BCEA is hosting a drop-in reception in celebration of American Education Week.  Come by to enjoy music provided by the HHS Band program, appetizers, and socializing with other educators.

WHO:           Educators with less than 6 years experience in Blount County Schools, Central Office Staff, Principals & School Board Members.
WHEN:       Thursday, November 19, 2009
                       Drop-in:  4:00 – 6:00 pm
WHERE:     Main Board Room at Central Office

Educators: Remember to register for prizes!!  You could win a free manicure, oil change, a Starbucks giftcard, or an Ipod Nano!
   
  

Association Representatives and Officers met with UniServ coordinator Reba Luttrell today at the Blount County Public Library for training.  We all learned more about our association, including plans for membership activities like the upcoming New Teacher Social, advocacy ideas, and current local concerns. 

Here’s a few pictures from the event:

Here’s a few pictures from the Evaluation Workshop sponsored by TEA.  Attendees learned about the Evaluation process from a TEA trainer that has attended the same trainings evaluators (like principals and CO staff) must attend. 

Watch your school email or this website for more information about BCEA sponsored workshops in the future! 

Check out this advice from Experienced Educators: – http://www.nea.org/home/ns/35096.htm

Look for materials to help plan an effective parent conference from TEA in your school mailboxes around conference time on September 14th.

Think about attending this inservice!

Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth: Comprehensive Assessment

This workshop examines the State Framework for Evaluation and helps teachers become aware of the evaluation process focusing on the Comprehensive Assessment.  Participants will examine the indicators and performance standards, develop- instructional strategies that match the indicators and increase awareness of their rights and responsibilities.

September 17, 2009

4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Blount County Board of Education

831 Grandview Drive

Maryville, Tennessee 37803

For more information or to register, contact:

Rebecca Dickenson, Eagleton Elementary

865.256.1310

rebecca.dickenson@blountk12.org

Deadline for registration is September 15, 2009

(Check with your administration for possible Inservice Credit)

Educating Our Children,

Engaging Our Parents, Empowering Our Schools

BCEA needs members who are willing to help with the following events and committees:
Events

• Read Across America, March 2
• National Teacher’s Day in May
• New Teacher Social (Tentatively scheduled for Oct 20)
• Membership committee event planning
• American Education Week, Nov. 16-7
• BCEA banquet (held in the spring)
• Member Benefits activities

Committees:

• Negotiations Team
• Grievance Committee
• Instruction and Professional Development
• Newsletter (Look for this month’s newsletter in your mailboxes!)
• Legislative Committee
• Membership Committee
• Research Committee

Contact your building’s association representative, or one of the local officers for more information.

Hitting members’ mailboxes is the new special membership edition of teach, TEA’s monthly publication.  This month’s issue features an article on classroom bullying prevention strategies, members describing their reasons for belonging to our association, and much more!  If you’re not a member, or if you just joined, see this month’s issue by clicking here.

Welcome back to a new school year!  As we all work hard to get our classrooms and lesson plans ready for the year, don’t forget to take care of yourself and your colleagues by joining our association.  BCEA is working to protect the contract that benefits every teacher all year long.  Look for professional development opportunities sponsored by BCEA during the year as well.

TEA is active in Nashville, keeping us informed on education legislation and advocating for better laws and budget resources.  TEA also sponsors Conferences and Professional Development Workshops to keep us up-to-date on our profession.

As a member, don’t forget to use your Member Benefits to get discounts on products and services you already use, like  Restaurants, Shopping, Hotels, Car Rentals, discounted Insurance rates, Home or Auto Financing special rates.  Check out the Member Benefits section of the TEA website for more information. Some of our members use these services to save more money than they pay in dues!

Benefits of membership in BCEA & TEA  include:

• Maintaining and increasing funds for public schools
• Increasing Teacher Salaries, Insurance and Retirement Plans through TEA’s 60, 80, 90 Initiative
• Retaining the Fiscal Soundness of the Teachers’ Retirement Plan
• Retaining Tenure Rights (currently under attack)
• Retaining Teacher Duty-free Lunch, Planning Time, Sick Leave
• Monitoring of Class Size and Teacher Workload
• Retaining Rights to Bargain Local Contracts
• Locally Negotiated Health Insurance
• Locally Negotiated Health Insurance for Retirees
• Locally Negotiated Retirement Incentive
• Locally Negotiated Life Insurance
• Locally Negotiated Language on Vacancies, Transfers, Layoffs/Recalls, Reassignments
• Locally Negotiated Sick Leave ABOVE State Requirement
• Locally Negotiated Personal Leave ABOVE State Requirement
• Locally Negotiated Language to Protect Transfers/Replacements Resulting from NCLB
• Locally Negotiated Language Regarding Faculty Meeting Days and Time Lengths
• Locally Negotiated Participation in Sick Leave Bank
• Representation at County Commission and School Board meetings
• Legal Representation
• Liability Insurance
• Monthly periodicals
• Accidental Death and Life Insurance
• Dues Tab Life Insurance
• Job Related Injury Insurance
• Home/Vehicle Protection Plan
• Instruction and Professional Development Workshops

“It costs too much.”

How many of us have thought this?  Especially this year, when budgets are so tight.  But you can’t afford not to join! Think about it this way:

Dues for a full time teacher are only $1.35 per day.  That’s a large coke or a cup of coffee.  Don’t you spend that on a daily basis for things much less important that your Association?  Instead of caffiene to get you through the day, you’re making your day easier.  Because of that $1.35, you get a break during the day at lunch time.  You know that if you were falsely accused, TEA will be there with legal assistance.  You know, because of your  contract, that you won’t go to work tomorrow and be told you’re moving to another school or  have to sit through three-hour long faculty meetings every week.  You have Dues-Tab life insurance to help your family if necessary.

“But I get most of those things for free already!”

It’s not free.  Would you expect the teacher next door to buy you a coke every day?  Because when you’re not a member, that’s effectively what you’re doing–letting the teacher next door pay for you.  Without a strong membership base, we aren’t as effective at the negotiating table.

“I just don’t have the money.”

Some BCEA members recoup more than the cost of their dues by taking advantage of the special rates for financial products and ACCESS discounts offered through the association.  Check the TEA website or contact the Association Representative in your building to find out how.