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

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

IMPORTANT DATES:
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 in the 9:00 session .

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 StateTeachers' Retirement System (STRS Ohio) will be in Canton at the Canton Courtyard Marriott on Thursday, January 16, 2020 with their member education series. STRS trainings are free and open to all STRS members but you must register in advance.
  • In the RETIREE Education series-Fundamentals of Reverse Mortgage from 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
  • For ACTIVE members-Retirement Countdown from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM. This is an essential workshop for anyone who is within 1-2 years of retirement. STRS highly encourages members who are nearing the end of their career to attend the Retirement Countdown session.
Members can register online at strsoh.org using their personal online STRS account or call STRS Ohio at (888) 227-7877. If you don't have an online account and are a certified member, you should take a few minutes and create your account. There you can monitor your STRS account and explore their education sessions.
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.
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 $100 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!
Quinn Scholarships for Members and Students
Each spring ECOEA honors our first Executive Director and Secretary--William and Dolores Quinn--with two scholarships. The deadline for these scholarships is March 1, 2020. The scholarships will be presented at the ECOEA Spring Representative Assembly on Saturday, April 25, 2020.
The Quinn Educational Scholarship for Members is open to ALL members for continuining education in their current field. The amount of the scholarship is $500 and is paid by reimbursement upon receipt of substantiating documentation. The scholarship is awarded by lottery drawing from all applicants. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2020. The application is available at the button below.
The Quinn Educational Scholarship for Students is open to children of members who are students studying for a degree in education. The Quinn for Students is an award of $1,500 that is paid directly to the university or college where the student is enrolled. Students must show proof of enrollment in an education program at a degree-granting institution. The winner is drawn from all eligible applicants. Students should apply on the ECOEA website using the button below by the March 1, 2020 deadline.
Delegates to the 2019 OEA Fall Representative Assembly were welcomed to the RA in Kasich Hall at the OEA Expo in Columbus on Saturday, December 6 by PANomenon , the Rittman Steel Drum band under the direction of Rittman EA President Ed Sims. There were 45 active and 2 retired delegates from 18 local associations from the ECOEA district in attendance.
ECOEA locals represented were:
  • Alliance EA
  • Canton Professional EA
  • Claymont EA
  • East Holmes TA
  • East Liverpool EA
  • Jackson Memorial EA
  • Malvern EA
  • Minerva Local EA
  • Newcomerstown TA
  • North Canton EA
  • Education Association of Orrville
  • Perry Classroom TA
  • Plain Local TA (At Large)
  • Rittman EA
  • Southern Local TA
  • Southeast Local EA
  • United EA
  • Wooster EA
Special guest of the RA was NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia who addressed the assemby with passion and inspiration. This was OEA President Scott DiMauro's first RA as OEA President.
Actions of the RA included the election of Larry Ellis from Youngstown EA to the NEA Board of Directors #1 and Dwayne Marshall from Gahanna-Jefferson EA to NEA Board of Directors #2. Delegates unanimously approved the adoption of New Business Item #1 which called for comprehensive reform of the state report card by the state General Assembly, eliminating the A-F letter grades replacing it with a performance dashboard and student opportunity profile. Speaking in support of the NBI was Julie Holderbaum, delegate from Minerva LEA, who was part of the team that wrote the language for the proposed report card changes. You can read the entire NBI here .
Several members from ECOEA received awards for FCPE donations. Receiving the Executive Club award were Julie Holderbaum, Minerva Local EA and Troy Kozee, North Canton EA. Receiving the Presidents Club Award was April Chenault-McLeod of Canton Professional EA. Karen Linch of Wooster EA received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kelli Green of Perry Classroom TA achieved the highest donor level of Hall of Fame Award. Congratulations to all!
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!
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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