Winter 2014 - Indiana State Teachers Association

ADVOCATE
Indiana State Teachers Association
Volume 43, Issue 3
Winter 2014
ISTA
ADVOCATE
Volume 43, Issue 3, Winter 2014
ista-in.org
We can’t wait for you to visit our recently
launched, redesigned and updated ISTA
website to find resources, ideas and information
that will help you in your daily work to create
great learning experiences for your students.
Bookmark the ISTA website at ista-in.org
as a reliable resource for ideas and
information related to public education
for you and your colleagues.
3
Education
blogs to follow
alfiekohn.org
Alfie Kohn writes about human behavior, education and parenting.
The author of 12 books and scores of articles, he speaks at education
conferences, universities, parent groups and corporations.
Kohn’s criticisms of competition and rewards have been widely
discussed and debated and Kohn has been described in Time magazine
as perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation
on grades and test scores.
Teresa Meredith
President
Keith Gambill
Vice President
Callie Marksbary
Treasurer
Brenda Pike, Ed.D
Executive Director
Indiana State Teachers Association
Publisher
Mark Shoup
Communications Coordinator
Kathleen Berry Graham
Assistant Editor
The Indiana State Teachers
Association Advocate, 150 West
Market Street, Suite 900,
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2875 is the
official publication of the Indiana
State Teachers Association, the state
level of the United Education
Profession. The content of the
Association’s publications will be
consistent with the mission,
strategic objectives and policies of
the Association.
ISTA PHOTOS: KATHLEEN BERRY GRAHAM, 2014
dianeravitch.net
Diane Ravitch is Research Professor of Education at New York
University and a historian of education. She blogs at dianeravitch.net,
a site which has had nearly 3.5 million page views in less than a year.
Come tweet with us —
follow ISTA on Twitter:
Ravitch was Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to Secretary
of Education Lamar Alexander in the administration of Pres. George
H.W. Bush for three years where she led the federal effort to promote
the creation of voluntary state and national academic standards.
Join the conversation —
“Like” ISTA on Facebook:
rethinkingschools.org
Rethinking Schools began as a local effort to address problems such
as basal readers, standardized testing and textbook-dominated
curriculum. Since its founding, it has grown into a prominent publisher
of educational materials, with subscribers in all 50 states, all 10
Canadian provinces and many other countries.
While the scope and influence of Rethinking Schools has changed, its
basic orientation has not—the vision that public education is central to
the creation of a humane, caring, multiracial democracy.
2
ADVOCATE
ISTA
Winter 2014
http://twitter.com/ISTAmembers
www.facebook.com/indianastateteachers
See ISTA photos —
visit www.flickr.com/photos/indianastate
Get the ISTA mobile app—
download the new ISTA mobile app
to your smart device to get the latest
ISTA information.
Editorial
Would democracy—and
classrooms—be better served
by elected school board members?
Most of us know that despite being an underdog in
her first run for public office Glenda Ritz defeated
incumbent Dr. Tony Bennett to become Indiana’s
Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2012. She
surprised many by taking 53 percent of the vote. With
the help of ISTA members across the state, Glenda
received more votes than Gov. Mike Pence or Sen. Joe
Donnelly. She ran a grassroots campaign, relying on
support from you, from parents and from community
members who wanted a change for education. The
electorate spoke. Yet shortly after the election the
buzz started that perhaps Democrats and Republicans
alike might call for the state Superintendent of Public
Instruction position to be appointed by the governor.
I quickly realized that turmoil was just beginning
between the Republican-controlled statehouse and the
Department of Ed. Yet I had to ask myself if that question
would have surfaced if not for the upset by Ritz. Then I
looked back at a few events since the November 2012
election and the bitterness that followed.
Last January, in one of his first acts as governor, Pence,
a Republican, removed Ritz from control of the Indiana
Education Employment Relations Board that handles
conflicts between unions and school boards. In July,
concerns about Indiana’s A-F school grading system were
detailed in emails obtained by The Associated Press
which questioned the fairness of the system. Several days
later, Bennett, who had taken a job as Florida’s schools
chief, resigned. In August, the sparing continued when
Pence created a new agency—the Center for Education
and Career Innovation. Ritz found this move as an
undercut to the foundation of her agency. Then in
November, the feuding reached a standoff when Ritz
walked out of a board meeting where Ritz said the
governor’s new agency and several board members
were trying to take over her department.
Currently state board of ed members are hand-picked by the
governor and many say those appointed figures answer to
the governor and not the people. Wouldn’t it be the same if
the state superintendent were appointed by the governor?
I can’t help but wonder if the appointment question
would have been asked if Bennett had been re-elected.
Surely the results of the 2012 election show that Hoosiers
want the post to remain as an elected position. My high
school civics lessons tell me that an elected
superintendent keeps a system of checks and balances in
place but let’s take the democratic process one step
further. In Indiana there are 289 school corporations and
275 of those hold elections for their local school boards.
Only 12 boards have appointed members and just two
have hybrid boards. Wouldn’t an elective process be more
democratic if the state board members were also elected?
Surely elected board members take more interest in their
communities and schools and have better ideas about
what works best for their students without being trapped
by party policy. Plus if elected, one party cannot dominate
by controlling the board appointments.
ISTA members spoke loud and clear in the November
2012 election and those results tell me that Hoosiers
wanted to see changes for students. Let’s do what works
best for education not for the administration of the
moment. Let’s work together for the students of Indiana.
There will never be a perfect process, even with the best
of intentions. But I think a democratic process is better
than the autocratic process currently in place.
Thanks for all you do.
Teresa Meredith
ISTA President
Winter 2014
ADVOCATE
ISTA
3
NEA RA
NEA Representative Assembly
Delegate Nominees Listed
Following are nominees for 35 Category 1 state
delegate positions and two Category 2 state delegate
positions to the 2014 and 2015 meetings of the National
Education Association Representative Assembly to be
held in Denver, CO in 2014 and Orlando, FL in 2015.
THIS IS NOT A BALLOT. Each Active and Life
Association member will find inserted in this copy of
the Advocate an official ballot. Rules for voting
accompany the official ballot. If you are an eligible
voter and failed to receive a ballot, contact Brenda Reed
at 800-382-4037 extension 324 or [email protected].
Nominees are listed alphabetically for Category 1: NEA
Active members who are not supervisors and NEA Life
members who are not supervisors, retired or staff and
Category 2 members: NEA Active members who are
supervisors, NEA retired Life members, NEA staff Life
members and NEA Active members for life who are
past presidents of the Association and who do not meet
the requirements for membership set forth in Bylaw 21.b. (No Category 2 nominations were received.)
As a result of federal court actions forcing NEA
compliance with the Landrum-Griffin Act, minority
candidates are no longer listed or elected separately.
There are a number of minority members who are
candidates for delegateship and they have the option
of so indicating in their personal information that is
listed with each nominee’s name.
JUDITH ELAINE
ABRAM-ODIGBOH
• ISTA Board of Directors
• State MAC
• Local MAC
RENEE L. ALBRIGHT
• FWEA Executive Board:
High School rep
• FWEA Membership
Committee
• ISTA Professional Practices
and Standards Committee
HOLLIE ANNO
• PAC Chair District 2-G
• Vice President Political
Action HSEA
• Experienced delegate
JULIE A. ANOSKEY-EADEN
• NEA RA delegate
• ISTA RA delegate
• ISTA Board of Directors
4
ADVOCATE
ISTA
ANGELA BAKER
• Local President
• Issues & Concerns
Committee Member
• DisCo Secretary/Treasurer
MARCIE LADEEN
BILLINGSLEY
• Current Frankfort
Education Association
Building Rep
• 2011 Outreach to Teach
Co-Chairperson (ISEA)
• 2011 RA Student Delegate
in Chicago
MARK S. BURE
• Past Local Treasurer
• Four time NEA/RA
Delegate
• Past Executive
committee member
Winter 2014
TAMARA S. BYRER
• Current ISTA Board
of Directors
• NEA Delegate 14 years
• NDCTA Leadership
(Building rep,
Treasurer, President)
MARY L. CARSON
• HSEA Treasurer
2012–present
• HSEA Association Rep
2007-2012
• Former HSEA Bargaining
Team Member
MEGAN N. EWING
• 2G District Council
Vice-Chair
• HSEA Building
Representative
• 2012 NEA RA Local
Delegate
RALPH L. FIREOVED
• 6 Years ISTA Board of
Directors
• 4 Years ISTA Executive
Committee
• 6 Years President
Middlebury Teachers
Association
JANET K. CHANDLER
• Hamilton Southeastern
Education Association
President
• 2-G District Council Chair
• ISTA Legal Defense
Panel Chair
JOHN D. COMER
• Local President
• 2B District Chair
• IPACE Committee
RHONDALYN J. CORNETT
• ISTA Governance
Committee
• Indianapolis Education
Association (IEA)
President
• Served on I-PACE
Committee
KEITH D. GAMBILL
• ISTA Vice President
• NEA Resolutions
• NEA State Delegate
GLENDA B. HAMPTON
• Evansville Teachers
Association Board
Member
• Indiana State Assn.
Election Committee/RA
• Delegate to the National
Education Convention
DANIEL L. HASKELL
• Local president –5 yrs.
• District Council Member
–5 yrs
• NEA Delegate –5 yrs
CHARLES J. HELD
DONNA L. CRAIG
• Building Rep for nine years
• Governance Committee
for second term
• Building Rep.
• Past RA Delegate
• Past State Delegate
KRISTI D. HELD
CAROL J. DAOUD
• Sect/Trea. Local
• Bargaining Team
• Corporation Discussion
CONNIE J. DIETRICH
• NEA RA State
Delegate–2 yrs.
• District Council
Secretary–15 yrs.
• WCTA Treasurer–21 yrs.
ROBIN L. ENDRIS
• 9 yr RA Veteran
• 12 yrs in Local leadership
• 6 yrs on the Board
• 5x Delegate NEA RA
(Local/State)
• Former SWIC
Secretary/Treasurer
• Co-President 2010-2011
GPW-SEA
SASHA NICOLE HUFF
• NEA RA delegate 3 years
• ISTA Governance
Committee 4 years
• ETA Board Member
4 years
NEA RA
MICHELLE E. HULSE
• ISTA Board Member
12 years
• District Council Chair
10 years
• Local Bargaining
Financial Specialist
25 years
MARK R. LICHTENBERG
• Evansville TA President,
June 2013-present
• Evansville TA Treasurer,
2008-2013
• NEA RA delegate,
2003-07, 2013
• ISTA RA
• FWEA Exec
Board–Secretary
• Previous NEA rep
• FWEA Executive Board
• Chairperson of Joint
Special Education
Committee
• FWEA Negotiations Team
CHIKE V. ODIGBOH
CALLIE A. MARKSBARY
KIM HUNTER
MARLENA E. MULLIGAN
• ISTA Treasurer
• NEA Prof. Standards
Practices Committee Chair
• Lafayette Education
Assoc. Corresponding
Secretary
• Member
KATHERINE K. OSTROZOVICH
• Minority Affairs
Committee
• District Council
• Building Rep.
HILDA M. KENDRICK-APPIAH
• ISTA Minority Affairs
Committee Chairperson
(MAC)
• District 3-G Political
Action Committee
• Greater Clark Education
Association Leadership
Team
DAVID W. KNIES
• West Clark President
for 28 years
• Chairperson 3-G District
Council many years
• State Delegate for
many years.
DAWN M. KRACKER
• Building Rep
• Local Board Member
• Local National RA
Representative (12-13)
DENNIS R. KUHLENHOELTER
• Building RA
• ETA Board
• NEA RA 9 years
CONNIE S. LAROCCO
• NEA RA delegate 4 times
• Association Representative
for 6 years
• Discussion Representative
for 6 years
ADAM J. MARLATT
• 2012-2013 ISEA President
• 2012 NEA RA Delegate
• MSDWCEA Secretary
RICHARD A. MARSHALL
• NKCTA Co-President
• 3-D District Council Rep.
• ISTA RA Rep.
TEQUIA M. MCCULLOUGHBARRETT
• Minority Affairs
Committee (MAC)
• ETA Board of Directors
• NEA Resolutions
TERESA F. MEREDITH
• ISTA President
• ISTA Vice President
2007-2013
• ISTA Board 2004-06,
2007-present
CINDY MILLER
• NEA Board of Directors
• ISTA Executive Committee
• Advocate for ALL ISTA
Members
DONITA K. MIZE
• NEA Delegate for
Several Years
• Past ISTA Board
of Directors
• Past Disco Chair and
local president
JACK R. MIZE
• NEA Board of Directors
• ISTA Board of Directors
• Building Rep for IEA
JENNIFER SMITH-MARGRAF
• ISTA Board Member
• IPACE Member
• Local President
DEANA L. STICKELS
• Local Vice President/
Membership Chair
• District Council Vice Chair
• Past ISTA Board Member/
Executive Committee
JULIE A. HYNDMAN
• FWEA 1st V-President
• ISTA Board of Directors
(1-L)
• Neg. Liaison for FWEA
ALENE M. SMITH
KATHY A. PARKS
• Current NEA Resolutions
Committee Member
• Past ISTA Treasurer
• ISTA Issues and
Concerns Member
MARY PUNTNEY
• IPACE Chair
• District Council Chair
• Governance Committee 3-D
ROBERT J. RICE
• Building level association
representative
• Building discussion and
improvement team member
• Actively participate in
political action lobbying
DOMINIC W. THOMPSON
• NEA RA Local delegate
2012, 2013
• SOEA Building Rep
• ISTA Governance Comm.
KAREN WARBLE
• ISTA Board 2006-2012
• NEA RA State Delegate
2012, 2013
• District Council Chair
DONNIE WATKINS
• Local President (20+ years)
• 2F ISTA Board Member
• Vice Chair NEA Small
Schools Caucus
STEPHEN A. WILSON
A. FRANK SAPPER
• Regular Attendance @
monthly Association
Meetings
• Building Representative
–12 years
• Representative of the Year
–2011
• ISTA Board Member
–Minority-At-Large
• Vice-Chair–District
Council 2F
• President, Northwestern
Corporation Education
Assn. (NCEA)
RAE ANN WINTIN
BRIAN SHULTS
• HSEA Discussion Team
• HSEA Bargaining Team
• NEA Delegate 2008-2013
JENIFER SHULTS
• HSEA VP Communications
& Public Relations
• NEA Delegate–5 times
• Former AR 2008-2011
• NEA Delegate 20+ year’s
• I-Pace Past V-Chair
• ESP District Council
Winter 2014
• Attended NEA RA
as a student.
• Former ISEA (Student
Program) President
• Member of 30/30
committee
NANCY J. WRIGHT
• NEA Board of Directors
• ISTA Board of Directors
• Past President, Eastbrook
Education Association
ADVOCATE
ISTA
5
Your ISTA
Dates to
remember
ISTA ELECTION
Candidate issues statement
for ISTA Treasurer position
February 21, 2014
embly
ISEA Representative Ass
Indianapolis
April 12, 2014
Outreach to Teach
Indianapolis
April 26, 2014
embly
ISTA Representative Ass
Indianapolis
May 5-9, 2014
ek
Teacher Appreciation We
May 6, 2014
National Teacher Day
The following statement
was prepared by the
candidate for the office
she seeks. The statement
has been printed in its
entirety, unabridged, as it
was received, but limited
to 200 words or fewer.
ISTA Rules Governing
Elections, (III. A., 2., b.
and c.) prohibit the use of
Association staff and
equipment on behalf of
any candidate for
Association office. The
election for the office listed below will
be held at the 2014 ISTA Representative
Assembly, April 26, in Indianapolis.
Candidate for ISTA Treasurer
Callie Marksbary
I am Callie Marksbary and I am seeking
re-election as ISTA Treasurer.
June 18-20, 2014
ISTA Summer Conference
Marriott East Indianapolis
TWEETS WE LIKE!
@HaverhillHawks It is a
blessing to be part of a
community rethinking
education and being
so transparent for
school stakeholders!
At this time of increasingly harsh
attacks on public education at the state
and national level, remember that we
are professionals and we don’t apologize
for caring about kids, and caring about
public education.
There are those who would destroy public
education. Yet, standing steadfastly, and
shoulder to shoulder; our integrity, our
professionalism, and our
passion will carry us…
and we will prevail.
We are driven by our
commitment and our
advocacy for positive
changes in educational
policy. To remain focused
on our vision of the
highest quality education
for every student, we must
involve our members and support their
work of improving student learning.
Fiscal responsibility and responsibility
to our members cannot be separated.
The ISTA Treasurer’s office is a
stewardship. That office must be
diligent in monitoring our accounts,
continuing to look at efficiency but not
at the cost of effectiveness and service
to our members. Learning from the past
we serve in the present with an eye on
our vision for the future.
I’m Callie Marksbary, candidate for ISTA
Treasurer, and I’m asking for your vote.
Together we are the strongest voice for
public education.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO CELEBRATE
READ ACROSS AMERICA 2014
Read Across America Day for 2014 will be celebrated on
Monday, March 3, but your school can hold festivities on a
day that works best for you!
If you haven’t planned any events go to the NEA RAA
website at: www.readacrossamerica.org or follow
@NEAReadAcross on Twitter. Or get one of NEA’s resource
kits for last-minute ideas by contacting Kathleen Berry
Graham at: [email protected] or 800-382-4037.
6
ADVOCATE
ISTA
Winter 2014
Your ISTA
Delegates to
elect officers
at ISTA RA
WHAT: ISTA Representative Assembly
Members of recognition
Congratulations to the 2013 winners of the ISTA Quality
Local Award winners.
WHEN: Saturday, April 26, 2014
Association of Porter Township,
submitted by Chad Roggon
under Representative Assembly for time and location details.
Hamilton Southeastern Education Association,
submitted by Karin Foster
WHERE: Watch the ISTA website at www.ista-in.org
WHAT: Delegates will hold elections for ISTA Treasurer.
Candidates must notify the ISTA Executive Director no later than
March 1, 2014, in order to declare candidacy but campaign
statements will not appear in the ISTA Advocate but only on
the ISTA website. Check the website at www.ista-in.org for
additional information. RA delegates will also conduct
Association business, hold district elections, pass the 2014 ISTA
Legislative Program and are expected to approve the ISTA budget.
TWEETS WE LIKE!
@dgraebe @lapham_katie
@NYDNBenChapman Stop the testing.
Let teachers tailor the standards to meet
the needs of students.
Thanks to NEA Fund contributors!
Thanks to ISTA members who made generous donations to
the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education this past
year! The NEA Fund works every day to make sure that
elected leaders support public education. Contributions
help the NEA Fund realize the dream of great public
schools for every student in America. To see this year’s list
of donors go to: https://ista-in.org/2012-13-nea-fundcontributors. If you would like to contribute to the NEA
Fund, contact: Diana Crum at [email protected].
ISTA scholarships and awards
ISTA’s awards range from scholarships for future
educators to the Horace Mann Hoosier Educator of the
Year Award to our Outstanding Minority Educator along
with awards for Education Support Professionals and the
prestigious Pacesetter Award. Visit our website for details
on each of the awards, plus guidelines and applications at
www.ista-in.org and click on ISTA Awards.
New Albany-Floyd County Bus Drivers,
submitted by Betty Batliner
Southwest Sullivan Education Association,
submitted by Lisa Ridge
West Clark Teachers Association,
submitted by Connie Dietrich
Congratulations to the finalists for the Indiana
Department of Education’s Top Teacher of the Year for
2014. Six of the 10 finalist were ISTA members! For
more information on the Teacher of the Year program,
go to: http://www.doe.in.gov/toy.
SUSAN AMENT
Plainfield High School
Plainfield Community School Corporation
SARAH SHATTO-JONES
Homestead High School
Southwest Allen County Schools
SUSAN E. PANZICA, PH.D.
Swanson Primary Center
South Bend Community School Corporation
DENISE E. SELM
Richmond High School
Richmond Community Schools
MEG STRNAT
Cumberland Road Elementary School
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
RENEE WHITE
Carmel Elementary School
Carmel Clay Schools
TWEETS WE LIKE!
@DianeRavitch All A-F ratings are a farce.
Winter 2014
ADVOCATE
ISTA
7
ISTA Advocate
Raise Your Hand
If you weren’t able to attend one of ISTA’s Raise
Your Hand for Great Public Schools events, don’t
worry, there are still lots of things you can do to
take charge of your profession.
RYH is more than just a slogan on a button or a sign,
it’s a movement that is bringing educators together to
reclaim their profession by using their expertise.
Indiana’s public educators share several important
characteristics. They are passionate, creative and
powerful. And they care about children.
Here are some simple ways for you and your colleagues
to Raise Your Hand over the next few weeks:
READ OUR BLOG. GET INVOLVED. Your
experience and your stories are invaluable.
Legislators need to hear from you about what
issues are important in your professional life.
Raise Your Hand by bookmarking the ISTA
blog at: www.ista-in.org on your computer and
checking it to find out what’s happening with your
professional organization. During the legislative
session, you’ll have ample opportunities to
connect with your legislators and let them know
how real educators feel about real issues.
RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. No kidding here.
In poll after poll of registered voters, public
school teachers are always listed among the
most trusted people in our state. Educators need
8
ADVOCATE
ISTA
Winter 2014
to become even more politically involved—and
that means more than just showing up to vote.
Indiana needs educators’ voices in the House
and in the Senate. As an educator, you have a
solid background for creating public policy and
helping to improve our state. Live in a district
with an anti-public education legislator? Become
the opponent in the primary or general election.
With support from your colleagues, you could
very well win.
OPEN UP. Your classroom, that is. Invite local
and state officials into your building and into your
classroom. Nothing gets a politician’s attention
quicker than experiencing “the real world” outside
of the state capitol building. Think your legislators
are out of touch with the public schools in their
district? Now is the time to get them inside your
doors to see first-hand what the state of public
education is really like in their communities.
Ever notice that your harshest critics NEVER
set foot in a real public school? Raise Your Hand
and change that.
Don’t get down, feel unappreciated or simply
shrug your shoulders. Starting today reclaim your
profession and your public school. Raise Your Hand
for Indiana’s public schools and the more than one
million children enrolled in them.

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