Volume 61, Issue 3
“Step Up and Be A Building Rep!”
KEA local affiliates are looking for members to take on the challenge
For Scott County Education Association (SCEA) member and educator Kim Fulcher, stepping into the role of building rep wasn’t a natural fit. She’s not someone who demands attention or who wants to lead the pack.
“I’m not really an extrovert, so I thought being a building rep would take me out of my element,” said Fulcher, a union member since 2023 and teacher at Lemons Mill Elementary. “But that’s why I like it. I’ve been both a certified and classified employee, so I know most everybody. I just answer questions the best I can, and if I don’t know the answer I can get it from Mike Harris (SCEA president) or from our KEA UniServ Director James Hay.”
Two teachers were recently elected to the Scott County Board of Education, and SCEA’s leadership has a good relationship with the school district’s superintendent, which helped Fulcher decide to become a building rep.
“I thought educators being on the school board was really good for our school staff and I was proud that they were helping out the district in that way,” said Fulcher. “I thought maybe I can help fellow teachers this way, by being a building rep, and it will be a good leadership experience for me, and I wanted to know more about how the union works.”
Fulcher realized she didn’t have to be a hardcore KEA member and know every detail about the union or union representation to be an active participant and help other educators know the benefits of joining, too.
“A couple of years ago, I didn’t know much about KEA, but I knew I wanted the legal protections that it provides when I took a certified position at the school,” she said. “I think every teacher needs that protection. And I know that teachers need advocacy and representation for our profession and our pay in Frankfort.”
When Fulcher talks to colleagues about joining SCEA and KEA, she finds that new teachers and classified workers join for a variety of reasons. “People are open to it when you talk about it or mention it because they know it brings value and peace of mind to their profession and they just need to be asked to join,” she says.
Being the building rep at her school means Fulcher is usually the first person to talk to new employees about joining KEA. Because she’s busy being a teacher, she started her role as building rep by emailing everyone about the union and what’s happening in the school, then followed up one by one. “It felt less daunting that way,” said Fulcher.
She said a lot of educators join because KEA helps them access student loan forgiveness information, using a platform that coordinates and analyzes your payments and forgiveness eligibility. Some KEA members received total loan forgiveness and even seen money returned to them. Others join for the professional development opportunities, both online and in person, that can help teachers get their masters and rank changes through partnerships with Kentucky colleges. Some sign up for the travel deals and discounts that come with KEA’s member benefits program, which saves them a year’s worth of dues money just by booking a vacation through the program.
“For a lot of the younger teachers, they want to know why I joined and that’s the biggest question they have,” said Fulcher. “I tell them I joined KEA because it’s a smart investment for me and for my profession. It’s that simple. It’s a good investment.”
As for advice for those who are new to KEA or want to know more about the union and want to help build it up stronger, Fulcher believes being a building rep is a great first step.
“People just want answers, and being a building rep gives you a chance to help them find them. Teachers solve problems every day in the classroom, so it’s a role that makes sense. “I say I don’t know a lot when someone comes to me with a union question. But I tell them I can find out, and that seems to go a long way in their trust, and that makes me feel good. Being a building rep is a great opportunity,” she said