CEA Advisor_April 2022

REPRESENTING

12 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2022

CEA’S 174TH ANNUAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY

CEA President Kate Dias will convene the 174th CEA Representative Assembly (RA) on Friday, May 13. On Saturday, May 14, delegates to the CEA RA will vote on CEA’s fiscal-year budget that supports strategic objectives, programs, and services for members. In addition, delegates will elect a CEA treasurer, CEA

secretary, and NEA director alternate. Three candidates are running uncontested for three-year terms as CEA treasurer, CEA secretary, and NEA director alternate. Candidate statements and photos are printed below, as received.

CANDIDATE FOR CEA TREASURER STEPHANIE WANZER

CANDIDATE FOR CEA SECRETARY TARA FLAHERTY

CANDIDATE FOR NEA DIRECTOR ALTERNATE TANYA MARIE KORES

As I complete my final year as the current Secretary of the CEA, I ask for your support as I run for the

In the past 22 years teaching in urban and rural districts, I have been honored to serve teachers at the local level as a building representative, executive board member,

20 Year Science Teacher Cheshire Public Schools

office of Treasurer. My tenure on the Board of Directors began over ten years ago and I have had the honor of chairing the CEA Constitution, Bylaws and Policy Committee and the CEA/NEA Resolution Committee. I have also been a member of the CEA Executive Board, Equity Pratt and the Staff Personnel Committee. As the secretary, I have received training for the dual position of Secretary/Treasurer through the NEA for the past 6 years. I have presented for national NEA conferences in regards to my position as secretary and on the fiduciary responsibilities of the treasurer of a state affiliate. I am a full time special education teacher at Cooperative Educational Services and currently hold the office of president and negotiation chair for CESEA. I sit as a co-chair of the CEA ad-hoc committee on membership as well as was appointed to the Special Education task force by Senator Martin Looney for services and finance. I have stood in solidarity with our members during board of education meetings and rallies to support their tireless fights for their rights as educators. I also am a top fundraiser for CEF as a runner in the Hartford half marathon. Support my continued commitment to the Connecticut Education Association, it’s budget and our membership. Please vote for Stephanie Wanzer for CEA Treasurer. As I complete my final year as the current Secretary of the CEA, I ask for your support as I run for the office of Treasurer. My tenu e on the Board of Directors began over ten years ago and I have had the honor of chairing the CEA Constitution, Bylaws and Policy Committee and the CEA/NEA Resolution Committee. I have also been a member f the CEA Executive Board, Equity Pratt and the Staff Personnel Committee. As the secr tary, I have received training for the dual position of Secr tary/Treasurer through the NEA for the past 6 years. I have presented for national NEA conferences in regards to my position as secr tary and on the fiduciary responsibilities of the treasur r of a state affiliate. I am a full time special education teacher at Cooperative Educational Services and currently hold the office of president and negotiat on chair for CESEA. I sit as a co-chair of the CEA ad-hoc committee on membership as well as was appointed to the Special Education task force by Senator Martin Looney for services and finance. I have stood in solidarity with our members during board of education meetings and rallies to support their tireless fights for their rights as educators. I also am a top fundraiser for CEF as a runner in the Hartford half marathon. Support my continued commitment to the Connecticut Education Association, it's budget and our membership. Please vote for Stephanie Wanzer for CEA Treasurer. and local president. At CEA I have served on numerous committees and chaired Resolutions and CIPD. I am currently serving as the senior NEA Director for Connecticut and was appointed chair of the NEA Friend of Education Committe . I would like to continue to serve Connecticut teachers as Secretary of CEA. Having five children, a husband who is also a teacher, and working in multiple school districts as well as my union work at the local, s at , and national level offer me a unique perspective on how education impacts teachers and students. I have been able to forge relationships both locally and nationally and desire to continue to advocate for teachers in Conn cticut. I am passionat about education and the teaching profession; I want to bring this passion to the position of Secretary for CEA. I ask for your support in electing Tara Flaherty as CEA Secretary. Watch for results and highlights from the 174th CEA RA in your next issue of the CEA Advisor . CEA EARNS EIGHT AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS CEA’s Communications Department has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and State Education Affiliate Communicators (SEAComm) for a variety of campaigns and materials supporting CEAmembers and highlighting public education in Connecticut. Two prestigious PRSA 2021 Mercury Awards were given for last year’s Vaccinate Educators Now campaign and TV ad. CEA’s Safe Learning Plan, an earned media campaign, called for state policymakers to ensure that safety and My name is Tanya Kores and I am running for the NEA Director Alternate position. I am married, a mother of 3 children, and have been teaching at Cheshire High School for 20 years. I have

been honored to represent teachers on the local, state and national levels since the first year I began teaching. Currently I serve as the Education Association of Cheshire’s Secretary and Sick Bank Chair and have done so for the last 9 years. However, my union involvement at the state level began in 2002, when I was nominated to the Resolutions Committee. I served on CEA’s Resolutions Committee for 11 years and NEA Resolutions Committee for 6 years. Throughout my time on the committee I proposed, amended and spoke to a number of resolutions at the NEA RA that Connecticut supported or opposed. I served 6 years as a New Haven County Director, allowing me to represent my county on CEA’s Board of Directors. This experience has enhanced my knowledge of the organization and has given me the opportunity to see how CEA works for its members. Teaching is not an easy job, and years like this one, test us all. As your NEA Director Alternate, I will work collaboratively with the other Directors and use my experience to represent Connecticut, to the best of my ability. Please consider electing me as NEA Director Alternate. STATEMENT In the past 22 years teaching in urban and rural districts, I have been honored to serve tea h rs at the local level as a building representative, executive board member, and local president. At CEA I have served on numerous committees and chaired Resolutions and CIPD. I am currently serving as the senior NEA Director for Connecticut and was appointed chair of the NEA Friend of Education Committee. I would like to continue to serve Connecticut teachers as Secretary of CEA. Having fiv children, a husband who is also a teacher, and working in multiple school districts as well as my union work at the local, state, and national level offer me a unique perspective on how education impacts teachers and students. I have been able to forge relationships both locally and nationally and desire to continue to dvocate for teachers in Connecticut. I am passionate ab ut education and the teaching profession; I want to bring this passion to the position of Secretary for CEA. I ask for your support in electing Tara Flaherty as CEA Secretary.

equity took priority in schools in year one of the pandemic by providing accommodations for at-risk students, teachers, and staff, increasing funding to districts for COVID- related expenses, providing COVID-19 testing, upgrading school air handling systems, and otherwise mitigating exposure to the virus. In addition, a SEAComm Award of Distinction went to the Read Across Connecticut video that followed a bright blue reading bus on its tour of Connecticut schools. “We are so incredibly proud to represent Connecticut’s amazing teachers and shine a spotlight

A Gold Mercury Award in the Public Affairs Campaign category went to the Vaccinate Educators Now campaign that included the television ad, social media and other digital materials, news release, news conference, earned media, and more. In addition, a Silver Mercury Award in the Tactics Video category went specifically to the Vaccinate Educators Now advertisement featuring Connecticut’s Teachers of the Year. CEA Communications also had a strong showing at the 2022 SEAComm Conference in San Diego, where the team earned top awards in several categories. For the fifth year in a row, the CEA Advisor was recognized with an Award of Excellence for best publication. CEA has earned this award 14 times in the last 15 years. Also earning an Award of Excellence were CEA’s newly redesigned website and three of its major campaigns: Stronger Than Ever , a TV ad campaign filmed at New London’s Science and Technology Magnet School, featured teachers fromNew London, East Hartford, and Newington as well as students from around the state. As educators welcomed children back to their classrooms for the 2021-2022 school year, the campaign underscored their dedication to their students and commitment to ensuring safe learning environments. Teaching Is Calling You , a TV ad campaign filmed at Bridgeport’s Geraldine Johnson School, amplified CEA’s call to recruit teachers of color so that the profession more closely reflects the state’s racial and ethnic diversity. The campaign, which featured teachers and students in their classrooms and communities, posed such questions as, “How do you change the world?” and “How do you use your voice—and make it heard?”The answer? “You teach.”

CEA Communications Director Nancy Andrews and editor Lesia Day accept awards for CEA communications efforts on behalf of Connecticut teachers.

on what they do,” says CEA Communications Director Nancy Andrews. “These awards are not only an acknowledgement of the efforts and talents of our staff but also, importantly, a celebration of the tens of thousands of teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers we advocate for.” In addition to Andrews, CEA Communications comprises editor Lesia Day, new media coordinator Laurel Killough, web developer Eric Ahrens, and events, marketing, and member benefits coordinator Molly Ferguson.