Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/81026
A PUBLICATION OF THE IOWA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION – SEPTEMBER 2012 – Vol. 50, No. 1 COMMUNIQUÉ Here's what we did on our summer break! It's the beginning of the school year, the time when you begin building relationships with a new set of students. Just as you continually find ways to improve your teaching, you'll want to stay vigilant to ensure education policy changes are student-centered. Here's what's been happening over the summer. In June, the ISEA launched E-dues. State Associations around the country have seen a coordinated attack on labor organizations and their ability to collect through payroll deduction. Local Association leaders are enrolling members for E-dues across Iowa. Members like the fact that they no longer have to go through the school district's accounting system; no more wasting valuable Local Association time and money collecting dues! The July 24-25 ISEA Summer Conference was attended by over 225 local and emerging leaders. Held at the FFA Conference Center on the DMACC campus in Ankeny, sessions included Peer Review, S.A.M.S., InTASC Standards, Education Reform, and Reframing the Education Debate. Brad Anderson, the Iowa State Director of the Obama for America campaign, told delegates how important it was to vote early by mail. People who send in an Absentee Ballot Request Form (see page 10) may begin voting as early as September 27. Anderson emphasized Iowa is expected to play a key role in the upcoming election. The Governor held a Teacher and Principal Leadership Symposium August 3 in Des Moines where there was a lot of talk about teachers taking on instructional leadership roles in schools to help ease the workload of principals. As a member of the panel titled, Better Than We Used to Do is Not Good Enough, ISEA President Tammy Wawro spoke thoughtfully about the professionalism of Iowa's educators and the resulting quality of Iowa students. As this story is being written, the Governor and Lt. Governor are following up the symposium by holding a series of town hall meetings to promote their education reform blueprint for the upcoming ISEA delegates attended the NEA Representative Assembly in Washington, D.C., July 4, where they were inspired to come home and lead the profession Legislative session. While many of the sessions were scheduled for dates and times when active teachers would not be able to attend, ISEA- Retired teachers and active educators did show up to ask the Governor questions. For example, "Since the Legislature did not approve an increase in Allowable Growth for the next fiscal year, what funding will we receive to support higher teacher salaries and increases in day-to- day costs to run our schools?" The Governor indicated all funds would be tied specifically to programs for increasing student achievement and not Allowable Growth. Stay in touch with further developments throughout the legislative session by joining us on Twitter.com/IowaSEA and Facebook.com/ ISEA. To quote Pericles*: "Just because you do not take an interest in politics, doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. " *Pericles was the political leader of Athens whose reforms completed the model for the Western system of democracy today.—from Wiki.answers.com Set it... AVAILABLE NOW! E-DUES and forget it! See page 10 3 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS Tammy Wawro's first column as ISEA President 5 ELECTION GUIDE What's at stake in Iowa's 2012 Election? 11 LEGAL New legal protections for immigrant students