Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/507087
April/May 2015 isea.org • ISEA Communiqué 8 SERVICE Why did you want a spot on the Board of Educational Examiners? I wanted to be a voice for my fellow educators. It has been a humbling opportunity to represent my fellow teachers and students on the Board of Educational Examiners. I make a conscious effort to speak on their behalf as we move forward with educational licensure here in Iowa. A proposed change to the way the state licenses special education providers was particularly controversial. What did you take away from the experience? Listening to the voices of all stakeholders when making decisions is crucial. I welcome input from my fellow educators when changes in licensure are being considered. I was thankful to have my fellow ISEA members sharing their concerns with us. Your voices were heard. How does your work in Cedar Rapids influence your decisions on the board? I am a teacher of Talented and Gifted students in Cedar Rapids and I serve on the Cedar Rapids Education Association Executive Board. The educational needs of our teachers and students is my number one priority. This translates to my work on the BOEE. I will continue to work to provide an exceptional educational environment for everyone here in Iowa. What would you say to members who say they want to get more involved, but don't know how? Just say "Yes" when someone asks you to get involved. We must realize that education does not stop at our classroom door. There are many external forces working in public education today. Simply reacting to these changes is not enough, we need to be involved in these educational conversations. We are the experts, we know what is best for our students. Sara Arnold Cedar Rapids EA Gifted and Talented Board of Educational Examiners Why did you want to get involved with the Council on Educator Development? I wanted to get involved because it is a great way to continue to grow as an educator. I felt my 38 years of experience in education would offer a good perspective. When I started on the council, I thought our only task would be to work on the evaluation component for teachers but soon found out there is a lot more to educator development. It has been a wonderful learning opportunity. How does your work as a special education teacher influence your decisions as part of the council? I view myself as an educator, so I am not sure being a special education teacher affects my decision making in a major way. I do see how those of us who are not core teachers may have different needs which must be considered. What should ISEA members know about the work of the council? We are now completing our second year of council work. A draft of our recommendations for evaluation systems and performance review requirements will be written by October 15, 2015, and distributed to teachers, administrators and school board members. Feedback on this draft will be reviewed by the council prior to making final recommendations to the state board of education, the governor, and the legislature by November 15, 2016. What would you say to the member who may be reluctant to add to their workload by joining a policy board? Get involved! This is a great way to grow as an educator. Elaine Baughman Harlan EA Special Education Council on Educator Development How did you end up getting involved with the Iowa School Nurses Organization? I have been a member of the Iowa School Nurse Organization for a number of years. I think it is important to be involved in the professional organization that represents school nursing. ISNO is a great resource and includes membership in the National Association of School Nurses. I became involved with the ISNO board to be an advocate for school nurses working with special needs students. You are the Special Needs Chair for the ISNO. What's an issue you're dealing with now you hope more people know about? I have been working to increase the educational opportunities for school nurses through ISEA. Currently there are several classes through ISEA that educators and school nurses are able to enroll in and receive credit, but nurses are not able to obtain Nursing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that are needed for their relicensure. I am working directly with Cindy Swanson, Teaching and Learning Specialist, ISEA Relicensure Coordinator to obtain this goal. You are the Special Needs Chair for the ISNO. What's an issue you're dealing with now you hope more people knew about? What roles do politics and legislative advocacy play in the day-to-day lives of school nurses? Politics and legislative advocacy are an important part of school nursing. Legislators make laws which directly impact students, families, educators, support staff and the educational process. ISNO has lobbyists that represent school nursing in this process. Recent laws that have affected the practice of school nursing include: Tdap Secondary School Vaccination, Vision Screening Guidelines and Epipen Legislation, SF462, which was signed into law. What would you say to someone who is considering taking a larger role in a professional organization? I encourage all school nurses to become a member of ISNO and to consider volunteering on the ISNO board, an ISNO committee and/or to attend an ISNO conference. There are a lot of benefits. It's a great opportunity to network with school nurses around the state and nationally. It helps you stay knowledgeable on recent legislative changes. It's a valuable resource to promote school nurse professional practice, development and advancement and provides a forum for discussion of school health issues Diane Gladson Des Moines EA Nursing Iowa School Nurses Organization