If knowledge is power, then MEA member Timmery Foster figures she is helping to make a stronger union by attending this year’s ESP Statewide Conference. Not only did the Howell paraeducator spend time attending sessions at the conference for Education Support Professionals – held virtually this year because of the pandemic – but she also […]
This year, Education Support Professionals have faced unforeseen challenges in every job category as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended normal life – and their contributions are something to be proud of, says ESP Caucus President Roy Freeman. Now in the wake of that upheaval and change, the MEA ESP Statewide Conference on March 25-27 offers a […]
MEA member Julie Ingison says the pandemic means children who ride her bus can’t see her smile through the face mask, but she tries to make sure they can hear the smile in her voice when she greets them by name each day. They also can feel her love through the huggable gift she handcrafted […]
* A mistake in the print magazine wrongly indicates the number of At-Large Director positions which are open for nominations on the ESP Caucus Board. We regret the error. Nominations are being accepted for several positions on the MEA ESP Caucus Executive Board. Open positions are as follows: PRESIDENT: 1 Position – Sept. 1, 2021 […]
Throughout the pandemic, MEA member Jill Wheeler has gone above and beyond to get books to kids, hand-delivering titles to classrooms and sanitizing the returns since students could no longer check them in and out in-person due to safety protocols. Much has changed in her role this year as a library aide in Sandusky Community Schools, […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor At Parma Elementary School in Jackson County’s Western School District, students coming through Miss Dawn’s cafeteria line enjoy a generous serving of love along with their chicken nuggets, buttered corn and apple slices. “The kids absolutely love her because they know she cares,” said Principal Sue Haney. “She jokes with […]
Lots of people say it in these unusual days of our lives, but for MEA member Amy Quiñones it’s literally true: She did not sign up for this. The job she’s doing in Rockford Public Schools—COVID Response paraprofessional—didn’t exist before this year. “I jokingly say that the brochure lied,” Quiñones said. “Never before has a […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor One of Karen Moore’s proudest accomplishments as Grand Blanc West High School secretary is the “zen room” she created a few years ago—outfitted with soft lights, gentle white noise, a lilac-scented diffuser, and coloring books, crayons, and puzzles. It’s a testament to her powers that she convinced the building principal to give […]
EAST LANSING – At-risk students may be hardest hit by the disruption of schooling in the COVID-19 era, so an MEA unit of Kalamazoo behavior specialists has taken action to help them cope from a distance. The 14 members of the Kalamazoo Behavior Specialists Association (KBSA) came up with the idea to create Wellness Toolboxes for their students to […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Eric Curtiss thought he had a high number of students in his English classes last year when his numbers topped out at 144. This year he has 168, although the number fluctuates. Last year he had five preps, the most in his 22-year career. Now he has […]
