SHEA VOICE - "Reopening" Edition
FALL 2020
Volume XIII No. 2
Suzanne Rizzo, Editor
Editors
Suzanne Rizzo (Middle School)
Contributors
MaryBeth Bruce
Keri Davis
Maggi McDonald
Paul Szymendera
SHEA VOICE
Sweet Home Education Association
Local #3041
1901 Sweet Home Road
Amherst, NY 14228
President's Message:
Paul Szymendera
Reopening Schools has been the greatest task our union has faced in the past 20+ years I have been a SHEA representative. I knew that closing schools back in March was a big deal, but I don't think anyone could have predicted how challenging the reopening would actually be.
I couldn't be more appreciative of our PRC team, building reps, and in particular- our Chief Negotiator and Vice President, MaryBeth Bruce. The entire summer was spent texting, calling, and Zooming/Google Meeting. Whether it was with our SHEA team, with the District, or with Task Force and Focus groups, our SHEA reps were there. Dedicated. Concerned. Optimistic. Skeptical. United with the effort of reopening school safely.
SHEA Tenure!
It is without question the most important item on a new teachers' to-do list! ...And without question, NYS has not made it any easier over the years. However, 2020 has a class of Tenured Teachers whom we can all celebrate!! Congratulations to All~
New SHEA Members
With each new school year, it is always exciting to meet our newest SHEA Members! As current SHEA members, we have a responsibility to formally and informally mentor our newest teachers. Some folks begin at Sweet Home as first-year teachers, while others are veterans with years of experience. In any case, there are always new things to learn. Please help our new SHEA members in your building learn what it's like to work at Sweet Home and share your thoughts about our Union, contract, and history as an Association.
November 3, 2020 - Election Day!
Don't forget to get out and vote!! As a reminder, there will not be Superintendant's Conference Day. In fact, the HS and MS will be flip-flopping days (Remote Instruction will take place on Tuesday, not Wednesday) so that visitors' voting will not be in our buildings at the same time as students.
There are plenty of high-stakes elections happening at the National and State level that have NYSUT endorsed candidates.
AFT 's American Educator has several articles dedicated to the elections, voting, and racial equality & justice. Here is a link to One Person, One Vote. The article discusses voter suppression and gerrymandering which overwhelmingly impact people of color and people who are poor.
If you have a question you'd like to ask me and think others would benefit, please email me at pszymendera@sweethomeschools.org with the SUBJECT LINE: ASK PAUL
Thanks for all you do!
In Solidarity,
Paul
WR Ashley Bell
WR Hannah Criscione
WR Elif Erman
WR Kamryan Romanow
WR Brook Sterke
WR Lauren Zaleski
MS Catherine LeSage
MS Kristen Noltee
MS Jason Scheer
MS Ajani Wall
GD Rebecca Haley
HH Stephanie Bilckelman
HH Sarah Lipinski
HH Mady Loiacano
HH Ashley Streebel
MM Taylor Gibbon
MM Kari Moley
MM Julia Taboni
MM Jessica Andriatch
MS Sarah Brach
MS Denea Czapla
GD Mary Fial
MM Bonnie Lorentz
HS Jordan Martin
HS Hannah Schultz
HS Rachel Ross
HS Nick Tiedman
MS Alexandra Tompkins
Laugh A Little:)
CURRENT UNION NEWS
ELECTION NEWS
Here’s A Look At Joe Biden's Plan To ‘Strengthen’ Unions ‘And The NLRB’:
The 10 States With The ‘Strongest’ Unions - These States Have ‘High Shares’ Of Unionized Workers & ‘Relatively High’ Average Wages:
\NYS Unions In Top 3!
National Union News
‘This Is Why Workers Need A Union’ - ‘On-Line Retail Behemoth’ Amazon Reveals Nearly 20,000 Of Its Employees Got COVID-19:
VEA News
VEA will look a little differently this year due to Covid and hybrid/remote learning, but it is still something we will do! Please think about what kind of activity you may be able to do in a virtual setting to enrich our students. We will need to think outside the box a little, but we are open to your creativity! Here are some ideas that you may want to consider:
Complete List of Extracurricular Activities: 100s of Examples
https://blog.prepscholar.com/list-of-extracurricular-activities-examples
Get Your Best Buying Power Through Your Union Benefits with "Buyer's Edge"
Thanks to NYSUT, not only can you shop - you can Shop Smart!
If you have a major purchase, we can save you money on Appliances, Cars, Furniture, Kitchens, as well as 20 more benefits! All you have to do is visit www.BuyersEdgeInc.com. ... using login info below.
Your Username/Group #: 215 Password: NYSUT
For the latest NUST Updates visit: https://www.nysut.org/
In the News…
Although our schools look much different this year, it feels good to be back in the company of our colleagues and friends and to be doing what we love, teaching our students. The Middle School wishes everyone a safe and happy start to the 2020-2021 school year!
Middle School Spotlight: Q and A
We are honored to be in the company of NYS Master Teacher Denea Czapla, 8th grade Math and Algebra teacher. Denea spent some time talking to me about the process she went through to become a Master Teacher and how being a Master Teacher has influenced her teaching, her students and future generations of teachers.
“Becoming a Master Teacher has given me so many opportunities to reflect on my own teaching and grow. It has allowed me to make really intelligent choices as a teacher.”
Q: Why did you decide to become a Master Teacher?
A: I decided to pursue becoming a Master Teacher because I worked in a small district where there was no collaboration because there was no one else teaching the same course as you. I wanted to collaborate with others to grow my practice.
Q: What does it take to become a Master Teacher?
A: The process is competitive and rigorous. There are three components to the application process; an application, an interview and a teaching demonstration. The program assesses a candidate’s knowledge of content, knowledge of teaching and learning and knowledge of your students and the community in which you teach. Once accepted, there is a 50- hour minimum requirement per year for professional development, although I usually accumulated 80-100 hours. We have monthly cohort meetings that allow us to discuss best practices in teaching relating to all STEM fields.
Q: How does being a Master Teacher benefit your students?
A: Being a Master Teacher allows me to make really intelligent choices about my instruction and about how kids learn. It allows me to explore different curriculums and lesson designs to maximize learning in my classroom.
Q: Discuss your work with future teachers in pre-service programs?
A: My work is in collaboration with Buffalo State College. I currently am a lecturer there in the evenings and have college students who are in various stages of their teacher preparation programs in observing and learning in my classroom at Sweet Home.
Q: How has being a Master teacher helped you professionally?
A: Being a Master Teacher has allowed me to be collaborative and meet with small groups of teachers monthly to discuss best practices in teaching and learning Math. I also voluntarily participate in workshops and mini-courses because I find them beneficial for myself and my students. It has given me the confidence to start presenting at Professional Development conferences both locally and at the state level. Additionally, I am facilitating a PLT/ research cohort around lesson study for practicing Middle School Math teachers.
Q: What advice would you give other teachers who are considering becoming a Master Teacher?
A: The program allows you so much professional development and access to teachers who are also looking to grow. Be ready to be open about learning new things, experimenting in your classroom, and discussing your practices with others to gain the most from the experience. Like lots of things in life, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.
Another reason for SHEA to be proud of its members… Thank you Denea!
It's Elementary, My Dear
Calling all elementary teachers...
If you see something noteworthy going on in your building... Shoot me a quick "Shout Out" and I will print it in the SHEA Voice. Pics are always welcome! We all see great things going on daily, yet are often unrecognized for it. Make a colleague feel great by acknowledging something special that they do:)
Contact: srizzo@sweethomeschools.org
Make a Difference
Heading Higher and Higher
Calling all high school teachers...
You guessed it! If you see something noteworthy going on at SHHS, shoot me a quick "Shout Out" and I will print it in the SHEA Voice. Pics are always welcome! We all see great things going on daily, yet are often unrecognized for it. Make a colleague feel great by acknowledging something special that they do:)
Contact: srizzo@sweethomeschools.org
Make a Difference