Day, share a story of how an ESP has made an impact on your life by posting to social media using #WeLoveOurESPs. 
   
  Celebrate with us > 
   

We look forward to your participation in these upcoming opportunities!

I hope you have a SPOOKTACULAR day!

This past Friday evening and Saturday I had the privilege to travel to Springfield, Illinois to attend the October Illinois Education Association Board of Director’s meeting. A lot of great work was done. It’s always important to hear what our members are experiencing around the state and advocate for the support they need. We also had a very special guest stop by.

Don’t forget to vote! November 8th is election day. Make a plan…and plan to vote. Here is a link to IEA’s Voter Guide for pro-public education candidates.

The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the University of Illinois Springfield invites 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.

IEA will use the results of this survey to support educator’s well-being in the workplace through improved programs and services.

This survey is voluntary and will take approximately ten minutes to complete. Data collected as part of this survey will remain confidential, see the informed consent document for additional information. Please use the below link to access the survey:

Take the Illinois Educator Well-Being Survey

The survey will close on December 1, 2022.

This spooky season, get rid of the biggest scare in your life – student loans! The deadline for public service loan forgiveness is fast approaching, but NEA can help!

Come join us this Tuesday, October 25th at 7:00pm for a virtual discussion on Unemployment Insurance for education support professionals.

Support staff can’t have unemployment, so often times pay is stretched over the summer. We want to change that. Click the link to register to attend this important discussion. https://mobilize.us/s/9Bz3IC/r

Don’t Miss This NEA Virtual Webinar Opportunity

Equitable Discipline and the Role of an ESP 
Thursday, October 20, 2022, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET (EASTERN)
 
This webinar is rooted in relational equity and culturally responsive social-emotional learning. Join us to learn about the important connection between authentic relationships with students, families, and staff members and their impact on student success, resiliency, and hope. You will also explore how personal bias impacts disciplinary decisions and actions. Register Now