Author: sea54web

Good morning, SEA!!

Can you believe we made it to the LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!  I hope you enjoying each special moment you create for your students and any of those end-of-year theme days this week.  

Here is your final 5/22 Edition of the Monday Message for this 2022-2023 School Year.  

You can find out more information about the following highlights:

• SEA/SEEO’s Craft and Vendor Fair – Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 23
• One remaining open position on SEA’s Exec Board (Membership Recognition) Apply here
• Reminders from SEA’s Benefits Committee – Newsletter here
• IEA’s Score Grants – Apply here by July 15
• IEA’s Graduated Dues Structure Website and Dues Calculator – more information will be sent out this summer to all IEA members

I have also attached to this email a presentation from a TRS/Voya I recently attended at the Palatine Office. This information is not just for people who are looking to retire in the near future, but helps you calculate various retirement benefits and gives you the contact information you need should you have any questions about the Teacher Retirement System. 

That’s it for today!  Have fun this week and maybe I’ll see you at the D54 Symposium next week.  Take care SEA and do take time to make time for those special moments for yourself this summer vacation too!

Good morning SEA! 

Hard to believe we are down to our final two weeks of school for the 2022-2023 School Year!  Today the SEA wraps up with a couple final events which include our final SEA Building Rep Meeting for this school year, as well as our final SEA Election.  Be sure to stop by and take a moment to vote in your buildings.  Your building reps should have sent out the voting location and times.  We are also taking up our annual NEA Fund collection today. 

As always all members are invited to attend our building rep meeting.  It is at our May meeting that we approve our 2023-2024 SEA Budget and recognize our 2023 Jason Eliasek Scholarship recipients.  If you would like to attend our meeting via Zoom, please email me prior to 3 PM for the Zoom link.  

Here are a few other highlights from today’s May 15 edition of the Monday Message:

• May Contract Tidbit – Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program Deadlines & Benefits
• Apply for an open position on the 2023-2024 SEA Exec Board
• District 54 Food Pantry – Amazon Wishlist
• D54 Head into a Healthy Summer – Sessions with a nutritionist

Enjoy all those special end of the year events and festivities in your schools, SEA!

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week, SEA!

Was it last week? Is it this week?  It really is this week, but even if you celebrated next week, why not continue celebrating as we all know how important the work is that we do for our students and school communities!  

Next Monday, May 15, is our final SEA election of the year.  Members will be voting for SEA President and Vice President, as well as a handful of our schools will be having a building rep special election.  You can find the specifics in this week’s May 8, 2023, Edition of the Monday Message. 

Other highlights you will find this week include…

• Apply for an open position on the 2023-2024 SEA Executive Board
• IEA’s Administrators’ Academy Initial Teacher Evaluation Training – View the Flier – Register here by June 1
• Teacher Appreciation Days at a Cubs game and a White Sox Game

Also, next Monday, May 15, during the SEA Election, we will be taking up our annual donation to the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education.  You can find out more in the Monday Message.  Building Reps, you should have received the collection envelope with your election materials.  

Believe it or not, today the report card window officially opens.  That just means we are getting one step closer to summer vacation!  15 more school days!!  Have a great week!

Happy May 1, SEA!

You can find this week’s edition of the  Monday Message here which highlights the openings the SEA has on our Executive Board for next school year.  Those include the following positions:  

• Dual/Bilingual Services Liaison
• Early Childhood Liaison
• Elementary Instructional Services Liaison
• Membership Recognition
• Grassroots Political Activist
• Historian 

To find out more about these open positions or to apply, please click here. 

Other information you can find highlighted in the Monday Message include the following:

• IEA’s Summer Leadership Conference – Early bird registration ends today!
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Teacher Appreciation Games  –  Cubs fan? 
  Sox fan?
• IEA’s Introduction to Cultural Competency & Implicit Bias – May 3
• IEA’s Educator Voice Academy

Attached to this email, you can find information about SEA’s Special Elections we will be running for schools in need of more building representatives for the 2023-2024 School Year.  After today, just three more Monday morning alarm clock settings for this school year.  Enjoy the week ahead!

Good morning SEA!  

Thanks to all who were able to attend last week’s General Meeting!  I have highlighted that event in this week’s April 24th Edition of the Monday Message. 

Other important information and reminders:

• Club Sponsor Request forms are due to your building administrator May 1.  The form is attached for you. 
• Creating Safer Schools for LGBTQ+ Students Professional Development – April 26, 4 PM.  Register Here.
• Introduction to Cultural Competency & Implicit Bias Professional Development – May 3, 4:30 PM.  Register Here.
• Information about IEA’s New Educator Voice Academies

As soon as I receive the election results from last week’s Building Rep Election, I will send those out.  There were a number of write-ins across the district that were needed to be followed up with. 

Five remaining Mondays (counting today), five remaining weeks!  We’ve got this!

Good morning, SEA!

The day of our SEA and SEEO General Meeting has come!  Our leadership teams are very excited for today’s event and look forward to having many of our members, retirees, and other special guests in attendance.  Doors will open at 3:15 PM and tables will be set up for schools to be able to sit together.  Entertainment begins at 3:30 PM and the program will start at 4:00 PM.  

Today is also our SEA Building Rep Election and Region 35 Election.  You should have receive your ballot via email around 6 AM.  Should you not receive your ballot by 7 AM, please contact Kelly O’Reilly (kellyoreilly@sd54.org) so she can get it corrected for you.  I will not be able to make these changes for you and may not be checking email often today due to General Meeting set-up, so you need to contact Kelly directly.  The window to vote closes at 6 PM.  Please consider being a write-in as several of our schools do still have open positions for next year’s building reps.  

Here is the link to this week’s Monday Message (4/17 Edition). 

Please view the Monday Message to find out more information about the following:

• LOVEWORKS – “Conversation on Education Equity and Abolitionist Teaching” with Dr. Paul Gorski – Tuesday, April 18, 7-8:30 PM.  Register here. 
• IEA’s Summer Leadership Conference – July 24-27 – Early Bird Registration is available. 
• TRS Benefits Session – April 20 – Palatine IEA Office, 5-6:30 PM. Register here. 
• April’s Contract Tidbit: Important Dates and Timelines

Speaking of important dates and timelines, your principals may have already sent out reminders about submitting your Club Sponsor Request form for 2023-2024.  These are due to your administrator by May 1. 

You made it to our final six weeks of school…definitely another reason to celebrate!

For those attending, I will see you after school at Chandler’s Banquets for our General Meeting and Annual SEA/SEEO Celebration!

Good morning, SEA!

Hope the long weekend was a good one for you.  Here is the April 10 Edition of the Monday Message.  

Some highlights you will find more information about:

• Intro to Cultural Competency & Implicit Bias – May 3, 5-6:30, 4:30 Dinner, Palatine IEA Office – Register here
• IEA’s Summer Leadership Conference – July 24-27, ISU (Normal, IL) – Register here – Apply for funding here
• Reminder of your access to Workplace Solutions
• TRS Benefits Session – April 20, 5:00-6:30, 4:30 Dinner, Palatine IEA Office – Register here

There are also some link to videos from recent IEA trainings at the Palatine Office available to you.

Looking forward to seeing many of you next Monday, April 17th, at our SEA and SEEO General Meeting.  Thanks for sending in those RSVPs the past couple of week!

Good morning, SEA!

Welcome back and happy April!  The best thing about returning from spring break is knowing we have tomorrow and Friday off this week.  

Just a reminder, if you haven’t already, please RSVP to our SEA and SEEO General Meeting today.  We are extending the deadline to register for our event through this Thursday, April 6.  We look forward to seeing you on Monday, April 17!

Another friendly reminder is that nomination forms to be a 2023-2024 Building Representative are due this Wednesday by 4:00 PM. Click on the link on the nomination form you are wishing to run for and it will take you to the proper Google Form.   Current building reps interested in running for re-election must submit their nomination form as well. 

If you haven’t already mailed in your ballot to vote in tomorrow’s election, check out the IEA Votes website to access your voter’s guide. 

Here are some other highlights from today’s April 3 edition of the Monday Message:

• TRS Benefit Session – Monday, April 20, 5-6:30 PM (Palatine IEA Office) Register here
• Early Career Spring Retreate – April 28-29 (DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago in Oakbrook) Register here – Conference Form Request here
  • Introduction to Cultural Competency and Implicit Bias Training – Wednesday, May 3, 5-6:15 PM (Palatine IEA Office) Register here

If you are attending the D54 Transfer Fair today afterschool, good luck to you.  Enjoy your election day off tomorrow, SEA!

Good morning, SEA!

I am so glad we have made it to the week before Spring Break!  It is my hope that we all have an enjoyable week off. 

Attached you will find the election notices and links to the nominations for SEA’s April and May elections, including the election for the 2023-2024 Building Representatives.  In this week’s Monday Message you can find the amount of representatives allocated to each building, based on membership size per building.  Having a team of representatives at each building makes the job easier.  If you have any questions about being a building rep, feel free to reach out to me or any of the reps in your building. 

Don’t forget, we are now accepting RSVP’s for the SEA/SEEO General Meeting after school on Monday, April 17 at Chandler’s in Schaumburg.  The District 54 Jazz Band will be performing, our District 54 Retirees will be recognized, and our 2023 SEA Awards will be presented.  Click here to RSVP today. 

Here is some other information highlighted in the March 20th Edition of the Monday Message:

• IEA Votes Website
• Legal Update with Rachel Clark, IEA Legal Counsel – March 23
• TRS Benefit Session – Palatine IEA – April 20
• Early Career Spring Retreat – April 28-29 – Register Here – Apply for Funding Here

It’s not too late to join District 54 at the Windy City Bulls Takeover Night tomorrow, March 21, at 7 PM.  Purchase your tickets through the District 54 Education Foundation here.  Wear orange or school swag if you are attending.  Many student groups across D54 will be performing. Hope to see you there!

Good morning, SEA!

I want to start off by thanking the delegates who joined me to represent the SEA and SEEO at the IEA-RA this past March 9-11: Dan Argueta, Michelle E. Burke, Adriana Caballero, Cynthia Dressler, Janet Green, Sue Hindenburg, Kathy Jesuit, Stephanie Krizmis, Michelle Mason, Vicki Mikos, Kelly O’Reilly, Rachel Rosone, Iris Santiago, Andrea Valdez, Linda Stolt, and Kara Zielinski. For highlights of the event, check out the SEA’s Facebook and Twitter. 

You are officially invited to the SEA/SEEO General Meeting on Monday, April 17, at Chandler’s in Schaumburg.  Doors open at 3:15 PM. The D54 Jazz Band will be performing from 3:30-4:00 PM.  The program will begin at 4:00 PM.  We are excited to have IEA President Kathi Griffin as our keynote speaker for our event.  Our D54 retirees and 2023 SEA Award recipients will be recognized.  Please RSVP here to attend this free event. 

After school today is our March SEA Building Rep Meeting in the PLC starting at 3:30 PM.  All members are invited to attend in person or virtually.  For the Zoom link, please email me no later than 3:00 PM. 

Don’t forget to participate in the Region 35 Election happening today in your buildings.  Thanks to the reps for running this election and bringing all ballots to the PLC for our rep meeting. 

Here is the other information included in the March 13th Edition of the Monday Message: 

• March Contract Tidbit: Sick Bank Leave
• IEA Votes Website
• LGBTQ+ Training with Bill Farmer, March 16, 4:30-6:30 PM, Palatine IEA
• Legal Update with IEA General Counsel, Rachel Clark, March 23, 4:30-6:30 PM
• Early Career Spring Retreat – Register here, apply for funding through Region 35 here