Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association, Uncategorized

Join our virtual rESPect meeting tomorrow

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)

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

2024 Spring IEA Elections Nominations Are Now Open

The IEA is accepting nominations for open positions on the ESP Council and other state level positions. If you’re ready to work to bring the changes we need, apply today.

The 2024 spring elections for NEA RA state, ESP, and aspiring educator delegates, and other state level positions opened today at 8 a.m.   Nominations close at 4 p.m. on February 14th.  The link to the online nomination form is on the elections page of the website.  This information is also located on the home page as well.   Also included with the online nomination form information is a link to the spring all-member governance mailer that includes the same nomination forms found online as well as the election notice for the region NEA RA delegate elections.  Also included here is a link to the eligibility information for the retired, ESP, higher education and ethnic minority state level positions to be elected this spring.

Uncategorized

Happy New Years Eve!

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/

Education Support Professionals

Great Webinar Opportunities

FYI from:   National Education Association-ESPQ

As we head into the holiday season and closer to a new year, we want to share several upcoming opportunities that will support ESPs in their personal and professional growth. Please add these events to your calendars and share them with your members and colleagues!  

  • ESP Community Conversations: Self-care for ESPs (NEXT WEEK!) 
    Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET 
    Self-care is important now more than ever. Join us for a virtual networking session centered around self-care. ESPs who join the conversation will have an opportunity to share self-care tips, learn from one another, and engage in activities to guide them in their self-care practice. Register now > 
     
  • ESP Mentoring in Oregon 
    Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET  
    Learn how to take an established ESP mentoring program and make it your own, suiting the unique needs within your district. Educators from two locals will share their successes and the roadblocks they encountered in building two successful ESP mentoring programs thriving in Oregon and how you can do the same within your state. Register now > 
     
  • ESP Rights and Respect Series: How to Build a Strategic Campaign 
    Thursday, December 14, 2023 (Webinar en Español), 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET 
    Join us for this webinar, offered in Spanish, to learn how NEA members, staff, and leaders have partnered to build a strategic campaign to increase ESP visibility, rights, and respect. Note: This webinar series is only open to NEA members, staff, and leaders. See the attached flyer and share it with your Spanish-speaking members and colleagues. Register now > 
     
  • NASP PREPaRE Workshop I: School Safety and Crisis Preparedness  
    Saturday, January 20, 2024, 10:00 a.m. –  6:00 p.m. ET 

    Are you interested in learning about school safety and crisis preparedness? No matter your role in our schools, it is important to understand how schools prepare, mitigate, and respond to a crisis. Join us for Workshop I of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) PREPaRE curriculum to learn more about how a comprehensive school crisis team functions and how to organize one. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion. All fees for the course and course materials will be covered by NEA. ***Space is limited, register today!  Register now > 
     
  • Strengthening Family and Community Engagement for ESPs 
    Thursday, January 25, 2024, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET 
    Through NEA’s Community Schools initiative, ESPs across the country are participating in powerful family and community engagement efforts, which help students and support positive worksites. Join us to hear from ESPs and Community Schools coordinators across the country discuss lessons learned and promising practices on family and community engagement, and how these insights can empower ESPs. Register now > 

See all upcoming webinars for ESPs at www.nea.org/esppdwebinars

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

rESPect: Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together

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 our campaign to help bring the changes we need.

Uncategorized

What do you get when you attend the One Conference?

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.
Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Who Makes Schools Work?

WEMAKESCHOOLWORK.COM

What makes our schools/universities work? It’s the ESPs, the education support professionals! All of the amazing lunch and recess supervisors, custodians, maintenance, and so many more essential job categories that support our students and schools throughout each and every day.

We’ve reached 10,000 views, let’s go for 20,000. Help us share and spread the word about who ESPs are and how they make schools work.

Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

This summer keeps moving forward. What have you done this summer to recharge? Any fun suggestions?

To all the educators out there, congratulations on finishing a busy school year. To those who assisted and supported students during summer school, thank you!, To those who have worked all summer prepping and preparing our buildings for students and staff to return, thank you!. Educators dedicate themselves to the safety and nurturing development of their students or staff, As the school year quickly approaches, I hope you are taking some time to focus on your own well-being.

What are some of the ways you have been recharging and renewing yourself this summer?

For me, I love to spend time with my family. I love to garden, and I have my own little bit of heaven right next to my back patio, my goldfish pond. Picture above.