ECOEA is the link between OEA, your local and you!
Professional development, conferences, and scholarships are open to all members.
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The first week of school is always exhausting. My throat hurts from instructing students for 6 periods a day, my feet hurt from giving up my flip flops for dress shoes, and I am mentally exhausted from learning a new schedule, hundreds of student names, and figuring out whatever new initiative the district has randomly decided for that year. I have felt this exhaustion each first week of school during my fifteen years of teaching.
The first week of school in 2020 is going to include all of this, only magnified. Our throats will hurt from trying to talk clearly and loudly through a mask or a computer screen. Our bodies will hurt from dragging around classroom furniture trying to space out our desks or from sitting in front of a computer screen for hours on end. We will be mentally tasked with remembering every new protocol and schedule we are supposed to follow and/or learning all of the new technology tools needed for remote learning. We will be emotionally exhausted from trying to stay positive while teaching and keeping students safe during a pandemic. Whether you are educating students in-person five days a week, teaching online full-time, or implementing a hybrid model of learning, 2020 is going to be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging.
Groups outside of Ohio like the so-called “Freedom Foundation” are working to capitalize on the challenges we are experiencing by flooding the state with anti-union mailings and robocalls. Their “opt-out” campaign is targeting public employees who are union members. They are using this global pandemic and the uncertainty of the school year as a way to try to weaken our collective power.
Now, more than ever, we need to make our voices heard. Your local leaders never stop advocating on your behalf. Throughout the summer I spoke with many local presidents sharing ideas, plans, and concerns about the upcoming school year. Your local leaders have worked tirelessly to demand a seat at the table, working to establish reasonable back-to-school plans, and when necessary, filing grievances and unfair labor practices to ensure that our contracts are upheld. You are part of a union- a network of professionals working together to make our schools a better place for students to learn and educators to work. During this crisis we must join together and continue to demand equitable learning opportunities for our students and safe working conditions for our staff. This is the time to "opt-in" and increase our union membership and engagement.
ECOEA, your OEA District, continues to provide support to our locals and our members. We have granted 34 Emergency COVID-19 Grants to locals to support the needs of members during this challenging time. This summer we changed gears and offered our ECOEA Summer Leadership sessions remotely. Members took advantage of professional development on education technology, union leadership, and cultural competency.
This school year will certainly look different from other years, and the first week(s) of school will no doubt be exhausting, but you will acclimate. You and your students will get used to the new routines and begin building a school community. Lean on your colleagues and fellow members for support. Give each other grace. Find opportunities to demonstrate your willingness to “opt-in” to our union. Read your union emails, volunteer to serve as a building rep or local leader, attend an ECOEA event or OEA training. When we look back on this time period I believe some of the challenges will make us better educators and a stronger union.
Julie Nelson
ECOEA President
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Public Relations Grants of up to $500 are available from ECOEA. The goal of a Public Relations Grant is to promote and enhance the image of your local in your community. You can use the funds to participate in community events, fundraisers, service projects, and other creative ways to let your community know that your members support them. This is a competitive application process and the deadline to apply is October 1, 2020. You must have the approval of your local president to apply and your local association had to have elected and sent delegates to the ECOEA Representative Assembly in the previous year. Use the link below to access more information about the ECOEA Public Relations Grant and link to the application.
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ECOEA Representative Assembly Incentive Grants of $250 are available to encourage local associations to elect and send delegates to the ECOEA and OEA Representative Assemblies. Locals who have not elected and sent delegates for the past five years are eligible to apply. Delegate elections must take place in early fall with results sent to OEA by October 10. Please use the link below to access additional information and to apply.
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ECOEA Fall Roundtable, A Legal Update will be held virtually on Monday, October 26, 2020 at 7:00 PM. Join us as OEA Attorney Kathleen McKinley presents valuable information regarding court cases and changes to law that affect public educators. She will answer your questions that may be submitted during registration or in the chat box during the presentation. This event is free to all ECOEA members but you must register no later than Friday, October 23, 2020. Please use the link below to register. A Zoom link to the Legal Update will be emailed one day prior to the presentation and a professional development certificate will be emailed after the event. You won't want to miss this informative update from Attorney McKinley!
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One winner will be randomly drawn from each of the three ECOEA voting units. The $500 scholarship may be used for tuition, course fees, or conference registration in the field of employment by the applicant. Any ECOEA member is eligible to apply. The deadline is Sunday, November 1, 2020. Please use the link below for more information and to apply.
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Delegates from ECOEA attended the NEA Representative Assembly held virtually on July 2 and July 3.
Representing ECOEA were:
- May Alayamini, Canton Professional Educators' Association
- Tina Bradley, Canton Professional Educators' Association
- Kristi Cropper, North Canton Education Association
- Juliann Doerschuk, Alliance Education Association
- Julie Holderbaum, Minerva Local Education Association
- Carol Kinsey, OEA-Retired
- Karen Linch, Wooster Education Association
- Michelle Martin Jones, Canton Professional Educators' Association
- Tamika Moss, Canton Professional Educators' Association
- Julie Nelson, North Canton Education Association
- Geneva Parker, Canton Professional Educators' Association
- Llyn Simpson, Malvern Education Association
- Ed Sims, Rittman Education Association
- Christine Willison, Wellsville Education Association
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Nearly 100 members attended the ECOEA Summer Leadership Workshop held virtually throughout the month of July. Our featured presenter, Jake Miller, led three different tech sessions. Other sessions included OEA Treasurers' Training, OEA Presidents' Training, OEA Building Rep Training, OTES 2.0 Training, and two different sessions on Social Justice. Thanks to our presenters and members for making this virtual workshop a success
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Per ECOEA Policy 3.6 Access to Financial Reports-the monthly Executive Committee financial report is available to any member upon request.
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Check us out on Social Media. ECOEA is everywhere! |
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