by Julie Holderbaum

Minerva Local EA teacher and ECOEA Vice President Julie Holderbaum blogs for OEA's Voices of Change. Her latest blog A Teachers' Brain on a Typical School Day has received a lot of attention online and was picked up by reporter Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post. Julie speaks for all teachers who face the mental exhaustion of constant decision-making in a school day. No matter your subject matter, grade level, or student population, teaching is exhausting. Thanks, Julie for sharing your teacher voice!

The ECOEA Program Committee has a cozy winter morning of financial planning lined up for you on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

The Ohio Education Association offers a variety of awards and scholarships to individual members and local associations to reward and recognize the achievements and hard work of members to improve public education. Use the button below to see a summary of the awards and scholarships open to all members and local associations. You can download the applications, too! It is important to honor the January 21, 2022, deadline. Apply now!

In just one year, the Biden Administration has forgiven over $12.5 BILLION of student loans for more than 640,000 borrowers and has streamlined the process for new borrowers. For you, there may be a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME option to achieve relief under the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (TEPSLF) but YOU MUST ACT BEFORE OCT. 31, 2022, to take advantage.

https://neamb.zoom.us/j/86545442216?pwd=NVhaUG1sT0dHTjU3eDA2NXVnOVd2UT09.

If prompted, meeting ID is 865 4544 2216 and the passcode is 607541.

Even if previously denied, you may now be eligible. This could be LIFE CHANGING to you! The sessions are updated as information comes in. You are welcome to attend as often as you like. Check it out!

You can join OEA-Retired by becoming 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.

The OEA Advocacy & Organizing Institute is coming up February 3-5, 2022, in Columbus at the Sheraton Capital Square.

If you are interested in attending this conference, please register on this link with OEA. The fee to attend is $100 and covers two nights lodging, all meals (except Friday evening) and all program materials. This conference is open to all members interested in association work and developing leadership skills.

ECOEA is offering 20 scholarships of $50 to attend, one per the first 20 locals that apply. After the January 15, 2022, scholarship application deadline, we will award any remaining scholarships to the second round of locals. Apply now for consideration for our ECOEA scholarships! We have scholarships to give and hope you will consider attending this valuable association training!

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.

Also 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.

A Note from Beth at California Casualty,

We would like to thank you by giving you a $25 Amazon gift card when you receive a NO obligation rate comparison. Please take a moment to follow this link https://www.readyforquote.com/beth/

The ECOEA Social Justice Committee was formed to advocate for the civil and human rights that ensure the dignity of students, parents, staff and the implementation of an equitable education to all not determined by creed, economic or citizenship status, ethnicity, ability, gender or sexual orientation. The intention of the committee is to provide guidance to locals regarding issues concerning discrimination, prejudice and equitable treatment within educational institutions. As a committee within ECOEA, we strive to build relationships with, support and promote local social justice advocates, organizations, initiatives and or events. The OEA Educational Foundation Diversity Grant will award up to $3,000 to applicants who advocate for diversity, equity, and respect for humankind by developing instruction and or curriculum that is implemented in the classroom or educational environment. Recipients of the grant will have up to one year from May 31st of the award year to apply their funds to their programmatic advocacy. The deadline to apply is February 1st. Please share and consider applying for this grant to further your local commitment to social justice.

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.