Educators are powerful when we have a collective voice. Working in union gives us the ability to make meaningful improvements for students, our profession, public education and our communities.

Unfortunately, corporate interests today won a politically-motivated case in the U.S. Supreme Court. The 5-4 decision in the Janus v. AFSCME case makes it harder for working people to join together in strong unions to build better lives for families and communities. Janus is the culmination of decades of attacks to try and financially destabilize labor unions.

Despite these efforts, educators will continue to work together to make our children smarter, our working conditions better and our public schools safer and more welcoming environments for students, staff and families.

We need you to show your administrators, our students, our communities and each other that we are committed to working together to improve public education by renewing your commitment to the union. Why does belonging to Education Minnesota matter?

• Our voices: Our voices as professional educators are elevated and heard when we join together as Education Minnesota. It will be harder for us to have influence when decisions are made about public education if we are smaller in number.
• Our strength: The strength of educators to advocate for their profession and their students increases with each individual who chooses to work in union toward shared goals, but it weakens us all when even one educator opts out. Only together can we improve our learning and working conditions, bargain enough pay to sustain a family and win the time and training to constantly improve as educators of our students.
• Our pay and benefits: Minnesota educators enjoy better pay and pensions than educators in many other states because previous generations of educators fought for them. Teachers in so-called right-to-work states earn $7,609 less on average than Minnesota teachers.
• Justice for all: Those who want to weaken unions want more power in the political process. Unions have fought for the rights of all Minnesotans, and we still have the responsibility to help alleviate the racism, discrimination and income inequality that hurt our students and their families.

Denise Specht

President

Education Minnesota

The membership of Education Minnesota has voted by a significant margin to approve the tentative contract.  On behalf of the negotiations team of Ben Schwanke, Sara Mortel, Emily Bergquist and Dan Beck we thank you for supporting your new contract.  -Gregg Martinson, Education Minnesota Chief Negotiator

Feb. 26, 2018 – The field of possible candidates for this year’s Minnesota Teacher of the Year honor has been narrowed to 43. A selection panel of 23 community leaders chose the semifinalists from an initial field of 167 candidates from across the state.

The panel will review the semifinalists’ portfolios again in late March and will select about 10 finalists from among the group. The current Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Corey Bulman, will announce his successor at a banquet May 6 at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

Education Minnesota, the statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program also receives support from the following organizations: Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Radisson Blu Mall of America, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.

Semifinalists for 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year are listed below, including the district, school, subject area and grade taught:

Heather Anton, Waconia Public Schools, Southview Elementary, elementary, 1

Courtney Bell , Minneapolis Public Schools, North Academy of Arts and Communication, social studies, 9-12

Dani Berry, Intermediate District 287, Epsilon, math, 7-12

Holly Bowen-Bailey, Duluth Public Schools, Ordean East Middle School, English, 6-8

Eric Carlson, Kelliher Public Schools, Kelliher Public School, visual arts, K-12

Ethan Cherin, Saint Paul Public Schools, St. Paul Central High School, social studies, 9-12

Elizabeth Dorsing, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School, math, 9-12

Kari Eloranta, Mounds View Public Schools Mounds View eALC, language arts 10-12+

Amanda Gislason, Owatonna Public Schools, McKinley Elementary, visual arts, K-5

Scott Glew, Elk River Area Schools, Salk Middle School, social studies, 8

Laurie Halvorson, Saint Paul Public Schools, Como Park Elementary, elementary, 5

Kelly Holstine, Shakopee Public Schools, Tokata Learning Center, English, 9-12

Justin Hudalla, Saint Paul Public Schools, Battle Creek Middle School, global studies, 8

Angie Hurtig, Bertha-Hewitt Public Schools, Bertha-Hewitt Public School, elementary, 2

Molly Keenan, Saint Paul Public Schools, Harding High School, social studies, 10-12

Rebecca Kittelson, Wayzata Public Schools, Sunset Hill Elementary, elementary, 2

Adam Kuehnel, State of Minnesota, Minnesota Correctional Facility–Faribault, English language arts, adult basic education

Alyssa Kuhlman, Minneapolis Public Schools, Burroughs Community School, elementary, 2

Shirley Land, Saint Paul Public Schools, Galtier Community School, Pre-K

Alyssa Larsen, Waconia Public Schools, Waconia High School, human geography and world history, 10-12

Tim Leistikow, Fridley Public Schools, Fridley High School, English, 11-12

Kathryn Mackin, Mahtomedi Public Schools, Mahtomedi Middle School, language arts, 6

Stephanie Maybee, Inver Grove Heights Community Schools, Salem Hills Elementary, music, K-5

Shaylee McComb, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Public Schools, Weaver Elementary, music, K-5

Jay Meiners, Lakeview Public Schools, Lakeview High School, science, 9-12

Melissa Mills, Lakeville Area Public Schools, Crystal Lake Education Center, early childhood special education, birth-3

Jaquinetta Mitchell, Osseo Area Schools, Osseo Senior High, English, 9-10

Patrick Moriarty, Roseville Area Schools, Roseville Area High School, band, 10-11

Jennifer Naslund, Westonka Public Schools, Shirley Hills Primary School, elementary, 4

Malia Norton, Medford Public Schools, Medford Elementary, elementary, 2

Kathryn Oberg, St. Louis Park Public Schools, Peter Hobart Elementary, elementary, 5

Melissa Oberg, Cook County Schools, Cook County School, special education, 6-12

Claudia Powers, Mounds View Public Schools, Irondale High School, special education, 9-12

Sarah Ryan, Rochester Public Schools, Century High School, language arts, 11-12

Bill Sucha, Mounds View Public Schools, Irondale High School, band, 9-12

Renee Swanson, High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, biology, 9-12

Lisa Thompson, Osseo Area Schools, Basswood Elementary, elementary, 5

Sheena Tisland, Red Wing Public Schools, Red Wing High School, language arts, 9

Ashley Topp, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School, English, 9-12

Jacob Toufar, Shakopee Public Schools, Shakopee East Junior High, technology education, 7-9

Gregory Truso, St. Anthony-New Brighton School District, Wilshire Park Elementary, elementary, 2

Greg Ueland, Roseville Area Schools, Roseville Area High School, social studies, 9 and 12

Sara Windschitl, Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, elementary, 1