Hello OGEA,
Our mental health PD day is today and we are going to have great opportunities to interact with each other. There will likely be exchanges between members about the stresses and our responsibilities in public education today. Class sizes, case loads, meetings attended, adjunct duties, extra responsibilities encroaching on our time to plan and be our best for our students. Help pivot these conversations into the importance of having strong interal relationships and supporting one another. Additionally, that our strength as a union comes from each other and stepping up to make changes happen that we need and want for our schools and students, together. The decision makers in facilitating these changes is our school board of directors. Three out of five seats are open this November and absantee ballots are already on their way. Wanting to go for that parcel tax? Hoping to see the district better engage with our community? Itching for a more appropriate curriculum? Tighten up budgets and increase revenues in ways that positively affect our students' learning and classroom conditions? The school board makes these decisions that govern our district and guide the districts bargaining team when we negotiate. This election matters. Our endorsed candidates need your help. The voters are the families in our neighborhood we teach, the parents of our students who want the best for their kids just as we do. We must get out and make connections with our parents in the community and stress the importance of rejecting charter schools, getting involved in this election and voting for candidates that will put students first in our community. We need commitments from our members to phone bank and knock on doors not just for our candidates, but for our students, our schools, and our profession. When you hear our members share their stories, pivot those conversations into how they can help be part of the change and get out to talk with our community. We can't do this alone. Tell members to check their emails, Facebook pages, and our website for links to volunteer to sign up on at least 1 day this October and make a difference in our district. Nov 6th is election day. In solidarity, and with hope for our district, Dominic Rizzi OGEA President
See below our Endorsed Candidate Information Links TA2 Tami: https://tinyurl.com/lobue-moore ( click to volunteer ) https://paypal.me/vote4moore ( click to Contribute ) TA 3 Brian: https://tinyurl.com/lobue-moore ( click to volunteer ) https://tinyurl.com/blobue-donate (contribute) TA 5 Dennis: dennishawkins.com ( click to visit website )