WEA Website:

http://wyoea.org/

NEA Website:  http://www.nea.org

Wyoming Education Portal:

http://www.k12.wy.us

Wyoming Legislature:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/

School Finance Information:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2005/interim/

schoolfinance/schoolfinance.htm

Inside this issue:

• “NEA’s Read Across America” to be Celebrated Thursday
• Needed: A Few Good Delegates to Represent Your Local’s Members
• Be In the Know!  Sign Up Now for WEA Legislative Updates
• Announcing:  2nd Annual WEA Bargaining Summit
• Plan Ahead for These Important WEA Activities
• Other States besides Wyoming Face Budget Surpluses
• Duke University Sets Out on Teacher Mission
• Apply Now for an NEA Foundation Grant

“NEA’s Read Across America” to be Celebrated Thursday

See your story in the WEA NEWS!

Be sure to document with story and/or photos what your school or classroom does to celebrate Read Across America (RAA) and Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Thurs., March 2^nd.  Then share them with WEA for use in future WEA NEWS editions.  Send to: kscheurman@nea.org.  Still need ideas?  Go to http://www.nea.org/readacross.

Needed: A Few Good Delegates to Represent Your Local’s Members

This is your opportunity to have your voice heard in your professional organization!  Delegates to the WEA Delegate Assembly, to be held April 6-8 at the Ramkota Inn in Casper, will be determining the policies and direction of WEA for the coming year.  It is critical that every local be represented.  Contact your Local president immediately if you are interested in participating.

Be In the Know!  Sign Up Now for WEA Legislative Updates

The 2006 legislative budget session is at the half-way mark, and so far, education bills are making positive progress.  Do you want the current scoop on what’s happening?  Sign up to receive WEA’s Legislative Updates via e-mail each night.  Send your name and e-mail address (personal is preferable to district e-mail, as the mailings are sometimes blocked by district firewalls) to: kscheurman@nea.org.

Announcing:  2^nd Annual WEA Bargaining Summit

Afternoon of Thursday, April 6

Casper Best Western Ramkota Inn

WEA is pleased to announce that, due to the overwhelming success of last year’s summit, we will be holding a Bargaining Summit immediately preceding Delegate Assembly again this year.  We are asking each Local to attend and to be represented by at least one member of your bargaining team and/or Local leadership.  The purpose of the summit will be to address preparations for bargaining this year.  Be watching for more details soon!

The Bargaining Summit will immediately precede registration for Delegate Assembly and is designed to allow Locals to drive in on Thursday and participate.  Non-DA Delegates attending the Summit will be able to drive in that day and return home that evening.

Plan Ahead for These Important WEA Activities

Ø      Afternoon of Thursday, April 6—WEA Bargaining Summit, Casper Best Western Ramkota Inn

Ø      Thursday-Saturday, April 6-8—WEA Delegate Assembly, Casper Ramkota Inn

Ø      Sunday night-Tuesday night, June 11-13—Emerging Leaders Training—Jackson

Ø      Tuesday night-midday Friday, June 13-16—Summer Institute—Jackson

Be watching for more information about these events, but mark your calendar now.  You won’t want to miss out on these great opportunities!

Other States besides Wyoming Face Budget Surpluses

State leaders, flush with projected budget surpluses in most states this year, are considering their boldest education spending agendas since before the economic downturn of 2001, including the first hints of college tuition cuts.

While President Bush's latest budget proposal would cut federal education funds 5.5 percent to help reduce the national deficit, state governors are outlining major plans for investing in higher education and raising salaries for public school teachers. With 36 states electing governors and 46 states electing legislators in November, education spending is shaping up as a popular political issue this year.

"We cannot expect the best from our teachers as long as we continue to pay them a paltry sum," Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said in her state of the state address last month.

Although state K-12 spending has held steady in recent years, teacher's salaries have not kept up with inflation, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan think tank. An analysis by EPI found that the total increase in teachers' salaries from 1996 to 2004 was less than 1 percent when adjusted for inflation. Stateline.org [http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=90297]

Duke University Sets Out on Teacher Mission

Duke University is launching three initiatives this fall that will allow students to earn free master's degrees in teaching if they'll teach in Durham Public Schools, offer intensive Spanish-language training to Durham teachers, and provide mentoring for veteran teachers to reduce turnover.

Finding and retaining qualified teachers is a perennial issue, so Duke President Richard Brodhead wanted to come up with an incentive for some of the brightest teachers to work in Durham. Duke is bankrolling the new programs, but the school system will decide who attends the program.

The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (free registration) http://www.newsobserver.com/146/story/410279.html

Apply Now for an NEA Foundation Grant

The NEA Foundation funds hundreds of Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants to support great ideas.  Grant amounts are either $2,000 or $5,000 per project.  Applications for Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants are reviewed as follows:   

Applications received by June 1, 2006, will be notified by November 15, 2006.

Innovation Grants fund project-based learning that significantly improves achievement for underserved students.  Learning & Leadership Grants provide opportunities to engage in high-quality professional development and lead colleagues in professional growth.  Grants are available for all subjects, including the arts, literacy, science, and technology. 

Practicing K–12 public school teachers, education support professionals, or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions are eligible to apply (with preference given to members of the National Education Association).  We encourage grant applications from teachers and staff with less than seven years of experience in the profession and education support professionals.

Please visit www.neafoundation.org for details on grant programs, guidelines, examples of funded projects, and an application.