Volume 43, No. 4NCAEN E W S B U L L E T I NN O R T H C A R O L I N A A S S O C I A T I O N O F E D U C A T O R SNovember 2012

ESPs Are Extra Special People...You Can’t Run Schools Without Them!

Love his job as a bus driver? You bet, says NCAE member Albert Daniels, who has been transporting Durham Public School students for 24 years. What began as a part-time job to supplement his income as an insurance agent has become the best career move that Daniels has ever made. “Being around students every day makes me feel young and makes me feel like I’m

helping someone along the way,” he said. “I can honestly say that I look forward to coming to work.” As a bus driver, Daniels plays an important role in the school community. And, as an Education Support Professional (ESP), he is one of thousands of school employees who takes care of students every day, making sure they have what they need to succeed in school. “Every day children get on the bus, I am the first one they see in the morning and the last person they see in the afternoon. I try to share something positive with them each day in hopes that something I say will influence them.” To celebrate the work and contributions of ESP, the nation will

observe American Education Week November 12-16. Wednesday, November 14, is Education Support Professionals Day, and is dedicated to honoring school support staff and the impact they have on the lives of children every day. According to NEA, ESPs comprise more than 40 percent of the total K-12 education

workforce. Eighty percent of them work full time, 60 percent live in a small or rural community, and 77 percent live in the school district in which they work. On average, ESP members have been employed in their fields for 12 years, with 30 percent of them having more than 15 years of experience. “What we do is not just a job, it’s a career,” said ESP President Chris Bridges, in a

recent video produced by NEA. Bridges, a bus driver/supervisor for Wake County Public Schools, explains that ESPs are part of the community and have a valuable role in educating students. Like Daniels, Donna Barnette falls in that 30 percent category. She has worked for the Caldwell County School System for 25 years in a variety of positions, currently as a teacher assistant, nurse assistant, reading instructor, bus driver, in-house textbook manager and as liaison between her school and the bus garage. “I guess you could say that I’m a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’,” Barnette said. “I perform many duties at Granite Falls Middle School and all of them are important. However, I feel that my most important job is reading instructor because I

have the opportunity to pass on my grandmother’s gift of reading to students each day.” Barnette said it was that

gift that influenced her to pursue a career in education. “My grandmother was an English teacher in Virginia. She taught me by example to love reading and to help and encourage others to read. “No matter what role I’m serving in, I demand that students do their best because that is all I will accept. My goal is to have a positive impression on students. They watch everything I do, therefore I want them to see a person who tries to do what is right and fair. I believe that I have a very good relationship with my students although I’m strict. While shopping recently, I was greeted by three former students who told me that they now understand why I demanded their best and thanked me for being tough on them.” Barnette describes her position as an ESP as part of a family – a family of educators that give knowledge to students each day. “As ESPs, we wear many hats and perform a wide variety of tasks. We clean the floors and cook the lunches. We

answer the phones and comfort the crying. Teaching our children is our passion. We are Education Support Professionals and proud members of NCAE.”

Albert Daniels looks forward to coming to work each day.

Donna Barnette, left, with friend Kathy King, wears many hats.

NCAE

President Rodney Ellis

Message From the Vice President

News Bulletin November 20122

NCAE salutes all of the hard work that you do every day to educate our students. Whether you are a teacher, custodian, or bus driver, your job is an important part of what makes public schools work. American Education Week (November 12-16) has been set aside to celebrate each of you. Thanks for all that you do. Click here to read Vice President Jewell’s special AEW message.

Without a Doubt...the Association Works for You!

During the Chicago teachers’ strike several weeks ago, I began seriously thinking about the relevancy of unions. I decided to pen this editorial because I wanted to express, concisely, how I feel about these organizations that have seemingly turned into scapegoats for many of our country’s woes. We all know why and how unions

came to be, so I won’t include a history lesson. But, let me tell you about a few of my first-hand experiences of the benefits that a union can provide. A few years ago a policy was implemented in Forsyth County that if a teacher was accused by a student of sexual misconduct, that teacher was suspended with pay until an investigation was made and charges filed. No problem here because for the safety of the children, this was a reasonable policy. However, there was one small unacceptable detail -- every parent with a child enrolled in the accused teacher’s school received a robo call to inform them of the action. Think about this for a moment…no charges filed, no investigation as to the truth of the accusation, but a call was made that could potentially ruin teachers’ lives. And it did ruin lives. The Forsyth County Association of Educators (FCAE) has members to prove it and one of them ended his life the day a call about him was made! FCAE spoke out against this policy. We made it clear to the school board what this action did to our educators. How false accusations impact a person long after they have been proven to have no merit. We stood up and made it personal to them and showed them how devastating this policy could be to anyone, including their sons and daughters who are educators. Because of FCAE’s work and persistence, the policy was changed! If FCAE did not exist, how many more

teachers’ lives would have been destroyed? No one was going to speak for the employees unless they had the power and protection that OUR VOICE – FCAE’s VOICE, NCAE’s VOICE – provides. Now let me share the story of a bus driver who was accused by a student of inappropriate touching. The driver was suspended without pay while an investigation took place. Six weeks later, after the investigation was complete and the employee was cleared of all wrong-doing, FCAE fought like crazy to get back pay for the driver. The essential unfairness of putting the employee back to work with an “I’m sorry” didn’t pay the driver’s bills while out of work. FCAE won that fight as well. Who would have stood up to the injustice of this policy if not the employee’s union? And then there was the discovery of several teacher assistants

who had been paid below the state salary schedule for a number of years. The district would not have discovered the error, and if it did, would probably not have revealed the error. Not only did FCAE expose this problem, FCAE worked to get years of back pay that was owed to those members. As educators, we all have stories that we

can share about injustices that we, or our colleagues, have experienced. But it’s comforting to know that we can share these stories in confidence knowing that our organization -- whether it’s called a union or an Association; whether a local affiliate, NCAE or NEA -- has its eye on the bigger picture while we focus on educating our students. That’s the job of a union – to protect its members, to fight for its members, to empower its members and to encourage its members. Right? Right! There will always be nay-sayers out there who believe unions are not relevant, but those of us who are members know that we are. And as long as public education exists, and as long as there are public school employees, we always will be!Written by Ann Petitjean, president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators.

“It’s comforting to know that we can share these stories in confidence knowing that our association -- whether it’s called a union or an organization -- has its eye on the bigger picture while we focus on educating our students.”

NCAE Offers National Board Certification Assistance

NCAE offers a variety of workshops and support sessions for members who are pursuing National Board Certification. Below are a few of the options available in the next few months. For an entire listing, click here or call 1-800-662-7924, ext. 227.

• November 17 – Cluster Drive-in (Clemmons, Monroe, Winterville and Goldsboro)

• November 29-December 1 – “Basic Training” workshop (Raleigh)

• January 12, 2013 – “January JumpStart” workshop (Raleigh)• February 7-9, 2013 – “NBC Boot Camp” (Raleigh)

News Bulletin November 2012 NCAE 3

The Value of BelongingOur Association is both a professional association and an advocacy organization. With nearly 60,000 members, NCAE is affiliated with 131 local associations and the three-million member National Education Association (NEA). Our mission is to work collectively to provide the best public education for every student.

What NCAE members are saying about why they belong

Rudy Johnson, Chatham Middle School, Chatham County – “There are a lot of reasons why NCAE is my professional organization. The number one reason is advocacy. The Association is always advocating for us, whether it’s fighting for us in the Legislature or helping us solve issues at the local level. Also, the member benefits and professional development opportunities are outstanding!”

Susan Reynolds, Millbrook Elementary Magnet School, Wake County – “I joined NCAE because I knew I would be supported by an organization that cares about educators and their working conditions. I continue to be a member because I know NCAE will fight for better pay, fair benefits and lobby for the best policies to support us. I know NCAE will be there for me if I need help!”

Matthew Russell, Culbreth Middle School, Chapel Hill/Carrboro – “The reason I joined NCAE is because of one of my colleagues. He took a lot of time out of his schedule to explain NCAE to me and how I would benefit from being a member. I’ve been a member for four years now and I remain a member because I believe NCAE helps educators get the respect and benefits they deserve. We as educators need an organization to stand up for us and I believe strongly in supporting that effort.”

Lashaundon Smith, Edgewood Community Development School, Wayne County – “I joined NCAE because I wanted to be part of the phenomenal organization that advocates for and continuously fights for public education. I remain a member because I know the importance of public education and I’m dedicated to making sure that it is not dismantled. I don’t just want to talk about the fight, I want to be an active part in order to make a difference.”

‣Being part of grassroots campaigns to build support for public education‣Speaking up for educators’ interests in the Legislature and Congress‣Information about public education issues‣Having a voice in decisions about your salary, benefits and working conditions‣Taking advantage of Association professional development and workshops your local affiliate can offer‣Networking and social opportunities in your local‣Being part of grassroots campaigns to build support for public education‣Connecting with fellow educators through Association social media‣Helping elect “Friends of Education” to office, from your local school board to Congress‣Association leadership opportunities, from Association Rep to your local’s executive board‣Using Association tools to influence policy-makers‣Working together to help and support fellow members through your local’s activities‣Helping make public education the best it can be

Which Values of Belonging Will Help You Convince a Potential Member to Join Us?

4 News Bulletin November 2012NCAE

McDowell County NCAE Staves Off Change in Supplement Pay As Beth Silver stood in the Central Office parking lot, she was overwhelmed at the number of members who were turning out to have their voices heard and to support her as she prepared to speak on their behalf before the school board. She wasn’t about to let them down. Silver, president of the McDowell County Association of Educators (MCAE), was confident that she was doing the right thing. Superintendent Gerri Martin announced that teacher and principal supplements would be divided into two payments instead of distributed as one, and Silver knew the new policy would affect the wallets of educators countywide. This meant that employees would receive half of their supplement in October and the other half in June 2013 (between $825 and $1,025, depending on the job). The superintendent’s rationale for the change was that the current method was not sound fiscal management and it didn’t make sense to prepay monies for hours that had not yet been clocked. “I was so sad that it had to come to this,” said Silver, a second-grade teacher

at Glenwood Elementary School. “The certified staff in our system work so hard and it made my heart heavy to know that we even had to address this issue.” During her presentation, Silver pointed out that making the switch would place undue hardship on employees who counted on getting the supplement the same time each year. “Many teachers have already allocated their yearly supplement for household necessities like heating expenses, property taxes and college tuition payments. It’s not that teachers were against the new change, but were simply asking Dr. Martin to give them a grace period to prepare for it.” The next day, Silver and the MCAE executive board began calling members of the school board about the decision. Many were sympathetic and sincerely listened to the message that she and others were trying to relay during the meeting. The conversations that took place must have been effective because by the end of the week, the superintendent had reversed

her decision. “We received word to check the McDowell County Schools’ Web site and saw Dr. Martin’s letter. We all high-fived each other and then I found a quiet spot to thank God for giving me the guidance and wisdom to speak on behalf of the situation.” Silver commented that she doesn’t see the reversal as a “victory” for MCAE; it was the right thing to do. “This experience has put NCAE in the forefront of the minds of the public school employees in McDowell County. Everyone is growing closer and I see it as a turning point in the right direction for our organization. I am proud of my colleagues; so many of us, including myself, grew up here and returned to the community to give back. They love their students and they work hard every day to ensure that learning is taking place in classrooms across our county. We don’t receive many rewards but ALL of us deserve the few that we do get!”

Members show their support as Beth Silver, president of the McDowell County Association of Educators (inset), speaks to the McDowell County Board of Education. Photo: Landdis Hollifield, The McDowell News

NCAENC Educator Evaluation System

Calculating Growth and Determining the Rating for Standard Six

There will be three data methods used to demonstrate the amount of growth students have made over the course of a grade, subject or year to determine a teacher’s individual growth value. This is growth, not proficiency levels, in connection to test scores.

Analysis of Student Work: used with courses and grades that focus on performance standards, and/or district-level electives. Evaluators and teachers set goals around standards and establish expectations for the evidence of learning that will be gathered during the course. At the end of the grading period, the teachers/evaluators meet to review evidence and determine if the students made growth. The IIS system will assist educators with tools on gathering data, creating rigorous standards and measuring goals. Pre-Post Test Growth Model: used with courses and grades where statewide assessments are in place, but EVAAS cannot be used. (PreK-3 or specific subject like an art or skills course). Teachers administer a pre-assessment at the beginning of year/course and at the end of the grade/course, students take a post-assessment. Scores are analyzed to produce a growth score for the teacher. EVAAS Growth Model: used with courses and grades where there are statewide assessments and a prediction model has been determined. The EVAAS model predicts a student’s score on an assessment given the student’s past assessment data and the expectation that all students should make at least the average amount of growth. A teacher’s growth score will be determined by comparing the

amount of growth made by students to the average amount of growth made in that subject or grade. All educators will be given a unique code to access the EVAAS data and to verify class rosters.

Summary of Growth Data for Teachers of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies

Selection of Appropriate Measures of Student Learning: Teachers must administer at last one assessment (End-of-Grade, End-of-Course, Career and Technical Education post-assessment, or Measure of Student Learning) to each of their students. It is critical that all students are represented in the measure of how a teacher impacts the learning of his or her students. MSL or Common Exam assessment specifications for subjects recently created are now available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/educatoreffect/measures/specifications/

Core Principle: Teacher growth values will be calculated based on all students a teacher teaches and, when multiple assessments are required, on all data generated through the assessments.

Does the teacher administer an End-of-Course assessment, End–of-Grade assessment, or Career and Technical Education post-assessment to all of his or her students?

Grades Taught! ! Determination of Growth Value

PreK-3! ! ! Generated with the use of pre/post-tests growth model. A new state literacy assessment program will! ! ! provide data to determine growth value. 4-5 ! ! ! Generated with EVAAS growth model using data from end-of-grade assessments. The MSL must ONLY! ! ! be administered if the teacher is solely responsible for Social Studies in 4th or 5th grade. 6-12 ! ! ! Generated with EVAAS growth model using data from end-of-grade/course assessments and MSL that! ! ! will be combined to generate the teacher’s impact toward student growth. The MSL must be! ! ! administered, even if the teacher does administer an EOG/C to some of the students.

YES

No state requirement to administer a Measure of Student Learning.

Does the teacher instruct a course or grade/subject with a Measure of Student Learning?

NO

YES

NO

State requirement to administer the Measure of Student Learning.

No state requirement of 2012-2013.

1

2

3

News Bulletin November 2012 5

Positions stated in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of NCAE unless so identified. The NCAE News Bulletin, a journal of the Association, is published by the North Carolina Association of Educators, 700 S.Salisbury St., Post Office Box Box 27347, Raleigh, NC 27611, 1-800-662-7924.

Linda Powell-Jones, Editor/Designer www.ncae.org

N C A E N E W S B U L L E T I N Follow NCAE eventsand activities on:

6 NCAE

Most members of NCAE associate SNCAE with being the pre-professional organization for college students enrolled in schools of education. But, SNCAE is much more than that; it serves as a foundation for NCAE. SNCAE is an important thread in the transition from student to professional, and in my opinion, if you’re going to be a part of the profession that is one of the most revered -- and should be one of the most respected -- you should belong to the best organization that contributes to us [students] growing into great educators. And, that journey should begin on the campus of every university, college or community college that has an education program. As a secondary education math major at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), I joined SNCAE because I saw the potential of this organization and wanted to be a part as it achieved those possibilities. After being involved in my campus chapter, I decided to run for state president and won. Together, the executive board and I are working to grow our membership and have the organization serve as a pipeline to NCAE for first-year teachers. Currently, there are more than 60 SNCAE chapters statewide with a membership of

almost 2,000. Our goal is to one day have a chapter on every eligible campus. One way we are addressing membership growth is by sponsoring conferences, workshops and activities such as the recent Fall Forum. These events assist us in finding out the needs of our student leaders and advisors so that we can offer professional development opportunities and give them the tools they need to assist with their membership campaigns. We are also able to glean information on chapters that may not be as active so that we can schedule visits to those campuses and help in whatever way we can. Expanding our executive committee to include representatives from each of the Association’s clusters/districts is enabling us to do more of this. Having a more active role in the community is also an important goal for SNCAE; one that we feel will also assist us in recruiting members. Prior to the election, we held several voter commitment campaigns on campuses across the state, and we are coordinating a service project called “Outreach to Teach,” where members have been charged to sponsor school supply drives at their schools. The supplies will be collected and delivered to three low-wealth schools along with dictionaries and books for the libraries. In addition, we are hoping to start a mentoring program with the Retired Division. Our retirees possess a wealth of knowledge from which we can draw. Through these talented mentors, we can learn first-hand the benefits of NCAE. We are excited about the direction in which SNCAE is headed. As we continue to grow and expand our horizons, we want to ensure that future educators know they have an organization that supports them and will provide them with tools that can help prepare them for a career in education. Our mission is to serve as a liaison between their college experience and their professional experience.

Growing and Expanding the Horizons of SNCAE

Donavon Harbison, SNCAE president

…that NCAE DOES NOT receive funding from any other organization in addition to members’ dues? NCAE is funded 100 percent by dues paid by members.

NCRSP Welcomes New Executive Director

The NC Retired School Personnel Division has named Wendy Ross as its new executive director. She replaces Will Pearce, who served as

interim executive director for three months after the retirement of Pam Deardorff. A native of Princeton, New Jersey, Ross worked for 20 years as a federal program administrator for the Vermont Department of Education prior to coming to North Carolina. She is also a retired state [Vermont] employee and was an active member of the union. Ross moved to Raleigh last year to pursue a master’s degree in social work from NC State University. While completing her degree, she worked with several agencies in the area, including Telamon Corporation and NC Head

Start. She also has a master’s in public administration from St. Michael’s College in Vermont. “As executive director, my goal is to build strong membership, represent the interests of NC Retired School Personnel and build on the accomplishments of our staff, board and membership statewide. It is a privilege and an honor to be able to work with the retired educators who have given so much to this state.”

News Bulletin November 2012

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