Author: sea54web

Nomination forms for our May 2024 Elections are due today by 4 PM.  This election is for 2024-2025 Building Reps, Region 35 council members, and SEA Secretary & Treasurer.  Here is the link to the nomination form. 

Here is how many building rep nomination forms we have so far for each building:

Addams (1), Aldrin (2), Armstrong (2), Blackwell (2), Campanelli (1), Churchill (1), Collins (1), Dirksen (1), Dooley (2), 

Einstein (0), Eisenhower (3), ELC (3), Enders-Salk (2), Fairview (1), Fox (1), Frost (3), Hale (3), Hanover (1), Hoover (2), Keller (2), Lakeview (4), Lincoln Prairie (1), Link (4), MacArthur (2), Mead (3), Muir (1), Nerge (2), RAC (2), Stevenson (1), 

**Most buildings are eligible to have at least 3 reps (1 rep per 15 members) and it is helpful for each rep to have a partner to share the workload with. 

Don’t forget to RSVP by April 1 for the SEA/SEEO General Meeting on April 15. 

Enjoy having tomorrow off for Election Day and hope you have a great Spring Break, just right around the corner!

Hello SEA!

Check off 2nd trimester report cards from the to-do list.  Now, we have spring break to look forward two just a couple short weeks away! 

Here is the March 11th edition of the Monday Message. 

There is quite a bit of information in regards to SEA and Region 35 Elections.  We are still accepting nominations forms for SEA Building Rep, SEA Secretary, and SEA Treasurer for the May 2024 Elections.  They are due next Monday, March 18.  We also have the candidates’ bios for next week’s Region 35 election as you will be voting to send delegates from the SEA to the NEA-RA. 

We are also accepting RSVP’s to the SEA/SEEO General Meeting on Monday April 15.  Here is the link to RSVP by April 1. 

Definitely take a few minutes to look through the Monday Message for all the important info from the SEA and the IEA.  

Happy March, SEA!  

Here is the link to the March 4 Edition of the Monday Message. 

You will find your official invitation to the SEA/SEEO General Meeting on Monday, April 15.  Please RSVP by April 1 so that we can inform Chandler’s of the correct amount of attendees.  Doors will open at 3:15 PM, entertainment begins at 3:30 PM, followed by the program at 4:00 PM. 

Nomination forms are now available to be a SEA Building Representative for 2024-2025, a Region 35 council representative for a two-year term, SEA Secretary for a two-year term, and SEA Treasurer for a two-year term. Please complete the nomination form by Monday, March 18.  All current building reps must run again as it is only a one-year term.

The SEA is still accepting funding requests from early career educators (years 1-10 of teaching) to attend IEA’s Early Career Spring Retreat.  The deadline to register for the conference is March 21. 

Hope you have a great RESPECT WEEK in District 54!

Good morning, SEA!

Hope you had a great weekend and got to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather yesterday, after the snow on Friday night!  

After school today we have our monthly SEA Building Rep Meeting.  All members are invited to attend either in person or via Zoom.  Here is the link to request the Zoom Link by 3:15 PM.    Superintendent DuRoss and members of his Cabinet will be in attendance as he gives his monthly report to the building reps.  

Attached to this week’s email, you will find a copy of SEA’s Bylaws that include proposed amendments by our Bylaw Committee.  The committee’s chair, Michelle Burke, will be reviewing the proposed changes at today’s Building Rep Meeting.  All members will have an opportunity between now and the March building rep meeting to review the Bylaws.  There will be a vote at the March meeting whether or not to approve the bylaws.  Questions about the revisions?  Check with Michelle Burke, speech/language pathologist at Hale School.

Please check out the February 26 Edition of the Monday Message.  You will find opportunities to apply for diverse books for your classroom from the IEA.  Any IEA member, especially Early Career members, are encouraged to apply.  There is a QR code in the Monday Message for you to scan and register today.

You will also find our February Contract tidbit which reviews the language in our contract around sick leave and inappropriate use of sick leave.  That document has also been attached for you.  

Can’t believe we are winding down the month of February this week…with an extra day of course. See you at the Rep meeting!

Good morning, SEA!  

I hope you had a productive afternoon on Friday and that this email isn’t being read until Tuesday morning, after having a terrific 3-day weekend.  

Here is the February 19th Edition of the Monday Message. 

One thing I wanted to highlight this week is the IEA Early Career Spring Retreat.  For the second year in a row, the SEA is wanting to send a team of early career educators from D54 to attend. The event takes place on April 5-6 in Bloomington.  SEA will provide you with funding to attend, as well as a substitute for you that Friday afternoon to be able to travel to Bloomington.  If you are interested, you will need to complete a funding request form with the SEA first and then we will provide the conference registration reimbursement later. 

We are still looking for some D54 talent to provide us with some entertainment at our annual SEA/SEEO General Meeting on Monday, April 15 from 3:30-5:30 PM at Chandler’s.  Please email me if you are interested or know of a group that may be able to help us out.  

Enjoy your four day work week, SEA!

Happy Day After the Super Bowl, SEA!

No matter what game you played during the Super Bowl or whether or not the team you cheered on won, hope you had a great evening last night…overtime and all. 

Here is the February 12 Edition of the Monday Message. 

Please save the date for the 2024 SEA/SEEO General Meeting afterschool on Monday, April 15, at Chandler’s.  We are seeking student or staff to provide us with our pre-entertainment between 3:30-4:00 PM. We are also looking for SEA or SEEO members or District 54 students to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, the Black National Anthem, and the Star Spangled Banner.  If you are willing or know of any groups or individuals who may be willing to help perform please let me know. 

Thanks again for all the Candy Gram orders that were placed over the past two weeks.  They will be delivered this Thursday and Friday. If you are looking for other ways to support the D54 Education Foundation, consider joining the foundation for the Dine and Share this Friday, February 16 at The Local, for the Windy City Bulls D54 Takeover Night on Thursday, February 29, or at the Mardi Gras Night on March 1.

Hope you have a productive 1/2 day on Friday working on report cards or whatever else needs to be done!

Good morning, SEA!

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend with milder winter weather.  Here is the February 5 Edition of the Monday Message.  As we celebrate Black History Month, several classroom resources have been embedded throughout the Monday Message for you to use not just this month, but year-round. 

I had a great time representing the SEA in Washington D.C. this past Thursday and Friday at a local presidents training with the National Education Association.  It was great to reflect on ways in which to grow our association and membership engagement, while networking with presidents from across the country.  I look forward to share more with my leadership team today at our meeting, as well as with our reps in a couple of weeks.

Some other highlights from this week’s edition:

• Candy Grams to support the D54 Education Foundation – order here by Friday and then make your donation on the D54 Education Foundation website
• Workplace Solutions Monthly Webinars (flier attached)
• IEA UniServ Intern Program
• IEA Early Career Spring Retreat – SEA is funding members to attend

Be sure to checkout the revised report card timeline recently sent out by Dr. Jillian Sagan. Thank you for the building reps who advocated days being added on to 2nd trimester to allow more time to finished 2nd trimester curriculum.  The report card window officially opens on February 14. 

Good morning, SEA!

Lots of news can be found in the January 29, 2024 Edition of the Monday Message.  

Candy Grams are back!  In honor of Valentine’s Day, the SEA and SEEO are once again running a fundraiser for the District 54 Education Foundation’s Children in Crisis Fund.  We will send a Candy Gram with your own personalized message to anyone within the district for $5.  In order to place your order, please fill out this Candy Gram form by Friday, February 9.   Candy Grams will be delivered throughout the week of February 12. To make your payment for the Candy Gram, you will visit d54foundation.org/donate to make your contribution. 
 

Our Region 35 discussion about the Netflix Documentary “Stamped From the Beginning” was moved to tonight, 5 PM at Bellworks. Please meet us at the World’s Restaurant inside Bellworks.  Even if you didn’t RSVP, feel free to join us!  

We are still seeking nomination forms to be a delegate at the NEA RA this summer in Philadelphia. Nomination forms are due on February 26, by 4 PM.

Be sure to review the significance of February 1 in our contract.  Some of the language pertains to a handful of our members.  Page 3 of the Monday Message reviews that language.

Speaking of February 1, that is also the kickoff to Black History Month.  Here is a link to Black History Month lessons and resources from the NEA. 

There are a lot of opportunities for our SEA members for you to review:

• Cultivating Justice, Joy, & Genius Through Racial Equity
• Jason Eliasek Scholarship
• IEA’s Early Career Spring Retreat  –   Request Funds  |   Registration
• D54 Education Foundation’s MARDI GRAS

We are always looking to send members to various IEA & NEA related conferences, professional developments, & webinars.  To make a conference funding request, you can find the proper documents on the forms tab of SEA’s website. 

Due to the snow/cold/ice days, our last day of school is now Monday, June 3.  Should there be any other emergency days called, we could go potentially through Wednesday, June 5.  That would be the absolute last day for the 2023-2024 School Years.  Members should not be planning any trips until Thursday, June 6.  These emergency days have always been listed at the bottom of District 54’s calendar. 

Ok, I did say it would be a lot of news and hopefully all the links work!  Thanks for taking a few moments to review this information.

Happy Snowy Monday, SEA! 

Today we have our January Building Rep meeting at the PLC starting at 3:30 PM.  All members are welcome to attend.  At least one rep per building should be in attendance.  To attend virtually, please request the link via this Google form by 3:15 PM. 

Here is the link to the January 22 edition of the Monday Message for you to review. There are a handful of opportunities for professional development and other member opportunities highlighted. 

Attached is a copy of this month’s contract tidbit that reviews the language for transfers and the transfer fair.  You should have received an invitation to sign-up for the transfer fair last week.  The SEA encourages all members to sign-up.   Tomorrow after school we have our Region 35 discussion of the Netflix documentary “Stamped From the Beginning”.  A group will be meeting from 5-6:30 PM, at the World’s Fair Restaurant/Bar located inside of Bellworks in Hoffman Estates (2000 Center Drive).  Please RSVP via this link so we know how many members to expect.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, SEA!

Hope you are managing to enjoy this snowy, frigid weekend.  Attached is the January 15th Edition of the Monday Message.

One thing I wanted to highlight with everyone is our Region 35 discussion on the Netflix documentary “Stamped from the Beginning”.  We will be meeting next Tuesday, January 23, 5 PM, at Bellworks in Hoffman Estates.  Please watch the documentary in advance.    So we know how many people we are expecting, please fill out this Google form, by next Monday, January 22. We will be communicating with you via personal email about our meet-up location at Bellworks. 

Writing a SCORE grant proposal?  They are due to the IEA by tonight.  More info can be found in the Monday Message. 

We are still accepting nominations for our 2024 SEA Awards presented at our General Meeting in April.  Please do so by this Friday, January 19. Stay warm, SEA!