Author: sea54web

Good morning, SEA!

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week to everyone!  Hope you have a great week being spoiled in your buildings.

And guess what?  After today, there are only two more Monday’s left this school year. Definitely something else to celebrate!

Here is the link to the May 5^th Edition of the Monday Message.

Don’t forget to RSVP to attend our SEA/SEEO Tacos and Chill Event taking place on Monday, May 19^th, from 5-6:30 PM after our last SEA Building Rep Meeting of the year. 

All SEA and SEEO members will be receiving an email this week from Superintendent DuRoss in regards to potential changes to structure of parent/teacher conferences starting next school year.  He is wanting to gather some feedback from all who will be impacted by the changes so that he has data to present to the Board of Education at their meeting later this month.  We did have members of SEA and SEEO’s leadership teams in the room with District’s Leadership Team to help work on the draft of the changes.  We feel the changes will best meet the needs of our District 54 families by providing two evenings for conferences, as opposed to the current structure.  Do read through all of the detailed changes.  Please note, the district is still following the language in our contract in regards to our four nights and providing us with a ½ day of teacher-directed plan time prior to conferences. 

Good morning, SEA!

Always exciting when the ABC Countdowns begin…we know the school year is definitely winding down.  And this week, we will flip the calendar over to May, the last month of this school year!

Here is the link to the April 28^th Edition of the Monday Message.

There are several upcoming events I want to highlight:

• SEA/SEEO Tacos and Chill:  our first ever end of year event for our members which will include a taco bar and mindfulness stations for you to have the option to participate in.  This event will take place after our last building rep meeting on Monday, May 19^th, from 5-6:30 PM in the PLC.  RSVP here to attend.  Thank you to SEA’s new Mental Health and Wellness Committee for helping to plan this event.
• IEA Palatine Office Movie Night:  join members of the IEA for a viewing of the movie “Rustin” on Friday, May 9^th at 5 PM at the Palatine IEA Office.  Beverages and light appetizers will be served.  RSVP here by May 2^nd.

• May 1^st National Day of Action & Local Events:  this Thursday, May 1^st please wear RED to support public education.  There are two local events you can also participate in…one on the corner of Meacham Road and Biesterfield Road in Elk Grove Village from 4:30 – 6:30 PM and another one at the intersection of Hicks and Northwest Highway in Palatine from 4:30-6:30 PM. 

I have jury duty today (and potentially this week…).  If I am not quick to respond to emails/phone calls, please understand I will get back to you as soon as I can. 

That’s it for now.  Wishing you a fantastic week!

Happy Monday, SEA! 

Hope everyone enjoyed the three-day weekend.  I know I definitely did especially knowing we had another great SEA/SEEO General Meeting and a huge check off our unions to-do list!

Here is the link to the April 21^st Edition of the Monday Message.

You will find some of highlights from our General Meeting in this week’s message, including a few photos.  To check out all the photos, visit our SEA Facebook and Instagram. 

Registration is still open for IEA Palatine Office Movie Night on Friday, May 9^th at 5 PM.  There will be a viewing and discussion of the movie Rustin. RSVP here by May 2^ndto attend the event.  

I have included some social justice booklists on page two for you to use throughout the rest of this month for Earth Day, National Poetry Month, Arab American Heritage Month, and Jazz Appreciation Month.

Lastly, mark your calendars for Monday, May 19^th.  It is not only the last SEA building rep meeting of the year, but immediately following the meeting we will be having a special end of year Wellness Event for all SEA and SEEO members, which will include FOOD, socializing, and wellness stations.  More information COMING REAL SOON!

Good morning, SEA!

Today is the day…our SEA/SEEO General Meeting!  It’s an event that we look forward to every year as we get to celebrate so many of our SEA and SEEO members and retirees! 

Doors open at 3:15 PM.  Entertainment from the D54 Jazz Band will begin at 3:30 PM and our program starts at 4 PM.  Please be sure to sign-in at the door so that you receive your table assignment. 

Today is also the day of one of our easier SEA Elections…the one done by electronic ballot.  You wonder why we can’t have all SEA elections that way…it has to do with our SEA and IEA bylaws and certain positions must be done with a paper and pencil ballot, while today’s Building Rep and Exec Board election can be electronic.  You should have received your ballot via email by 7 AM this morning.  If not, please do not notify me as I do not have that power to get you a ballot.  Only Kelly O’Reilly does.  Please email Kelly at kellyoreilly@sd54.org .

Here is the link to the April 14^th Edition of the Monday Message.

Some new information you will find is listed below:

• IEA Palatine Office Movie Night “RUSTIN” | May 9^th at 5 PM | Register here to attend the viewing.
• IEA Summer Leadership Academy | July 28-31 at Illinois State University | Email Lori to be included on her early bird registration.
• The Future of Equity: Why We Can’t Wait | Panel Discussion | April 17 from 5:30-7 PM | Register here to receive the link to the webinar.

That’s it for now!  See you at the General Meeting and hope you enjoy this four-day week!

Good morning! 

Wasn’t that three-day week last week great?  Great way to kick off the month of April!

Here is the April 7^th Edition of the Monday Message.

You will find information about next week’s electronic SEA Election for SEA Exec Board Members and Building Reps. Ballots will be emailed to you by 7 AM next Monday morning.  This is the election our building reps like the best…vote whenever and wherever you’d like next Monday, just before 6 PM please.

Currently we do not have any names on the ballot for SEA’s Elementary Instructional Services Liaison and the Junior High Instructional Services Liaison.  These representatives meet monthly with a member of the District 54 Cabinet to discuss and questions or concerns about instruction that you, our members, share with them.  If you are interested in serving the SEA in this capacity, consider being a write-in on the ballot.  Or you can learn more about our exec board first hand by joining us today after school today for our monthly meeting from 3:30-5:00 PM in the Board Room. 

The following building has no reps currently on the ballot: Dooley. 

The following buildings have only one rep on the ballot: Blackwell, Dirksen, Enders-Salk, Fairview, Hanover Highlands, & Keller.

Please consider being a write-in on these schools’ ballots.

Other information in the Monday Message includes access to CustomGuide Interactive Training Courses and NEA Member Benefits No Cost Benefits.

Had to count…we have less than 40 days of school left this year!  You’ve got this, SEA!

Good morning, SEA! 

Hope you have been enjoying spring break!  No worries, you still have today and tomorrow off, but just thought I would still send out the Monday Message on a Monday! 

Here is the link to the 3/31 Monday Message.

You can still RSVP to the SEA/SEEO General Meeting through this Friday, April 4.  We do have to finalize our numbers soon and we would love to have you join us!   Retirees, don’t forget to turn in your retiree information to me by next Monday.  Check your previous emails from me or let me know if you need me to resend you the link. 

Tomorrow is the last day to apply to be on one of the Illinois Education Association’s committees for the 2025-2026 School Year.  It’s a great opportunity to get your voice heard at the state level.  You will need to login to the members only page to apply.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to go out and vote tomorrow, especially for your local school boards.  SEA and SEEO’s recommended candidates are listed on SEA’s social media pages.  

Ok, now back to keeping the computer closed for two more days!

Top of the mornin’ to ya’, SEA!

I can just sense the SEA of green in your schools today!

Here is the link to the March 17^th Edition of the Monday Message.

The Region 35 and SEA elections are taking place in your buildings throughout the day today.  Your building reps should have communicated your voting times and locations for these elections.  Please take a few minutes to vote.  We do have a contested election for delegates to the NEA-RA, so be sure to read the candidates bios.  

After school today we will have our monthly Building Representative Meeting.  As always, all members are welcome to attend.  We will have Region 35’s endorsed Board of Education members visiting as guests.  Our meeting takes place in the PLC from 3:30-5:00 PM. 

There is also a 4 PM deadline today to get in your nomination forms for building reps and executive board members for the 2025-2026 School Year.  As of now, I do know the SEA has openings for the following exec board positions: Special Education Co-Liaison, Elementary Instructional Services Liaison, Junior High Instructional Services Liaison, and Sick Bank Co-Chair. 

Thank you for all you do for your students and the District 54 community day in and day out!  Enjoy your spring break next week!

Happy Monday SEA! 

Just two more weeks until spring break! We are getting so close!

Here is the March 10^th Edition of the Monday Message.

You will find a reminder about tomorrow’s SEA/SEEO Yoga Event taking place from 3:45-4:45 PM in the ELC Gym, hosted by Rachel Martin (ELC) who is also helping the SEA start up a “Mental Health and Wellness Committee” for the 2025-2026 School Year.

Next Monday is our next Region 35 election, which we will be voting for delegates to the NEA-RA this summer and SEA President and Vice-President.  The candidate bios are attached for you.  Building reps will be receiving all of the voting materials from Kelly O’Reilly this week.

RSVPs are still coming in for our SEA/SEEO General Meeting on Monday, April 14^th.  We hope you will be joining us!  If you have never attended in the past, we encourage you to check it out!  For our team, it’s like planning a wedding, yet you can come in School Spirit Wear as we celebrate our retirees and all the great work our SEA and SEEO teams have done this year!  

You have one more week to get in your nominations to be a SEA Building Rep or Executive Board member for the 2025-2026 School Year.  Please get those nominations in by 4 PM next Monday.

Lastly, I wanted to share a way the SEA has been advocating for you in regards to being notified about your teaching placements for next year.  While our contract states that May 1^st is the deadline for administrators to notify you of your teaching assignment, we know that some schools have already received this information.  We also know that educators will be attending math planning sessions this spring and thought it would be best that you attend the sessions based on the grade you are assigned next year.  With that being said, admin have been asked to share assignments by March 21^st.  The practice of knowing your assignment before spring break will continue to be a practice for the SEA, as it will also allow people to know prior to the transfer fair their assignments.   

Happy March, SEA!

Love turning the calendar to March to see Spring Break just a few short weeks away.    

Here is the March 3 Edition of the Monday Message.

You will find the April Election Notice shared at last week’s Building Rep Meeting. The SEA is currently seeking nominations for building representatives and executive board members for the 2025-2026 School Year.  If this is something you are interested, please fill out your nomination form by Monday, March 17.  Building reps and executive board members are one year positions and must seek election/re-election annually.

Next week there will be another Yoga Class for SEA/SEEO members taking place on Tuesday, March 11, from 3:45-4:45 PM in the ELC Gym.  Please register for the Yoga class so that Rachel Martin (Early Career Liaison from the ELC) knows how many members to expect.

It’s not too late to RSVP to our SEA/SEEO General Meeting taking place on Monday, April 14.  We are excited that we have the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year, Dr. Rachael Mahmood, as our keynote speaker.

There will be another round of SEA Job Descriptions reviewed, but this time it will be for the Department of Language and Culture.  If you would be interested in this work, please fill out the Job Description Review form by this Wednesday, March 5.  Dr. Colette Bell and I will be finalizing the teams this Friday, March 7.  This next round of work will require groups to meet on Tuesday, March 11.

Lastly, I attached a flier regarding a K-12 Educators Supporting Immigrant Students webinar taking place on March 5 at 6 PM via Zoom.  The goal of the webinar is to increase educators’ knowledge and best practices on supporting immigrant students and families in and outside of schools.  It’s being presented by ImmSchools and a partnership with TeachPlus.  

Enjoy celebrating RESPECT WEEK in your schools!

Good morning, SEA!

Glad we are finally reaching temperatures above freezing.  It’s been a rough winter, but spring seems to be right around the corner.

Today after school in the PLC is our monthly Building Representative Meeting from 3:30-5:00 PM, followed by the Region 35 Council Meeting from 5-6:30 PM.  Any SEA member is welcome to attend both meetings to find out the latest news from the SEA & IEA.

Here is the February 24^th Edition of the Monday Message.

Information highlighted this week include the following:

• Workplace Solutions LifeSpeak Breathe & Webinars on Demand available to you from our EAP
• RSVP to our SEA/SEEO General Meeting on April 14
• Register for IEA’s Spring Session Virtual Book Studies
• Time for another SEA/SEEO Yoga Event on Tuesday, March 11

Nomination forms for SEA & Region 35’s March Elections are due today at 4 PM.  Any questions about the elections or to help count ballots, contact our Elections Chair, Kelly O’Reilly.

Lastly, the SEA Exec Board member you should get-to-know this week is Tracy Conlin, one of our Special Education Co-Liaisons.  Tracy works alongside Jenny McDermott to help answer special education related questions and concerns.  Thank you to Tracy and Jenny for reaching out monthly to all of our SEA SpEd members!

See you at our SEA Building Rep Meeting today!