PPEA

The Antidote to Apathy

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:59:27 +0000

This is a great TED talk. Let's empower our membership, students, and communities. http://www.ted.com/talks/dave_meslin_the_antidote_to_apathy.html &nb ...

Issues Facing Public Education Movies

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:47:34 +0000

PPEA invites members and interested folk to our Monday Movie nights during September and October 2012. We are screening 7 documentaries that tackle many issues facing public education today. Many are provocative and all are engaging. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by the Sunday before the showing to Maryann (mbarrett@coloradoea.org). The films we plan on showing are found at the following link.
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Rally to Support School Funding at the Capitol a SUCCESS!

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:27:25 +0000

About 1,800 educators and community members met on the west steps of the State Capitol yesterday to send a clear message to the Legislature and to Coloradans: We must all work together to make sure that there is adequate and sustainable funding so our students can continue to learn the skills necessary to successfully compete in a global economy.

Click here for the news article: http://www.coloradoea.org/aboutus/publications/news/12-04-11/Concerned_Coloradans_rally_at_Capitol_for_increased_education_investment.aspx ...

Early Enrollment for New Members

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:46:16 +0000

Join your local and empower yourself and the profession. Attached is the early enrollment paperwork. In a nutshell, if you sign up now and commit for next year (it is a contract for the entire year), you will not pay dues until your first paycheck next year. www.ppea.org/gl/images/library/File/2012%20COMPLETE%20EE%20Packet.pdf ...

Judy Near Wins National ESP of the Year

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:24:19 +0000

NEA released the following story illustrating the excellence and abilities we have grown accustomed to in our region. Congratulations to Judy! Huzzah! http://neatoday.org/2012/03/10/judy-near-from-colorado-named-nea-2012-esp-of-the-year/

March 10, 2012
By John Rosales

The humility, drive, and dignity that Judy Near is famous for in Colorado’s Canon City School District was evident Friday night at the NEA Education Support Professionals (ESP) Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, where Near was named the National Education Association’s 2012 ESP of the Year. As Near approached the dais at the Marriott Downtown Hotel Ballroom to receive her award, a $10,000 check, and flowers from NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, the crowd of almost 1,000 attendees rose to their feet and cheered with abandon the newest recipient of NEA’s highest honor for an ESP. It was the first of three standing ovations. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel presents 2012 ESP of the Year Judy Near with a $10,000 award.

“I did not get here alone,” said Near, a health technician and attendance clerk at Skyline Elementary School in Canon City. “There are so many people who should be standing up here with me.”

Near, who began her ESP career in 1985 as a substitute health technician, first thanked Colorado Education Association (CEA) President Beverly Ingle, “my friend and mentor.”

She went on to acknowledge the hard work done by members of the Canon City Education Support Personnel Association (CCESPA) and “all my Colorado BFFs.”

At Skyline, Near has worked fulltime since 1991 with the school nurse dispensing medications, providing first-aid, monitoring students with ongoing health concerns, and maintaining student health histories and attendance reports. In her nomination of Near for the award, Ingle said Near has shown great leadership at Skyline and with CCESPA, which Near and three other ESPs organized in 2000.

“I do not think of Judy as only an ESP leader,” Ingle said in her nomination essay. “I think of her as a selfless, respected, compassionate leader for us all. But I know that at Judy’s core, she holds tightly the interests of ESP members.”

In her remarks, Near urged her colleagues in the audience to “stand proud and speak loud” for member rights and the work performed by ESPs.

“No one does it better,” she said.

Ingle recalled how Near “led everyone through a spirited organizing campaign in 2000 that resulted in strong membership and recognition of CCESPA as the bargaining agent in a state without a statewide public employee bargaining law.” Near served as CCESPA’s president from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009. She currently serves as secretary for the local Association and is on the boards of CEA and NEA.

A graduate of Canon City High School, Near often travels across the state making presentations and helping other ESP locals get organized. Two years ago in Jefferson County, for example, Near worked with ESPs to affiliate their 1,500-member local with CEA.

“In the relatively short time that Judy has been an Association member, she has accomplished more than many leaders do in a lifetime,” says Ingle.

As ESP of the Year, Near will promote the values and concerns of NEA’s approximately 498,000 ESP members. In this capacity, she will travel to national, state and regional conferences in an ambassadorial role. More than four out of 10 public school employees are school support staff. NEA categorizes these non-classified workers into nine K-12 job categories, plus one for higher education.

This year’s conference theme was “ESP: It’s More Than a Job, It’s a Career!” The conference is designed to provide professional development opportunities for participants to help them gain the skills they need to build stronger locals, strong internal and external relationships, organize members, and enhance NEA ESP members’ ability to positively influence student achievement. The conference takes place over two full days of professional development seminars, as well as many pre-conference worksho ...

Testing in Harrison

Thu, 19 May 2011 17:27:42 +0000

Check out the article on Merit Pay, testing, and Harrison SD2. http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_test_generation ...

Frustrated by the attacks on Public Education Nationally?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:32:21 +0000

If you are frustrated by attacks of public education nationally, NEA created a foundation to help. It is called the 51 Fund and aims to provide one consistent voice to the debate in the US. Check it out here:
http://51fund.neafoundation.org/
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Ravitch on Teacher Frustration

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:24:54 +0000

Dianne Ravitch offers a great opinion on why teachers are frustrated with the current dialogue on the business model. Check out this interview from NPR: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/28/134134735/Op-Ed-Rage-Simmering-Among-American-Teachers ...

Denver Rally in Support of Wisconsin Public Employees

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:04:43 +0000

On Tuesday, February 22, Cathy Royce, President of PPEA and Kelsey Moore, President of Canon City Education Association traveled to Denver to participate in the rally in support of Wisconsin's public employees.

Also seen in the crowd from PPEA were Maryann Barrett, Administrative Assistant and Mike Stahl, Uniserv Director. Mike will be heading to Wisconsin in a few weeks to start his new position with Wisconsin Education Association. He was seen wearing his Green Bay Packers hat and Wisconsin sweatshirt.

Ari Armstrong, of http://freeColorado.com was there recording interviews with participants from both the union side and the TEA Party activists who were gathered on the sidewalk at the foot of the Capitol's steps. Below is the link to his interview with Cathy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTCq3N...r_embedded
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Cameras in Wyoming's Classrooms?

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:34:57 +0000

Click here to find out what's happening with evaluation legislation in Wyomin ...