President’s Message August 2021
I hope all have been enjoying a break and have been able to spend time with family and friends!
This month’s message has a lot of information on professional development, updates on the work of MEA, as well as updates on the coming academic year, so please take time to read. As always, send questions our way!
First, a correction to the recent message about the great news that the state will be paying 55% of health insurance for educators in MePERS—we mistakenly had Representative Faulkingham’s district as Winterport but it is Winter Harbor. My apologies for the error—we are grateful for Representative Faulkingham’s amendment that made this happen! Thanks to those who let me know about the error (and I’m glad you are reading the President’s messages!)
Next, we know the most frequent question, whether you are saying it aloud or thinking it, is, “What will school look like this year?” I watched the recent webinar the Maine CDC held for school superintendents; more information and FAQs will be out soon. Meanwhile, here is the latest information on the DOE website: https://www.maine.gov/doe/covid-19/toolkit
MEA will of course continue to gather information to share with our local leaders.
Following the recent adoption by the Maine CDC of the US CDC recommendations for schools, the MEA Board of Directors took the following position:
MEA Board of Directors’ position on Maine CDC’s recommendations, August 1, 2021:
The MEA Board of Directors continues to prioritize the safety of students and of educators during the 2021-2022 academic year and knows the importance of providing equitable opportunities for our students to have in-person learning while acknowledging that students under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine. Therefore, the Board believes that all school boards and school administrators of pre-K-12 school districts and the Boards of Trustees for the University of Maine System and for the Community Colleges should follow, at a minimum, all of the recommendations of the experts at the Maine Center for Disease Control. Furthermore, school boards, administrators, and boards of trustees should work with educators in all roles in developing plans for the academic year in order to formulate the best plans so that educators have a safe, supportive environment in which to teach and work, and students have a safe, supportive environment in which to learn and be successful. Additionally, as recommendations and/or requirements from the Maine CDC evolve, educators should be included in revising such plans as the need arises and as may be warranted by changing conditions.
Your career
NEA’s Summer of Justice series continues through this month. Check out the upcoming sessions here: Agenda – Summer Justice Series (cvent.com) If you missed the previous sessions, they are posted on the Attendee Hub for those who have registered.
Register now for social-emotional (SEL) learning courses offered by NEA for members for an opportunity to re-energize and to learn how important it is to attend to social and emotional needs Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Courses | NEA
Maine School Management Association is hosting the Cultural Competence Institute 2.0 Many districts had teams of educators and school boards participating in last year’s institute. If you are interested, speak to your Superintendent about having your district participate. There is an informational session for administrators and school boards on August 16th. They should check with MSMA for details.
Maine Historical Society in Portland has an exhibit (available now until the end of the year) and a virtual program series “Begin Again” which “explores Maine’s historic role” in the crises of this past year. The online exhibit can be found on Maine Memory Network .
Your support
I recently viewed a webinar, “Lessons from the Field – Returning to School: Strategies for Supporting Staff” by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) –there were links to many valuable resources are on the webinar slides. To download a copy of the presentation: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/events/webinar/lessons-field-returning-school-strategies-supporting-staff Watch for these upcoming Lessons from the Field webinars: Aug. 11—Re-engaging Students as They Return to School Part 1; Aug. 25– Re-engaging Students as They Return to School Part 2; Sept. 8—Early childhood; Sept. 22—Nutrition and Wellness
I was also able to join an informative webinar hosted by Maine Principals Association on pool testing by Concentric by Gingko that many districts are participating in/plan to participate in. When I receive the recording I will gladly share it. Meanwhile, here is some information on this mitigation strategy: https://www.concentricbyginkgo.com/
Your association
NEA has launched a course, “Leadership Development 102: A Strategic Approach to Leadership Development”. If interested: https://neapartnera.learnupon.com/users/sign_in Check out the wide selection of NEA Microcredentials here: https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/professional-learning/micro-credentials
NEA held a second webinar to provide information on the American Rescue Plan and the use of ESSER Funds. Here are some resources from the session: NEA’s Guide to Federal Emergency Aid Amounts, Uses, and Requirements | NEA and The ESSER Funds: Bargaining and Advocacy Guidance for Safe and Equitable Schools | NEA If you missed the session and would like the recording, let me know.
The MEA Board of Directors recently spent a day with the MEA staff for a training on racial and social justice as we continue to work on this priority of the organization. Three days of Board training, Board committee meetings, and the July Board meeting followed. We welcomed new Directors to the following districts: District E—Terry Mitchell, District J—Rebecca Pruente, and District M—Christopher Jones. We also appointed Kira Yardley, a student at University of Maine, Orono, who is an aspiring educator and will serve as our Student Observer beginning in September. Your Board Director will be sharing highlights of our meeting with you. When your Board Director reaches out to you, please respond and let them know how things are going in your area!
It’s not too late to let me know of your interest in joining an MEA Committee—it’s a great way to raise your voice in our work and to meet members from across the state. Information and the link to indicate your interest is here: Maine Education Association Committees (office.com)
Reminders
I included information about the Civil Rights Team Project in a previous message, but it bears repeating. “The mission of the Civil Rights Team Project (CRTP) is to increase the safety of elementary, middle level, and high school students by reducing bias-motivated behaviors and harassment in our schools.” For more information go here: https://www.maine.gov/ag/civil_rights/index.shtml And remember the 2021 “Day of Welcome” is November 5th—it’s not too soon to begin plans!
The next MEA President’s Virtual Office Hour for local presidents and vice presidents will be Sept. 14th at 7 pm. The invitation will be sent the week before—please plan to join to hear updates, and to check in and network with other local leaders around the state. Note other dates for the year on the MEA Governance calendar. (link the governance calendar here)
It is not too soon to think about local elections that take place this fall. Whether there are races for school board or city or town council, the people elected to these positions make decisions that impact educators and students. If your local association would like assistance with a screening and/or endorsement process, contact us—MEA is glad to help.
I hope to see many of you at upcoming meetings in your UniServ districts, and I’d also be glad to try to visit during your back-to-school events—just let me know! And please plan to reach out to me with dates/times/places—in-person or virtual—for your local association meetings—I would like to make progress on getting around to all over the coming year!
Last but NOT LEAST—welcome the new hires to your district, help your local leaders by offering to help connect with the new staff, and tell new educators—and any other ‘not-yet-members’ about the value of belonging to the MEA and the NEA!
Please reach out any time—enjoy these last weeks of summer break, and watch for updates as we head towards September—as well as information about the new MEA App—coming soon!
Stay well!
In Unity,
Grace Leavitt
MEA President
