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| Professional Learning OpportunitiesThe Culturally Responsive Dilemma, Wednesday, April 21, 6-7:30 p.m. ET Educators are being asked to be culturally responsive, but sometimes it seems like just another layer added to existing structures, which may not support culturally responsive constructs. So how can educators survive these mandates and still meet the needs of students? Let’s explore these challenges during our next session in the new teachers series. The AFT’s Rosalind LaRocque, a senior associate director in the Educational Issues Department, will host the session to help you discover ways to overcome these challenges. |
Year: 2021
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One of the many things Education Minnesota ESI Member Benefits provides for members are informational seminars. With the Covid-19 pandemic, we have transitioned our seminars online. We will be holding a When Can I Afford to Retire seminar for locals serviced out of the Woodbury field office on Thursday, April 22, 2021 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. This session will focus on those with a TRA pension. When thinking about or planning for retirement, we encourage members to do the following: 1) Attend an ESI seminar, topics to be discussed are listed below. 2) Schedule a meeting with a TRA and/or PERA counselor to provide you with individualized options. 3) Schedule a meeting with a financial advisor to help you in making the decisions that are the best for you. If you don’t have one, check out our sponsored partner, EFS Advisors. You can find your local advisor here. |
| Register today |
Topics to be discussed include: Pension education Learn how benefits are calculated Understand defined benefit pension plans Financial planning What can you expect from Social Security? Tax-deferred and tax-free savings Asset allocation and asset management/diversification/performance and fees 403(b) match and severance payment options |
Safety Guidelines – Ed MN recently updated the COVID safety guidelines for classrooms. EM-R has worked with the district COVID Coordinator to refine these to reflect Roseville’s implementation. Please read the bottom of the document for steps to take if you feel any of the guidelines need addressing in your classroom.
Vaccinations – Yesterday, Education Minnesota sent Gov. Walz and Commissioner Ricker the following letter requesting the state revert to a system that prioritizes educators doing in-person work and those with underlying health conditions for early vaccination access. EM-R continues to have conversations with union leaders across the state regarding this issue and we have also encouraged Superintendent Sicoli to raise the concern with the state-wide superintendents’ group in hopes that pressure from multiple fronts will reinstate some type of prioritization program.
COVID Related Sick Leave – as you may be aware, the 80 hours of paid sick leave allowed under the FFCRA Act for COVID related illness/quarantine expired on Dec. 31. As an alternative, EM-R has negotiated an agreement with the district that will allow anyone who has exhausted their own sick leave to use up 80 hours from the Sick Leave bank for quarantine or COVID related illness. If the Sick Leave Bank becomes depleted EM-R will send out an email requesting donations to cover our colleagues in need who have exhausted all of their sick leave.
-Dan Beck, EM-R President
