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

Professional development, conferences, and scholarships are open to all members.
The East Central OEA district serves OEA members in Carroll, Columbiana, Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties.
IMPORTANT DATES:

ECOEA invites you to join us for a member workshop held virtually on Saturday, January 30, 2021. While traditionally our winter finance workshop, we've enhanced this event with additional sessions for a full day of opportunities designed with you in mind.
Morning sessions are:
  • 9:00-10:00 STRS Retirement Countdown for those members nearing retirement, Tamla Cole, STRS, Asst. Director STRS Member Education
  • 10:00-11:00 STRS Early Career Financial Health, Tamla Cole, STRS
  • 9:00-11:00 Cultural Humility and Competency with Isaac Baez, Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Services
  • 9:00-11:00 Everything SERS with Cameron Vaughan, SERS Member Education Specialist
Mid-day Keynote Speaker:
  • 11:15-12:45 Melissa McClain, Akron Children's Hospital, Secondary Traumatic Stress Through the Lens of the Pandemic
Afternoon Sessions:
  • 1:00-2:30 Nearly Perfect Interactive Lessons with Nearpod, Jake Miller, Educational Tech Specialist
  • 1:00-2:30 OTES 2.0 Update with Ellen Adornetto, OEA Education Policy and Practice
Sessions are free to all ECOEA members and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is online and will close on Friday, January 22, 2021 or when session capacity has been reached. Door prizes, Professional Development credit, and learn from the comfort of your home, join us for 1,2, or 3 sessions! You can read complete details on our website. Register today at the button below!
ECOEA EVENING WITH THE LEGISLATORS-Virtual Event
Our annual ECOEA Legislative Dinner will this year be An Evening with the Legislators, a virtual event, held on Friday, March 5, 2021. Last year's event held on March 6 was likely one of the last in-person outings for many who attended as in the days that followed, the state began to shut down and schools switched to remote learning. It's been a long year since we have been together and we anticipate there will be much to talk about!
We will be hosting the event on Zoom and have invited all the elected Ohio Senators and State Representatives along with the elected State Board of Education members that serve our six-county district. The evening will begin at 6:30 PM and conclude by 8:00 PM.
We have received confirmations so far from the following guests:
  • Senator Kirk Schuring, SD 29
  • Senator Frank Hoagland, SD 30
  • Representative Scott Oelslager, HD 48
  • Representative Thomas West, HD 49
  • Representative Don Jones, HD 95
  • Representative Brett Hillyer, HD 98
  • State Board of Education member Michelle Newman, District 9
Please join us for this event by registering at the link below.
January 2021 East Central OEA-Retired Briefs
Kathleen Purdy, OEA-Retired Advisory Council Rep
As we enter at the gate of another New Year, continue to “behold what manner of Love the Father has given unto us” and stay safe and keep moving forward. With these first few months, you’re invited to support your other ECOEA-Retired Members in the following ways:
1.      Read Across America (OEA-Retired Grant). Cindy Endres (lae42590@aol.com) is our volunteer ECOEA-Retired hostess and in need of book donations on the theme: Diversity (click here for suggested book list). If you are interested, readers are needed to choose a story to record that would be shared with students because in-person classroom visits will most likely not be allowed.
2.      Learn New Skills like Zoom, Gmail and Social Media (www.getsetup.org) as introduced to us in the June 2020 edition of “NEA Today” for NEA-Retired Members.
3.      OEA Fund for Children and Public Education (FCPE) which formerly was known as EPAC. Make your New Year’s plans to contribute by choosing to Stand Up for Public Education. We need to reach our goal by donating online at www.ohea.org/donate or request the FCPE contribution form/envelope (1-800-282-1500) and mail your donation to OEA, 225 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Checks should be made payable to: OEA FCPE.
4.      District Retiree Website. Please take a moment to learn more about the district happenings by visiting the website: www.ecoea-r.ohea.us.
Thank you for all of your support as a Friend to the Association when you were active and now retired. It is a privilege to serve as the ECOEA-Retired Advisory Council Representative, once again. I recognize that I am standing on the shoulders of the fine examples of your endurance and commitment which you continue to show. You are my role models. Happy New Year! ~Kathleen Purdy, M.Ed.
OHIO'S NEW EDUCATORS. O.N.E.
Kelli Repphun, Jackson Memorial EA
ONE Ambassador
New Educators are invited to a Virtual Meet Up to network with other new educators from across the state on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Join our ONE Member Ambassadors for this opportunity to have your voice heard.
See the flyer for complete details and register at ONE Virtual Meeting.
The William and Dolores Quinn Scholarships-
Applications are open now for the Quinn Scholarships honoring our first ECOEA Executive Director William Quinn and his wife Dolores who was the first ECOEA secretary. Mr. Quinn, a teacher and principal in the Canton City Schools, served as Executive Director for 29 years and was one of the founders of ECOEA.
There are two Quinn scholarships:
  • Member Scholarship-open to all members, chosen by lottery drawing from all applicants, this scholarship provides $500 by reimbursement for continuing education in the member's field. It can be used for tuition or conference fees. It may not be used for travel, books, food, or other extraneous expenses.
  • Child of a Member-open to all children of members who are enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree in education. This scholarship of $1,500 is paid directly to the university upon documentation. The scholarship is awarded by lottery drawing from all qualified applicants.
Both scholarship drawings will be held at the March ECOEA Executive Board meeting and awarded at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2021. Use the button below to apply.
ECOEA Vacancies-
  • ECOEA Unit 1 on the OEA Board of Directors-open to any member from ECOEA Voting Unit 1
  • ECOEA Rep to the OEA Convention Planning Committee-open to any member
Please contact the ECOEA office for more information about these vacant positions.

ECOEA 2021 Expiring Terms
The following offices have expiring terms in 2021. Elections for these positions will be held at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly. If you are interested in running for an ECOEA officer position, Executive Committee representative or ECOEA rep to an OEA Committee, please submit a Letter of Intent to the ECOEA Business Manager Valerie Heban no later than March 8, 2021 in order for your name to appear on the ballot. You may submit your Letter of Intent by mail or email.

The following positions and terms of office are:
Officers (two-year terms):
ECOEA President (2021-2023) two-year term
ECOEA Vice President (2021-2023) two-year term
ECOEA Recording Secretary (2021-2023) two-year term

Executive Committee (three-year terms):
Columbiana County Rep #1 (2021-2024)
Stark County Rep #3 (2021-2024)
Wayne County Rep #1 (2021-2024)
Minority Rep (2021-2024)
ESP Rep #1 (2021-2024)
ESP Rep #2 (2021-2024)

ECOEA Representative to OEA Committees (three-year terms):
Resolutions Committee (2021-2024)
Legislative Committee (2021-2024)
Human & Civil Rights Committee (2021-2024)
Local Training & Development Committee (2021-2024)
Convention Planning Committee-vacancy (2020-2023)

OEA Board of Directors (three-year term)
Must file an OEA Declaration of Candidacy deadline February 1, 2021
ECOEA Unit 1-vacancy (2020-2023)
ECOEA Unit 2 (2021-2024)

Per ECOEA Policy 3.6 Access to Financial Reports-the monthly Executive Committee financial report is available to any member upon request.
Auto and Home Insurance Rep
Call Field Manager Beth Nagy
bnagy@calcas.com
Check us out on Social Media. Like us on Facebook!