Why It Makes Sense to Support President Obama

NEA-Alaska has a well-developed record of supporting candidates who support the concerns of our membership. We have a strong history of being truly bi-partisan in making decisions about issues, rather than  party affiliation. In 2012 we will go to the polls and decide the direction our nation will head. Will we maintain our ability to organize and bargain contracts? I hope so. Will we keep the fundamental middle class values we hold dear? I hope so. Last summer, delegates to the Representative Assembly voted to make an early recommendation to support the re-election of President Obama. This decision was based upon where all of the major candidates stood on our issues. While I don't agree with every policy and decision, the President supports unionism and our right to exist as a union. He supports making sure that all children receive a quality education and decent health care. He supports a strong and well-supported public education system for all. I have not seen or heard anything from his opposition that makes me believe they share my values and concerns. Please join me in supporting President Obama's campaign for re-election.

Mission and Vision

Well over two years ago, the NEA-Alaska Board of Directors embarked on a journey to renew and revitalize our strategic plan. A diverse group of members, staff, and leaders worked diligently to develop new mission and vision statements that reflected our expectations for the state organization. The committee worked from their own perspectives and those of members across the state who were surveyed one-on-one to develop these statements. This was truly member driven action. In January of 2011, all Delegate Assembly delegates were given a copy of the two items for reflection. A presentation was made to explain the process, reasoning, and expectations. Throughout the process, all constituency groups of NEA-Alaska were represented and have had ample opportunity to give feedback. One change was proposed to the Mission statement in all that time. During the upcoming Delegate Assembly, 2012, we will ask the delegates to adopt the new Mission and Vision statements for the organization. I firmly believe this is the right direction and support passage with no hesitation.

American Education Week Coming Up!

American Education Week has been celebrated for 90 years in the United States. That's a long tradition of honoring the work of public school educators. Local Associations and our statewide NEA-Alaska take time to recognize the value of the work our members across the state do every day. They are responsible for making sure our children attend school in buildings that are safe, welcoming and provide a high quality learning environment. They connect with community members to help our society understand the importance of public education. Those who do not have direct contact with students help school district systems function properly in all ways, physically and intellectually. We encourage parents and community members to take time to say "Thank You" to school district employees. It is through their hard work and dedication that our students receive a fine education.

Fall Event Success!

Over the weekend, a keynote address by well known educational historian and expert, Diane Ravitch, and fantastic training took place with over 150 members in attendance. There were workshops on technology and social networking, treasurers training, current trends in special education, bullying, brain research, and teacher evaluation and standards. The feedback has been extremely positive from those who participated. I want to thank our staff, management, and presenters who worked hard to pull it all together. They did a fantastic job!

ESEA/NCLB Reauthorization on the Move!

I have been asked to come to Washington, D.C. this week to help lobby for needed changes in the federal law that impacts every public school in America. Since the last reauthorization in 2003, educators have talked about needed changes in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. You may remember that President George W. Bush termed the law "No Child Left Behind". It was a catchy term that took hold. Sadly, education professionals recognized that the provisions insisted we focus our schools on assessments. We fully agreed that high standards based on something we could measure was needed. One problem has been a requirement for teachers to be highly qualified in every subject they teach. This is difficult when teachers are assigned to teach classes for which they are not prepared or schedule changes happen due to student needs. Another issue is the concept of turnaround models for school change when not enough progress is being made. The difficulty of staffing a school in a small rural school is tough to begin with, and the added option of either closing a school (essentially closing the doors on a community) or changing the staff when it's already hard to find qualified and willing teachers, is almost impossible. I have meetings with Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich to talk about needed changes. They both understand many of our concerns and I look forward to speaking with them on the specifics of the bill and ammendments upon which they will make decisions.

Alaska's Public Schools: Diverse and Wonderful

The next set of NEA-Alaska advertisements are being filmed in several locations around the state this week. The focus is on the widely diverse offerings available in our public schools. From charters to immersion programs to boarding schools, Alaska offers a tremendously wide array of offerings to meet the needs of our students. Focus on rigorous academics, preservation and celebration of indigenous cultures, arts curriculum, vocational and technical education are just some of what is available. I am very excited that the new ads will help the public understand all the fantastic variety offered in our state. The new ads are scheduled to begin airing statewide at the end of September. I hope they are appreciated and drive home the point that Alaska's public schools are fantastic, and those who work in them believe in the power of a public education!

New Beginnings, New Concerns

The start of a new school year is exciting! There are so many things to think about and prepare for as we get underway. The tragic news this week of the plane crash near McGrath gives us pause. It makes us think about many things. First, we send heartfelt condolences to those grieving over the loss of two souls. The pilot and one teacher perished in the accident. The loss to their families, friends and communities will be felt for a very long time. I am also concerned about the young teaching couple and their children who were in the plane. They will survive and ultimately be ok physically, but I still worry about them. Will the community and children in the Anvik school be angry that they survived and another did not? Will they be able to help the community heal from such a tragedy? Will the school board of the Iditarod Area School District make sure their bills are taken care of? Their health insurance coverage does not officially kick in until September 1st. I hope we all check contract language to be sure staff members are covered from their first day on the job. This is important, especially if something happens during the beginning weeks of the year.

To everyone who works at a school, in a school district, attends school or has anything to do with a school in Alaska- Have a wonderful year and please let me know if I can help in any way!

Barb