CEA Reforum workshops are being held around the state this month. At a recent Reforum, Manchester teacher Cristina Rodrigues talked to East Granby Education Association Co-President Kevin Iapichino-Dorr about legislative education proposals.
A Manchester teacher says she sometimes feels like she’s in her own little world in her classroom, but she now has a solution: come to a CEA workshop. Second-grade teacher Cristina Rodrigues had never attended a CEA workshop before but she realized, “I need to know what’s going on.” After attending a CEA Reforum in Rocky Hill she’s now encouraging other CEA members to sign up.
Eight Reforums are being held around the state this month and there’s still time to sign up. CEA members are learning about education funding and the governor’s budget proposal, school safety issues and CEA’s member survey, and teacher evaluation and professional development.
Glenn Spencer, a Bloomfield Education Association Building Representative, said that he attends CEA events like the Reforum in order to be a better advocate for the members in his local. “I like to come so I can inform my colleagues,” he said.
Sign Up for a Reforum Workshop
Upcoming Reforum workshops will be held at the dates and locations below. Registration and hors d’oeuvres start at 4:00 p.m. and the program runs from 4:30 – 6:30.
Sign up by clicking here. You will need to enter your member ID number. (If you don’t know your ID number, click here.)
- Monday, February 25 – Trumbull Marriott, Trumbull
- Monday, February 25 – The Spa at the Norwich Inn, Norwich
- Tuesday, February 26 – Georgina’s, Bolton
- Tuesday, February 26 – The Italian Center of Stamford, Stamford
- Wednesday, February 27 – Heritage Hotel, Southbury
- Thursday, February 28 – Crystal Peak, Winsted
- Thursday, February 28 – Cascades, Hamden
Why Your Stories Matter
Last year teachers played a pivotal role in making sure education reform legislation reflected the realities of the classroom. Joanne Gay, CEA Director of Education Reform Initiatives, told members that the meetings teachers had with legislators in their home districts last year made a big difference.
“The numbers of teachers that came out for the meetings greatly impressed legislators,” said Gay. “There were more than 145 face to face meetings with legislators last year. The voice of CEA teachers was heard. We must continue to speak up for our profession,” she said.
CEA Research and Policy Development Specialist Ray Rossomando said that when legislators sit in a room for an hour with teachers, “legislators learn a lot that they didn’t realize about teaching.”
“You don’t necessarily have to understand all the details of a legislative proposal” in order to give feedback, said Rossomando. He said it’s enough to be able to give legislators examples about how policies affect you, and say, for example, ‘we’re now paying for supplies out of our pockets that the board of education used to cover.’
