Winter Message from the President - Deborah L. Eddy
Happy New Year! One and All,
As we begin another challenging year,
I hope your reflections on last year are more of our accomplishments than our
disappointments. From January of
2011 we had an onslaught of bills, threats of bills and debilitating blows from
the media. Our very core as an association was shaken but we held fast to our
principles and our mission. The many rights our predecessors fought for, such
as being able: to bargain collectively for acceptable working conditions, fair
salaries, and fair health benefits, has seen multiple attacks. Many states
across our great nation have fought as hard as we have to preserve those well
deserving rights. At times it has been discouraging.
Our charge as an association has been
and will continue to be, to promote and protect the rights of every child to
have a fair and equal opportunity of a great public education. That message
rings loud and clear from the east coast to the west coast and all the states
in between. Members from all of the National Education Association affiliates
have made that message known in some very innovative ways. We have gathered in
the streets of Trenton, lobbied in the halls of the state house, and requested
audience with our respective legislators throughout the county and state. Our
voices have been heard on the phones, through faxes, emails and letters to the
editor. Our MCEA members have graded papers in the mall, organized PRIDE in
Public Education events in our communities and supported our own members to run
for the assembly. We have taken workshops on advocacy, workshops on building
relationships and worked to develop professionally. We have done so to show how
cooperative, professional, and dedicated we are as ‘Educators’.
It seems that there are those in
positions of financial and political power who believe that what we do for or
students still isn’t enough. They would have our association eliminated and all
public unions removed from existence to serve their own interest. We serve as
the gatekeeper stopping them from laying claim to billions if not trillions of
dollars by privatizing anything that is publicly owned and operated. I don’t
believe anyone can say that every card-carrying union member is perfect, but
every non-union worker is also not perfect. What any union member can tell you,
from the public schools to the municipal buildings, we are here for everyone
not just the chosen few. The love of educating children and the stability of a
work environment where you are appreciated and respected is what helped many of
us make our career choices. Seeing the smiles on my preschoolers to my
eighth-graders faces, when they make the connection during a lesson, speaks
volumes. Like the Visa commercials, it is ‘priceless’.
If you get nothing else from this
message, please believe we can’t stop defending: our right to exist, our right
to fight for our kids and the equality of a great public education. Your help
will be requested and needed in the days ahead. The battles are not over, just
taking a hiatus. So get lots of rest and let’s plan how we can move forward
together, in 2012. Together we can succeed, with the same dignity,
professionalism and dedication we are known for here in Middlesex County.
September Message from the President
– Deborah L. Eddy
Welcome back
to all of you! I trust your summer was safe and enjoyable!
I was
reading over my September message from two years ago, as I was thinking of what
I would share with all of you as we start a new year. At that time we were deep
into the throes of a gubernatorial campaign for Governor Corzine. We were
pushing members to support one of the few New Jersey governors that truly
supported ‘Public Education’. The message from NJEA was to think strong and
hard about how we would preserve our reputation, our salaries, health benefits
and pension benefits as they cast their votes. That message was to encourage
you to watch how our ‘friends’ would treat our schools in Trenton, if they
were elected along with a new governor.
Many of you,
or should I say, ‘those other members’, didn’t believe the message NJEA told
us. Hundreds of our members voted for Governor Christie and our former
Republican friends. Looking now, we have a debacle on our hands like none other
in our association history. Basically, everything that was said would happen,
has happened, and there is more to come. The credibility of our state
association truly was upheld. The ‘Tea Party’ legislators are wreaking havoc at
every turn all across our great nation. Their band of allegiance is so strong
that the former friendships between our NJEA chosen Democrats and Republicans,
no longer makes a difference. We were once the 800-pound gorilla, now it seems
we are the 300-pound teddy bear. We can regain our status as a force to deal
with or get run over if we don’t step up and take on the challenges. I don’t
know about you, but I don’t believe in getting run over without at least
leaving some ‘razor wire’ marks in the tires.
NJEA was
right on target about the outcome after the elections then and the next
election is coming. Members continually ask the question, “What is NJEA doing?”
The reality is, WE ARE ALL NJEA! It can no longer be just the elected leaders
doing all the work, we all have to work. The ‘times’ are challenging for
everyone. Traditionally when times get hard, Americans pull together, work out
the details and move forward, not turn to blame each other. I don’t have to
remind you of how many of our members were laid off, or are asked to do more with
less, or are ostracized by their families and friends because they chose to work
in public education as a career. When has it ever been a crime, to support our
community by contributing to society, or want to uphold our constitutional rights;
or protect the children that get caught in the middle?
I implore
you to get more active this year than you have ever been before. Make those
phone calls to legislators about the issues. Pass out literature to your
neighbors and friends telling them the truth about the issues we get blamed for.
Let them know how they can help support us and ultimately support themselves.
The more voices, letters, emails, and phone calls made, by more of our members telling
the truth, will help drown out the negativity. It will help all of us gain back
the positive image public educators once had.
Check your
local’s websites, our website www.mymcea.com,
the NJEA website www.njea.org, and the NEA
website www.nea.org for the many talking
points and all the resources available to you. In spite of everything, enjoy
your school year, keep fighting for our students and stay positive. You are not
alone! You have at least 14,400 other MCEA members willing to stand with you
and a few million more around the
country.
3 instructors from L to R,
John Meyer, Bob McClure and Steve Pasqua.
OLD BRIDGE HIGH
SCHOOLAUTO SHOP
The Old Bridge HS Auto Shop entered into a
contest through Universal Technical Institute for a shop makeover worth
$25,000. The entry had to be in the form of a 2-3 minute video outlining why
the shop needed a makeover.
Two students from the OBHS TV studio, Megan
Carney and Amber Nelson, wrote and produced a video and Tara and Monica
Schneider supplied the vocals.
The video was submitted and selected as one
of six finalists in the nation. In order to win, we had to get the most votes.
Well, the students and staff of our school
district adopted this challenge as their own and came together with a spirit
not seen in a long time as did our families and friends. The spirit was
overwhelming and the wave carried us over the top and we won the top prize.
We don’t have words to express how grateful
we are for the support this project received from our students, staff, families
and friends.
All we can say is……..
THANK YOU…
THANK YOU…
THANK YOU!!!
February 25th Rally in Trenton...
The use of student test data to evaluate teachers is generating
a lot of interest in New Jersey.
See what researchers and statisticians have to say about this
important topic. Video coverage of the Jan. 19th symposium,
“Standardized Tests and Teacher Accountability,” is available on the NJ
Spotlight website.
· A
keynote address by Richard Rothstein, research
associate, Economic Policy Institute
· Highlights
from the panel discussion include discussion by:
o Howard Wainer, distinguished
research scientist, National Board of Medical Examiners
o Henry Braun, Boisi professor of
education and public policy, Boston College
o Sean P. Corcoran, assistant
professor, New York University, Steinhardt School of Education
o Arthur E. Wise, president emeritus,
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
·
“Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness,” Laura
Goe, research scientist, Performance Research Group, Educational
Testing Service
You will also find links to major papers on the topic of
teacher quality and accountability from Rothstein, Braun, Corcoran, and
Goe.
The symposium, held at the Educational Testing Service in
Princeton, was also sponsored by the Education Law Center, Garden State
Coalition of Schools, Newark Teachers Union, N.J. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, N.J. Association of School
Administrators, N.J. Center for Teaching & Learning, NJEA, New
Jersey Policy Perspective, N.J. Principals & Supervisors
Association, N.J. School Boards Association, NJ Spotlight, and Rutgers
Graduate School of Education.
The MCEA PRIDE in Public
Education thanks you for your holiday donations of socks for the
Middlesex County community organizations. Thousands of pairs of socks
were collected and donated to many community organizations. __________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW JERSEY GETS TOP MARKS ON NATION'S REPORT CARD
State
Continues to Lead on Achievement, School Funding
& "Chance
for Success" Index
Newark, NJ, January 11, 2011
New Jersey continues to lead the nation in education quality and
performance according to the annual 50-state survey released today by
Education Week. The survey, "Quality Counts 2011," evaluates and ranks
the states on key education indicators, including achievement results,
school finance, and other factors critical to student success.
"New Jersey's education system again performs at the top of the 50
states," said ELC Executive Director David G. Sciarra. ELC advocates for
quality public education for the over 1.1 million students attending
public schools throughout the state.
"What is especially heartening is our second place ranking on student
achievement and the 'A' grade we received on the student 'Chance for
Success' index. We also scored among the top five for providing
equitable school funding," Mr. Sciarra said.
Among the highlights of New Jersey's performance on "Quality Counts
2011" are:
• An "A-" grade on the Chance for Success
index,
which measures 13 indicators that have a significant impact on
whether children
succeed
in school. New Jersey has the highest percentage of 3- and
4-year-olds in
preschool programs in the nation, one of the Chance for Success
factors.
• A second place finish, behind
Massachusetts, on achievement, as
measured by student performance on the National Assessment of
Education Progress
(NAEP) and high school graduation. New Jersey won high marks on NAEP
at both
the fourth and eighth grade levels and has the highest graduation
rate (83.3%) in the nation.
• Among the highest rates for closing the
achievement
gap between low-income and non-low-income students between
2003 and 2008. New Jersey narrowed the achievement gap 4.2% at the
fourth
grade level and 4.1% at the eighth grade level, as measured by NAEP
scores
• A grade of B+ for the state's school
funding system, as measured
by various indexes of education spending. New Jersey would score
even higher
if the Quality Counts methodology rewarded the state for providing
more funding
to higher poverty districts.
"These results send a clear message. Our public schools are not
'failing.' They are succeeding at high levels when compared to the
nation," said Mr. Sciarra. "But we also need to roll up our sleeves and
continue to improve by making critical investments -- such as increasing
access to high quality preschool -- that we know make a difference."
Education Law Center
Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Policy & Outreach Coordinator
email: skrengel@edlawcenter.org
voice: 973 624-1815 x24
Message
from the President – November 2010
Well
friends, we made it into another year with our coats of armor a little
tarnished. The excitement of a new school year beginning was tainted by
the
continuous onslaught of attacks we left in June. Will we ever get to
exhale and
do the work we all signed on for? I am wondering if that will come any
time
before 2013. It is very disheartening to hear more badgering every
single day
from so many different sources. It has gotten so bad that people who
never
thought twice about public education as a target for questions are
questioning
what we’re doing.
After
coming back from the NJEA Convention, I was ‘jazzed’ about the
workshops, and the
many new and veteran members I met. I drooled over the great displays of
materials all the vendors had that I knew my district wouldn’t buy for
me. I
was feeling great until, I listened to our governor talk about how we
had two
days to party in Atlantic City at the expense of our student’s
education. To
listen to “If the union ‘really’ cared about helping the children they
would be
in the classrooms, not partying.” He went so far as to ‘guide’ the
children he
was speaking to, into agreeing with him, as only a seasoned lawyer can.
What a
travesty! It is a shame he didn’t
let them know he basically forbid the Acting Commissioner of Education
from
coming to speak and answer questions during the convention. This has
been a
long standing tradition that is now broken.
I know
I am not alone when I say how appalling that is. It appears that
whenever,
wherever and to whomever he has an opportunity, to strike a blow at
‘who’ we
are, he takes it. You would think there is nothing else of importance in
all of
New Jersey than NJEA. This hinges on harassment and reeks of bullying.
Doesn’t
this infringe on our right to organize and protect our rights by
standing up
for our rights as public employees? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think
so.
We have
always held our heads up high because we open pathways to a better
future, and
today is no different. We have done some phenomenal things in the midst
of impossible odds, and today is no different. We will never take
mediocrity from our students or ourselves as acceptable, and today is
definitely no different.
A
testament to our tenaciousness is the election of Linda Greenstein to
the
Senate, Rush Holt to Congress and many of our endorsed candidates. The
endorsed
Freeholders, Pete Dalina, Blanquita Valenti, and Chris Rafano as well as
Elaine
Flynn as County Clerk and Millie Scott as Sheriff are more feathers in
our cap.
We are unrelenting in our efforts to get the support our public schools
need in
Middlesex County, Trenton and Washington D.C. We cannot sleep on the
issues and
must make sure that our schools, our students, or our professions, are
held in
the highest esteem. We earned our rights to brag about New Jersey’s
public
schools and to be proud of that. It was each of you that took on that
difficult
student and turned them into one of the best students by sheer will.
Always be
proud of that.
I say
this a lot and will continue to say it: I count myself proud to be
counted
among you. We will stand together and fight the good fight for as long
as it
takes.
Enjoy
your holidays!
Welcome Back! I know you have been getting your classrooms
or units ready for another year of fun. Summer is almost over, according
to the
calendar, but for all of us in education; it officially ends when we go
back to
work. Some of our members did not leave for the summer. I am sure those
of us
who are coming back into the buildings or work units, are very grateful
for their
hard work over the summer months.
Politically, nothing really changed, I’m sad to say. The
legislature, from the Governor, Assemblyman/women, Senators,
Congressmen/women
are still wrestling with the budget and legislation that affect public
schools
and their employees. Generally, the stress levels decrease over the
summer when
it comes to politics, but not this year. Although schools weren’t in
session,
we were still browbeaten for being in public education. In all my years
as an
educator, never have I seen such a thing. It is disheartening. In spite
of
that, it is my responsibility, to tell you, do not, for one second, hold
your
head down. Do not second guess your career choice to educate our next
generation of leaders, thinkers and doers. We owe them the best we can
possibly
give. We can’t do that if we hang our heads in shame when someone asks
what you
do for a living.
I don’t believe any of us got into this field to get rich. Our
salaries in comparison to other careers, with the same amount of
education,
experience and time devoted, will not EVER match. We accept this, mostly
because we know that when we decide to retire, we can do so comfortably.
Not in
the lap of luxury, but modestly. We can retire knowing that our medical
needs
will not be burdensome to our new fixed income.
It helps that we can say; we made a difference in a child’s
life. We helped them open up to a new world of possibilities that cannot
ever
be closed. That is a great accomplishment. That is what educators do
every day,
in small and grandiose ways. We do so in rooms or sometimes trailers,
that are
too cold in the winter and too hot in the spring. We do so in the
cafeterias,
the buses, the sports fields, in the hallways, in the morning, in the
afternoon
and any other teachable moment. That is what educators do. We raise the
child’s
expectations of themselves and the community around them, by example and
by our
words.
I challenge you to reach higher, dig deeper, and stretch
farther than you ever have before. Let your students know you are an
example of
‘Courage under fire’. We have been fired upon so much there’s any wonder
why
our tail feathers are burned to a crisp. They do grow back so we can
once again
let them flutter in the wind. We understand that success is not measured
by a
test and that strides toward the goal are worthy of praise and
definitely should
be counted. MCEA, educators from every facet of our membership,
including ESP
and Teachers, WE CAN and WE WILL prevail! WE CANNOT AFFORD TO STOP,
fighting
for our students and our fellow members!
NEA RA Winners Frank Zaremba Deborah Eddy Michele Shields Buono Pat Lieberman Doug Dale Barbara J. James Joan Wright Michael Kelley Sandy Villegas Dina Dale Susan Jaysnovitch Natalie Gerald
NEA RA Minority Concerns Winners Deborah L. Eddy Barbara J. James Joan Wright
