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Coffee Break at North Lamar
The "Viva Laredo" campaign crew recruited 443 new members in two weeks in Laredo! Assisting with building visits were Ricardo Casiano, Raylene Duke, Ernie Salinas, Lucy Morales, Nicki Roberson, Tania Allen, Rene De La Vina, TSTA Vice President Ann Heuberger, and TSTA staff member Chris Vargas. Coordination and support were provided by the local leadership of Laredo (Blanca, Mary, Hilario and Rene De La Vina).
"The advocacy and
leadership of these individuals in this area only make it easier for
us to continue growing in membership," TSTA
OCALD staff member Yolanda Gonzalez
said.
Together We Can! Education Austin hosted "Together We Can! United in the Struggle for School Success" at Pickle Elementary in Austin March 29. Hundreds of parents and children from the northeast Austin neighborhood came to hear author Diane Gonzales Bertrand and CommuniCard CEO Sylvia Acevedo, and they and teachers attended workshops.
Mardi Gras at Region 1A/Brownsville
Spring Branch Local Hosts
Listening Session Most of the concerns voiced centered on the number of tests required throughout the year, teaching to the test or teaching test taking skills, the stress that is experienced by students to pass the TAKS test, and the unintended consequences that occur. Some teachers expressed frustration because their good students will check out for the rest of the year once they know they passed the TAKS test, and others expressed concern over the students who have nightmares and get physically sick on test day. All agreed that accountability is necessary and that testing is a useful tool, but many expressed the need to use test more responsibly as a diagnostic tool or as measures throughout the year to determine a student’s progress and not as punishment. One third grade teacher shared her story about test day and how the administration passed out packets to all the teachers with students taking the TAKS test. In the packet, each teacher was given big “barf” bags, rubber gloves, and band aids. Another teacher shared her experiences with students playing the system. Over time students have learned how many times they can take the test and when tests don’t count. All the information collected at the Listening Session will be shared with members of the new committee created last session to address accountability in Texas, and will be shared with members of the Texas Legislature in 2009.
Members Present Political Action Committee Checks
Lubbock members James Harris and Clinton Gill presented a check to Rep. Delwin Jones (R-Lubbock).
Harlingen TSTA/NEA local awarded Rep. Juan Escobar with a check from the TSTA PAC. (shown on the homepage) Byron Cook, state representative for District 8, has received the political endorsement from the Corsicana Educators Association-TSTA/NEA for the upcoming 2008 state election. Denton Education Association members and TSTA-PAC contributors presented a check to Charles Stafford in the Republican primary in Senate District 30. Fayette County presented a check to Donnie Dippel who is running for House District 17.
Brownsville Bus Drivers Win Grievance
NEA-Dallas Helps with Independence Bowl Doris Hill (President, Grand Prairie Education Association), Wendy Hill (Univ. of North Texas and Doris' daughter), Kendra Brindley (Univ. of North Texas), Chris Tullis (NEA-Dallas), Maggie Inglett (Harlingen Education Association), Mike Heuberger (Texas A&M and Ann H's son), Mike George (Sam Houston State Univ.), Brandon Maly (Texas A&M) and Edward H. Kaiser (my dad) all helped out during the game. Mike H., Mike G., and Brandon all worked for ESPN Television who was broadcasting the game. Chris Tullis and Maggie Inglett ran the Media Will Call gate and then was responsible for the post-game interviews. Edward H. Kaiser worked with the official game statistics crew. Doris, Wendy and Kendra all helped get information to all of the print, television and radio media covering the game. This was a great opportunity for us to represent TSTA and NEA-Dallas to media from across the country. The University of Colorado and the University of Alabama were the two teams playing, with Alabama winning 30-24. Doris and I also meet with the President and Chancellor of the University of Colorado and actually got to talk some educational issues. Special guests of mine at the Bowl were Lewisville ISD Superintendent Dr. Jerry Roy and Lewisville ISD Administrator Mr. Goldsmith. photo album
Region 1E honored education support professionals on National ESP Day, November 14. Honorees were Linda Chimely, Mercedes TSTA; Lillian Ortega, Harlingen; Jesse Segura, Weslaco TSTA; Linda L. Estrada, Donna TSTA and Region 1E ESP of the Year; and Elizabeth "Betty" Flores, San Benito TSTA.
Note to Local Members: Write a Letter on
Social Security! TSTA/NEA supports S. 206, which would repeal these unfair provisions. We need your help to convince our U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn to co-sponsor S. 206 or at least to vote for it. Here’s how you can help: ● Go to the NEA Web site, which has extensive information on the issue at www.nea.org/lac/index.html.● Make sure your local’s members know about this issue that will affect them and their quality of life when they retire. Urge them to contact Sens. Hutchison and Cornyn to get their support for S. 206. The senators tally how many phone calls and Web contacts they receive on various topics. If they get enough contacts from TSTA/NEA members on this issue, they just might do the right thing.Here’s their contact information: Sen. Hutchison:
http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.html Sen. Cornyn:
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm ● Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Work to build public support, particularly among other public employees, to get the backing of Sens. Hutchison and Cornyn on this important issue.
Congratulations, Brownsville!
The Famous Ruidoso Retreat!
Socorro Wins Leave Time for ESPs
Read Deer Park Teacher of the Year's Newspaper Profile
Laredo Membership Surge
Laredo Education Association has 150 new members!
TSTA Provides
Staff Development for Linden-Kildare ISD
Professional
Development: North Lamar Delivers! AOT IV Organizational Development Specialist Bryan Weatherford presented a workshop on helping make connections with parents and on helping teachers identify strategies for dealing with students who engage in disruptive behavior. Fourteen of the 24 new teachers joined North Lamar TSTA/NEA. On Monday, August 20, all North Lamar ISD educators were treated to a presentation by Janna Connolly, AOT IV Coordinator, on using relational organizing in the classroom setting. Stephen Smallwood, president of North Lamar TSTA/NEA also made a presentation on the Social Security Offset Provisions which resulted in approximately 600 signatures on the TSTA-sponsored Social Security Petition drive. Lastly, on Thursday, August 23, Bryan Weatherford presented professional development on understanding and using brain research to help students achieve and a session on classroom management.
Salary Win in Waco! All your hard work, power point presentations, and sheets of reminders of what we want have certainly paid off. I was very pleased on what the board recommended and voted on tonight at the called board meeting. Starting salary is $37,000---much more than what we requested. The old teachers are getting almost a $1500 raise (exactly $1432). Everyone else will be paid $1500 more as a teacher. Several new stipends were included. Substitute pay was raised. I was still disappointed for ESP's. They received the same pay raise percent as administrators--3. We can definitely be very proud to take credit for the raises, Jason. Our organization was on TV. I was interviewed by channel 10 TV station and they actually showed some of what I said on TV tonight. I have read the article that is coming out in the paper tomorrow, and they have written my name with quotes around what I said. TSTA is getting a lot of recognition in this city, and I am so proud that the three of us---you, me, and Terry (Provence)---have spent time in working diligently to show how much GOOD TSTA is for everyone involved. HOORAY!!!! We were successful. Socorro Members Featured in Technology Article An article in the El Paso Times this week concerns technology in the classroom at Sanchez Middle School in Socorro ISD. The school last year won a Hewlett-Packard Technology for Teaching Grant. Teacher Sarah Carrasco and Isabel Candelas, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Maldonado and Principal Clarice Jones are members of Socorro Education Association/TSTA. more
Mona Fannon Honored
YTA Sponsors "Are You Smarter than
a 5th Grader?" “YTA received thousands of dollars in advertising on KFOX TV, and the El Paso Times,” Arlinda says. “In return, YTA members from Hacienda Heights Elementary School helped write all of the different grade level questions for the game show audition." Hacienda Heights Principal Marilyn Luckett acquired the white boards, desks, and chairs for the participants; YTA met with KFOX executives to establish contest guidelines and recruited all of the work force for the night of the competition. "Over 200 4th graders eagerly participated in the several rounds of spirited competition," Arlinda says. "Amazingly, there were over 13,000 votes cast for all of the fantastic 4th graders! Thanks to the volunteers, YTA became the major ingredient in helping to pick El Paso's brightest 4th grader. It was a great experience for YTA. A special thanks goes out to Ysleta ISD's Hacienda Heights Elementary School. KFOX was so impressed with the final outcome that they are looking forward to joining YTA in future endeavors."
Ronnie Ray ESP Advocate of the Year Award
SEND US YOUR LOCAL STORIES! WE'LL POST THEM! JUST EMAIL THEM TO debbiem@tsta.org.
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