Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/99010
How the president sees it How does your union make a difference in public education? ur educators are our union. Our members include bus drivers, bus aides, food service workers, school secretaries, custodians, maintenance workers, para-educators, and a multitude of teachers and support specialists like counselors, psychologists, diagnosticians, therapists, librarians, and school nurses. We recognize that it takes all of us working together to build student success. These are the people who spend hours every day working with and on behalf of other people's children. These are the folks who are the backbone of our organization's efforts on behalf of current and future students of Delaware's public schools. Each local public school is one of a community's greatest resources. Helping to maintain and strengthen O 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 DSEA, says President Jenner, contributes to the strength, viability, and success of public education in Delaware in many ways. quality schools or to facilitate desirable improvements for schools with special needs is an obligation that our educators accept and willingly carry out. DSEA's initiatives and programs are the result of the direction we receive from our members and local leaders. Our course is set by our members' values, expectations, and expertise. We are not operating in a vacuum. So, what do we collectively do to contribute to the strength, viability, and success of public education in Delaware? We stand up for kids, and for what is right and good and true. Students across Delaware display an astounding depth and breadth of needs, challenges, talents, and achievements. The education professionals we represent, as well as DSEA's staff, and leaders are sensi- tive to the central purpose of public education and the fact that even as we advocate for our members, our efforts must always be viewed through the lens of the children we serve and the schools they attend. Our members regularly remind us of this. We support appropriate levels of school funding that have direct impact on students: for curriculum, instructional materials, class size, professional development, and programs to enhance student success. We offer support for stability and progress within the system and at all levels. We support meaningful and productive collaboration with DEDOE, as well as with school and district leaders. We encourage the growth and recognition of educator leaders—it is high time that school leadership regularly includes school employees like teachers of the year, nationally certified staff, and award-winning paras. We work with parents, DEDOE staff, legislators, and community leaders. DSEA members and leaders serve on a variety of committees: Early Learning Challenge, Charter School Work Group, DPAS II Review, School Discipline Task Force, Super Stars in Education, just to name a few. We support valid, reliable evaluations that measure teacher and employee effectiveness for the students they are assigned, in the subject(s) for which they are quali- fied—parameters that they can control. We have always stood for effective teaching and school improvement. At the same time, we support appropriate and relevant improvement efforts for novice, struggling or ineffective teachers. Contrary to national rhetoric, education unions do not protect the proverbial "bad" teacher. Our members recognize that it is of no value to themselves, students, or the profession to do so. We continue to look to the future—to a time when we can focus time, attention and energy on initiatives that we value and believe hold great promise: teacher preparation; teacher induction, including teacher residency programs; employee mentoring; meaningful and differentiated professional development for all employee groups; career ladders and alternative compensation systems. We are committed to exploring the possibilities of integrating peer observation, as well as peer assistance, as part of the evaluation and improvement process. I am both proud and confident about our collective contributions to public education in Delaware. We all have a great legacy to build upon and a remarkable reputation to uphold. Frederika Jenner President frederika.jenner@dsea.org Leading the way. . . his month we salute Khannie Butler, administrative secretary for Special Services at the Drew Educational Center in the Christina School District. She is also the new president of the Christina Secretaries Association. She has worked for the district for eight and a half years. want to keep understanding our contract and share what it means with members in order to keep us all well-informed. notice. This either creates resistance to succeed or keeps us constantly struggling to try to accommodate the changes. What accomplishments as a leader are you the most proud of? What about at the state or national level? Why did you become involved? What do you think is your local's biggest challenge this year? To insure that fair working conditions exist for everyone. I also The constant changes to how we do our jobs that come at a moment's T 2 Nov./Dec. 2012 DSEA ACTION! I am most proud of my ability to communicate, and in assisting in bargaining changes to the contract that will create a friendly and more successful environment for all secretaries. Actually, most secretaries are wondering, 'Will we get a raise next July?' "In the perfect world of work…." Secretaries and their administrators would get along and nothing but peace and harmony would reign. www.dsea.org