NJEA Information
Prepare for budget elections
With all the problems facing the U.S. economy and the economy in this state, with record foreclosures and rising unemployment, your local association must be prepared for a difficult school budget election season. Contact your UniServ office to check on the date for a “Pass the School Budget” workshop in your county.
Are your members registered to vote?
You can start your school budget campaign by ensuring that your members are registered to vote for the April 20 school budget elections and by working with your administration and parents to register parents to vote. Visit the Division of Elections website for voter registration forms and the addresses to which they can be mailed.
Vote by mail for your school district’s budget
Don’t forget how easy it is to vote in New Jersey! You can vote by mail and it counts the same. No need to wait in line at the polls; you don’t even need an excuse as you did in the past to vote by mail. Simply print out and complete a Mail-In Ballot Application and mail it to your county clerk. Once you fill out the application you will receive, prior to Election Day, a voting ballot in the mail. Remember, if you apply for a Mail-In Ballot, you cannot show up at the polls on Election Day to vote.
Does your school plan to celebrate Read Across America?
Read Across America—a national day to celebrate reading—is slated for Tuesday, March 2. If you or your school has an awesome activity planned over the next several weeks, let the Cat know about it! All events will be posted to tell everyone of “the places you’ll go” when promoting childhood literacy. For additional Read Across America ideas and activities visit NEA’s Read Across America website. You’ll find many valuable resources in the left-hand sidebar. If you’d like your Read Across America activities considered for publication in the NJEA Reporter, NJEA Review, or njea.org, complete this form and send it to NJEA with two or three of your best photos. This form also appears in the February issue of the NJEA Reporter.
Nominate an N.J. Hall of Famer
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is calling for entries to its fourth annual essay contest. It is open to all New Jersey students in grades 4 through 12. Students are asked to nominate potential inductees – living or dead – to the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Nominations must be postmarked by April 1.
FAST program to focus on achievement gaps
Circle May 8 on your calendar to attend “Strategies for Closing Achievement Gaps,” a workshop sponsored by NJEA Families and Schools Together Work for Children (NJEA FAST). Participants will learn ways to apply the NEA’s research-based C.A.R.E. themes: culture, abilities, resilience, and effort. Registration forms will be available in early March. The workshop will take place at NJEA’s headquarters in Trenton. Share this flier with your members. For more information, contact Kathy Mathews at 609-599-4561, ext. 2370 or kmathews@njea.org.
Free tickets available for NYC Teaching and Learning Celebration
NJEA has a limited number of free tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis to members interested in attending either the Friday, March 5 or Saturday, March 6 session of the 2010 Celebration of Teaching and Learning in New York City. A ticket can be requested at njea.org, where a link will lead members to an order form. The free tickets cannot be ordered by phone. Each member must request his or her own ticket. Registrants will not be able to request more than one free ticket. Influential figures such as Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Lisa Henson, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Bobby McFerrin and Queen Latifah will be featured. NJEA is a major sponsor. Details about the celebration can also be found at www.thirteencelebration.org.
Plan for the Urban Education Best Practices Symposium
Set aside April 17 to attend the NJEA Urban Education Best Practices Symposium. The day will include a panel discussion that will connect the importance of best practices with student success. Attendees will select three seminars from a choice of seven to round out the day. The event will take place at the Wyndham Princeton Forrestal Hotel and Conference Center. Share this registration form with your members.
Two Technology Integration conferences offered
The first NJEA Technology Integration Conference this year will be held on April 24 at the Princeton Wyndham. Workshops include Google Documents, Google Geo Applications, and Google tools for collaboration. This conference is designed for experienced users. The registration deadline is March 31. The second NJEA Technology Integration Conference this year will be held on May 1 at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. The conference is co-sponsored by NJEA, Richard Stockton College, and the SRI-ETTC. Topics include Web 2.0 Tools for Educators, Introduction to SmartBoards, as well Google applications for educators. The registration deadline for this conference is April 7. Online registration is available both conferences. Mail-in registration forms are also available for the Princeton and Stockton conferences.
Deadline for legislative conference is Feb. 5
Saturday, Feb. 20, is the date for the NJEA Walter J. O’Brien Legislative and Political Action Conference. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency, 2 Albany Street, New Brunswick. Share this registration flier, which can also be found in the December NJEA Review and at njea.org. The registration deadline is Feb. 5.
Higher Ed Conference in new location
Mark your calendar and reprogram your GPS—the NJEA Higher Education Conference, scheduled for April 16-17, will take place at a new location this year: the Princeton Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. More information can be found in the February NJEA Reporter. For more information call the higher education regional UniServ office at 609-689-9580.
Invite future teachers to Student NJEA Conference
Be sure to tell your student teacher, practicum student, or family member preparing to become a teacher about this year’s Student NJEA Conference on Saturday, April 17, at the Princeton Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. More information can be found in the March NJEA Reporter and at njea.org.
Are you ready to run for office?
The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) will host its 12th annual Ready to Run program on Saturday, March 20 at the Douglass Campus Center, Rutgers-New Brunswick. NJEA has a limited number of scholarships available. Call NJEA Government Relations at 609-599-4561, ext 2363 or ggold@njea.org for details. For more information about the program, or to register, visit www.cawp.rutgers.edu. Preconference programs for women of color will be held on March 19.
A delegation that looks like New Jersey
NJEA and NEA are committed to achieving ethnic-minority delegate representation at the 2010 NEA Representative Assembly in New Orleans, La., that is at least equal to the proportion of ethnic-minorities within the state. See this flier and the January 2010 NJEA Reporter for details.
Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Student Leaders program is an exciting component of its philanthropic program, the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®. Help spread the word to juniors and seniors in New Jersey high schools, by distributing this flier to school personnel who have contact with juniors and seniors. The deadline for students to submit applications is February 17, 2010. To learn more about the program and for details about the online application process, visit the Bank of America Charitable Foundation website.
Aflac is not the answer
While Aflac is very successful at national advertising, it does not provide one comprehensive solution to protecting income from disability. The NJEA-sponsored disability insurance program was designed by NJEA specifically to meet the needs of members in a cost-effective manner. Local leaders who have questions about disability insurance programs may contact NJEA Member Benefits at 609-599-4561, ext. 2222. Questions may also be e-mailed to Phil Lomonico at PLomonico@njea.org.
Get discount tickets to Devils game
Come see the New Jersey Devils take on the Buffalo Sabres, Sunday, April 11. The game starts at 5 p.m. at the Prudential Center. For this game, you’ll save big on tickets with a special NJEA discount! Get a $56 ticket for $30, or a $79 lower level ticket for only $67. These discounts are for NJEA Members and their families. In addition, the Devils will donate $2 to the Frederick L. Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education for each ticket purchased. To order tickets, complete and mail this order form with payment to the address indicated on the form. Tickets can also be ordered online at www.ticketmaster.com/devilsnjea.
See Rutgers basketball for $5
All NJEA Members and state workers are eligible for a special $5 ticket rate to Rutgers basketball home games when the Scarlet Knights women take on St. John’s on Feb. 24 and when the men take on Seton Hall on March 4. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m. To redeem this offer, visit Rutgers Ticket Office Promotions Page and enter the promotion code “state.”
Are your members aware of the NJEA web giveaway?
Please remind members that there are prizes won every month just for registering at njea.org. Members need to register every month to remain eligible to win.
Open enrollment – every three years
Local presidents should expect to hear from the NJEA-sponsored disability insurance program once every three years. It is crucial that the local president provide direction to the representative of Educators Insurance Services so that all members are given the opportunity to apply for (or adjust) their coverage without the need to answer health questions. If you have any questions, please call 800-704-1365, ext. 0.
Get ideas from Classroom Close-up, NJ archives
At Classroom Close-up, NJ you can search for individual show segments from the last 16 years. Segments are searchable by topic, location, academic subject, and season. The show airs on NJN Public Television every Monday at 7 p.m. and every Saturday at 9 a.m. Watch the current episode online.
Legislative News
You’ll find a rundown of recent legislative actions on NJEA’s website.
Report on Education
Share with your members the Report on Education, NJEA President Barbara Keshishian’s column in newspapers and websites across the state.
NJEA pension consultants available
Remind your members that they are entitled to a free half-hour pension consultation at their regional UniServ office with a trained NJEA pension consultant. As soon as your members are considering retirement, they should call their regional UniServ office to schedule a consultation.