ECOEA is the link between your local
and the Ohio Education Association

Professional development, conferences, and scholarships are open to all members

IMPORTANT DATES:
ECOEA-Retired members are welcome to RSVP for the Holiday Happening luncheon at the beautiful Pine Tree Barn in Shreve at 11:30 AM on Tuesday, December 3. We will order from the menu for lunch in the Granary Room, hear from STRS member Rita Walters, and enjoy the festively decorated Pine Tree Barn. Holiday surprises too! Seating is limited, RSVP today!
FINANCE FOR ALL EDUCATORS
JANUARY 25, 2020
CANTON COURTYARD MARRIOTT

ECOEA has a full lineup of financial education sessions to make your money work for you, both as you begin saving for retirement and maximizing your money today. Choose your session path beginning with an early-bird session at 8:00 AM with all sessions ending at noon. All attendees will hear from Thomas Tornabene, Investment Advisor for the Ohio Deferred Compensation 457B plan.

Build the rest of your workshop schedule from:
  • UNDERSTANDING YOUR PAYCHECK-Presenter Julie Nelson, President of ECOEA and North Canton EA
  • STRS FINANCIAL FITNESS-STRS Presenter John Buch (for certified members)
  • GETTING TO KNOW SERS-Presenter Cameron Vaughan, Member Education SERS (for classified members)
  • ERASING STUDENT LOAN AND DEBT-Presenter Guy Kendall-Freas, NEA Member Benefits
  • CREATING A LOW COST PINTEREST-WORTHY CLASSROOM-Presenter Casey Boehm, O.N.E. member, Bowling Green EA (you may already follow her on Instragram @organizeandeducate)

This is a breakfast workshop and is FREE to all ECOEA members (yes, you!) Find out more details, registration link and refundable deposit policy on our website at ecoea.ohea.us You can even bring a guest for a $15 guest fee, OEA-Retired $10 fee.
Deadline to register and receipt of deposit is January 18, 2020 OR when seating capacity is reached. Don't miss this opportunity to get smart about your finances!
The Quinn Memorial Scholarships were drawn from all qualified applicants at the ECOEA Fall Representative Assembly on November 9. Each scholarship winner will receive a $600 scholarship provided by the family of our first Executive Director William Quinn who passed away this summer. Thank you to the Quinn family for providing this thoughtful memorial.
  • The Quinn Memorial for Members recipient is Mary Baker of Triway Education Association.
  • The Quinn Memorial for Child of a Member seeking a degree in education is Meredith Manns, daughter of Mary Beth Manns, from Northwest Local Education Association.
Congratulations to both recipients!
The ECOEA Representative Assembly was held at the Canton Professional Educators' office on Saturday, November 9th. Delegates participated in the business of the organization and celebrated our 60th birthday as an OEA district.
The Five Star Local award was presented to 12 ECOEA locals for completing at least 5 of the 6 criteria (pictured above). The Five Star $500 unrestricted award was drawn from all eligible locals. The winner this year was the Jackson Classified Personnel Association, Brooke Harter, President. Congratulations to these locals for their excellent participation at the district level.
ECOEA officers conducted the business of the Representative Assembly. Pictured left to right are President Julie Nelson, North Canton EA; Vice President Spencer Geraghty, Canton Professional EA; Recording Secretary Kelli Green, Perry Classroom TA. There were 39 delegates in attendance representing 17 local associations and OEA-Retired. Delegates will now go to the OEA Fall Representative Assembly in Columbus on Saturday, December 7.
We welcomed Dwayne Marshall , from Gahanna-Jefferson EA, who is running for NEA Director #1 and Larry Ellis , from Youngstown Education Association, who is running for NEA Director #2. Both gave campaign speeches and are running unopposed. The ECOEA delegation voted to endorse both candidates.

We honored the retirement of ECOEA past Vice President and OEA Board of Directors member Cindy Endres from the Jackson Classified Personnel Association. Cindy has served ECOEA as an ESP representative, Unit 1 OEA Board of Directors member for 5 1/2 years, NEA delegate and on many OEA committees. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement, Cindy!
Cindy's retirement has created a vacancy for a Unit 1 OEA Board of Directors member. If you are interested in an appointment to fill this vacancy until our Spring RA, please send a letter of interest to President Julie Nelson at ecoea@sbcglobal.net ASAP.
ECOEA awarded six Public Relations Grants to locals at the RA. Grant recipients were recognized and $2,710 was awarded to Minerva LEA, East Holmes TA, Rittman EA, Canton Professional EA, Newcomerstown TA, and the Education Association of Orrville. Congratulations to these locals!
Pictured: ECOEA VP Geraghty presents the PR grant to Education Association of Orrville Co-President Brad Fortune.
Delegates heard a STRS report from Carol Correthers, Lorain EA, who is chairperson of the STRS Retirement Board. We appreciated Carol's thorough report and for representing our members on the STRS board.
The NEA Board of Directors made a group presentation about their work at NEA and lobbying for our members in Washington DC. We were happy to have former ECOEA President Angela Stewart, NEA Director #4, back with us for the RA.
Pictured are members from Alliance EA, Minerva LEA, Wellsville TA, Southern Local TA, and Malvern EA, NEA Directors, and Carol Correthers.
Following the Rep Assembly, the OEA Reorganizing Convention was held. Every local president received an invitation to send a member to represent their local for each Ohio House District within the boundaries of their local school district. OEA governance staff member Zach Roberts explained the process of choosing delegates and alternates, chair and vice-chair. The attendees then broke into House districts to choose who will fill the positions.This begins the process of endorsing candidates for state representatives and senators by the OEA FCPE state committee.

Delegates will now travel to Columbus for the OEA Fall Representative Assembly at Kasich Hall, Ohio Expo, on Saturday, December 7. Special guest at the RA will be NEA President Lily Eskelsen-Garcia. Safe travels to our delegates as they continue to represent our ECOEA locals at the state level.
ECOEA Scholarships to the OEA Advocacy & Organizing Institute are available by application now. ECOEA offers 20 scholarships of $50 by reimbursement to locals for members to attend.
The deadline to apply for an ECOEA scholarship is January 15, 2020. Use the button below to apply to ECOEA.
OEA is offering Regional Scholarships of $100 (the full cost of the conference). Deadline to apply for an OEA Regional Scholarship is December 13 . Use the OEA Regional Scholarship button below for information about those scholarships.
The AOI registration site is now open. You are encouraged to register first regardless of your scholarship status so that you get the sessions you want.The Advocacy and Organizing Institute (formerly the Collective Bargaining Conference) is the most affordable conference for your members to attend. The fee includes hotel (double occupancy), meals, conference registration, as well as social activities. Don't miss this affordable and informative conference at the Columbus Sheraton at Capitol Square, February 6-8, 2020!
NEA Member Benefits has a new tool available free to all members and their familes that can identify which of the variety of repayment plans are most economically advantageous and available for each member's situation. The tool also outlines the steps necessary to receive student loan forgiveness. Use this button to find out more!
Guy Kendall-Freas of NEA Member Benefits will be presenting a session on Student Loan Repayment at our Finances for All Educators workshop on Saturday, January 25, 2020. Join us to find out more about this program!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!
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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