Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/74799
Inside the Association "Being a teacher is not what I do. It's who I am." - Jill Biden Brissia Perez hired as campaign field organizer for Election 2012 Educator favorite and former NEA member Jill Biden comes to the NEA Rep Assembly in D.C., and brings along husband, Joe. DSEA ACTION! (USPS 010111 ISSN 01995413) is the official publication of the Delaware State Education Association. ACTION! is mailed 7 times a year, (September, October, combined Nov/Dec issue, February, March/April, June and July) at DSEA headquarters located at 136 E. Water St., Dover, DE 19901. Telephone: 302-734-5834, or toll-free: 1-866-734-5834. Our Wilmington office may be reached by calling 302-366-8440. Subscriptions are included in membership: $2.32 a year for teachers and $1.19 a year for ESPs. Subscriptions are $5 per year to those ineligible for membership. Periodical postage paid at Dover, DE 19901. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DSEA ACTION!, 136 E. Water St., Dover, DE 19901. President FREDERIKA JENNER Vice President MIKE HOFFMANN Treasurer KAREN CROUSE NEA Director MARY JO FAUST Exec. Director HOWARD WEINBERG Editor PAMELA T. NICHOLS Program Assistant SUSAN W. KELLER "Like" DSEA on Facebook for frequent news, information, perspectives and conversa- tions with colleagues www.facebook.com/ dseafan 2 July 2012 DSEA ACTION! B eing a delegate to a four-day convention is exhausting. Considering complex educa- tion issues, all the ins and outs of education policy, how NEA should or should not use its resources- it can all leave you numb. So on Tuesday, July 3, Joe and Jill Biden gave the delegates some added energy when they both appeared as the day's session was to begin. Joe, of course, was Joe: speaking from his experience with the educators who believed in him and his middle class family who encouraged him to pursue the American Dream. "We believe in growing our nation from the middle, not the top, with innovation, research and education; in a tax system where everyone pays their fair share. The Middle Class," he continued, "is not a num- ber. It's a way of life – safe commu- nities, great schools for everyone, being able to get to college because of your intellectual ability and desire to learn, not your income level." SEA has a new staff person, Brissia Perez, hired on a temporary basis to assist us in the upcoming 2012 election cam- paign. She comes on board as our election campaign field organizer, through November 30. Jack Polidori, on loan from us from NEA, will be back with NEA and working primarily in other states. Polidori plans to retire from the Association family at the end of December. With a bachelors degree in politi- cal science from the University of Arizona, Perez has strong creden- tials in on-the-ground organizing, specifically for congressional cam- paigns, school board elections and progressive causes. She has signifi- cant experience in field planning, D training, fundraising events, volun- teer recruit- ment and coali- tion building. Perez will help organize the statewide cam- paign field operations working from both DSEA offices directly with UniServ staff and others where appropriate. She will work with staff and local leaders to: implement the DSEA candidate rec- ommendation process; member campaign activities; training Political Action Leaders (PALS); and help locals help their recom- mended candidates for the General Assembly. Perez ' WHEN: Labor Day, September 3, 2012; gather at 9:15am; parade kicks off at 10am and ends at the park at the bottom of King St. That's Colonial's Nicole Markey whose daughter exhibits her mom's DSEA Labor Day pride at last year's parade. W e urge all DSEA members to join us in union soli- darity with other public and private unions in Delaware – police officers, firefighters, EMT's, state workers, county workers, city workers – for the annual AFL-CIO- sponsored Labor Day Parade. WHERE: Corner of 15th and King Sts, Wilmington Parking is plentiful around 15th and King, or you might want to take advantage of free garage parking at the bottom of King St. at the Train Station garage, walk back up to 15th, so that your car is at the end of the parade route instead of the beginning. March in unity on Labor Day Following the parade, which ends at the bottom of King St., join spec- tators and other union families in the park for an AFL-CIO-sponsored Family Fair, with food, beverages, games and information tables from community organizations and unions. Bickling reaches 20- year milestone with DSEA The DSEA staff union, DSO, and DSEA management held a joint get-together recently at which time Howard Weinberg, exec. director, presents Judy Bickling with a plaque and gifts to thank her for her many years of excellent serv- ice in DSEA's membership and account- ing departments. www.dsea.org ' ' ' '