ECOEA ...the link between your local and the Ohio Education Association
As one of our 8.000 members of a local association within the six counties served by ECOEA (Carroll, Columbiana, Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas or Wayne), you are automatically a member of the East Central OEA District. We provide professional development, conferences, and scholarships that are open to all members.

IMPORTANT DATES:
BE OUR GUEST FOR DINNER AND PROGRAM AT LAPIZZARIA!
Join us for Dinner with our Legislators on Friday, March 4, 2022, at LaPizzaria Restaurant in Canton where we will dine and chat with our state legislators and state board of education members. Following a delicious Italian dinner, ECOEA President Julie Nelson from North Canton EA (pictured) will moderate a panel discussion about public education in Ohio. This is a great opportunity to interact with our legislators and ask questions about the topics that are important to you! Free to all ECOEA members; register at the link below. Guests are welcome for a nominal fee. Cash bar.
We look forward to welcoming:
  • Representative Scott Oelslager, HD 48
  • Representative Thomas West, HD 49
  • Representative Don Jones, HD 95
  • Representative Brett Hillyer, HD 98
  • Senator Kirk Schuring, SD 29
  • State Board of Education District 5, Dr. Christina Collins
  • State Board of Education District 9, Michelle Newman
Also joining us will be OEA President Scott DiMauro, OEA Vice President Jeff Wensing, and OEA Secretary Treasurer Mark HIll. RSVP at the button below!
Deadline to RSVP and for receipt of deposit is Friday, February 25.
Our last in-person Legislative Dinner was held on March 6, 2020. The topic of Covid was not on anyone's mind and was not even mentioned during the event. One week later, schools began to shut down and the pandemic began.
We were successfully able to continue the event on Zoom last year. However, we are looking forward to being together for this event once again. We hope to see you there!
We welcomed 23 members to our Saturday, January 29, Winter Workshop on Zoom. Members were able to build their workshop from four sessions dealing with financial information ranging from student loan forgiveness, investment options, and STRS. Members received a Professional Development certificate for their attendance. Door prize winners were:
  • Julie Peterson, Tuscarawas Valley TA
  • Kathleen Purdy, OEA-Retired
  • Juliann Doerschuk, Alliance EA
  • Nicole Hilton, Garaway TA
If you missed the Student Loan Forgiveness session, Guy continues to have them throughout the month on Zoom. See the information below about how to attend.
ZOOM OPPORTUNITIES WITH GUY KENDALL-FREAS, NEA MEMBER BENEFITS
Baby, it’s cold outside, but NEA Member Benefits is heating things up with more engagement opportunities in February. Student Loan Forgiveness remains a HOT topic but we’re adding two more topics. To keep things simple, you can use the same link below to join any (or all) of the sessions. Each session will last just one hour but what you learn will last your lifetime!
 
Student Loan Forgiveness: New hope for hundreds
of thousands of borrowers!
  • February 10 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASTERN
  • February 16 from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. EASTERN and again at 7:00 A.M. CENTRAL
  • February 23 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASTERN
 
When Can I Afford to Retire, or Will I Just Die at My Desk?
  • February 7 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm.
  
I Gotta Get Away: Thinking About Spring and Summer Breaks
Finding affordable getaways with The NEA Travel Program, the NEA Discount Ticket Program and the NEA Marketplace!
  • February 22 from 4:30 – 5:30 EASTERN
 
Use this link to join any (or all) of the above sessions:
If prompted, the Meeting ID is 851 5663 3669 and the Passcode is 659813
OEA-RETIRED NEWS
from Kathleen Purdy, OEA-R Rep to ECOEA

May 17, 2022-OEA-Retired Spring Conference-Dover
Program and tour at the Warther Museum and Gardens
Overnight accommodations available at the Carlisle Inn, Sugarcreek
  • Block Rate $134.00, includes breakfast
  • Group number RB879
  • (330) 852-2586
  • Block Rate good until April 16, 2022

June 4, 2022-OEA 175th Anniversary Celebration-Columbus

Become a Pre-retired member at any time in your career. There is a new payment plan to make it easy, too! Click HERE for the application and information.
Under the Constitution and Bylaws adopted at the ECOEA Spring 2021 Rep Assembly, nominations for ECOEA elected terms opened on January 1, 2022, and will close March 1, 2022. In order to self-nominate, a member must file a Letter of Intent with the Business Manager declaring the position they are seeking during the nominations period. No nominations will be taken from the floor of the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly unless there were no Letters of Intent received. A secret ballot will be presented to all delegates in attendance for contested positions. Positions with only one nomination will be declared elected by acclamation. Positions that have no candidate will be declared vacant.
Elections will be held for the following three-year county representatives (term 2022-2025) and are open to any member from that respective county:
Stark County Rep #1
Stark County Rep #2
Stark County Rep #4
Tuscarawas Rep
Up for election this year is the ECOEA Representative to the OEA Professional Efficacy Standing Committee (term 2022-2025). A Letter of Intent is required during the nominations period for this position which is also elected at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly. This position is open to any member in ECOEA.
The three-year term for the OEA Board of Directors, ECOEA-Unit 3, will be elected at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly. This is an OEA position and requires candidates to file the Declaration of Candidacy form with OEA no later than March 16, 2022. This position requires the member to be from a local within Unit 3.
ECOEA Letters of Intent can be filed electronically to the Business Manager at ecoea@sbcglobal.net or hard copy to the ECOEA office at 129 Easton St. NE, Canton, OH 44721. Please watch filing deadlines as late applications will not be honored.
Please contact the Business Manager at (330) 499-8587 if you have any questions.

ECOEA again is offering Public Relations Grants of up to $500 to locals to improve their image in the community.
One creative grant by the Minerva Local EA provided window clings to members of MLEA for their car windows with a positive message. As the members attend school and community events, shop at local stores, and live in the community, MLEA is visible as a community partner. Nice job, MLEA!
In order to apply for PR Grant funds, your local must have elected and sent delegates to the ECOEA Representative Assembly the previous year. We encourage local associations to participate in the governance of our district. Deadline to apply is April 1, 2022.

ECOEA offers Internal Organizing Grants to local associations to attract and retain members. Local associations that apply should describe their plan to use the funds for member use--an end-of-year picnic, door prizes for association functions, back-to-school coffee and donuts, new member orientations, tailgate activities for members, the list is as creative as you can get!
Local associations that elect and send delegates are invited to apply for up to $500 for use of the association by December 31, 2022. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2022, at the link below.
The Wooster EA (pictured) used their Internal Organizing Grant in 2019 to help fund their Soup with Santa event held each year for members and their families.
A Note from Beth at California Casualty,
ECOEA Members ENTER to win a $100 gift card from the NEA Member Benefits auto and home insurance provider – California Casualty. CLICK HERE: https://forms.gle/ar4T6dTbY11MpDKe8
education_savings.jpg

ECOEA members are encouraged to apply for the Quinn Scholarship for Members which provides a $500 scholarship for continuing education. The scholarship is named in honor of William and Dolores Quinn, the first Executive Director and Secretary of ECOEA. The scholarship is awarded by a lottery drawing from all qualified applicants following the April 1, 2022, application deadline, and presented at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly on April 30, 2022.
The Quinn Scholarship for Child of a Member provides one scholarship of $1,500 to the child of a member who is seeking a degree in education. The student must provide proof of acceptance or enrollment in an education degree program to qualify. The scholarship is paid directly to the college or university in the student's name. Application deadline is April 1, 2022, and the scholarship will be presented at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly on April 30, 2022. Both of the Quinn Scholarships are by lottery drawing from all qualified applicants and open to ALL ECOEA members!
The East Central Ohio Education Association officers and staff:
Julie Nelson, North Canton EA, President
Julie Holderbaum, Minerva Local EA, Vice President
Juliann Doerschuk, Alliance EA, Recording Secretary
Valerie Heban, OEA-Retired, retired, North Canton EA

Website: ecoea.ohea.us
Phone: (330) 499-8587
Office: 129 Easton St. NE, Canton, OH 44721
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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