May-June-2020-Advisor

REPRESENTING

12 CEA ADVISOR MAY-JUNE 2020

FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL CEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CONTINUES WORK OF ASSOCIATION Delegates meet remotely to reflect and plan for ‘new normal’

As well as being CEA’s highest policymaking body, the CEA Representative Assembly is typically an opportunity for teachers across the state to come together in one place. This year’s RA was decidedly different. Hundreds of CEA members—serving as delegates to the 172nd CEA RA—logged in on May 8 from computers in homes around the state. “This year has been unlike any other,” said CEA Executive Director Donald Williams. “All of us have been put to the test in ways we could not have imagined.” Among other things, delegates adopted amendments to the CEA Constitution and Bylaws, approved revisions to the CEA Resolutions, voted on new business items, and adopted a 2020-2021 CEA RA budget—all from their own homes. “We have a constitutional responsibility to hold an RA in May,” said CEA President Jeff Leake. “Circumstances forced us to do it virtually.” Keynote speaker and NEA Vice President Becky Pringle thanked members for their energy and activism, applauding them for finding creative ways to help and care for “It is amazing how you’ve stepped up right away—having food drives and car parades, calling students, and checking in on families,” she said. “We, the members of NEA, are the voice of education professionals. Our work is fundamental to this nation, and we accept the profound trust that has been placed in us.” New normal Central to the discussion at this year’s RA was how school closures have impacted the education community and what the future may have in store. “We must see the aftermath of the pandemic for what it will be— not a return to normal, but a critical crossroads,” said Williams. “Either a failure to seize the moment or an opportunity to change for the better.” The well-being of students and staff is priority one, CEA leaders emphasized. “Health and safety protocols for our students and our educators must be paramount as we think about returning to our classrooms,” said Leake, who—along with Williams— has been in ongoing discussions with education stakeholders and policymakers shaping the short- and long-term plans for public education. “As local leaders in your districts, you must act now by reaching out to your superintendent and your school board to develop the necessary protocols for reopening schools in the fall,” said Leake. There was also a strong recognition that a return to school will bring with it the need to address a range of issues created by the pandemic. These include health concerns, trauma, the impact of social isolation, and learning loss. Schools, it was underscored, are a community hub where those types of their students at a time when distancing measures make it challenging.

response by the legislature’s Education Committee. To bring about greater awareness and support for the initiative, CEA’s Communications Department launched an NEA grant-funded campaign, Teaching Is Calling You , highlighting teachers of color as role models and mentors for students who may never have considered the difference they could make as future educators. The public awareness campaign included TV, radio, print, and social media ads and demonstrated the positive influence teachers of color have on their students and school communities. “The ads were powerful, artistic, and persuasive,” said Williams. “Unfortunately, the impact of the campaign was overshadowed by the coronavirus takeover of the news.” The pandemic also forced an early end to the legislative session, with no action on significant issues. The work ahead As CEA looks to ensure the necessary precautions are in place for a safe reopening of schools, the association has also turned its attention to addressing vast equity gaps for children. “The inequities in distance learning are obvious—poor access to the Internet, lack of laptops or tablets, and the need for personal attention that is impossible at a distance,” said Williams. “As we go forward, let’s think of this as an opportunity to reshape Connecticut public education into a more thoughtful, personal, and inspirational experience for all students and teachers.” He added, “You have been asked to do what was never done before in the history of public education. You instantly created a school without walls, a world of distance learning— at home. Students, families, and communities depended on you. It wasn’t easy, and the real classroom will always be better, but you have met the challenge. You have provided stability in an unsettled time and have been leaders in this great union of teaching professionals. Your engagement, your contributions, and your presence at this historic RA make a difference for your colleagues and for public education. Thank you for being everyday heroes, and for all you have done and will do this year.”

An unusual CEA RA: Following social distancing guidelines, Executive Director Don Williams, Secretary Stephanie Wanzer, and President Jeff Leake sit in the CEA boardroom, communicating with members via video conferencing software.

needs and challenges are frequently addressed, and they will need to be properly resourced and have the right priorities in place to move forward. “There is not a single student or teacher who said during this learn-at- home time, ‘What I really miss about school are all the standardized tests and the impersonal benchmarks that we call educational progress,’” Williams explained, noting that what teachers and students miss most is the in-person engagement, collaboration, and communication that takes place among them. “That is the essence of education. When we get back to the classroom, we’ll need more of that—not more isolated screen time, not replacing teachers with mechanized tests and instruction.” Candidates elected, new business and budget The CEA RA also ushered in new directors, new business items, and a new budget. CEA members ran unopposed for four positions. Shepaug Valley School teacher Tara Flaherty will serve as NEA Director for a three- year term, Darien teacher Katy Gale will serve as NEA Director for a one- year term, Westport teacher Faith Sweeney will serve as NEA Director Alternate, and Stamford teacher Sandra Peterkin will serve as Ethnic Minority Director. Delegates adopted a new CEA budget for fiscal year 2020-2021, with a $4 dues increase, and passed four constitutional amendments as well as eight amendments to the CEA by-laws. They also adopted two new business items—one that will continue the work of CEA’s Child Poverty Ad Hoc Task Force, and a second that creates an ad hoc committee to explore the addition of education support professionals as members. Recap of work, progress A number of CEA’s goals and accomplishments over the past year were also highlighted, many of which bore fruit, while others were stalled by the pandemic. Legislative efforts—including protecting education funding and reducing the burden of standardized testing—were well underway before the legislative session was cut short, and groundbreaking talks with new agency heads, including DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes and Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, have led to meaningful changes that promise to improve

outcomes for teachers and students. “Jeff Leake and I have been talking with Dr. Cardona a number of times each week in online video chats and phone calls, and he has listened carefully to us,” said Williams. “When schools first closed in March, he agreed when we asked him to suspend the 180-day requirement. He also said it made sense when we asked him to cancel teacher evaluations and standardized testing. The commissioner has listened to our recommendations for placing health and safety as the top priorities in any plans going forward.” A coordinated campaign by CEA’s Communications Department—which included a study, data collection, and a statewide survey—led to widespread media coverage of sick school buildings. CEA’s Government Relations and Research Department helped spearhead legislation that would have provided standards for environmental safety in our schools. Until the coronavirus hit, Williams said, prospects for the legislation looked good. CEA leaders and staff also promoted legislation to improve classroom safety and provide more resources for social-emotional learning. “Going forward,” said Williams, “social-emotional learning and helping students deal with trauma— including the trauma of the pandemic and being separated from school— will be more important than ever.” In another initiative, CEA helped draft new legislation to recruit and retain a diverse teaching population. Teachers testified in support of the bill, which received a favorable

CEA President Jeff Leake tells members that health and safety protocols must be paramount when students and teachers return to the classroom.