A week after Uvalde, I’m sure many of us, myself included, are still struggling—and likely we will continue to struggle with our emotions, whether sadness or anger or both, until there are finally changes made that could help to prevent events like Uvalde and Buffalo and any acts of violence as have occurred in our own state recently and at a festival in Oklahoma this past weekend.
Here are resources from NEA as well as a call to action from Congress—please share it with family and friends in other states also—this is not only about students and educators in our schools, though that weighs most heavily on us—it is about our communities and our country.
Also from NEA:
March for Our Lives is planning events across the country on June 11th to call for changes. There are marches planned in D.C. and around Maine. Let’s do what we can to speak up and be sure that this time, things DO change.
The Maine Department of Education School Safety Center is hosting a School Safety Summit, June 21-23—hopefully some staff from your district will be attending. I plan to as well.
The Maine DOE School Safety Center also has a lot of information on their website.
As you know, June is PRIDE month. Many MEA members plan to participate in events across Maine this month as a way to show support for all students and educators. Here is a list of those that have been announced. MEA has signed up to participate in the Portland Pride parade—please let me know if you will be joining us there and I will send you details when I have them.
Here are resources from NEA to help provide information and support:
Your Career
The NEA ESP Learning Network Webinar Series continues this month with “Using Pronouns to Support a Safe, Welcoming, and Inclusive Environment” – Thursday, June 23, 2022, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET
Here is a full list of upcoming webinars. While intended for our ESP members, others may also register if interested.
As we continue our work to ensure welcoming, inclusive learning environments for all students and educators, you may be interested in this PBS resource on cultural appropriation.
And also these resources from NEA:
- Talking About Race in the Classroom Webinar (recorded). Traditional grading practices often go unexamined despite their potential for harm. This webinar is designed to critically examine assumptions about grading, look at current grading practices, and imagine alternatives to the status quo.
- Teaching Global Competence Micro-credential. Learn about the ability to develop diverse social and cultural perspectives that expand their understanding of local and global issues.
Your Association
The 2022 94th MEA Representative Assembly and our MEA Awards Banquet were held successfully in person recently. All were clearly glad to be together (masked!) where the delegates discussed and debated a number of New Business Items (action items) and MEA Resolutions (position statements) focused on supporting educators and students. Check with your local association’s delegate(s) for details and watch for the next issue of The Maine Educator for a summary of the items that were passed. If your local did not send a delegate this year, be sure to do so in 2023! (The 2023 MEA RA will be held on May 20th-21st –mark your calendar now!). Information is sent to local association presidents in late fall, and is also available on the MEA website.
Local treasurers and presidents should be sure to register for one of the trainings this summer. If you did not receive the message with the registration link, please contact MEA. Here are the dates and locations:
- Monday, July 11th – Bangor Savings Bank, Augusta
- Thursday, July 14th – Jeff’s Catering & Event Center, Brewer
- Wednesday, July 27th – University of Presque Isle
- Monday, August 1st – Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks
- Thursday, August 11th – Virtual
SAVE THE DATE—August 1-2– for the MEA SUMMER CONFERENCE in the Portland area. Watch for details coming soon.
Your Support
Remember that there are resources on mental health on the NEA website.
And if you have student loans and have yet to check out this information, I urge you to do so now.
The rules for the recent changes to certification have been adopted. The Maine DOE recently held a webinar on the changes; our MEA Deputy Executive Director attended and shared the information with your UniServ Directors if you have questions.
Of Interest
The Maine Labor Climate Council (in which MEA participates) is launching the Carbon-Free, Healthy Schools campaign. Send me an email if you and/or your students are interested in learning more—we hope to include both members and their students in moving this forward.
Also, you may be interested in entering the Climate Jobs Photo Contest.
Reminders
Be sure to vote in the June elections!
Local association presidents (or their designee), MEA RA delegates, and Government Relations Committee members are eligible to participate in the MEA Screening & Endorsement process (June 25th-Gubernatorial candidates; July 12-13- legislative candidates). You should have received the registration links, but if you didn’t, please let us know asap!
Appointments to MEA Committees will be made this summer. You can find more information and a link to indicate if you are interested.
The next MEA President’s Virtual Office Hour will be next Tuesday, June 7th, at 7 p.m. All local association presidents and vice presidents should have received an invitation. Be sure you have let us know who newly elected officers are in your local!
The next Issues and Challenges MEA Members of Color Experience in Maine Schools Conversation will be June 9th at 7 p.m. Please let us know if you are not receiving an invitation to these valuable conversations and should be. (Also, check your ‘spam folder’ to see if the message has gone there.)
Remember to talk to any colleagues who are not yet members of MEA—and tell them about Early Enrollment! It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s so worth it!
And for your colleagues who are retiring this year, encourage them to stay connected by joining MEA-Retired!
Watch for information about the Maine NEA RA online PAC auction for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education—members are donating items that you will want to bid on! We’ll send out the information soon–it’s a great way to make your contribution to the political action fund—the only funds that can be used to support endorsed candidates—we cannot and do not use dues dollars for this!
And thank you to our generous MEA RA delegates who exceeded the goal we set for contributions made at the RA to the MEA Fund in Support of Public Education! You can do your share as well by making a contribution here—we encourage recurring contributions—even a few dollars a month helps a lot to elect friends of public education in our state!
(Note: if you had previously been making a recurring contribution, thank you! We want you to know we have recently changed platforms. If you could please sign up on this new site we will then remove you from the old site.)
As the academic year winds down, please find time to relax and recharge. It has truly been the most difficult year for all of us, especially this past week, but you’ve done it! And MEA is so grateful for each and every one of you.
Please stay safe, and stay strong!
And keep in touch!
