On behalf of our over 600 members who bargain collectively and work together to improve the lives of the children in our district Happy Labor Day! 
gpmartinson
Hurricane Harvey is having a devastating impact on thousands along the Gulf Coast, including many educators just starting their school year. Our national affiliates (both the NEA and AFT) have put together resources to offer help to fellow union members, friends, family and loved ones. Please consider donating to the established relief funds listed below. Your donations will help educators and their families replace belongings and meet the many expenses they will certainly face. The NEA and AFT will work with both Texas and Louisiana affiliates to disburse funds. Please donate if you can!
Maria Le, a teacher at Central Park Elementary, was nominated for her outstanding work as a 3rd Grade Educator by Education MinnesotaI was nominated for the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. The official award is called the NEA Foundation California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence. This places her amongst the best educators in the Country. We are proud of Maria and her work!
EM-Roseville will be dead center in the vote yes campaign for this November’s bond referendum. We hope that it builds a spirit of trust and cooperation with the school district and builds momentum for a reasonable settlement in contract negotiations. We hope to see articles like this published about our local. Get involved in the Vote Yes campaign!
The first week of July Emily Bergquist, Dan Beck and Gregg Martinson attended the National Education Association’s annual convention in Boston. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with our colleagues around the country and become informed about issues effecting Public Education throughout the United States. The NEA convention is the largest deliberative body on the United States. Throughout the convention, educational professionals discussed a variety of topics ranging from charter schools to restorative justice to educational equity. We considered 153 different resolutions, amendments to the legislative agenda for NEA and the NEA budget throughout the conference. Feel free to ask Emily, Dan or Gregg what they learned at the national conference. We hope that this will better inform our work as a local union. 
Libby Otto, an EM-R member from RAMS was cited in an article on implicit bias and Philando Castile shooting in the Huffington Post. She gives her real experience about the rawness of the kids at RAMS. The article is clear and concrete regarding the reality of Castille shooting and how implicit bias plays out in society.
Two of our star EM-R Roseville teachers, Roberta Hernandez Rasmussen and Maria Le applied and were selected by Education Minnesota’s EMAC (Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee) to attend the NEA Ethinic Caucus Symposisum: A Conference on Human and Civil Rights. The theme was “Analyzing the Intersectionality of Race and Social Justice Issues in Education.” The conference was held in Las, Vegas from June 9th through the 11th. We were able to attend with 5 other Minnesotans from around the state. This was the first time in over 46 years that the NEA ethnic caucuses came together to collaborate, plan andI host an event of this nature.
Members are reminded to check their school email and complete the negotiations survey to help your negotiations team do a better job of bargaining based on your needs. We will use the results to advocate for positions that our membership wants regarding the next contract. the survey will take no more than 2 minutes to complete.
Ask questions, tell your story and learn about possible solutions to the student loan debt crisis in Minnesota at our first-ever Student Loan Debt Symposium!
What: Student Loan Debt Symposium
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9
At this event, we plan to meet with state policymakers who have been advocates for student debt relief and identify state-based solutions to this crisis. This meeting is our chance for us, as a union, to create a plan to move forward where we believe we have the most potential to make change — right here in Minnesota. Your voice, your story and your ideas are critical.
Education Minnesota will provide lunch, mileage reuimbursement and hotel rooms for those traveling from greater Minnesota. More details to come!
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