We all know the saying, “April showers bring May flowers”. Similarly, in public education this is the time of year that you are starting to see the blossoms that result from the seeds of learning that you planted last fall. (Although it is National Poetry Month, I was unable to come up with a rhyme for that—if you can, please send it in!)
And along with the daffodils and tulips that are popping up, there are lots of other things ‘popping up’ around us, too, especially in Augusta!
IMPORTANT!
The hearing on the bill to raise the starting teacher salary to $50K—LD 1064–is tomorrow! If you can, zoom in to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee to present testimony or submit written or video testimony! Check out the recent issues of “Under the Dome” here for more information: (Note: this is ‘member only’ content—you will have to log in; if you need help: https://maineea.org/how-to-find-your-individual-id/)
Join us for one of our Voices for Education days—come talk with legislators in Augusta on April 18th or 20th. Click here for more information and the link to sign up.
THIS MONTH
Has your local association elected delegates to the MEA Representative Assembly yet? Certificates of election are due absolutely no later than April 14th! Be sure your local is represented! For more information about the MEA RA, go to https://maineea.org/ra/ and feel free reach out to me with any questions!
If your local will be sending a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly, the local president has a form to send to MEA no later than April 10th.
The deadline for submissions for both MEA Contests—“My Hero Works at School” and “What I Love About Maine”–is April 24th. Be sure you submit your students’ essays and art work by then!
And Early Enrollment is available once again this year, beginning this month! If you know a colleague who is not yet a member of the Association, please talk to them about why you belong, and let them know that they can join now, enjoy many of the benefits of membership, and not start paying dues until September.
Shout out to the many local leaders like the ones who gathered in Woolwich recently and have been attending meetings in the past few weeks to learn more about this!
April is also Autism Acceptance Month. See these NEA resources for educators.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FROM MEA and NEA:
Register for the ESP Learning Network Webinar: ESP Leadership in Action, Voices from the Field on Thursday, April 27th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET.
The newest episode of the School Me Podcast focuses on combating educator stress. Todd Scholl from the SCEA’s Center for Educator Wellness and Learning (CEWL) discusses how mindfulness practice in combination with systemic change can create a healthier environment for educators and students alike.
Native American Micro-Credentials. This stack of micro-credentials invites educators to gain a more in-depth understanding of how federal policy and colonialism impacted the wellness and ways of life for Native communities today thus impacting how non-Native students even learn about the truths of Native trauma and resilience.
ALSO:
The Maine Discovery Museum is offering a FREE science education conference for any elementary teacher (or pre-service teacher in an elementary education program) in Maine. Details are here: May Conference | Science Teacher Acad (scienceteacheracademy.org)
ADVOCACY
The NEA Legislative Committee, which is responsible for the stewardship of the NEA Legislative Program, is inviting NEA members to attend the committee’s upcoming listening session on Monday, April 17th, 7:30 p.m. ET to find out what the Legislative Program is all about, ask questions, offer ideas, and learn more about NEA’s federal advocacy. After registering, members will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Register here.
REMEMBER!
If your certification needs to be renewed, you can do this as soon as your documents are ready and it will not change your renewal date. It would be helpful for those who have everything ready to take care of this early.
If you or a colleague you know will be retiring this year, be sure to stay connected by joining MEA-Retired!
If your local association has not reviewed your local constitution/bylaws recently, please ask a group of members to do so. If you missed the webinar about the updated model constitution/bylaws, please let me or your UniServ Director know if you would like to see the document to help you with this.
Also, as your local conducts elections this spring, be sure to share the results with us about new officers and representatives.
Lastly, I know that some of you in several districts have been dealing with issues like book challenges and some really difficult, trying times, to say the least. PLEASE let your UniServ Director know about such issues to be sure we are aware. We have been working on various ways to address these situations, and meanwhile, let’s all be sure to support one another. Also, several locals are experiencing protracted negotiations and are working without a contract. Hang in there, stay strong, and let’s show our solidarity! I know I can’t get to every school board meeting, but if you let me know when it would be helpful to show up at yours, I will do what I can!
Please take care of yourself and of one another. I am grateful for you and all you do!
In Unity,
Grace Leavitt, President
Maine Education Association
