KENTUCKY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

NEA's Annual Meeting takes place during the final week of June and the first week of July. Various committees, constituencies, caucuses, leadership groups, and delegates from state and local affiliates gather to set policy and chart the direction of NEA business. The 2017 annual meeting will take place in Boston, MA.  The Kentucky Delegate Caucus begins on June 30, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.  First-time delegates have a short meeting at 10:30 a.m. that day. More information is available here.

The lead story of the March 2017 issue of KEA News covers the 2017 TELL Kentucky Survey, which is live from March 1- 31 and through which Kentucky public school teachers and other certified staff have another chance to tell administrators and education policy makers about the conditions in their schools and classrooms. View the March 2017 issue here.

The National Education Association (NEA) notified KEA on January 15 that because of growth in our membership numbers among public school administrators, KEA is again eligible to send an administrator delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly. Nominations are due Friday, February 17 on the official form.

On tonight's edition of Kentucky Tonight, host Renee Shaw and members of the Kentucky General Assembly will discuss K-12 education (including Senate Bill 1).  Kentucky Tonight airs on KET Tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern/7:00 p.m. Central, and streams live at KET.org/live

In December of 2015 the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law by President Obama.  This was a replacement for No Child Left Behind (NCLB).  With this new law comes new opportunities for states and districts to have a voice in the opportunities our students have. For resources and information, click here.

KEA is sponsoring a Student Empowerment Essay and Visual Art Contest for preschool through 12th Grade. Students in the Commonweath of Kentucky are invited to create an original essay and/or piece of artwork that embodies the statement "I love my public school because..." Deadline for submission is Friday, January 13, 2017.  Contest rules, entry form and submission guidelines can be found here.

For teachers who are impacted, expect to be impacted, or want to learn more about the GPO/WEP, which penalizes retired public servants by taking away their own and spousal benefits they earned throughout their careers a GPO/WEP seminar will be held at Turkey Foot Middle School, Wednesday, October 19. Registration begins at 4:30; seminar is 5 to 7 pm. Seating is limited. Register by email to cgossett@kea.org or call 859.331.2488 before noon Wednesday, October 12. Download a flyer with more details here.

KEA and NKEA are sponsoring "What Every Intern Should Know about KTIP!" Tuesday, September 20 at Receptions Conference Center in Erlanger from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  Registration begins at 4:30; meal at 5:00 pm. Registration deadline is 12 noon Monday, September 12. Free to members of KEA, the cost to non-members is $50. Additional information and the registration form is available here.

KEA President Stephanie Winkler welcomes back KEA members and their colleagues to Kentucky's public schools for the 2016-2017 school year. Please take three minutes and watch!

More than 300 Kentucky public school educators gathered on Monday and Tuesday, June 13 and 14, for the fourth annual TALK Conference, Kentucky’s only professional learning conference about teaching, by teachers, for teachers. See us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KEAmembers/

The second annual KEA RESPECT conference, the only professional learning conference for education support professionals in Kentucky public schools, was held Saturday, June 11 at Athens-Chilesburg Elementary School in Lexington. We have posted an album of pictures from KEA RESPECT 2016 on our Facebook page. Click this link to check them out: https://www.facebook.com/KEAmembers/

May issue of KEA News (Volume 52, Issue 4) is available here: https://issuu.com/kea_communication/docs/kea_news_volume_52_issue_4_for_issu/1

All active Fayette County ESP members are eligible to vote for Fayette County ESP officers. The election will be active at 11 am May 2 and end at 5 pm May 8, 2016. To vote, visit https://election4.kea.org

Nominations are now open for the 2017 Kentucky Teacher Awards, sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Education and Valvoline, a business unit of Ashland Inc. To apply, click here. Deadline for nominations is May 15, 2016.

Results of the KEA Officer elections are:

President - Stephanie Winkler

Vice President - Eddie Campbell

NEA Board of Director - Jo McKim

Constitutional Amendments 1 and 2 both passed.  

Applications for the 2016-2017 NEA ESP Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program are now available and can be found here.  The LFT program is open to any K-12 or higher education NEA ESP member who meets the application criteria. Deadline for application is April 8, 2016.

The 2016 NEA Joint Conference on Concerns of Minorities and Women will be held at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2016.  Individuals interested in presenting at the conference are required to submit their proposals using the online portal at 2016 JC Call for Proposals. Interested individuals may also use the link located on the NEA Joint Conference on Minorities and Women’s site.

Any member of the KEA Student Program who wishes to represent Kentucky as a delegate to the Representative Assembly and Student Leadership Conference must complete and submit the official nomination form to KEA Headquarters by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 25, 2016. The form is available here.

Gov. Bevin's 2016-2018 Budget Proposal is linked here.

KEA’s response to the Governor’s Budget Address is linked here.

We're looking for the best of the best to present at the Let's TALK: Conversations about Effective Teaching and Learning Conference in June.  Details and application process can be found in the Call for Conference Proposals.

The KTRS Funding Work Group appointed by Governor Beshear has completed its work and posted its final report. The group identified several ways to address KTRS’ funding problems but did not endorse any specific solution. When the General Assembly convenes in January, KEA will continue to work with legislators to find a permanent solution to this daunting issue.

From now until December 4, 2015, NEA members have the opportunity to support the Challenge to End Student Hunger campaign and help raise $50,000—without spending a dime of their own money!  

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking additional educators and non-educators interested in serving on teacher tribunals. Individuals who are currently in the pool for assignment to a teacher tribunal or who have already served on a tribunal will need to reapply and undergo the training to continue to serve. Those who received training earlier this month in Frankfort do not need to reapply or attend additional training. If you are interested in attending the training for possible service on a tribunal under Kentucky statute KRS 161.790, please complete the form available here by November 12.

Featuring KEA-Reitred President Joyce Dotson, the neaToday article written by Elise Barker, shares that respect, communication and cooperation are the keys to success for affiliate active and retired educators.

The KEA Education Support Professional of the Year Award recognizes the
contributions of Education Support Professionals to their schools, communities, and their profession. The award is presented to a member of the KEA who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments and reflects the contributions of ESP to public education. Nomination application is located here. Deadline for application is February 15, 2016.

For more information about the program, visit https://www.kentuckystateparksfoundation.org/grants/. These awards are from the Foundation's Educational Partnership committee's first review of Inside Out Education grant applications for the 2015-2016 school year. The next review will take place in early 2016; the deadline for submission is Feb. 1, 2016, and awards will be announced in early March. 

The Knowles Teaching Fellows Program application deadline is September 16.Members who are interested should go to www.kstf.org/fellowships.

NKEA and NKEA-R are sponsoring a seminar on GPO/WEP and KTRS September 29, 2015 at Dixie Heights High School. Pre-registration is required by contacting Cassie Gossett at cgossett@kea.org or 859-331-2488 on or before noon on Thursday, September 10.  Download a flyer with more details here.  Space is limited to first 100, so register early.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking public feedback on proposed Social Studies Standards for the Next Generation. The public is invited to provide feedback on any or all of the proposed social studies standards by using this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/kyss2015  Deadline for submitting feedback is September 30.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on proposed social studies standards. The public is invited to provide feedback by September 30 on the proposed standards by using this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/kyss2015.

On Friday, 7/17 the Governor’s Task Force on KTRS Funding held its first meeting. Brent McKim (JCTA president) and Mary Ann Blankenship (KEA executive director) represented KEA and JCTA. The Governor’s Office has established a website with a video of the meeting and all meeting materials. KEA continues to work with legislators and the governor to assure a secure future for all educators.

The Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) seeks a qualified individual to provide strong leadership to the Education Professional Standards Board and to work with a 17-member board to propose and implement policies consistent with the mission, vision and statutory responsibilities of the EPSB.   A well-qualified candidate will possess a minimum of a Masters’ degree in education or related field and have demonstrated managerial experience and familiarity with P-12 and higher education. Complete job description listed here.  Deadline for application is June 30, 2015.

Contact bpitts@kea.org to register for the Third District Education Association Non-Renewal Workshop.  Workship will be held May 19, from 5-9 pm in the KEA Bowling Green office.

NEA and the National PTA are teaming up to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8) and Teacher Day (Tuesday, May 5).  See how you can join the celebration at www.nea.org/teacherday

Please fight for great schools for all students by sending the federal government an invoice for its unpaid portion of IDEA.  Go to http://educationvotes.nea.org/fundidea/

Registration is open for the 3rd annual Let's TALK: Conversations about Effective Teaching, a conference for, by and about Kentucky teachers will be held June 15-16, 2014 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Louisville KY. Download a flyer here to share with your colleagues.

Are you one of the many non-tenured teachers in the KEA 5th District area who received the dreaded "PINK SLIP"? Never Fear...Your UD is here to help you through this trying time. Come to my non-renewal workshop at 735 Executive Park, Louisville on Saturday, May 16, 2015 from 10:00-12:00 (EDT). Register with Angela Dukes at adukes@kea.org no later than Wednesday, May 13. Items to bring to the workshop include: your letter of non-renewal, your resume and a laptop or IPad.  

If you have already submitted an application for the NEA Student Rebate, please do not submit the application again. This wil result in a delay of the process. To download the application and for additional information, please click here.

NEA Member Benefits presents a retirement workshop for members with 15 or more years of service.
Workshop focuses on: 
 Increase awareness of their retirement system
 Pension payout options
 Health care costs and more...
Monday, April 13, 2015; 5:00 to 6:30 pm
Space is limited to the first 25 participants
RSVP to Angela Dukes at adukes@kea.org

View Stephanie's video message at http://youtu.be/eCoqSXf7va8  Earlier today the Senate State and Local Government Committee took up HB 4 and replaced the original language of the bill with language requiring a study of KTRS.  Please contact your Representative and Senator and ask them to restore the funding provisions outlined in HB 4!  Our Retirement System Can’t Wait!

Leave a message by calling 1-800-372-7181 today!

NEA ESP Quality Department had published its first ever “digibook”, Education Support Professionals: Meeting the Needs of the Whole Student at nea.org/espwholestudent. This e-publication, a collaboration with ASCD profiles how our ESP members all over the country are using whole child strategies to keep students healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged so they are ready to learn.  

Volume 51, issue 3 includes news on the progress in the Kentucky General Assembly of KEA-supported legislation on teacher time and toxic testing, and “first person” articles by presidents of two KEA locals about how they faced adversity and became stronger in the process. The text of proposed amendments to the KEA Constitution and By-laws that will be voted on at the 2015 Delegate Assembly in April is on page six.

Read the issue here: http://issuu.com/kea_communication/docs/kea_news_volume_51_issue_3

Attention KEA members in Bourbon, Fleming, Harrison, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson and Rowan counties:

Remember to vote in your special election for the Kentucky Senate tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3.

And remember to be an Education Voter!

The TELL Survey materials were shipped via U.S. Postal Service schedule to arrive late last week. Some schools may not yet have received their packet.  Please contact the New Teacher Center Help Desk directly at  1-866-301-2454  Extension 15 to receive a replacement set of codes right away 

KEA 5th District members are invited to Erasing Student Loans & Debt Workshop. The workshop will occur Tuesday, April 14, 2015 from 5:00-6:45 pm at the KEA office in St. Matthews Space is limited to the first 25 participants. Please RSVP to Angela Dukes at adukes@kea.org. Download a flyer here.

Join other educators, students, and families who are speaking out about their successes and challenges with healthy school foods. How?  Submit a creative photo, video or narrative describing how your school has implemented Smart Snacks for a chance to win up to $300. Contest rules are located here.

Kentucky Auditor Adam Edelen came away with a firm conclusion after his staff spent about a year poring over financial statements at the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System: problems facing the pension system are rooted in money, not mismanagement. View remarks  here.

The TELL Kentucky survey of all school-based certified staff will be administered in March. To help educators prepare for the survey, The New Teacher Center is conducting a webinar on February 17 at 4:15 p.m. (Eastern Time). Click here to register or for more information.

The KEA Student Program will hold an election in April to choose its voting delegates to the 2015 NEA Representative Assembly to be held July 1 to July 6 in Orlando, FL. Elected delegates also will attend the NEA Student Leadership Conference June 28 - July 1, which is also in Orlando. Any member of the KEA Student Program who wishes to represent Kentucky must complete and submit the official nomination form to KEA Headquarters by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, April 17, 2015. The form is available here.

Education leaders from across the country are invited to register for the second annual NEA National Leadership Summit. Join more than 1,500 educators who will convene on February 27 through March 1, 2015 in Anaheim, California. This is an opportunity to discuss common themes of professional empowerment, teacher engagement, and impactful student-centered techniques for academic improvement.  Register today at http://www.cvent.com/events/2015-national-leadership-summit/event-summary-f45c01dd87e74f0e8ee5735424078746.aspx

Entries for the KEA Lesson Plan Contest must be received February 6, 2015. Nominations for the Smith Wilson Award are also due February 6, 2015.

The 2015 NEA ESP National Conference will take place March 6-8, 2015, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ESP National Conference is NEA’s premier professional development event for ESP members nationwide. Information about the conference and registration can be found at www.nea.org/espconference. The general registration link is http://www.cvent.com/d/b4q5d5.  Online registration will close January 23, 2015.

On Thursday, December 4, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) passed a resolution encouraging the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (KTRS) to work with the Governor and General Assembly to develop solutions to fully finance the teacher pension fund. (Text of the resolution can be found here.) 

Franklin Co. KEA member Lauren Hill’s recent blog post was picked up by the Washington Post. Read Lauren’s thoughts about teacher leadership and avoiding “administrator-itis.”

KEA President Stephanie Winkler and Ohio Education Association President Becky Higgins today called a report on teacher discipline on Fox19 in Cincinnati “reckless and irresponsible.” Commissioner Holliday joined the presidents in saying he was “disappointed and disturbed” by the story.

New social studies standards are mandated by Kentucky Senate Bill 1 (2009). The proposed social studies standards conform to the requirements outlined in the legislation. Public input is being sought on the proposed standards from November 3 through December 5 an online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KYSSpublic

View additional information here.

Public input is being sought on the proposed academic standards in Arts and Humanities until December 5. New arts and humanities standards are mandated by Kentucky Senate Bill 1 (2009). The proposed arts and humanities standards conform to the requirements outlined in the legislation. View additional information here.

The Kentucky Education Association will be hosting 2 webinars for interns and their resources teachers to learn more about the requirements of the KTIP/PGES pilot.

October 20, 2014 5:30 ET /4:30 CT

October 22, 2014 4:30 ET/ 3:30 CT

You must have the latest version of Java to be able to see the webinar.

This is a 2 hour training approved by the EPSB.

EKEA is hosting a PGES Q and A session at the Grayson office, Tuesday, October 21, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM.

Email LuAnn.Asbury@KEA.ORG to reserve your spot!

Governor Beshear used his weekly About Kentucky address to talk about school funding. View video at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5tr9PDCFc

KTRS will hold 28 UHC Educational meetings across the state for KTRS Medicare Eligible Retirees (MEHP) moving to United.  Three of the meetings will be teleconference for the homebound. Click here for a list of the meetings, times and dates.

The Kentucky Department of Education is seeking feedback on its Unbridled Learning College/Career-Readiness for All Accountability Model. The model, which includes multiple measures for determining school success, has been in place since the 2011-12 school year.  

Between now and August 20, an online survey will be available for stakeholder input on the various components of the system and how determinations of school and district success are made. The survey may be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UnbridledLearning.  The feedback provided will inform the commissioner and the Kentucky Board of Education on any future action that may be taken regarding the accountability system.

Your Kentucky Employees' Health Plan (KEHP) aims to provide you with the best possible level of coverage, administration, and customer service.  KEHP recently announced new medical and pharmacy plan administrators, effective January 2015:  Visit https://personnel.ky.gov/Pages/KEHPvendorupdates.aspx for more information.

The National Education Association’s department of Education Support Professional Quality is currently working on a new resource called ESPs: Meeting the Needs of the Whole Student.  If you have a compelling story about yourself or other ESP members who meet the needs of the whole student, please contact NEA ESPQ at ghwang@nea.org.  You, your school, and your students could be profiled in this new resource.

The NEA Great Public Schools Network support teacher collaboration to enhance teaching and learning. KEA members Pennye Rogers and Natalie McCutchen are facilitators of the online community. Content in the GPS Network is divided into age categories and deals with common core, literacy, fine arts, leadership, and national board certification. Visit NEA Great Public Schools Network  for more information.

The headlines in the last few days have been dominated by political attacks against public school educators, while scant attention was paid to a cherished child who lost his life to yet another gun attack in a school. Please share this video message from NEA President Dennis Van Roekel - we will not concede defeat to the opponents of public education. 

The NEA-Foundation has selected KEA as one of five NEA state affiliates to help build capacity to meet educators’ professional needs in deeper ways. As a first step, KEA is gathering data from constituents about the association’s effectiveness and priorities for the future and invites all Kentucky school employees (certified and classified; teachers and administrators) to participate in a survey here.

House Bill 235, supported by KEA, passed the 2014 General Assembly. It changes the enrollment age for preschool and kindergarten, phased in beginning this July. The Kentucky Department of Education has given school districts guidance as well as written a sample letter to parents to provide them with information.

KEA President Stephanie Winkler, along with KEA members from Woodford and Marshall County, appeared on KET’s Education Matters discussing the new Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES). PGES will be implemented next year statewide. Watch this informative video to learn more.

We invite you to join the webinar below on How to Improve School Discipline and Climate. The webinar will be held April 29 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm.  Click here to register.  For additional resources, visit the Kentucky Center for School Safety at http://www.kycss.org/index2.php.

KEHP members, remember to complete your LivingWell Promise by May 1!

Last week, Governor Steve Beshear sent a letter to Kentucky educators letting informing them about the education-friendly provisions in the state budget. Thanks to the Governor’s leadership, all school employees will get pay raises the next two years. He also cites additional funding for textbooks, professional development, extended school services, and technology, KEA’s top legislative priorities. Beshear was named the country’s best education governor by the National Education Association in 2011.

Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated May 4-10.  National Teacher Day will be recognized on Tuesday, May 6.  To help you spread the word about amazing teachers and the outstanding work they do each day, NEA put together Teacher Appreciation activities, resources, and tools. Visit www.nea.org/teacherday for more information.

Deadline for applicaiton is July 15, 2014

The KEA Fellows Program was developed to foster and mentor emerging leaders in our association.   Apply online or download the PDF form and mail to KEA Fellows Leadership Program, 401 Capital Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601.

View NEA RA delegate and alternate election results for the East region and West region.

Nominations are now open for the 2015 Kentucky Teacher Awards, sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Education and Ashland Inc. 

Nominations may be submitted electronically by visiting the 2015 Kentucky Teacher of the Year website at kentuckytoy.com. The deadline for nominations is May 15. 

Alarming trends in youth substance abuse, specifically an increase in prescription drug misuse, point to a need for education and prevention materials. Drug overdose mortality rates for Kentucky quadrupled from 1999 to 2010, ranking third highest in the nation. Visit the NEA Health Information Network for more information at http://www.neahin.org/.

Teachers across the country have created an “In My Classroom” YouTube channel to provide a window into how they are teaching to the CCSS (KCAS in Kentucky), the student successes they’ve seen, and how it’s benefited them as a teacher. Please complete and submit this week and next, so that videos are live before March 14. 

Since the KTRS defined benefit pension system was founded in 1938, KEA has been its most steadfast supporter.  The reasons are obvious:  KEA members all across the commonwealth have enjoyed the benefits generated by that system for more than 70 years.  ...more...

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is seeking nominations for the 2013-14 Kentucky Outstanding Civic Education Leadership Award. The deadline for applications/nominations is February 28. Please visit http://www.sos.ky.gov/civics/Documents/2014civicEducator.pdf for more information.

Every year KEA receives many questions about whether school districts must make up missed instructional days due to weather and if so, how those made up days must be scheduled. View the Fact Sheet here.