Horseheads Teachers Association
Winter 2017-18 Newsletter
--Resignation Letters Go Viral--
There are a large number of resignation letters that public school teachers have posted online and the NEA has taken a look at why these letters are so valuable to those of us who choose to stay the course. Excerpt from NEA Today April 20, 2017, to read the full article, please click below.
"The letters reveal that educators are leaving the profession due to what they see as a broken education system,” Dunn explains. “In a way, they feel complicit and no longer want to be a part of a system that is harming students.”
Overwhelmingly the resignation letters attest to the lack of voice and agency that teachers felt in policymaking and implementation, a critical factor that drives many of them out of the profession."
Crisis and Loss RESOURCE ALERT!!!
As educators, we are required to deal with a variety of events and situations that we may not be prepared or trained for. Our students (and colleagues) can, at any time, experience a crisis or loss event and it's important for us to be prepared with resources in order to help the affected individual move toward a productive outcome. The National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (NCSCB) is dedicated to helping schools support their students through crisis and loss. Since 1990, their experts have assisted hundreds of schools and communities in the U.S. and abroad cope in the aftermath of tragedy, playing a vital role in helping to foster resilience after crisis events.
Please take a moment to check out this valuable website! There is an "I need help now" and a "Help me prepare" section that can provide guideline and even teaching modules to help you navigate these sensitive topics.
Teacher Pay Penalty is Driving Educators out of the profession
EXCERPT: "Educator salaries across all the professions have never truly recovered from the recession driven hit they took in recent years, but a new study by the Economics Policy Institute (EPI) provides new insights, particularly on the K-12 classroom teachers. Wages for teachers have been falling relative to comparable workers all over the country for many years, says Lawrence Mishel, president of EPI. Teachers were paid 2% less (than comparable workers) in 1994, but by 2015 the wage penalty rose to 17%. "
NEA Today, Fall 2017, p.12 Click here for the full article.
----------FREE for Teachers---------
Artsedge is the Kennedy Center's FREE digital resource for teaching and learning in. through and about the arts. You can search for lessons by grade, art subject (theater, music) or any subject (Geography, Math, ELA and even Physical education).
Storyline Online is a website created by the Screen Actors Guild in which you can play videos of celebrities reading children books. Who can resist watching Betty White read Harry the Dirty Dog??
If that doesn't impress you, how about watching an astronaut on the International Space Station read a book to your class through the Storytime from Space website?
If you would like to explore more free stuff, check out Fusion Yearbooks blog on the 50 Best Free Teacher Resources of the Decade (so far).
Take a Hike! A first day hike, that is!
Kick off the New Year in the outdoors with a First Day Hike on January 1, 2018!
Join one of the 75 sponsored hikes being held at state parks, historic sites, wildlife areas and trails across the Empire State. The guided hikes are being hosted by New York State Parks and the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as part of the 7th annual First Day Hikes program taking place throughout the nation.
In NY, First Day Hikes are being offered at 59 state parks and historic sites (with some facilities offering multiple hikes for different age groups, skill level and destinations within the park) and 14 DEC wildlife areas, trails and environmental educations centers. Staff from State Parks and DEC, along with volunteers at many sites, will lead these family-friendly walks and hikes, which range from one to five miles depending on the location and conditions.
A sample of this year’s programs include a seal walk, a walking history tour, a snowshoe waterfall hike, pet-friendly treks, gorge walks, military musicology, canal towpath walk, and more. New entries for 2018 include a bird survey, a full-moon hike, mountain trails, views from a fire tower, and a walk through a maritime forest.
If weather conditions permit, some First Day Hikes may include snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Many host parks require pre-registration so call ahead. For a list of First Day Hike events throughout the state, please click here
To Attend Board of Education Meetings!!!!
- December 21st- Middle School LGI 6 pm
- January 25th- Big Flats 6 pm
- February 8th- State of Schools Budget Kick-off - Multi Media Center 6 pm
- February 22nd- Transportation Center 6 pm
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