I want to start this month with a huge THANK YOU to you all for the work you do and the care you take every day to provide our students with a great public education! I especially want to thank the MANY of you I have seen or spoken with over the past few weeks, whether providing testimony in the legislature, at our Lobby Day over the February school break, or at various meetings–hearing about your work at negotiating tables and in your districts, supporting colleagues and dealing with all sorts of issues. I am both proud of and humbled by all you do!
There is a LOT going on in the coming weeks, and there is a LOT of information contained in this message, so please take time to peruse it to see what interests you. I’m sure you’ll find something!
MEA AND NEA EVENTS AND RESOURCES
March Observances & Major Events
MEA Read Across Maine Contest All Maine public school students, in all grades, are encouraged to participate! Each participating classroom sets a collective reading goal for the duration of the contest reflecting the number of books, pages, sight words, or reading hours the class aims to complete. Educators receive access to a map to track the books read, pages completed, words, or hours spent reading by their classroom. Details here: https://maineea.org/readacrossmaine
And talking about reading, check out the resources for NEA’s Read Across America: CLICK HERE
This month we also celebrate Youth Art Month and Music in Our Schools Month. Each year our educators in the visual and performing arts support students in developing their creativity and provide opportunities for them to exhibit their skills. MEA is proud to host a reception for students whose artwork will be on display at MEA Headquarters in Augusta. We are grateful to the members of the Maine Art Education Association and of the Maine Music Educators Association for all they do.
Women’s History Month—NEA has classroom resources to teach about the challenges and accomplishments of women throughout history, including our Women in Labor History timeline highlighting how NEA members have raised their voices to make workplaces more supportive of women.
National Disabilities Month– NEA has content to share that supports and celebrates our students and educators with disabilities. The first is our online resource hub, with information and explainers for families, educators, and students. Next, watch and share President Becky Pringle’s conversation with Chris, a proud neurodivergent educator in Missouri.
And an apology for missing last month that February is National Career and Technical Education Month—thank you to CTE instructor Todd Fields for letting me know! Having served on the Task Force established by the legislature to Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System , I am even more aware now of how important our CTE programs and educators are for so many of our students. Here is the report: 10600 (maine.gov)
UPDATE: For our Early Career Educators—You should have received an updated invitation to the Early Career EdPalooza which will now be virtual! Details here: https://cvent.me/RG4Lbg
NEA’s Leaders for Just Schools is a program for members to learn about and to be trained to advocate around issues of equity and opportunity for all students. If you are interested in one of the limited spots in the next cohort and can commit to the three-year program that requires significant time, engagement, and communication throughout the school year and each summer, please contact me no later than this Saturday, March 9th. For more information on LJS: https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/leadership-development/leaders-just-schools
NEA is hosting a Speak Up! Speak Out!: LGBTQ+ Educator Voice Engagement for LGBTQ+ members and allies on Saturday, June 29, 2024, for a full day and then a half day on Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Philadelphia, PA. Participants will explore, learn, and fully discuss LGBTQ+ issues and how it impacts our students, educators, families, and communities; review current state and local policies and practices that impact LGBTQ+ issues and identify possible changes to current policies and practices, or potential new ones needed in order to address the issue; and create engagement, communication, and implementation plans that address LGBTQ+ issues with a clear focus on promoting student learning, student success, and quality teaching and learning environments. Participants are then invited to attend the 2024 Conference on Racial and Social Justice, Monday, July 1 – Tuesday, July 2, 2024. If you are interested, please contact me by March 15th and include an explanation about why you are interested.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education Monthly Webinar Series Continues: Wednesdays, March 27th, & April 24th, 7:30-8:30 p.m. NEA and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) are hosting a series of webinars to discuss the rise of AI in education. Learn more about – and register for – future sessions here.
Applications for The NEA Foundation’s Summer 2024 Grants to Educators have opened up! Educators can apply on our website until May 1st for Envision Equity Grants, Student Success Grants, and Learning and Leadership Grants. Grantees will be notified in July.
SAVE THE DATE: We are planning a second MEA Lobby Day on April 18th. Please watch for information later on this spring, and if you are not yet receiving our MEA Government Relations Director’s newsletter, “Under the Dome” sign up here Take Action – Maine Education Association (maineea.org) so you can keep up with what’s happening in the legislature. Let’s get our priority legislation across the finish line!
Submissions for two MEA Contests—My Hero Works at School and What I Love About Maine—are due April 26th. Please engage your students in these! Details here:https://maineea.org/award-grants/
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
The NEA Legislative Committee wants to hear from you!You’re invited to the committee’s remaining listening session for 2023-24 on Tuesday, March 12 at 8-9 PM. You will learn how the Legislative Program guides NEA’s advocacy in Congress, how to propose amendments to the program and you will get an update on what’s happening with NEA priorities in Congress. You must register in advance: https://nea-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0I7uuTrzS2m9nV-xBcTDPA .
Want to do something about gun safety? In addition to talking to your legislators about proposed legislation, how about speaking to your school administration and school boards about BeSMART https://besmartforkids.org/ and the Secure Storage Toolkit and asking them to share information about safe gun storage with families every year?
Here is the NEA Board of Directors’ report from the last month’s meeting: NEA DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER
Workshop April 6th offered by DKG, Maine State Organization—“S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your Teaching”—Details here: PD Opportunities – Maine State Organization of DKG International (weebly.com)
Want to learn about resources that are available for Wabanaki Studies? Registration for Wabanaki Studies Professional Development Workshops (airtable.com)
Webinar on Transforming Trauma: How Schools Become Healing Places Details here: TRANSFORMING TRAUMA
REMINDERS
DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS FOR MEA AWARDS IS THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 9TH, BY 5 P.M. Here are the details and nomination forms: https://maineea.org/award-grants/
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF AMENDMENTS TO MEA CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS/STANDING RULES, RESOLUTIONS, AND STRATEGIC BUDGET INPUT IS THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 9TH, BY 5 P.M. https://maineea.org/ra/
CERTIFICATES OF ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL ASSOCIATION DELEGATES TO THE MEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY ARE DUE TO MEA MARCH 15TH BY 4:30 P.M. https://maineea.org/mea-elections/
NOTICE OF INTENT TO RUN FOR AN MEA OFFICE IS DUE NO LATER THAN APRIL 18TH. https://maineea.org/mea-elections/
At a recent meeting, I was reminded of all the NEA professional learning resources—there is something for everyone, no matter your role in education: https://www.nea.org/professional-learning
The next Conversation for Racially and Ethnically Diverse MEA Members is tomorrow evening, Thursday, March 7th, at 7 p.m. Please join the conversation by registering via the link in the invitation that was sent to you.
The next MEA President’s Virtual Office Hour for local association presidents and vice presidents is Tuesday, March 12th at 7 p.m. Please register via the link in the invitation that you received.
In closing, I also want to thank the team of MEA members that attended the NEA Leadership Summit this past weekend, and especially Julie York, a member of the NEA Task Force on AI who presented a great session! (Note: missing from the photo is MEA Organizing Fellow, Jessie Muldoon, as she was busy talking to Summit participants about the program.)
I hope to see many of you over the coming weeks—at meetings, at the State House, on zoom—wherever! But of course, reach out any time.
Meanwhile, enjoy the first touches of spring!
In Unity,
Grace Leavitt, President
Maine Education Association
