There was a flurry of news activity on Friday surrounding the online learning districts are pushing to deliver for students and how the state was going to count that toward requirements for student contact time this school year. The short version: There’s a lot that the state doesn’t know yet that we need to figure […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Ask MEA Economist Ruth Beier about her youth, and you might get a wry joke with a deadpan delivery: “I describe my childhood as Lord of the Flies in the suburbs. It was a pack of kids and some Cap’n Crunch.” Truth is – she’s not kidding. On the […]
Nothing can replace the face-to-face education that our public schools provide, but parents and educators who are looking for ways to keep school-age children engaged and learning during this unexpected break from school can find ideas and resources online. Of course, one problem with online learning is the digital divide that exists across the country […]
March 14, 2020 Dear MEA members, As your MEA President, I wanted to reach out and update you regarding how MEA is engaging around the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on our students and our members. Commitment to Safety Obviously, we’re committed first and foremost to everyone’s safety. As I said in a statement released Thursday night […]
How “Enhancement Millages” are helping students and educators By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Tov Pauling Longtime school custodian Tov Pauling has a unique perspective on what’s happening in Wayne-Westland schools. To sum it up, he quotes Carl Reed—the custodian character from the 1980s “Brat Pack” movie, The Breakfast Club—“I am the eyes and ears [...]
By Jennifer Dooley M.Ed., MAED. Sixth-grade teacher Pontiac City School District I am ecstatic when organizations and policy makers recommend funding schools with a weighted formula based on student needs. It is an important first step to acknowledge that not all children are the same nor are they afforded the same economic advantages. However, even […]
Rockford bus driver Russ Clark, known for his dedication to the students with cognitive impairments who ride his bus, was recognized as the statewide Education Support Staff Professional of the Year at a surprise assembly in December. The MEA member was selected from among 250 nominees for getting to know students individually and showing them […]
Gabby Taylor, a fourth-year teacher in Ann Arbor, channels veteran educators’ frustrations in “Teachers Anthem,” a moving song she wrote and performed at a school board meeting as contract talks started. You must have a music background—the anthem is powerful. I started writing in eighth or ninth grade. I took guitar lessons. I did show choir […]
Amid a contentious political scene nationally, a diverse group of Michigan leaders from the education, business, civic, and philanthropic realms—often at odds in the political arena—have spent the past 18 months seeking common ground on education policy. In December, the unusual coalition known as Launch Michigan released its first set of recommendations for rebuilding a public […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor LIKE MANY educators, Jennifer Gougeon-Catarino has always been a planner—independent and efficient at getting things done. A teacher friend once called her “Polly Positive” for her go-getter spirit. “I was productive, and I was in control,” she said. “I thought I had my whole life planned out. Then this happened.” Four years […]
