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• YOUR
REWARD•
DelaWELL open
for business:
All state and public school employees were sent information
in the mail last week about a new health and wellness effort by the state.
Called DelaWELL, it is web-based and provides lots of information and access to programs. As an encouragement, the state is offering $75 to the first 6,000 people who go to the site and complete the Health Risk Assessment that is there. Go to https://delaware.online.staywell.com.
State Pension Information Workshops
continue in April: 10, 12, 17, 19 For more details, click here.
Save $$ on car insurance DSEA is once again offering Basic Defensive Driving and Advanced Driving Workshops at a reduced price in April and May. Click here for the details.
DSEA's Human and
Civil Rights Banquet
set for May 3 5:30pm Rollins Center at Dover Downs You are invited to attend the annual Human and Civil Rights Awards Banquet.
Come support and honor our HCR Awardees and student writing and art contest winners.
For more
information and to sign up, click here.
Questions? Contact Debbie Weaver at 1-866-734-5834. Reservations close April 20!
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YOUR CALLING •
Charter School Report: "... accelerating the resegregation of public schools..." "A number of negative or unanticipated outcomes need to be watched and considered carefully. These include accelerating the resegreation of public schools by race, class and ability and the disproportionate diversion of district and state resources (both financial and human resources) from districts to the more recently established charter schools. "Finally, attention must be given to those charter schools that are serving minority and low-income students, since a majority of them are lagging behind in performance and show signs that they are less stable and viable."
So ends the summary of the third and final
report to the Delaware State Board of Education and Dept. of Education on evaluating
The study was conducted by the
The executive summary is on pages 1-19.
And, in
another part of the country, the
Regular Ed teachers and instructional paraprofessionals:
Special Education regulation changes will affect you! Regular Education teachers and paraprofessionals: DSEA is sponsoring an informational hearing for you to hear about the new Special Education Regulations coming out of the Department of Education. DATE: April 18, 2007 TIME: 5 pm PLACE: Kent County Levy Court Administrative complex at Staff from DoE will be present to inform us about the changes and entertain your questions. Written or spoken input must be submitted by April 30 to Martha Toomey, dir. of Exceptional Children Group, Dept. of Education, Dover, DE 19901.
We believe
that not only special education, but also paraprofessionals and regular education
teachers will be greatly affected by the "Response to Intervention" portion of the
new regulations.
Register now to learn more about "Response
to Intervention" at a presentation sponsored by DoE, given by Dr. Daniel Reschly of
Scholarships available for science teachers for National Board
fee
It costs $2,065 just to become a candidate for national board teacher certification.
GlaxoSmithKline has just announced that it
will provide scholarships to science teachers pursuing this certification at the
middle or high school level.
Click here or
call 1-888-908-FEES (3337) for more information.
Scholarships will be awarded by December 31, 2007.
• YOUR VOICE •
Vote scheduled for April 14 in Special Election for 5th House seat Members of the Brandywine Education Association have interviewed both candidates running for the 7th Delaware House seat vacated recently by former Majority Leader Wayne Smith. The candidates are Jim Bowers (R) and Bryon Short (D). As a result of their interviews and the questionnaires completed by both candidates, DSEA is recommending no position. Why? Both candidates are strong proponents of public education. The DSEA Leadership Team and Executive Director have decided to provide each candidate with the maximum contribution allowable under Delaware Code, $600, to come from the DSEA Advocacy Fund for Children and Public Education (voluntary member contributions, not dues) as a statement of appreciation for their stands on the issues. All 360 NEA members who live in House District #5 will soon receive a letter from DSEA President Barbara Grogg with more information about why both candidates are worthy supporters of public education and our issues.
Also coming up in the
Election likely in mid-May 5 to replace Rep. John Atkins
We hope to be able to put together an interview team in time to consider a recommendation for that race. We’re trying, but as of this writing, only one person had filed for this 41st House seat. Spring break is a challenge, and the election will most likely be in mid-May. We’ll let you know. The 41st district represents Indian River and
Mary Jo O’Brien shouldn’t have to live in debt
Mary Jo O’Brien is a DSEA member who only
 earns $18,000 a year. Her monthly rent for subsidized housing is larger than her paycheck, so she works two nights a week as a waitress. Even with a second job, she is constantly in debt. Her daughter, a freshman at the Summers O'Brien manages a shop in Bethany Beach, which also helps a lot. O’Brien is an inclusion paraprofessional, working with five students with disabilities at
Mary Jo was o.k. until she divorced. Two
paychecks were able to the bills. But now, she struggles from month to month.
She is why we’re fighting for a paraprofessional starting salary of $20,650, which is still below what is needed to support a family in this state. But it’s a start. We're also lobbying to collapse the state scale from 24 steps to ten steps over the next two to three years. In this way, paras can reach maximum salary sooner, thereby dramatically increasing their earnings over time. It shouldn’t take 24 years to earn $24,000!
Contact your state representatives and ask them
to honor Mary Jo O'Brien's important work with a minimum starting salary of $20,650.
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Delaware State Education Association
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