Member Matters: Bargaining session held; Thousands of teachers send in photos of support; School impact fee public hearings scheduled; Early voting!, posted 10-29-2016

Thousands of teachers send 'red for ed' photos for Friday bargaining session   Teachers from at least 105 public schools across the state sent in "red for ed" photos of support to HSTA's Negotiations Team members as they sat down for their third bargaining session with the state Friday. Watch a special video with photos from teachers statewide. Teacher photos lined the walls of the HSTA conference room where Friday's bargaining session was held. More than 2,300 HSTA members posed in photos of support for HSTA's bargaining team and emailed them in this week. HSTA Negotiations Team. Front row, L to R: Shannon Kaaa, Diane Mokuau. Back row: Corey Rosenlee, Paul Daugherty, Osa Tui. McKinley Registrar Osa Tui, chair of HSTA’s Negotiations Committee, said, "As negotiations progressed, I was enamored by seeing your faces as they towered over the employer group while you stared down at them." Some walls in HSTA's Conference Room A got a makeover, thanks to photos from teachers across Hawaii. Watch a special video with photos from teachers statewide. HSTA's SPED Committee made a presentation to the employer during negotiations Friday, detailing the concerns of special education teachers. From L to R: HSTA SPED Committee members Dawn Raymond from Waiakea High, Dale Matsuura from Roosevelt High and Nancy Sakamoto from Solomon Elementary. The next bargaining meeting will be held after the Thanksgiving holiday. HSTA's contract with the state expires June 30, 2017.   BOE seeks applicants to replace schools superintendent The Board of Education plans to discuss beginning the process to search for a superintendent of Hawaii’s public school system at its Nov. 1 General Business Meeting. The proposed action calls for the BOE to form a committee to, among other things, determine the process and timeline for the search as well as the composition of the group performing the search.  It is anticipated that the BOE will conduct its search over the coming months, with the hopes that a successful candidate will begin employment on July 1, 2017. This proposed action is being initiated in anticipation of the ending of the contract term of current Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi (June 30, 2017), the BOE said. “This is an ideal time to transition to new leadership that will help the DOE continue its efforts to reduce the achievement gap and prioritize achievement for all students,” said BOE Chairperson Lance Mizumoto. Read HSTA President Corey Rosenlee's comments about superintendent changes here.   Public hearings to be held on urban Honolulu school impact district  The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) will hold two public hearings on a proposal to create a School Impact District for the neighborhoods along the Kalihi to Ala Moana portion of the Honolulu Area Rapid Transit route. The Board of Education requested the hearings in anticipation of residential growth in those areas and will vote on whether to approve the new district. The impact district would require residential developers or homeowner/builders to pay about $9,374 per unit in impact fees to help cover land and construction costs for new or expanded schools. “We encourage teachers to testify and tell the Department of Education why developers need to help shoulder the burden for new or improved public schools in the urban Honolulu area,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee. “So many of our schools need new facilities and these funds would help them improve for children in town.” Public hearings will be held: Wednesday, Nov. 2 Farrington High School Library Conference Room 3 to 5 pm. Thursday, Nov. 3 McKinley High School’s Hirata Lecture Hall 5 to 7 p.m. Public comments on the proposal can also be submitted in writing to the Department of Education. You can email the comments to: heidi_meeker@notes.k12.hi.us. Read more about the school impact fee proposal here. HIDOE already collects school impact fees in Maui and Leeward Oahu. Copies of the written analysis of the proposed Kalihi to Ala Moana district, including a map of the district, are available by contacting the HIDOE Planning Office at 784-5080. Copies are also posted on the HIDOE website at: http://bit.ly/ImpactDistricts.   Early voting underway; HSTA recommends General Election political candidates Early walk-in voting has begun across the state and will continue through Nov. 5. See a list of early voting sites and hours here. Voters have until Nov. 1 to request a mail-in ballot. Late voter registration ends on Nov. 5, just three days before Election Day on Nov. 8. HSTA board members sign wave with State Senate candidate Stanley Chang. After a lengthy process that included a candidate questionnaire, interviews, and a review of voting history, HSTA’s Board of Directors, in concurrence with the HSTA Government Relations Committee, recommends teachers vote for the following candidates in the General Election. Read the full list of HSTA's State House and Senate recommended candidates here. In the presidential race, the HSTA recommends Hillary Clinton, a Democrat. The HSTA recommends the re-election of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D) as well as U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D), representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in Hawaii’s Congressional District 2. The HSTA also recommends sending Colleen Hanabusa (D) back to Congress in the 1st Congressional District seat she previously held representing urban Honolulu in the U.S. House.   ESSA team travels to Moanalua to unveil draft blueprint to improve public schools   Gov. David Ige’s Every Student Succeeds Act Task Force will hold a final follow-up community meeting to share findings and focus on a draft blueprint for public education in Hawaii. Teachers are encouraged to attend and give feedback on the initial plan for improving Hawaii's public schools. “First, we will share the findings of input and feedback received from town hall meetings. Second, we will unveil a working draft or outline for a new blueprint for public education in Hawaii,” said Darrel Galera, a retired public school principal who chairs the ESSA Task Force and was just appointed to the Board of Education. “We also want to collect more specific input, feedback and advice for a final version of a blueprint for public education in Hawaii.” The final meeting will be held on Oahu: Nov. 2: Moanalua High library, Oahu, 6 to 8 p.m. Register for the Nov. 2 Moanalua High ESSA forum here.   HSTA's next social justice workshop features Kumu Hina teaching her gender diversity curriculum, "A Place In The Middle." The workshop will be held at HSTA's Red Hill headquarters on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register for Nov. 12 Place in the Middle Kumu Hina workshop. Take NEA survey; you could win an iPad mini  The National Education Association (NEA), Corwin and Learning Forward want to know how professional learning impacts your teaching and your students’ learning. The following survey measures how your professional learning aligns with the Standards for Professional Learning, which outline the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. Please take 20-25 minutes to complete this survey. You could win one of three iPad minis. NEA will share survey findings with leaders across the country to deepen their understanding of the learning you experience and to influence ongoing improvement. Teachers’ voices are essential to this process, so thank you for sharing your experience. Please complete survey by Monday, Oct. 31. To thank you for your participation, we will enter everyone who completes this survey into a raffle to win one of 3 iPad minis. The winner will be announced by Nov. 7.   Benefits of Belonging, retirement planning and Degrees Not Debt workshops The Membership Services Committee brings you a host of workshops over the next couple of months. First, come find out your benefits of belonging to HSTA and how we are here to support you. Get connected to:  Our HSTA community and member benefits HSTA VEBA Trust insurance plans and protection  Our HYPE (Hawaii Young Professional Educators) program for new educators Professional development courses  Benefits of Belonging meetings: Hamakua Chapter Friday, Nov. 4 4:30 p.m. Thelma Parker Memorial Library Conference Room 67-1209 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela (Next to Waimea Elementary) RSVP ASAP Sign up for Nov. 4 Hamakua/Waimea Benefits of Belonging. Kona Chapter Thursday, Nov. 17 4:15 p.m. Kealakehe Intermediate Library Workroom RSVP By Nov. 4  Sign up for Nov. 17 Kona Benefits of Belonging Retirement Workshops: Honolulu/Central Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Thursday, Nov. 17 4:30 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP for Nov. 17 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Hilo "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Friday, Nov. 18 5:30 p.m. Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Mala Ikena Room RSVP by Nov. 4. Please RSVP with your name, phone number and the number of people you are bringing to the workshop. Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP to Jeannie at 808-969-6722 Honolulu "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Wednesday, Nov. 30 6 p.m. Side Street Inn, Kapahulu Avenue RSVP by Nov. 22. Please RSVP with your name, phone number and the number of people you are bringing to the workshop. Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP to tereen@shiraishifinancialgroup.com Leeward Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Thursday, Dec. 1 4 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP by Nov. 22 RSVP for Dec. 1 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Monday, Dec.19 6 p.m. Waikele Golf Course RSVP by Dec. 8. Please RSVP with your name, phone number and the number of people you are bringing to the workshop. Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP to tereen@shiraishifinancialgroup.com Central/Honolulu Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Tuesday, Jan. 24 4 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP by Jan. 10 RSVP for Jan. 24 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA HYPE Degrees Not Debt workshop Do you have federal student debt and are unsure of whether you qualify for federal loan forgiveness programs such as Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF), Teacher Loan Cancellation (TLC) and/or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?  Wednesday, Nov. 16 4:30 p.m., in-person workshop 6:30 p.m., online virtual workshop HSTA headquarters, Red Hill Read the NEA's degrees not debt page. OPEN ENROLLMENT OCTOBER 1-31, 2016 The HSTA Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association Trust is offering Active HSTA members an OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD for: Critical Illness Insurance (CII) Long Term Income Protection (LTIP) Plan effective date is Jan. 1, 2017. Learn more at HSTA VEBA Trust's website, www.hstaveba.org or call 808-440-6940 or 1-800-637-4926 (toll free from neighbor islands).   Nominations being accepted for Pono and Friend of Youth awards HSTA’s Youth, Human, and Civil Rights (YHCR) Committee is pleased to announce that nominations are being accepted for the annual Friend of Youth Award and Pono Award. The Friend of Youth Award honors an outstanding individual from the community whose work has positively impacted the youth of Hawaii. The Pono Award is HSTA's social justice activist award. It recognizes one exceptional member who demonstrates the ability to lead, organize, and engage educators, parents, and the community to advocate on social justice issues that impact the lives of students, fellow educators, and the communities they serve. Click here to nominate someone for HSTA's Friend of Youth Award. Click here to nominate a teacher for HSTA's Pono Award. Nominations for both awards are due Jan. 9.   Watch a special video with photos from teachers statewide. See a list of early voting sites and hours here. Voters have until Nov. 1 to request a mail-in ballot. Late voter registration ends on Nov. 5, just three days before Election Day on Nov. 8. Read the full list of HSTA's State House and Senate recommended candidates here. Read HSTA President Corey Rosenlee's comments about superintendent changes here. Read more about the school impact fee proposal here. Please take 20-25 minutes to complete this survey. You could win one of three iPad minis. Register for the Nov. 2 Moanalua High ESSA forum here. Sign up for Nov. 4 Hamakua/Waimea Benefits of Belonging. Register for Nov. 12 Place in the Middle Kumu Hina workshop. RSVP for Nov. 17 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Sign up for Nov. 17 Kona Benefits of Belonging RSVP for Dec. 1 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA RSVP for Jan. 24 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Read the NEA's degrees not debt page. Check out HYPE's website for teachers new to the profession. Apply for an NEA Foundation grant for educators. Click here to nominate someone for HSTA's Friend of Youth Award. Click here to nominate a teacher for HSTA's Pono Award.

RA meeting minutes, 10-25-2016, posted 10-28-2016

To: WIS Faculty

From: Joy Grabar

Here are my notes from the RA Meeting, 10-25-2016.

Please see the HSTA bulletin board for the hard copy information.

HSTA Hilo Chapter Representative Assembly (RA) Meeting

Kea’au High School Library

5:00 – 6:30 pm

October 25, 2016

I.              Call to order

II.            Guest Speaker: Brenda Shiroma, HSTA VEBA Trust

III.          Approval of Minutes

IV.          Reports

A.             President, Dawn Raymond and Board Director, Val De Corte

1.              Please see handout on bulletin board: Hilo Chapter President’s Message, October RA 2016

2. Hand out: HSTA HYPE “Degrees, not debt program”

3. Board Meeting

4. See HSTA Core organizers for 2016-2017 handout

Hilo Chapter is looking for school level members to “be trained so they can help support state centered, chapter specific organizing activities and events,  especially the efforts around contract negotiations and legislative efforts.”  The objective of the is group is to “fully engage all of our members at every school and worksite; and supplement the work of the HSTA field staff.” We are looking for interested teachers.

B.             Treasurer

1.              Treasure’s Report

See handout on bulletin board:  Treasurer’s Report for RA Meeting: 10/25/16

C.             Charter, Bylaws, and Resolutions Committee (CBR), – Karen Kohagura and Cheney Kaku

1.              State Convention in March 2017

a. See brochure on bulletin board: How to Make A Difference

b. See handout on bulletin board: Time line for Handling Proposals of Amendments, Resolutions, and New Business Items for the 2017 Convention for dates

D.             Membership – Debra Borges and Edwin Kagawa and Gail Enriques

1.              Current membership: 1207 HSTA members (AC Active members)

2.         60 non-members (FP means Fee Payers)

3.         New Teachers Dinner: 95% of new teachers are interested in

Professional Dev. Courses,Retirement, and HYPE (paying off debts)

E.              Elections – Lynn Kashinoki and Kerinne Smith

1. Hilo Chapter Vacancies:

HSTA State Convention Delegate

NEA RA Chapter Delegate

2. State Vacancies:

                                    NEA RA State Delegate

F.              Teacher Institute – Christopher Ho

1. See handout on bulletin board: October RA Report Institute Committee

2. Date of Teacher Institute Day: February 16, 2017

3. Agenda:

Registration and Elections

General Session— Negotiations, from Osa

                                                Panel Discussions

                                                What do you want to know about your contract?

Workshop I

Brunch

Workshop II

Content Groupings

(Vendors in the cafeteria)

G.             Negotiations – Aaron Kubo and Evette Tampos

1. See handout on bulletin board: HSTA Goals and Priorities for Negotiations  and Updates in Negotiations

2. Negotiations Team will meet with Employers Team on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016

3. Goals and Priorities (based on data collected from the survey):

Substantial Pay Increases

                        -Address salary schedule compression

- supplemental pay

-Class VII movement

-Hard to Staff areas

Health Care Costs – increase employer contribution

Leaves – Expand Benefits

Teacher preparation and Collaboration

                        -increase time

-SPED specific time

Class size – work to decrease ratios

SPED teaching conditions

Teacher Say/Voice

-Academic and Financial Plan

-Bell Schedule

-Evaluation of Students (grading)

Assignment and Transfer

Teacher Evaluation and Support

H.             Uniserve Report – Rae Yamanaka

Please see handout on bulletin board: HILO UniServ Report, Volume 9, Number 2

Breaking News: BOE begins superintendent search, 10-27-2016, posted 10-28-2016

Board of Ed seeks applicants for superintendent post  The Board of Education plans to discuss beginning the process to search for a superintendent of Hawaii's public school system at its Nov. 1 General Business Meeting. The proposed action calls for the BOE to form a committee to, among other things, determine the process and timeline for the search as well as the composition of the group performing the search.  It is anticipated that the BOE will conduct its search over the coming months, with the hopes that a successful candidate will begin employment on July 1, 2017. This proposed action is being initiated in anticipation of the ending of the contract term of current Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi (June 30, 2017), the BOE said.  “This is an ideal time to transition to new leadership that will help the DOE continue its efforts to reduce the achievement gap and prioritize achievement for all students,” said BOE Chairperson Lance Mizumoto. “The Hawaii State Teachers Association agrees with the Board of Education chair that this is an opportunity to move in a new direction," said Corey Rosenlee, HSTA president. “HSTA will continue to work with Superintendent Matayoshi and the DOE to ensure we get a strong contract that will give all of our keiki the schools they deserve.” “HSTA looks forward to working with whoever the Board of Education chooses to be the next superintendent,” Rosenlee added.  “This is exciting time for education in Hawaii with new opportunities created under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Gov. David Ige’s ESSA Task Force. Under ESSA, Hawaii now can move away from high-stakes testing and high-stakes teacher evaluations toward a more collaborative approach that will improve teaching and learning in our public schools.” The BOE formulates statewide educational policy and appoints the superintendent as the chief executive officer of the public school system.

Member Matters: Wear red for ed Tuesday or Wednesday; New BOE member appointed; Probie bonuses issued; Pono and Friend of Youth award nominees due, posted 10-21-2016

Please wear red for ed next Tues. or Wed   The next contract bargaining session — the third so far — is set for Friday, Oct. 28.  Osa Tui, chair of HSTA’s Negotiations Committee, asks teachers around the state to wear red for ed on Oct. 25 or 26. Snap a photo of your group and email it to negotiations@hsta.org to show your support, along with the name of your school, specifically what group appears in the photo (Is it 6th grade teachers or members of the science department?), along with your names if it's just a few of you. “We plan to post these photos on social media and in our bargaining conference room so you can be there in spirit,” Tui said. “Please gather as many of your colleagues together as possible — maybe from your grade level, department or building — and pose for a photo wearing red to show solidarity.” Members of HSTA's Board of Directors wore red for ed Friday as they prepared for the association's board meeting. The Oct. 28 session will include a presentation to the employer from the HSTA representatives on the state Special Education Committee, the joint DOE-HSTA fact-finding and problem-solving panel.   The HSTA Negotiations Team held its second bargaining session with the state earlier this month on Oct. 5, when both sides met for several hours.  Both parties asked clarifying questions about each other's proposals.The HSTA team gave answers to the employer's questions at the meeting. The employer will return with answers to HSTA's questions at the next bargaining session. HSTA staff members wore red Friday to show support for teachers statewide.   Governor appoints Galera to BOE post Gov. David Ige has appointed former public school teacher and principal Darrel Galera to the Board of Education. Galera has a rich background in public education in Hawaii. He is the school leadership consultant and coach for the Hawaii Center for Instructional Leadership and he chairs the governor’s ESSA Team (Every Student Succeeds Act). “I can’t think of anyone more qualified to help guide Hawaii public schools in a new direction that aligns with the governor’s vision,” said Amy Perruso, HSTA secretary-treasurer who serves with Galera on the governor’s ESSA Team. “Darrel is not only a consummate educator, he was a teachers’ principal who brought the best out of his teachers.” Galera, who began his career as a social studies teacher at Moanalua High, said, “It’s truly an honor and privilege to serve our students and schools. I’m inspired by Governor Ige’s vision and plan for public education in Hawaii.” Read more about Darrel Galera's appointment to the BOE.   First probationary incentives paid Oct. 5 Under the HSTA contract, the first of the probationary incentive payments should have been received by teachers that qualified in their October 5 paycheck. Teachers who entered service in school year 2013-14 and have completed their six semesters of probation under the new Educators Effectiveness System (EES) and gained tenure at the beginning of this school year qualify for the incentive payment of $2,500. Please remember this $2,500 is considered taxable income. If you have questions and or did not receive payment, please check with payroll and/or email negotiations@hsta.org.   Take NEA survey; you could win an iPad mini    The National Education Association (NEA), Corwin and Learning Forward want to know how professional learning impacts your teaching and your students’ learning. The following survey measures how your professional learning aligns with the Standards for Professional Learning, which outline the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. Please take 20-25 minutes to complete this survey. You could win one of three iPad minis. NEA will share survey findings with leaders across the country to deepen their understanding of the learning you experience and to influence ongoing improvement. Teachers’ voices are essential to this process, so thank you for sharing your experience. Please complete survey by Monday, Oct. 31. To thank you for your participation, we will enter everyone who completes this survey into a raffle to win one of 3 iPad minis. The winner will be announced by Nov. 7.   ESSA team travels to Kahuku and Moanalua to unveil draft blueprint to improve public schools   Gov. David Ige’s Every Student Succeeds Act Task Force will hold two more follow-up community forums statewide to share findings and focus on a draft blueprint for public education in Hawaii. Teachers are encouraged to attend and give feedback on the initial plan for improving Hawaii public schools. “First, we will share the findings of input and feedback received from town hall meetings. Second, we will unveil a working draft or outline for a new blueprint for public education in Hawaii,” said Darrel Galera, a retired public school principal who chairs the ESSA Task Force and was just appointed to the Board of Education. “We also want to collect more specific input, feedback and advice for a final version of a blueprint for public education in Hawaii.” The remaining two meetings are on Oahu: Oct. 26: Kahuku High and Inter. library, Oahu, 6 to 8 p.m. Register for the Oct. 26 Kahuku High ESSA forum here. Nov. 2: Moanalua High library, Oahu, 6 to 8 p.m. Register for the Nov. 2 Moanalua High ESSA forum here.   Benefits of Belonging, retirement planning and Degrees Not Debt workshops The Membership Services Committee brings you a host of workshops over the next couple of months. First, come find out your benefits of belonging to HSTA and how we are here to support you. Get connected to:  Our HSTA community and member benefits HSTA VEBA Trust insurance plans and protection  Our HYPE (Hawaii Young Professional Educators) program for new educators Professional development courses  Benefits of Belonging meetings: Kona Chapter, come find out your benefits of belonging to HSTA and how we are here to support you.  Join us: Thursday, Nov. 17 4:15 p.m. Kealakehe Intermediate Library Workroom RSVP By Nov. 4  Sign up for Nov. 17 Kona Benefits of Belonging Retirement Workshops: "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Monday, Oct. 24 6 p.m. Formaggio Grill restaurant, Kailua RSVP by Oct. 21 Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP totereen@shiraishifinancialgroup.com Central/Honolulu Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Thursday, Oct. 27 4 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP by Nov. 4 RSVP for Oct. 27 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Honolulu/Central Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Thursday, Nov. 17 4:30 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP for Nov. 17 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Hilo "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Friday, Nov. 18 5:30 p.m. Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Mala Ikena Room RSVP by Nov. 4 Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP to Jeannie at 808-969-6722 Honolulu "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Wednesday, Nov. 30 6 p.m. Side Street Inn, Kapahulu Avenue RSVP by Nov. 22 Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP to tereen@shiraishifinancialgroup.com Leeward Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Thursday, Dec. 1 4 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP by Nov. 22 RSVP for Dec. 1 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA "Are you on track to retire?" Workshop Monday, Dec.19 6 p.m. Waikele Golf Course RSVP by Dec. 8 Hosted by our NEA retirement specialists. Please RSVP totereen@shiraishifinancialgroup.com Central/Honolulu Pre-Retirement Planning Workshop Tuesday, Jan. 24 4 p.m. HSTA headquarters, Red Hill RSVP by Jan. 10 RSVP for Jan. 24 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA HYPE Degrees Not Debt workshop Do you have federal student debt and are unsure of whether you qualify for federal loan forgiveness programs such as Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF), Teacher Loan Cancellation (TLC) and/or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?  Wednesday, Nov. 16 4:30 p.m., in-person workshop 6:30 p.m., online virtual workshop HSTA headquarters, Red Hill Read the NEA's degrees not debt page. NEA Click & Save Everyday Discounts – Don’t Miss Out  Resolve to be a smarter shopper by shopping with NEA Click & Save, which has saved your fellow members over $11 million so far. Check out NEA Click & Save discounts here. Workout gear from fitness gear include Athleta, Columbia, Footlocker.com, lululemon athletica, NewBalance.com, Nike, Performance Bicycle, Sweaty Betty, Under Armour and Zumba Fitness Shoes from Famous Footwear, Nine West, Puma, Saucony, ShoeBuy.com,ShoeMall.com, Shoes.com, Skechers, Steve Madden and Vans Cosmetics and toiletries deals from boutique retailers such as Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Clinique, Kiehl’s, Lancome, Laura Mercier, NARS Cosmetics and Origins. Pet supplies from retailers like Petco, VetShop, EntirelyPets.com, PetSmart and Wysong Pet Food. Toys from retailers such as Disney Store, GameFly, GameStop, HearthSong, Kmart, Lego, Toys R Us, Sesame Street Store and YoYo.com   OPEN ENROLLMENT OCTOBER 1-31, 2016 The HSTA Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association Trust is offering Active HSTA members an OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD for: Critical Illness Insurance (CII) Long Term Income Protection (LTIP) Plan effective date is Jan. 1, 2017. Learn more at HSTA VEBA Trust's website,www.hstaveba.org or call 808-440-6940 or 1-800-637-4926 (toll free from neighbor islands).   Ewa teachers win NEA Foundation grant Two teachers from Ewa Elementary have been awarded a $5,000 Learning and Leadership Grant from the NEA Foundation. The grant was one of 37 new grants approved by the foundation last month. Teachers Akeyo Garcia and Yolanda Macion-Ito will use the grant to establish an on-site collaborative STEM training program to build a professional learning community within Ewa Elementary. Their program will improve instruction and staff communication, evaluation, assessment and leadership skills. "We look forward to more excellent applicants from Hawaii in the future," said Harriet Sanford, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. The next deadlines to apply for either a Student Achievement Grant or Learning and Leadership Grant are Feb. 1 and June 1. Apply for an NEA Foundation grant for educators.   HSTA recommends General Election political candidates After a lengthy process that included a candidate questionnaire, interviews, and a review of voting history, HSTA’s Board of Directors, in concurrence with the HSTA Government Relations Committee, recommends teachers vote for the following candidates in the Nov. 8 General Election. “We carefully reviewed their stances on important issues,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee. “So we are confident these candidates deserve teachers’ votes.” In the presidential race, the HSTA recommends Hillary Clinton, a Democrat. The HSTA recommends the re-election of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D) as well as U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D), representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in Hawaii’s Congressional District 2. The HSTA also recommends sending Colleen Hanabusa (D) back to Congress in the 1st Congressional District seat she previously held representing urban Honolulu in the U.S. House. Read the full list of HSTA's State House and Senate recommended candidates here.   Nominations being accepted for Pono and Friend of Youth awards HSTA’s Youth, Human, and Civil Rights Committee (YHCR) is pleased to announce that nominations are being accepted for the annual Friend of Youth Award and Pono Award. The Friend of Youth Award honors an outstanding individual from the community whose work has positively impacted the youth of Hawaii. The Pono Award is HSTA's social justice activist award. It recognizes one exceptional member who demonstrates the ability to lead, organize, and engage educators, parents, and the community to advocate on social justice issues that impact the lives of students, fellow educators, and the communities they serve. Click here to nominate someone for HSTA's Friend of Youth Award. Click here to nominate a teacher for HSTA's Pono Award. Nominations for both awards are due Jan. 9. Chamber Music Hawaii offers discount tickets to teachers, free student tix Chamber Music Hawaii invites HSTA members to attend its fall concerts at the UH West Oahu campus in the school’s beautiful new library at a special introductory price. Performance dates, times and artists are: Tuesday, Nov. 22, 7 p.m.        Spring Wind Quintet Tuesday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.          Christmas with Honolulu Brass Teacher ticket prices for these concerts are $20 each, a $10 discount off the regular $30 price available at the door with your school ID or HSTA green membership card. Students attend concerts free – feel free to bring some with you! Special pricing only valid at the UH West Oahu venue.  For more information, please go toChamberMusicHawaii.org or call Jane Campbell at 254-4885. Teacher Institute moved from October to February   For many years, HSTA held Teacher Institute days around the state in the fall, but this school year institute days will be held in February. As a professional day, it is a work day, and teacher attendance is required. Here are the dates by island, for your long-range planning: Monday, Feb. 13, Oahu Tuesday, Feb. 14, Molokai Wednesday, Feb. 15, Maui and Lanai Thursday, Feb. 16, Big Island Friday, Feb. 17, Kauai   Read more about Darrel Galera's appointment to the BOE. Please take 20-25 minutes to complete this survey. You could win one of three iPad minis. See the latest ESSA Town Hall meeting schedule here. Register for the Oct. 26 Kahuku High ESSA forum here. Register for the Nov. 2 Moanalua High ESSA forum here. RSVP for Oct. 27 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA RSVP for Nov. 17 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Sign up for Nov. 17 Kona Benefits of Belonging RSVP for Dec. 1 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA RSVP for Jan. 24 Pre-Retirement Workshop at HSTA Read the NEA's degrees not debt page. Check out HYPE's website for teachers new to the profession. Check out NEA Click & Save discounts here. Apply for an NEA Foundation grant for educators. Read the full list of HSTA's State House and Senate recommended candidates here. Click here to nominate someone for HSTA's Friend of Youth Award. Click here to nominate a teacher for HSTA's Pono Award.

Copyright © 2016 Hawaii State Teachers Association, All rights reserved. Mahalo for your engagement. Our mailing address is: Hawaii State Teachers Association 1200 Ala Kapuna Street Honolulu, HI 96819