President's Corner:

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MEMBER ACTION CENTER

Got Mail?
To access your NEW LEAnj e-mail account, simply go to mail.leanj.org and log-in using your new user name (typically your first initial and last name) and the password we assigned. This information is on the letter you received recently.  To reach most of our members, remember this formula first initial last name @ leanj.org. Any questions or problems, please contact Christine Maccarella (cmaccarella@leanj.org).

LEA LPS STIPEND SURVEY

We recently mailed out stipend surveys to a number of members who hold stipend positions.  If you did not receive yours or had trouble completing yours, please use the following link:

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3L7GLKQ 

This survey will provide us with information as we prepare for next year's negotiations.

Remember to complete a separate survey for each stipend position you hold.  If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Larsen at jlarsen@leanj.org.  

Thank you.

LEA Vice-President Anthony Rosamilia's address to the

NJEA Delegate Assembly

Read & Be Inspired!

I am so proud to be a teacher. Never have I been more proud than I was this past month. Several years ago I was a victim of a violent crime. And even though I was not seriously hurt or worse, that experience changed me forever. I can tell you that in the days afterwards many people in hearing the details of my experience would say to me things like, “Well if I was in that situation, I would have done this, or I would have done that.” But the truth is that when you are confronted with a potential life or death situation, you don’t know how you will react. Some people who think they will fight end up running away and some who are certain that they will run end up to their own surprise fighting. For certain, many people will run away. Scientists tell us that it is an instinctual human reaction embedded deep in our DNA. Which is why I find it so remarkable when people in that situation do not run.

The teacher’s and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary school who died trying to protect their students showed the highest form of bravery. We have all been through those lockdown drills where we are asked to try and take action to protect the students in our care. But if we were actually in that unimaginable situation, facing sheer terror, would we be calm? Would we try and save ourselves before our students? By all accounts the educators in Newtown, did not run, except in the direction of the shooter to try and stop him, they did remain calm and followed their training and they saved all the children that they could.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that so many of these teachers reacted the way they did. The truth is that a certain kind of person is drawn to this field. Educators tend to be very caring people. Sometimes I think that that characteristic makes us easy targets politically, but sometimes like in the case of this massacre it saved lives and provided comfort to small children in their last terrible moments. So when I hear someone say that teacher’s get tenure for “just showing up” I think to myself that “showing up” means something. That it is worth something. That every day of just “showing up” means a thousand different things to the lives of the students we are responsible for. Things that cannot be measured on a standardized test, but they are more important in so many ways. I know they were more important to the parents of the children who were lost and those that were saved. I have a 7 year old. And when he walks into the school building each day I am comforted that he is in the care of dedicated professionals who “show up” every day and by doing so demonstrate that they care. And god forbid that any of us are ever presented with the type of situation that the teachers and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary faced, I hope that their sacrifice, bravery, and professionalism can serve to inspire us all.

Happy New Year to you all.

LBOE/LEA Sidebar Agreements

Please be aware that the Sidebar Agreements listed below in the Document Library were approved 6/14/11 and are official.  They will be implemented for the 2011/2012 school year.