ECOEA February 2023 Edition❤️

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.

OPEN NEWSLETTER IN A NEW BROWSER

IMPORTANT DATES:

February 24, 2023-Deadline for receipt of deposits to attend the ECOEA Legislative Dinner
March 1, 2023-Nominations close for Letters of Intent for ECOEA Expiring Terms
March 1, 2023-Deadline for Spring ECOEA Public Relations Grants, Internal Organizing Grants, and Quinn Scholarships
March 3, 2023-ECOEA Legislative Dinner, LaPizzaria, Canton
March 7, 2023-ONE Trivia night
April 29, 2023-ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly, Stark State College
May 12-13,2023-OEA Spring Representative Assembly, Columbus Convention Center
July 3-6, 2023-NEA Annual Representative Assembly, Orlando, FL
July 12, 2023-SAVE THE DATE! OEA Treasurers' Training, OEA Local Presidents' Training, Building Rep Training-RG Drage CTC, Massillon

ECOEA LEGISLATIVE DINNER

LAPIZZARIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 3RD

REGISTRATION OPENS 6:00 PM
DINNER 6:30 PM
PROGRAM FOLLOWS DINNER
NETWORKING 9:00 PM-10:00 PM
CASH BAR OPEN ALL EVENING

FROM THE OHIO SENATE:

SENATOR KIRK SCHURING-SENATE DISTRICT 29

FROM THE OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT OELSLAGER-HOUSE DISTRICT 48
REPRESENTATIVE JIM THOMAS-HOUSE DISTRICT 49
REPRESENTATIVE BRETT HILLYER-HOUSE DISTRICT 51
REPRESETNATIVE LAUREN MCNALLY-HOUSE DISTRICT 59
REPRESENTATIVE DON JONES-HOUSE DISTRICT 95

FROM THE OHIO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

DR. CHRISTINA COLLINS-DISTRICT 7
MICHELLE NEWMAN-DISTRICT 8
MERYL JOHNSON-DISTRICT 11

SPECIAL GUESTS:

OEA PRESIDENT SCOTT DIMAURO
OEA VICE PRESIDENT JEFF WENSING
OEA SECRETARY-TREASURER MARK HILL

ENJOY A DELICIOUS ITALIAN DINNER WHILE YOU CHAT WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. FOLLOWING DINNER OUR LEGISLATIVE AND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION GUESTS BECOME THE MEMBERS OF THE PANEL WHERE THEY DISCUSS CURRENT TOPICS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE PANEL DISCUSSION IS MODERATED BY ECOEA PRESIDENT JULIE NELSON.

THERE IS NO CHARGE TO ATTEND FOR MEMBERS. NON-MEMBER GUESTS MAY ATTEND FOR A $15 CHARGE. A REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED AND GIVEN BACK TO YOU AT THE DINNER.

DEADLINE FOR THE RECEIPT OF YOUR DEPOSIT IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24. DUE TO THE COST OF THE DINNER, RESERVATIONS WITHOUT A DEPOSIT WILL NOT BE HONORED.

ECOEA LEGISLATIVE DINNER RSVP

LINK TO OHIO NEW LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT MAPS

ECOEA SPRING PUBLIC RELATIONS GRANTS-

Applications are being accepted for ECOEA Public Relations Grants of up to $500 for your project that promotes your local as a member of the community. One great example of a PR Grant is the Education Association of Orrville Fall PR Grant that supported the community event Home for the Holidays, submitted by President Jodi Rice. Each child in attendance received a copy of the book The Night Before Christmas, holiday stickers and a candy cane.

Applications for the Spring PR Grants are due by March 1, 2023, at the button below and will be awarded at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly.

ECOEA PR GRANT APPLICATION

ECOEA INTERNAL ORGANIZING GRANTS-

ECOEA offers $500 Internal Organizing Grants to locals each spring for use by the local for members. Locals may submit their proposal for consideration by the deadline of March 1, 2023. Winning grants will be awarded at the ECOEA Spring Rep Assembly on April 29, 2023.

Last spring, Chippewa EA President Carolyn Garbinsky submitted a grant, New Year, New Opportunities, to provide a treat in recognition of the hard work done by CEA members. Internal Organizing grant funds can be used creatively to encourage and retain membership in the association.

ECOEA INTERNAL ORGANIZING GRANT APPLICATION

THE QUINN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERS AND STUDENTS OF MEMBERS-

Applications are now being accepted for the William and Dolores Quinn Scholarships offered each spring in honor of our first ECOEA Executive Director William Quinn and his wife Dolores, our first ECOEA secretary. There are two different scholarships.

The Quinn for Members is a $500 scholarship paid by reimbursement to a member who is furthering their education in their field. The Quinn Scholarship for Children of Members is a $1,500 scholarship to a child of a member who is studying to be a teacher. The student must be enrolled in a college or university program leading to a degree in education. The scholarship is paid directly to the institution to be applied to the students account upon successful documentation of enrollment.

Both scholarships are by lottery drawing from eligible applicants, and will be awarded at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly on April 29, 2023. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2023.

Pictured is Tiffany Shaw (right), member from Tuscarawas Valley Teachers' Association, receiving her Quinn Scholarship for Members from ECOEA Recording Secretary Juliann Doerschuk, Canton Professional EA, at the 2022 ECOEA Spring RA.

QUINN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

OHIO EDUCATOR NIGHTS AT THE CAVALIERS

Join us at the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ohio Educator Appreciation Nights. We will be offering special group discounted tickets for all educators for several other games throughout the season (March 17th vs Wizards, and March 31st vs Knicks).

CAVS TICKET LINK

NEWS FOR OUR RETIRED MEMBERS IN ECOEA

Your February Newsbrief from OEA-R Advisory Council Representative to ECOEA Kathleen Purdy, retired from Plain Local TA. Kathleen has been very busy also serving on the 2022-2023 NEA-Retired Resolutions Committee.

FEBRUARY 2023 RETIRED NEWSBRIEF

ECOEA WINTER WORKSHOP WRAP UP

On Saturday, January 28, members attended our Winter Workshop on Zoom. Sessions included STRS Retirement Countdown and STRS Financial Fitness, SERS Member Training, and NEA Member Benefits. We awarded ninety-one Professional Development contact hours.

Door prizes were won by:

Angela Wagner, Plain Local TA
Darren Furno, Canton Professional EA
Crystal Gibbons, Alliance EA
Alisha Mayfield, Rittman EA
Llyn Simpson, Malvern EA
Michele Renner, North Canton Classified

Members in the NEA Member Benefits session were introduced to Ashley Sprankle, the new California Casualty contact for the ECOEA area. Ashley has provided an introduction and her contact infor at the button below. Ashley can provide you a quote, as well as come talk to your members. Welcome to ECOEA, Ashley!

CALIFORNIA CASUALTY CONTACT INFO

BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

ECOEA member Randi Raffa, Wooster EA, is featured in the upcoming February-March issue of OhioSchools. Randi is an ESP and a ONE Member Ambassador. You can read her story when the magazine arrives at your home. All issues of OhioSchools are also available to read online on the OEA website . Way to use your voice, Randi!

Also in this issue is an article about the amazing work done by Canton Professional EA member Chad Weaver, Career and Technical Instructor, who works with his pre-engineering students to design devices to improve the lives of others who need assistance. Read the story about a CCS student with cerebral palsy who learned to play the guitar. It's an amazing story of members helping students in the Canton City Schools reach their potential. Outstanding!

Their story, Where There's A Will, There's A Way, was featured in the February 2, OEA podcast of Education Matters with OEA Media Relations Consultant Katie Olmsted. Use the button below to the podcast link and story of CPEA members and their student.

Featured Education Matters guests:

George Dean, Director of Guitar - McKinley Senior High School, Canton
Chad Weaver, PLTW Instructor & Digital Electronics Master Teacher
Dona Brown, PT, MPT, Physical Therapist, Canton City School

EDUCATION MATTERS PODCAST

NEA MEMBER BENEFITS UPDATE FROM GUY

Did you know…

NEA Member Benefits offers a wide range of workshop/presentation topics for buildings/locals/districts/UniServ Councils and more? In-person or by ZOOM.

COSTS: NONE

MINIMUM No. OF MEMBERS REQUIRED: NONE

Some of the ways Member Benefits have been used to help recruit, reclaim, and retain members:

· In-Service/Professional Development events

· New Hire/Member Orientation

· Opening day meetings

· Local membership meetings

· Year-round member engagement

· ???

How will you use Member Benefits in your local?