Feb-Mar 2022 Advisor

2 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2022

LEADING

Leading: Our Perspective

As we reflect on the whirlwind of the past few months, it’s easy to focus on the trials and stresses that educators have worked

resources and supports to recognize when our students are in trouble and to lift them out of the current crisis. This campaign—directed squarely at Connecticut lawmakers and their constituents this legislative session—will raise awareness among those outside

Let’s Make It Happen

Kate Dias, CEA President

tirelessly to overcome. From staff shortages, illness, and dual teaching to the over-the- top day-to-day expectations of classroom teaching, teachers have persevered through a tremendous number of obstacles to ensure that schools remain open and that classrooms are supportive and engaging environments where students can learn and thrive. (See story, pages 6-7.) As CEA’s leaders have been visiting schools, having conversations with local union leaders, and advocating for policies that underpin our work statewide, we recognize that, like our students, educators are a diverse group of individuals with various needs, teaching philosophies, and sometimes different ideas about how we should move forward as we continue to navigate teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although our membership reflects a dynamic and diverse group of educators, there is one thing that we can all agree on: Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers a person could choose, and a profession vital to the success of our nation’s children and young adults. The question before us is, how do we restore to the teaching profession all the joy, energy, pride, and autonomy that allow us to do our best work?

our schools who cannot always see the silent, often- invisible epidemic of children’s mental health at a breaking point at the same time funds that would allow for meaningful change are not getting to the places where they’re needed. Watch for What You Don’t See in your social media feeds this month and share the message widely. You will see videos of parents and students who’ve experienced personal hardships or successes, as well as teachers, counselors, psychologists, and social workers operating under caseloads many orders of magnitude higher than the nationally recommended average. In difficulty lies opportunity Just as these random, recent 60-degree days provide hope that spring is around the corner, we have tremendous hope for teachers as well. Connecticut has the best and brightest educators. We are smart, driven, creative, passionate, caring, well-educated, pragmatic, and committed to our students and their families. Together, our voices, our experiences, and our skills can raise the bar for the way educators are cared for, compensated, and cultivated in our state. There has been a lot of talk about teacher self- care. Self-care is important, and we don’t want to invalidate the

Joslyn DeLancey, CEA Vice President

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Day • Managing Editor Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer CEA GOVERNANCE Kate Dias • President Joslyn DeLancey • Vice President Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary David Jedidian • Treasurer Tara Flaherty • NEA Director Katy Gale • NEA Director February–March 2022 Volume 64, Number 4 Published by Connecticut Education Association 1-800-842-4316 • 860-525-5641 cea.org CEA Advisor The CEA Advisor is mailed to all CEA members. Annual subscription price is $5.72 (included in membership dues and available only as part of membership). Institutional subscription price: $25.00. Advertising in the CEA Advisor is screened, but the publishing of any advertisement does not imply CEA endorsement of the product, service, or views expressed. CEA Advisor USPS 0129-220 (ISSN 0007-8050) is published in August, October/November, December/ January, February/March, April, May/June, and summer by the Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, CT 06106-8001, 860-525-5641. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut. Postmaster: Send address changes to CEA Advisor , Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, CT 06106-8001.

importance of teachers taking time for their own needs, just as they care for their students. In fact, CEA has stepped in to provide avenues for teachers to do just that. (See page 5.) We know, however, that to truly improve education, we must students in the very schools where they teach and learn. For that to happen, we need to stick together, support each other, listen to one prioritize it—and that means prioritizing our educators and

Anyone who has been paying attention knows that the teacher shortage that threatens our public schools was well-documented before the pandemic. It is only intensifying. (See pages 4-5.) For the past two decades we’ve watched as legislators, boards of education, corporate interests, and special interest groups have shifted our work into areas we believe to be counterintuitive to building successful school communities. Standardized testing, boxed curriculums, flawed teacher evaluation plans, inexperienced administrators, professional development mandates misaligned with students’ and teachers’ needs, and a chronic underfunding of our neediest districts have hindered our ability to give our best to students and to truly thrive as educators. The pandemic added a slew of new stresses and exposed the cracks in our system. As a result, teacher burnout is at record levels, and many of our finest educators are leaving the profession—retiring early or pursuing different paths. At the same time, we are seeing unprecedented levels of stress and trauma among our students, many of whom occupy poorly ventilated, underresourced classrooms. (See page 5.) What is often less evident is what our policymakers are doing to help. And that’s the impetus behind a large-scale CEA social media campaign—What You Don’t See—that aims to shine a light on the need for more teachers, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other All across the state, teachers are standing together for safe, healthy, well- resourced schools. See the full story on pages 6-7.

another, and rally together to make our needs heard. CEA has a very aggressive legislative agenda. It touches on everything we need to support education, from improving indoor air quality to creative ways of better compensating educators. We believe that passing many of our legislative priorities will be the start to building successful school communities and bringing schools to a place where teachers have autonomy, resources, training, and the care they need to do right by students. We are asking for your help and support in pushing this agenda, shouting it from the rooftops, with your legislators. We will need your help in testifying before committees, telling your stories, and writing letters requesting support for education in order to successfully pass bills that support teachers and schools. (See pages 8-9.) Together, we really can make a difference and strengthen support for our profession. We could not be prouder to represent CEA. Our members are amazing. You deserve the best of the best, from higher compensation and greater autonomy to advanced resources and safe, supportive school buildings. Together, we can push our state to make these things happen for teachers and schools. Thank you all for the care and support you give to your school communities, our organization, and your students. We are fighting for you, and we will continue that fight in the upcoming months and long into the future.

Production date: 2-24-2022