ISEA Hotline--February 7, 2013

Find out if there is a Legislative Forum near you this weekend! Here's what to talk about:

Allowable Growth = small class sizes

Four percent Allowable Growth (which helps keep class sizes small, provides funds for Professional Development and Teacher Salary Supplement) was passed by the Senate last week and is now in the House but hasn't been assigned to a committee yet. The Governor doesn't want Allowable Growth passed until after his Education Proposal has passed. The House does not have a pro-public education majority so urge members in your district to debate and pass Allowable Growth NOW so schools in your district will have the ability to budget for 2013-2014 and 2014-15. Everyone needs to be held accountable for student success - including teachers, students, parents, AND elected officials. For a more detailed explanation of Allowable Growth, read the ISEA Talking Points on Allowable 

The Governor's Education Proposal-- Are elected officials listening to educators?

Thanks to the VIVA Report, Reimagining School Leadership for the 21st Century, Legislators have an opportunity to hear the 17 solutions proposed by hundreds of Iowa educators who are in classrooms every day. Iowa's educators have proposed practical solutions that truly do place students at the center of education reform.

Read this report written by Iowa educators to better explain the issues to your legislators.

The Governor's education proposal passed through the House Subcommittee and has been referred to the Full Committee. The House Education Committee may debate the bill as early as next week. Be prepared to contact the Chair and members of the House Education Committee and let us know how they responded by using the Contact Us form on isea.org.

Walkthroughs & Your Right to Respond

LCEA's Teacher Quality Committee has discussed walk-throughs and the role they play in the overall evaluation process several times.  Through these disucssions, administrators and educators on the committee have concluded and agreed that walk-throughs are indeed "formative snapshots" that directly and indirectly impact the summative evaluation of an educator.

As a result, these walk-throughs, the information gleened from them, the written feedback forms are subject to response from our members. If you would like to formally amend the material collected in a walkthrough, respond to the data, challenge observations, you may do so.  Guidance for this can be found in the Master Contract.  Grievance and Contract Maintenance Co-Chairs, Tom McLaughlin and Dave Bergman, are also willing to assist our members by answering questions.

The timelines are process are outlined in Article I of the Master Contract:

LCEA Mandatory Reporter Training Free to Members

CLICK HERE to see if we have your RSVP.


LCEA MANDATORY REPORTER TRAINING
Monday, February 11, 2013
Lewis Central Media Center
4:30-7:30ish PM

COST: Free for members, $30.00 for non-members
Coffee, soft-drinks and light snacks will be provided.
Please feel free to bring a packed dinner with you if you need to eat more than snacks.

Even if your certificate is not going to expire, feel free to join us and RSVP so that we will have enough certificates on hand. }

It is important to note that individuals MUST stay for the entire 3 hours in order to receive a signed certificate. The training features a 3 hour video and no test. When I did the re-certification this summer it was better than I expected.

Certificates will be delivered to Julie Williams at the Lewis Central ERC on February 12, 2013. This open to educators from other districts as well.

Thanks and remember to RSVP. Deadline for RSVPs is Friday at noon. We hope to see you at the training.

ISEA Talking Points--Governor's Education Reform Plan

The ISEA continues to support education reforms that are designed to improve student learning, expand educational opportunities, and enhance the educational environment in our state. Because we are deeply committed to the success of every Iowa child, we will only support reform efforts that put students at the center.

In order for any new education initiative to be successful it must be fully funded and must only be implemented once the regular program funding needs of local school districts are met. As such, ISEA will advocate for setting the Allowable Growth rate before the funding of any new initiative is discussed.

The ISEA will continue to review the Governor’s proposal, ask clarifying questions, and represent the concerns of our members in this critical debate. After a first look at the Governor’s legislative proposal, these are the basic concepts and ideas that are important to consider:

ISEA Academy Expands to Include More Classes

The ISEA is among the nation's leaders when it comes to helping educators improve their skills and knowledge. To help members improve their practice, ISEA's teaching and learning programs cover a wide variety of topics and issues that aren't typically addressed in traditional school district in-service or AEA professional development programs. They are team taught by a lead teacher with either a master's degree or who are nationally board certified and with at least one additional licensed Iowa educator. The courses are typically developed by teams of practitioners with the experiences and knowledge to meet the everyday challenges of the classroom and meet both licensure requirements and the higher education institutions' requirements for graduate credit.

HIT READ MORE to find out about the licensure renewal credits, the online courses, the brick and mortar possibilities for LC, audit courses and more.

LCEA Friends of Education 2012-2013

The Lewis Central Education Association is comprised of nearly 200 Lewis Central educators and is the professional voice of the profession within Lewis Central Schools.  For the third year in a row, the LCEA is using its collective voice to thank and recognize some of the many individuals and organizations that make Lewis Central Schools a place with a “Proud Past and Promising Future.” 

The LCEA is thankful for these friends in making sure that our traditions are advanced and our future looks bright.

A large group of members, administrators, community members joined in the celebration on January 24, 2013 in the Lewis Central High School Media Center.

CLICK READ MORE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS & COMMENTS OF PRESENTERS.

Caldecott, Newbery Winners Announced

by Amy Wickner on January 29, 2013






Among numerous awards recognizing excellent work in writing, illustrating, and publishing for children and young adults, the Caldecott and Newbery Medals are by far the most anticipated. The American Library Association's annual Youth Media Awards were held yesterday in conjunction with the association's midwinter meeting. Awards ceremony attendees—even those listening in by livestream, as I did—will have remarked the palpable anticipation as Carolyn Brodie, president of the Association for Library Service to Children, announced the Caldecott and Newbery winners.

To see some GREAT LINKS & VIDEO click READ MORE

Urgent Action Needed for Allowable Growth

Urgent action needed for Allowable Growth!

Please contact your state legislators now. Let them know they need to set the 2013-2014 Allowable Growth Rate.

As educators, we are deeply committed to the success of every child. We know that failing to set an Allowable Growth Rate hurts Iowa students and our schools.

• Adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding is critical for planning purposes and for making important financial decisions in our school districts.

• A statewide education coalition— the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA), the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI), the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), the Urban Education Network (UEN), and Area Education Agencies (AEAs)—agrees that setting Allowable Growth at 4 percent for the 2013-2014 school year is critical to the success of Iowa’s students and schools.

• It’s the law! Iowa statute calls for the establishment of a statewide Allowable Growth Rate for schools within the first 30 days of the legislative session.

• By failing to establish an Allowable Growth Rate, legislators will force school administrators to issue staff reduction notices, thereby potentially increasing class sizes, reducing course offerings, and decreasing other important school resources.

Go to isea.org and click on the “Take Action Now” button on the right-hand side of the page to email your legislators or to find a Legislative Forum in your area.

Mandatory Reporter Mandatory Reporter RSVP List

The following LCEA members have RSVP'd for the February 11, 2013 Mandatory Reporter training:

1. Margie Argotsinger
2. Kristina Beckner
3. Jill Bryson
4. Kelly Carr
5. Amy Cook
6. Denise Geier
7. April Gradoville
8. Misti Groat
9. Linda Hahn
10. Christine Knust
11. Marisha Lenz
12. Kari Lewis
13. Sandy Lopes
14. Carol Markel
15. Maggie Miller
16. Steve Nixon
17. Ann Nun
18. Gina Pearson
19. Cindy Sellers
20. Lori Shanks
21. Mark Smith
22. Jennifer Stroup
23. Kim Swanger
24. Jewell Tweedt
25. Jennifer Williams