Ira Sanders, a High School Social Studies teacher from RAHS published this wonderful editorial by Ira Sanders. Ira is another example of the awesome professional educators in our district and his story is one that has been inspirational for so many of our students over the years. We are lucky to have him on our staff and he speaks of a truth that is really important for all of us to grapple with.
Education Minnesota Foundation grants available throughout 2017-18 school year
The Education Minnesota Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning will offer the following grants to eligible members during the 2017-18 school year. Various grants are described below. Additional information on the grants and application materials can be found HERE.
Professional Development Grants: Formerly called Classroom Professional Development, Higher Education Faculty Professional Development and Education Support Professionals Professional Development
ESPs and teachers may request up to $1,500, and higher education faculty may request up to $3,000.
Applications are due Nov. 1 and April 6, 2018.
Bruce Vento Science Educator Professional Development Grant
Science educators may request up to $1,500.
Applications are due Dec. 8.
Classroom-Focused Grants: Formerly called Classroom Project, Classroom Technology and Second-Year Classroom
Applicants may request up to $3,000 for a project designed now and implemented in the upcoming school year.
Applications are due Dec. 8.
IMPACT Grant
IMPACT Grant projects must be coordinated by an active member of Education Minnesota who has teamed up with a nonprofit organization or their local union/school district. Approximately $15,000 is available for one year.
Applications are due Jan. 12, 2018.
National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) Scholarship
The Foundation Board is looking to award scholarships to members who are applying to be a NBCT.
Applications are due Nov. 1.
Educators will yet again find the tools and inspiration they need to grow professionally at MEA, the union-sponsored professional development event Oct. 19-20 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.
East Oakland teacher and school leader Jeff Duncan-Andrade will headline this year’s conference. Duncan-Andrade, an associate professor of Raza Studies and Education at San Francisco State University, will speak about equity in education and how community responsive practices can transform engagement and outcomes for all students.
A change to this year’s conference is that Friday will now be open to members only. Education Minnesota wants to make sure our members can get the most up-to-date training. Friday’s workshops will focus on relicensure areas. Register online to save your spot. In the past, many workshops have been so popular, we have had to turn away attendees.
For more details, look for the conference preview in the October issue of the Minnesota Educator or on the website at www.educationminnesota.org/events.aspx#mea.
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! 
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.
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