feb-mar

SUPPORTING

6 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY - MARCH 2018

CEA presses for TEAM funding Members, leaders call for state funding to be restored NEW TEACHERS: YOUR UNION HAS YOUR BACK

Congressman, CEA members speak out for educators, pre-service teachers

CEA is strongly advocating for funding to be restored to Connecticut’s Teacher Education And Mentoring (TEAM) program, one of the nation’s most highly regarded induction and support programs for new teachers. State funding for the program was unexpectedly eliminated from the budget last fall, which has many new and veteran teachers concerned. At State Board of Education meetings in January and February, CEA leaders and staff joined several teachers in calling on the Board to support the restoration of TEAM funding. Teachers who testified included Ridgefield teacher Liz Misiewicz, Bridgeport new teacher coordinator and TEAM facilitator Michael Brosnan, Plainfield’s Janet Piezzo, Ledyard’s Ted Allen and Jim Wisniewski, and Stratford’s Kristen Record. “It is absolutely imperative,” Misiewicz told the board, adding, “Connecticut is one of three states that has been nationally recognized by the New Teacher Center as having a high-quality induction program, because TEAM is an authentic mentorship program that guides new teachers in their professional learning. TEAM has benefited hundreds of teachers and directly contributes to the reason

Connecticut is a leader in education, ranking fourth overall out of 50 U.S. states. How do we expect our state to remain at the forefront if we do not restore funding to TEAM?” Misiewicz recalled her own early days as a teacher and the critical support that TEAM provided. “I remember the summer before I started my first year of teaching— the excitement and nervousness—a mix of emotions, as I’m sure you all have felt at the start of a new career. What helped settle my mind, so I could spend my summer focused on planning my curriculum to positively impact student learning, was TEAM—knowing I was going into this profession with support from a mentor, a relationship with a veteran teacher. I felt a sense of security knowing I could seek advice on questions related to teaching.” Misiewicz credits her students’ growth in critical reading and writing skills, as measured by various assessments, with the support she received from TEAM. Brosnan added, “The cost of shifting TEAM mentor stipends onto the districts has had a significant impact on large urban districts. It will cost Bridgeport an unforeseen $91,000 this school year. The bottom line is that we have an unfunded mandate from the state that continues to grow in cost.” Record has seen the impact both in Bridgeport, where she lives, and Stratford, where she is a teacher, TEAM mentor, and member of the TEAM Coordinating Committee. “At the same time ECS funds were cut, the budget also eliminated TEAM funding, which has decimated our ability to support our new teachers.” teachers, so MacCall says one of the very first things she did when she became a building rep was to put together a new teacher manual. “New teachers have so much on their plates. When I started teaching, I didn’t even know how to call the office. New teachers often don’t know where to turn with their questions, and people sometimes assume they know much more than they do.” The new teacher guide covers many aspects of the contract, including personal and sick leave, maternity leave, lunchtime, and planning minutes, MacCall says. In addition to summarizing parts of the contract, MacCall emailed the entire district, including administrators and secretaries, and asked for feedback on the things staff wished they had known when they started working in Ledyard. MacCall has been teaching in the district for 12 years and is in her

subsidized Stafford loan program, and more than 9,500 students use the unsubsidized Stafford loans. In December, a majority of Republicans on the House Education and Workforce Committee voted to prevent new student borrowers from participating in PSLF. The full House is expected to vote on the issue this year. Courtney, who says he is “proud to stand with students and local professionals who rely on federal loans as well as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program,” encouraged voters—especially those who benefit from these important programs—to remain vigilant, vocal, and engaged in efforts to keep them intact. To learn more about Degrees Not Debt, contact your local Association president or UniServ Representative, or visit nea.org/degreesnotdebt .

CEA member Lindsay Aronheim joined U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney in speaking out against a plan being considered in Congress that would hurt teachers and college students pursuing careers in education. At a December news conference, Aronheim, a school psychologist at Terryville High School, explained why eliminating the federal student aid program that helps cover college tuition costs for millions of Americans, including Connecticut students entering the teaching profession, would be detrimental. Without the valuable program, which helped defray the cost of graduate school, Aronheim says she might not have been able to continue in the career she loves. “I went to graduate school for three years, which is necessary for my profession, and I took out loans in order to do that,” she explains. “When I finished, I realized paying back my loans was going to be a struggle on my salary. I was trying to figure out what to do and wondering if I needed to go into another profession. Public Service Loan Forgiveness allowed me to continue in this profession.” The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program supports students entering professions with critical workforce shortages, including education. It allows teachers to have their debt forgiven after 10 years of payments made on qualifying federal student loans. Aronheim enrolled in PSLF’s income- workshop sponsored by the Plymouth Education Association and conducted by CEA Educational Issues Specialist Michele Ridolfi O’Neill. The dismantling of PSLF could impact tens of thousands of students and professionals in Connecticut. According to Courtney, at UConn alone nearly 9,000 students use the driven loan repayment plan after attending a Degrees Not Debt

How do we expect our state to remain at the forefront if we do not restore funding to TEAM? Liz Misiewicz, Ridgefield teacher

Terryville High School psychologist Lindsay Aronheim joined U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney to speak out in favor of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Ridgefield teacher Liz Misiewicz called on the State Board of Education to support restoration of TEAM funding.

Ledyard building rep designs manual for new teachers Second-generation union rep says being proactive is key in her role

third year as a building rep. Although she says she had a lot to learn in her first years as a rep, she was lucky to have a unique source of support.

into conversations with administration with a solution. When teacher morale is low, it’s a problem for the entire school community that we should all be invested in changing.”

B eing a building representative is a complex job, but Ledyard building rep Tiffany MacCall describes the essence of her role simply. “I try to make days better for teachers, because everything’s getting harder. I want to make sure teaching is a profession that still has joy.” The Juliet W. Long School third- grade teacher says, “Members really come to depend on you. It’s often the little things—questions about when the first paycheck of the year will be, or about the contract.” These routine questions can be especially overwhelming for new

AREYOUA NEWTEACHER? Go to cea.org , click member login, and make sure we have your home email address. You’ll receive our new teacher email three times a year, full of freebies, honest advice, and strategies for surviving and thriving in the classroom.

“My father, Neil Solar, is a teacher at Cutler Middle School in Groton and has been a union rep for 30 years,” MacCall says. “I’ve always been inspired by him. I bring questions to him, and he helps me with advice about challenging situations.” Teachers often feel that they are asked to do a lot more than they can, MacCall says, and they need to know there is someone who can speak up for them. “Having a voice is really important. Rather than framing issues as complaints, I try to walk