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The Connection
1136 N. Military Ave.
Green Bay, WI 54303
920-496-2440
800-472-5582
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July 2, 2021
MEMBERSHIP EDITION, Vol. 5, #10
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Hello friends,
The greatest thing about summer is that we have a little breathing room. We have some time to be proactive about the year ahead and think about what our collective goals are. Locals are working on building their membership, reaching out to new hires, building their visibility and creating campaigns to secure updated salary schedules!
Region 3 is offering a Back to School Membership Drive training on Tuesday, July 20th at 3:30. You can register your team HERE.
We also recognize how much we learn from one another, that's the idea behind the Region 3 Roundtable that will be happening on Tuesday August 10th. The Roundtables will be a space for you to brainstorm with other local unions of similar size, share best practices and create action plans! Register for the Roundtable HERE.
I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July! In recognition of the holiday, our office will be closed July 5th through the 9th. Directors will be available July 8th and 9th. Also our newsletter will be every other week through the summer.
In Solidarity,
Kristin Lytie
Regional Director
WEAC Region 3
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Upcoming Events:
July 15, Thursday, Zone B Meeting, 4:30PM, IN PERSON
August 17, Tuesday, Zone E Meeting, 5:30PM
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You have an opportunity to keep members in the loop AND respect their time by holding 10-minute meetings! It's also a great time to get feedback from people in the building.
Get out there and BE VISIBLE!
How can we have 10-minute meetings during the pandemic? Now is probably the BEST time to reach out to your members! Facebook live, Google hangouts, Zoom...
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The July 10-Minute Meeting topic:
Planning Your New Hire/Welcome Back Event
Having a powerful union requires that we cultivate power WITHIN our organization. I know a social event with a beer on a patio doesn't sound revolutionary but these are the spaces where we can bond as people who care about public education and get to know each other's values.
Creating the spaces for people to get to know one another builds trust and is the foundation for the actions we take together as a union to improve our working conditions and our student's learning conditions.
So often, trying to solve a problem during the year when we haven't fully laid this foundation feels like attempting to board a moving train. There's no time like the present to pull together your team and start planning these events!
For more details about how the 10-minute meeting works, click here. For previous 10-minute meeting topics:
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WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS IN JUNE:
7!
We're stronger
every day!
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Share Your Experience Teaching Through Covid-19
Recently our office was contacted by Samantha Ward, a graduate student at Manchester University. Samantha is researching various education methods used during the COVID-19 pandemic in the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Her research involves a survey to Wisconsin and Minnesota educators regarding teacher perception of teaching methods during this time and she would like to hear about your experiences to try to understand teachers' preferred practices.
“My interest in this topic was peaked after hearing from family back home of the alternating methods of teaching that have been selected by various school districts. I think if this pandemic has taught us anything, it has shown how much we rely on teachers, not just to educate, but to provide a safe environment for students during the week. This is why I believe their opinions on the varying modes of education used during this time are extremely important to hear.” -Samantha Ward.
All the responses to this survey are anonymous, with no personal information required and takes around 5 minutes to complete.
Please fill out this survey to share your experiences teaching through Covid-19.
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Region 3 Covid-19 Updates Survey
Some districts have rewarded educators for the tremendous workload that teaching through Covid has created with bonuses and some districts have made a commitment to not make educators teach simultaneously next year.
What is your district doing?
Is your district doing something innovative that you think educators in other districts would benefit from?
Please fill out this survey to share what's happening in your district.
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Rural school mentors are the first and sometimes only connection some smaller, rural locals have with the union. You’re invited to apply for the WEAC program designed to create a clear union connection among our smaller, rural locals. Mentors are a resource to current leaders and help develop new leaders while strengthening local associations.
Hurry! The deadline to apply is July 15! Apply Now!
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WEAC’s call to action on the state budget remains to demand our legislators in the Assembly and Senate scrap the JFC budget plan and embrace the governor’s Badger Bounce Back Budget, including collective bargaining for educators and investments in public education.
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Federal COVID Funding For Schools: What Educators Need To Know
Congress has passed three rounds of funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Act (ESSER I, II and III). WEAC has compiled information regarding ESSER into a single webpage so educators and union leaders can educate themselves on the basics of ESSER funds, like how much is your district getting and what the funds can be used for. What Educators Need To Know about ESSER Funds.
Similar funding was provided to Wisconsin Technical Colleges through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Information on those rounds of funding can be found here: HEERF, HEERF II, HEERF III."
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Back to School Membership Recruitment Training |
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The return to school is one of the most important times of the year to make sure new hires and potential members know who your union is and what you are working on.
Don't miss this important opportunity to make your union even stronger!
This training will teach you how to:
- Identify new hires
- Make the membership ask
- Involve members to create an organizing culture
- Maximize your New Hire Event
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Registration for the 7th Annual Wisconsin Public Education Network Summer Summit, hosted by Sun Prairie Area School District and sponsored by WEAC Region 6, is now live! Visit our website at WisconsinNetwork.org/Summit to register for the August 2 Summer Summit and the post-summit dinner catered by Salvatore's at the Loft at 132 in Sun Prairie.
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Come to WEAC Summer Leadership Academy
Plan now to attend WEAC’s flagship leadership training, Summer Leadership Academy, Monday, July 26-Wednesday, July 28 at St. Norbert College in DePere.
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Educators interested in advancing equity in Wisconsin Public Schools are invited to WEAC Leaders for Just Schools workshop. It’s a free, three-day workshop July 26-28 at St. Norbert College, De Pere.
What It Is:
Join Wisconsin Public School Educators for WEAC Leaders for Just Schools program, part of a national program to build a national network of educators advancing equitable outcomes for students. Created by educators for educators, the curriculum allows participants to:
- Dive into understanding equity;
- Investigate how bias impacts conditions of teaching and learning; and
- Explore ways in which they can improve school culture so that every student has the opportunity to succeed.
The curriculum is grounded in real-life experiences, so the content is real, relatable and actionable.
What You’ll Learn:
By participating in the Leaders for Just Schools program, you will:
- Learn to advocate for students using levers in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to combat institutional inequities in their schools and communities through the lens of racial justice in education;
- Be prepared to build student-centered inclusive plans to create just and equitable learning environments for all; and
- Have a network of support as they share what they've learned with their school communities and implement change.
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PDI Presenter Application - Call for Proposals
WEAC is committed to building the knowledge and skills of its members through professional learning that is job-embedded, practical, and connected to both student learning and educator well-being. To that end, you are invited to submit a workshop proposal in an area of your interest or expertise for the annual Professional Development Institute (PDI) November 5-7, 2021, in Oshkosh.
Presenters must be WEAC members or a friend of WEAC in a job category ineligible for membership. Sessions are 90 minutes long and should be interactive and engaging. Presenters typically present twice over the course of the weekend. This is an opportunity to share your favorite unit, pedagogical expertise, or unique school program with your colleagues across the state.
Members selected to present will receive complimentary registration, meals, roundtrip mileage reimbursement, and a hotel room for two nights (if needed). No other stipend will be awarded to presenters. Applications are due Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Please direct questions to baasj@weac.org.
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Live Webinars Scheduled for August 2021
ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions. Visit their webinar page to learn more. Here is what others have said about their webinars:
- My participation in the webinar was a first for me, and I just want to compliment you on how easy it was to connect, follow along, and provide questions or requests. Excellent job!"
- "Thanks for having these valuable webinars. The professional but conversational style helped me to understand the presentation as easily as an "in office" meeting. Really appreciate that the presenter fully understands the subject. Wonderful job."
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This is an 11.0101(10)(b)(1) communication with WEAC members |
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WEAC Region 3
1136 N. Military Ave.
Green Bay, WI 54303.
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