1-Oct-Nov 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL pp 1-11 Advisor

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2020 CEA ADVISOR 3

News Briefs

IN THIS ISSUE

4-5 REOPENING

Becky Pringle Is New NEA President

As schools have reopened (and in some cases, shut back down), they have done so under mixed models, with mixed results. See how strong union voices and community outreach are uncovering challenges—and in many cases, delivering results. Also see how CEA has pushed for greater flexibility in teacher evaluation and paid quarantine leave. The moment the coronavirus closed schools, concerns about students’ social, emotional, and physical well-being spiked. Hear how teachers and school counselors are handling children’s trauma, anxiety, and loss (as well as their own) and how a free course offered through CEA and Yale can help you navigate these uncharted waters. DIVERSIFYING Education equity requires that we recognize our own biases, confront racial disparities, and make diversity a priority—starting from within. Read how CEA is working to make equity not just a goal but a reality in our schools, our profession, and our union. ADVOCATING Even while schools were closed, the hard work of the union continued. Read how CEA successfully fought to return a suspended teacher’s lost pay and clear his record. Also catch up on your rights during a COVID reopening as explained by CEA’s legal team. REPRESENTING Inspired by the work of your union? Why not represent and assist your colleagues by serving on CEA’s Board of Directors or as an NEA state delegate? Get your nominations in by December 1.

lives of too many students, Pringle told NEA RA delegates, “We cannot—we will not—put off for one more second creating schools that

On September 1, former NEA Vice President Becky Pringle took the reins as president of the nation’s largest teachers union, succeeding Lily Eskelsen García, who served in that role for two terms, beginning in 2014. Pringle was elected to her new position at the NEA Representative Assembly (RA), where she won 93 percent of the vote. She is currently the highest-ranking black female labor leader. An educator for 31 years, Pringle taught in Philadelphia and the suburb of Harrisburg, where she worked as a middle school science teacher. As an NEA officer for more than a decade, she has worked to combat institutional racism, shine a light on educational injustice, and advocate for students who have disabilities, identify as LGBTQ+, are immigrants, or are English language learners. She has co-chaired NEA’s Task Force on School Discipline and the School to Prison Pipeline and has led the association’s work to transform the teaching profession and improve student learning. Most notably, she led the workgroup that produced NEA’s groundbreaking “Policy Statement on Teacher Evaluation and Accountability.” In a stirring call to action for educators to confront the forces that have jeopardized the education and Between safety concerns and a crushing workload, this school year is like none before it, and with it comes a high level of stress and anxiety for many teachers. CEA is partnering with Community Health Resources (CHR) to get the word out about a new resource that provides immediate assistance in managing acute stress during the coronavirus crisis. The Hero Hotline, 888-217-4376, is available to teachers, parents, and others struggling with stress or anxiety during the pandemic. Staffed by licensed therapists who are trained in the treatment of acute stress reactions, the service is available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “CEA is proud to work with CHR to provide this free service for educators,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “It’s vital that teachers have access to the mental health supports that they need.” Callers who use the Hero Hotline may remain anonymous and do not need to provide insurance or personal contact information. “We want to make sure teachers know about this service, because we appreciate how stressful the

serve the needs of all our students regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, immigration status, or language. Now is the time to address the systemic inequities that beset our most vulnerable students.” School safety in the era of COVID-19 is of primary importance to Pringle, who notes that educators have been “bullied from the highest office in the land to reopen school buildings and campuses.” Teachers coming together to demand resources their students and schools need are a powerful force, she says, with “the kind of energy and power I want to unleash. We’re done being forced to make the false choice between living and learning; blamed for the failure of this administration to bridge the gaps in equity and fairness. We’re done.” start of the school year is,” says CHR Vice President of Communications Maureen McGuire. “Teaching is not an easy job to begin with, but there are a whole host of issues that make this year different and more challenging.” A call to the Hero Hotline is free, and there is no time limit. HERO HOTLINE 888-217-HERO are interested with ongoing support and care—at which point contact and insurance information would be required. “The intention is that this is an immediate service,” McGuire says. “If you have a tough day, you can make a phone call and be connected right away.” She adds that telehealth services make seeing a therapist more convenient than ever for those balancing the demands of work, family, and other obligations. Be sure to check out other benefits available to you as a CEA member by visiting cea.org/discounts . Therapists can also help connect any callers who

6-7 HEALING

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Free, Confidential Hotline for Teachers Managing Stress and Anxiety New addition to CEA Member Benefits

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ON THE COVER

Teachers at the forefront of ensuring safety in Marlborough

CEA Launches New Website Newly updated, cea.org makes it easier to find everything you need, from breaking education news to free professional development, job opportunities, coronavirus protocols, and more. Log in using your CEA member ID, found on your membership card and on the mailing label of your CEA Advisor . Your CEA membership card was recently mailed to you. Keep it in a safe, accessible place; it's your key to accessing cea.org and unlocking special members-only discounts and offers.

Holiday Bear Project Delivers for Children in Need Nominate a child, lend a hand

Every year, the Connecticut Education Foundation (CEF) makes the holidays a little brighter for children in need through its Holiday Bear Project. This gift-giving program matches CEA teachers, staff, businesses, and other members of the community with students whose families are experiencing financial hardships. More than 10,000 Connecticut public school students have benefited from the holiday program since it began in 1998, and this year, because of devastating economic losses resulting from the pandemic, the need is expected to be greater than ever. CEA Vice President and CEF President Tom Nicholas points out that while Holiday Bear will operate differently this year because of health and safety concerns related to the pandemic, the gift-giving program is more essential than ever. “Every year, our members, our staff, and civic-minded organizations open up their hearts to some of our neediest students across Connecticut,” Nicholas says. “This year, because of COVID-19,

many more families have experienced job loss, illness, or food and housing insecurity. The Holiday Bear Project will help bring much- needed joy and relief to those families and children.” If you know one or more students who could benefit from this program, or if you’d like to sponsor a child, contact CEA’s Mary-Pat Soucy at marypats@cea.org .

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