MINNESOTA EDUCATOR AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

New year, new look

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ESSA plan begins WELCOME BACK!

United Educators Credit Union would like to welcome back all educators and school employees to another school year! We have some Back-To-School offers just for you, visit www.uecu.coop/backtoschool to check them out!

Hurry! There’s only a few short months to take Learn more at advantage of these special promotions! www.uecu.coop Federally insured by NCUA. 651-264-0669 | 800-229-2848 Table of August/September 2018 – Volume 21, No. 1 contents The Minnesota Educator publishes every other month. It is one of the union’s print and digital Education Minnesota launches a publications to educate, inform and organize the community of members. The Educator is reported, mobile app for our members. edited and designed by union staff members. The page 6 paper is printed in LSC Communications’ union shop in Menasha, Wisconsin. Find copies of the Educator online at www.educationminnesota.org. Learn about how the state’s ESSA Go to the News menu, then Minnesota Educator. plan will be implemented this year. To reach the publication for queries, pages 8-9 story or commentary ideas Email: [email protected] MSCF members focus on new Mail: Minnesota Educator 41 Sherburne Ave. union world, upcoming election St. Paul, MN 55103 at summer conference. To report a change of address or end page 11 duplicate mailings, contact the Education Minnesota membership department. Osseo ESPs donate more than Email: [email protected] Phone: 651-292-4805 1,200 books to students in need. By web: www.educationminnesota.org and choose pages 14-15 the Contact Us link to send a change of address. To inquire about advertising in the Wadena-Deer Creek science teacher Educator or on the website Email: [email protected] attends to Space Camp for free, Phone: 651-292-4864 thanks to a Honeywell program. For general inquiries and business page 16 at the state headquarters Phone: 800-652-9073 or 651-227-9541 The Education Minnesota For information about union activities, work and resources, go to www.educationminnesota.org. Foundation has given out more than Follow Education Minnesota $4 million in its 25-year history. Facebook: www.facebook.com/EducationMinnesota page 17 Twitter: www.twitter.com/EducationMN Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/EducationMN Professional development Instagram: www.instagram.com/educationminnesota opportunities, grants offerings Minnesota Educator (ISSN 1521-9062) is a bimonthly publication. and classroom resources. Periodicals are postage-paid at St. Paul, page 19 Minnesota, and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Minnesota Educator, Register for the 2018 MEA 41 Sherburne Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103-2196. conference. The conference Minnesota Educator. All rights reserved, but readers are welcome to reproduce any article will be one day, Thursday, Oct. in whole or in part on the condition that they 18, and will be for Education give credit to Education Minnesota. Minnesota members only. The Minnesota Educator is published for members to share news about education page 20 issues and training opportunities for educators as well as union and political news that affects public education in Minnesota. The Campaign 2018 coverage in this issue President: Denise Specht is an independent expenditure prepared and paid for by Education Minnesota PAC, Vice President: Paul Mueller 41 Sherburne Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103, Secretary-Treasurer: Rodney Rowe in support of the named candidates. Executive Director: Sara Gjerdrum The independent expenditure material Director of Public Affairs: Brandon Rettke is not approved by the candidate nor Editor: Kieren Steinhoff are the candidates responsible for it. Art Director: Eric Widi

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

We need to respond to Politics of division

The first month of the school fences and recordings of kids We can watch for the signs of year can be exciting and crying out for their parents. students who are upset, shutting down overwhelming. New students Further, the Trump or not coming to and new material can be a administration recently proposed school. There are challenge. Watching the unique a change to immigration policy excellent resources rhythms of each classroom that editors of the Star Tribune at teachingtolerance. develop is fascinating. called “shortsighted and cruel.” org. Because there’s so much going The administration would We will remind folks Denise Specht on, it can also be easy to miss punish documented immigrants that no matter our the cues when students are in for accessing Medicaid, food differences, most of us want distress. It can be even more stamps, housing assistance, similar things. Jobs that sustain difficult when you don’t yet know subsidies to buy health insurance families. A good education for their personalities, or whether and other assistance programs Minnesota kids. Health care their behaviors are changing by denying them temporary visas when we need it. Retirement because of the summer break. or permanent residency. Even with dignity. Nonetheless, educators need to use of these services by U.S-born keep our eyes open this fall. The children of immigrants, or their People forget the things that same conditions that caused an citizen-spouses, would trigger unite us when politicians scare outbreak of bullying and racial the penalty. them all the time. So we just need to say out loud that attacks in our worksites in 2016 The newspaper reported Minnesota’s strength comes are starting to form again. that public health nurses in from our ability to be there for Two years ago, the national Minnesota have already seen each other—to knit together political rhetoric reached a point families wanting to pull their people from different places where many students felt they U.S.-born children out of health and of different races into a had permission to bully and care and nutrition programs. For community. harass other students based on educators, this will mean more race, immigration status, gender fearful, hungry and, probably, For our state to be a place of and sexual orientation. Educators sick children in our schools. freedom for everyone, we cannot let the greedy few, and the tried to stop it, but we weren’t The campaign for governor will politicians they pay for, divide always successful. play out against this backdrop. us. Together, we can make our The Teacher Tolerance project We can hope the candidates’ state a place where freedom and of the Southern Poverty Law will compete on their visions community are for everyone—no Center surveyed more than for lifting up all Minnesotans. exceptions. 10,000 educators after the Unfortunately, that is not how 2016 election. Ninety percent some campaigns have started. That’s our story. It’s a good one for educators to tell and it’s a of them reported the campaign We’re already seeing the coded good one for our students to made their school climate less appeals to race in campaign ads hear us tell. conducive to learning. that describe immigrants only as Since then, the Trump violent killers, or ads that shame Together, administration has done little to people living in poverty for reassure our students and their seeking out health care. families. The policy of separating This rhetoric degrades families at the border speaks for our teaching and learning Twitter: @DeniseSpecht itself, as do the searing images environments. As educators, we of children held behind chain link must respond.

2 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR COLLECTIVE VOICE

IO fall drive-ins starting soon Where are you reading your Many of Education Minnesota’s local intermediate Minnesota Educator? organizations will soon be hosting professional Our summer contest was a huge hit! Thank you to development sessions called fall drive-ins. everyone who sent in a photo. We had more than 100 submissions showing The function of fall drive-ins is to bring training, the Minnesota Educator relicensure and continuing education unit traveling all over the opportunities to the IO’s members. world! Congratulations, Session topics at some of this year’s fall drive-ins Marci Greisen from Le include developing nurturing and professional Sueur for winning the relationships, financial planning for beginners, first contest! See more social media and student safety, bargaining of the submissions on communications, legal updates, treasurer page 20. trainings and how to deal with workplace bullying. We’re going to keep the For more information about a fall drive-in in your contest going! Email a area, talk to your local president or Education photo to Minnesota field staff. [email protected] or Go to www.educationminnesota.org/events. share it on social media aspx or check out the event page on the new using #mneducator of Education Minnesota mobile app (read more on where you are reading your Minnesota Educator page 6) to see a calendar listing trainings offered to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card! in your area and around the state. Submissions are due Sept. 10. Happy reading!

Getting social! Members in the news! Educators use social media as a way to connect Educaton Minnesota members are often with their communities, colleagues and the interviewed in their local newspapers or TV world. We will feature one Education Minnesota station. We will feature a quote each issue! member’s post each issue! Make sure to follow Education Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Pinterest! “ I’m running into a lot of kids who believe that GMOs are bad, that ‘big ag’ is bad. So dispelling myths is one of the first things we talk about. And I do that through science, because there’s so much science to back up conventional farming practices. “ — Amy Mastin, who will be teaching this year at Kelliher, in the Bemidji Pioneer article, “Teachers and students work to connect agriculture and science” on July 23.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 3 New school year brings exciting changes to the union

“Choose Union” is not just a hashtag anymore for Minnesota’s educators, but a real decision about joining their colleagues to improve their lives, both at work and at home. As the new school year begins, Education Minnesota is also changing the way we look at our programming, resources and communications. If you are reading this, the first change should be by your local union, intermediate organization, pretty clear. The Minnesota Educator has moved Education Minnesota and our national unions, the from a monthly newspaper to an every-other-month National Education Association and the American magazine. This will allow us to share more feature Federation of Teachers. stories about exciting things happening with union Members will see a heightened emphasis on members in classrooms, schools and on campuses unionism in the trainings offered in our new world. across the state. We will be moving more of our Additionally, to reflect member interest in racial and news content online to our website and social social justice, we are offering more racial equity media channels. Read more about how you can get professional development sessions at our trainings. up-to-date education news and more about the new Minnesota Educator and another new way to stay Members may also see an emphasis on pre- connected, a mobile app, on pages 6-7. registration at events, like the MEA conference on Oct. 18, because these trainings will be open to The value of being a union member is seen in members only. Read more about registering for professional development opportunities provided MEA on page 20.

4 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR New school year brings exciting changes to the union

Ingrid Miera, an education support professional in Osseo, shows her commitment to her union at Summer Seminar this August.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow In addition, public support for unions continues to public-sector employees to benefit from a collective increase. A Gallup poll conducted in the summer of bargaining agreement without paying for it is deeply 2017 found that 61 percent of adults held a favorable disappointing and will impose new challenges and opinion of unions, the highest level of support since costs on unions, the outcome was expected and 2003. will not destroy Education Minnesota or the labor For the first time in many years, the year 2017 movement. saw a net increase in the number of Americans In partnership with our locals, Education Minnesota represented by unions over the previous year. has done extensive organizing and held thousands This Supreme Court decision is likely to generate of individual conversations across in the state to new energy and urgency for greater grassroots engage members around the value of belonging to organizing and activism by unions to combat the their union. increasing influence of wealthy elites and a harmful Across the country, more educators and individuals “everybody-for-themselves” mentality. in other employment sectors are choosing union Learn more about Education Minnesota and the than ever before. Since January 2016 alone, value of belonging to our union at 23 new locals around the state, representing www.educationminnesota.org/member-benefits approximately 1,500 educators, have voted to join and www.educationminnesota.org/advocacy. Education Minnesota.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 5 There’s an app for that: Education Minnesota goes mobile

Stay up to date, find events, get a digital membership card and more on Education Minnesota’s Download new mobile app. 1. Search for “EdMN” or “Education Minnesota” in the app store The free app is now available for on your device. all iOS and Android devices – Get your digital membership card including tablets. 1. Tap on the “Membership Card” icon. For decades, Education Minnesota has been the 2. Tap “List of Locals” to find the official name of your local. champion of public education Some of them are long and complicated! statewide. With our mobile app, 3. Tap “My Membership Card,” then enter your first name, last name that work continues in the palm and the official name of your local. of your hand. This is a tool for 4. Problems? Contact us at 800-652-9073 or [email protected]. members to stay informed and connect with their union like never before.

APP FEATURES: • Join Education Minnesota • Connect with Education Minnesota’s website and social • Stay up to date on union news • Find Education Minnesota media accounts and events offices • View member benefits and • Read the Minnesota Educator discounts magazine on your device • Obtain a digital membership card with scannable QR code

Get a digital membership card to The home screen of the app allows users use when registering for events and The event calendar features local and to easily interact with their union. other member benefits. statewide union trainings and events.

6 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR Get education news in new ways The Minnesota Educator magazine Find other news, updates online Education Minnesota’s official publication is taking Education Minnesota wants to make sure its on a new look and a new frequency. You are reading members can find relevant news and updates in the new Minnesota Educator magazine, which will between issues of the new Minnesota Educator. be coming to your mailbox six times a year. Important and timely stories, videos and links will be The new publication schedule will be: August/ posted on Education Minnesota’s website and social September, October/November, December/ media channels. January, February/March, April/May and June/July. The new format and frequency allows Education Minnesota to still share important news from your Where to find your education news: union, but also focus on longer feature stories Website: www.educationminnesota.org/news.aspx about union members doing outstanding work in #education-headlines classrooms and on campuses across the state. Facebook: www.facebook.com/EducationMinnesota We want this publication to be a valuable resource for you and your work, so please send any story Twitter: www.twitter.com/EducationMN ideas or suggestions to [email protected]. Instagram: www.instagram.com/educationminnesota The Minnesota Educator also accepts guest commentaries and letters to the editor. ISSUES AND IMPACT

ESSA plan implementation begins

The Every Student Succeeds for support will see opportunities prioritize schools for support, Act (ESSA) will begin to be to get involved in digging into not offer a comprehensive implemented in Minnesota this the root causes of student judgment about a school. fall. The Minnesota Department performance, with the goal of • After a school is identified of Education and Education getting beneath and beyond test for support, most of the first Minnesota have been working scores. year after identification will be together, making sure educator WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST focused on plan development voices have been heard DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ESSA and getting ready for throughout the planning and AND NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND? implementation rather than now implementation process. MD: When it comes to asking for a plan to be put Below is a question and answer identifying schools and districts, together in a few weeks as about Minnesota’s ESSA plan there are a couple of big happened under NCLB. with Michael Diedrich, an differences: • English learners’ progress ESSA policy specialist at MDE, • Unlike the days of Adequate toward English language Paul Winkelaar of Education Yearly Progress (AYP), schools proficiency is now a part of the Minnesota and Holly Schultz, and districts that are identified accountability system, which M.S.E., a school psychologist in for support will receive may increase attention to how Burnsville-Eagan-Savage who support that is customized well schools are serving English attended an ESSA training at to their specific students, learners. Summer Seminar. staff and community. School • We are calculating seven- WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE leaders and staff will be part year graduation rates for the THAT EDUCATORS WILL SEE of the conversation from the first time, which are more THIS YEAR? beginning and will shape the meaningful for some schools, MD: Overall, educators will see a ultimate plan for improvement. such as transition programs shift in how Minnesota identifies Schools won’t be limited to a for some students in special schools and districts for support small number of options like education. and how we recognize schools they were under AYP. HOW WILL THIS AFFECT and districts for doing well. • The state is no longer TESTING, IF AT ALL? We are using a few additional compressing all accountability MD: ESSA does maintain the measurements when identifying indicators into a single number same requirements that NCLB schools and districts for support, like was done in the Multiple did around testing. Just like including one—consistent Measurements Rating (MMR) NCLB, the state must meet attendance—that can open the system. Each indicator is those requirements to receive door to deeper conversations calculated and reported its Title I funds from ESSA. about students’ experiences separately, which allows each Additionally, the requirements outside of tested subjects. person looking at a school to ESSA creates around calculating We’ll be recognizing success for decide which indicators—if academic achievement for each of these measurements in any—are most meaningful accountability purposes mean August, and adding more areas to them. This approach also that the new accountability for recognition over the course avoids giving the impression system includes students who of the school year to highlight that the state has managed to opt out or otherwise don’t have success in areas like school compress everything important a valid score in the calculation of climate, early learning, career about the school into a single academic achievement. Students and college readiness. Teachers number. The purpose of the in those situations are included in schools and districts identified new accountability system is to in the same way as students who

8 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR are not proficient on the tests. which wasn’t based on students’ WHAT CAN EDUCATORS DO IF achievement levels. This will THEY WANT TO GET INVOLVED Elsewhere on the Minnesota only be used for elementary and IN IMPLEMENTATION OR ANY Report Card, we will still show the middle schools. It is not used FURTHER REVIEW OF THE PLAN? proficiency rate just for students for high schools because of the PW: Educators should become a with valid scores. We will also amount of time between the part of their school improvement start reporting the participation student’s eighth grade test and team and help recruit parents and rate to help people have the their high school test, especially families to participate in selecting proper context for interpreting the when students move between the best improvement strategies academic achievement rates on high schools before taking the for their school. It is important the accountability side of things. high school test. to get an understanding of the WHAT ARE THE role that their local union can play • Four-year and seven-year ACCOUNTABILITY INDICATORS? in ESSA. They should complete graduation rates are used MD: Math and reading and engage communities and for high schools. If a student achievement are calculated and families in a comprehensive needs drops out of a high school after reported separately from each assessment. To pick the best spending less than half a year other (not combined into a single school improvement strategies, at the school, they will count “proficiency” measurement like we must first find out what we as a dropout at whichever high they were under the MMR). For need. school they spent the most time. each one, we look at the number (This only applies to dropouts HS: We absolutely need to ask of students who exceed or meet and only after less than half a what our district’s strategic standards on the MCA or MTAS school year.) advisory committee plan is and tests divided by the number who how can we get on it. Through • Consistent attendance is the exceed, meet, partially meet, ESSA, every district is required percentage of students who or do not meet standards and to have a strategic advisory are not chronically absent. A those with no valid score. In other committee that consists student must attend more words, it’s the percentage of of community members, than 90 percent of the time students who proved they were parents, students and staff. to be considered consistently proficient by taking the MCA or This committee should not be attending. MTAS and scoring at Exceeds comprised only of administrators. Standards or Meets Standards. WHAT DOES BEING AN The intent is to build the capacity • Progress toward English “IDENTIFIED SCHOOL” MEAN? of the community by shaping language proficiency looks MD: Identified schools work with how the district will use ESSA. It’s at the amount of progress staff from the Regional Centers of important all voices are heard and English learners make toward Excellence to dig into local data this is a great opportunity for us individualized growth targets on and information that’s deeper and through ESSA. customized paths to proficiency broader than the accountability HOW CAN MY UNION HELP ME using the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 or indicators themselves. From NAVIGATE THESE CHANGES? Alternative ACCESS for ELLs test. there, they can identify root PW: Education Minnesota will causes of what they’re seeing • Math and reading progress, be creating documents, hosting in student experiences and again calculated separately from webinars and offering training performance, come up with their each other, look at changes in to help locals and members top priorities and find evidence- students’ achievement levels understand and implement ESSA. based strategies to help them from one year to the next. This Contact me at paul.winkelaar@ improve in their prioritized is different from the MMR’s edmn.org for any information you areas. No one is going to tell the growth measurement, which need or with any questions. school what they must do; this is used a calculation called growth collaborative work customized to z-scores that wound up showing the school’s individual context. a lot of statistical “noise” and

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 9 ISSUES AND IMPACT

Education Minnesota endorsed Candidates Education Minnesota screening teams have recommended the following candidates for election, as of Aug. 1. More endorsements will be available at www.educationminnesota.org after the Aug. 14 primary.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CD1: Dan Feehan 15B: Jessica Filiaggi, Foley CD2: Angie Craig 16A: Tom Wyatt-Yerka, Marshall CD3: Dean Phillips 16B: Mindy Kimmel, New Ulm CD4: Betty McCollum 17A: Lyle Koenen, Clara City

STATE AUDITOR 17B: Anita Flowe, Willmar Julie Blaha 18A: Dean Urdahl, Grove City 18B: Ashley Latzke, Gaylord SECRETARY OF STATE 19A: Jeff Brand, St. Peter Steve Simon 19B: Jack Considine, Mankato MINNESOTA HOUSE 20A: Barbara Droher Kline, New Prague 1A: Stephen Moeller, Thief River Falls 21B: Jonathan Isenor, Wanamingo 1B: Brent Lindstrom, East Grand Forks 22A: Maxwell Kaufman, Fulda 3A: Robert Ecklund, International Falls 22B: Cheniqua Johnson, Worthington 3B: Mary Murphy, Hermantown 23A: Heather Klassen, Butterfield 4A: Ben Lien, Moorhead 23B: James Grabowska, St. Clair 4B: Paul Marquart, Dilworth 24A: Joseph Heegard, Owatonna 5B: Pat Medure, Grand Rapids 24B: Yvette Marthaler, Faribault 6A: Julie Sandstede, Hibbing 25A: Jamie Mahlberg, Rochester 7A: Jennifer Schultz, Duluth 25B: Duane Sauke, Rochester 7B: Liz Olson, Duluth 26A: Tina Liebling, Rochester 8B: Gail Kulp, Alexandria 26B: Tyrel Clark, Eyota 9A: Alex Hering, Pillager 27A: Terry Gjersvik, Alden 9B: Stephen Browning, Little Falls 27B: Jean Poppe, Austin 10A: Dale Menk, Brainerd 28A: Gene Pelowski, Winona 10B: Phil Yetzer, Crosby 29A: Renee Cardarelle, Annandale 12A: Murray Smart, Beardsley 29B: Sharon McGinty, Buffalo 13A: Jim Read, Avon 30A: Sarah Hamlin, Elk River 14A: Aric Putnam, St. Cloud 30B: Margaret Fernandez, St. Michael 14B: Dan Wolgamott, St. Cloud 31A: Brad Brown, Princeton 15A: Emy Minzel, Princeton

10 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR 32A: Renae Berg, Rush City 46A: Ryan Winkler, Golden Valley 32B: Jeff Peterson, Wyoming 46B: Cheryl Youakim, Hopkins 33A: Norrie Thomas, Wayzata 47A: Madalynn Gerold, Chaska 33B: Kelly Morrison, Deephaven 47B: Donzel Leggett, Chaska 34A: Daniel Solon, Rogers 48A: Laurie Pryor, Minnetonka 34B: Kristin Bahner, Maple Grove 48B: Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn, Eden Prairie 35A: Bill Vikander, Ramsey 49A: Heather Edelson, Edina 35B: Kathryn Eckhardt, Andover 49B: Steve Elkins, Bloomington 36A: Zachary Stephenson, Coon Rapids 50B: Andrew Carlson, Bloomington 36B: Melissa Hortman, Brooklyn Park 51A: Sandra Masin, Eagan 37A: Erin Koegel, Spring Lake Park 51B: Laurie Halverson, Eagan 37B: Amir Malik, Blaine 52A: Rick Hansen, South St. Paul 38A: Kevin Fogarty, Centerville 52B: Ruth Richardson, Mendota Heights 39B: Shelly Christensen, Stillwater 53A: Tou Xiong, Woodbury 40A: Michael Nelson, Brooklyn Park 53B: Stephen Sandell, Woodbury 40B: Cindy Yang, Brooklyn Park 54A: Anne Claflin, South St. Paul 41A: Connie Bernardy, New Brighton 54B: Tina Folch, Hastings 41B: Mary Kunesh-Podein, New Brighton 55A: Brad Tabke, Shakopee 42A: Kelly Moller, Shoreview 56A: Hunter Cantrell, Savage 42B: Jamie Becker-Finn, Roseville 56B: Alice Mann, Lakeville 43A: Peter Fischer, Maplewood 57A: Robert Bierman, Apple Valley 43B: Leon Lillie, North St. Paul 57B: John Huot, Rosemount 44A: Ginny Klevorn, Plymouth 66A: Alice Hausman, Roseville

44B: Patty Acomb, Minnetonka MINNESOTA SENATE 45A: Lyndon Carlson, Crystal 13 (special election): Joe Perske, Sartell 45B: Mike Freiberg, Golden Valley

MSCF looks ahead to new union world The Minnesota State College Faculty held its annual leadership conference in August, focusing on the importance of the upcoming election and our new union world. “Everyone was engaged and demonstrated that we fully understand the challenges that we have and that we can adapt to the changing world,” said Matt Williams, MSCF vice president.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 11 Summer Seminar 2018 The annual professional development conference featured both union-leadership and classroom- focused workshops, as well as networking opportunities. More than 550 educators attended, including 279 who attended for the first time.

Why are professional development opportunities, like Summer Seminar, an important reason to belong to Education Minnesota?

“I get the information “The union is helping us. “Being able to have a big, first-hand from people My union dues are being reliable resource to help us who support me, and spent on me.” is important. It’s great to network and meet people in I support them.” — Carolyn Wade and Kelly a variety of different roles.” — Tom Whalen, Byron Kimbell, Robbinsdale Education Association Federation of Teachers — Elizabeth Tobias, Twin Cities German Immersion ESPs

12 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR Political Action Committee Members drive PAC work, support Refund Request The Education Minnesota Political Action Thousands of members of Education Minnesota decide Committee (PAC) is a group of members from to contribute to the union’s political action committee. across the state who guide our union’s political The PAC is one of our main tools to bring the educator voice to the policy debate by electing people who will and election programs. It is not affiliated with any listen. Those PAC dollars are used to win local levies and political party. to back candidates and organizations that support lower class sizes, high standards and professional educators. The PAC is governed by a board comprised of one In accordance with Education Minnesota Bylaw Article representative from each Education Minnesota 2, Section 3, Subd. b, I hereby request the following: Election District, plus one higher education/ Please refund to me $25 of my contribution to statewide affiliate and one ESP representative. Education Minnesota’s dues that will be contributed to the general account of Education Minnesota Political This year, the PAC members decided on a values Action Committee for the 2018-19 academic year. framework to guide a process that will elect a pro-public education governor, develop more ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FIELDS ARE REQUIRED. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY. grassroots political activists and build affinity toward union membership. Name: Last 4 digits of SS#: Members across the state are engaging the Address: with campaign in record numbers—attending political conferences, submitting questions for City, State, ZIP: the candidate questionnaires, being trained as Local/Affi liate: worksite action leaders and committing to help Signature: get their colleagues to vote this fall. Date: Find your PAC representative, including their A request for refund of the Education Minnesota Political Action Committee contribution will not affect contact information, at http://bit.ly/edmnvotes. membership rights or benefi ts. Retired members are The PAC also makes funds available to local not assessed, thus do not qualify for the refund. unions for use in campaigns directly affecting DEADLINE FOR REFUNDS: their community and school district. To be Refund requests MUST be received by the eligible, at least 90 percent of a local’s members Education Minnesota Political Action fund: must be contributing to the PAC. 1) By Oct. 31 for continuing members; or Education Minnesota can also help locals with 2) Within 30 days of signing a membership application for new members. creating literature, lists and scripts for phone banking and connecting you with the larger labor CHECKS WILL NOT BE MAILED UNTIL community in your area to work on the campaign. THE END OF NOVEMBER, AFTER ALL FORMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED. Last November, the Duluth Federation of NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED. Teachers knew they needed to get active in their local school board race. The local endorsed four Return this form to: Education Minnesota Accounting Department candidates and saw them all elected. Attn: Refund Request “People saw the community working with 41 Sherburne Ave. St. Paul, MN 55103-2196 the DFT, labor organizations and Education Minnesota. This is a partnership, and the work that you put into it pays off,” said DFT President Bernie Burnham, after the election. Contact Education Minnesota at 651-292-4875 to find out how your local can access the funds available for local elections.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 13 EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS

Osseo ESPs collect boatloads of books for students in need Becky Hespen knows the value of putting a book in the hands of a child. So when she heard about the Osseo district’s Freedom Schools program, which works on closing the literacy achievement gap during the summer, she knew she wanted to help. “The district said they always need adults to read to kids at Freedom Schools,” said Hespen, local president of Education Minnesota-Osseo ESPs. “We wanted to get volunteers to do that, but I started to think, what if we got a book for each kid to take home?” Hespen sent out word to her members that as a spring member engagement activity, the local would be collecting books for the students attending the Freedom Schools program. “We had about a month to do it,” said Hespen. “We put out the word to the building reps, who got it out to all our ESPs.” The Freedom Schools serve about 300 kids each Tina Collins helped sort the 1,281 books donated by Education summer, so Hespen’s goal was 300 books. Minnesota-Osseo ESP members, which were then given to students participating in the district’s Freedom Schools program. They donated almost 1,300—1,281 to be exact. “For every kid, they could get more than one book, gaps,” according to the program’s website. three books actually, that they could take home and keep forever,” said Hespen. Freedom Schools have been in the Osseo district since 2014 and there were three sites this summer. Education Minnesota-Osseo ESP Vice President Michelle Dennard worked at one of the Freedom “I saw so many students just happy to be there,” Schools this summer and saw firsthand how the said Dennard. “Kids weren’t even wanting to leave.” book donation impacted the students. Dennard said she helped students who needed one- “The kids were so happy about taking books home,” on-one support with reading, but they also went on she said. “They wanted to learn and brush up on field trips, did science and history programming and their reading skills. They took a lot of books home put on a big performance at the end of the summer. that will help get them ready for the next school “Students were able to see that books are fun and year.” develop that love of reading,” she said. The Freedom Schools program is a part of the The fact that her union was taking the initiative to Children’s Defense Fund. make sure the kids had books to take home and “By providing summer and after-school reading read meant a lot to Dennard. enrichment for children who might otherwise not “It just shows me how much the union cares,” have access to books, the CDF Freedom Schools she said. “Education is so important to us that we program plays a much needed role in helping to wanted give students the tools. They didn’t have to curb summer learning loss and close achievement do it and they did it to help students.”

14 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR “Members were very excited about the fact that all those books that would have been thrown away had a place to go,” she said. There is also a Scholastic warehouse in the Osseo district that has a buy one, get one free sale in the spring where ESPs bought a lot of the books they donated. Once all the books were donated at the Education Minnesota-Osseo office, Hespen and other ESPs sorted them by age appropriateness. “People cleaned out their fifth-grade reading curriculum books and we made 290 sets of the small pamphlet books for the older kids,” Hespen said. They delivered the books to the district office who distributed them at all of the Freedom School sites. “ESPs have always been really generous,” said Hespen. “They work one-on-one with the kids, so they are often more aware of the needs that are out

Education Minnesota-Osseo ESP President Becky Hespen there.” (left) and ESP member Joan Roberson (right) sorted the donated books into age appropriate groups. The Education Minnesota-Osseo ESPs also do a clothing drive in the fall, collecting mittens, hats and Hespen said a lot of the ESPs went into the libraries socks for the homeless youth in their district, as well at their worksites and took the books that were as adult sizes for their parents. gently used and would have otherwise been thrown away.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 15 MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Wadena-Deer Creek science teacher spends summer in space

Brad Wollum lived out his childhood dream this summer—attending Space Camp. Wollum, a science teacher at Wadena-Deer Creek Middle-High School, had applied for the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy program for the last two years, and was accepted this year to receive an all-expenses paid week at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. “The whole experience was fascinating,” Wollum said. “It was by far the best professional development I’ve ever experienced.” Wollum said his week included mostly hands-on, physical training, with a few lectures. He attended the camp with 99 other educators from all over the world. “We met astronauts and learned about robotics, engineering and history,” Wollum said. The educators were put into teams. Wollum was a part of Team Harmony. The team built and launched rockets, did a mock mission to both Mars and the International Space Station, went on the multi-access trainer and zip- lined into water to simulate a parachute landing. “With the missions, you had to really work together,” Wadena-Deer Creek science teacher Brad Wollum spent a week at Space Camp, thanks to the Honeywell Wollum said. “Some people were on mission control Educators at Space Academy program. and some people were on the space station.” “You compare your classrooms and how you design Team Harmony took home the award for best experiments,” Wollum said. “I emailed myself a list overall mission. of all the new ideas that I want to use.” “It was quite the honor,” Wollum said. “We got Wollum said the members of his team also want to an extra pin and certificate at the graduation bring their students together. ceremony.” “We want to do experiments together now,” he said. While being spun around on the multi-access trainer “My students start it, ship it to another country and was amazing, the biggest takeaway for Wollum was their class does the other half. We’ve talked about meeting the other educators on his team. Skyping with the different classrooms or making “We set up a group chat and a day hasn’t gone by videos to share.” that we haven’t spoken,” he said. “You have a person While it took two years for Wollum to be accepted from Russia talking to a person from South Africa into the program, he is glad he never gave up. talking to a person from Indonesia talking to me.” “Be persistent,” he said. “I knew I wouldn’t probably And since they are all educators, the conversation get in the first time, but I put a reminder on the includes sharing classroom resources. calendar to do it again next year.”

16 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR Education Minnesota Foundation awards almost Foundation for Excellence $5 million in grants in 25-year in Teaching and Learning history Refund Request The Education Minnesota Foundation for Contributions to this foundation will provide Excellence in Teaching and Learning is the major fi nancial support for innovative programs initiated source of grants through the union that is open by Education Minnesota members, locals and affi liates that promote educational access for learners only to active members. The foundation offers and excellence in teaching. Grants also support grants for professional development, classroom professional development for education support projects and scholarships for members pursuing professionals and higher education faculty. National Board Certified Teacher status. In accordance with Education Minnesota Bylaw Article 2, Section 3, Subd. c, I hereby request the following: The Education Minnesota foundation is built on Please refund to me $ (maximum members helping members. By contributing $5) of my Education Minnesota foundation only $5 a year through dues, any active member assessment that will be contributed to the Education is eligible to seek grant funding for such things Minnesota Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for the 2018-19 academic year. as innovative classroom programming, a professional development opportunity and more. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FIELDS ARE REQUIRED. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY. In 2017-18, the foundation funded 141 projects Name: totaling $330,147.62. Last 4 digits of SS#: In the 25 years since it was formed, the Address: foundation has granted $4,795.572.13 across City, State, ZIP: 1,736 projects. Local/Affi liate: The foundation board, which evaluates proposals Signature: and decides the awards, is comprised of Date: Education Minnesota members. A request for refund of the Education Minnesota The foundation also receives funding support Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and from an annual golf tournament sponsored Learning assessment will not affect Education Minnesota membership rights or benefi ts but by Education Minnesota ESI. This August’s will make you ineligible to receive a grant from tournament raised $44,048, for a total of this foundation. Retired members are not $764,854 since inception. assessed, thus do not qualify for the refund. The 2018-19 grant application deadlines: DEADLINE FOR REFUNDS: Refund requests must be received by • Professional development grants for teachers, the Education Minnesota Foundation for ESPs and higher education faculty are awarded Excellence in Teaching and Learning: twice a year – Nov. 2 and April 5 1) By Oct. 31 for continuing members; or • National Board Certified Teachers Scholarship – 2) Within 30 days of signing a membership Nov. 2 application for new members. • The Bruce Vento Science Educator Professional CHECKS WILL NOT BE MAILED UNTIL THE END OF NOVEMBER, AFTER ALL Development Grant – Dec. 14 FORMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED. • Classroom-focused grants – Dec. 14 NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED. • IMPACT grants to partner a nonprofit with the Return this form to: local union or school district – Jan. 11 Education Minnesota Accounting Department Attn: Refund Request For more information on the grants, how to apply, 41 Sherburne Ave. the grant-making process and grantee spotlights, St. Paul, MN 55103-2196 go to www.edmnfoundation.org.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 17

OPPORTUNITIES

Professional HAVE A CPA SPEAK TO YOUR Grants development CLASS FOR FREE Members of the Minnesota FARMERS INSURANCE IT EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE Society of CPAs are available to CLASSROOM MATERIALS GRANT The annual ITEM (Information speak with students about the Farmers Insurance awards and Technology Educators of diversity of work in the accounting $2,500 grants through its Thank Minnesota) conference will be profession. Each speaker will America’s Teachers program held Oct. 25-27 in Alexandria. provide free materials to students, and AdoptAClassroom.org. The Charlie Miller from Flipgrid is such as career planners and salary contest is open to K-12 teachers the keynote speaker and there guides. For more information who have been thanked on will be sessions all day led by or to request a speaker, please the website. Thank you notes media specialists and technology contact Tabitha McDonald at can come from yourself, a integrationists. To learn more or [email protected] or 952- family member, student or any register, go to http://mnitem. 885-5522. supporter. The fall semester org/2018-Fall. grant proposals are due Sept. 27. STEM TEACHER CENTER There are two other applications SCIENCE TEACHERS’ SciMathMN advocates for periods throughout the year. For CONFERENCE effective, engaging and rigorous official contest rules or to apply, The Minnesota Science Teachers science, technology, engineering go to www.farmers.com/thank- Association’s annual professional and mathematics education americas-teachers. development conference is Nov. opportunities for all Minnesota 8-10 in St. Cloud. Presentations, students, preparing them for LOWE’S TOOLBOX FOR exhibits and keynote speakers citizenship, careers and college. EDUCATION GRANTS will be the focus of Friday while The website’s teacher center Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Saturday will include workshops offers frameworks for the delivery grant program provides either and more. For more information of Minnesota’s mathematics $2,000 or $5,000 grants to about the conference or how to and science standards and schools, or parent groups register, go to www.mnsta.org. other resources. Go to http:// working with schools. There is a preference for funding requests Classroom resources scimathmn.org to learn more. with a permanent impact such ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT SMITHSONIAN HISTORY as facility renovations and safety ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS EXPLORER WEBSITE improvements, technology Reach for the Stars is a guide Smithsonian’s History Explorer upgrades and tools for STEM with more than 100 academic website from the Smithsonian programs. Applications are due enrichment programs and National Museum of American Sept. 28. Go to activities to supplement History features free classroom www.toolboxforeducation.com to classroom learning and help resources including history learn more. students discover and develop lessons and interactive activities MATH EDUCATORS GRANTS their interests, passions and for all grade levels and historical The National Council of Teachers talents. Reach for the Stars time periods beginning in 1620 of Mathematics provides multiple is available as a service from through present day. Also grants to math teachers for Synergy & Leadership Exchange available are 30-minute webinars professional development, and the Minnesota Academic that highlight key resources from classroom materials, student League. Download a copy at the Museum’s online materials to engagement and graduate course www.synergyexchange.org/ help you plan specific lessons on work. Grants are for NCTM Educate/Reach.aspx or request topics like the Civil War and “The members. The first application a print copy by emailing reach@ Star Spangled Banner.” See the period is Nov. 2. To see all of the synergyexchange.org. offerings at historyexplorer.si.edu. grant opportunities or to apply, go to www.nctm.org/Grants.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 19 EDMN OPPORTUNITIES

Members-only, free professional Where were people were reading development at the 2018 MEA their Minnesota Educator? Read conference! Register today! more about our contest on page 3! Education Minnesota members can now register for the state’s largest professional development conference! The 2018 Minnesota Educator Academy (MEA) conference will be Thursday, Oct. 18, only and open to just Education Minnesota members and college students working to become teachers. Kyle and Julie Hooper, The conference will continue to take place in St. Francis downtown St. Paul at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, and will still be the largest professional development opportunity for educators in Minnesota. The Thursday event will feature more than 90 workshops, with a focus on sessions that meet the state’s relicensure categories. Education Minnesota members will need to Jean Albrightson, Christina Ruda, register for the conference. Same-day registration Education Minnesota Retired Long Prairie-Grey Eagle is possible, if space is available. To see the workshop listings and register today, go to www.cvent.com/d/3gqd75. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance at the end of each workshop session, but local continuing education committees will determine whether to approve the credit. Education Minnesota will be offering onsite child Noelle Carlson Staretta Taylor-Cooper, St. Francis St. Paul care during the MEA conference. The service is open to kids ages 6 months to 10 years and will be free to Education Minnesota members. Thank an educator! Every year, thousands of kids and adults thank ACCENT on Children’s Arrangements is open from educators who were influential in their lives at 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ACCENT has prepared a children’s Education Minnesota’s State Fair booth. We will program called Camp MEA, which includes age- feature a selection in each issue of the Minnesota appropriate, curriculum-enriched activities. Educator. Keep an eye out for your name! A preview containing the conference schedule and highlights will be in the October/November issue of the Minnesota Educator magazine. A printable schedule and detailed workshop descriptions will be available at www. educationminnesota.org/events.aspx#mea and on the Education Minnesota Crowd Compass event app.

20 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR

Education Minnesota 41 Sherburne Ave. St. Paul, MN 55103

Nominations open for the 2018 ESP of the year Nominations are open until Oct. 1 for the next Education Minnesota Education Support Professional of the Year. The program honors exemplary professional and union work by an Education Minnesota member in any ESP job category, including paraprofessional/ education assistant, secretarial/clerical, custodial, food service, maintenance and trades, transportation, groundskeeping, security, technology services, health services and others. • All Education Minnesota ESP members who have been members for at least three years as of Jan. 15, 2018 are eligible. Individuals can be nominated by anyone associated with Minnesota schools. • The ESP of the Year represents his or her peers throughout the profession and connects to communities as an ambassador, and is Minnesota’s nominee for the National Education Association’s ESP of the Year award. • The ESP of the Year receives a $1,000 honorarium, an iPad and a trip to the NEA’s Education Support Professional National Conference. • To nominate a candidate for 2018 Education Minnesota ESP of the Year, go to www.educationminnesota.org/resources/esps/esp-of-the-year-nomination-form.