Tag: Proud ESP

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Call to Action – Undo Tier 2

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In 2010, the Illinois General Assembly hastily created a “Tier 2” of separate, lower pension benefits for public school and public university employees hired after 2011. We are asking our members to take action now to change this.

Since then, the drastically reduced benefits for “Tier 2” workers are further diminished due to inflation, meaning they can’t keep up with rising costs like grocery and drug price increases. Many education employees cannot collect Social Security, and these pension benefits are their sole source of retirement security. You can see the negative effects of Tier 2 reflected in the shortages of both educators and Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in schools and universities across the state. The shortages mean an increased workload and sometimes overwhelming working conditions for everyone working in our schools and at our colleges and universities.
This problem was created by politicians failing to pay into the retirement system, and it’s them we should be holding accountable, rather than punishing educators.  
From April 15-18, please join Illinois public employee unions in a week of action. Contact your lawmakers and tell them they must take action to fix Tier 2 pensions. You can write your lawmaker here. Or, you can dial 507-497-1665 to be connected to your legislators by phone.
ACT NOW!
This action is the first step to push legislators in Springfield to ensure that all school employees have a fair, secure retirement and we can retain essential teachers, adjuncts and higher ed staff, Education Support Professionals (ESPs) and all public school and university employees.  All educators deserve an equitable retirement. 

Stand up for your colleagues. Help us Undo Tier 2. 

Remember, we are stronger united! And together we are IEA! 
Education Support Professionals

IEA Spring Elections: Don’t forget to vote

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Elections for ESP Council and other statewide positions

You should have received the below envelope during the last week of March/first of April containing online election information to vote for your IEA ESP Council members, NEA RA state delegates and other IEA statewide positions. If you did not receive your online voting information or have any questions, please contact IEA Governance Elections Paraprofessional Kim Trader @ kim.trader@ieanea.org or 217-321-2250. The election closes at 4 p.m. on April 24. Please vote! Your vote is important!

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

What does RESPECT look like?

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You’re invited to attend our next RESPECT virtual meeting

register: April virtual meeting

Support staff are typically the first to arrive at school as they unlock doors and turn on lights. They are some of the first people to greet students when they arrive at school in the morning, who give students the academic support they need to become successful scholars, who carefully assist with their health, safety, and nutritional needs, and are the last people who see students safely home at the end of the day. The value of their work is priceless.

So it’s time we start treating them that way!

Join the respect campaign
resolution of support
More resources
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Thank you to all who attended last nights rESPect steering meeting

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Click image to visit the IEA rESPect website

Un oh…technical difficulties.

We started with a few hiccups with technology, but ended with a great meeting full of collaboration and awesome ideas shared by many! Each rESPect team (Legislative, Model Contract Language, Communications, and Organizing and Leadership Development), worked in breakout rooms to accomplish the goals of their team. It is the members and IEA staff that come together and share their voice and talents that will build this into the powerful campaign needed to bring the changes that will benefit the lives of education support professionals in Illinois.

You’re invited to attend our next meeting on February 8th

Click to register for our next respect meeting

#IEArESPect #IEAESP #rESPect #NEAESP

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association, Uncategorized

Join our virtual rESPect meeting tomorrow

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Join Us Jan. 11
5:30 – 7 p.m.

rESPect Virtual Meeting
All ESPs Welcome!

REGISTER NOW

(You will receive the Zoom link by email)

RESPECT – Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together is a statewide effort by ESPs, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions by focusing on four areas: wages, health insurance, pensions, and retaining, recruiting, and job duties.
Uncategorized

Happy New Years Eve!

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Be safe if you plan to travel on this New Year’s Eve! I will be counting my blessings this New Year’s as I think of my family (both by blood and union siblings) and friends. So many great things are happening to support the goals of the rESPect Campaign; so much more work is left to do! I hope you will join us at our next IEA rESPect virtual meeting on Thursday, January 11th. Click for more information and to register for the upcoming rESPect meeting. Click link to register: https://www.mobilize.us/ieanea/event/592186/

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Have you heard of the RISE Award? Hear what is being said on the national level about education support professionals!!

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RECOGNIZING INSPIRING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES (RISE) AWARD

Did you know that there is a national award to celebrate the essential work we do? This is a national award that celebrates the contributions of education support professionals. The U.S. Department of Education invites the governor or designated state official of each state to nominate up to two classified school employees annually. (The deadline is already closed for this year)

Here is what is said about education support professionals in the award Fact Sheet.

WHY: To celebrate classified school employees as the unsung heroes—the “living
infrastructure”—of America’s public schools. They engage with students on the bus and in the classrooms, cafeterias, health suites and hallways of America’s public and private schools across the nation. Their unique professional skill sets range from classroom and library assistant, school health aide, bus driver, mechanic, and school crossing guard, to cook, janitor, school secretary, vision and hearing tester, accounting control clerk and much more. They work closely with students every day, keeping them healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged so that learning can take place. To educate the public on the important, and often invisible, educational support rendered by some of the hardest-working people in our schools – they serve in the capacity of the glue to the school. In short, to remind the school community that it takes a village to ensure student success.

We are making a difference in promoting the amazing contributions ESPs make every day in schools and universities. We must keep the essential work and support we do front and center as we work to advance rESPect. The more we make it real, the more we make it a reality!

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

TAKE ACTION – Contact your representatives

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Take action on the issues impacting ESPs

These are federal bills that the National Education Association along with education support professionals across the country are fight for.

·         Urge your senators to cosponsor the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights: https://bit.ly/ESPborAction 

·         Email members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the ESP and School Support Staff Family Leave Act: https://bit.ly/ESPFMLA 

·         Learn more actions you can take at www.nea.org/esp   

#iearESPect

#ESPsareEssential

#rESPect

#NEAESP

Uncategorized

What do you get when you attend the One Conference?

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We know that our schools couldn’t run without the amazing education support professionals who are typically the first to arrive at school as they unlock doors and turn on lights. They are some of the first people to greet students when they arrive at school in the morning, who give students the academic support they need to become successful scholars, who carefully assist with their health, safety, and nutritional needs, and are the last people who see students safely home at the end of the day. The value of their work is priceless.

Join us for a two-day event offering:

  • Professional development and elective sessions especially created for ESPs
  • Time to collaborate with other amazing education support professionals
  • Fabulous meals (Friday: Dinner, Saturday: Breakfast, Lunch)
  • A time to be seen, heard, and appreciated!
  • Low cost – $20 registration fee – Funding may be available through your IEA local or IEA region office to cover registration and hotel fee.
Click for more information