April-2020-Advisor_2

REPRESENTING

APRIL 2020 CEA ADVISOR 13

CEA’S 172ND ANNUAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CEA leaders are having ongoing discussions about how and when the 172nd annual CEA Representative Assembly will be held, and in what timeframe and format. As decisions are made, the Association will keep delegates informed. Watch cea.org and your inbox for updates. This year’s CEA RA will not be held at Mohegan Sun, so if you have reserved a room for that purpose, you should cancel your reservation. Below are candidates for the positions of NEA Director, NEA Director Interim, NEA Director Alternate, and Ethnic Minority Director At-Large. All candidates’ statements and photos are printed exactly as received.

Candidates for office at the 2020 CEA RA

NEA DIRECTOR Tara Flaherty An experienced educator that has served at both the local and state associations in many ways, I want to continue to work for the teachers of

NEA DIRECTOR INTERIM Kathleen Gale I came to teaching in my 30’s and haven’t looked back once. In my earliest years my energy was focused on growing as a teacher, mentor, and lead teacher while raising my children. The more I grew and learned, the lives of my colleagues and students. I became more involved at the local level, then the state level and, finally, the national level with my position as Chair of the Resolutions Committee. In Darien I have served as a building representative, PAC Chair on the Executive Board, Negotiations and Constitution committee member. I have served on the CEA and NEA RA Resolutions Committee having chaired since 2016 which placed me on the NEA Resolutions Committee. I have also served as a Fairfield County Director, currently Senior Director, for the CEA Board of Directors. My position as Chairperson for the Resolutions Committee has given me the responsibility of representing CEA to the NEA Resolutions Committee during some very politically challenging years. I have worked with educators on important and often controversial issues from districts all over the state as well as around the U.S. and learned a great deal. These experiences have brought home to me just how important our voice is at the local, state, and national level. Our legislators need to hear teachers now more than ever before. Please vote for me as NEA Interim Director. more I came to understand the importance of our union in my life as well as the

ETHNIC MINORITY DIRECTOR AT-LARGE

Sandra Peterkin

I am running for the position of Ethnic Minority Director At-Large, and I ask for your support and vote. In my 26 years of being an active member I have served at all levels of the Association. In my Local, Stamford Education Associa- tion, I serve on the Executive Board as Elementary Vice President, as a member on CEA’s CIPD, EMAC and Legislative Commission, and as an NEA’s Early Leadership Institute Coach. Currently, I am the Interim Ethnic Minority Director and would like to continue in that role. My involvement has afforded me a broad perspective on the needs of our members. I will continue to collaborate with the Ethnic Minority Affairs Commission in an effort to bring its vision to the Board. We all know that the ethnic minority teacher to student ratio is vastly unbalanced, and I want to work with CEA on its minority

teacher recruitment and retention efforts. It is important that we have strong voices that can reach out to our local and state

Connecticut as the next NEA Director. I have served as a local

rep, executive board member and president, have served on numerous state committees, chaired the CEA Resolutions Committee and the CIPD committee. Having worked with our colleagues nationally on the Resolutions Committee I have developed relationships with members in other states. Serving as the interim director for the last year, I have learned the requirements to be a strong NEA director and I vow to bring your voices along with my passion to the NEA Board of Directors. Experienced leadership is important to help ensure our voices are heard in Washington. Strong relationships with other states helps to ensure our issues are seen across the nation. I have built the relationships to succeed and I have the passion and desire to continue to move education forward as we begin a new decade. We need a strong voice for Connecticut on the NEA board, I vow to be that voice. Education is more than a career, it is a calling. For over twenty years I have been in a classroom working with and for our students and our teachers, as a mother of five I know the needs of education from a parental standpoint. Let me bring my experience and passion to Washington to advocate for our students, our teachers and public education.

legislators to impact change, and I know I can be one of those voices. At last year’s NEA-RA, Connecticut missed achieving the 3-1(g) goal by a couple of delegates. The Board has initiated a plan to encourage Locals to send more ethnic minority delegates, and I want to assist with that work. I know I will continue to be an asset to the Board in ensuring that indeed we are stronger together. Thanks in advance for your support.

NEA DIRECTOR ALTERNATE

Faith Sweeney My name is Faith Sweeney and I would be honored to represent you as your NEA Director Alternate. As an active member, I have served on several committees and commissions from Legislative to Ethnic Minority Affairs. Through my state and local experience, I have gained the necessary skills to pursue a role in our association to advocate for public education at the national level. I have lobbied at our state capital, written testimony in support of education bills and participated in national trainings; all to be a strong voice for students, public schools and our

profession. I currently serve as the interim NEA Director Alternate, with your support and vote, I can continue as interim NEA Director Alternate and be a strong voice for all.