Member News -- September 12, 2017

After the Birth of His Son, A Dream of College
Jurah Peele receives a full ride at the University of Phoenix

When Linden High School student Jurah Peele graduated from high school, money was tight in his single-parent home. Instead of going to college, he took on multiple  jobs to help his family meet their financial obligations. But when his son was born, he began to dream that his son would be able to earn a college degree and make a better life. So he got serious about work and took on a fulltime job as a custodian at the high school he had attended.

Last week Peele got an opportunity to realize the dream, not only for his son, but also for himself. He was awarded a full tuition scholarship at the University of Phoenix after being nominated by Monica Gonclaves (New Jersey Finalist 2016). For years Gonclaves had noticed Peele's rapport with students. She had even invited him to speak to her class about his experiences, noticing that Peele displayed "a natural talent for being in the classroom." When she learned at NNSTOY's national teacher leadership conference that members could nominate others for a Teach it Forward Scholarship, she immediately thought of her school custodian.

Peele is one of eight recipients of a Teach it Forward Scholarship nominated by NNSTOY members. He plans to become a history teacher so that he can help students learn from the past and chart a different course for their future. "Besides impacting the youth," Peele said, "I also want to make my son proud. One day I would love for him to say, 'Hey, that's my dad'." 

"Pursuing higher education is so important for the educators and leaders of tomorrow. We're honored to assist Jurah and all of the Teach It Forward Scholarship recipients as they realize their dreams," said Pam Roggeman, University of Phoenix College of Education academic dean.



Education Champions Respond to DACA Appeal
Teaching profession advocates for student immigrants

Following President Trump's announcement that he will phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months, educational leaders are speaking out. Many, including NNSTOY, are calling upon Congress to create a legislative solution. 

Washington Update Returns
by Jane West

Jane West has returned from vacation and Congress is in session! Here's a recap of Washington Update. Read her complete report, including news about DACA and West's recommended reading. 

President Trump Joins Democrats to Move Comprehensive Funding Package and More.  In an unanticipated move, President Trump aligned with Democratic leaders in the Congress to package three "must do" initiatives and move them quickly. With pressure from the need to provide relief to hurricane victims, this unlikely coalition agreed on packaging over $15 billion of hurricane relief with a temporary stop-gap funding bill to keep the government open and a provision to raise the debt ceiling. The legislation was adopted by the House with a vote 316-90 and the Senate 80-17. It runs through December 8.  Funding for education programs will continue for now at their current levels. 

Senate Committee Passes Education Funding Bill. On September 7, the Senate Appropriations Committee adopted a Labor/HHS/Education spending bill for FY 2018. Funding levels for education are more generous than those in the House bill and virtually all of President Trump's proposals were rejected. While there is a slight increase in education spending over the FY 2017 level, that was accomplished by utilizing funds from the Pell surplus - a move that worries many education advocates.

Below are some comparisons of funding for education programs for FY 2017, President Trump's proposal and the House and Senate FY 2018 Committee bills. The next step in the process comes as the December 8 deadline approaches when new funding bills must be passed. 
 
 
FY 2017
Trump Request
House Com. Bill
Senate Com. Bill
Title I
$15.46B
$14.88B
$15.46B
$15.48B
Title II
$2.06B
0
0
$2.06B
IDEA Part B
$12 B
$11.9 B
$12.2B
$12B
IDEA State Personnel Dev.
$39M
$42M
$39M
$39M
IDEA Personnel Prep
$84M
$84M
$84M
$84M
Higher Ed program for students with ID
$12M
$12M
$12M
$12M
Teacher Quality Partnership
$43M
0
0
$38M
IES Total
 $605M
 $617M
 $605M
  $600M
Special Ed Research (subset of IES)
 $54M
 $54M
 $54M
 $54M
 
The Nation's Report Card Needs You!
Join the National Assessment Governing Board

The National Assessment Governing Board - a diverse group of leaders from multiple sectors that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation's Report Card - is seeking qualified candidates for five positions. Created by Congress, the independent Governing Board provides a unique opportunity for dedicated individuals to have a lasting effect on student assessment at the national level. 

Current openings include: Fourth Grade Teacher, Eighth Grade Teacher, Secondary School Principal, Chief State School Officer, and General Public Representative. 

Nominate yourself or a colleague by Tuesday, 31 October. 
 
Celebrate Science and Math with NatGeo!
New Opportunities in STEM
 
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global initiative to develop young people's knowledge of science and scientific principles, support STEM career choices, engage the imagination and generate excitement in science and math. 
 
To take part in the Challenge, students aged 13 to 18 must submit a 3-minute video on a theory or concept in math, physics or life sciences. All entries must be received by October 1st, and the winner will also be invited to the internationally broadcasted 2017 Breakthrough Prize ceremony.
 
The student winner receives a $250,000 college scholarship, their school gets a new $100,00 science lab, and their teacher wins $50,000.
 
Please contact [email protected] with any questions.  

No Kid Hungry: Back to School Breakfast Tips
School Breakfast Awareness

Hunger in schools continues to be a pervasive problem across the United States. No Kid Hungry's National School Breakfast Program offers a solution to childhood hunger.  As the new school year kicks off, here are a few things you and your school community can do to build awareness and understanding about school breakfast.  
  • Observe how and where breakfast is served at school. Are certain kids missing out? Are the barriers that keep some kids from accessing school breakfast? Share your observations with administrators, other teachers, and School Nutrition Staff.
  •  Have a conversation with your administrators or School Nutrition Directors about breakfast. Are there ways to support each other's work to make sure all your students are getting the healthy start they need?
  • Share the importance of school breakfast on social media.

 Learn more at No Kid Hungry. 
Social Justice Book List Gets a Shout Out
Local teacher writes about how she is using the list to build empathy

After she "stumbled across" NNSTOY's Social Justice Book List, teacher Leigh Wilson wrote an amazing article about how she is using titles on the list to help students develop their capacity to be curious about the stories of others. 

"White supremacy, racism and privilege are issues that my children and I must face in our lifetime," Wilson writes. "Having the skills and ability to reflect on how we want to show up can contribute to a shift. A shift to more equity, better listening, compassion, empathy and overall kindness towards one another."

She began teaching books on the list with  The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf. Ferdinand is a bull who is different from the other bulls because he likes flowers instead of fighting. Wilson chose this novel because the power of Ferdinand's story to teach us the power of self-awareness and self-acceptance.

What We Are Reading
Interesting and emerging ideas about education

New Ways To Engage 
Plug into teacher leadership outside of your school

Join the Education Nation. NBC News Education Nation is bringing together students and community members invested in their achievement for a robust discussion on the issues facing young adults after high school, and solutions to ensure their success. State Teachers of the Year will contribute as panelists during this exciting event. Tune in to the live stream broadcast on EducationNation.com Wednesday October 11 from 6-8 PM and host a watch party!

TeachingPartners Live!  TeachingPartners Live offers workshops that make it possible to learn directly from the experts you trust most: other teachers. Register  to take part in one of these free, credit-bearing workshops. Check out these sessions lead by some of our own:
  • Beth Maloney (Arizona 2014) shares how she increases engagement by creating moments to hook student interest. Register. 
  • June Teisan (Michigan 2008) shares how she builds vibrant learning experiences for all students by extending learning from the classroom into the world. Register.
  • Leslie Nicholas (Pennsylvania 2004) shares how he incorporates reflective learning in his high-school classroom. Register. 
  • Jane McMahon (Wisconsin 2014) shares how she uses digital tools to enhance instruction, assessment, and feedback. Register. 
  • Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa (Florida 2014) shares how she empowers English Language Learners. Register.  
How Educators Can Be Heard.  Please join us for a webinar with Teach Plus Founder and outgoing CEO Celine Coggins.  Celine will lead us in a discussion based on her book, How to Be Heard: Ten Lessons Teachers Need to Advocate for their Students and Profession. Register and listen in Tuesday 26 September at 8 PM. 

New and Noteworthy
Tools and Opportunities for #TeachersLeading

Kudos, Shout-outs & Accolades
Within the NNSTOY family

Congratulations to Megan Allen (Florida 2010) on her successful Facebook Live event last week! Hosted by EdWeek, Megan and colleague Carole Learned-Miller unpacked teacher leadership and offered ideas on how to shift from working with students to working with colleagues. You can find the recording on EdWeek's Facebook page. 

The great work of NNSTOY and Hope Street Group was highlighted in the NPR piece: "New Fellowship Encourages Teachers to Get Involved With Policy." Listen in to the great progress of teacher leaders in Utah!

"Social Emotional Skills Should Be an Integral Part of Every Lesson We Teach," is the new EdWeek Piece by Lyon Terry (Washington 2015). Terry writes," [social emotional] skills give [students] the ability to interact, create knowledge together, and understand an individual's role in group dynamics. Social and emotional skills are also the roots of love and empathy, emotions that are needed today more than ever."

If you haven't had a chance to read Lee-Ann Stephens' (Minnesota 2007) and Katherine Basset's piece in  EdWeek , now is the time! In "There Has Never Been a Better Time to Teach Social Justice," Stephens and Basset introduce NNSTOY's Social Justice Book List with urgency: " As educators, we recognize we that cannot stand by and say nothing while acts of racism and hate are perpetrated against our citizens by our citizens...Our children will learn from what we do." Continue reading on the NNSTOY blog. In his EdPost article, "Every Book You Teach Is a Political Choice. Make It a Step Towards Social Justice," Topher Kandik (Washington D.C. 2016), also advocates for leaning into social justice through diverse books. He writes, "When students see themselves in the texts with which they are asked to engage, their motivation and achievement soars. Introducing our students to these texts is one way the fight for social justice must begin in our classrooms." 

Congratulations to our own Laurie Calvert on her thought-provoking piece in EdPost. "I Was a Racist Teacher and Didn't Even Know It," went viral in the wake of Charlottesville. Calvert reflects on her own experiences in the classroom with a critical lens. "I am learning to think of my views of race as moving along a spectrum toward greater understanding of myself and my part in racial inequity. I started as someone who theoretically objected to racism. Over time, I have moved toward humanity. I have learned that it is not enough to not be a racist. It's not enough to hate the Klan or denounce white supremacists. I am learning to become anti-racist."  The blog article has been subsequently picked up by two additional blogs. 

Abdul Wright (Minnesota 2017) was recently featured in the KARE11 Minneapolis segment "How to talk to kids about Charlottesville." Wright says, "Divisiveness is learned. Those are learned behaviors. You're brought into this world to love. You're brought into this world to be loved. And so we have to go back to understanding what does it mean to give someone unconditional love."

Nate Bowling (Washington 2016) has published a moving and timely piece in EdWeek. In "After Charlottesville: Having Tough Conversations in the Age of Extremism," Bowling reflects on conversations with a former young student. "Terrorism, both foreign and domestic, is seductive to young men. It has its roots in the politics of scapegoating and resentment. These are the same wells that fuel our current political division and strife." You can continue reading on the NNSTOY blog. 

"How Does School Choice Work in Rural Schools?" Anna Baldwin (Montana 2014) strives to answer this question in EdWeek. "In states like Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas, however, families can't simply choose to attend a different school. Districts are separated by enormous distances. And impending funding cuts that disproportionately affect rural and poor students are not helping to solve the problem." Baldwin advocated for rural schools directly to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. What happened next? Read it on the NNSTOY blog. 

Tom Rademacher (Minnesota 2015) is at it again! Read his thoughtful new piece, "What Families Really Need From a Teacher's Back-to-School Letter," published in EdWeek a short time ago. Rademacher writes, "it is not my job to teach my perspective in class. I will not seek to change the minds or beliefs of any of my students." You can read more on EdWeek or on the NNSTOY blog. 

Kudos to Michael Dunlea (New Jersey Finalist 2012) who has been named to Hope Street Group's Advisory Council. Dunlea and colleagues will be tasked with program assessment and outreach efforts for Hope Street Group through the '17-'18 and '18-'19 school years.

"Don't Let Teacher Leadership Become a Meaningless Buzzword," is Patrick Kelly's (2014 Finalist South Carolina) latest in EdPost. Kelly posits that the best way to convert the idea of teacher leadership into action is to give teacher's a seat at the policy table: "...if our society truly values teacher voice and expertise, we have to be willing to do more than offer lip service to teacher leadership."

Kelisa Wing (DoDEA 2017) shares the story of a close friend in her EdPost piece, "First-Generation Immigrants Like Mari Are Called DREAMers For a Reason." Wing advocates for DACA because, " For many people under DACA, America is the only home they have ever known.  It is inhumane to force them "back" to somewhere many cannot remember ever having been."

"Death to the Behavior Chart! 3 Reasons to Resist the Lure of Punishments and Rewards," is Justin Minkel's (Arkansas 2007) latest post in EdWeek. " Imagine this: You're sitting in a faculty meeting, bored and tired. As your principal talks, gesturing at PowerPoint slides, your mind starts to wander. You furtively pull out your phone and check Facebook, just for a minute.  Suddenly your principal's voice rings out. All heads turn to look at you as she barks your name. "Mr. Minkel! We do not check our phones during faculty meetings! Go change your color." Read on to learn Justin Minkel's view.  

Congratulations to Julia King (Washington D.C. 2013)! Check out King's Master's capstone, "Burned Out, Not Burned In: A Theory of How Excellent Urban Educators Shift Mindsets and Continue to Teach."  King posits: "there is an opposite of teacher burnout, what we have termed teacher 'burn-in.' We isolate its three characteristics: a sense of energy, optimism, and self-efficacy." 

2011 New Hampshire STOY Angie Miller is taking her excellent teaching abroad. Follow along with her travels and reflections on teaching in Costa Rica on her blog, the Travelutionary. 

STOYs are the ones to watch on social media! Education Next recently named the top Education Policy people to follow on social media. Nate Bowling (Washington 2016) and conference speaker Jose Vilson were named in the top 25! 

Congratulations to James Ford (North Carolina 2014) for his mention in the Charlotte Observer. In " 5 ways to help low-income students excel," Ford is identified for an advocate for equalizing race in Wake Forest's teacher force.  

Many of our members were mentioned in the recent EdWeek Article, "Teachers Working in DeVos Ed. Dept. Tread a Fine Line." Congratulations to Maddie Fennel (Nebraska 2007), Melody Arabo (Michigan 2014), Sean McComb (Maryland and National Teacher of the Year 2014), Patrick Kelly (South Carolina Finalist 2014) and Anna Baldwin (Montana 2014) for their mentions and for standing strong to advocate for teacher leadership every day. 

 
Melody Arabo (Michigan 2014) will be commuting back and forth this year between her job as a teacher ambassador fellow at the U.S. Department of Education and her home in Michigan-part of her commitment to representing her fellow teachers.