Member News -- May 31, 2016
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The Utah leadership team: Melody Apezteguia (2016), Gay Beck (2011), Leigh VandenAkker (2012), Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh (2009), Mohsen Ghaffari (2015) and Allison Riddle (2014).
Chapter and Verse
Utah and MIisissippi Launch State NNSTOY Chapters

A few years ago, NNSTOY state chapters designed to mobilize teacher leadership within individual states were little more than a pipe dream. Since then, State Teachers of the Year and finalists have organized teams in Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, Colorado, Maine and North Carolina that work across organizations and districts to improve teaching and learning. 

This month new chapters officially launched in Utah and Mississippi. Teams from these states have worked diligently over the past several months to layout the framework for their chapters. We look forward to watching their continued progress and supporting their state journey.
Flexing Your Policy Muscles
Webinar tonight, May 31, 8:00 -9:00 PM ET

Over the next several months, your state will make important decisions about how to spend their federal funds under the newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 

Join NNSTOY Government Relations Advisor  Jane West as we explore how to secure a place at the policy table and how to be effective influencing decision making . 

We will discuss  strategies to involve teachers in decision making  around key issues in ESSA.
*  How will your state define the term "effective teacher"?
*  How will your state change its teacher evaluation system? 
*  How will your state invest in teacher leadership?
 
Please  register to attend .
Conference Update
July 11-14, Chicago,  Illinois
 
Travel.  For those making airline reservations, the conference begins Monday, July 11 at 7:00 for breakfast, followed by the day of service, a board meeting and focus groups. The conference adjourns at 3:00 Thursday, July 13. Review the complete conference agenda. 

Get the latest conference info.  NNSTOY is using docs.com to provide information and engage attendees at the conference. The site features an agenda, list of presenters, and will include conference photos, video interviews, polls and much more. Go to our site and save it to the home screen of your smartphone so that you have access to the latest information.   

Early Bird rate extended! The Early Bird conference discount has been extended through June 6. You must register as an Early Bird to be selected for one of the 10 $1,200 NEA scholarships.
Register now.  Don't forget to  book your spot on the July 12 cruise .  Reserve your hotel room before June 12 to get our $159 conference rate.
Photo by Markus Spiske
New Ways to Engage
Strategies to lean into teacher leadership.

Help NNSTOY understand STEM needs.
NNSTOY would like learn more from STEM teachers about the challenges STEM teachers face and what you need to be even more successful. To this end, please take a  brief survey  to provide information to us. The survey takes only a few clicks, but the window closes at 6 PM ET June 12. Please email Joe Fatheree if you have questions: [email protected].  

Join the #TeachersLeading Twitter Chat.
Join this month's Twitter chat about NNSTOY's new Common Core video series June 8 at 8 PM ET. The chat will feature some of the teachers profiled in the series.

Review recent webinars.
Download the video, PowerPoint and chat from Shanna Peeple's inspiring and reflective  webinar , "What I Learned as the 2015 National Teacher of the Year."   

Join the NNSTOY Membership Committee. 
Work on strategies to engage new and current members so that everyone has a chance to participate in NNSTOY's work. For information, contact Brad Hull: [email protected]. 
Education Policy Highlights
Jane West

ESSA Implementation Standoff: Congressional Republicans vs. the Obama  Administration
In the third of three oversight hearings on ESSA implementation, HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) blasted the Department of Education for "a brazen effort to deliberately ignore" congressional intent.  At issue is the draft "supplement not supplant" regulation which was proposed by the Department but rejected by the negotiated rulemaking team. The provision is intended to ensure that Title I schools are not being shortchanged in state and local funding.  Read more in Jane West's May 20 Policy Update .

NNSTOY's letter to ED 
Not long after ESSA was passed last year, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requested comments to assist them writing guidance and regulations around the new law. Last week NNSTOY sent  a letter ED's Secretary of Education John King making recommendations about the Department's impending guidance for Title II.

More scoop in this week's Policy Update
Read about how the  proposed House spending bill blew up over LGBT issues. Learn about ED's recent release of  proposed ESSA accountability regulations  and how Donald Trump's team was a no-show on this week's  

Jane West's unabridged Policy Update may be found weekly on the NNSTOY site.


Mark your calendar!
Upcoming NNSTOY events




Tuesday, May 31
8:00-9:00 pm ET
WEBINAR
Flexing Your Policy Muscles: Making a Difference with ESSA  (with Jane West)

Wednesday, June 6
EXTENDED DEADLINE!
Last day to get an Early Bird rate for the July 11-14 NNSTOY conference in Chicago

Tuesday, June 7
8:00-9:00 PM ET
TWITTER CHAT
NNSTOY's Common Core Video Series
#TeachersLeading

Tuesday, June 10
8:30-9:30 PM ET
WEBINAR
Getting the Most out of Social Media (with Gordon Wright at Education Post)

Thursday, June 12
DEADLINE
Last day to get book a hotel in the NNSTOY block at the Lowes Chicago O'Hare for the 11-14 Chicago conference.  Book your room .  While you are at it, book your dinner cruise on Lake Michigan .


W hat We're Reading
New and noteworthy ideas about education from around the country.
Photo by Markus Spiske

Policy Principle One ,  Teach Strong 

David Moscarelli

Shout-outs, Kudos & Accolades*
News from the NNSTOY community
  • David Moscarelli (Rhode Island 2015)  has been nominated for the Nellie Mae Foundation's Larry O'Toole award that honors "an individual who has demonstrated great leadership in advancing student­-centered learning throughout New England." The winner will receive a $100,000 grant to continue the advancement of student­-centered approaches to learning for all students. The public can vote for David to win until Friday, June 3, 2016 at 12:00 pm EST.
  • Lori Michalec (Ohio 2015) testified before the State School Board with Ohio Education Association Vice-President Scott DiMauro and fellow commission member Dr. Cassandra Daniels. They spoke about their report that came out of their vision for public education as part of the Ohio Education Association's Commission on Student Success. Deb MacDonald (Ohio 2014) served as Chair of the Commission on Student Success.
  • James E. Ford's (North Carolina 2015) blog, "State Teacher of the Year Says Teacher Appreciation Week Not Enough" was published in EdWeek and on our website. 
  • Anna Baldwin (Montana 2014), Sean McComb (Maryland 2014) and Melody Saroki Arabo (Michigan 2015) have been selected as Classroom Teaching Ambassador Fellows at the U.S. Department o Education for the 2016-2017 school year. 
  • Kathy Nimmer (Indiana 2015) was filmed by the Hallmark Channel earlier this month at an event at Dollyword celebrating her receipt of the Chasing Rainbows award. Karen Vogelsang (Tennessee 2015), Ann Marie Corgill (Alabama 2015) and Edna Rogers (Tennessee 1989) attended the event. ( Pictured below from left: Mark Steines, Cristina Ferrare, David Dotson, Kathy Nimmer, Nacho and Dolly Parton.)


Send us news! If you have items of interest about yourself or other members, please forward it to [email protected].

#TeachersLeading