Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1518718
ISEA Communiqué • isea.org April/May 2024 11 WELCOME Sarah Beth (Bee) Weinberg Job title: Uniserv Director, Council 4 Liaison What locals do you represent? Bedford Comm EA, Central Decatur TA, Chariton Comm EA, Clarke Bus Drivers Association Clarke Comm EA, Clarke Comm ESA, East Union TA, Indianola EA, Interstate 35 EA, Interstate 35 ESEA/ISEA, Knoxville EA, Lamoni EA, Martensdale-St Mary's EA, Melcher-Dallas Comm EA, Mormon Trail TA, Mount Ayr EA PCM EA, Pella Comm Sch EA, Pleasantville EA, Pleasantville ESP, Seymour Comm EA, Southeast Warren EA, Van Meter EA, Waukee Comm Sch EA, Wayne Comm EA, Winterset Comm EA, Winterset ESEA Tell us a bit about yourself: After graduating from the University of Iowa College of Education, I spent the better part of a decade living and working around the world and across the country. I returned to Iowa in 2014, when I began teaching elementary school in West Des Moines. I was elected the local association co-president in October 2019 (because I have incredible timing), so my leadership and advocacy skills were honed in the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. After 12 years of teaching (eight in WDM), I was ready for a new challenge, so I applied to the NEA Organizing Fellowship Academy. This program was the start of my journey to my position as a Uniserv director. I am excited for this new adventure! Why did you choose ISEA? My family has deep roots in Iowa, but I didn't live in Iowa until I was a freshman in high school. While Iowa is not actually my birthplace, I consider it my home. Having graduated from an Iowa public high school and working as a teacher in those same schools, I think it is important to advocate for our schools. I chose to join ISEA to be a voice for the hard-working and underappreciated people who dedicate their time and energy to support our most important and vulnerable citizens: children. What is something your members should know about working with you? I believe that educators are much more powerful than they realize. We are, by nature and training, critical thinkers and problem solvers with an expansive vocabulary with which we can communicate. We advocate daily for our students and communities, but too often, we do not think about advocating for ourselves. I am extremely passionate about supporting educators in reclaiming their power and using it to help shape the future of public education. Also, I am a giant nerd who loves to craft. I have been spotted knitting or crocheting and various board meetings and school events. What are you working on now? I'm still deep in supporting negotiations for my new locals. With the delays in the legislature passing SSA and the ongoing tumult around Teacher Compensation and AEA structures, we must address quite a few unknowns that will have a significant impact on our schools. Dave Alexander Job title: Interim UniServ Director What locals do you represent? Davenport EA, Bettendorf EA, Bettendorf Educational Support Association, Eastern Iowa CC HEA, PSO of Miss Bend AEA 9 Tell us a bit about yourself: My hometown is Des Moines. I graduated from Des Moines Lincoln High School, earned a BA from Drake University, and served six years in the Iowa National Guard. After college, I moved to Illinois where I was a classroom teacher for 28 years with assignments in elementary, junior high, high school as well teaching a few courses in the as an adjunct with Aurora University. I earned an MEd degree after my seventh year of teaching. The last 17 years in the classroom were at Streamwood High School teaching courses in economics, government, and sociology. For a few years, I coached golf and Student Congress debate. I was also half-time technology coordinator for six years. I left the classroom in 1998 after being elected full-time president of the Elgin Teachers Association (ETA) in Illinois. For me association involvement was a vehicle to get at those factors and forces beyond the classroom impacting teaching and learning. During my tenure as president, we worked to develop positive collaborative relationships in District U6. ETA engaged in a future search conference in which community leaders and school district administrators were invited to participate in our in-depth look at our local and the direction we wanted to go. We conducted one-on-one interviews with a very high percentage of our membership and used the data to help us establish our course. We began interest-based bargaining and problem-solving approaches as labor/relations improved. At the state level, I served two terms on the Illinois Education Association Board of Directors. I was on the governance/management bargaining team with the staff union in 1997 in which interest- based bargaining was used for the first time. After retirement in 2004 from teaching and teacher leadership, I became an ILEA UniServ director out of the Rushville office. I worked with 18 small locals and one medium-sized local of about 250 members in west central Illinois. During my 12-years in UniServ work, I also worked with District 300/Carpentersville locals and Elgin Community College as well teacher and ESP locals in Rockford. I retired from the IEA in 2016, but I have since taken temporary IEA assignments in Matteson, Naperville, Decatur and now with ISEA in the Quad Cities. I am married to Cindy. She is a super wife, mom, artist and baker. We have two adult children. Both are successful professionals of whom we are very proud. Fortunately, they live nearby, and we see them very often. We have one grandson who is a fantastic three-year-old. Being a grandparent really is a highlight of one's life. Why did you choose ISEA? When the call came with an opportunity to go back to work for a limited time, I decided to come across the river from Illinois to help. So far, I am glad that I did. This work is important, and I find the challenges rewarding. Although I am here on an interim basis, I plan to be fully engaged as I work with the Quad Cities area locals. My goal is to provide constructive support and assistance to them as they anticipate selecting a permanent staff person to fill this position. What is something your members should know about working with you? My preference to work collaboratively using an interest-based, problem-solving approach. When that is not possible, I am not afraid to fight, but even when fighting, I try to take a long view attempting to move things toward positive labor/management relations. What are you working on now? I am working to wrap my head around how different things are in Iowa than in Illinois. UniServ work is in many ways the same everywhere, but there is always a learning curve involved when changing venues. When the move is between states, this is even more true, especially when the political climate and labor laws are as different as they are between Iowa and Illinois. Dave Alexander Sarah Beth (Bee) Weinberg Five questions with Sarah Beth (Bee) Weinberg Five questions with Dave Alexander