WEA Special Education Trainings

Special Education Trainings

Add to your Special Education toolkit with WEA's Special Education trainings. These trainings, presented by the WEA Special Education Cadre, provide relevant information on the responsibilities of those working with children with disabilities. Trainings are open to certificated and classified members of the Cascade UniServ Council in the Edmonds, Northshore and Shoreline school districts. Lunch (or dinner) and clock hours will be provided. Trainings are limited to 25 people. Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited. [A registration confirmation will be sent to your HOME email within 2 business days.] Registration will NOT be accepted by phone or email. Once a workshop is filled a waitlist will be started. If space becomes available, a confirmation notice will be emailed within 48 hours of the training.
Choose from one or more of the following options:

* Required

Register online

2015-2016 Retirement Seminars

It is never too early to start planning for retirement! WEA-Cascade UniServ Council is sponsoring retirement seminars for our members in 2015-2016. These seminars are designed for union members who are planning for retirement, and are presented by qualified WEA-Retired representatives. The cost of the seminar is $45. Clock Hours will also be available for an additional $5 the day of the seminar.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

 

Seminars are 11 hours long over two days, from 5:00pm-8:00pm on Friday and from 8:00am-4:00pm on Saturday. Meals will be provided. Seminars will be held at the WEA-Cascade UniServ Council Office in Bothell. Members can choose from the following dates:

 

Friday, October 30
Saturday, October 31

 

Friday, January 8

Saturday, January 9

 

Friday, February 5

Saturday, February 6

 

Friday, March 11

Saturday, March 12

  

Topics covered will include:   

Social Security Medicare Health Care Long Term Care VEBA

Financial Planning Estate Planning Deferred Compensation Staff Retirement And More!

Space is limited and registration is required. Registration will fill up fast, so register early to secure your spot!    

  

Due to limited space, spouses will not be able to attend 2015-2016 seminars. Members who have not previously attended a retirement seminar will be given first priority for registration through Wednesday, September 30.    

End Institutional Gender Bias

Northshore’s Paras, School Assistants, and Nurses are paid about $6 per hour less than the market rate paid to men and women in comparable work, according to the State study.   It’s time for Northshore to end the institutional gender bias that has created this inequity.   

  NSD Pay Rates Comparison

NSEA and NESPA Meeting September 3

It's time!

Thursday, September 3 at 4:30 in Woodinville HS Gym.  Your participation makes the difference!
This is a big year for NSEA and NESPA.

If there is a strong turnout at this meeting from NESPA members, and a vote to press on, your bargaining team will press onward for the improvements we need---with the active involvement of NESPA members.  

If there is not much of a NESPA turnout (if members are “too busy” to make this a priority) , or a vote to wrap it up and accept pennies, your bargaining team will wrap it up.   NESPA members will decide at this meeting.

Carpooling is strongly recommended, as there is limited parking at WHS.    Can you work with teachers, to get carpools going?

This is too important to fall through!

Your Work Week August 24-28

Working next week is optional---your choice.   There are no scheduled work days next week.    But there is plenty of work to do if you wish, and some optional PD…….

·        Next week’s teacher work days, Tuesday through Thursday (Aug 25,26,27)  are not scheduled work days for NESPA members (except for Nurses, Mental Health Specs, Deans, and Truancy Spec who may be working).    These are unpaid days, unless you use your optional Professional Hours.   Except for the job titles mentioned earlier, 15 Professional Hours are designated for before the start of school; if you don’t use these 15 Professional Hours before school (which can be on these days or anytime from August 1 forward each year) you lose them, unless your Principal has not scheduled 7.5 hours and then 7.5 are carried forward for building-based activities during the school year.   More info on pages 6 and 7 of your Collective Bargaining Agreement.  www.nespablog.blogspot.com

·        You can also use any of your 40 Professional Hours before the first school day and through the school year, from August 1 to July 31  each year.   Everyone gets these 40 hours, no matter if you work a few hours per week or 40 hours per week.   Thus, you can work all 3 days next week, with the teachers, using your professional hours, if you wish.

·        Teachers will be getting 4 hours of training in Digital Citizenship on one of the 3 non-student days next week.   This training is OPTIONAL for all NESPA members, as we confirmed this morning with Deputy Superintendent Carolyn O'Keeffe.   The District will also be offering it as OPTIONAL training in a short (about one hour) segment in September or October, and will make a one hour video.    Feel free to attend the training, but know that it is your decision to make.

·        The first school day, and the first scheduled work day for NESPA members (except for the job titles mentioned above) is WEDNESDAY, SEPT 2.    There are 3 days of school that week—Wed, Thurs, Fri.

·        On the second day of school, THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, teachers and NESPA staff will meet for the BIG START-OF-SCHOOL meeting at 4:30 at the Woodinville High School Gym.    Put it on your calendar, and be there to VOTE and to find out how teachers and NESPA staff will work together this year to improve our work and schools.    

·        NESPA staff (except the job titles mentioned above) are not scheduled to work on ANY non-student days this coming year.    In addition to the 3 non-student days before school, there are 2 non-student GRADING DAYS for teachers, at the end of first and second semesters.    These are not work days for NESPA staff, though you can work using your professional hours if you wish.

·        Our 2013-2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement remains in effect until our negotiations are concluded.   We have all of our contractual rights, opportunities, and duties.   We are not “working without a contract.”    Our old contract continues.

·        Did your NESPA staff (and NEOPA—office staff) elect your representative to your school’s Leadership Team?    This is important.  The election is run by the NESPA Building Communicator and the NEOPA Building Rep (not by the Principal).   Details on page 60 of your contract.   www.nespablog.blogspot.com    Your elected rep to your school’s Leadership Team (or your NESPA Building Communicator, if there is not a Leadership Team rep yet)  schedule, with the Principal, the four or more early release NESPA meetings at each school.   Details on page 61.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.     Our conversation will be confidential, unless you ask me to take it further.  See you soon!

Kraig Peck

WEA Staffperson for NESPA and NSEA

We are Northshore’s 480 Paraeducators, School Assistants, and Registered Nurses.

We are proud of our work, which is essential to our schools, students, and teachers. We assist in classes, provide support to Northshore’s neediest students, and keep Northshore’s kids safe and healthy! A majority of us have Bachelor’s Degrees or Master’s Degrees. Through our union (Northshore Educational Support Professionals Association, NESPA), we are currently in negotiations with NSD’s administration and School Board, and we need your help.


It's Time: Read More

June 9 School Board Meeting

NEA President Tim Brittell and NESPA President Jeani Schwenk spoke eloquently to the Board at the June 9th meeting asking them to  pay NESPA members a living wage and to give NESPA members more hours. Many NESPA and NSEA members were there in support of these ideas.

We Need YOU!

Join us for the big NESPA meeting Tuesday, June 2nd at 4:10 at Inglemoor High School Cafeteria  

Show you care about yourself, your co-workers and your students by being there. YOU are the key to achieving the state-recommended $6 per hour raise, phased in over time and the opportunity to get more hours.  

Show up!  Everyone needs to be there.  

Your bargaining team has YOUR back.  Do you have theirs?

AND

Join NESPA members and teachers at school board meeting Tuesday, June 9th at 4:00 at the Northshore Admin Center.  You can be one of the speakers or you can be there to support the speakers.

IT'S TIME!!

Rally at Bothell Landing May 6, 2015

IT'S TIME!!

 

 

4,000 educators in Olympia including our leaders April 2015

Walk Out? What is Going On

Subject: Walk Out?

Heading: HERE IS WHAT’S GOING ON:

·         Next week, Northshore teachers (NSEA) will vote on a one day walkout in order to generate public and Legislature support for major improvements in school funding and staffing levels, class sizes, and professional compensation (including reasonable cost of health benefits)—as ordered by the Supreme Court.     This is to improve our schools and work----to benefit our students.   Educator locals throughout the Puget Sound area are doing this.  Yesterday, Lake Washington educators voted to do this.  IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WORK, AND STUDENTS!

·          If a majority of teachers (NSEA) vote to do this, NSD Admin will close school for the day, and schedule a make-up school day at the end of the school year.    180 school days are required by law.   Students would not lose a day of school, and educators would not lose pay. 

·         NESPA members will then vote on participating in the day’s activities, which will be planned by NSEA and NESPA members together.   The day will consist of activities to focus public attention on the need for the Legislature to make major improvements in school funding and staffing levels, class sizes, and professional compensation (including reasonable cost of health benefits).   We hope that you will participate in these activities.   They could include sign waving, rally, a march, etc.   IT’S TIME!

·         Why now?  Currently, none of the State budget proposals being considered by the Legislature make adequate improvements, as ordered by the Supreme Court.  The Constitutional rights of our students are being violated, and we are being shortchanged in our compensation, which should by law be substantially higher (e.g. about $7500 per year for a 6.5 hour para or school assistant, or $4500 per year for a 4 hour para or school assistant).    The Legislature is in Session now, and will be voting on a budget sometime between now and the end of June. IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WORK, AND STUDENTS!

·         A date for the walkout will be set after the teachers have voted.  It will not be this week or next.

·         NESPA is having a Leadership Meeting on Thursday, April 30 for Building Communicators, Asst Building Communicators, other NESPA leaders, and any others who wish to attend.    We will update, get input, and plan.   YOU are invited.    4 to 5:30 PM at the Bothell HS Library.   Let your Building Communicator know if you are coming.  IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WORK, AND STUDENTS!

·         We started NESPA contract negotiations yesterday, Tuesday, April 21!  Thank you to the many who completed surveys!   We will send you an update later this week.   IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER!    This is the opportunity of a generation.  Get involved!  How?   Be at the NESPA Leadership Meeting on Thursday, April 30 (next week) 4 PM at the Bothell HS Library.  (Let your Building Communicator know you are coming.)

·         Teachers and NESPA members are putting up the pink IT’S TIME posters to show support for our efforts to win improvements from the Legislature, AND for our NESPA negotiations.   Please put up our pink IT’s TIME poster, now.   (Your Building Communicator distributed them just prior to the Break.)

·         More information will follow.    Updates are also available on the NESPA website at www.nespablog.blogspot.com.

Thank you for all you do!

Jeani Schwenk, NESPA President                           Kraig Peck, WEA Staffperson for NESPA and NSEA

It's Time!

Please return your emailed bargaining survey.  The survey went to your home email.  Please take the time to complete this confidential survey to help decide what we'll seek in our negotiations.  Your input is important.  If you haven't received survey, check your "spam" filter.  If you can't find survey, please email Kraig Peck at kpeck@washingtonea.org with your home email.

Interested in Serving on NESPA Board?

NESPA elections on coming up this spring.  If you are interested in serving on the Board, please contact Jeani Schwenk

It's Time!

Please read the NESPA News flyer your building communicator gave you.  It is full  of important information about upcoming events like

• Big Rally for Funding on the Capitol Steps in Olympia on Saturday, April 25th at 9:00 am.  You can go to www.groupcarpool.com/t/ig4cky  to sign up for carpooling

• NESPA-NSEA Joint Meeting on Tuesday June 2 at 4:00 pm at Inglemoor gym.   Your teachers and NESPA colleagues will be at this meeting and we need you too.

If you want more information on these two events, contact your building communicator.

NESPA Scholarships

Congratulations!

The NESPA Scholarship Committee is happy to announce the NESPA Teaching Certification Scholarship awards.  The following two NESPA members will be the recipients of this scholarship for the 2014-2015 school year:

Barbara Thomas – Bothell High School Paraeducator

Laurel Roberts – Woodmoor Elementary Paraeducator

Congratulations to these dedicated NESPA members!  We wish them the best of luck as they continue to pursue their education goals.

Education Funding Forum and Rally March 21

Education Funding Forum and Rally

Over 850 educators made themselves heard at the spirited event at Nathan Hale High School.  Nine legislators, (seated and facing the educators) including Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and Senator Rosemary McAuliffe, heard stories and answered questions about class size, compensation (including low pay for NESPA staff), high health insurance costs, excessive standardized testing, evaluations and the need for funding and revenue.

NESPA Members Go to Capitol To Press for Compensation, Staffing, and Affordable Medical Benefits!

Left, rear:  Tara Auerbach (Inglemoor).  3^rd from left, rear:  Andrea Dusenberry (Westhill), 2^nd from left, front: Sharon Maynard (Bear Creek)

On Wednesday, Jan 29, three NESPA members went to Olympia and spoke to 10 Legislators about the need for additional funding to provided PROFESSIONAL COMPENSATION and adequate STAFFING LEVELS.   They showed the Legislators the recommendations of the State Committee that studied what school employees should be making (about $6 per hour more for NESPA members), and pressed for more funding for medical benefits.   (Medial benefit costs are rising because the State has not increased its funding for school employees since 2011.)

NESPA members Tara Auerbach, Andrea Dusenberry ,and Sharon Maynard  (see photo) joined Kraig Peck (WEA Staffperson for NESPA and NSEA) and two Paraeducators from the Shoreline Educational Support Professionals Assn (SESPA) in lobbying our Legislators.  Tell them thanks, and lobby your own legislators, by clicking on the link below.  You don’t have to know who your legislators are.   The website Our Voice Washington will tell you.   Check it out weekly, and join the fight for a better future for our students, children and grandchildren---and for each other!

Please  send a message to your LEGISLATORS and to the GOVERNOR about funding for compensation, staffing levels, and medical benefits.     

Here is the link:  Email Gov. Inslee and your legislators!

WHAT IS ESP?

As a NESPA member you are all ESP's.  It stands for Education Support Professionals.  

We are the Northshore Education Support Professionals.  We are made up of para-educators, nurses, school assistants, playground monitors, ELLs, LAPs interpreters, school technician specialists, and many others who help our schools run smoothly.

November 19^th was National ESP Day.  A day that Patty Murray made possible in Washington D.C. to recognize the work that we do.

When you hear of an ESP training or ESP Lobby Day or ESP of the Year, these are opportunities for you to get involved.  Be proud who you and the hard work that you do.

You all received an e-mail from the WEA announcing the opening of nominations for ESP of the year.  Please take your time to consider one of your colleagues for this honor.  The nominations close on Feb. 6th. You can go to the WEA website to download an application, or contact Stephanie Mikos at smikos@washingtonea.org.

I would also like to pass on to you the name of an organization called National Resource Center for Paraeducators.  It has  information that can be useful for you and the jobs that you do.  You can find them at 

www.nrcpara.org

Don't forget our name- 

Northshore Education Support Professionals

Thank you for all that you do for the kids.

Pat Waldrop

ACT Representative

Cascade Council